The sale of wood and wood products from trees killed by pine and spruce beetles in the state was exempt from sales and use tax from 2008 through June 2020. The act extends the exemption from July 1, 2021, through June 2026.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the agriculture and drought resiliency fund (fund), directs the state treasurer to transfer $3 million from the general fund to the fund, and appropriates the money from the fund to the department of agriculture (department). The department will use the fund to anticipate, prepare for, mitigate, adapt to, or respond to any event, trend, or climatological disturbance related to drought or climate. The department will distribute $15,000 from the fund to each conservation district by July 1, 2021. The fund is repealed, effective September 1, 2022.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of education (department) to utilize a stakeholder process when updating the model bullying prevention and education policy (model policy), which process must include the parents of students who have been bullied. At a minimum, the model policy must clearly differentiate between a conflict and bullying and differentiate between harassment and bullying and clarify the role of cyberbullying during online instruction, which may occur on or off school property.Current law requires each school district and charter school to adopt a safe school plan that includes:A conduct and discipline code with a specific policy concerning bullying prevention and education (bullying policy). The act requires the bullying policy to incorporate the approaches, policies, and practices outlined in the model policy. Safe school reporting requirements that include the number of conduct and discipline code violations relating to a school activity or sanctioned event that are detrimental to the welfare or safety of other students or of school personnel, including incidents of bullying. The act requires incidents of bullying be listed as a separate type of violation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act continues the forest health advisory council for 5 years, until 2026.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of education (department) to create and maintain an online resource bank of materials and resources pertaining to media literacy. At a minimum, the resource bank must include the materials and resources recommended in the media literacy advisory committee's report. The department shall promulgate rules, if necessary, to implement a procedure through which a person may provide comment on a material or resource within the resource bank, including a comment recommending the removal or inclusion of a material or resource within the resource bank.The act requires the department, upon the request of a school district, district charter school, institute charter school, or board of cooperative services, and subject to available resources, to provide technical assistance to a school district, district charter school, institute charter school, or board of cooperative services with implementing policies and procedures, best practices, and recommendations related to media literacy.The act clarifies that a school district, district charter school, institute charter school, or board of cooperative services is not required to adopt or implement any material or resource from the resource bank into its curriculum.The act requires the state board of education to review and adopt revisions that implement media literacy within reading, writing, and civics standards.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill prohibits a state, county, or local government agency, or any person acting on behalf of the state, county, or local government agency, from ordering persons participating in a protest or demonstration (protest) to disperse, or from deeming the protest unlawful, unless the persons participating in the protest are acting in concert to pose an imminent threat to use force or violence to cause personal injury or significant property damage.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
With regard to event ticket sales and resales, the bill repeals provisions prohibiting certain restrictions on ticket resales and instead limits a reseller from advertising, offering for sale, or contracting to resell tickets or accepting payment for a resale ticket unless the reseller has possession of the ticket or has a written contract to obtain the ticket from the person who possesses it and the ticket matches the advertised description of the ticket. The bill also specifies that terms or conditions on the original sale of a ticket, including limits on transferability, are permissible. With regard to online ticket sales, the bill adds the following as deceptive trade practices: Using or causing to be used a website to display a trademarked or copyrighted URL, title, image, or other symbol without written consent; or Using or causing to be used a website to display text, images, web designs, or internet addresses, which website is substantially similar to another website, without written consent.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill expands and extends the provisions of the food pantry assistance grant program (grant program) that is currently in law. Current law states that all grants from the grant program must be made on or before December 30, 2020, and allows for grants to food banks and food pantries, including faith-based organizations (eligible entities) . The bill extends this date to February 28, 2021. and also allows food delivery organizations to apply for a grant . The bill states that it is the intent of the general assembly that food purchased through an award from the grant program be purchased and distributed all money awarded by the grant program is expended on or before June 30, 2021. Currently, grant awards through the grant program range from $2,500 to $35,000. The bill no longer caps the grant awards at $35,000. The amount a grant recipient may use for direct and indirect costs expenses is increased from 10% to 50% 20%. Allowable expenses are expanded to include food delivery. In awarding grants to eligible entities, the department of human services shall in no case determine the amount of a grant award on the risk level of the county in which the eligible entity is located, based upon the risk level dial framework established by the department of public health and environment. The repeal date is extended one year, to June 30, 2023. The bill makes an appropriation. (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.)
Section 1 of the act directs the department of public health and environment (department) to convene stakeholders to inform the department regarding a structure and governing guidance for a recycling market development center to support the development of end-market businesses within the state. Section 1 also directs the department to conduct a literature review of what industry and other states are doing around the country regarding producer responsibility and to create policy and legislative recommendations regarding the feasibility of requiring producers to design, manage, and finance programs for end-of-life management of their products and packaging as a condition of sale. Sections 3, 4, and 5 allow the pollution prevention advisory board (board) to use the recycling resources economic opportunity fund and the front range waste diversion cash fund to reimburse eligible recycling businesses for locally assessed personal property taxes paid in the current tax year in this state on personal property. Section 2 directs the board to establish a formula that it would use in awarding personal property tax reimbursements. Section 6 requires the department, as soon as practicable, to administer a statewide campaign to educate Colorado residents concerning recycling. The department shall ensure the campaign includes: Communications delivered via social media; Television and radio public service announcements; and The placement of written materials in public locations, such as community centers, recreation centers, and shopping centers. In administering the campaign, the department shall consult with municipal governments, county governments, and private agencies that operate recycling programs. The department may contract with one or more public or private entities for the preparation of materials to be used in the campaign. The requirement is repealed, effective September 1, 2021. Section 7 appropriates $985,283 from the recycling resources economic opportunity fund and 2.1 FTE to the department to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The voluntary contributions to the American Red Cross Colorado disaster response, readiness, and preparedness fund, Colorado domestic abuse program fund, Habitat for Humanity of Colorado fund, pet overpopulation fund, and Special Olympics Colorado fund are currently scheduled to appear on the state income tax return form for income tax years beginning prior to January 1, 2020. The contributions are set to repeal unless they are continued. The act reauthorizes the funds to remain on the form so long as they meet the existing statutory requirement that a voluntary contribution fund must receive at least $50,000 in contributions each tax year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
