Rep. Ron Hanks

The bill makes changes to the laws governing elections. The secretary of state is required, within 30 days after the effective date of the bill, to withdraw the state from participation in the electronic registration information system. Voters are required to cast their ballots in person at the voters' precinct polling place on election day, unless the voter has completed a valid request for an absentee ballot. A voter may request an absentee ballot if the voter will be out of the state on election day, is hospitalized or in a nursing home, has a visual impairment, or is a uniformed overseas voter. All ballots are required to be counted by hand. Counting and canvassing must be completed within 24 hours after polls close. County clerk and recorders are required to mail ballots to electors prior to election day, with written instructions advising that the voter must appear in person at a precinct polling place to cast the ballot. A person is required to show a valid state-issued identification to vote. County clerk and recorders are required to divide the county into precincts and to designate adequate and reasonable polling places in each precinct. County clerk and recorders are required to use schools and government buildings as polling places when possible and are prohibited from changing a polling place in a precinct unless the electors of the precinct are given 2 years notice, or in the event of an emergency rendering the original polling place unusable. The bill establishes new requirements for the certification and use of electronic voting systems. The secretary of state (secretary) is required to create a committee consisting of a member of the faculty in the engineering department at a state institution of higher education, a member of the state bar of Colorado, and one person familiar with voting processes in the state. The committee must test voting systems and make recommendations to the secretary, who is then required to make final adoption of the systems to be certified for use in the state. Use of electronic voting systems is limited to complying with accessibility requirements for voters who are blind or visually impaired established in the bill. The bill makes additional changes to the election laws, including: Requiring county clerk and recorders to send sample ballot proofs of primary ballots to party committee chairs, and to send a proof of the general election ballot to any candidate who was not on the primary ballot; Establishing a 100-foot limit around polling places, requiring voters to promptly leave the 100-foot area after voting, and allowing electioneering activity outside the 100-foot limit except in specific circumstances; Requiring ballots to be printed on anti-fraud paper; Allowing a court to order a recount when presented with facts that require one; and Establishing new election offenses related to unlawful acts by voters and other persons.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill establishes a private school tuition income tax credit for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2023, but prior to January 1, 2028, that allows any taxpayer to claim a credit when the taxpayer enrolls a qualified child in a private school or the taxpayer provides a scholarship to a qualified child for enrollment in a private school. The private school issues the taxpayer a credit certificate and the amount of the credit is: For full-time attendance, an amount equal to either the tuition paid or the scholarship provided to a qualified child, as applicable, or 50% of the previous year's state average per pupil revenues, whichever is less; and For half-time attendance, an amount equal to either the tuition paid or the scholarship provided to a qualified child, as applicable, or 25% of the previous year's state average per pupil revenues, whichever is less. The bill also establishes an income tax credit for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2023, but prior to January 1, 2028, that allows any taxpayer who uses home-based education for a qualified child to claim an income tax credit in an amount equal to: $1,500 for a taxpayer who uses home-based education for a qualified child who was enrolled on a full-time basis in a public school in the state prior to being taught at home; and $750 for a taxpayer who uses home-based education for a qualified child who was enrolled on a half-time basis in a public school in the state prior to being taught at home. Both credits may be carried forward for 3 years but may not be refunded. In addition, the credits may be transferred, subject to certain limitations. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill requires that paper used for paper ballots have certain fraud countermeasures and that paper ballot records be provided by vendors that have one or more specified accreditations in any primary, general, coordinated statewide, or statewide recall election. The bill also requires the general assembly to annually appropriate money from the general fund to the department of state as necessary for the department of state to pay county clerk and recorders for the costs related to complying with the requirements of the bill. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill grants a person who is at least 21 years old and permitted to possess a handgun pursuant to federal and state law the same authority to carry a concealed handgun as a person who holds a permit to carry a concealed handgun (permit). A person who carries a concealed handgun without a permit has the same rights, limitations, and authority to carry as a person who holds a permit. A person may obtain a permit for the purpose of using the permit to carry a concealed handgun in another state that recognizes a Colorado permit. Under existing law, a permit is valid for 5 years. The bill makes a permit valid for the life of the permit holder. Existing permits, other than temporary emergency permits, are converted to lifetime permits. Because permits are valid for the life of the holder, the bill repeals provisions relating to the renewal of permits. The bill repeals the temporary emergency permit to carry a concealed handgun. The bill repeals local government authority to regulate open or concealed carry of a handgun, including repealing the authority of special districts and the governing boards of institutions of higher education, as applicable. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill repeals statutory provisions: Prohibiting the sale, transfer, or possession of certain large-capacity ammunition magazines; and Requiring each large-capacity ammunition magazine manufactured in Colorado on or after July 1, 2013, to include a permanent stamp or marking indicating that the magazine was manufactured or assembled after July 1, 2013.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill establishes the water storage tank wildfire mitigation grant program (grant program) within the forest service. Grant recipients may use grant money to purchase water storage tanks for wildfire firefighting efforts. The grant program only awards grants to entities that are an agency of local government, a county, a municipality, a special district, a tribal agency or program, or a nonprofit or not-for-profit organization that is registered and in good standing with the secretary of state's office. In awarding grants, the forest service considers the potential impact of additional water storage tanks in the applicant's jurisdiction or area. Grant recipients are required to report to the forest service, and the forest service is required to annually report on the grant program to the wildfire matters review committee. The bill also creates the water storage tank wildfire mitigation cash fund. Money in the fund is used to implement the grant program. The general assembly is required to transfer $5 million into the fund beginning September 1, 2021, through and including the 2024-25 fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)