Rep. Lori Saine

Section 1 of the bill provides a nonstatutory legislative declaration about the changes in law set forth in section 2 of the bill. Section 2 directs the public utilities commission to adopt rules by which it will evaluate applications filed by Colorado's investor-owned natural gas utilities to acquire interests in natural gas reserves, which at a minimum must establish criteria for asset evaluation and application review and administration; except that an investor-owned utility's costs associated with any approved application may not be recovered through base rates. Section 3 adds a legislative declaration about the Colorado oil and gas commission's notice to operators to require operators in the state to identify and inspect flowlines within one thousand feet of a building unit to ensure and document integrity of flowlines statewide and to verify that any existing flowline that is not in active use be properly abandoned. This section also requires the commission to regularly report progress to the general assembly. Section 4 requires, as part of the electric resource planning process, each qualifying retail utility in Colorado to submit to the public utilities commission a proposal for a distribution resource plan. The section also requires the commission to review the proposal and either approve, modify and approve, or reject the plan for the qualifying retail utility. Section 5 repeals the wind for schools grant program. Section 6 repeals the renewable energy and energy efficiency for schools loan program. Section 7 removes the Colorado energy office's (office) involvement with the forest service and the air quality control commission to support the increased use of woody biomass in bio-heating. Section 8 removes the office's involvement in grants with the Colorado energy research institute for the development of a central resource for building trade professionals. Section 9 : Specifies nuclear and hydroelectric power as a cleaner energy source that the office should promote; Amends the office's requirement to develop and encourage increased utilization of energy curricula, and expands the collaborative groups to include the energy industry and executive departments; Repeals certain programs for which the office is responsible; and Requires the director of the office and the executive director of the department of natural resources, or their designees, to convene stakeholders for one or more meetings before November 1, 2017, to identify voluntary methods to address funding shortfalls associated with the long-term management of abandoned oil and gas facilities. Section 10 renames the clean and renewable energy fund as the energy fund and continues the general fund transfer to the energy fund for 4 years and adds the authority to spend the money in the fund for educating the general public on energy issues and opportunities. Section 11 adds 4 years of funding for the innovative energy fund from the general fund and removes the requirement that the funds used in the innovative energy fund for grants or loans shall be limited to innovative energy efficiency projects and policy development. Section 12 clarifies that the electric vehicle grant fund may be used to offset costs associated with charging stations for electric vehicles. Section 13 repeals the office's authority to submit a proposal for credentialing photovoltaic installers. Section 14 repeals the green building incentive pilot program. Section 15 repeals the 'Colorado Clean Energy Finance Program Act'. Section 16 removes the office's responsibility to maintain a list of solar installers, the requirement for a builder to offer that list to customers, and the requirement for the office to offer training on solar installations. Section 17 removes a requirement for a 2018 study by the office on alternative fuel truck emissions. Section 18 removes an obsolete section of law pertaining to a computer system for tracking the movement of gasoline or special fuel in the state. Section 19 removes the office as the administrator of the Colorado carbon fund special license plate. Section 20 increases the registration fee on electric motor vehicles and the portion of the fee that is earmarked for the highway users tax fund to offset the reduced gas tax collected as a result of the vehicle's increased efficiency. Current law authorizes a homeowner to finance certain energy efficiency improvements to the home through a loan pursuant to the property assessed clean energy program (PACE). PACE requires an applicant to file a title commitment on the home and a hearing must be held in order to seek a voluntary subordination of existing liens to PACE's junior lien. Sections 21 through 24 exempt a homeowner from the title commitment and hearing requirements if the owner is not seeking to subordinate the priority of existing liens and clarifies that housing authorities can use PACE as a completely voluntary assessment. Sections 25 and 26 make conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill separately defines and clarifies the term 'construction defect' in the 'Construction Defect Action Reform Act'. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Legislative Audit Committee. Under current law, of the 9 members of the board of directors of the state historical society (board), the board is to recommend 4 members for appointment by the governor. The bill repeals certain obsolete provisions, including the provision requiring recommendation by the board. Under current law, the directors council of the state historical society (council) was established. The bill changes the language from establishing the council to allowing the board to establish the council. If the council is not established by June 1, 2020, the bill repeals the section authorizing its establishment. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill states that when the governing documents of a common interest community require mediation or arbitration of a construction defect claim and the requirement is later amended or removed, mediation or arbitration is still required for a construction defect claim. These provisions are in section 3 of the bill. Section 3 also specifies that the mediation or arbitration must take place in the judicial district in which the community is located and that the arbitrator must: Be a neutral third party; Make certain disclosures before being selected; and Be selected as specified in the common interest community's governing documents or, if not so specified, in accordance with applicable state or federal laws governing mediation or arbitration. Section 1 of the bill specifies that, in the arbitration of a construction defect action, the arbitrator is required to follow the substantive law of Colorado with regard to any applicable claim or defense and any remedy granted, and a failure to do so is grounds for a district court to vacate or refuse to confirm the arbitrator's award. Section 4 of the bill requires that, before a construction defect claim is filed on behalf of the association: The parties must submit the matter to mediation before a neutral third party; and The board must give advance notice to all unit owners, together with a disclosure of the projected costs, duration, and financial impact of the construction defect claim, and must obtain the written consent of the owners of units to which at least a majority of the votes in the association are allocated. Section 5 of the bill adds to the disclosures required prior to the purchase and sale of property in a common interest community a notice that the community's governing documents may require binding arbitration of certain disputes.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill ensures that women are fully and accurately informed about their personal medical conditions regarding their pregnancies and health care options. Current medical procedures already use ultrasound technology to provide information regarding the gestational age of a child in utero. The bill ensures that a woman has the opportunity to see or forego seeing her ultrasound. The bill gives the woman a choice between an abdominal or vaginal ultrasound. The bill allows a woman the opportunity to find a provider of ultrasound technology that will provide the service free of charge. The bill requires that a woman be given full and accurate information regarding her abortion. The bill describes the information that the physician performing the abortion provides to the woman, and gives the woman an opportunity to sign or refuse to sign a receipt of information. The bill requires the abortion provider to provide certain information to the woman at least 24 hours prior to performing an abortion. The bill creates a civil right of action for noncompliance with the requirements, making a physician's noncompliance with the requirements unprofessional conduct and making a violation of the requirements a crime. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill provides immunity from civil and criminal liability for a person who forcibly enters a locked vehicle for the purpose of rendering assistance to an at-risk person or animal. To receive immunity, the person must:   Ensure the vehicle is not a law enforcement vehicle; Have a reasonable belief that the person or animal is in imminent danger of death or suffering serious bodily injury; Verify the vehicle is locked; Make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or operator of the vehicle; Contact a law enforcement or other first responder agency prior to forcibly entering the vehicle and not interfere with the actions of any such responding law enforcement agency; Use no more force than reasonably necessary to enter the locked vehicle; Remain with the at-risk person or animal in a safe location close to the vehicle until law enforcement or other first responder arrives at the scene; except that, if the person rendering assistance has to leave the scene before the owner or operator of the vehicle returns, prior to leaving the scene, the person rendering assistance shall leave a notice on the vehicle with his or her name and contact information and the name and location, if any, of the facility to which he or she took the at-risk person or animal. Also prior to leaving the scene, the person rendering assistance shall contact law enforcement, animal control, or other first responder to provide them with the same information.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)