The act creates the area agency on aging grant program (grant program) in the department of human service's state office on aging (state office). The purpose of the grant program is to assist and support the health, well-being, and security of older Coloradans. The act also creates the area on aging cash fund (cash fund), which is used to fund the grant program.The act requires the state office and the area agency on aging to collaborate and establish criteria for the following:Adopting the policies and procedures for the administration of the grant program; Establishing and publishing criteria for the grant program; and Creating application procedures by which eligible organizations may apply for and receive money from the grant program. For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $15,000,000 is appropriated to the department of human services from reappropriated funds in the cash fund for use by adult assistance programs to implement the act. The department of human services is responsible for the accounting related to the appropriation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The act creates an option for a person with a disability that interfere's with the person' ability to effectively communicate with a peace officer to request that the department of revenue (department) place a discreet disability identifier symbol on the person's driver's license or identification card. The symbol must represent all types of disabilities, such as cognitive disabilities, neurological diversities, mental health disorders, sensory needs, chronic illness, chronic pain, and physical disabilities. The person may also choose to have the disability information removed from the driver's license or identification card and the department will issue a new driver's license or identification card. There is no fee to either place the symbol on or remove the symbol from a driver's license or identification card.The act also requires the department to collect information that the owner of a vehicle voluntarily discloses about the disability of a person who is either authorized to drive, or a regular passenger of, the registered vehicle. The department shall make this information immediately available to a peace officer who queries information about the registered vehicle. The vehicle owner may also choose to have the disability information removed from the vehicle registration information.The department is required to notify peace officers about the creation of the disability identifier symbol and the availability of information regarding the disability of a driver or passenger of a motor vehicle.By January 15, 2023, and each year thereafter, the department is required to report to legislative committees the percentage of persons who register a vehicle and have disclosed disability information.To implement the act, $89,298 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of revenue.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act implements the recommendation of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review and report on the employment first advisory partnership by continuing the partnership indefinitely.The act also creates a hiring preference pilot program for people with disabilities. Each department of state government may participate in the pilot program, but a participating department must submit a report on its implementation of the pilot program to the state personnel director, who will submit a report to the house business affairs and labor committee and the senate business, labor, and technology committee. A candidate qualifies for the pilot program when the candidate:Meets the minimum qualifications for the position; Is a person with a disability, as defined in the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990", and who has requested to participate in the pilot program; and Submits proof of a disability in a form and manner specified under the pilot program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act adds language to strengthen current Colorado law related to protections against discrimination on the basis of disability for persons with disabilities, specifically as those laws relate to accessibility to government information technology. The added provisions include:Prohibiting a person with a disability from being excluded from participating in or being denied the benefits of services, programs, or activities of a public entity or a state agency; Clarifying that such prohibition includes the failure of a public entity or state agency to develop an accessibility plan and fully comply, on or before July 1, 2024, with accessibility guidelines established by the office of information technology (office); Any Colorado agency with the authority to promulgate rules shall not promulgate a rule that provides less protection than that provided by the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990". Definitions related to disabilities are added to the statutory sections for the office. The chief information officer in the office is directed to maintain accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities (accessibility standards) for information technology systems employed by state agencies that provide access to information stored electronically and are designed to present information for interactive communications, in formats intended for visual and nonvisual use.The chief information officer in the office is directed to promote and monitor the accessibility standards in the state's information technology infrastructure. The act directs each state agency to comply with the accessibility standards established by the office. The accessibility standards must be established using the most recent web content accessibility guidelines promulgated and published by the world wide web consortium web accessibility initiative or the international accessibility guidelines working group.The act directs each state agency, on or before July 1, 2022, to submit its written accessibility plan to the office. The office shall then work collaboratively with the state agency to review sections related to accessibility standards and to establish implementation methodology. On or before July 1, 2024, each state agency shall fully implement the sections of the state agency's plan related to accessibility standards. The act states that any state agency that is not in full compliance by July 1, 2024, is in violation of the state's laws concerning discrimination against individuals with a disability and is subject to the remedies set forth in statute.Liability for noncompliance as to content lies with the public entity or state agency that manages the content, whereas noncompliance of the platform hosting the content lies with the public entity or state agency that manages the platform.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $312,922 to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology. This appropriation is from the general fund and is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 0.9 FTE. To implement this act, the office may use this appropriation for enterprise solutions.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits the use of American Indian mascots (mascots) by public schools, including charter and institute charter schools, and public institutions of higher education (public school) as of June 1, 2022. The act imposes a fine of $25,000 per month for each month that a public school continues to use a mascot after such date, payable to the state education fund.The prohibition does not apply to:Any agreement that exists prior to June 30, 2021, between a federally recognized Indian tribe (tribe) and a public school, although the tribe has the right and ability to revoke the agreement at any time; Any public school that is operated by a tribe or with the approval of a tribe and existing within the boundaries of the tribe's reservation; and The ability of a tribe to create and maintain a relationship or agreement with a public school that fosters goodwill, emphasizes education and supports a curriculum that teaches American Indian history, and encourages a positive cultural exchange. Any such agreement may allow any mascot that is culturally affiliated with the tribe, as determined at the discretion of the tribe's governing body. The Colorado commission of Indian affairs shall identify each public school in the state that is using an American Indian mascot and that does not meet the criteria for an exemption and post such information on the commission's website. In addition to posting such information on its website, the commission, in coordination with the department of education, shall notify the school district of a public school, and the charter school institute, identified by the commission of the requirements related to the use of American Indian mascots, as well as the penalty for continued used of such mascots.The act allows those schools that are using American Indian mascots to apply for state financial assistance for public school capital construction grants.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act:Prohibits an agricultural employer from retaliating against any person, including an agricultural employee who is asserting protected rights, and allows an aggrieved person to assert a claim in district court or with the division of labor standards and statistics (division) in the department of labor and employment for alleged retaliation; Removes the exemption of agricultural employers and employees from the Colorado "Labor Peace Act" and authorizes agricultural employees to organize and join labor unions; engage in protected, concerted activity; and engage in collective bargaining; Removes the exemption of agricultural labor from state and local minimum wage laws; Establishes a separate minimum wage for agricultural employees engaged in the range production of livestock on the open range; Requires the director of the division to promulgate rules to establish the overtime pay of agricultural employees, to implement procedures concerning retaliation claims, to ensure access to key service providers, and for overwork protections for agricultural workers; Grants agricultural employees meal breaks and rest periods throughout each work period, consistent with protections for other employees; Requires agricultural employers to provide agricultural employees with access and transportation to key service providers; Authorizes agricultural employees to have visitors at employer-provided housing without interference from other persons; Requires agricultural employers to provide overwork and health protections to agricultural employees; Prohibits the use of the short-handled for agricultural labor except in specific circumstances; During a public health emergency, requires an agricultural employer to provide extra protections and increased safety precautions for agricultural employees; Creates rights, remedies, and enforcement actions for aggrieved agricultural employees, whistleblowers, and key service providers; and Creates the agricultural work advisory committee to study and analyze agricultural wages and working conditions. $474,657 is appropriated from the employment support fund to the department of labor and employment to implement the act, of which amount $38, 282 is reappropriated to the department of law to provide legal services to the department of labor and employment. Additionally, $193,882 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of agriculture for use by the plant industry division to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Veterans who have disabilities may obtain a special license plate without paying taxes or fees for the plate or the vehicle. For additional vehicles, the veteran pays the normal fees plus 2 one-time fees of $25, one of which goes to the highway users tax fund and the other goes to the licensing services cash fund.The act creates a license plate that honors United States women veterans who have disabilities. The requirements and benefits are substantially the same as they are for a disabled veteran license plate.For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $5,481 is appropriated for use by the division of motor vehicles to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act exempts an employee or person acting on behalf of the office of the child protection ombudsman (ombudsman) from testifying in a civil or criminal proceeding in which the ombudsman is not a legal party. The act prohibits information, documents, and reports requested and reviewed by the ombudsman from being subpoenaed in a civil or criminal proceeding in which the ombudsman is not a legal party.The act authorizes the ombudsman to receive information, records, or documents related to an incident of egregious abuse or neglect, near fatality, or fatality of a child during the course of an investigation of a complaint. The department of public health and environment's child fatality prevention review team shall provide the ombudsman the nonidentifying case review findings and recommendations related to an investigation of a complaint. The department of human services' child fatality review team shall provide the ombudsman the final confidential, case-specific review report related to an investigation of a complaint. If electronic copies are not available, the ombudsman shall access, review, and receive copies of documents without cost to the ombudsman.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the state apprenticeship agency (SAA) in the department of labor and employment (department) and specifies that it exercises its powers, duties, and functions, including rule-making, regulation, licensing, and registration, the promulgation of rates and standards, and the rendering of findings, orders, and adjudications, independently of the executive director of the department. The executive director of the department is required to appoint the director of the SAA. The purpose of the SAA is to:Serve as the primary point of contact with the United States department of labor's office of apprenticeship concerning apprentices and registered apprenticeship programs; Accelerate new apprenticeship program growth and assist in promotion and development; and Oversee apprenticeship programs, including registration, required standards for registration, certification, quality assurance, record-keeping, compliance with federal laws and standards, and provision of administrative and technical assistance. The director of the SAA is authorized to promulgate rules to implement the state apprenticeship registration program.The director of the SAA is required to establish the state apprenticeship council (SAC) and an interagency advisory committee (IAC) on apprenticeship. The governor and the director of the SAA appoint the members of the state apprenticeship council and the interagency advisory committee.The SAC is charged with overseeing registered apprenticeship programs for the building and construction trades in this state and ensuring compliance with state and federal laws and standards. The IAC is charged with the same responsibilities for all other apprenticeships not in the building and construction trades. Both entities are charged with:Registering with and maintaining the standards of the United States department of labor's office of apprenticeship and developing standards for registration for their respective apprenticeship programs; Resolving conflicts and complaints that arise between parties to apprenticeship agreements; Reviewing apprenticeship program performance; Making recommendations concerning apprenticeship programs to the director of the state apprenticeship agency; Providing technical and professional guidance and promoting best practices; Developing administrative policies to ensure safety and quality standards; Providing an annual report to the executive director of the department of labor and employment; and Advising the SAA concerning their assigned functions and formulating policies for their respective industries. The act establishes a joint resolution committee of the state apprenticeship council and the interagency advisory committee to resolve conflicts between the 2 entities and to define their respective jurisdictions.Additionally, the act requires the state apprenticeship agency to accept applications for registration of apprenticeship programs beginning July 1, 2023. The state apprenticeship agency may deregister an apprenticeship program for noncompliance with the requirements in the act. The state apprenticeship agency shall conduct a hearing upon request of the SAC or the IAC regarding issues of noncompliance and deregistration.The apprenticeship program is repealed, effective September 1, 2029, after a review of the director's functions is performed.To implement this act, $485,249 is appropriated to the department of labor and employment for use by the SAA. From this amount $85,072 is appropriated to the department of law, and $78,598 is appropriated to the office of the governor.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act addresses concerns related to child care providers (providers) that are operating without a valid license or are exempt from licensure, including:Adding a requirement for the state department of human services (department) to include the names and locations of cease-and-desist orders that have been issued against a child care provider on the department's child care provider website (website) that is accessible to the public; Adding an additional requirement for the department to post on its website the name and location of any provider operating outside the allowed exemptions and to whom one or more cease-and-desist order has been issued. The information posted must include name, location, and total number of cease-and-desist orders issued to the same provider. Establishing that a person operating a facility, whether licensed or exempt from licensure, that has received a cease-and-desist order from the department or a county department and who fails to cure the violation cited by the department or a county department in the allotted period is guilty of a petty offense; Revising and increasing the language related to civil penalties and fines for persons operating a facility, whether licensed or exempt from licensure; and Clarifying that those petty offenses count toward the withholding of Colorado child care assistance program money for family child care home providers. In honor and memory of Elle Matthews, the act names section 26-6-112 of the Colorado Revised Statutes the "Elle Matthews Act for Increased Safety in Child Care".For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, $83,375 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by the office of early childhood. This appropriation is from federal child care development funds. To implement the act, the office may use the appropriation for child care licensing and administration.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)