Rep. Jennifer Bacon

Current law does not expressly allow for the state to recognize an arrest warrant issued by a Tribal court of a federally recognized Tribe (Tribal court). The act clarifies that a state court shall give full faith and credit to an arrest warrant issued by a Tribal court. Upon issuance of a Tribal court arrest warrant, a peace officer in the state may apprehend the person identified in the Tribal warrant if the peace officer verifies the validity of the warrant and confirms that the warrant permits extradition. The act outlines the court process for extradition cases arising from a Tribal court arrest warrant. Current law does not expressly allow for the recognition of a Tribal court behavioral health commitment order (commitment order). The act clarifies that a commitment order entered by a Tribal court that concerns a person under the Tribal court's jurisdiction is recognized to the same extent as a commitment order entered by a state court. A health-care provider may communicate with the officers of the Tribal court regarding a patient placed under the health-care provider's care pursuant to a commitment order to the same extent that the health-care provider may communicate with officers of the court pursuant to a commitment order entered by a state court. If a Tribal court issues an order rescinding the Tribal court's original commitment order, the state, county, or municipal law enforcement agencies; state courts; hospitals; behavioral health facilities; health-care providers; and others within the state responsible for providing services to the person subject to the commitment order shall recognize the order rescinding the Tribal court's original commitment order and release the person subject to the commitment order. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

A speech language pathology assistant (SLPA) is defined in the act as an individual who has a bachelor's degree or higher in speech-language pathology, communications disorders and speech sciences, or any other field that includes at least 24 semester hours in speech-language hearing sciences granted by an accredited institution of higher education. Only an individual who practices as an SLPA in accordance with statute or who is a school speech-language pathology assistant (school SLPA) authorized by the department of education may use the title "speech-language pathology assistant" or other terms that indicate that the individual is an SLPA or a school SLPA. An SLPA shall practice speech-language pathology only in collaboration with and under the direction and supervision of a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP). The act establishes requirements and guidelines for an SLP supervising an SLPA. The act prohibits an SLPA from engaging in certain speech-language pathology tasks, such as the diagnosis of patients and preparation of a treatment plan. An SLP may be disciplined for failing to properly direct and supervise an SLPA. The act repeals the regulation of SLPAs on September 1, 2033, subject to sunset review by the department of regulatory agencies. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the state board of health (board) to allow the Colorado youth advisory council (council) to present to the board twice a year on issues regarding the youth opioid epidemic and other health issues. The act also allows the council to consult the prevention services division within the department of public health and environment during the stakeholding process for rule-making regarding opioid antagonists. Under current law, a school district, the state charter school institute, or a governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt and implement a policy that allows: A school to acquire and maintain a stock supply of opioid antagonists on school grounds or on a school bus; A school employee or agent who has received relevant training to administer an opioid antagonist to a person who is at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose; and A school employee or agent to furnish an opioid antagonist to any individual, including a student, if the student has received relevant training. The act: Permits a school to maintain an opioid antagonist in an automated external defibrillator or defibrillator cabinet in the school or on a school bus; Repeals the requirement that a school employee or agent must receive training prior to administering an opioid antagonist; and Creates an exception that a school employee or agent may furnish an opioid antagonist to a student who has not received relevant training if the employee or agent believes that the student is in a position to assist an individual who is suffering from an opioid-related drug overdose event or who is at risk of experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose event. Current law provides a specific list of eligible entities that a prescriber may prescribe or dispense an opioid antagonist to. The act eliminates the specific list and instead requires the state board of health to establish a list of eligible entities that a prescriber may prescribe or dispense an opioid antagonist to. The act permits a standing order allowing all eligible entities to distribute opioid antagonists. The act requires the department of public health and environment to furnish a report detailing youth overdose prevention during "SMART Act" hearings. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law requires a person or entity that acquires an automated external defibrillator (AED) to develop written plans for the placement, use, and maintenance of the AED (written plans). The act eliminates the requirements that the written plans: Identify personnel authorized to use the AED; and Be reviewed and approved by a licensed physician. The act imposes requirements for cardiac emergency preparedness for public and nonpublic schools. Beginning on or before January 1, 2026, a local education provider shall require each public school that acquires or has acquired an AED to place and maintain the AED in accordance with nationally recognized, evidence-based standards for emergency cardiovascular care, and the governing authority of a nonpublic school shall require each nonpublic school that acquires or has acquired an AED to place and maintain the AED in accordance with the same standards. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 25-015 designates a specific portion of Colorado State Highway 58 as the "Officer Evan A. Dunn Memorial Highway." This action honors Officer Evan A. Dunn, a Golden Police Department officer who died in the line of duty. The bill authorizes the Colorado Department of Transportation to accept donations for the initial placement of memorial signs and to explore a cooperative agreement with the City of Golden for their maintenance.

The act requires, on or before July 1, 2026, the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind, and each institute charter school, district charter school, and a local board of education for its schools that are not district charter schools, to adopt, implement, and post on its website a policy concerning student communication device possession and use during the school day. At a minimum, the policy must describe the prohibitions and exceptions, if any, regarding student communication device possession and use during the school day. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act expands the veterans mental health services program to provide grants to local nonprofit organizations to establish and expand community behavioral health programs that provide behavioral health services to service members, veterans, and family members of service members and veterans. The act reduces the reappropriated funds appropriation made in the long bill to the department of military and veterans affairs for use by the division of veterans affairs for veterans mental health services by $5,000,000; except that the reduction is not made if: The amount of reappropriated funds made in the long bill to the department of military and veterans affairs for use by the division of veterans affairs for veterans mental health is less than $5,000,000; or The long bill does not include an appropriation to the department of military and veterans affairs for use by the division of veterans affairs for veterans mental health.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act changes the tuition assistance program for eligible members of the Colorado National Guard (member) to a tuition waiver program (program). The act allows a member, upon being accepted for enrollment at a designated institution of higher education (institution), to pursue studies that lead to a postgraduate degree, a bachelor's degree, an associate degree, or a certificate of completion with all tuition waived. For a member, the tuition waiver must not exceed more than 65 credit hours at a designated 2-year institution of higher education and no more than 130 credit hours at a designated 4-year institution of higher education; except that the total credit hours for a member who attends both a 2-year institution and a 4-year institution must not exceed more than 145 credit hours. The department of military and veterans affairs (department) shall administer the program. In order to qualify for the program, a member must: Be accepted by an institution; Be in good standing with the Colorado National Guard; and Complete a Colorado application for state financial aid or a free application for federal student aid. Each institution shall determine if a member enrolled with the institution remains in satisfactory academic standing in accordance with the academic policies of the institution and is making progress toward the completion of the requirements of the education program in which the member is enrolled. If the institution finds that the member is not in satisfactory academic standing in accordance with the academic policies of the institution or is not making progress toward the completion of a degree, the member must reimburse the department for the amount of the tuition waived for that academic term. The act makes an appropriation of $562,787 to the department. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, a parent who wants to relinquish their child must satisfy certain requirements. If the parent who wants to relinquish their child is a victim of sexual assault that resulted in the conception of the child to be relinquished, the act: Allows the relinquishment petitioner (petitioner) to provide the juvenile court with documentation concerning the sexual assault or conception, including a sworn affidavit; Exempts the petitioner from having to satisfy certain relinquishment requirements if the court finds that the petitioner is a victim of sexual assault that resulted in the conception of the child to be relinquished; and Exempts the petitioner of all legal obligations they may have with respect to the child if the court grants a final order of relinquishment. On or before January 1, 2026, the state court administrator shall develop a, or modify an existing, standardized form for a petitioner to file to terminate another person's parent-child legal relationship because the child was conceived as a result of sexual assault. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, common interest communities are encouraged to use mediation prior to filing a complaint with the court. The bill requires permits a dispute between a unit owner and a unit owners' association to go through an internal dispute resolution process participate in an informal negotiation and mediation to resolve the dispute before the parties can file a complaint with the court. If the parties are unable to reach a mediation agreement, the bill allows the parties to undergo arbitration or commence a legal proceeding. If the parties are unable to reach an agreement during the informal negotiation, either party may file a complaint with the court and the court must order the parties to participate in mediation, if mediation has not already taken place. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)