Joint Budget Committee. The bill creates in the department of higher education (department) the collaborative educator preparation grant program (grant program) to support joint initiatives among educator preparation programs, alternative teacher programs, school districts, boards of cooperative services, and public schools for preparing and placing educators. The department, working with the rural education coordinator, is directed to convene meetings of educator preparation programs, alternative teacher programs, school districts, boards of cooperative services, and public schools to assist them in jointly preparing grant initiatives. The department must review the grant initiatives that are submitted and, taking into account specified criteria, select initiatives to receive one-time grants. Each grant recipient must report specified information to the department concerning the use of the grant money. The department must submit a report to the joint budget committee and the education committees of the general assembly concerning implementation of the grant program and whether it was successful in addressing the teacher shortage in the state. The grant program repeals July 1, 2021.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
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Joint Budget Committee. The statewide digital trunked radio system (DTRS) provides interoperable radio communications that allow personnel from multiple agencies in different levels of government to rapidly share information and coordinate efforts in emergency situations. While DTRS is considered one of the nation's most successful statewide public safety communications voice networks, there are areas of the state that do not have adequate coverage on the DTRS network. This means public safety officials are unable to communicate with others when working in geographies with little to no coverage. The general assembly established the public safety communications trust fund (trust fund) for the acquisition and maintenance of public safety communications systems, including the DTRS. Currently, through the 2024-25 fiscal year, the general assembly appropriates $7.2 million each fiscal year from the general fund and other funds to the trust fund for purposes of the DTRS. The governor's office of information technology (office) is required to use the money for the replacement of legacy radio equipment and hardware at radio tower sites and for software upgrade assurance. Due to a one-time savings achieved through negotiations between the office and its DTRS software vendor, approximately $3 million of the money appropriated to the trust fund to date is unexpended. The bill authorizes the office to use any unencumbered and unexpended money appropriated for purposes of the DTRS on DTRS site supporting infrastructure and DTRS supporting software and hardware. In addition, in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 fiscal years, the bill requires the general assembly to appropriate an additional $2 million from the general fund to the trust fund. The bill requires the office to use the money to work in partnership with local and regional government entities to add additional radio tower sites in areas of the state that are experiencing critical coverage gaps for public safety radio communications. The office is required to submit a report to the joint budget committee detailing the use of the additional $2 million. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Joint Budget Committee. The bill exempts the Colorado firefighting air corps fund from the maximum reserve, which currently limits the year-end uncommitted reserves in the cash fund to 16.5% of the amount expended from the cash fund during the fiscal year.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Provides for the payment of expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the state of Colorado, and of its agencies and institutions, for and during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, except as otherwise noted.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
Joint Budget Committee. The bill provides that on and after November 1, 2018, the division of veterans affairs in the department of military and veterans affairs may operate a veterans one-stop center in Grand Junction for the purpose of providing a central and accessible location where veterans, service members, and their family members in the western portion of the state may have access to assistance and resources. The veterans one-stop center in Grand Junction is repealed, effective September 1, 2023. Before its repeal, the department of regulatory agencies shall review the veterans one-stop center. The bill makes an appropriation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Joint Budget Committee. The bill codifies the existing governor's commission on community service, which was created through executive order. The commission was created pursuant to the federal 'National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993' and allows the state to receive grants, allotments, and service positions under the act. The commission consists of at least 15, but not more than 20, members and is charged with implementing programs and administering funds received from the corporation for national and community service. The commission is established in the office of the lieutenant governor and receives staff and administrative support from that office. The bill authorizes the commission to receive gifts, grants, and donations to fulfill its functions.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Under current law, health insurers are permitted to consider the geographic location of the policyholder when establishing health insurance rates for individual and group insurance plans. For an individual health plan issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2019, the bill prohibits a health insurer from considering the geographic location of the policyholder when establishing rates for the plan, thereby creating a single geographic rating area consisting of the entire state for purposes of all individual health benefit plans.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
Under existing law, school districts are permitted to operate induction programs for teachers, special services providers, principals, and administrators, and alternative licensure programs for teachers and principals, who do not hold professional licenses. The bill clarifies that charter schools and the state charter school institute may operate such programs. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Joint Budget Committee. The general assembly recognizes that the actual funded pupil count and the actual at-risk pupil count for the 2017-18 school year are lower than anticipated when the appropriation amount was established during the 2017 legislative session. In addition, local property tax and specific ownership tax receipts are more than anticipated, increasing the local share of total program funding. The bill declares the general assembly's intent to maintain total program funding at the level of the original appropriation, resulting in a reduction in the budget stabilization factor. The bill adjusts the minimum amount of total program funding specified in statute to reflect this intent. The bill decreases the state share of total program funding by the amount of the increased local property tax revenues, putting $84,034,372 back into the state education fund and $12,866,074 back into the state public school fund, for a total of $96,900,466. The bill makes technical amendments to the hold harmless full-day kindergarten funding and ASCENT program funding to reflect the total program funding amounts included in the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More
Supplemental appropriations are made to the department of corrections. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More