The general assembly recognizes that the actual funded pupil count and the at-risk pupil count for the 2023-24 budget year are higher than expected when the appropriation amount for the state share of total program funding was established during the 2023 legislative session, resulting in an increase in total program funding for the 2023-24 budget year. In addition, local property tax revenue and specific ownership tax revenue are higher than anticipated, resulting in an increase in the local share of total program funding for the 2023-24 budget year. The act declares the general assembly's intent to maintain the budget stabilization factor at the amount of the original appropriation for the 2023-24 budget year. The act decreases the appropriation for the state share of total program funding by $23,964,790 in cash funds from the state education fund and adjusts the 2023-24 state fiscal year long bill accordingly. APPROVED by Governor March 8, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 8, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The America 250 - Colorado 150 commission (commission) was created in history Colorado to develop programs and plan for the official observance across Colorado of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, as marked by the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood (the anniversaries). The commission's powers and duties include marketing to support commemorative events and involvement in local opportunities for public discussion, commemorative events, and historical and educational activities regarding the anniversaries. The act creates a temporary cash fund that is continuously appropriated to the commission through history Colorado for earned revenue received from sale of items commemorating the anniversaries (fund) and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The commission will use money from the fund to provide grants to local communities to assist recipient communities providing local opportunities in connection with commemorating the anniversaries and must provide an annual report to the joint budget committee regarding grants that are awarded. Money from the fund may also be used by the commission to administer, implement, and effectuate community grants. APPROVED by Governor March 8, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 8, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act adds approved facility schools, facilities, and the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind (Colorado school) as types of school food authorities in order to make approved facility schools, facilities, and the Colorado school eligible for state nutrition programs. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $17,752 to the department of education for state nutrition programs. APPROVED by Governor March 8, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 8, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The autism treatment fund was repealed in 2023, but transfers to the autism treatment fund continue until July 1, 2025. The act retroactively discontinues transfers to the autism treatment fund that occur after the 2022-23 fiscal year. On June 30, 2024, the act requires the state treasurer to transfer any balance remaining in the autism treatment fund to the tobacco litigation settlement cash fund. APPROVED by Governor March 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires the state librarian in the department of education to oversee the Colorado imagination library program (program) and to contract with a Colorado nonprofit organization (contractor) to operate the program. The act relocates the program to the department of early childhood (department). Effective June 30, 2024, the rights, powers, duties, functions, and obligations concerning the program are transferred to the department. The act transfers the contractual obligations with the contractor to the department. Before the rights, powers, duties, functions, and obligations concerning the program are transferred to the department on June 30, 2024, the department may enter into an interagency agreement with the department of education for the administration of the program. The act authorizes the contractor to enter into contracts with book vendors or publishers to provide additional age-appropriate, high-quality books to children enrolled in the program at no cost to families. APPROVED by Governor February 27, 2024 EFFECTIVE February 27, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The new twenty-third judicial district exists beginning January 7, 2025. The act makes changes so that the judicial district drug offender treatment board and the local juvenile services planning committee may begin work before the new judicial district exists. APPROVED by Governor February 27, 2024 EFFECTIVE February 27, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the state funding for senior services contingency reserve fund (fund) in the department of the treasury to aid the state office on aging in addressing unforeseen circumstances experienced by an area agency on aging or a provider of eligible services. The act sets criteria that must be met for an area agency on aging or a provider of eligible services to receive money from the fund. For the 2023-24 fiscal year, the act appropriates $2million from the fund to the department of human services for use by the office of adults, aging, and disability services. The fund is repealed, effective September 1, 2029. Prior to repeal, the fund is subject to a sunset review. APPROVED by Governor February 27, 2024 EFFECTIVE February 27, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the following transfers to be made on April 1, 2024: $18,971,100 from the general fund to the capital construction fund; and $3,275,000 from the preschool programs cash fund to the information technology capital account of the capital construction fund. APPROVED by Governor February 27, 2024 EFFECTIVE February 27, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Title 26.5 of the Colorado Revised Statutes relates primarily to early childhood programs and services. In 2022, the general assembly enacted House Bill 22-1295, which established the duties of the department of early childhood (department), relocated early childhood programs from the departments of human services and education to the department, and created the Colorado universal preschool program in the department. The act makes technical changes to title 26.5 and related statutes, including: Updates language regarding gifts, grants, and donations to achieve statutory uniformity; Allows the department to enter into a contract with an organization to provide early literacy programming and related supports and whole-child services; Adds the executive director of the department to the health equity commission; Adds the commissioner of the behavioral health administration to the Colorado child abuse prevention board; Clarifies reporting dates to ensure the department can complete and report data in a timely manner; Clarifies the department's responsibilities concerning child abuse or neglect record checks; Amends background and record check language to align with current federal and state practices and standards; Clarifies definitions; Updates references from "ICON" to "Colorado state courts data access system"; and Eliminates technical language no longer used in child care licensing. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2023 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)