Current law requires the prescription drug monitoring program (program) to track all controlled substances prescribed in Colorado. The act requires the state board of pharmacy (board) to determine if the program should track all prescription drugs prescribed in this state. If the board determines that all drugs should be tracked, the act requires the board to promulgate rules to include all prescription drugs in the program. If the board determines that one or more drugs should not be tracked through the program, the act requires the board to publicly note the justification for the exclusions.$61,118 is appropriated from the prescription drug monitoring fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of professions and occupations to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Sponsored bills
The act requires that certain language appear at the beginning of a ballot title for an initiated measure that would either increase or decrease tax revenue through a tax change.First, in the case of a measure that would reduce state tax revenue through a tax change, the ballot title must begin "Shall there be a reduction to the (description of tax) by (the percentage by which the tax is reduced in the first full fiscal year that the measure reduces revenue) thereby reducing state revenue, which will reduce funding for state expenditures that include but are not limited to (the three largest areas of program expenditure) by an estimated (projected dollar figure of revenue reduction to the state in the first full fiscal year that the measure reduces revenue) in tax revenue...?". If the ballot measure specifies the public services or programs that are to be reduced by the tax change, those public services or programs must be stated in the ballot title.Second, in the case of a measure that would reduce local district property tax revenue through a tax change, the ballot title must begin "Shall funding available for counties, school districts, water districts, fire districts, and other districts funded, at least in part, by property taxes be impacted by a reduction of (projected dollar figure of property tax revenue reduction to all districts in the first full fiscal year that the measure reduces revenue) in property tax revenue...?".Finally, in the case of a measure that would increase tax revenue for any district through a tax change, after the language required by section 20 (3)(c) of article X of the state constitution, the ballot title must state either "in order to increase or improve levels of public services", or, if applicable, "in order to increase or improve levels of public services, including, but not limited to (the program expenditure that the measure states will receive increased funding)".The act also changes the requirements for the ballot information booklet entry for certain measures. The act requires the ballot information booklet entry for an initiated measure that would increase or decrease income tax revenue or state sales tax revenue to include a table that shows the number of tax filers in designated income categories, the total tax burden change for each of those income categories, and the average tax burden change for a filer within each of those income categories. If an initiated measure includes a tax change that reduces state tax revenue, the act requires the ballot information booklet to include a description of the 3 largest areas of program expenditure funded by the affected revenue stream.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act modifies the Colorado health service corps program administered by the primary care office (office) in the department of public health and environment, which program includes a loan repayment program, to allow geriatric advanced practice providers, defined as advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants with geriatric training or experience, to participate in the loan repayment program on the condition of committing to provide geriatric care to older adults in health professional shortage areas for a specified period.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $400,000 from the general fund to the Colorado health service corps fund for use by the office to help repay loans for geriatric advanced practice providers.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of health care policy and financing to seek federal authorization through an amendment to the state medical assistance plan to provide family planning services to individuals who are not pregnant and whose income does not exceed the state's current effective income level for pregnant women under the children's basic health plan.The act appropriates $272,956 to the department of health care policy and financing for use by the executive director's office and $565,614 to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology to implement this act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act expands certain preventive health-care services to include counseling, prevention, and screening for a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The act adds contraception as a mandatory health benefit.Current law requires a health-care provider or facility to perform a diagnostic exam for an STI and subsequently treat the STI at the request of a minor patient. The act allows a health-care provider to administer, dispense, or prescribe preventive measures or medications where applicable. The consent of a parent is not a prerequisite for a minor to receive preventive care, but a health-care provider shall counsel the minor on the importance of bringing the minor's parent or legal guardian into the minor's confidence regarding the services.Current law requires the executive director of the department of health care policy and financing to authorize reimbursement for medical or diagnostic services provided by a certified family planning clinic. The act removes the requirement that services be provided by a certified family planning clinic and authorizes reimbursement for family planning services and family-planning-related services provided by any licensed health-care provider.The act appropriates $90,547 to the department of health care policy and financing and $13,353 and provides 0.2 FTE to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of insurance to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the diaper distribution program (program) in the department of human services (department) to provide diapering essentials to eligible individuals. The department shall solicit interest and cost distribution proposals from diaper distribution centers to administer the program for not more than twelve months after which the department shall commence a selection process that complies with the state procurement code. Diapering essentials must be made available to all parents, guardians, or family members of a child who wears diapers and resides in Colorado.The act allows the department to contract with a third party vendor to solicit, vet, award, and monitor food pantry assistance grants.The act appropriates $2,000,000 from the general fund to the department of human services for use by the office of self sufficiency to implement the diaper distribution program and $5,000,000 from the economic recovery and relief cash fund to the department of human services for use by the office of self sufficiency for the food pantry assistance grant program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act restructures the excise tax on gasoline and special fuel (fuels) by:Modifying the point of taxation; Eliminating the 3 tax deferred transactions; Exempting the tax from the import or removal of fuels by bulk transfer to, from, or within a terminal or refinery in certain circumstances; Permitting the 2% allowance to cover losses for terminals that are outside of the state; Requiring a terminal operator to verify that the person receiving the fuels is a licensee or is exempt from taxation; Specifying when the tax is imposed on an importer, blender, seller of liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas, user, and other distributor; Harmonizing provisions applicable to the exemption for governments; Explicitly identifying certain fuels used in aircrafts as being exempt; Codifying that a distributor has the burden of proving that fuels are exempt; Codifying the exemption for the removal of fuels from a terminal by a licensed exporter exclusively for delivery to another state; Requiring a terminal operator to be licensed, which is the current practice; Consolidating the penalties for acting without a license; Making conforming changes related to the aforementioned changes; Reorganizing and relocating provisions; and Modernizing language.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
By executive order, to allow for social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the governor:Suspended the operation of statutes prohibiting more than 7 players in the game of blackjack; Suspended the operation of statutes limiting a casino operator to 2 noncontiguous gaming areas within the casino; and Eliminated the requirement that an applicant for a limited gaming or sports betting license submit fingerprints simultaneously with the license application for purposes of conducting a fingerprint-based criminal history record check, instead allowing the applicant to submit fingerprints as a supplement to the application. The act codifies all 3 of these changes but specifies that final action on a license application cannot be taken until the results of the fingerprint-based criminal history record check are received.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires a health benefit plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, to provide a cost-sharing benefit for nonpharmacological treatment where an opioid might be prescribed. The required cost-sharing benefit must include a cost-sharing amount not to exceed the cost-sharing amount for a primary care visit for nonpreventive services, at least 6 physical therapy visits, 6 occupational therapy visits, 6 chiropractic visits, and 6 acupuncture visits per year. The division of insurance (division) is required to submit to the federal department of human services a determination as to whether the cost-sharing benefit is in addition to an essential benefit and subject to defrayal by the state pursuant to federal law and a request for confirmation of the determination. The division is required to implement the benefit only if the benefit does not constitute an additional benefit that requires a defrayal.The act requires an insurance carrier (carrier) that provides prescription drug benefits to provide coverage, beginning January 1, 2023, for at least one atypical opioid that is approved by the federal food and drug administration (FDA) for the treatment of acute or chronic pain, which coverage must be at the lowest cost-sharing tier of the carrier's formulary with no requirement for step therapy or prior authorization. Additionally, a carrier cannot require step therapy for any additional FDA-approved atypical opioids.The act precludes a carrier that has a contract with a physical therapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist from:Prohibiting the physical therapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist from, or penalizing the physical therapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist for, providing a covered person information on the amount of the covered person's financial responsibility for the covered person's physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic services, or acupuncture services; or Requiring the physical therapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist to charge a covered person an amount or collect a copayment from a covered person that exceeds the total charges submitted to the carrier by the physical therapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor, or acupuncturist. The commissioner of insurance is required to take action against a carrier that the commissioner determines is not complying with these prohibitions.Current law limits specified prescribers from prescribing more than a 7-day supply of an opioid to a patient who has not obtained an opioid prescription from that prescriber within the previous 12 months unless certain conditions apply. This prescribing limitation is set to repeal on September 1, 2021.The act continues the prescribing limitation indefinitely.The also requires the applicable board for each prescriber to promulgate rules that limit the supply of a benzodiazepine, which is a sedative commonly prescribed for anxiety and as a sleep aid, that a prescriber may prescribe to a patient who has not had a prescription for a benzodiazepine in the last 12 months, except for benzodiazepines prescribed to treat specific disorders or conditions.The act continues indefinitely the requirement that a health-care provider query the prescription drug monitoring program (program) before prescribing an opioid, including a benzodiazepine, and changes current law to require the query on every prescription fill, not just the second fill. This section also requires a practitioner to query the program before prescribing a benzodiazepine unless it is to treat a specific disorder or condition.In addition to current law allowing medical examiners and coroners to query the program when conducting an autopsy, section 16 allows medical examiners and coroners to query the program when conducting a death investigation.The act also authorizes the state board of pharmacy to provide a means of sharing prescription information from the program with the health information organization network in order to work collaboratively with statewide health information exchanges designated by the department of health care policy and financing.The act requires the center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support strategies to include in its continuing education activities the best practices for prescribing benzodiazepines and the potential harm of inappropriately limiting prescriptions to chronic pain patients and makes an appropriation for this purpose.The act directs the office of behavioral health in the department of human services to convene a collaborative with institutions of higher education, nonprofit agencies, and state agencies for the purpose of gathering feedback from local public health agencies, institutions of higher education, nonprofit agencies, and state agencies concerning evidence-based prevention practices.$382,908 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of behavioral health. $13,000 is appropriated to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of insurance. $215,207 is appropriated to the department of regulatory agencies.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the department of public health and environment (department) to implement the community behavioral health disaster preparedness and response program (program) using existing initiatives and activities to ensure that behavioral health is adequately represented within disaster preparedness and response efforts across the state. The program is intended to enhance, support, and formalize behavioral health disaster preparedness and response activities conducted by community behavioral health organizations.The act requires the department to promulgate rules as necessary for the oversight and management of the program; work collaboratively with community behavioral heath organizations; create, define, and publish eligibility criteria for community behavioral health organizations to participate in the program; and provide funding to community behavioral health organizations on an annual or as-needed basis for the activities the organizations conduct.The act appropriates $529,801 and provides an additional 1.8 FTE to the department for use by the office of emergency preparedness response to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)