Rep. Jeni James Arndt

Statutory Revision Committee. The bill clarifies that electrical inspection fees charged by the state electrical board, which are generally based on the actual expense of the inspection, may be doubled if an application for an electrical permit is not filed in advance of the commencement of an electrical installation.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

If there is money in the severance tax operational fund (operational fund) after funding core departmental programs and a reserve requirement, then the state treasurer makes transfers to the natural resources and energy grant programs (grant programs). The agriculture value-added cash fund (cash fund), which was used to promote agricultural energy-related projects, was one of these grant programs in prior fiscal years. The bill recreates the agriculture value-added cash fund as a grant program by requiring the state treasurer to transfer $500,000, or so much as may be available, for the next 9 state fiscal years, from the operational fund to the cash fund to be used to promote agricultural energy-related projects. The transferred money in the cash fund is continuously appropriated to the department of agriculture for allocation to the Colorado agricultural value-added development board for this purpose only. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Water Resources Review Committee. The bill declares that new technologies, such as blockchain, telemetry, improved sensors, and advanced aerial observation platforms, can improve monitoring, management, conservation, and trading of water and enhance confidence in the reliability of data underlying water rights transactions. To advance the potential use of these new technologies, the bill: Authorizes and directs the university of Colorado and Colorado state university , in collaboration with the Colorado water institute at Colorado state university, to conduct feasibility studies and pilot deployments of these new technologies to improve water management in Colorado; and Appropriates $40,000 $20,000 to each university from the general fund, contingent on the university of Colorado's universities' receipt of a matching $40,000 in gifts, grants, and donations, for the purpose of funding the studies and pilot programs. (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.)

Current law includes an income tax credit for new business facility employees in enterprise zones for income tax years commencing prior to January 1, 2014. That statute, found in section 39-30-105, repealed on December 31, 2019. The income tax credit was replaced in 2013 with a modified income tax credit found in section 39-30-105.1, for tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2014. When the modified income tax credit was enacted, certain conforming amendments for the eventual repeal of section 39-30-105, were not made. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, the fuel tax exemption for nonprofit transit agencies exempts nonprofit transit agencies from the fuel excise tax on liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas used in vehicles for transit purposes. The act repeals this tax exemption. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

In 2019, Senate Bill 19-242, concerning the creation of an emergency medical service provider license, was enacted to authorize a certified emergency medical service (EMS) provider to seek licensure if the provider demonstrates to the department of public health and environment that the provider has sufficient educational credentials for licensure. Numerous conforming amendments added references to licensed EMS providers where certified EMS providers were referenced in statute. Also in 2019, Senate Bill 19-065, concerning the creation of a peer health assistance program for emergency medical service providers, was enacted to establish a peer health assistance program for EMS providers. The act amends the statute created in Senate Bill 19-065 by adding references to licensed EMS providers and licensees to align Senate Bill 19-065 with Senate Bill 19-242. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act authorizes the Colorado water conservation board to augment stream flows to preserve or improve the natural environment to a reasonable degree by use of an acquired water right that has been previously quantified and changed to include any augmentation use, without a further change of the water right being required. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act specifies that a local government master plan that contains a water supply element must include water conservation policies, to be determined by the local government, which may include goals specified in the state water plan and policies that require implementation of water conservation and other state water plan goals as a condition of development approvals. The act authorizes the department of local affairs to hire and employ a full-time employee to provide educational resources and assistance to local governments that include water conservation policies in their master plans. $26,215 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of local affairs for use by the division of local government to implement the act, which amount is allocated as follows: $24,066 for personal services, including an additional 0.5 FTE; and $2,149 for operating expenses.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act repeals the death penalty in Colorado for offenses charged on or after July 1, 2020. The act states that any death sentence in effect on July 1, 2020, is valid. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law limits the amount of uncommitted reserves that may remain in a cash fund at the end of any fiscal year. The definition of "uncommitted reserves" excludes revenue credited to a cash fund that is estimated to be derived from non-fee sources. Current law further specifies that when calculating the estimated revenue from non-fee sources, the estimate is required to be an amount equal to the portion of total revenues received from non-fee sources in the prior fiscal year. This requirement and the phrase "prior fiscal year" are causing confusion among executive branch departments, and the requirement is not necessary for the proper administration of the statute. The act repeals the requirement that the estimate for non-fee revenue is equal to the portion of total revenues received from non-fee sources in the prior fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)