The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review of the regulation of private investigators by continuing the regulation for 5 years, until September 1, 2025. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review and report of the "Fantasy Contests Act", with modifications, by: Transferring regulatory authority over fantasy contest operators from the director of the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies to the director of the division of gaming in the department of revenue; Requiring small fantasy contest operators (i.e., those with 7,500 or fewer active customer accounts in Colorado) to undergo annual audits by an independent third party and submit the results to the department of revenue, as larger operators are currently required to do; and Removing the regulation of fantasy contest operators from the list of programs subject to sunset review, making it permanent as are other programs administered by the division of gaming. The act reduces the fiscal year 2020-21 appropriation to the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies by $11,252. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Due to the COVID-19 virus, the judiciary committee of the house of representatives (judiciary committee) was unable to hold a full hearing during the 2020 regular session on the sunset report on the sex offender management board (SOMB report) prepared by the department of regulatory agencies (DORA). The act continues the sex offender management board for one year and directs the judiciary committee to hold a hearing on the SOMB report during the 2021 regular session. DORA is not required to prepare an additional report prior to the 2021 session. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act grants active members of the National Guard a free eagle annual pass for entrance into state parks. The parks and wildlife commission may elect not to issue this pass if it does not receive funding from the general assembly to implement this pass. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law disqualifies a recipient who is found to have committed an intentional violation from participation in any public assistance program for a specified amount of time. The act clarifies that a recipient who is found to have committed an intentional violation is only disqualified from participating in the public assistance program in which the recipient is found to have committed the intentional violation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes the peace officers standards and training (P.O.S.T.) board to establish a scholarship program for law enforcement agencies in rural and smaller jurisdictions with limited resources due to their size or location to assist the agencies with the payment of tuition costs for peace officer candidates to attend an approved basic law enforcement training academy. A peace officer who received a scholarship for a training academy tuition must be employed for at least three years by a law enforcement agency in a rural and small jurisdiction after attending the approved basic law enforcement training academy or the peace officer shall reimburse the cost of attending the basic law enforcement training academy to the P.O.S.T. board. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act grants bureau of animal protection agents the authority to conduct investigations related to certain complaints of animal cruelty. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Beginning March 1, 2021, the act requires a health care provider (provider) to disclose to patients if the provider has been convicted of a sex offense or has been subject to final agency action resulting in probation or a limitation on practice when the discipline is based in whole or in part on the provider's sexual misconduct. The act specifies the content of the disclosure and requires the provider to obtain the patient's signed agreement to treatment and acknowledgment of receipt of the disclosure before rendering services to the patient. The disclosure requirement ends when a provider has satisfied the requirements of probation or other limitations on the provider's ability to practice. Additionally, a provider is not required to make the disclosure before providing professional services to a patient who is unconscious or otherwise unable to comprehend or sign the disclosure and for whom a guardian is unavailable; who seeks care at an emergency room or freestanding emergency department or at an unscheduled visit; who is unknown to the provider until immediately before the start of the patient visit; or with whom the provider does not have a direct treatment relationship or direct contact. Failure to comply with the requirements of the act constitutes unprofessional conduct or grounds for discipline under the practice act that regulates the provider's profession but does not create a private right of action. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
For the purpose of determining eligibility for workers' compensation benefits for a mental impairment caused by an accidental injury that consists of a psychologically traumatic event arising out of and in the course of employment, the act establishes that a worker's audible or visual and audible exposure to the serious bodily injury or death, or the immediate aftermath of the serious bodily injury or death, of one or more people as the result of a violent event, the intentional act of another person, or an accident is a "psychologically traumatic event". (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
