Rep. Kim Ransom

Under current law, following the 2019-20 and 2020-21 fiscal years, service agencies serving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities are required to report to the department of health care policy and financing how they used a funding increase intended to increase compensation for direct support professionals. The act repeals this reporting requirement. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act repeals the technology advancement and emergency fund and the reversion of unspent general fund appropriations to the fund. Prior to the repeal, the state treasurer is required to transfer the unspent and unencumbered balance of the fund to the general fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law requires appropriations of $750,000 for state fiscal years 2019-20 through 2023-24 from the marijuana tax cash fund to the center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support strategies to implement a program to increase public awareness concerning the safe use, storage, and disposal of opioids and the availability of naloxone and other drugs used to block the effects of an opioid overdose. The act reduces the appropriation to $250,000 for state fiscal years 2020-21 through 2023-24. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act limits to 2% the annual increase in the general fund share of per diem rates to nursing facilities for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 state fiscal years. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, the act decreases the general fund appropriation to the department of health care policy and financing for medical services premiums by $3,288,230, with an anticipated corresponding decrease in federal funds of $3,722,921. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act redirects a portion of tobacco litigation settlement moneys (settlement moneys) to the general fund for state fiscal year (FY) 2020-21 by: Transferring $20 million of settlement moneys received during FY 2019-20 to the general fund and offsetting the $20 million reduction in the amount of such settlement moneys available for allocation in FY 2020-21 to the programs that receive settlement moneys by allocating to the programs in FY 2020-21 $20 million of settlement moneys to be received by the state in FY 2020-21 that would otherwise be allocated in FY 2021-22; Removing $2,000,130 of settlement moneys received in excess of projections during FY 2019-20 from the base amount used to calculate the statutory allocations of settlement moneys to various programs; Reducing the statutory allocations of settlement moneys: For the tobacco settlement defense account of the tobacco litigation settlement cash fund (litigation account) from 2.5% to 0.75% of the settlement moneys; and For the state dental loan repayment program by $160,717; Requiring all settlement moneys received during FY 2019-20 that are not allocated for state fiscal year 2020-21 under the modified statutory allocation formula to be transferred to the general fund on July 1, 2020; Requiring additional July 1, 2020, transfers to the general fund of settlement moneys previously credited to cash funds that receive statutory allocations of settlement moneys as follows: $8 million from the tobacco settlement defense account; $4,237,375 from the nurse home visitor program fund; and $3 million from the Colorado state veterans trust fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act: Repeals the state regulatory program concerning the registration, fees, record keeping, violations, and rules regarding waste grease; and Reduces the cash funds appropriation from the solid waste management fund made in the 2020-21 general appropriation act (long bill) by $100,890 and reduces the related FTE by 0.7 FTE.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

For the state fiscal year 2020-21, the act reduces the amount of state sales and use tax revenue that is credited to the older Coloradans cash fund from $10 million to $8 million, with the difference credited to the general fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act repeals the prohibition on the general assembly appropriating the bulk of the money from the marijuana tax cash fund until the year following the year that the revenue is received by the state. The fund reserve is clarified in light of this change. The state treasurer is required to transfer $136,989,750 from the fund to the general fund on October 1, 2020. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The employer and member contribution rates for the public employees' retirement association (PERA) are specified in statute. For the 2020-21 and 2021-22 state fiscal years only, the act decreases the employer contribution rate for employers in the judicial division of PERA by 5% and increases the member contribution rate for employees in the judicial division of PERA by 5%. The contribution rates will be changed as follows: For the 2020-21 state fiscal year, the employer contribution rate is decreased from 13.91% to 8.91% of salary and the member contribution rate is increased from 9.5% to 14.5% of salary. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the employer contribution rate is decreased from 13.91% to 8.91% of salary and the member contribution rate is increased from 10% to 15% of salary. The act specifies that the change in contributions does not apply to the employer or member contributions for judges employed by the Denver county court. The act does not impact the employer or member contribution rates for any of the other divisions of PERA. The appropriations made to the judicial department in the annual general appropriation act for the 2020-21 state fiscal year are reduced in accordance with the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law specifies that on July 1, 2018, and on July 1 each year thereafter until there are no unfunded actuarial accrued liabilities of any division of the public employees' retirement association (PERA) that receives the direct distribution, the state treasurer is required to issue a warrant to PERA in an amount equal to $225 million from the general fund or any other fund. The act specifies that the state treasurer shall not issue the warrant to PERA for the 2020-21 state fiscal year. The act reduces the figures included in the annual general appropriation act for the 2020-21 state fiscal year for informational purposes to the department of the treasury for the direct distribution. The act also reduces appropriations made to various state agencies in the annual general appropriation act for the 2020-21 state fiscal year for the direct distribution. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)