The act creates the displaced Aurarian scholarship (scholarship) to fully fund scholarships to attend Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, or the community college of Denver for descendants of people displaced by the development of the Auraria higher education center. The act requires Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver, in collaboration, to establish criteria for scholarship recipients. The act appropriates $2 million from the general fund to the department of higher education to be distributed equally to Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver for the scholarships. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The act: Requires the water quality control commission (commission) to conduct outreach and gather input from disproportionately impacted communities regarding the commission's rule-making proceedings, licensing proceedings, and adjudicatory hearings (section 1 of the act); Requires the commission to utilize the criteria promulgated by rule by the commission in designating waters as use-protected (section 2); and Creates a 5-year statute of limitations for bringing actions alleging violations of the "Colorado Water Quality Control Act" (water quality control act) or any rules or orders under the water quality control act (section 3).(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires each student identification card issued to a public school student to contain the phone number, website, and text talk number for the 24-hour telephone crisis service center (Colorado crisis services) and Safe2Tell. If the school does not issue identification cards, the school shall request and display outreach materials from Colorado crisis services and send that information to parents and guardians at the beginning of each school year. The act requires the department of human services (department) to notify each public and private school in the state about services provided by the behavioral health crisis response system and the possibility of peer-to-peer counseling as part of the offered services. The department shall provide behavioral health crisis response system awareness and educational materials to each public and private school in the state. $267,065 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of human services for use by the behavioral health administration to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law sets forth emergency procedures to transport a person for a screening and to detain a person for a 72-hour treatment and evaluation if the person appears to have a mental health disorder, and as a result of the mental health disorder, appears to be an imminent danger to the person's self or others or appears to be gravely disabled. Current law also sets forth procedures to certify a person for short-term or long-term care and treatment if the person has a mental health disorder, and as a result of the mental health disorder, is a danger to the person's self or others or is gravely disabled. The act modifies these procedures by: Transferring duties of the executive director of the department of human services to the commissioner (commissioner) of the behavioral health administration (BHA); Limiting who can take a person into protective custody and transport the person to an outpatient mental health facility, a facility designated by the commissioner (designated facility), or an emergency medical services facility (EMS facility) if the person has probable cause to believe a person is experiencing a behavioral health crisis; Requiring the facility where the person is transported to require an application, in writing, stating the circumstances and specific facts under which the person's condition was called to the attention of a certified peace officer or intervening professional; Requiring an intervening professional to screen the person immediately or within 8 hours after the person's arrival at the facility to determine if the person meets the criteria for an emergency mental health hold; Establishing certain rights for a person being transported, which must be explained prior to transporting the person; Effective July 1, 2023: Subjecting a person who files a malicious or false petition for an evaluation of a respondent to criminal prosecution; Authorizing a certified peace officer to transport a person to an EMS facility even if a warrant has been issued for the person's arrest, if the certified peace officer believes it is in the best interest of the person; Authorizing an intervening professional or certified peace officer to initiate an emergency mental health hold at the time of screening the respondent; Authorizing a secure transportation provider to take a respondent into custody and transport the person to an EMS facility or designated facility for an emergency mental health hold; Expanding the list of professionals who may terminate the emergency mental health hold; Requiring the evaluation to be completed using a standardized form approved by the commissioner; Requiring an EMS facility to immediately notify the BHA if a person is evaluated and the evaluating professional determines that the person continues to meet the criteria for an emergency mental health hold and the facility cannot locate appropriate placement; Requiring the BHA to support the EMS facility in locating an appropriate placement option. If an appropriate placement option cannot be located, the act authorizes the EMS facility to place the person under a subsequent emergency mental health hold and requires the court to immediately appoint an attorney. Authorizing a designated facility to place the person under a subsequent emergency mental health hold if the person has been recently transferred from an EMS facility to the designated facility and the designated facility is unable to complete the evaluation before the initial emergency mental health hold is set to expire; and Requiring the facility to provide the person with discharge instructions; facilitate a follow-up appointment within 7 calendar days after discharge; attempt to follow up with the person 48 hours after discharge; and encourage the person to designate a family member, friend, or lay person to participate in the person's discharge planning. Effective January 1, 2024: Authorizing the BHA to delegate physical custody of the respondent to a designated facility; Requiring an extended certification to be filed with the court at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the original certification; Establishing requirements for a short-term or long-term certification on an outpatient basis; and Requiring the outpatient treatment provider, in collaboration with the BHA, to develop a treatment plan for the respondent and requiring the BHA to create a one-step grievance process for the respondent related to the respondent's treatment plan or provider. The act establishes a right to an attorney for a person certified for short-term or long-term care and treatment, regardless of income. The act establishes certain rights for a person transported or detained for an emergency mental health hold or certified on an outpatient basis. The act modifies current rights for a person certified for short-term or long-term care and treatment on an inpatient basis. Beginning January 1, 2025, the act requires the BHA to annually submit a report to the general assembly on the outcomes and effectiveness of the involuntary commitment system, disaggregated by region, including any recommendations to improve the system and outcomes for persons involuntarily committed or certified. The act appropriates $522,433 to the department of human services, $177,426 to the department of law, and $86,700 to the judicial department. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits a hospital or other person or entity collecting on behalf of the hospital from initiating or pursuing collection actions against a patient or patient guarantor for debt incurred by the patient on the date or dates of service when the hospital was not in material compliance with federal hospital price transparency laws. Nothing in the act: Prohibits a hospital from billing a patient or health insurer for items or services provided to the patient; or Requires a hospital to refund a payment made to the hospital for items or services provided to a patient. If a patient believes that a hospital was not in material compliance with price transparency laws, the patient or patient guarantor may file a lawsuit. If a judge or jury finds the hospital out of material compliance with federal hospital price transparency laws, the hospital is subject to a penalty equal to the amount of the debt, must refund any amount paid on the debt, dismiss any court action initiated by the hospital, and pay attorney fees and costs the patient or patient guarantor incurred relating to the action. Critical access hospitals have until February 15, 2023, to comply with federal hospital price transparency laws before the provisions of the act apply. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the general assembly to annually appropriate money to the state department of human services (state department) sufficient to fund 5 nights of care for each juvenile placed in a licensed temporary shelter. The state department allocates the money to judicial districts in accordance with a formula developed by the working group for criteria for placement of juvenile offenders (working group). In order to receive an allocation, a judicial district's juvenile services planning committee, or the judicial district if the judicial district has not established a juvenile services planning committee, must include a plan for providing temporary shelter in the judicial district in its local juvenile services plan. Under existing law, the working group is required to make recommendations regarding the placement of juveniles. The act requires the house of representatives public and behavioral health and human services committee and the senate health and human services committee to annually hold a joint meeting to determine whether the working group's recommendations have been implemented in a manner that warrants discontinuing the annual appropriation for 5 nights of care in a licensed temporary shelter and the requirement that judicial districts develop a plan for providing temporary shelter. The act defines temporary shelter as the temporary care of a child in a physically unrestricted setting pending a return to the child's home or placement in an appropriate alternate setting pursuant to applicable state law. Temporary care in a temporary shelter is voluntary and a child may not be placed in a licensed temporary shelter facility for more than 5 days. The act requires a person providing temporary shelter to allow professionals to assess children there, and a child in temporary shelter must have access to educational services. The act appropriates $137,308 to the state department from the general fund for use by the division of youth services to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
On September 1, 2022, the state treasurer is required transfer to the capitol complex renovation fund (fund) any amounts credited to state agency capital reserve accounts on June 30, 2022, for annual depreciation-lease equivalent payments that are funded in connection with every appropriation in the capital construction section of the annual general appropriation act. For the 2022-23 fiscal year through the 2028-29 fiscal year, the state controller is required to credit the annual depreciation-lease equivalent payments to the fund rather than to the state agency capital reserve accounts. Each state agency that terminates a lease for private space is required to calculate the annual reduction in its costs for leased space. Beginning in the 2023-24 fiscal year, the general assembly is required to annually transfer an amount equal to each state agency's annual reduction in lease costs to the capital construction fund. Such transfers continue until the state treasurer determines that the amount transferred to the capital construction fund from lease savings equals the amount transferred to the fund from the annual depreciation-lease equivalent payments. The capitol complex renovation fund is created, and the money in the fund is appropriated to the department of personnel for certain capital construction needs for existing state-owned buildings in the capitol complex. Up to $23 million of the money in the fund is set aside for use by the legislative department for improvements to legislative spaces in the capitol complex. The department of personnel is required to submit a quarterly report to the capital development committee regarding the status of the capitol complex renovations funded with money in the fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered money appropriated to a department in a specific line item for utilities in a fiscal year remains available for expenditure in the next fiscal year without further appropriation for the department to purchase utilities conservation equipment or services. $18,600,000 is transferred from the capitol complex master plan implementation fund to the fund. Two floors of the capitol building annex at 1375 Sherman street are included in the spaces over which the general assembly has control and for which the general assembly is responsible for the supervision of maintenance. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $26,721,314 is appropriated to the department of personnel from the fund. The department may use the appropriation for capital construction related to capitol complex renovation projects pursuant to the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
On and after May 1, 2023, the act prohibits a person from practicing dental therapy in the state unless licensed by the Colorado dental board (board). A licensed dental therapist is authorized to deliver routine and preventive dental care. A person who desires to qualify for practice as a dental therapist must file with the board a written application for a license, proof of graduation from a school of dental therapy or a dental therapy program that meets the requirements of the act, and proof of completion of a clinical examination for dental therapy that: Is designed to test the applicant's clinical dental therapy skills and knowledge; Includes dental therapy restorative and dental hygiene clinical skill evaluation; and Is administered by a regional testing agency composed of at least 4 states or an examination of another state. A dental therapist is allowed to practice only under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist until the dental therapist practices for 1,000 hours. After reaching 1,000 hours, the dental therapist may practice under the indirect supervision of a licensed dentist pursuant to a written articulated plan. The articulated plan must include: Methods of dentist supervision, consultation, and approval; Protocols for informed consent, record keeping, quality assurance, and dispensing or administering medications; Policies for handling referrals when a patient needs services the dental therapist is not authorized or qualified to provide; Protocols for assessment of dental disease and the formulation of an individualized treatment plan authorized by the supervising dentist; Policies for handling medical emergencies; and Policies for supervising dental assistants and working with dental hygienists and other dental practitioners and staff. A licensed dental therapist must maintain professional liability insurance in an amount not less than $500,000 per incident and $1.5 million annual aggregate per year; except that this requirement is not applicable to a dental therapist who is a public employee under the "Colorado Governmental Immunity Act". A state institution of higher education offering an accredited dental therapy training program may grant advanced standing toward completion of an accredited dental therapy program if a student meets the conditions specified in the act. Effective July 1, 2031, the act modifies the composition of the board by replacing 2 members, one dental hygienist and one member representing the public at large, with 2 dental therapists. To implement the act, for the 2022-23 state fiscal year, $14,786 is appropriated to the department of regulatory agencies from the division of professions and occupations cash fund for reappropriation to the department of law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the statewide equity office (office) in the department of personnel. The office is charged with providing best practices, resources, and guidance for state agencies in offering equitable services to the residents of Colorado as well as providing an accepting and diverse environment for state employees. The act outlines the duties and responsibilities of the office. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act makes the following general fund appropriations: $1,793,072 to the department of personnel for use by the executive director's office, of which: $324,064 is reappropriated to the department of human services; $194,878 is reappropriated to the department of revenue; $61,845 is reappropriated to the department of regulatory agencies; and $74,990 is reappropriated to the department of health care policy and financing, which amount is based on an assumption that the department of health care policy and financing will receive $74,990 in federal funds for the act's implementation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes the following changes to health insurance coverage for low-income pregnant people and children in low-income families: Provides full health insurance coverage for Colorado pregnant people who would be eligible for medicaid and the children's basic health plan (CHIP) if not for their immigration status and continues that coverage for 12 months postpartum at the CHIP federal matching rate; Provides comprehensive health insurance coverage for all Colorado children who would be eligible for medicaid and CHIP if not for their immigration status; Requires the state department of health care policy and financing (department) to create an outreach and enrollment strategy for enrolling eligible groups into new coverage options; Requires the department to report to the joint budget committee in its 2024 presentation, as well as in its "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" reports, beginning in January 2026, information concerning the state-funded health and medical care program, the state children's basic health plan, and its plans and progress in implementing the coverage expansion for lawfully residing persons; Allows the state controller to allow the department to make an expenditure in excess of the amount authorized if the amount is for the state medical assistance program or the state children's basic health plan; Provides comprehensive lactation support services, lactation supplies and equipment, and maintenance of multi-use loaned equipment. Removes the annual enrollment fee for a family whose income is at or below one hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty line or an enrollee who is a pregnant person. Draws down federal funds to improve perinatal and postpartum support and requires that priorities for the funds be determined through a stakeholder process; Creates a special enrollment period for health insurance coverage due to pregnancy so that an eligible person can sign up for insurance as soon as the person becomes pregnant; and Improves the quality of health insurance coverage available through the health insurance affordability enterprise. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the following appropriations are made for the purpose of implementing this act: $730,573 is appropriated to the department of health care policy and financing from the general fund; $423,626 is appropriated to the department of public health and environment from the general fund for use by the center for health and environmental information; The 2022 long bill cash funds appropriation from the children's basic health plan trust for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was decreased by $340,727; The 2022 long bill cash funds appropriation from the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was decreased by $564,678; The 2022 long bill appropriation to the department of health care policy and financing from the general fund for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was increased by $144,229; and The 2022 long bill was adjusted as a result of an assumption by the general assembly that the department of health care policy and financing will receive $761,176 in federal funds for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs to implement this act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)