The act implements some of the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies (department) regarding the motorcycle operator training (MOST) program, as contained in the department's sunset review of the MOST program, as follows: Lowers the required minimum age to be a MOST instructor from 21 to 18 years of age; and To align with the placement of the MOST program within the Colorado state patrol rather than the department of transportation, clarifies that a MOST vendor must meet standards promulgated by the Colorado state patrol rather than by the department of transportation. The act also makes the following changes to the MOST program that were not included in the department's sunset review: Continues the MOST program in the office of the chief of the state patrol in the department of public safety (chief) for 5 years, until September 1, 2030; and Allows the chief to expend money from the MOST fund for a tuition benefit paid to MOST vendors to be passed on to eligible students in the form of reduced costs for eligible courses, as established by the chief by rule.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Sponsored bills
In addition to individuals who may already request that their address included in certain records be kept confidential (address confidentiality) under certain circumstances, the act allows an individual or the spouse of an individual who is or has been a peace officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, emergency medical service provider, or emergency communications specialist (first responder) to also request address confidentiality for voter registration records that are in the custody of a county clerk and recorder or in the centralized statewide registration system maintained by the secretary of state (secretary) and financial disclosures that certain public officials are required to file with the secretary. A first responder may request address confidentiality with the county clerk and recorder of the county where the first responder who is making the request for address confidentiality resides. The secretary is required to approve the application form for a request for address confidentiality. Each county clerk and recorder is required to make the address confidentiality request application forms available in their office, provide the address confidentiality request application forms to interested persons by United States mail, email delivery, or facsimile transmission, and to process applications for address confidentiality without imposing a processing fee or any other charge. The custodian of any records specified in the act that concern a first responder who has requested address confidentiality is required to deny, with limited exceptions, the right of inspection of the first responder's address contained in the records on the ground that disclosure would be contrary to the public interest. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law states that a person who commits careless driving and thereby causes the death of an individual commits a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. The act expands current law to include careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury and states that if a person commits careless driving and thereby causes the serious bodily injury or death of more than one individual, each individual injure or killed is a separate violation. The act also clarifies that careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury or death is an included crime for the purposes of the "Victim Rights Act". (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits a peer support team member from disclosing, without the consent of the recipient of peer support (recipient), the confidential communications made by the recipient during a peer support interaction, with specified exceptions. With respect to an exception for which disclosure is permissible, a peer support team member who discloses or does not disclose a communication with a recipient is not liable for damages in a civil action for disclosing or not disclosing the communication. The act expands an exception allowing specified mental health professionals to disclose confidential information when a recipient makes a threat against an individual or themself or makes a threat that, if carried out, would result in harm to an individual or themself. In addition, a peer support team member is exempted from the prohibition on disclosure established by the act if: The peer support team member was a witness or a party to the incident that prompted the delivery of peer support services; A recipient admits to committing a crime or provides information pertaining to the recipient or another individual that is indicative of criminal conduct; Criteria related to an individual's participation as a witness in a court proceeding are met; or A recipient makes a threat involving damage or destruction of private or public property.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act repeals an obsolete provision that: Authorized the department of public health and environment to award grants to 3 state institutions of higher education in state fiscal year 2006-07; and Required each recipient of a grant award to report to committees of the general assembly on or before March 15, 2007, regarding the use of the grant money awarded.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act reorganizes and updates statutes pertaining to the duties of the office of the child protection ombudsman (office) and the child protection ombudsman (ombudsman). The act: Clarifies when the ombudsman may receive and conduct an independent and impartial investigation of complaints concerning child protection services; Clarifies the types of information, documents, or records that the ombudsman does and does not have access to; Reorganizes statutes that pertain to when an ombudsman investigates a complaint; Reorganizes statutes that pertain to the ombudsman's duties; Reorganizes and creates a new provision that pertains to the office's access to information necessary to conduct an independent review of a complaint; Reorganizes and creates a new provision focused on the office's and ombudsman's duty to confidentiality; and Provides the office access to residential child care facilities and facilities established and operated by the department of human services (facilities). The office may only access facilities in coordination with the facility directors in response to a request from a child or youth residing in the facility; in response to a request from a child's or youth's family member, caregiver, or other concerned individual; or to distribute materials created by the office informing children or youth on how to access the office, the office's services, and how to file a complaint with the office.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prevents a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) from prohibiting a rural independent pharmacy from using a private courier or a delivery service to deliver a prescription drug to a patient. A PBM is required to reimburse a rural independent pharmacy for a prescription drug in an amount not less than the national average drug acquisition cost for the dispensed prescription drug ingredients, plus pay a dispensing fee. When a PBM conducts an audit of a rural independent pharmacy and the audit results in a recoupment of more than $1,000 or a penalty of more than $1,000, the PBM must: Electronically notify the rural independent pharmacy of the rural independent pharmacy's rights to appeal at least 30 days before the recoupment of funds; If the rural independent pharmacy does not respond to the electronic notification within 30 days after the electronic notification, again electronically notify the rural independent pharmacy of the rural independent pharmacy's rights to appeal at least 30 days before the recoupment of funds; and If the rural independent pharmacy does not respond to the second electronic notification within 30 days after the second electronic notification, serve process on the rural independent pharmacy notifying of the rural independent pharmacy's rights to appeal at least 30 days before the recoupment of funds. The act allows a rural independent pharmacy to operate without being under the direct charge of a pharmacist if the initial interpretation and final evaluation of the prescription is done by a state-licensed pharmacist in person or remotely. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits an individual or entity from selling, offering or advertising for sale or adoption, bartering, or giving away a pet animal that, at the time of transfer, is physically located at or on any public street, highway, right-of-way, parkway, median strip, park, recreation area, outdoor market, parking lot, or other public space. Pet animal facilities licensed under the "Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act" are exempted from the prohibition, as are sales of livestock. In addition, pet animal owners, breeders, handlers, or trainers are exempted while transporting a pet animal to or from or exhibiting or competing at an event that is licensed, regulated, or sanctioned by a nationally recognized registering organization. The act also exempts hunting dogs that are bred or trained for lawful hunting. The act clarifies that nothing precludes a statutory or home rule town, city, county, or city and county from regulating the transfer of pet animals in public spaces. An individual or entity that violates the prohibition commits a class 2 misdemeanor. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates a voluntary procedure by which an individual may elect to contribute a portion of their state income tax refund as a donation to the animal protection fund (fund). For the income tax years immediately following the year in which the executive director of the department of revenue (department) files written certification with the revisor of statutes that a line on the income tax return form has become available and that the animal protection fund voluntary contribution (contribution) is next in the queue established pursuant to statute, the executive director of the department shall ensure that the Colorado state individual income tax return form contains a line by which each individual taxpayer may designate the amount of the contribution, if any, that the individual wishes to make to the fund. Money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the department of agriculture. Unlike many other types of permitted voluntary contributions, the contribution is not subject to sunset review and is not subject to repeal if the contribution generates no more than $50,000 during the period between January 1 and September 1 of a tax year. The act requires the department to determine annually the total amount donated through the contribution and report that amount to the state treasurer and to the general assembly. The state treasurer shall credit that amount to the fund. All interest derived from the deposit and investment of money in the fund is credited to the fund. The general assembly shall appropriate annually from the fund to the department its costs of administering money designated as contributions to the fund. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $11,606 from the fund to the department for the implementation of the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, it is illegal for a person to possess a firearm if the person was convicted of or adjudicated for certain felonies. The act adds motor vehicle theft in the first degree to the list of violations that prohibit a person from possessing a firearm. The act allows a person to petition a court for an order determining that a person may legally possess, use, or carry a firearm if 10 years have passed since the final disposition of criminal proceedings or release of the person from supervision in relation to their conviction concerning motor vehicle theft in the first degree. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)