The act transfers a total of $20 million from the general fund to the capital construction fund in the 2020-21 state fiscal year for single-phase projects at 12 state parks.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Currently, the location of a small or low impact hydroelectric energy facility, a geothermal energy facility, a biomass energy facility, a wind energy facility, or a solar energy facility on real property does not affect the classification of that real property for purposes of determining the actual value of that real property. As a result, a county assessor cannot use the location of the facility as a basis for reclassifying the real property. The bill creates an exception to this requirement for real property that, immediately prior to the location of the facility, was classified as agricultural. Therefore, an assessor will be able to consider the location of the facility when determining whether the real property should be reclassified.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
At the November 2020 general election, the voters approved proposition 114, which: Approved the reintroduction of gray wolves on designated lands in Colorado west of the continental divide beginning no later than December 31, 2023; and Acknowledged that the general assembly may adopt implementing legislation to facilitate the restoration of gray wolves to Colorado. The bill: Specifies the process that the parks and wildlife commission (commission) must follow in soliciting and considering public input regarding a draft of the gray wolf reintroduction and management plan, including when the commission periodically updates the plan; Requires the commission to submit: To the general assembly the plan and specified recommendations regarding how to finance the reintroduction and management of gray wolves; and A request to the United States fish and wildlife service to conduct an environmental impact analysis pursuant to the federal "National Environmental Policy Act of 1969" before the reintroduction of gray wolves on designated lands that are owned and managed by the United States; and Requires the commission to initiate the process to remove the gray wolf from the state list of endangered or threatened species as soon as any litigation contesting the validity of the federal delisting of gray wolves has been finally resolved.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
At the 2020 general election, the voters approved proposition 114, which requires the reintroduction and management of gray wolves. The bill requires all costs for this program to be paid exclusively from the general fund, and this includes any losses of livestock caused by gray wolves. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill defines "backcountry search and rescue" as the utilization, training, and support of responders, with their specialized equipment, to locate, provide assistance to, and remove to safety individuals who are lost, injured, stranded, or entrapped, generally in remote areas of the state. The department of natural resources (department) must conduct a study and develop recommendations on the issues related to backcountry search and rescue, including coordination among the local, state, and nonprofit organizations involved in backcountry search and rescue, the adequacy of resources and benefits available to volunteers who provide backcountry search and rescue services, the funding needs for equipment and reimbursement, and the needs for volunteer training and public education. The department must also, subject to available appropriations, conduct outreach and training related to the physical and psychological support needs of backcountry search and rescue volunteers, which may include working with consultants, providing programs, or creating a grant program for local governments or nonprofit organizations providing backcountry search and rescue. The bill makes conforming amendments related to the definition of "backcountry search and rescue".(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
For the issuance of vehicle titles and for the registration of recreational off-highway vehicles, a surplus military vehicle is not an "off-highway vehicle" if it is owned or leased by a municipality, county, or fire protection district for the purpose of assisting with firefighting efforts, including mitigating the risk of wildfires. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows county clerk and recorders to receive and preserve original plats for recording in an electronic format. The act also specifies the conditions for properly submitting plats to county clerk and recorders in both electronic and original formats. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the Colorado affordable health care coverage easy enrollment program (program) for the purpose of leveraging the tax filing process to connect uninsured Coloradans to free or subsidized health care coverage through a health care coverage affordability program, which includes medicaid, the children's basic health plan, or a subsidized health benefit plan, or other creditable coverage. The program will allow Coloradans to request on their state income tax returns that the Colorado health benefit exchange (exchange) assess whether uninsured household members are potentially eligible for free or subsidized health care coverage. If the tax filer requests that the eligibility of uninsured household members be assessed under the program, the tax filer will receive information about coverage options and assistance with enrollment. The act creates the affordable health care coverage easy enrollment advisory committee (advisory committee) to guide implementation of the program. The advisory committee is co-chaired by the executive director of the exchange and the executive director of the department of revenue (department), or their designees, and consists of the following 9 members, appointed by the board of directors of the exchange: A representative of the department of health care policy and financing; A representative of the division of insurance in the department of regulatory agencies; A representative of consumer advocacy groups; A representative of small employers; A representative of insurers; A health care consumer; A health coverage guide or other person with expertise in the process of applying for federal insurance or assistance; An insurance producer; and A tax preparer. If the exchange verifies that the uninsured individual is a United States citizen, the exchange, through procedures determined by the advisory committee, will assess whether uninsured individuals identified through the program are potentially eligible for a health care coverage affordability program or other creditable coverage, notify uninsured individuals about their potential eligibility, and enroll or assist with enrolling uninsured individuals in creditable coverage. The department is required to implement the tax forms and schedules created by the advisory committee and to share the tax information gathered, as authorized by individual tax filers, with the exchange. The executive director of the department is required to promulgate rules to implement the new tax forms and schedules and to implement the authorized sharing of the tax information provided on the state individual income tax return forms for the purpose of enrolling uninsured individuals in a health care coverage affordability program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, the public school capital construction assistance board establishes guidelines for considering applications for money from the public school capital construction assistance fund. The act adds to the considerations in the guidelines consulting with the local electric utility on energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, and renewable distributed generation opportunities. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act transfers $1,000,000 from the general fund to the capital construction fund for use by the department of natural resources to develop infrastructure to open a state park on the property surrounding Fishers Peak. The parks and wildlife commission is instructed to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes of developing and improving Fishers Peak state park. By December 1, 2020, the commission will submit a report to the general assembly detailing state park funding needs and shortfalls. The general fund appropriation made in the annual general appropriation act for the 2020-21 state fiscal year to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology for applications administration is decreased by $1,000,000, thus enabling the transfer of $1,000,000 from the general fund to the capital construction fund. The act appropriates $1,000,000 from the capital construction fund to the department of natural resources for use by the division of parks and wildlife for capital construction related to infrastructure development projects, including conducting any necessary cultural and natural resource studies, at the new Fishers Peak state park in Las Animas county. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
