The act creates the area agency on aging grant program (grant program) in the department of human service's state office on aging (state office). The purpose of the grant program is to assist and support the health, well-being, and security of older Coloradans. The act also creates the area on aging cash fund (cash fund), which is used to fund the grant program.The act requires the state office and the area agency on aging to collaborate and establish criteria for the following:Adopting the policies and procedures for the administration of the grant program; Establishing and publishing criteria for the grant program; and Creating application procedures by which eligible organizations may apply for and receive money from the grant program. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $15,000,000 is appropriated to the department of human services from reappropriated funds in the cash fund for use by adult assistance programs to implement the act. The department of human services is responsible for the accounting related to the appropriation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The act creates the workers, employers, and workforce centers cash fund (fund) for the purpose of responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency and the negative economic impacts of the pandemic as follows:To provide assistance to unemployed workers, including job training; To provide assistance to households; For programs, services, or other assistance for populations disproportionately impacted by the public health emergency, including programs or services to address or mitigate the effects on education; To provide aid to impacted industries, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations through the provision of related educational and job training services; and For related administrative costs. The act directs the state treasurer to transfer to the fund $200 million of the money the state received pursuant to the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" (ARPA) and $25 million from the general fund. Of this amount, the act appropriates a total of $75 million for use in the 2021-22 state fiscal year, allocated in the following amounts and for the following purposes related to assisting unemployed workers, aiding impacted industries, and addressing or mitigating the impacts of the public health emergency on education:$25 million for the investments in reskilling, upskilling, and next-skilling workers program (program), which is an initiative of the state work force development council (state council) to facilitate training for unemployed and underemployed workers in the state during times of substantial unemployment, defined as an unemployment rate that exceeds 4% statewide or within a work force development area. Of this amount, the state council, in collaboration with the department of labor and employment (department), is directed to allocate: $20.75 million to local work force development areas for the program; $3 million for a grant program developed by the state council to award grants to other partners to provide reskilling, upskilling, and next-skilling supports to eligible individuals for up to 13 months; and $1.25 million for the department to conduct outreach and recruitment, provide access to digital platforms for career navigation, issue licenses for virtual training classes, and implement, administer, and report on the program, with any portion of the $1.25 million that is unencumbered and unexpended as of June 30, 2022, reallocated for the program and the grant program. $35 million for programs and initiatives established under the "Work Force Innovation Act", including $17.5 million for allocation to work force development boards for the work force innovation grant program to promote innovation to improve outcomes for learners and workers by helping prepare Coloradans for well-paying, quality jobs; and $17.5 million for use by the state council for statewide work force innovation initiatives; $10 million to the department of higher education for allocation by the state board for community colleges and occupational education to specified career and technical education providers to expand equipment, facility, and instruction capacity in key career and technical education job demand areas identified in the annual Colorado talent report; and $5 million to the department of education for the adult education and literacy grant program. As required by ARPA, the money appropriated in the act must be obligated by December 31, 2024, and expended by December 31, 2026, and recipients of ARPA money must comply with reporting requirements specified in ARPA and by the state controller.The act also authorizes the department to receive and expend money from the general fund or any other state source that is appropriated by the general assembly or passed through another entity for purposes of distributing state funds to work force development areas to implement work force development activities. The act specifies that state money appropriated or passed through to the department is not subject to limits imposed on the use of money received by the department pursuant to specified federal laws.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act amends the "Colorado READ Act" to require each local education provider to submit the following information to the department of education (department) and to require the department to post the information on its website:The core and supplemental reading curriculum, or a detailed description of the reading curriculum, by grade, used in each of the local education provider's schools; The core and supplemental reading instructional programs and intervention reading instruction, services, and other supports provided in each of the local education provider's schools; The number of students enrolled in kindergarten and first through third grades who have READ plans, as well as the number of students who have achieved reading competency; and The local education provider's budget and narrative explanation for the use of the "Colorado READ Act" intervention money. Each local education provider must provide a link on its website and on its schools' websites to the page on the department's website where the information is posted.For the 2021-22 budget year, $91,944 is appropriated from the early literacy fund to the department for the costs of implementing the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act expands the necessary referral services authorized by the Colorado 2-1-1 collaborative (collaborative) to include necessary referrals for behavioral health services and other social service resources in the state for Coloradans, particularly for individuals who are unemployed, regardless of whether they receive benefits.The act requires the department of human services' office of behavioral health to contract with the collaborative to hire and train specialized personnel. The act also requires the office of behavioral health to collaborate with the collaborative to engage in targeted marketing and outreach, and to ensure the marketing and outreach are targeted to traditionally underserved communities, such as immigrant, low-income, and communities of color.The act also requires the collaborative to coordinate with the department of labor and employment (department) to target, conduct outreach, and market to individuals who are unemployed, regardless of whether they receive benefits, and may need referrals for behavioral health services and other social service resources. The department is required to update its unemployment application web page and specified websites to include contact information for the collaborative.For the 2020-21 state fiscal year, $1,000,000 is appropriated to the department of human services (state department) from the general fund to implement the act. Any money that is not spent before July 1, 2021 is further appropriated to the state department for the 2021-22 state fiscal year for the same purpose.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $5,741 is appropriated from the general fund to the department for use by the division of unemployment insurance to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act addresses concerns related to child care providers (providers) that are operating without a valid license or are exempt from licensure, including:Adding a requirement for the state department of human services (department) to include the names and locations of cease-and-desist orders that have been issued against a child care provider on the department's child care provider website (website) that is accessible to the public; Adding an additional requirement for the department to post on its website the name and location of any provider operating outside the allowed exemptions and to whom one or more cease-and-desist order has been issued. The information posted must include name, location, and total number of cease-and-desist orders issued to the same provider. Establishing that a person operating a facility, whether licensed or exempt from licensure, that has received a cease-and-desist order from the department or a county department and who fails to cure the violation cited by the department or a county department in the allotted period is guilty of a petty offense; Revising and increasing the language related to civil penalties and fines for persons operating a facility, whether licensed or exempt from licensure; and Clarifying that those petty offenses count toward the withholding of Colorado child care assistance program money for family child care home providers. In honor and memory of Elle Matthews, the act names section 26-6-112 of the Colorado Revised Statutes the "Elle Matthews Act for Increased Safety in Child Care".For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $83,375 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of early childhood. This appropriation is from federal child care development funds. To implement the act, the office may use the appropriation for child care licensing and administration.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act directs the state department of health care policy and financing (department) to obtain a vendor to provide a comprehensive care coordination and treatment training model (model) for persons who work with 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. Case management agencies, 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.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $67,680 is appropriated to the department of health care policy and financing for use by the executive director's office. This appropriation is from the general fund. The office may use this appropriation for general professional services and special projects to implement the provisions of the bill.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act appropriates $5 million to the department of local affairs (department) to use for the rural economic development initiative (REDI) grant program, and permits the department to use up to 3.75% of the appropriation for any direct and indirect administrative expenses related to the grants awarded from the appropriation.If the department determines that a rural community needs resources or assistance because it has been impacted by a significant economic event or an anticipated event that has been announced, the department may use all or a portion of the money appropriated for the REDI grant program for the purposes of the "Rural Economic Advancement of Colorado Towns (REACT) Act". The act repeals the sunset of the REACT Act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of education (department) to utilize a stakeholder process when updating the model bullying prevention and education policy (model policy), which process must include the parents of students who have been bullied. At a minimum, the model policy must clearly differentiate between a conflict and bullying and differentiate between harassment and bullying and clarify the role of cyberbullying during online instruction, which may occur on or off school property.Current law requires each school district and charter school to adopt a safe school plan that includes:A conduct and discipline code with a specific policy concerning bullying prevention and education (bullying policy). The act requires the bullying policy to incorporate the approaches, policies, and practices outlined in the model policy. Safe school reporting requirements that include the number of conduct and discipline code violations relating to a school activity or sanctioned event that are detrimental to the welfare or safety of other students or of school personnel, including incidents of bullying. The act requires incidents of bullying be listed as a separate type of violation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act enacts the "Audiology and Speech-language Pathology Interstate Compact", which allows audiologists and speech-language pathologists licensed in any compact state to provide:Audiology or speech-language pathology services in each member state under a privilege to practice; and Telehealth services in each member state under a privilege to practice. To obtain a privilege to practice, an audiologist or speech-language pathologist must obtain a fingerprint-based criminal history record check, which is then considered in determining the applicant's qualifications to practice under the compact. The act authorizes the director of the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies to promulgate rules and to facilitate Colorado's participation in the compact, including notification to the compact commission of any adverse action taken by the director against a Colorado audiologist or speech-language pathologist.The act makes the following appropriations:$151,440 and 0.3 FTE to the department of regulatory agencies from the division of professions and occupations cash fund, which includes $15,425 for personal services, $19,000 for operating expenses, $17,014 to purchase legal services from the department of law, and $100,000 to purchase information technology services from the governor's office; $17,014 and 0.1 FTE to the department of law from reappropriated funds from the department of regulatory agencies; $100,000 and 0.1 FTE to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology from reappropriated funds from the department of regulatory agencies; and $140,676 and 0.8 FTE to the department of public safety for use by the Colorado bureau of investigation from the Colorado bureau of investigation identification unit cash fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes the commissioner of agriculture (commissioner) to:Enter into an agreement with any person or local government to provide pest control services. The department of agriculture (department) may provide pest control services directly or through a local government and may require remuneration for providing pest control services. The remuneration is deposited in the emergency invasive-pest response fund (fund) created by the act, and the commissioner is authorized to expend money in the fund to implement the act and emergency measures to control or eradicate invasive pests. Work cooperatively with the United States secretary of agriculture to implement a joint phytosanitary program if the program would economically or environmentally assist with mitigating or eradicating the spread of a regulated nonquarantine pest; Quarantine anything that harbors a pest if the pest has an economically unacceptable impact and if the measures to control the pest may achieve an acceptable level of official control; If the commissioner determines that a public nuisance creates an unacceptable risk of spreading a pest, coordinate with industry, support local governments, and make grants to take emergency action to quarantine, control, or eradicate an invasive pest; Request that, at the end of each fiscal year, money in the plant health, pest control, and environmental protection cash fund be transferred to the fund; and Seek and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the new fund, and requires the department to annually report to the general assembly regarding the amount and source of any gifts, grants, or donations received. A board of county commissioners may declare a pest to be a public nuisance and require its control or eradication.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)