Rep. Lori Saine

The bill repeals statutory provisions: Prohibiting the possession of certain ammunition magazines; and Requiring each of certain ammunition magazines that are 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.)

Prohibiting posting image of a minor committing suicide - class 3 misdemeanor - exceptions. The act prohibits a person from intentionally posting or distributing, through the use of social media or any website, or disseminating through other means, an image of a minor attempting suicide, dying by suicide, or having died by suicide, with the intent to harass, intimidate, or coerce any person, and the posting or distribution results in serious emotional distress to any person. It is a class 3 misdemeanor for the first person who posts, distributes, or disseminates the image, for all others it is a civil infraction with a $100 penalty. It is not an offense if the posting or distribution of the image is a fictional work or a documentary; related to a matter of public interest or public concern; related to the reporting of unlawful conduct; or is the lawful and common practices of law enforcement, criminal reporting, legal proceedings, or medical treatment. The act is known as "Lil' Von Mercado's Law".(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Industrial hemp - alignment with federal law - state plan of regulation. In 2018, the federal government enacted the "Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018" (federal act), which removed hemp from schedule I of the federal "Controlled Substances Act". The federal act requires the United States department of agriculture (USDA) to develop a plan for the regulation of hemp and authorizes each state to seek approval from the USDA to have primary regulatory authority over hemp production within the state by preparing and submitting a state plan of regulation to the secretary of the USDA. The act updates the laws governing Colorado's industrial hemp regulatory program to align with the federal act and to put the department of agriculture in a position to prepare and submit a state plan to the secretary of the USDA. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Industrial hemp - regulation of industrial hemp products - increased wholesale food manufacturer fee - stakeholder process - local regulation. Section 1 of the act sets the annual registration fee that a wholesale food manufacturer that produces an industrial hemp product is required to pay to the department of public health and environment at $300, regardless of the manufacturer's gross annual sales. Section 1 also authorizes the department to convene a stakeholder work group to study the regulation of industrial hemp products. Sections 2 and 3 authorize local governments to charge a local licensing fee and adopt ordinances or resolutions regulating businesses engaged in the storage, extraction, processing, or manufacturing of industrial hemp or industrial hemp products if the ordinances or resolutions do not conflict with state law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Driver's licenses - foster children - automobile insurance - appropriation. Section 1 of the act clarifies that a minor who is at least 16 years of age can purchase auto insurance. Section 2 exempts a foster child from being required, when being issued a driver's license, to have his or her foster parent or other legal guardian sign an affidavit of liability if the child holds evidence of financial responsibility in his or her own name. Section 2 also: Authorizes counties to provide a service that exempts foster children from needing a foster parent or other legal guardian to sign an affidavit of liability. The county may accept and expend gifts, grants, or donations to implement this program. Lowers to 17 the age at which the county need not obtain permission of a foster parent to obtain an instruction permit without a responsible adult signing an affidavit of liability; and Repeals a provision that authorizes a foster child to obtain an instruction permit if enrolled in a driving school. Section 3 allows any person who is at least 21 years of age and who holds a driver's license to sign a foster child's driving logs if the person provided the instruction. Section 4 authorizes anyone who is at least 21 years of age and who holds a driver's license to instruct a foster child with a driving permit notwithstanding that the person did not sign the affidavit of liability. Section 5 directs the transportation legislation review committee to examine barriers to foster children meeting the 50-hour driving requirement while holding an instruction permit and to foster children obtaining automobile liability insurance. Section 6 appropriates $6,750 to the department of revenue to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Lottery winnings offsets - court fines, fees, costs, or surcharges. The act allows lottery winnings to be intercepted for the payment of outstanding court fines, fees, costs, or surcharges.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Advanced practice nurses with prescriptive authority - workers' compensation - ability to obtain level I accreditation. The act allows an advanced practice nurse with prescriptive authority to obtain level I accreditation under the "Workers' Compensation Act of Colorado".(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Severance tax operational fund - distribution - core departmental programs - natural resources and energy grant programs - reserve requirement - cap - transfer to the severance tax perpetual base fund. The act makes the following changes related to the distribution of the money in the severance tax operational fund (operational fund): Defines programs for the department of natural resources that are funded from the operational fund and that were known as "tier-one programs" as "core departmental programs"; Defines transfers that are made after the core departmental programs and a reserve requirement are funded and were known as "tier-two programs" as "transfers to the natural resources and energy grant programs"; Separates an existing reserve into 2 separate reserves, the core reserve and the grant program reserve, while maintaining the overall purpose of each reserve; Establishes a cap on the grant program reserve equal to the maximum transfers to the natural resources and energy grant programs required by law; Requires the state treasurer to make the transfers to the natural resources and energy grant programs on August 15 after a fiscal year and to base the transfers on actual revenue as opposed to estimated revenue; Permits money from the grant program reserve to be used for the transfers to the natural resources and energy grant programs; and If all of the appropriations and transfers have been made and both reserves are full, then requires the state treasurer to transfer any money remaining in the operational fund to the severance tax perpetual base fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

State auditor - access to records or other information for audits of specified entities that are not state agencies - criminal liability and penalties for willful and knowing premature disclosure of contents of such audits. Under current law, the state auditor (auditor) generally has access at all times to all of the books, accounts, reports, vouchers, or other records or information in any state department, institution, or agency that is the subject of a performance or financial audit the auditor conducts. The act extends the same authority to performance or financial audits the auditor conducts of: The Colorado new energy improvement district and the new energy improvement program; The use of money in the state historical fund that is used for the preservation and restoration of the cities of Central, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek; The health benefit exchange; and Community-centered boards. The authority of the auditor or his or her designated representative to access books, accounts, reports, vouchers, or other records or information provided in connection with the audit of the use of money in the state historical fund terminates on the date the final audit report is released by the legislative audit committee. Under current law, any state employee or other individual acting in an oversight role as a member of a state committee, board, or commission who willfully and knowingly discloses the contents of any report prepared by or at the direction of the auditor prior to the release of such report by a majority vote of the legislative audit committee is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine. The act extends the same criminal liability and penalty to any employee or other individual acting in an oversight role with respect to any audit of an entity, program, or use of money specified in the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

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