Sen. Beth Martinez Humenik

Current law states that it is a discriminatory and unfair labor practice for an employer to discharge, discipline, discriminate against, coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any employee or other person because the employee inquired about, disclosed, compared, or otherwise discussed the employee's wages, unless otherwise permitted by federal law. Federal law exempts certain limited classes of employers from labor laws. The bill strikes the reference to that exemption and extends the current law to those classes of employers, thereby providing wage transparency protections to all employees.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

For the 3 income tax years prior to January 1, 2017, a residential individual who has a federal adjusted gross income of $25,000 or less may claim a refundable state income tax credit for child care expenses. The tax credit is equal to 25% of eligible child care expenses that the individual incurred during the taxable year, up to a maximum amount of $500 for a single dependent or $1,000 for 2 or more dependents. The bill extends the tax credit for 3 more income tax years. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Sunset Process - Senate Education Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the sunset review and report on the school safety resource center advisory board (board) by eliminating the repeal date of the board and extending the board through September 1, 2022.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill updates and modernizes terminology in the Colorado Revised Statutes related to behavioral health, mental health, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse. Based on specific contexts, the new terminology refers to behavioral health disorders, mental health disorders, alcohol use disorders, or substance use disorders. Outdated references to the 'unit in the department of human services that administers behavioral health programs and services, including those related to mental health and substance abuse' have been corrected to use the actual current name of that office, which is 'the office of behavioral health in the department of human services'. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill clarifies the applicability provisions of legislation enacted in 2015 and 2016 to promote an equitable financial contribution among affected public bodies in connection with urban redevelopment projects allocating tax revenues in the following respects: The bill clarifies that a substantial modification of an urban renewal plan (plan) is a proposed modification that substantially changes provisions of the plan regarding land area, land use, authorization to collect incremental tax revenue, the extent of the use of tax increment financing, the scope or nature of the urban renewal project, the scope of method of financing, design, building requirements, timing, or procedure, as previously approved, or where the modification will substantially clarify a plan that, when approved, was lacking in specificity as to the urban renewal project or financing. If the modification is substantial, the modification is subject to pertinent requirements of the urban renewal law addressing modifications. For plans to which a pledge of the revenues deposited into the special fund was made by an indenture or other legally binding document that is separate from the plan itself prior to January 1, 2016, a pledge to secure the payment of refunding bonds is not a substantial modification and is not subject to the modification requirements of the urban renewal law. Not less than 30 days prior to approving any modification of a plan, the bill requires the governing body or an urban renewal authority (authority) to provide a detailed written description of the proposed modification to each taxing entity that levies taxes on property located within the urban renewal area and a notice of the date and time of the meeting at which the governing body will consider the modification. Any taxing entity that levies taxes on property located within the urban renewal area may file an action in the state district court exercising jurisdiction over the county in which the urban renewal area is located for an order determining, under a de novo standard of review, whether the modification is a substantial modification. Further, if requested by the taxing entity, the court is required to enjoin any action by the authority pursuant to the modification until the court has determined whether the modification is a substantial modification and, if so, the court is required to further enjoin any action by the authority until there has been compliance with statutory provisions addressing the sharing of incremental property tax revenues. The bill prohibits any action from being brought to enjoin any undertaking or activity of the authority to a plan, including the issuance of bonds, the incurrence of other financial obligations, or the pledge of revenue, unless the action is commenced within 45 days after the date the authority provided notice of its intention regarding such undertaking or activity. The notice must describe the undertaking or activity proposed to be engaged in by the authority and specify that any action to enjoin the undertaking or activity must be brought within 45 days from the date of the notice. The notice must be published one time in a newspaper of general circulation within the county. On or before the date of publication of the notice, the bill also requires the authority to mail a copy of the notice to each taxing entity that levies taxes on property within the urban renewal area. Finally, the bill clarifies that legislation enacted in 2015 to promote an equitable financial contribution among affected public bodies in connection with urban redevelopment projects allocating tax revenues, legislation adopted in 2016 to clarify such 2015 legislation, and the bill apply to municipalities, authorities, and any plans created on or after January 1, 2016, and to any substantial modification of any plan approved on or after January 1, 2016.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Joint Technology Committee. The bill adds definitions of 'cybersecurity' and 'data privacy' for the purposes of the joint technology committee (committee). In addition, the bill modifies the definition of 'oversee' for the purposes of the committee to be consistent with other statutory provisions. The bill adds to the powers and duties of the committee the authority to request information and presentations regarding data privacy and cybersecurity within state agencies and the authority to coordinate with the Colorado cybersecurity council created in the department of public safety. In addition, the committee may consider: Whether state agencies are collecting or retaining data that exceeds what is necessary and appropriate for such agencies to perform their functions; Who has access to data, the extent of such access, and appropriate mechanisms to protect sensitive data; and Measures to protect data against unauthorized access, disclosure, use, modification, or destruction. Currently, the committee is required to review and may make recommendations to other legislative committees on any legislative measure that the speaker of the house of representatives or the president of the senate determines to be dealing with information technology. The bill specifies that this requirement includes data privacy and cybersecurity. The bill also specifies that the committee may request to review and make recommendations to other legislative committees on any legislative measure that the committee determines to be dealing with information technology, data privacy, or cybersecurity. Pursuant to current law, the committee will repeal on July 1, 2018. The bill eliminates the repeal of the committee. The bill requires the office of state planning and budgeting to design and prepare, in coordination with the staff of the committee, the forms and instructions to be used in preparation of all budget requests and supplemental budget requests submitted to the committee. The forms and instructions must require that budget requests submitted to the committee include: Information from a request for information or other formal market research regarding the information technology budget request; A defined scope of work and information regarding whether a vendor or consultant assisted in preparing the specifications or statement of work included in the information technology budget request; A range of options for completing the project, including the estimated costs for such options; and Any other available and relevant information obtained from the market research related to the information technology budget request.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill creates a state sales tax exemption, commencing January 1, 2018, for the sale, storage, and use of diapers. The bill further specifies that local statutory taxing jurisdictions may choose to adopt the same exemption by express inclusion in their sales and use tax ordinance or resolution. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill creates a state sales tax exemption, commencing January 1, 2018, for all sales, storage, and use of feminine hygiene products. The bill further specifies that local statutory taxing jurisdictions may choose to adopt the same exemption by express inclusion in their sales and use tax ordinance or resolution. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)