The bill allows eligible electors in the town of Parker to elect to have all of the area within the boundaries of the town included in or excluded from the boundaries of the regional transportation district (district). The bill requires that for the election to go forward, 2 separate ballot questions must be presented to the electors, one regarding the town's inclusion in and one regarding the town's exclusion from each special district. The ballot questions may be initiated by petitions signed by at least 5% of the voters, or the governing body may adopt resolutions to hold elections on the ballot questions. The ballot must include one question allowing the voters to vote for or against the inclusion of the proposed area in the district, and one question allowing voters to vote for or against the exclusion of the proposed area from the district. If one question is approved by a majority of the eligible electors and the other question is not approved by a majority of eligible electors, the question that was approved takes effect. If both questions are approved by a majority of the eligible electors, only the question that received the greater number of votes in favor of the question takes effect. If neither question is approved by a majority of eligible electors, neither question takes effect and the boundaries of the district remain as they were before the election. If the voters elect to be excluded from the district, the exclusion takes effect on the earlier of December 31, 2050, or the date on which any district securities that were secured by the specific pledge of proceeds of sales taxes prior to January 1, 2021, are repaid. The district may continue to collect sales and use tax revenues within the boundaries of the district after the voters elect to be excluded and prior to the effective date of the exclusion, so long as the district provides a reasonably proportionate level of service to the town of Parker during that time. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Sponsored bills
The act repeals the central collection services section (CSS) in the division of finance procurement in the department of personnel, which section was the centralized collection agency for state debts of many state agencies. Thereafter, all state agencies will be responsible for collecting their own debts. The act modifies the collection of state debts by:Repealing CSS and specifying that each state agency is responsible for collecting debts owed to it; Shifting rule-making responsibility related to debt collection from the executive director of the department of personnel to the state controller (controller); Permitting a state agency to certify a debt to the department of revenue, so that the department may deduct the debt from a state tax refund or lottery winnings; Permitting a state agency to certify a debt to the registry operator under the "Gaming Payment Intercept Act", so that the registry operator may deduct the debt from limited gaming winnings; Permitting a state agency to refer a debt to a private counsel or private collection agency; Requiring the controller to include in the fiscal rules requirements for a state agency to refer a debt to private counsel or a private collection agency or to certify a debt to the department of revenue; Eliminating the ability of the state to collect a debt on behalf of a political subdivision; Repealing the requirement that there be written notice and an opportunity for a hearing prior to a tax refund offset being implemented; Eliminating the controller and state treasurer's authority to write off a debt due to the state, so that they only have authority to release or compromise such a debt; Transferring the balance in the debt collection fund to the general fund and then repealing the fund; Authorizing the controller to determine the priority of debts for which amounts will be withheld from disbursements, instead of requiring a pro rata distribution, which cannot be done with decentralized debt collection; Repealing the vendor offset implementation fund, which currently has no balance; Repealing the requirement that the controller establish performance policies and standards for measuring a state agency's debt collection; Repealing the controller's debt collection fee; Requiring the controller, without consultation of others, to select the private counsel or private collection agencies, instead of the executive director of the department of personnel with consultation of others; Eliminating specification for applying a court-ordered award that is insufficient to cover a state debt, so that such disposition is left to the court order; Repealing a written notice to debtors that specifies the amount of the debt, including the itemization of any fees, and the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed; and Repealing the authority for the department of personnel to enter into a reciprocal agreement with the United States government or another state to offset debts and allowing the department of revenue to enter into such reciprocal agreements.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill: Prohibits an employer from requiring union membership or payment of union dues as a condition of employment; Creates civil and criminal penalties for employer violations regarding union membership and authorizes the attorney general and the district attorney in each judicial district to investigate alleged violations and take action against a person believed to be in violation; and States that all-union agreements are unfair labor practices.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill establishes an income tax credit for the 2020 and 2021 income tax years for any taxpayer who: Has one or more qualified children whose school suspended in-person learning for at least 4 consecutive weeks during the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic (suspension of in-person learning); and Incurred costs as a result of the suspension of in-person learning. The amount of the credit allowed is either the amount of the costs incurred by the taxpayer as a result of the suspension of in-person learning or $2,000 for any income tax year, whichever is less; except that the maximum amount of the credit that a taxpayer may claim in the 2020 and 2021 income tax years combined shall not exceed $2,000 per qualified child. A taxpayer is required to claim the credit for the income tax year in which the costs were incurred due to the suspension of in-person learning. The bill also creates an income tax credit for the 2020 and 2021 income tax years for any taxpayer who: Has one or more qualified children who experienced the suspension of in-person learning or whose daycare center was unable to provide in-person care for the qualified child for at least 4 consecutive weeks during the 2020-21 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic; Had to provide care for the qualified child due to the suspension of in-person learning or the inability of the daycare center to provide care; and As a result of providing such care for the taxpayer's qualified child, was unable to work and experienced a loss of income. The amount of the credit allowed is either the amount of income the taxpayer lost as a result of not being able to work due to the suspension of in-person learning or the inability of the qualified child's daycare center to provide care or $2,000 for any income tax year, whichever is less. A taxpayer must claim the credit for the income tax year in which the taxpayer lost income. A taxpayer who claims either income tax credit is required to retain certain information to provide to the department of revenue upon request by the department. A taxpayer who claims one credit created in the bill is ineligible to claim the other credit created in the bill. Both credits may be carried forward for 3 years but may not be refunded. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The act delays the effective date of the "Colorado Electronic Preservation of Abandoned Estate Planning Documents Act" until January 1, 2023. Appropriations for fiscal year 2020-21 related to the "Colorado Electronic Preservation of Abandoned Estate Planning Documents Act" to the judicial department for: Information technology infrastructure is decreased by $125,230, and Trial court programs is decreased by $28,147.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
If a court appoints as an emergency guardian or special conservator a professional person or public administrator, the act requires the court to also appoint a court visitor to interview the respondent and others and report to the court on the supported decision-making surrounding the respondent. Current law allows a court on its own motion or at the request of an interested person to conduct an emergency review of a fiduciary's actions. The act requires the judge to rule on the motion or request within 14 days. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act updates Colorado's statutory provisions related to foster care prevention services and supports (prevention services) in the context of the federal "Family First Prevention Services Act", including: Updating the definition of "kin" to ensure that kin are eligible for prevention services; Updating the definition of "qualified individual" to clarify eligibility; Clarifying the elements of reviews of qualified residential treatment program placements (placements) to ensure that the placement of children, juveniles, and youth are reviewed initially by the court and not by the administrative review division; Updating language referring to children to include juveniles and youth to ensure that delinquent youth are also identified as a population that is eligible for prevention services and meet the requirements for placements; Adding information about prevention services and the authority of county departments of human or social services to provide prevention services; Requiring that when a youth is committed to the state department of human services, the court shall make additional findings to ensure the commitment is not the result of a lack of available appropriate placements; Adding requirements to a court to make specific findings when it deviates from the assessor's recommendation of a placement; Setting a new requirement that residential child care facilities must renew licenses annually; and Requiring the existing delivery of the child welfare services task force to make recommendations on the reduction of state reimbursements for certain out-of-home placements on or before December 15, 2020. The act makes the following appropriations for the 2020-21 state fiscal year: $936,412 is reduced from the general fund and increased from the reappropriated funds for the department of human services executive director's office for employment and regulatory affairs; $546,652 is appropriated to the department of human services executive director's office for legal services and the administrative review unit; $91,039 in anticipated federal funds is appropriated to the office of information technology services for Colorado trails and the division of child welfare for administration; $242,250 is appropriated to the office of the governor for department of human services information technology; $38,376 is appropriated to the department of law for department of human services legal services; $211,200 is appropriated to the judicial department for office of the child's representative personal services; and $178,560 is appropriated to the judicial department for respondent parents' counsel personal services.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, the general fund reserve requirement is equal to 7.25% of the amount appropriated for expenditure from the general fund for the fiscal year. The act reduces the percentage used to determine the general fund reserve as follows: 3.07% for fiscal year 2019-20; and 2.86% for fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The general assembly is required to annually appropriate $350,000 to the department of law for allocation to the Colorado district attorneys' council for prosecution training. The act reduces the annual amount to $200,000 for fiscal year 2020-21. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act eliminates the requirement that the department of public health and environment (department) assist and staff the stroke advisory board and the Colorado coroners standards and training board. Each board is authorized to accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations to cover the board's direct expenses. The general fund appropriation to the department for use by the health facilities and emergency medical services division is decreased by $44,007. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)