Sen. Jessie Danielson

The bill grants veterans of the armed forces a free lifetime small game hunting and fishing license, or any big game license the veteran qualifies for under rules of the parks and wildlife commission, if the veteran has been a resident of Colorado for at least the previous 2 years, served in the armed forces for at least 2 years, and was separated under honorable conditions.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Currently, the members of the Colorado wine industry development board are limited to serving one 4-year term. The bill allows a member to serve 2 full 4-year terms. Members may also continue to serve after the expiration of their terms until the appointment of a successor. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The starting point for determining state income tax liability is federal taxable income. This number is adjusted for additions and subtractions (deductions) that are used to determine Colorado taxable income, which amount is multiplied by the state's 4.63% income tax rate. Currently, a person who is 55-64 years old may deduct up to $20,000 of retirement benefits from federal taxable income, and a person who is 65 years old or older may deduct up to $24,000. These limits apply to retirement benefits from all sources, including those related to service in the military. The bill creates an additional deduction under which a person of any age may deduct a percentage of military retirement benefits from his or her state income tax. In 2018, the percentage is equal to 10%, and it increases by 10% each year thereafter until all military retirement benefits are exempt. All other retirement benefits and military retirement benefits in excess of the limit for the new deduction continue to be deductible under the existing deduction, subject to the existing limits on ages and amounts. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

In an existing provision that authorizes resellers of electricity and natural gas to provide motor vehicle charging or fueling stations as unregulated services, the bill authorizes public utilities to provide these services as regulated or unregulated services and allows cost recovery. The bill allows a utility to apply to build facilities to support alternative fuel vehicles. Standards are set for approval. When a facility is built, the rate and charges for the services: May allow a return on any investment made by an electric public utility at the weighted average cost of capital at the electric public utility's most recent rate of return on equity approved by the public utilities commission (commission); May allow a return on any investment made by a natural gas public utility at the utility's weighted average cost of capital at the public utility's most recent rate of return on equity approved by the commission; and Must be recovered from all customers of an electric or natural gas public utility in a manner that is similar to the recovery of distribution system investments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill prohibits a health benefit plan or third-party administrator plan covering services by licensed chiropractors, optometrists, or pharmacists (providers) from: Limiting or restricting a covered person's ability to select a provider of the covered person's choice if certain conditions are met; Imposing a copayment, fee, or other cost-sharing requirement for selecting a provider of the covered person's choosing; Imposing other conditions on a covered person or provider that limit or restrict a covered person's ability to use a pharmacy of the covered person's choosing; or Denying a provider the right to participate in any of its network contracts in this state or as a contracting provider in this state, so long as the provider agrees to specified conditions.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current law requires employers to release requested information to the division of labor standards and statistics (division) in the department of labor and employment and allows the division to have access to employers' premises and all books, records, and payrolls of employers. Current law also prohibits the release of any of this information obtained by the division if the release of the information might reveal a trade secret. The bill clarifies that information obtained by the division that relates to a finding by the division of a violation of wage laws is not confidential and shall be released to the public or for use in a court proceeding, unless the director of the division makes a determination that the information includes specific information that is a trade secret. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Interim Study Committee on Communication Between the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and Medicaid Clients. The bill requires the administrative law judge hearing medicaid appeals to review the legal sufficiency of the notice of action from which the recipient is appealing at the commencement of the appeal hearing if the notice of action concerns the termination or reduction of an existing benefit. If the notice is legally insufficient, the judge shall advise the appellant that he or she may waive the defense of insufficient notice and proceed to a hearing on the merits or may ask the judge to decide the appeal based on the judge's finding of insufficiency. The judge shall advise the appellant that a legally sufficient notice may be issued in the future and that the state may recoup benefits from the appellant. The provisions of the bill apply to hearings conducted on and after a certain date. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill requires that each mammography report provided to a patient include information that identifies the patient's breast tissue classification based on the breast imaging reporting and data system established by the American college of radiology. If the health care facility that performed the mammography determines that a patient has dense breast tissue, the facility is required to notify the patient of the determination using specific language. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)