Rep. Mary Young

Currently, members of the general assembly who reside in the Denver metropolitan area are entitled to receive up to $45 per legislative day for expenses incurred during the sessions of the general assembly. In lieu of this amount, members who do not reside in the Denver metropolitan area are entitled to an amount equal to 85% of the federal per diem rate for the city and county of Denver, which is $219 for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The act freezes the amount to be paid to members who do not reside in the Denver metropolitan area to this current amount for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act implements recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review and report on the licensing functions of the commissioner of agriculture (commissioner) regarding the "Commodity Handler Act" and the "Farm Products Act", with modifications, by: Continuing the commissioner's licensing functions for 5 years, until 2025; Combining the "Commodity Handler Act" and the "Farm Products Act"; Exempting from licensure small-volume commodity handlers who buy less than $250,000 worth of commodities and farm products per year and do not buy commodities for commercial feeding of livestock; Requiring the commissioner to adopt rules by December 31, 2020, regarding financial assurance requirements, including a schedule for filing a bond with the commissioner, record keeping requirements, initial and renewal license requirements, credit sale contract requirements, standard warehouse operation requirements, and animal feeding operations capacity and requiring the department of agriculture to convene a stakeholders' group to work on drafting the rules; With regard to an action to demand payment on a surety bond or letter of credit based on the misconduct of a commodity handler or dealer, extending the date for filing the action, and thus the period of liability for which the surety or issuer of the letter of credit is required to pay a claim, from up to 180 days after the later of the date of the transaction or the date of the loss to up to 548 days (approximately 18 months) after the later of the date of the transaction or the date of the loss; Requiring the department of agriculture, on or before November 1, 2021, to submit a report to the committees of the general assembly with jurisdiction over agricultural issues summarizing the department's progress toward implementing the act; Increasing the bond amount that farm products dealers must file from between $2,000 and $200,000 to between $200,000 and $1 million; and For the definition of "small-volume dealer", repealing the limitation on the amount of farm products or commodities, based on price, that a dealer can purchase in a single transaction to qualify as a small-volume dealer.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act creates a small business COVID-19 grant program, financed by $20 million from the federal money allocated to the state pursuant to the federal "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act", also referred to as the "CARES Act". The Colorado office of economic development (office) will administer the grant program and the Colorado economic development commission will contract with the Colorado housing and finance authority (CHFA) to operate the grant program. CHFA will work with nonprofit or community-based lenders that will underwrite and distribute the grants to small businesses pursuant to the program. To be eligible for a grant, a small business must have fewer than 25 employees and have been affected by economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A preference is given for a small business that did not qualify for or receive a paycheck protection program loan; is majority owned by veterans, women, or minorities; or is located in a rural area. Individual grant awards are capped at $15,000, and of the total amount allocated for the grant program, $5 million is earmarked, until October 1, 2020, for tourism businesses. The federal money must be spent by December 30, 2020. The office must submit reports on the grant program to the committees of the general assembly with jurisdiction over business affairs. The act appropriates $20,000,000 from the care subfund in the general fund to the office for administration of the small business COVID-19 grant program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The bill directs the state department of health care policy and financing (department) to issue a request for proposals to contract with a vendor to provide a comprehensive care coordination and treatment training model (model) for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and co-occurring behavioral health needs. The selected vendor must be able to provide the model using teleconferencing formats to better reach rural areas of the state. Community-centered boards, mental health centers, and program-approved service agencies shall nominate up to 20 providers to receive the training. The department may select an additional 10 providers from underserved areas of the state to receive the training.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill makes changes to a program (program) within the department of human services (department) for children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities or co-occurring disorders (children and youth). The scope of rules to be promulgated by the department for the program is expanded to include planning for services for children and youth who become 18 years of age while in the program; access to behavioral health services; wait list management; process for a child or youth who is at risk for out-of-home placement; and program evaluation. Current law only allows for a county department of human or social services to submit an application to the program for a child or youth. The bill extends this option to the parent or legal guardian of the child or youth, and extends all notification requirements related to the program to the parent or legal guardian as well. The bill updates reimbursement provisions so that if a child or youth is not in the custody of a county department of human or social services or the department, the department shall directly reimburse the licensed provider where the child or youth is placed. Beginning on or before September 1, 2020, the department is required to compile and make public an annual report on the program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill establishes the higher education student transition pilot program (pilot program) in the department of higher education (department) to provide grants to partnering 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education that establish a transition program that allows students to enroll in courses and access student services at both of the partnering institutions. Grants are awarded for one year and are renewed annually if the partnering institutions continue to operate a transition program. The pilot program is repealed, effective June 30, 2026. In order to be eligible for a grant, a 2-year institution and a 4-year institution must enter into a memorandum of understanding to establish a transition program. An individual institution is not eligible for a grant. Participation in the transition program must be free for each student, though students are responsible for tuition and fees for enrolling in courses and using student services. A transition program must: Classify each participating student as a student of both partnering institutions and allow the student to enroll in courses at either partnering institution; Provide participating students with access to the same student services and benefits available to a student enrolled in either partnering institution and offer wraparound support services; and Include a comprehensive advising program to ensure that the courses students are taking satisfy the requirements for a degree at both the 2-year institution and the 4-year institution.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill extends the tax years that a taxpayer may elect to receive a refund of 80% of the amount of an enterprise zone investment tax credit for renewable energy investments. Under current law, if a taxpayer elects such a refund, the taxpayer forgoes the remaining 20% of the amount of the enterprise zone investment tax credit. The bill also adds investments in energy storage systems as a qualified renewable energy investment. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Energy Legislation Review Interim Study Committee. The bill requires that all diesel fuel sold or offered for sale in nonattainment areas in Colorado between June 1 and September 15 of each year, commencing June 1, 2021, be blended with and contain at least 5% biodiesel, which includes renewable diesel , and that all diesel fuel sold or offered for sale in Colorado between June 1 and September 15 of each year, commencing June 1, 2023, be blended with and contain at least 10% biodiesel. The blending requirement does not apply to diesel fuel used in locomotives or off-road mining equipment. The air quality control commission, in consultation with the director of the division of oil and public safety in the department of labor and employment shall promulgate rules regarding the blending standard, including rules to establish a waiver process and to require labeling on a bill of lading of biodiesel-blended fuel to reflect the percentage of biodiesel included in the blended fuel when the blend is equal to or above 5% biodiesel. The division may use money in the petroleum storage tank fund to implement the bill. (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.)

In honor and memory of Carrie Ann Lucas, the bill names section 24-34-805 of the Colorado Revised Statutes the "Carrie Ann Lucas Parental Rights for People with Disabilities Act". (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill requires a retail community pharmacy, as defined in the bill, to make a prescription reader available to each individual who is blind or visually impaired to whom the pharmacy dispenses a prescription drug.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)