Rep. Daneya Esgar

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The bill formally establishes in statute the circle program, a 90-day inpatient treatment program for persons with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

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Current law requires any licensed physician, physician assistant, or anesthesiologist assistant (licensee) who attends or treats any of certain injuries, including injuries resulting from domestic violence, to report the injury at once to the police of the city, town, or city and county or the sheriff of the county in which the licensee is located. The bill states that a licensee is not required to report an injury that the licensee has reason to believe involves an act of domestic violence if: The victim of the injury is at least 18 years of age and indicates his or her preference that the injury not be reported; The injury is not an injury that the licensee is otherwise required to report; and The injury is not a serious bodily injury. When a licensee declines to report an injury that he or she has reason to believe resulted from domestic violence pursuant to the victim's expressed preference, the licensee shall document the victim's request in the victim's medical record. Before a licensee reports an injury that he or she has reason to believe resulted from domestic violence, the licensee shall make a good-faith effort, confidentially, to advise the victim of the licensee's intent to do so. If a licensee has reason to believe that an injury resulted from domestic violence, then, regardless of whether the licensee reports the injury to law enforcement, the licensee shall either refer the victim to a victim's advocate or provide the victim with information concerning services available to victims of abuse. A licensee who, in good faith, refers a victim to a victim's advocate or provides a victim with information concerning services available to victims of abuse is not civilly liable for any act or omission of the victim's advocate or of any agency that provides such services to the victim. Under current law, any licensee who, in good faith, makes such a report of an injury is immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the making of the report. The bill states that a licensee who does not make a report under the new conditions described in the bill is also immune to such liability. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill appropriates $1.5 million from the species conservation trust fund for programs submitted by the executive director of the department of natural resources that are designed to conserve native species that state or federal law list as threatened or endangered or that are candidate species or are likely to become candidate species as determined by the United States fish and wildlife service as follows: Native terrestrial wildlife conservation, $375,000; Native aquatic wildlife conservation, $375,000; Platte river recovery implementation program, $600,000; and Nonnative fish control, $150,000.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The public utilities commission (commission) in the department of regulatory agencies (department) regulates motor carriers through the issuance of permits. The bill streamlines the commission's enforcement of motor carrier permits as follows: Section 2 of the bill clarifies language concerning the imposition of civil penalties for violations of motor carrier regulations, including the civil penalties applicable for subsequent violations. Section 2 also relieves the commission of the obligation to prove that a violation was intentional. Section 3 creates a legal services offset fund (fund) to supplement the money appropriated to the department for legal representation of commission staff by the department of law in commission matters concerning the enforcement of motor carrier regulations. Section 3 requires that the state treasurer transfer any money in excess of $250,000 in the fund to the general fund and sets an alternative maximum reserve for the fund, distinct from the maximum reserve generally applicable to cash funds, of $250,000. Section 1 requires the commission to transfer all penalties collected for violations of motor carrier regulations to the fund. Sections 4, 5, and 6 clarify that a permittee's motor carrier permit is immediately revoked for failure to pay a civil penalty. These sections apply to permittees that are motor carriers of passengers, motor carriers of towed motor vehicles, and motor carriers of household goods, respectively.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Capital Development Committee. The bill grants the state historical society the authority to sell a vacant cold storage facility located on the former Lowry Air Force base. The bill specifies that the proceeds of the sale are to be credited to the state museum cash fund to be used for capital outlay, capital construction, or controlled maintenance at museums statewide.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill allows the Colorado economic development commission to allow certain businesses that make a strategic capital investment in the state, subject to a maximum amount, and subject to the requirements of the specified income tax credits, to treat any of the following income tax credits allowed to the business as either carryforwardable for a five-year period or as transferable: Colorado job growth incentive tax credit; Enterprise zone income tax credit for investment in certain property; Income tax credit for new enterprise zone business employees; and Enterprise zone income tax credit for expenditures for research and experimental activities.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill replaces the existing southwest chief rail line economic development, rural tourism, and infrastructure repair and maintenance commission (old commission), the current statutory authorization for which expires on July 1, 2017, with an expanded southwest chief and front range passenger rail commission (new commission). The new commission must: Assume the old commission's powers and duties and its mission of preserving existing Amtrak southwest chief rail line service in the state, extending such service to Pueblo, and exploring the benefits of extending such service to Walsenburg; and Facilitate the future of front range passenger rail and specifically develop and present by December 1, 2017, to the local government committees of the house of representatives and the senate, draft legislation to facilitate the development of a front range passenger rail system that provides passenger rail service in and along the interstate 25 corridor.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill creates the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) expansion pilot program, administered by the university of Colorado college of nursing, to expand access to medication-assisted treatment to opioid-dependent patients in Pueblo and Routt counties. The pilot program will provide grants to community- and office-based practices, behavioral health organizations, and substance abuse treatment organizations to: Assist nurse practitioners and physician assistants working in those settings to obtain training and support required under the federal 'Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016' (CARA) to enable them to prescribe buprenorphine and other FDA-approved medications and therapies as part of providing MAT to opioid-dependent patients; and Provide behavioral therapies in conjunction with medication as part of the provision of MAT to opioid-dependent patients. The general assembly is directed to appropriate $500,000 per year for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years from the marijuana tax cash fund to the university of Colorado board of regents, for allocation to the college of nursing to implement the pilot program. Each grant recipient must submit a report to the college of nursing regarding the use of the grant, and the college of nursing must submit a summarized report to the governor and the health committees of the senate and house of representatives regarding the pilot program. The pilot program is established and funded for 2 years and repeals on June 30, 2020. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)