Section 1 of the bill requires that, beginning in 2023, each insurance company issued a certificate of authority to transact insurance business to prepare and file an annual report with the insurance commissioner providing a climate-risk assessment for the insurance company's investment portfolio from the previous 12 months. The commissioner of insurance is required to post the reports on the division of insurance's website. Section 1 defines "climate-risk assessment" as a determination of the economic and business risks that climate change poses to an investment that reports more than $100 million on its annual schedule T filing with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) participate in and complete the NAIC's "Insurer Climate Risk Disclosure Survey" or successor survey or reporting mechanism.Section 2 requires the board of trustees of the public employees' retirement association (PERA board ) to prepare a similar include as part of its annual investment stewardship report, and post it which report is posted on the PERA board's website , a description of climate-related investment risks, impacts, and strategies .Section 3 adds wastewater thermal energy equipment to the definition of "pollution control equipment", which equipment may be certified by the division of administration (division) in the department of public health and environment (CDPHE). Similarly, section 13 adds wastewater thermal energy to the definition of "clean heat resource", which resources a gas distribution utility includes in its clean heat plan filed with the public utilities commission.Section 3 4 updates the statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals to add a 40% 65% reduction goal for 2028 2035 compared to 2005 GHG pollution levels and a 75% reduction goal for 2040 compared to 2005 GHG pollution levels.Section 4 defines a small off-road engine as a gasoline-powered engine of 50 horsepower or less used to fuel small off-road equipment like lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Section 4 phases out the use of small off-road engines by prohibiting their sale in nonattainment areas of the state on or after January 1, 2030, and by providing financial incentives to promote the replacement of small off-road engines with electric-powered, small off-road equipment before 2030.Section 11 establishes a state income tax credit in an amount equal to 30% of the purchase price for new, electric-powered, small off-road equipment for purchases made in income tax years 2023 through 2029. Section 5 requires the air quality control commission (AQCC), on or before August 1, 2023, to adopt rules to reduce GHG emissions, at a minimum, from sources in the industrial and manufacturing sector that reported GHG emissions greater than 25,000 metric tons from 2020 pursuant to the AQCC rule commonly known as "regulation number 22".Section 6 7 gives the oil and gas conservation commission (COGCC) authority over class VI injection wells used for sequestration of GHG including through the issuance and enforcement of permits if the governor and COGCC have determined that the state has sufficient resources to ensure the safe and effective regulation of the sequestration of GHG gases in accordance with a study that the COGCC conducts . If the governor and COGCC determine there are sufficient resources, the COGCC may seek primacy under the federal "Safe Drinking Water Act" and, once granted, may issue and enforce permits for class VI injection wells. The COGCC shall require, as part of its regulation of class VI injection wells, that operators of the wells provide adequate financial assurance, which financial assurance must be maintained until the COGCC approves the closure of a class VI injection well site.Section 7 8 requires the commissioner of agriculture or the commissioner's designee, in consultation with the Colorado energy office , and the air quality control commission the AQCC, and an institution of higher education with expertise in climate change mitigation, adaptation benefits, and other environmental benefits related to agricultural research , to conduct a study examining carbon reduction and sequestration opportunities in the agricultural sector and in land management in the state, including the potential development of certified carbon offset programs or credit instruments. On or before December 15, 2022 October 1, 2024 , the commissioner of agriculture or the commissioner's designee is required to submit a report summarizing the study, including any legislative recommendations, to the general assembly. The commissioner of agriculture may adopt rules incorporating recommendations and any recommended carbon offsets may be incorporated into the AQCC's rules. In support of the use of agrivoltaics, which is the colocation integration of solar energy generation facilities on a parcel of land with agricultural activities, section 8 9 authorizes the Colorado agriculture value-added development board (board) to provide financing, including grants or loans, for agricultural research on the use of agrivoltaics. Section 9 directs the state treasurer to transfer $1,800,000 per year through 2027 from the general fund to the agriculture value-added cash fund for implementation of agrivoltaics research. For a research project for which the board awards money to study the use of agrivoltaics, sections 5 and 8 6 and 9 require the director of the division of parks and wildlife to consult on the research project regarding the wildlife impacts of agrivoltaic use.Section 9 10 authorizes the board to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, and donations, including donations of in-kind resources such as solar panels, for use in agricultural research projects. Section 9 10 also updates the statutory definition of "agrivoltaics" to list additional agricultural activities on the parcel of land on with which solar panel generation facilities may be colocated integrated , including animal husbandry, cover cropping for soil health, and carbon sequestration.Section 10 11 amends the statutory definition of "solar energy facility" used in determining the valuation of public utilities for property tax purposes to include agrivoltaics.Section 12 establishes a state income tax credit in an amount equal to 30% of the purchase price for new, electric-powered, small off-road equipment, which is defined as a lawn mower, leaf blower, or trimmer, for purchases made in income tax years 2023 through 2029. The tax credit may be claimed by a seller of electric-powered, small off-road equipment that demonstrates that it provided the purchaser a 30% discount from the purchase price of the electric-powered, small off-road equipment.Section 14 appropriates for state fiscal year 2022-23: $81,429 from the oil and gas conservation and environmental response fund to the department of natural resources for use by the COGCC for the underground injection program; $145,789 from the general fund to CDPHE for use by the division for regulation of stationary sources; and $2,098,784 from the general fund to the department of agriculture for conservation services. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
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The bill creates the plant-based medicine policy review panel (policy review panel). The purpose of the policy review panel is to study the use of plant-based medicines to support mental health. The policy review panel operates for one year. The policy review panel shall submit a report on its findings and policy recommendations to the house of representatives public and behavioral health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee, or any successor committees; the governor; and the department of human services. The bill defines "plant-based medicine" as a naturally occurring hallucinogenic plant-based compound. Forms of plant-based medicine only include psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine, and ibogaine. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Before the act was passed, the law provided for an electronic system to transmit registration, lien, and titling information to the department of revenue (department).The act imposes a per-transaction fee up to $3, set by the department, on third-party providers that issue registrations and titles to administer the system. This fee will also be set and collected to reimburse the general fund for the $1,631,792 appropriated to implement the system.The general assembly is authorized to make an appropriation from the general fund or the highway users tax fund to fund the system. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $1,631,792 is appropriated from the general fund to the department.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act increases the alcohol beverage production limits for distillery pubs and vintner's restaurants, per calendar year:From 45,000 liters to 875,000 liters of spirituous liquor for distillery pubs; and From 250,000 gallons to 925,000 gallons of wine for vintner's restaurants.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Colorado law requires a person who moves to Colorado to register their motor vehicle within 90 days. The act requires a person who registers a vehicle after moving to Colorado to:Provide documentation of the vehicle's previous registration that contains the registration dates; Provide evidence of the date that the person became a Colorado resident unless the previous registration expired within 90 days before the owner applied to register the vehicle; and Pay the vehicle's registration taxes and fees that are prorated from the date the person became a Colorado resident to the date the person applied to register the vehicle unless the vehicle is used for interstate commerce or unless the owner registered the vehicle within 90 days after becoming a resident. The effect of these listed changes is that an owner who fails to register the vehicle within 90 days will be assessed back taxes and fees. The additional fees are transferred to the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund (DRIVES account) that implements the computer system used by the division of motor vehicles and the county clerks. The department of revenue will lower motor vehicle fees to offset the additional revenues. The allocation and use of the taxes does not change. When the amount credited to the DRIVES account exceeds the appropriation to the DRIVES account, the excess money is credited as follows:The first $7.5 million to the statewide bridge enterprise special revenue fund; and The remainder to the highway users tax fund. Before the act was passed, Colorado law exempted people with expired temporary tags from paying the late fees for failing to register a vehicle. The act repeals this exemption. The act also imposes prorated registration taxes and fees to capture missed revenue when a person fails to register a vehicle when required by law.Colorado law limits to 2 the number of temporary plates that may be issued for a vehicle used to transport persons or property over the roads. The purchaser or owner may get a third plate if necessary for title or lien documentation. The act requires the purchaser or owner to pay the vehicle's registration taxes and fees to get the third temporary plate. If the sale is not consummated, the person who attempted to purchase the vehicle is entitled to a 12-month credit toward a subsequent registration of another vehicle.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $160,200 from the DRIVES account for use by the division of motor vehicles to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, local governments are prohibited from requiring or banning the use or sale of specific types of plastic materials or products. The act repeals the prohibition on July 1, 2024.The act prohibits stores and retail food establishments, on and after January 1, 2024, from providing single-use plastic carryout bags to customers; except that retail food establishments that are restaurants and small stores that operate solely in Colorado and have 3 or fewer locations may provide single-use plastic carryout bags. The prohibition does not apply to inventory purchased before January 1, 2024, and used on or before June 1, 2024, which may be supplied to a customer at the point of sale for a 10-cent or greater fee.Between January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024, a store may furnish a recycled paper carryout bag or a single-use plastic carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale if the customer pays a fee of 10 cents per bag or a higher fee adopted by the municipality or county in which the store is located.On and after January 1, 2024, a store may furnish only a recycled paper carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale at a fee of 10 cents per bag or a higher fee imposed by the municipality or county in which the store is located.A store is required to remit, on a quarterly basis beginning April 1, 2024, 60% of the carryout bag fee revenues to the municipality or county within which the store is located and may retain the remaining 40% of the carryout bag fee revenues. A municipality or county may use its portion of the carryout bag fee revenues to pay for its administrative and enforcement costs and any recycling, composting, or other waste diversion programs or related outreach or education activities.The carryout bag fee does not apply to a customer that provides evidence to the store that the customer is a participant in a federal or state food assistance program.The act prohibits a retail food establishment, on and after January 1, 2024, from distributing an expanded polystyrene product for use as a container for ready-to-eat food in this state. Retail food establishments that purchase expanded polystyrene products before January 1, 2024, may continue to use the products until their supply is depleted.The act also authorizes a local government to enforce against a violation of the act and expressly authorizes a county to impose a civil penalty against a store or retail food establishment of up to $500 for a second violation or up to $1,000 for a third or subsequent violation; except that a local government cannot enforce a violation committed by a retail food establishment located within a school.On and after July 1, 2024, a local government may enact, implement, or enforce an ordinance, resolution, rule, or charter provision that is as stringent as or more stringent than the requirements set forth in the act.The act does not apply to materials used in the packaging of pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, or dietary supplements or any equipment or materials used to manufacture pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, or dietary supplements.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act specifies that:The license plates of a motor vehicle that is Class C personal property for purposes of the laws governing the levying of specific ownership tax and registration of vehicles expire upon the transfer of the owner's title or interest in the motor vehicle; except that the license plates do not expire if the motor vehicle has personalized number plates or plates with a valuable registration number that has been reserved for use under the "Laura Hershey Disability Support Act" (LHDSA); If either the expired license plates are personalized license plates or the owner wishes to continue to use the same combination of letters or numbers on the owner's expired license plates that were not originally issued as personalized license plates, the owner retains the priority right to use the combination of letters or numbers displayed on the expired license plates to the extent provided for in current law and may, after surrendering the expired license plates to the department of revenue (department), apply for personalized license plates that use the combination in the manner specified in current law when registering another motor vehicle; and The department shall approve any application for personalized license plates received from an individual who wishes to retain the same combination of letters or numbers displayed on the individual's expired license plates and who has surrendered the expired plates to the department unless the department determines that the combination is misleading or duplicates another registration number or that, due to evolving social mores, the combination, despite having previously been issued, carries connotations offensive to good taste or decency. Class C personal property includes passenger cars, noncommercial light trucks, and motorcycles. The act does not apply to the transfer or assignment of an owner's interest in Class C personal property that is a horseless carriage.The act also authorizes the department to issue license plates in the previously retired style that had white letters and numbers on a background of green mountains and a white sky to individuals who request such plates and requires the department to charge additional fees consisting of the existing personal license plate fee plus a fee of $25 for such plates. The $25 fee must be credited to the disability support fund for the purposes of the LHDSA.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $598,290 is appropriated to the division of motor vehicles in the department and $256,970 of the appropriation is reappropriated to the division of correctional industries in the department of corrections to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires the public utilities commission (commission) to oversee the safety and oversight of medicaid nonmedical and nonemergency medical transportation services (transportation services). The act eliminates the commission's responsibility to oversee the safety and oversight of the transportation services.The act requires the department of health care policy and financing (department) to oversee the safety and oversight of the transportation services. If a provider of transportation services already complies with the transportation safety standards established by another state department which meet or exceed the rules and processes established by the department, demonstrating such compliance to the department is sufficient to verify compliance with the requirements of the act. The act also requires the department to collaborate with stakeholders, including but not limited to disability and member advocates, PACE providers, transportation brokers, and transportation providers, to establish rules and processes for the safety and oversight of transportation services.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the general fund appropriation made in the annual general appropriation act to the department for transfer to the department of regulatory agencies for regulation of medicaid transportation is decreased by $66,003. The same amount is appropriated from the general fund to the department for medical and long-term care services for medicaid-eligible individuals.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act establishes the electric vehicle license plate, which is issued for use on electric motor vehicles. The electric vehicle license plates are issued to the owner of an electric motor vehicle upon registration of the vehicle and payment of applicable fees and taxes, unless the owner elects to use an alternative license plate. A person may be issued personalized electric vehicle license plates. The requirement for decals to identify electric motor vehicles applies only if a person has not obtained the electric vehicle license plate.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $91,636 for use by the division of motor vehicles to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Section 1 of the act defines a "gas distribution utility" (GDU) as a gas public utility with more than 90,000 retail customers. The bill requires each GDU to file a clean heat plan (plan) with the public utilities commission (PUC). A plan must demonstrate how the GDU will use clean heat resources to meet clean heat targets (targets) established by the act. The targets are a 4% reduction below 2015 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels by 2025 and 22% below 2015 GHG emission levels by 2030.The PUC will initiate a rule-making proceeding by October 1, 2021, to update demand-side management rules. The PUC will establish a cost cap for each GDU's compliance with its plan. The cost cap is 2.5% of annual gas bills for all of a GDU's full-service customers. The PUC is directed to approve a plan if the PUC finds that doing so is in the public interest.A municipal GDU must file a plan with the air quality control commission (AQCC) that demonstrates a 4% GHG emission reduction by 2025 and a 22% GHG emission reduction by 2030, both as compared with 2015 levels. Small GDUs may file a plan, which is subject to the cost cap and must contain its own targets.Section 2 requires the AQCC to initiate a rule-making proceeding by September 1, 2022, to establish protocols for recovered methane that utilities must use in forecasting their emission reductions.Section 3 directs the oil and gas conservation commission (commission) to conduct a study to evaluate the resources that would be needed to ensure the safe and effective regulation of injection wells used for sequestration of GHG.Section 4 makes the following appropriations:$92,482 and 1.0 FTE is appropriated from the public utilities commission fixed utility fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the PUC; $199,111 and 1.6 FTE is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public health and environment; From reappropriated funds received from the department of public health and environment, $37,000 is appropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology and $21,268 and 0.1 FTE is appropriated to the department of law; and $49,362 and 0.5 FTE is appropriated from the oil and gas conservation and environmental response fund to the department of natural resources for use by the commission.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)