The bill creates the Urban Peak Housing and Support Services for Youth Experiencing Homelessness fund (fund) in the state treasury. A voluntary contribution designation line for the fund will appear on the state individual income tax return form (form) for the 5 income tax years following the year that the executive director of the department of revenue (department) certifies to the revisor of statutes that: There is a space available on the form; and The fund is next in the queue. Once the fund is placed on the form, the department is directed to determine annually the total amount contributed to the fund and report that amount to the state treasurer and the general assembly. The state treasurer is required to credit that amount to the fund, and the general assembly appropriates from the fund to the department the costs of administering moneys designated for the fund. After that amount is deducted, the moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year are transferred to Urban Peak, a nonprofit organization. Following the statutory 2-year grace period for new tax check-offs, the fund is required to achieve the minimum contribution amount of $50,000 per year to remain on the form. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
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The district attorney of each judicial district, with the approval of the boards of county commissioners comprising the district, currently fixes the salaries of any assistant district attorney, chief deputy district attorney, and deputy district attorney in the district. There are currently no minimum salary amounts in law for these positions. The bill establishes minimum salary amounts for these positions based upon the salary ranges of certain employees of the state public defender's office. The county or counties making up a judicial district currently pay the entire amount of the salaries of all deputy, chief deputy, and assistant district attorneys working in the district. The bill requires the state to pay a percentage of the salaries, starting at a lower percentage and scaling up to the following percentages after 4 years: Assistant district attorney - 80%; Chief deputy district attorney - 50%; Deputy district attorney - 20%. The bill allows the boards of county commissioners of the counties within a judicial district, in consultation with the district attorney, to make a one-time irrevocable election to require an assistant district attorney to become a member of the public employees' retirement association's defined benefit plan. In such case, the state would pay 80% and the counties would pay 20% of the employer contribution for an assistant district attorney. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The 'Immigration and Nationality Act' allows states to pass laws requiring United States citizenship as a condition of employment. The bill imposes a United States citizenship requirement for peace officers, including certified peace officers, in Colorado. Honorably discharged veterans of the United States military are exempted from the United States citizenship requirement. A person who is a legal permanent resident and who is employed by a law enforcement agency as a peace officer or certified peace officer on the effective date of the bill is exempted from the United States citizenship requirement until July 1, 2022, unless the P.O.S.T. board extends the date for compliance. A person who is a legal permanent resident and is a certified peace officer but not employed on the effective date of the bill is exempted from the United States citizenship requirement until July 1, unless the P.O.S.T. board extends the date for compliance. The P.O.S.T. board, upon request of the employing law enforcement agency of a certified peace officer whose compliance was grandfathered, may extend the date for the certified peace officer's compliance with the United States citizenship requirement based upon a showing that the certified peace officer is making progress towards attaining citizenship and needs an extension of time. If the person fails to obtain United States citizenship during the grandfathered-time period, the P.O.S.T. board shall revoke the person's peace officer certification, if applicable, unless the P.O.S.T. board extends the date for compliance. For purposes of the grandfather provision, an adult probation officer and a juvenile probation officer are considered to be employed by a law enforcement agency. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill clarifies that high occupancy vehicle lanes are lanes on which a vehicle carrying 2 or more individuals, including the driver, may travel and that high occupancy toll lanes are lanes on which a vehicle carrying fewer than 2 individuals, including the driver, must pay a toll. The bill also raises the priority of currently unfunded projects to expand the capacity of interstate highway 25 between the town of Castle Rock and the town of Monument and between state highway 14 and state highway 66 (high priority projects) by: Requiring the department of transportation (CDOT) to put the high priority projects above all other unfunded projects on its priority list for project funding; Requiring all federal money received by CDOT that the federal government does not require to be allocated for other projects and that CDOT has not previously allocated for other projects to be used to fund the high priority projects before being used to fund other projects; and Requiring any environmental studies or other studies required to be completed before the high priority projects may begin to be completed no later than 6 months following the effective date of the bill and prohibiting study findings from being used to prevent the high priority projects from being undertaken.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Current law authorizes a regional transportation authority to seek voter approval for a uniform mill levy of up to 5 mills on all taxable property within its territory, but the authorization is scheduled to repeal on January 1, 2019. The bill extends the authorization until January 1, 2029. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill allows a custodian to deny access to confidential personal information records and employee personal e-mail addresses. The provisions of the 'Colorado Open Records Act' that relate to civil or administrative investigations and trade secrets and other privileged and confidential information apply to the judicial branch. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)