Rep. Richard Holtorf

The bill clarifies that a surplus military vehicle may be used or adapted as an implement of husbandry, which allows the vehicle to be used on the roads in the same manner as a tractor. The bill also authorizes a surplus military vehicle to be used as an authorized emergency vehicle, which need not be registered as a motor vehicle. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

If certain conditions are met, current law allows vehicle owners to get permits to move overweight loads. The bill creates a type of overweight permit for divisible loads granted to agricultural producers if: The vehicle is registered as a farm vehicle; The agricultural producer designates 100 days, which need not be consecutive, for each calendar year that the permit may be used; The vehicle is used to transport agricultural products from the place of production to the place of storage or sale; and The vehicle complies with rules governing the distribution of the load upon the vehicle's axles. The permit costs: $40 for general vehicles; $50 for quad axle groupings; $50 for vehicles with trailers with 2 or 3 axle groupings.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill creates a temporary income tax credit for employers in an amount of $1,000 for each employee that is allowed to telecommute at least two-thirds of the time that the employee is expected to work. Any part of the income tax credit that is not used may be carried forward for a 10-year period but may not be refunded. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill directs the Colorado water conservation board, in consultation with the state engineer and the Colorado water institute, to conduct a study to: Evaluate ways to maximize the beneficial use of water within Colorado by recharging aquifers when surplus or excess water is available; Evaluate ways to minimize the amount of water that flows out of Colorado to downstream states, without risking noncompliance with applicable interstate compacts, United States supreme court decrees, and other federal law; Identify: Specific aquifers that are hydrologically and legally available to be used for artificial recharge and conveniently located for both artificial recharge and subsequent releases; Sources of revenue that could be used to pay for the artificial recharge; and Particular potential or existing artificial recharge projects that would meet the objectives identified in the study; Examine the role that various water entities might play in financing and implementing artificial recharge projects; and Recommend legislative or regulatory changes needed to implement the particularly identified artificial recharge projects. The bill directs the Colorado water conservation board to submit a report summarizing the results of the study to the committees of the general assembly with jurisdiction over water resources by January 1, 2022. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act requires the department of transportation to study relevant and appropriate state highways in rural areas of the state for the purpose of identifying portions of rural state highways where the speed limit can be raised without endangering public safety. On or before March 1, 2021, the department shall complete its study. The department shall include a summary of the study in the department's next annual report to the legislative committees of reference. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act sets the minimum pay for a member of the state military forces engaged in any service ordered by the governor as the rate paid to an enlisted person holding the rank of E-4 with over 6 years of service. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law does not specify times at which the Colorado department of transportation (CDOT) must be prepared to conduct and actually conduct snow removal operations on state highways. CDOT's current practice, with some exceptions, is to conduct snow removal operations on state highways that have average daily traffic of less than 1,000 vehicles per day only between the hours of 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. The bill requires CDOT to: Be prepared to conduct snow removal operations between the hours of 4 a.m. and 10 p.m. on every state highway where a winter storm watch issued by the national weather service is in effect; and Conduct snow removal operations between the hours of 4 a.m. and 10 p.m. on every state highway located where a winter storm warning issued by the national weather service is in effect.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

For income tax years commencing on and after January 1, 2020, the bill: Reduces both the individual and the corporate state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.49%; and Reduces the state alternative minimum tax by 0.14%.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)