Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer

Maddy summaryHJR 25-1005 is a ceremonial resolution encouraging Colorado communities to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 20, 2025 - the 41st anniversary of the state holiday. It does not create new laws or alter existing policies but urges cities, schools, counties, and local governments to hold commemorative events. The resolution honors Dr. King’s legacy, noting Colorado’s early adoption of the holiday in 1985 and its ongoing observance through events like the annual Marade. This is a non-binding call for community engagement, not a substantive legislative change.

Property tax revenue limit. Senate Bill 24-233, concerning property tax, created a limit on the annual growth of specified property tax revenue (property tax limit) for certain local governments excluding school districts. Sections 3 through 7 of the act modify that property tax limit and create a new property tax limit for school districts. Specifically, the act: Modifies the property tax limit for local governments excluding school districts so that this limit is no longer 5.5% but is instead equal to the greatest amount of qualified property tax revenue collected by a local government in a previous property tax year increased by 5.25% multiplied by the number of property tax years in a reassessment cycle; Establishes a new property tax limit for school districts that is equal to the greatest amount of local share of statewide total program property tax revenue collected by a school district in a previous property tax year increased by the greater of 6% multiplied by the number of property tax years in a reassessment cycle or the sum of the percentage by which the general assembly annually increases the statewide base per pupil funding for public education from kindergarten through twelfth grade and the percentage increase in pupil enrollment for both the relevant property tax year and the other property tax year in the same reassessment cycle; Annually establishes the valuation for assessment (valuation) for residential property as necessary to ensure that school districts do not exceed the property tax limit for school districts and to compensate for inaccurate adjustments to valuation in the immediately preceding property tax year; Allows waiver of the property tax limit for all school districts, but requires statewide voter approval for such waiver and does not allow individual school districts to locally waive their individual property tax limits; Increases both the property tax limit for local governments excluding school districts and the property tax limit for school districts by the difference between the amount of relevant property tax revenue retained by the local government or school district and the amount of relevant property tax revenue that the local government or school district could have retained as a result of the property tax limit; and Requires certain language to be included in any ballot question that seeks to waive either property tax limit created in these sections. Nonresidential and personal property valuation reductions. Sections 8 and 9 lower the valuation for most nonresidential and personal property as follows: For the property tax year commencing on January 1, 2024, the valuation for lodging property is 27.9% of the actual value of the property minus the lesser of thirty thousand dollars or the amount that reduces the valuation for assessment to $1,000; For the property tax year commencing on January 1, 2025, the valuation for most nonresidential and personal property is 27% of the actual value of the property; For the property tax year commencing on January 1, 2026, the valuation for commercial property and agricultural property is 25% of the actual value of the property and the valuation for most other nonresidential and personal property is 26%; and For property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2027, the valuation for most nonresidential and personal property is 25% of the actual value of the property. Residential real property valuation reductions. The act also lowers the valuation for residential real property. The amount of the reduction is based on the increase in statewide actual value between the property tax year that commences on January 1, 2024, and the property tax year that commences on January 1, 2025. If the increase in actual value is greater than 5%, sections 10 and 11 reduce the valuation for residential real property as follows: For property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, for the purpose of a levy imposed by a school district, the valuation for residential real property is 6.95% of the actual value of the property; For the property tax year commencing on January 1, 2025, for the purpose of a levy imposed by a local government that is not a school district, the valuation for residential real property is 6.15%; and For property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, for the purpose of a levy imposed by a local government that is not a school district, the valuation for residential real property is 6.7% of the amount equal to the actual value of the property minus the lesser of 10% of the actual value of the property, $70,000 as adjusted for inflation in the first year of each subsequent reassessment cycle, or the amount that causes the valuation for assessment of the property to be $1,000. If the increase in statewide actual value is less than or equal to 5%, sections 10 and 11 reduce the valuation for residential real property as follows: For property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, for the purpose of a levy imposed by a school district, the valuation for residential real property is 7.05% of the actual value of the property; For the property tax year commencing on January 1, 2025, for the purpose of a levy imposed by a local government that is not a school district, the valuation for residential real property is 6.25%; and For property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, for the purpose of a levy imposed by a local government that is not a school district, the valuation for residential real property is 6.8% of the amount equal to the actual value of the property minus the lesser of 10% of the actual value of the property, $70,000 as adjusted for inflation in the first year of each subsequent reassessment cycle, or the amount that causes the valuation for assessment of the property to be $1,000. Section 11 also adjusts the valuations for qualified-senior primary residence real property to mirror the adjustments to the valuations for residential real property made in sections 10 and 11. Property tax commission. Section 1 requires the commission on property tax to evaluate the equity of valuation for assessment established in both the act and Senate Bill 24-233 and to prepare a report on this evaluation no later than May 1, 2025. Definitions of assessed value and valuation for assessment. Section 2 creates definitions of "assessed value" and "valuation for assessment" that apply throughout statute to prevent any confusion arising from having 2 different assessment rates. Conforming amendments. Sections 12 and 13 make conforming amendments. Abstract of assessment. Section 14 requires a county assessor to file additional information along with the abstract of assessment that they filed on August 25, 2025, so that the property tax administrator may determine the amount of statewide actual value growth between the property tax year that commences on January 1, 2024, and the property tax year that commences on January 1, 2025. Local government backfill. Senate Bill 24-233 establishes a process for the state to reimburse local governments for lost property tax revenue for the property tax year commencing on January 1, 2024. Section 15 extends this process from Senate Bill 24-233 to cover the property tax year commencing on January 1, 2025, but only to cover decreases in assessed value attributable to the act. Notice of valuation and tax bill. Sections 16 and 17 remove references to assessed value and ratio of valuation for assessment from taxpayers' notice of valuation and tax bills to prevent confusion from having 2 different assessed values on a tax bill. Effective date. Senate Bill 24-233 becomes law only if neither of the following initiatives (property tax initiatives) are approved by the people at the general election held on November 5, 2024: An initiative that reduces valuations for assessment; or An initiative that requires voter approval for retaining property tax revenue that exceeds a limit. Section 18 modifies the effective date of Senate Bill 24-233 so that Senate Bill 24-233 takes effect either: On October 1, 2024, if both property tax initiatives are withdrawn from the ballot; or On the date of the official declaration of the vote, if one or both of the property tax initiatives appears on the ballot and no property tax initiative is approved by the people. Sections 19 and 20 establish the effective date of the act so that the majority of the act only takes effect if Senate Bill 24-233 becomes law. APPROVED by Governor September 4, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE September 4, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE October 1, 2024, or upon the date of the official declaration by the governor(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

On or before December 31, 2024, the governor's office of information technology (office) is required to promulgate rules to establish a technology life-cycle plan. The rules may consider information security risk, infrastructure risk, operating cost misalignment, productivity cost misalignment, or talent depreciation in connection with an information technology system or asset. For every initial appropriation for an information technology capital project in the capital construction section of the annual general appropriation act for the 2025-26 state fiscal year and each state fiscal year thereafter other than appropriations from specified excluded sources, the general assembly is required to set aside additional funding for information technology annual depreciation-lease equivalent payments. On or before November 1, 2025, and on or before November 1 of each year thereafter, the office is required to submit a report to the joint budget committee and the joint technology committee that provides an estimate of the state's technical debt environment. For each cash fund from which money is appropriated for an information technology capital project, the principal department responsible for the accounting related to the cash fund is required to identify in the cash fund balance report an information technology capital reserve, which consists of an amount equal to the depreciation of the depreciable components of the information technology capital project, based on the depreciation period. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act amends the Colorado oral health community grants program administered by the department of public health and environment (department) to award grants for the implementation of oral health screening in public schools through the oral health screening pilot program (pilot program) created in the act. The purpose of the pilot program is to provide oral health screening to students in kindergarten and third grade at a minimum of 5 pilot program sites at school districts or schools of a school district, charter schools, institute charter schools, or boards of cooperative services (local education providers) to demonstrate the effectiveness of oral health screening in kindergarten and third grade in reducing dental decay, the costs of providing oral health screening to students, and best practices for providing oral health screening that could be scaled statewide. The department shall award at least 5 oral health screening grants to oral health screeners to conduct oral health screening activities in schools of local education providers. In selecting screening locations, the department shall select locations that represent a variety of school settings, including large and small local education providers in urban, rural, and frontier areas of the state, with priority given to schools with students who are likely to experience higher rates of undetected oral health concerns. The act includes requirements for the pilot program regarding: Qualifications for participating oral health screeners; The oral health screening; The selection by the department of an oral health screening tool; Notice to parents and legal guardians (parents), including the ability of parents to refuse oral health screening for their children; Reporting to parents about the outcome of the oral health screening and information and referral if dental concerns are identified for a student; and The protection of confidential health data. After completing oral health screening at a pilot program site during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, no later than July 31, 2025, and July 31, 2026, respectively, a participating oral health screener shall provide data and information to the department for purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program, including the number of students screened and oral health concerns identified, as well as other relevant data and information as determined by the department. On or before December 1, 2027, the department of education shall develop a plan for implementation of oral health screening in kindergarten and third grade in all public schools. No later than January 15, 2027, the department shall submit a report of the findings concerning the pilot program and its plan for implementation of oral health screening in all public schools to the health and human services and education committees of the house of representatives and of the senate, or their successor committees, and the department of education. The pilot program repeals July 1, 2031, after the screening and reporting on the pilot program is completed. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $84,425 is appropriated from the general fund to the department for use by the prevention services division to implement the pilot program. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

No later than February 1, 2025, the act requires the department of health care policy and financing (HCPF), in collaboration with the behavioral health administration in the department of human services (BHA), to: Submit an application to the federal substance abuse and mental health services administration (SAMHSA) for a certified community behavioral health clinic demonstration planning grant (grant); and Submit a report to the joint budget committee on the status of the grant application. The act requires HCPF and the BHA to work with the joint budget committee to determine how to proceed with the grant if, during the grant application process, there are substantial changes to federal funding that would negatively affect the state of Colorado. If HCPF is awarded the grant, the act requires HCPF to comply with all necessary guidelines established by SAMHSA for a certified community behavioral health clinic grant awardee. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Starting in the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act discontinues the allocation of a portion of premium tax revenues to the health insurance affordability cash fund. APPROVED by Governor June 7, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law requires the Colorado prescription drug affordability review board (board) to take certain measures in determining whether to conduct an affordability review for an identified prescription drug. The act requires the board, in making such a determination, to consider whether the drug has an approved orphan drug designation for one or more rare diseases and no other indications and, if so, to consider input from consumers and the Colorado rare disease advisory council (council). Current law requires the board, in performing an affordability review, to consider certain information. The act requires the board to consider input from the council. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act authorizes the department of higher education to enter into a limited purpose fee-for-service contract with the board of regents of the university of Colorado for allocation to programs or institutions of higher education to expand an existing rural track program. If an allocation is made to a program or institution to expand an existing rural track program, the department of higher education shall utilize a formula developed and revised annually by the rural program office, in collaboration with the institutions, that is based on data that documents the program's or institution's fulfillment of certain requirements. The act requires the rural program office to submit a report to the general assembly each year that includes the allocation formula developed by the rural program office. The act creates the rural hospital cash fund and on July 1, 2024, requires the state treasurer to transfer $1,742,029 from the general fund to the rural hospital cash fund for the purpose of distributing money in equal amounts to rural hospitals. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $866,667 from the general fund to the department of higher education for the college opportunity fund program to be used for limited purpose fee-for-service contracts with institutions of higher education. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act expands the America 250 - Colorado 150 commission (commission) from 15 to 21 voting members by adding the following members to be appointed by the governor: 2 members representing Indigenous communities who are members of a federally recognized tribe with historic ties to Colorado that is not the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe or the Southern Ute Indian Tribe; One member who is an expert in disability history or is working for a disability rights organization; One member representing military and veterans affairs; and 2 at-large members. The act also directs the commission and history Colorado to hold any gifts, grants, or donations in the America 250 - Colorado 150 cash fund (cash fund), transfers $250,000 from the general fund to the cash fund, and modifies the cash fund so that all money therein may be used to support the following duties of the commission: Giving grants to communities across the state to provide local opportunities related to commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood; and Developing and promoting plans for statewide recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026, including: Historical activities; The creation and publication of historical documents; Cooperation with agencies responsible for the preservation or restoration of historic sites, buildings, art, and artifacts; Educational opportunities for Colorado youth to understand their historic roots in the United States and Colorado; The promotion of scholarship and research that illuminates the history of the American west and Colorado within the larger story of the United States; The arrangement of appropriate public ceremonies; and Commemorative events, supported by a comprehensive marketing and tourism campaign. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the department of health care policy and financing (HCPF), in collaboration with the behavioral health administration (BHA) and the department of human services (CDHS), to develop a system of care (system of care) for children and youth who are less than 21 years of age and who have complex behavioral health needs. At a minimum, the system of care must include: Implementation of a standardized assessment tool; Intensive-care coordination; Expanded supportive services; and Expanded access to treatment foster care. The act requires HCPF to convene a leadership team that is responsible for the decision-making and oversight of the system of care and to convene an implementation team to create a plan to implement the system of care. The act requires CDHS and HCPF to report progress on the development and implementation of the system of care to the general assembly. The act creates the residential child care provider training academy in CDHS to create a pipeline of high-quality staff for residential child care providers and ensure that individuals hired to work at residential child care facilities receive the necessary training to perform the individual's job functions responsibly and effectively. The act requires CDHS to expand the number of treatment beds available for children and youth whose behavioral or mental health needs require services and treatment in a residential child care facility. The act requires CDHS to develop a system to establish and monitor quality standards for residential child care providers and ensure the quality standards are implemented into all levels of care that serve children and youth in out-of-home placement. The act requires CDHS to develop a system to incentivize residential child care providers to implement quality standards above CDHS' established minimum standards. The act requires CDHS to make publicly available on the department's website a directory of each residential child care provider's quality assurance. The CDHS program that provides emergency resources to certain licensed providers to help remove barriers the providers face in serving children and youth whose behavioral or mental health needs require services and treatment in a residential child care facility currently repeals on July 1, 2028. The act extends the program indefinitely and requires CDHS to contract with additional licensed providers for the delivery of services to children and youth who are eligible for and placed in the program. The act requires CDHS and the BHA to increase the minimum reimbursement rates paid to qualified residential treatment programs for the purpose of aligning room and board payments across payer sources. The act requires HCPF to contract with a third-party vendor to complete an actuarial analysis in order to determine the appropriate medicaid reimbursement rate for psychiatric residential treatment facilities. The act requires CDHS to contract with one or more third-party vendors to implement a pilot program to assess the needs of, and provide short-term residential services for, juvenile justice-involved youth who do not meet the criteria for detention. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates money to the department of human services and the department of health care policy and financing to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)