Under current law, ambulance services are regulated at the local level. On and after July 1, 2024, the act requires an ambulance service to obtain a state license from the department of public health and environment (department). In licensing ambulance services, the department is authorized to conduct inspections, investigate and hold hearings regarding alleged violations, and, for any violations found, take action against an ambulance service's license or application for an initial or renewed license, impose civil penalties in an amount of up to $500 per violation or up to $500 per day for a continuing violation, or both. On or before January 1, 2024, the state board of health (board) is required to adopt rules regarding minimum standards for ambulance services, including equipment, staffing, medical oversight, and general and vehicle liability insurance standards and, if the board deems it necessary, rules imposing application and licensing fees. On and after July 1, 2024, a county or city and county is authorized to grant an ambulance service authorization to operate within the county's or city and county's jurisdiction and to enter into service agreements, memoranda of understanding, and other contracts with ambulance services operating in the county's or city and county's jurisdiction. The act also creates a statewide task force to make statutory, rule, and policy recommendations for how to preserve, promote, and expand consumer access to emergency medical services in the state, including recommendations: Regarding the regulation of ambulance service; To address inequities and disparities in access to emergency medical services; To address workforce recruiting and retention issues; To promote the financial sustainability of emergency medical services; and Regarding the long-term sustainability of emergency medical services. For state fiscal year 2022-23, the act appropriates from the general fund: $254,622 to the department for use by the health facilities and emergency management services division for administration and operations; and $1,882 to the legislative department for use by the legislative council.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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Under Colorado law, the public utilities commission (PUC) regulates transportation network companies, which are commonly known as ridesharing companies, and the services they provide to ensure that the services are provided in a safe manner and that the drivers are financially responsible. Prior to the act, ridesharing companies were exempt from regulation if they provided services to a school, a school district, the federal government, a state, a political subdivision of a state, or a tax-exempt entity. The act removes this exemption. The act also requires ridesharing companies that provide school-related services and are paid by a school or school district to: Enter into a contract that includes safety provisions for student transportation; Use a technology-enabled integrated solution that provides end-to-end visibility using the global positioning system for the transportation network company, the student's legal guardian, and the person that scheduled the ride; Ensure that each driver providing the service receives training in mandatory reporting requirements, safe driving practices, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, education on special considerations for transporting students with disabilities, emergency preparedness, and safe pick-up and drop-off procedures; and Not use a driver who has been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to certain offenses. The PUC is required to coordinate with the department of education to promulgate rules implementing minimum safety standards for transportation network companies when providing services provided under a contract with a school or school district. A ridesharing company must notify the commission, the school or school district, and the student's legal guardian of any safety or security incidents that involve providing services for students to or from a school, school-related activities, or school-sanctioned activities. The commission is directed to promulgate rules implementing this requirement. In addition, the rules must require a ridesharing company to report information related to driver background checks, insurance coverage, and data reporting, consistent with the type of service provided, as it relates to service for students. The PUC must review and, if necessary, update the rules once every three years. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Beginning in the 2022-23 budget year, the act directs the department of education (department) to annually distribute to each eligible school district and each eligible institute charter school an amount of state money as a matching amount to the property tax revenue the eligible district receives from mills levied for additional revenue (override mills). To determine the amount, if any, of state matching money, the department shall annually calculate for each district: The district's maximum number of override mills; and The number of override mills the district may be expected to levy toward the district's maximum number of override mills (override mill capacity), based on the district's median household income. If a district's override mill capacity is less than the maximum number of override mills, the district is eligible to receive matching state money. The department must calculate each eligible district's mill levy match amount as provided in the act. An institute charter school that is located within an eligible district is eligible to receive a distribution of state money equal to the eligible district's per pupil mill levy match amount multiplied by the institute charter school's pupil enrollment. The department must calculate and distribute in June of each budget year the mill levy match amounts from the mill levy override match fund (fund) created in the act. The act transfers $10 million from the general fund to the fund for the 2022-23 budget year. For the 2022-23 budget year, the act appropriates $10,041,238 to the department to implement the act, $10 million of which is from the fund and $41,238 of which is from the general fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows a district charter school or an institute charter school, upon approval of the authorizing school district board of education or the state charter school institute (CSI), respectively, to develop and administer an enrollment preference plan to give enrollment preference to children with disabilities. In exercising the enrollment preference plan for children with disabilities, a district charter school and an institute charter school shall ensure compliance with the obligation to provide a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment pursuant to the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act". A district charter school or an institute charter school may allow parents to voluntarily provide information regarding the existence of a child's disability. The act allows the department of education (department) to designate a charter school network or charter school collaborative that meets specified criteria as an administrative unit for the purpose of providing special education services to children with disabilities. If the department designates a charter school network or charter school collaborative as an administrative unit, a district charter school or institute charter school that is within the charter school network or is participating in the charter school collaborative is required to amend its district charter contract or institute charter contract, respectively, to reflect that the district charter school or institute charter school is participating in the administrative unit of the charter school network or charter school collaborative. If the parents of a child with a disability remove the child from enrollment in the alternative administrative unit in which a district charter school or institute charter school participates after the annual count date to determine state funding for children with disabilities, that alternative administrative unit continues to be deemed the child's administrative unit of residence for the remainder of the school year and may be required to pay the tuition charge for excess costs to the administrative unit of attendance that enrolls the child for the remainder of the school year. The act further clarifies provisions concerning the payment of tuition for excess costs when a child with a disability is enrolled in a district charter school or institute charter school that participates in an alternative administrative unit that is a charter school network or charter school collaborative. The act further clarifies that if a child with a disability who is enrolled in an alternative administrative unit is placed by an IEP team in an approved facility school or other private setting for special education purpose, the child continues to be enrolled in the alternative administrative unit until certain circumstances occur. The act allows a district charter school or an institute charter school, upon the department's approval of the administrative unit of a charter school network or charter school collaborative, to enter into an agreement to participate in the existing alternative administrative unit. After the department approves an application for the reorganization of the administrative unit to include the district charter school, the district charter school is required to amend its district charter contract to reflect that the district charter school is participating in the existing alternative administrative unit of the charter school network or charter school collaborative. The institute charter school is required to amend its institute charter contract to reflect that the institute charter school is participating in the existing alternative administrative unit of the charter school network or charter school collaborative. The act allows a district charter school, upon approval of the CSI, to enter into an agreement with the CSI to participate in the CSI's administrative unit. After the department approves an application for the reorganization of the CSI's administrative unit to include the district charter school, the district charter school is required to amend its charter contract to reflect that it is participating in the CSI's administrative unit. The act clarifies that a school district or the CSI shall not require a district charter school or an institute charter school, respectively, to participate in an alternative administrative unit as a condition of approval of its application or approval or renewal of its contract with the school district or the CSI. The act specifies that a charter school collaborative may provide special education and related services to participating schools as authorized by the contract creating the charter school collaborative. Participating charter schools of the charter school collaborative shall share costs and financial support for special education and related services. The act clarifies that a district charter school is not required to pay its authorizing school district for federally required educational services that are not available to the district charter school. The act appropriates $375,000 from the general fund to the department for use by the CSI to distribute to eligible institute charter schools. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires: The department of higher education (department), in consultation with state institutions of higher education (institutions) and a business organization or industry representative, to develop and implement a process that encourages institutions to identify incremental achievements on the path to degree completion, organize stackable credentials, and identify how credentials may be evaluated and then may become stacked into stackable credential pathways to provide increased access to employment and may result in a degree; The department to facilitate the creation of stackable credential pathways for at least 3 growing industries by January 1, 2024, and at least 2 more growing industries by January 1, 2025; The general assembly to appropriate $1 million to the department from the workers, employers, and workforce centers cash fund for the 2022-23 fiscal year; and The department of higher education to submit a report to the education committees regarding implementation of the act that includes data collected by institutions to measure the total number of credits, credentials, certificates, and professional licenses earned in each pathway at each institution and the funding allocated and distributed to implement the act. The act requires the department to allocate and disburse funds to community and technical colleges and local district colleges to fund student access to nondegree credential programs. The general assembly is required to appropriate $1.8 million to the department for this purpose for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The act requires the general assembly to appropriate $800,000 to the department of education for the adult education and literacy grant program for the 2022-23 fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires all public higher education institutions (institutions) in Colorado to provide to Colorado resident students who have been in foster care or, following an adjudication as neglected or dependent, in noncertified kinship care in Colorado at any time on or after reaching the age of 13 (qualifying students), financial assistance for the remaining balance of the student's total cost of attendance in excess of the amount of any private, state, or federal financial assistance received by the student (remaining balance financial assistance). Subject to available appropriations, the act requires the Colorado commission on higher education to provide to an institution money to cover 50 percent of the remaining balance financial assistance provided by the institution to qualifying students. The institutions are required to designate an employee to serve as a liaison to qualifying and prospective qualifying students. The act requires the department of higher education to designate four full-time equivalent employees as foster care student navigators to provide guidance to prospective qualifying students with selecting institutions and programs and to assist students with completing an institution's application for admission, the free application for federal student aid, and, if eligible, the application for a Chafee ETV grant. School district and state charter school institute child welfare education liaisons are required to provide students in out-of-home placement with information and assistance regarding remaining balance financial assistance for qualifying students. The act appropriates $2,610,575 from the general fund to the department of higher education for aid for foster students. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill creates the student educator stipend program. The purpose of the student educator stipend program is to award stipend money to an eligible student to reduce the financial barriers of participating in required clinical practice as a student educator. An eligible student placed as a student educator in a 16-week academic residency may receive a stipend of $11,000, and an eligible student placed as a student educator in a 32-week academic residency may receive a stipend of $22,000. The bill also creates the educator test stipend program. The purpose of the educator test stipend program is to award stipend money to approved programs of preparation to reduce financial barriers for eligible students preparing for the assessment of professional competencies for licensure and each required endorsement area. The approved program of preparation shall distribute the stipend money to an eligible student to pay the fees and costs associated with the assessment of professional competencies, which may include travel and lodging costs. The bill creates the temporary educator loan forgiveness program. The purpose of the program is to pay the qualified loans of an educator who is hired for a hard-to-staff educator position. To qualify for the program, an educator must meet licensure requirements, enter the educator workforce on or after the 2019-20 state fiscal year and contract for a qualified position no later than the end of the 2021-22 state fiscal year, and be liable for an outstanding balance on a qualified loan. An educator who qualifies is eligible for up to $5,000 in loan forgiveness. The bill requires the department of education (department), in collaboration with the department of higher education, and institutions of higher education, the state board for community colleges and occupational education, and school districts, to create a recommend to the state board of education the standards and procedures necessary to implement the multiple measures approach to measure the professional competencies of an applicant for an initial teacher license, in addition to the assessments currently approved by the state board of education. The state board of education shall promulgate rules to establish the standards and procedures to measure professional competencies through the multiple measures approach.Current law allows the department to issue a temporary educator eligibility authorization to a person enrolled in an approved program of preparation for a special education educator license who has not yet met the requirements for the applicable initial educator license. The bill allows the department to issue a temporary educator eligibility authorization an interim authorization to a person enrolled in an approved alternative teacher preparation program who is seeking an alternative teacher license and meets the requirements for an alternative teacher license, except that the person has not yet met the requirements for the applicable initial educator license.For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $52 million is appropriated to the department of higher education from the economic recovery and relief cash fund to be distributed to the following programs: $39 million for the student educator stipend program; $3 million for the educator test stipend program; and $10 million for the temporary educator loan forgiveness program. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $720,612 is appropriated to the department from the general fund to implement the purposes of the bill. (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 creates the transformational affordable housing revolving loan fund program (loan program) in the division of housing (division) in the department of local affairs (department) as a revolving loan program in accordance with the requirements of the act and the policies established by the division. The loan program provides flexible, low-interest, and below-market rate loan funding to assist eligible recipients in completing the eligible loan projects identified in the act. The division may administer the loan program or, if it determines that it would be more efficient and effective to contract out full or partial administration of the loan program, the division may enter into a contract with a third-party entity to administer the loan program. Any loan made under the loan program by the state, any department, division, or agency of the state, or any administrator to a district, as defined in the TABOR amendment to the state constitution, must either be approved by the voters of the district in accordance with TABOR or be structured so that it is not a multiple-fiscal year direct or indirect district debt or other financial obligation whatsoever that requires voter approval under TABOR. The act specifies eligibility requirements in order for projects to be funded under the loan program. The division is required to establish and publicize policies for the loan program. The division is encouraged to consider prioritizing applications for funding that satisfy certain objectives specified in the act. The transformational affordable housing revolving loan fund (fund) is created in the state treasury and the act specifies requirements pertaining to the administration of the fund. On July 1, 2022, the state treasurer is required to transfer $150 million from the affordable housing and home ownership cash fund to the fund. The division is required to report on the activities of the loan program as part of the regular annual public report prepared by the division on affordable housing spending undertaken by the state. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $379,081 to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology (OIT). The appropriation is from reappropriated money from the fund. To implement the act, OIT may use the appropriation to provide information technology services for the department. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the America 250 - Colorado 150 commission (commission) in History Colorado to develop programs and plan for the official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood. The commission is directed to develop and promote plans for activities between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026, including historical activities, publication of historical documents, public ceremonies, educational activities for Colorado youth, and other commemorative events, to be supported by comprehensive marketing and tourism campaigns. The commission is required to identify, celebrate, and build knowledge around the history of Black communities, Indigenous communities, communities of color, women, and people with disabilities. In addition, the commission is required to ensure that the activities planned by the commission represent the geographic and demographic diversity of the state, are accessible to people with disabilities, and are accessible to communities throughout the state on an equitable basis. The commission is also authorized to represent the state in official dealings with the United States semi-quincentennial commission and the America250 foundation. An advisory panel composed of regional representatives from the state's tourism districts is created to consult on regional activities celebrating the history and culture of regions across the state. The commission is authorized to establish additional subcommittees to assist the commission in the fulfillment of its duties. History Colorado is required to annually report on the commission's activities as part of its "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" reports. The commission is repealed effective June 30, 2027. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The collegeinvest authority administers the achieving a better life experience (ABLE) savings program. Individuals who were declared disabled, as defined under federal law, before reaching 26 years of age are eligible to open an ABLE savings account. ABLE savings accounts under section 529A of the internal revenue code are modeled after section 529 college savings accounts, but, unlike those accounts, ABLE savings accounts may be used to save for many expenses related to an individual's disability without disqualifying the individual for certain federal benefits. The act modifies the administration and operation of these accounts in 2 ways. First, the act allows a person other than the individual with a disability to open an ABLE savings account for the individual and to have signature authority over that account. Second, the act prohibits the state from filing a claim against the ABLE savings account upon the account owner's death for outstanding payments due for qualified disability expenses. The act also modifies the tax benefits associated with an ABLE savings account for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 tax years. Under the act, a taxpayer may deduct from their federal taxable income for purposes of calculating their state taxable income certain contributions made to an ABLE savings account. Further, the act ensures that a taxpayer does not encounter tax recapture of any deductions claimed for these contributions when distributions are made from an ABLE savings account for qualified disability expenses. $44,517 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of revenue for the implementation of the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)