Sen. Andy Kerr

Statutory Revision Committee. Pursuant to section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), any report that is required to be made to the general assembly or the judicial branch on a periodic basis expires on the day after the third anniversary of the date on which the first report was due unless the general assembly, acting by bill, continues the requirement. The bill continues indefinitely a reporting requirement of the board of veterans affairs.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

In 2004 and 2006, the general assembly enacted legislation that required each employer in the public employees' retirement association (PERA) to make additional contributions to PERA. The additional employer contributions are the amortization equalization disbursement (AED) and a supplemental amortization equalization disbursement (SAED). Although the SAED is an employer contribution, it is funded by money that would otherwise be available for employee salary increases. The AED and the SAED are to reduce PERA's unfunded liability and amortization period. Both the AED and the SAED increase gradually over time for all PERA divisions. In 2010, the general assembly capped the AED and the SAED for the judicial division and the local government division at the 2010 levels, which for the AED is 2.20% of the employer's total payroll and for the SAED is 1.50% of the employer's total payroll. For the calendar year beginning in 2019, for the judicial division only, the bill increases the AED to 3.40% of total payroll and requires the AED payment to increase by 0.4% of total payroll at the start of each of the following 4 calendar years through 2023. In addition, for the calendar year beginning in 2019, for the judicial division only, the bill increases the SAED to 3.40% of total payroll and requires the SAED payment to increase by 0.4% of total payroll at the start of each of the following 4 calendar years through 2023. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill enacts the 'Interstate Physical Therapy Licensure Compact Act' that allows physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed or certified in a compact member state to obtain a license or certificate to practice physical therapy in Colorado. The bill authorizes the physical therapy board to obtain fingerprints from applicants for a license or certification for the purposes of a fingerprint-based criminal history record check. The compact requires that the physical therapy board participate in the compact's data system and notify the compact commission of any adverse action taken by the board. Physical therapists and physical therapy assistants are subject to the requirements of the 'Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act of 2010'. $12,386 is appropriated to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of professions and occupations for implementation of the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Under current law, a retail liquor store licensee that was licensed on or before January 1, 2016, and is a Colorado resident is permitted to obtain one additional retail liquor store license on or after January 1, 2017; 2 additional retail liquor store licenses on or after January 1, 2022; and 3 additional retail liquor store licenses on or after January 1, 2027. Additionally, current law permits a liquor-licensed drugstore licensee that was licensed on or before January 1, 2016, to obtain additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses, as follows, but only if the licensee applies to transfer ownership of, change location of, and merge and convert 2 retail liquor store licenses located within the same local licensing authority jurisdiction as the drugstore premises to a single liquor-licensed drugstore license and only if the drugstore premises will not be located within 1,500 feet of any other licensed retail liquor store in the same local licensing jurisdiction or, if within a municipality with a population of not more than 10,000 people, the drugstore premises will not be located within 3,000 feet of any other licensed retail liquor store in the same local licensing jurisdiction: On or after January 1, 2017, up to 4 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses; On or after January 1, 2022, up to 7 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses; On or after January 1, 2027, up to 12 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses; On or after January 1, 2032, up to 19 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses; and On or after January 1, 2037, an unlimited number of additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses. Section 3 of the bill modifies provisions governing the ability of a retail liquor store to obtain additional retail liquor store licenses as follows: Allows a retail liquor store that was licensed on or before April 1, 2017, to obtain 3 additional retail liquor store licenses between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018; on or after January 1, 2022, to obtain a maximum of 6 total retail liquor store licenses; and on or after January 1, 2027, a maximum of 9 total retail liquor store licenses; For additional licenses obtained on or after January 1, 2022, requires a person seeking additional licenses to apply to transfer ownership of, change location of, and merge 2 retail liquor store licenses located within the same local licensing authority jurisdiction as the applicant's premises into a single retail liquor store license; and Requires the majority of the owners of a retail liquor store seeking additional retail liquor store licenses to have either resided in Colorado for at least 2 years or operated a business in Colorado for at least 10 years. Additionally, the bill prohibits a retail liquor store from allowing customers to use a self-checkout to complete an alcohol beverage purchase and requires a retail liquor store to: Verify the age of a customer attempting to purchase an alcohol beverage by examining the customer's valid identification; and Maintain certification as a responsible alcohol beverage vendor. An employee of a retail liquor store who is under 21 years of age cannot deliver or otherwise have contact with alcohol beverages offered for sale on, or sold and removed from, the licensed premises. For liquor-licensed drugstore licenses, section 4 : Allows a licensee that applied for a liquor-licensed drugstore license on or before October 1, 2016, and a corporation within a controlled group of corporations to obtain additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses; and Caps the total number of additional licenses at 19, for a total of 20 liquor-licensed drugstore licenses. Sections 5 and 6 set state and local application fees for a retail liquor store licensee applying for a transfer of ownership, change of location, and merger of 2 retail liquor store licenses. Sections 1 and 2 make conforming amendments. The bill takes effect July 1, 2017. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Currently, a pharmacist may supervise no more than 3 pharmacy technicians. The bill allows a pharmacist to supervise up to 6 pharmacy technicians. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill, known as the 'Colorado Energy Impact Assistance Act', authorizes any investor-owned electric utility (utility) to apply to the public utilities commission (PUC) for a financing order that will authorize the utility to issue low-cost Colorado energy impact assistance bonds (bonds) to lower the cost to electric utility customers (ratepayers) when the retirement of a power plant occurs. A portion of bond proceeds will provide transition assistance for Colorado workers and communities directly affected by the retirement of the facilities (transition assistance). To repay the bonds at the lowest cost to ratepayers, the PUC is authorized to review and approve a financing order and authorize a special energy impact assistance charge that is separate and apart from the utility's base rates on all ratepayer bills. The establishment and ongoing adjustment of the separate charge will allow bonds to achieve the highest possible credit rating, at least AA/Aa2, from the national independent credit rating agencies and will therefore allow bonds to be issued at the lowest possible interest rate and lowest subsequent cost to ratepayers. Before issuing a financing order, the PUC must hold a public hearing, receive testimony from affected groups, and make specified determinations concerning the necessity, prudence, justness, reasonableness, and quantifiable benefits to utility ratepayers of issuing the financing order. After the public hearing process, if a financing order is approved by the PUC, it must include specific information and instructions for the utility to which it applies relating to the amount of bonds to be issued and the imposition of the energy impact assistance charge and must require the utility to pay a specified percentage of the net present value of the savings to a newly created Colorado energy impact assistance authority (authority) for the payment of transition assistance by the authority and the authority's reasonable and necessary administrative and operating costs. As an alternative to the financing order and bond issuance process, upon the closure of an electric generating facility, a Colorado electric utility may transfer to the authority an amount of up to 15% of the net present value of operational savings created by the closure of the electric generating facility, and such a transfer shall be deemed by the PUC to be a prudent action by the utility. The bill specifies that the authority is governed by a 7-member board of directors appointed by the governor and specifies mandatory and suggested occupational experience for the directors. The authority is authorized to receive bond proceeds from a utility to which a financing order applies and use the bond proceeds to provide transition assistance and pay its reasonable and necessary administrative and operating costs. Transition assistance is defined to include payment of retraining costs, including costs of apprenticeship programs and skilled worker retraining programs, for and financial assistance to directly displaced Colorado facility workers, compensation to Colorado local governments for lost property tax revenue directly resulting from the retirement of a facility, and similar payments, job retraining, assistance, and compensation for directly displaced Colorado workers and local governments in areas that produce fuel used in the retired facility directly resulting from the elimination of the need for fuel at the facility. When determining how best to provide transition assistance to a local community, the authority must, in conjunction with each board of county commissioners, municipal governing body, and school district that includes all or a portion of the impacted community, establish and take into consideration the advice of a local advisory committee. The authority is subject to open meeting and open records requirements and is required to submit a report to specified committees of the general assembly that sets forth a complete and detailed financial and operating statement of the authority for any fiscal year for which the authority has provided transition assistance. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill requires candidates for president and vice president of the United States to file with the secretary of state the candidates' federal income tax return forms for the last 5 completed tax years. Neither the name of any candidate who fails to comply with the filing requirement nor the name of that candidate's running mate shall be printed on the official ballot. The secretary of state is required to publish the returns on his or her official website within 7 days of the returns being filed. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Statutory Revision Committee. Pursuant to section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), Colorado Revised Statutes, any report that is required to be made to the general assembly by an executive agency or the judicial branch on a periodic basis expires on the day after the third anniversary of the date on which the first report was due unless the general assembly, acting by bill, continues the requirement. The bill addresses reporting requirements of the department of human services. Sections 3 through 6, 8, 10 through 12, and 14 through 17 of the bill continue the reporting requirements indefinitely. Sections 1, 2, 13, and 18 repeal reports that were scheduled to repeal according to section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I). Currently there is no repeal date listed in the organic statute. Sections 7 and 9 add repeal dates in the organic statute that coincide with the scheduled repeal date specified in section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I). Sections 19 and 20 make conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)