Rep. Donald Valdez

For ground leases for the construction and operation of telecommunications towers on state land managed by the state board of land commissioners (board) in rural areas of the state, the bill requires the board to set a lease rate based on a local market-based appraisal of telecommunications lease rates in the rural area. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

The bill requires the state board of licensure for architects, professional engineers, and professional land surveyors to adopt rules establishing a continuing education requirement to maintain the competency of professional land surveyors. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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When a water right owner wishes to change a water right–whether a temporary loan or change approved by the state engineer or a permanent change approved by a water judge–the determination of the amount of water that can be loaned or changed relies on a calculation of the historical consumptive use of the water right. The bill directs the state engineer to promulgate rules that take into account local conditions that an applicant can use to calculate historical consumptive use. The results of the calculation carry no presumptive weight before the state engineer, water referee, or water judge. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill creates the useful public service cash fund (fund) in the judicial branch to facilitate the administration of programs that supervise the performance of useful public service by persons who are required to perform such service pursuant to a criminal sentence. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

In Colorado, water subject to a water right may be used for the purpose for which the water is decreed. The bill confirms that a person with an absolute or conditional water right decreed for agricultural use may use the water subject to the water right for the growth or cultivation of industrial hemp if the person is registered by the department of agriculture to grow industrial hemp for commercial or research and development purposes. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill directs stakeholders interested in the Runyon-Fountain lakes state wildlife area (including the Colorado division of parks and wildlife, the city of Pueblo, and the Pueblo conservancy district) to cooperatively engage in a long-term process to promote the maximum beneficial development and maintenance of the area. The stakeholders are to report to the general assembly's committees of reference with jurisdiction over natural resources by March 1, 2018, regarding the progress of the cooperative effort. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Under current law, health benefit plans are required to cover health care services delivered to a covered person by a provider via telehealth in the same manner that the plan covers health care services delivered by a provider in person. The bill clarifies that: A health plan cannot restrict or deny coverage of telehealth services based on the communication technology or application used to deliver the telehealth services; The availability of telehealth services does not change a carrier's obligation to contract with providers available in the community to provide in-person services; A covered person may receive telehealth services from a private residence, but the carrier is not required to pay or reimburse for any transmission costs or originating site fees the covered person incurs; A carrier is to apply the applicable copayment, coinsurance, or deductible amount to health care services a covered person receives through telehealth, which amount cannot exceed the amount applicable to those health care services when delivered through in-person care; and Telehealth includes health care services provided through HIPAA-compliant audio-visual communication or the use of a HIPAA-compliant application via a cellular telephone but does not include voice-only telephone communication or text messaging.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

When property taxes are delinquent, a county treasurer issues a tax certificate, which is a lien on the property. The property can be redeemed upon paying the delinquent taxes, interest, and specified publication, abstract, and search fees. The bill now requires the repayment of any amounts paid to 3rd parties for computer software costs incurred in connection with processing the redemption. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)