Sen. Jim Smallwood

The complementary or alternative medicine pilot program (pilot program) currently applies to persons with a spinal cord injury. The act expands the pilot program to include persons with a primary condition of multiple sclerosis, a brain injury, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, or cerebral palsy, with the total inability for independent ambulation directly resulting from one of these diagnoses. The act expands the pilot program to all eligible individuals in Colorado.The act appropriates $37,984 to the department of health care policy and financing for use by the executive director's office to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act creates a regulatory and service system to provide secure transportation services, with different requirements from traditional ambulance services, for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The department of human services shall allow for the development of secure transportation alternatives.The board of county commissioners of the county in which the secure transportation service is based (commissioners) shall issue a license to an entity (licensee), valid for 3 years, that provides secure transportation services if the minimum requirements set by rule by the state board of health are met or exceeded. The commissioners shall also issue operating permits, valid for 12 months following issuance, to each vehicle operated by the licensee. A fee may be charged for each license to reflect the direct and indirect costs to the applicable county in implementing secure transportation services licensure. The state board of health is given authority to promulgate rules concerning secure transportation licensure.The department of health care policy and financing (department) is directed to create and implement a secure transportation benefit on or before January 1, 2023. The department is required to include information on secure transportation services and benefits in its annual "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" report.The act exempts secure transportation services from regulation under the public utilities commission.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $46,800 to the department of health care policy and financing for use by the executive director's office, of which $39,993 is from the general fund and is $6,807 from the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund and provides 0.9 FTE.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $46,490 from the general fund to the department of public health and environment for use by the health facilities and emergency medical services division and provides 0.6 FTE.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act increases and clarifies domestic violence training requirements (training) for court personnel (personnel) who are regularly involved in cases related to domestic matters, including child and family investigators, parenting responsibility evaluators, and legal representatives of children.Training for all personnel must include both an initial training requirement as well as an ongoing annual continuing education requirement as follows:Six initial hours of training on domestic violence, including coercive control, and its traumatic effects on children, adults, and families; Six initial hours of training on child abuse and child sexual abuse and its traumatic effects; and Four subsequent hours of training every two years on domestic violence, child abuse, and child sexual abuse and the traumatic effects on children, adults, and families. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $86,680 to the judicial department from the general fund for general courts administration and $6,200 for capital outlay.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires that family child care homes be classified as residences for purposes of licensure and local regulations, including zoning, land use development, fire and life safety, and building codes. The act also adds a provision stating that whenever the state department of human services reviews and rewrites its rules concerning child care agencies or facilities, it shall seek advice from the department of public safety when such rules relate to specific types of child care agencies or facilities.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, common carriers and contract carriers may use independent contractors for transportation services. The contract must provide for coverage under either workers' compensation or an occupational accident insurance policy that provides "similar coverage" to that available under workers' compensation. "Similar coverage" must meet or exceed standards set by the division of insurance and is defined to require benefits that are at least comparable to the benefits offered under the workers' compensation system. The bill amends the definition of "similar coverage" by repealing this "comparable benefits" requirement.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current law does not expressly recognize domestic abuse as a form of child abuse or neglect. The act establishes a domestic abuse task force (task force) that will develop a statutory definition for the Colorado Children's Code to define "domestic abuse". The statutory definition should recognize the impact domestic abuse may have on the emotional and developmental well-being of a child. The task force shall review recommendations from the department of human services' domestic violence program and child welfare workgroup (workgroup) to develop the statutory definition. The act requires the department of human services (department) to report the recommended definition to committees of the general assembly no later than December 2022.Under current law, child welfare caseworkers do not have established training policies or assessment procedures to identify and assess situations when a child's parent, legal guardian, or custodian exposes a child to their perpetration of domestic abuse. The act requires the department to promulgate rules based on recommendations from the workgroup to create, implement, and update assessment policies, procedures, and training standards for child welfare caseworkers to recognize, respond to, and assess child abuse or neglect related to domestic abuse while appropriately considering the role of the non-abusive caregiver, the abusive parent, and cultural considerations.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $22,500 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of human services for use by the division of child welfare for administration.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act repeals a requirement that the state auditor conduct audits of the portion of the limited gaming fund that is transferred to the state historical fund for the preservation and restoration of the cities of Central, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires that, prior to initiating a review or audit of a medicaid provider's records, the reviewer or auditor, or a qualified agent contracted with the department of health care policy and financing (state department) shall confirm the provider's contact information with the provider. After confirming the provider's contact information, the reviewer or auditor, or qualified agent, shall notify the provider of additional information concerning the review or audit.Current law requires the reviewer or auditor, prior to initiating the review or audit, to deliver to the provider not less than 10 business days prior to the commencement of the audit a written request describing in detail such records and offering the provider the option of providing either a reproduction of such records or inspection at the provider's site. The act requires the written request to be provided through both e-mail and certified mail.The act requires the state department to ensure providers understand the relationship between the state department and the qualified agent and how to contact the qualified agent prior to a qualified agent commencing any review or audit.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act repeals a requirement that the state auditor annually report uses of state education fund money for school capital construction to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, the legislative audit committee, and the joint budget committee of the general assembly.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)