Sen. Janice Marchman

The bill requires the Colorado school of public health to analyze draft model legislation for implementing a single-payer, nonprofit, publicly financed, and privately delivered universal health-care payment system for Colorado that directly compensates providers. The Colorado school of public health must submit a report detailing its findings to the general assembly by October 1, 2025 December 31, 2025 . The bill also creates the statewide health-care analysis advisory task force collaborative ("analysis collaborative") consisting of 21 members appointed 20 members invited by the general assembly and the governor executive director of the department of health care policy and financing, four members of the general assembly appointed by the president of the senate, minority leader of the senate, speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of representatives , as well as executive directors of specified state departments, the commissioner of insurance, and the chief executive officer of the Colorado health benefit exchange or any designees of the executive directors, the commissioner, and the chief executive officer. The advisory task force analysis collaborative is created for the purpose of advising the Colorado school of public health during the analysis. (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.)

The bill makes the following changes to the "Colorado Open Records Act" (CORA): Requires a custodian to evaluate a request for public records promptly and for no longer than 2 days. Within the 2-day period the custodian shall notify the requester whether or not any costs or fees that may apply to the request and if extenuating circumstances exist that allow for an extension of the reasonable time to respond to a CORA request (response period). If there are costs or fees that may apply, the response period does not begin until the custodian receives a response from the requester acknowledging acceptance of the costs or fees. Alternatively, a requester may revise their request and the custodian shall evaluate the revised request within the 2-day evaluation period. Otherwise, the response period begins after the custodian has provided notice to the requester. Changes the reasonable time to respond to a CORA request, except for requests from a mass medium or a newsperson, from 3 working days to 5 working days and changes the extension of time for the response period if extenuating circumstances exist from not exceeding 7 additional days to not exceeding 10 additional days; Adds an extenuating circumstance that allows for an extension of the response period when the custodian is not scheduled to work within the response period; Requires public entities to post any rules or policies adopted pursuant to CORA, including what the public entity's records retention policy, and to post information for members of the public regarding how to make a public records request; If public records are in the sole and exclusive custody and control of someone who is not scheduled to work within the response period, a custodian shall provide all other available responsive public records within the response period and notify the requester of the earliest date on which the person is scheduled to return to work and make best efforts to make responsive records available for inspection within the response period or extended response period, as applicable expected to be available or that the person is not expected to return to work . The requester may make a subsequent request for additional responsive records, if any, on or after the date the person who is authorized to have custody and control of the records is scheduled to return to work custodian provides . Allows a custodian to determine that a requester is a vexatious requester, requires the custodian to make a sworn statement in support of the determination to provide to the requester, allows the custodian a 30-day response period when a requester is a vexatious requester, and permits the requester to appeal the determination that the requester is a vexatious requester to the district court; Excludes a mass medium or newsperson from being a vexatious requester; Allows a custodian , subject to certain exceptions, to determine that a request is made for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain, requires the custodian to make a sworn statement in support provide written notice of the determination to provide to the requester, allows the custodian a 30-day response period for such a request, permits the requester to submit a signed statement affirming the request is not for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain which the custodian must consider in making their determination, permits the requester to appeal the determination that the request is made for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain to the district court, and allows a custodian to charge the requester for the full cost of responding to the request notwithstanding the allowance for the first hour of research and retrieval to otherwise be free of charge and notwithstanding the statutory cap on fees, which otherwise would apply; Prohibits disclosure of any other contact information of students in any public elementary or secondary school in addition to the prohibition of disclosure of addresses and telephone numbers that is in current law; Allows a custodian to deny the right of inspection of public records that are an employee's calendar, unless the public record is an elected official's calendar or the calendar of an employee who is in a leadership position or the request is made by a mass medium or newsperson; and Clarifies that if a custodian imposes any requirements concerning the pre-payment of fees or the payment of fees in connection with a request for inspection of public records, the requirements must be in accordance with the custodian's adopted rules or written policies and must not be inconsistent with the provisions of CORA; and Allows a custodian to treat a CORA request made within 14 calendar days of another CORA request made by the same person as one request for purposes of calculating the fee that the custodian may charge to the requester for research and retrieval of responsive public records. In addition, the bill requires that members of the general assembly retain public records for a minimum of 60 days. (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.)

The act amends certain requirements and procedures related to licenses and passes from the Colorado parks and wildlife commission (commission). The act lowers the age threshold for senior annual fishing licenses to 64 years of age and amends the definition of "low-income senior" for the purposes of discounted parks and wildlife licenses. The act also lowers the disability level threshold for veterans with disabilities from 60% to 50% disability for the purpose of granting licenses to disabled veterans. The act lowers the cost of the youth small game hunting license and the youth big game hunting license by 25 cents to account for the inclusion of the backcountry search and rescue fund surcharge that is added administratively by the commission when the licenses are purchased. The act clarifies that adjustments to the prices of certain hunting licenses are based on the cost of the licenses as established in 2018 and adjusted for inflation based on the consumer price index. The act authorizes the commission to establish, by rule, a harvest permit surcharge for the taking of small game when doing so is necessary for the proper management of wildlife resources. The act specifies that revenues generated from the sale of keep Colorado wild passes may be used for capital construction projects. The act establishes procedures for hearings conducted by the commission when a river outfitter license holder or applicant is alleged to have committed a violation and when the applicant or license holder may have their application or license denied, suspended, or revoked. The act authorizes a hearing officer to conduct hearings on behalf of the commission in relation to the denial, suspension, or revocation of a river outfitter license. APPROVED by Governor May 1, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Currently, 12 Colorado counties, including Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Gilpin, Gunnison, Jefferson, Ouray, and Summit (affected counties), require some form of wildfire mitigation in connection with the construction of a new residence but not with the sale of an respect to an existing residence. Because the affected counties are among the most at-risk counties for wildfires, section 2 of the bill requires the affected counties to leverage their existing wildfire mitigation expertise to establish a program for point-of-sale wildfire mitigation certification in connection with the sale of an existing residence located in the county. Likewise, the codes and standards for wildfire mitigation developed by the wildfire resiliency code board apply only to permitting and inspections for new construction or significant structural expansions or alterations. Section 1 of the bill authorizes counties to establish a program to require wildfire mitigation of existing residences and other structures in accordance with wildfire mitigation standards developed by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), the Colorado state forest service (forest service), the wildfire resiliency code board, or other standards as determined by the county. Section 3 details the minimum requirements for a county point-of-sale wildfire mitigation certification program. The bill also specifies limitations on such programs and encourages counties to create and maintain a web-based clearing house of state and county-level technical assistance and funding resources. Section 3 also authorizes any county that is not an affected county and any municipality to establish by ordinance or regulation a program for a homeowner to obtain certification of compliance with the Colorado state forest service's phase one wildfire mitigation standards in connection with the sale of the homeowner's residence. Section 4 makes a conforming amendment to the existing Colorado state forest service web-based clearing house to require the inclusion of information to educate and assist homeowners in accessing resources to comply with the county point-of-sale programs established pursuant to section 3. Section 2 sets forth the requirements and limitations for a wildfire mitigation program for existing residences that an affected county, or any other county, may establish pursuant to its authority granted in section 1. A county may establish by ordinance or regulation a program to require wildfire mitigation of an existing residence or structure located in an area within the county that is subject to a building code that includes wildfire mitigation requirements in connection with the issuance of a residential building permit or certificate of occupancy in accordance with one or more of the following: IBHS wildfire mitigation standards; Zone one, zone 2, or zone 3 wildfire mitigation standards as set forth in the forest service's publication, "The Home Ignition Zone"; Wildfire resiliency code board wildfire mitigation standards; or Other standards as determined by the county. Such a program must include a written policy and procedure for a homeowner to seek a reasonable extension of a program deadline or an exemption from a program requirement on the basis of unforeseen or emergency circumstances or undue burden, as determined by the county. Section 2 also requires that each of the affected counties post on a public website a list of individuals and entities that perform wildfire mitigation services in the county, including contact information. The counties are also encouraged to include on the same website a copy of or link to: The IBHS's wildfire-prepared home program guide, or a successor publication; The forest service's publication, the "The Home Ignition Zone", or a successor publication; The wildfire resiliency code board's recommendations for wildfire mitigation, including recommendations set forth in codes, standards, or rules of the board; and County-specific technical assistance and funding resources for wildfire mitigation by homeowners. (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.)

The bill requires a school to provide written notification at least 5 days in advance of the scheduled date of a school safety drill to the parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian of a student detailing when the school safety drill will take place. On or before July 1, 2025, the bill requires the office of school safety (office) to convene a work group to develop best practices for the use of trauma-informed practices to conduct school safety drills. No later than August 1, 2026, the bill requires the work group to develop recommendations to support schools in training school personnel on the use of trauma-informed practices in conducting school safety drills, how to best conduct school safety drills in a trauma-informed manner, and how to best respond to school safety incidents. Beginning August 1, 2027, the bill requires a school to conduct school safety drills in compliance with the work group's recommendations. On or before December 31, 2027, the bill requires the work group to submit a report to the office summarizing the work group's recommendations and information from the schools on the implementation of the trauma-informed best practices. The bill requires educator preparation programs and alternate teacher programs to include a training requirement on trauma-informed practices for a teacher candidate to learn how to conduct school safety drills and, beginning in the 2026-27 school year, requires educator preparation programs and alternate teacher programs to implement the work group's recommendations on best practices to incorporate trauma-informed practices into the conduct of school safety drills. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act enacts the "School Psychologists Licensure Interstate Compact" (compact). The purpose of the compact is to facilitate the interstate practice of school psychology in educational or school settings, thereby improving the availability of school psychological services (services) to the public. The compact establishes a pathway to allow school psychologists to obtain equivalent licenses to provide services in any state that is a member of the compact (member state). The compact outlines the requirements for a school psychologist to obtain and maintain an equivalent license in another member state. Provisions for active military members and their spouses are made. The compact takes effect on the date it is enacted into law in the seventh compact state. The executive director of the department of education shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing when the seventh compact state has enacted the compact into law by e-mailing notice to the revisor of statutes. APPROVED by Governor April 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 29, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires school personnel to address a student by the student's chosen name and to use the student's chosen name in school and during extracurricular activities. The act deems it discriminatory to knowingly or intentionally use a name other than the student's chosen name or knowingly or intentionally avoiding or refusing to use a student's chosen name, unless done at the request of the student. The act allows a student who is subject to discrimination as a result of a failure or refusal to address the student by the student's chosen name to file a report with the school or a federal civil rights complaint. The act requires a school to implement a written policy outlining how the school will honor a student's request to use a chosen name. APPROVED by Governor April 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 29, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, a person seeking a teaching endorsement in special education or early childhood special education (endorsement) must complete an approved program and a student teaching practicum through an institution of higher education and pass one or more appropriate content-based exams. The act requires the department of education to issue an endorsement. Under current law, to receive the endorsement, the educator must hold a valid teaching license other than an initial license and complete coursework and assessments, as specified by rule of the state board of education (board), in a program in special education offered by an accepted institution of higher education. The act adds applicants who complete an alternative teacher preparation program (program) for special education offered by a designated agency as eligible for the endorsement. The act authorizes a person with a professional teacher license to continue in the person's current position while participating in an alternative teacher preparation program for the purpose of receiving an endorsement. APPROVED by Governor April 19, 2024 EFFECTIVE April 19, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law limits the duration of employment a public employees' retirement association (PERA) service retiree can work for a PERA employer without a reduction in PERA retirement benefits. Under certain circumstances, a rural school district may hire a service retiree who is a teacher, a school bus driver, a school food services cook, a school nurse, or a qualified paraprofessional without the service retiree receiving a deduction in benefits for any length of employment in the calender year. The act adds superintendents and principals to the list of service retirees hired by a rural school district who may be employed without a reduction in benefits and clarifies that the exemption for a rural school district also includes a small rural school district which has a funded pupil count for the prior budget year of less than 1,000 pupils. The act also requires PERA, on or before December 1, 2025, and on or before December 1 of each 5th year thereafter, to submit a report to the finance and education committees of the house of representatives and the senate or any successor committees regarding certain employment after service retirement allowances. The report must include: The number of service retirees under certain allowances who have been employed after service retirement as of the date of the report; The extent to which certain employment after service retirement allowances have helped employers in the school division address shortages; The costs, if any, to PERA as a result of certain employment after service retirement allowances; and Any other information deemed relevant by PERA. APPROVED by Governor April 11, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee. The bill requires the department of public health and environment (department) to conduct or cause to be conducted a gender-affirming health-care provider study (study). The study must determine: The number of gender-affirming health-care providers and facilities in each region, without disclosing identities of providers; The resources available to gender-affirming health-care providers and facilities in the state; Threats to gender-affirming health-care providers; The number of patients seeking gender-affirming health-care services in each region, including the ratio of patients to providers in each region, without disclosing identities of patients or providers; The types of gender-affirming health-care services that patients seek; The prevalence and impact of nonprescribed treatments; and The availability of insurance coverage for different types of treatment. The bill requires the department and any third party that the department contracts with to conduct the study to seek input from specified persons. The department is required to submit a report on or before December 31, 2026, including its findings and recommendations, to specified committees of the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)