Under current law, a school district, the state charter school institute, or the governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt a policy for a school to maintain a supply of and distribute opiate antagonists. The act allows the adoption of a similar policy for maintaining a supply of opiate antagonists on school buses and extends existing civil and criminal immunity to school bus operators and other employees present on buses if they furnish or administer an opiate antagonist in good faith, in addition to other requirements. Additionally, the act allows an adopted policy to allow an employee or agent of the school to furnish an opiate antagonist to any individual, including a student, but only if the student has received school-sponsored training. Under current law, a school district, the state charter school institute, or the governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt a policy for a school to maintain a supply of and distribute non-laboratory synthetic opiate detection tests. The act allows the adoption of a similar policy for non-laboratory additive detection tests and extends existing civil immunity provisions to include non-laboratory additive detection tests. The act requires a school, school district, or the state charter school institute to not prohibit a student of the school district or institute charter school to possess or administer on school grounds, on a school bus, or at any school-sponsored event an opiate antagonist and possess a non-laboratory synthetic opiate detection test or a non-laboratory additive detection test. APPROVED by Governor April 22, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The bill creates the dual licensure stipend program (stipend program) in the division of professions and occupations (division). The purpose of the stipend program is to increase the number of licensed professional counselors in communities by: Reimbursing licensed professional counselor supervisors (supervisors) who provide clinical supervision to school counselors who are seeking licensure as licensed professional counselors (dual licensure candidate); and Reimbursing dual licensure candidates for the cost of examination fees and application fees. A dual licensure candidate is eligible for the stipend program if the dual licensure candidate is a licensed special services provider and has completed a master's or doctoral degree in professional counseling from an accredited school or college or an equivalent program. The bill requires the division to contract with a Colorado nonprofit organization or membership organization (Colorado organization) to manage and administer the stipend program. The Colorado organization must have experience administrating grant programs and working with school counselors or mental health professionals. The bill requires the division to provide the Colorado organization publicly available information on supervisors who can provide clinical supervision to dual licensure candidates. The Colorado organization shall maintain the list of supervisors by confirming whether a supervisor opts in to the stipend program and provides clinical supervision to dual licensure candidates. The Colorado organization shall determine a set rate for supervisors who provide clinical supervision to dual licensure candidates. The bill requires the Colorado organization to annually collect data on: The number of dual licensure candidates participating in the stipend program; The number of supervisors participating in the stipend program; and The geographic locations of the dual licensure candidates and supervisors participating in the stipend program. The Colorado organization shall draft a report summarizing the data collected. The bill requires the division to submit the report to the education committee and the public and behavioral health and human services committee of the house of representatives, the education committee and the health and human services committee of the senate, or their successor committees. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill creates the reentry workforce development cash assistance pilot program (pilot program) in the department of corrections (department) to provide cash assistance to persons who enroll and participate in workforce services or training programs after incarceration. The pilot program provides a total payment of up to $3,000 to eligible persons for basic life expenses. The bill requires the department to contract with an organization to administer the pilot program, perform an annual survey of pilot program recipients, and produce an annual report that is submitted to the judiciary committees of the senate and house of representatives. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The act repeals and reenacts law originally enacted by House Bill 23B-1002, concerning an increase in the earned income tax credit for income tax year 2023, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation, to increase the amount of the earned income tax credit that a resident individual may claim on the resident individual's state income tax return for 2023 only from 25% to 50% of the federal credit claimed on the resident individual's federal income tax return. The increase in the amount of the credit is a one-time mechanism for refunding excess state revenues for the 2022-23 state fiscal year that are required to be refunded in the 2023-24 state fiscal year. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $51,483 from the general fund to the department of revenue and reappropriates $516 of that amount to the department of personnel for implementation of the act. APPROVED by Governor January 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE January 31, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates a one-time TABOR refund mechanism for excess state revenues for the 2022-23 state fiscal year that are required to be refunded in the 2023-24 state fiscal year. The TABOR refund mechanism allows for an increase in the earned income tax credit that a resident individual, including a resident individual who does not have a social security number valid for employment, may claim on the resident individual's state income tax return from 25% to 50% of the federal credit claimed on the resident individual's federal income tax return or the federal credit that the resident individual would have been allowed but for the fact that the resident individual does not have a social security number that is valid for employment. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, $51,483 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of revenue and $516 of that amount is reappropriated to the department of personnel for implementation of the act. APPROVED by Governor November 20, 2023 EFFECTIVE November 20, 2023(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
For the income tax year commencing on January 1, 2024, the act increases the earned income tax credit that a resident individual can claim on their state income tax return from 25% to 38% of the federal credit claimed on the resident individual's federal income tax return. The amount a taxpayer can claim as an income tax credit for the state child tax credit has been calculated based on a percentage, which varies depending on the taxpayer's income level, of what the taxpayer claimed for a federal child tax credit. For income tax years commencing on and after January 1, 2024, the act restructures the state child tax credit so that the amount of the credit that a taxpayer can claim is a flat rate instead of a percentage of what the taxpayer claimed for the federal child tax credit as follows: A taxpayer filing a single return with adjusted gross income of $25,000 or less and taxpayers filing a joint return with adjusted gross income of $35,000 or less can claim $1,200; A taxpayer filing a single return with adjusted gross income greater than $25,000 but less than or equal to $50,000 and taxpayers filing a joint return with adjusted gross income greater than $35,000 but less than or equal to $60,000 can claim $600; and A taxpayer filing a single return with adjusted gross income greater than $50,000 but less than or equal to $75,000 and taxpayers filing a joint return with adjusted gross income greater than $60,000 but less than or equal to $85,000 can claim $200. The act also provides that for income tax years commencing on and after January 1, 2025, the department of revenue must adjust the adjusted gross income amounts to reflect inflation if cumulative inflation since the last adjustment, when applied to the current limits, results in an increase of at least $1,000 when the adjusted limits are rounded to the nearest $1,000. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Starting July 1, 2024, the act prohibits employers from inquiring about a prospective employee's age, date of birth, and dates of attendance at or date of graduation from an educational institution on an initial employment application. An employer may request an individual to verify compliance with age requirements imposed pursuant to or required by: A bona fide occupational qualification pertaining to public or occupational safety; A federal law or regulation; or A state or local law or regulation based on a bona fide occupational qualification. The act allows an employer to request or require an individual to provide additional application materials, including copies of certifications, transcripts, and other materials created by third parties, at the time of an initial employment application if the employer notifies the individual that the individual may redact information that identifies the individual's age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. The department of labor and employment (department) is charged with enforcing the requirements of the act and may issue warnings and orders of compliance for violations and, for second or subsequent violations, impose civil penalties. A violation of the restrictions does not create a private cause of action. The department is directed to adopt rules regarding procedures for handling complaints against employers. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, $56,468 is appropriated from the general fund to the department for use by the division of labor standards and statistics to pay program costs related to labor standards. APPROVED by Governor June 2, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its 2022 sunset report by: Extending the regulation of nursing home administrators 5 years, to September 2028; Authorizing the board of examiners of nursing home administrators to discipline a licensee for failing to respond to a complaint; and Removing the requirement that a letter of admonition to a licensee be sent through certified mail. Beginning January 1, 2024, the act also requires nursing home administrators to submit to a check in the department of human services adult protective services data system to determine if the person is substantiated in a case of mistreatment of an at-risk adult. APPROVED by Governor June 2, 2023 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE June 2, 2023 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE January 1, 2024 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
No later than September 1, 2023, the act requires the department of health care policy and financing (state department) to engage in a stakeholder process to address concerns and identify viable solutions related to individuals who receive long-term services and supports. No later than January 2025, the act requires the state department to report on the stakeholder process, including identifying any administrative resources needed to address any concerns identified during the stakeholder process. The act appropriates $75,000 from the general fund to the state department for use by the office of community living. It is anticipated that the state department will receive $75,000 in federal funds to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 30, 2023 EFFECTIVE May 30, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)