Sen. Kyle Mullica

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific section of State Highway 92 in Delta County as the "Educators and Teachers Memorial Highway" to honor the contributions of local educators and teachers. The designated stretch runs from mile marker 3 to mile marker 7, passing through the unincorporated community of Read, Colorado, which historically housed the headquarters for Delta County Joint School District 50J. The resolution authorizes the Colorado Department of Transportation to accept donations and grants for installing commemorative signs along this highway segment. This measure serves as a symbolic recognition of the role schools and teachers play in the community without changing any laws or regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill encourages Colorado public employees to improve their retirement readiness by seeking financial education and recommends adding lifetime income options to certain retirement plans. It specifically targets the Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA), which serves over 226,000 public employees across more than 400 government agencies. The resolution suggests that the General Assembly consider expanding lifetime income choices in the PERA defined contribution plan and voluntary savings plans to provide guaranteed retirement income similar to the existing defined benefit plan. The bill also recognizes the economic importance of retirement security for Colorado residents and directs copies to relevant state committees for review.

The bill requires the department of human services to include in the admission criteria for admitting a person to a mental health residential facility a prohibition on admitting a person who is required to register the person's residence in accordance with the "Colorado Sex Offender Registration Act" to a mental health residential facility that is located within 1,000 feet of a school.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The department of regulatory agencies (DORA) conducted a sunset review of the cold case task force (task force) in the department of public safety (department) and recommended:Authorizing the executive director of the department to appoint additional task force members;Extending the task force until September 1, 2039; andChanging the type of sunset review that is performed by DORA.     The act implements DORA's recommendations.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act eliminates the homeless prevention activities program advisory committee and gives the division of housing within the department of local affairs the power to administer the homeless prevention activities program, to establish and enforce standards for all homeless prevention activities covered by the program, and to establish standards that assure program funds are properly allocated.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act establishes civil immunity for a board member, staff member, or volunteer of a child advocacy center that arises from the performance of the board member's, staff member's, or volunteer's duties if the board member's, staff member's, or volunteer's acts are in good faith.     The act allows certain entities to share information under certain circumstances that is relevant to the protection of a child that is the subject of a child maltreatment case.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The fire and police pension association (association) provides disability retirement and survivor benefits (disability and survivor benefits) for eligible members of the association (members) who become disabled or die. The act recodifies and reorganizes the disability and survivor benefits statutes, removes outdated provisions, and clarifies ambiguous language. In addition, the act makes the following modifications to the disability and survivor benefits statutes:Removes the current requirement that the association require every member who applies for disability retirement benefits to have 3 independent medical exams and instead authorizes the board of the association (board) to appoint a medical advisor to assess the needs of each applicant for disability retirement benefits;Authorizes the board to adopt rules to streamline the appeal process for disability retirement benefit applicants who are denied benefits;Allows the association to require a member who is occupationally disabled to participate in a rehabilitation and retraining program to help the member gain additional skills and knowledge so the member can earn a wage doing a job other than being a police officer or firefighter;Clarifies that a member who is a total disability retirement benefit recipient will begin receiving a cost of living adjustment when the member starts receiving a total disability retirement benefit;Clarifies eligibility for a member to apply for disability retirement benefits; Repeals the statute that makes an employer liable for the payment of disability retirement benefits if a member's disability existed at the commencement of employment, the employment was not ordered by a court, and the employer failed to require the member to complete and file a health history form prior to commencing employment; andRequires members to fill out a health history form, which notifies the association of any preexisting health conditions, prior to employment.     The act does not change the amounts of disability retirement and survivor benefits or the length of time a member must be employed to be eligible for a benefit, nor does it require additional money from the state, employers, or members.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act includes approved facility schools in the definition of 'employer' for purposes of the public employees' retirement association (PERA) and allows an approved facility school to apply to the PERA board to affiliate with PERA.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires that the state court administrator create a process for evaluating bond hearing officers. An evaluation must include input from the district attorney and regional public defender and allow the opportunity for input from court staff and other interested parties within each judicial district in which a bond hearing officer presides.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis bill urges the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Farmers Market Association to maintain and strengthen their partnership to support farmers' market managers across the state. It recognizes that most market managers are volunteers who need expertise, training, and resources to handle tasks like event planning, food safety, and vendor coordination. The resolution aims to help sustain local farmers' markets that provide fresh produce to communities and support small-scale producers who rely on these venues for sales.