Sen. Lisa Cutter

Effective January 1, 2022, the bill prohibits a retail food establishment from distributing an expanded polystyrene product for use as a container for ready-to-eat food in this state. The executive director of the department of public health and environment or the executive director's designee may, through the attorney general, seek injunctive relief against a retail food establishment that violates the prohibition.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill extends the repeal date of the innovative industries workforce development program for 5 years, until July 1, 2025. The bill also appropriates $900,000 from the general fund to the division of employment and training in the department of labor and employment to be used for program reimbursements during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current state law prohibits local governments from substantively regulating the use and application of pesticides. The bill authorizes local governments to regulate pesticide use and application. In connection with this authorization, the bill: Declares pesticide regulation a matter of both statewide and local concern; Repeals provisions that prohibit local regulation of pesticide use and application and explicitly authorizes a county to enact this type of regulation; Permits local governments to regulate pesticide use and application except in connection with the cultivation of marijuana and the production of agricultural products; Clarifies that a local government must meet the requirements of state and federal law; and Gives state courts exclusive jurisdiction to review local pesticide laws.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill requires the 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 bill requires the department, upon the request of a school district and subject to available resources, to provide technical assistance to a school district with implementing policies and procedures, best practices, and recommendations related to media literacy. The bill requires the state board to review and adopt revisions that implement media literacy within reading, writing, and civics standards on or before June 30, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The federal "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", which became law in December 2017, added distributions for elementary or secondary school expenses for tuition in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school as qualified distributions from a qualified state tuition program, also known as a 529 account, thereby allowing, on the federal level, income tax-free distributions for elementary and secondary school such expenses in addition to already authorized income tax-free distributions for higher education expenses. The bill amends Colorado law to ensure that a taxpayer may not claim a deduction for contributions to qualified state tuition programs for elementary or secondary school expenses for tuition in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school and clarifies that such expenses are not qualified distributions. The bill includes an appropriation to the department of revenue for $11,040 from the general fund. (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.)

School Safety Committee. Current law requires school districts to adopt a written policy setting forth the school district's attendance requirements. The bill requires the policy to include excused absences for behavioral health concerns.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The act specifies that a physician assistant who has been practicing for at least 3 years must comply with the same financial responsibility requirements to which physicians are subject, namely to maintain professional liability coverage of at least $1 million per incident and $3 million aggregate per year. Additionally, the act authorizes the Colorado medical board to exempt physician assistants from the financial responsibility requirements, or lessen the requirements, to the same extent permitted for physicians. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Education - concurrent enrollment advisory board - continuation under sunset law. The act continues the concurrent enrollment advisory board (advisory board) until September 1, 2024. Prior to its repeal, the advisory board shall be reviewed.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Media literacy advisory committee - recommendations - appropriation. The act creates the media literacy advisory committee (committee) within the department of education (department). The committee is responsible for creating a report for the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate regarding the committee's recommendations for implementing media literacy in elementary and secondary education. The commissioner of education is required to appoint members to serve on the committee. The department is required to hire a consultant to perform the research and coordination of the committee required to draft the report for the committee. The act makes an appropriation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More

Anti Strategic lawsuit against public participation - motions to dismiss - appeal. The act establishes an expedited process for a court to follow in a civil action in which a defendant files a motion to dismiss based upon the fact that the defendant was exercising the defendant's constitutional right to petition the government or of free speech. The act also authorizes an interlocutory appeal of the granting or certain denials of the motion to dismiss.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More