Rep. Barbara McLachlan

The bill requires every route school bus used for the transportation of schoolchildren to have an automated vehicle identification system (system) installed on the route school bus on or before July 1, 2028, to record motor vehicles that unlawfully pass a stopped route school bus. The bill creates the route school bus camera matching grant program (grant program). The purpose of the grant program is to provide grants to eligible applicants to install a system on every route school bus to record motor vehicles that unlawfully pass a stopped route school bus. The department of education shall administer the grant program pursuant to rules promulgated by the state board of education.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act removes a reference to the water resources and agriculture review committee (committee) being an interim committee and removes an outdated reference to past legislation in the legislative declaration. The act also removes limitations on the number of meetings and the number of field trips the committee may hold in a calendar year and requires the committee to meet at least 4 times during each calendar year. APPROVED by Governor March 10, 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.)

Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee. The bill creates a task force to study the feasibility of implementing water storage in the form of snow in high-altitude areas of the state (task force). The task force must submit a report to the water resources and agriculture review committee on or before June 1, 2024, which report: Describes the feasibility of implementing high-altitude water storage in Colorado; Describes findings and recommendations regarding issues considered by the task force; and Describes any legislative proposals associated with the implementation of high-altitude water storage in Colorado, including identification of any state agencies that will be responsible for implementing legislative directives and identification of funding sources. The task force is repealed, effective December 1, 2024. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Subject to the limitations in state and federal law and state or local public health orders, the act specifies that a patient or resident of a hospital, a nursing care facility, or an assisted living residence (collectively referred to as "health-care facility") may have at least one visitor of the patient's or resident's choosing during the stay or residency. A health-care facility is required to have written policies and procedures that are consistent with state and federal law regarding the visitation rights of patients and residents, including policies and procedures setting forth any necessary or reasonable restriction or limitation to ensure the health and safety of patients, staff, or visitors that the health-care facility may need to place on patient and resident visitation rights and the reasons for the restriction or limitation. The act allows a health-care facility to impose specific requirements on visitors during a period when the risk of transmission of a communicable disease is heightened, including the requirement to wear medical masks or other protective equipment and be screened or tested for a communicable disease. A health-care facility may impose visitation restrictions for a patient or resident with a communicable disease who is isolated. $45,409 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public health and environment for use by the health facilities and emergency medical services division for the nursing and acute care facility survey. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires each student identification card issued to a public school student to contain the phone number, website, and text talk number for the 24-hour telephone crisis service center (Colorado crisis services) and Safe2Tell. If the school does not issue identification cards, the school shall request and display outreach materials from Colorado crisis services and send that information to parents and guardians at the beginning of each school year. The act requires the department of human services (department) to notify each public and private school in the state about services provided by the behavioral health crisis response system and the possibility of peer-to-peer counseling as part of the offered services. The department shall provide behavioral health crisis response system awareness and educational materials to each public and private school in the state. $267,065 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of human services for use by the behavioral health administration to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

On and after May 1, 2023, the act prohibits a person from practicing dental therapy in the state unless licensed by the Colorado dental board (board). A licensed dental therapist is authorized to deliver routine and preventive dental care. A person who desires to qualify for practice as a dental therapist must file with the board a written application for a license, proof of graduation from a school of dental therapy or a dental therapy program that meets the requirements of the act, and proof of completion of a clinical examination for dental therapy that: Is designed to test the applicant's clinical dental therapy skills and knowledge; Includes dental therapy restorative and dental hygiene clinical skill evaluation; and Is administered by a regional testing agency composed of at least 4 states or an examination of another state. A dental therapist is allowed to practice only under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist until the dental therapist practices for 1,000 hours. After reaching 1,000 hours, the dental therapist may practice under the indirect supervision of a licensed dentist pursuant to a written articulated plan. The articulated plan must include: Methods of dentist supervision, consultation, and approval; Protocols for informed consent, record keeping, quality assurance, and dispensing or administering medications; Policies for handling referrals when a patient needs services the dental therapist is not authorized or qualified to provide; Protocols for assessment of dental disease and the formulation of an individualized treatment plan authorized by the supervising dentist; Policies for handling medical emergencies; and Policies for supervising dental assistants and working with dental hygienists and other dental practitioners and staff. A licensed dental therapist must maintain professional liability insurance in an amount not less than $500,000 per incident and $1.5 million annual aggregate per year; except that this requirement is not applicable to a dental therapist who is a public employee under the "Colorado Governmental Immunity Act". A state institution of higher education offering an accredited dental therapy training program may grant advanced standing toward completion of an accredited dental therapy program if a student meets the conditions specified in the act. Effective July 1, 2031, the act modifies the composition of the board by replacing 2 members, one dental hygienist and one member representing the public at large, with 2 dental therapists. To implement the act, for the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $14,786 is appropriated to the department of regulatory agencies from the division of professions and occupations cash fund for reappropriation to the department of law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires, on or before January 1, 2023, the department of labor and employment (department), in partnership with the business experiential-learning commission in the department, the office of economic development, the state work force development council, local district colleges, the departments of education and higher education, the state board for community colleges and occupational education, and area technical colleges, to provide incentives to eligible employers to create high-quality, work-based learning opportunities for adults and youth (incentive program). The department is required to select at least 2 work-based learning intermediaries (intermediaries) to coordinate employers, schools, youth, and adults participating in the incentive program to establish work-based learning opportunities and select employers to participate in the incentive program. The department is required to provide monetary incentives to the selected intermediaries and employers for the implementation of work-based learning opportunities. The department is required to compile data concerning the incentive program and submit a report to the business committees of the senate and house of representatives during the "SMART Act" hearings held each legislative session. On or before January 1, 2023, the office of future work in the department and its partners are required to create a digital navigation program and employ digital navigators to: Reach out to youth and adults who have been historically excluded or disengaged from work-based learning opportunities and connect them with available opportunities; Address digital inequities, including access to digital technology and computer and technology skills training, cybersecurity, and affordable internet service; Refer youth and adults to career navigation services; and Provide a one-stop service that includes: Making referrals to work-based learning programs; facilitating enrollment in digital literacy classes, workshops, and upskilling and work-based learning opportunities; and assisting with digital skill development, job applications, and access to other benefits and services. The act authorizes the executive director of the department to promulgate rules to implement the incentive program and the digital navigation program. The office of new Americans in the department is required to: By September 1, 2022, convene a global talent task force to study the pathways for obtaining certain in-demand occupational licenses, look at international credentials, and take advantage of the global pool of skilled workers; and By January 1, 2023, establish a virtual, career-aligned English as a second language program to provide tools for new Americans and English language learners to enter into work-based learning programs to improve language and skills development for specific occupations and careers. $6,100,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the department for use in the 2022-23 state fiscal year for: State operations and program costs; The office of future work; and The office of new Americans. If the department does not expend the appropriated amount by July 1, 2023, the money ir further appropriated to the department for use in the 2023-24 state fiscal year. $11,319 is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative department for use by the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)