The act appropriates $2.5 million from the general fund to the department of agriculture for the Colorado proud program.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the small business accelerated growth program (program) administered by the Colorado office of economic development (office). The program provides business development support to small businesses with 19 or fewer employees. The office is required to develop a marketing initiative for the program in coordination with the minority business office, the small business development center, and local and regional economic development entities to promote the program. The businesses selected to participate in the program have one year to use the business development support offered by the program, and $1,350,000 in grants from the Colorado startup loan fund are for participants demonstrating need and success under the program.The act makes an appropriation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The Colorado constitution allows a qualifying senior or a veteran who has a service-connected disability rated as a 100% permanent disability to claim a property tax exemption for 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value of the qualifying senior's or veteran's owner-occupied primary residence. The concurrent resolution extends eligibility for the exemption to the gold star spouse of a veteran. Gold star spouse is defined as the spouse of a deceased member of the United States armed forces who qualifies for a gold star lapel button due to the death of the member of the United States armed forces under applicable federal law and regulations prescribed by the federal secretary of defense.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this concurrent resolution as introduced in the second house.)
The act requires the office of information technology (office) in partnership with each principal department of the state to file a report by October 15, 2021, with the joint technology committee (committee) concerning the department's electronic filing capacity. The report must include information on the proportion of documents that can currently be filed electronically with the department, the actions required to allow at least 80% of documents filed with the department to be filed electronically, and any obstacles or barriers the department or the office would face in implementing electronic filing for at least 80% of documents filed with the department.The governing body of each county and city and county is also required to file a report with the committee by October 15, 2021, concerning the county's electronic filing capacity. The report must include information on the proportion of documents that can currently be filed electronically with the county, the actions required to allow at least 80% of documents filed with the county to be filed electronically, and any obstacles or barriers the county would face in implementing electronic filing for at least 80% of documents filed with the county.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act modifies the laws that create the joint technology committee (JTC), the Colorado cybersecurity council (council), and the office of information technology (office), to reflect the current information technology (IT) environment and direction in the state.Modifications related to the JTC are as follows:Updates definitions used by the JTC to be consistent with the definitions used by the office; and Allows the JTC to request information and presentations regarding data privacy and data security, specifies that the JTC oversees any state agency that has been delegated IT functions by the office, and makes other modifications to make the provisions governing the JTC and the office consistent. Modifications related to the council are as follows:Specifies additional functions of the council, modifies the composition of the council, and allows the council to coordinate with other entities regarding cybersecurity. Modifications related to the office are as follows:Consolidates all of the definitions that apply to the office into one section and updates some definitions to align with best practices and industry standards; Relocates provisions of current law regarding the information technology revolving fund and the coordination of the statewide geographic information system; Repeals and reenacts the roles and responsibilities section of law for the office and defines the office's roles and responsibilities in connection with IT; adds additional responsibilities when a state agency undertakes a major IT project, when a state agency is the business owner of an IT system, and when the office is involved in a state agency's IT project only as a party to the contract; Authorizes the office to delegate an IT function to a state agency and specifies procedures and requirements that the office and the state agency are required to follow when such delegation occurs; Repeals and reenacts the current provisions in law regarding the duties and responsibilities of the chief information officer (CIO) and updates the duties and responsibilities of the CIO; Relocates current law that authorizes the revisor of statutes to change certain statutory references in connection with the creation of the office; Updates the timelines and dates for the development of IT security plans and certain required reports regarding those plans for state agencies, institutions of higher education, and the legislative branch; Repeals and reenacts current law regarding interdepartmental data protocol that governs data-sharing among state agencies and specifies requirements of the office and the government data advisory board regarding the creation of a data-sharing and privacy master plan and additional requirements for when a state agency shares personal identifying information with another state agency; and Updates the office's annual reporting requirement to the general assembly regarding IT asset inventory. The act makes conforming amendments and repeals obsolete provisions regarding the consolidation of IT functions to the office, the transfer of employees and officers to the office, the creation of a work eligibility verification portal, the creation and implementation of the Colorado financial reporting system, and a reporting requirement on the transfer of IT infrastructure ownership. The act also repeals provisions regarding the statewide communications and information infrastructure that are incorporated into other provisions of law.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes the Space National Guard to be added to provisions in statute that mention the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. The federal government is likely to create the Space National Guard in the "FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act". Implementing the Space National Guard in existing statute now will allow the Air National Guard space units to transition to the Space National Guard once the federal government establishes the Space National Guard.The act also adds "Space Force" to provisions in statute that list the branches of the armed forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and the Coast Guard.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law does not prevent a higher education institution (institution) from considering legacy preferences and familial relationships to alumni of the institution as eligible criteria for admissions standards. The act prohibits a governing board of a state-supported higher education institution (governing board) from considering legacy preferences and familial relationships to alumni of the institution in the admissions process. The act allows a governing board to ask questions regarding familial relationships to alumni of the institution in order to collect data.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act amends provisions related to the operation of the regional transportation district (district), including:Amending a cap on the amount of all vehicular service the district can allow to be provided by third parties under competitive contracts to be measured by platform time or its equivalent; Expanding the types of entities the district can contract with to include nonprofit organizations and local government; Repealing farebox recovery ratio requirements and requiring the district to include in its annual financial reports information on annual operating costs, ridership numbers, and operating costs divided by ridership as a measure of the cost efficiency of its services; Repealing a limitation on developments that would reduce parking at a facility or result in a competitive disadvantage to private businesses near the facility; and Repealing limitations on the district's authority to charge fees and manage parking at district parking facilities.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill prohibits a state, county, or local government agency, or any person acting on behalf of the state, county, or local government agency, from ordering persons participating in a protest or demonstration (protest) to disperse, or from deeming the protest unlawful, unless the persons participating in the protest are acting in concert to pose an imminent threat to use force or violence to cause personal injury or significant property damage.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The act requires that, prior to initiating a review or audit of a medicaid provider's records, the reviewer or auditor, or a qualified agent contracted with the department of health care policy and financing (state department) shall confirm the provider's contact information with the provider. After confirming the provider's contact information, the reviewer or auditor, or qualified agent, shall notify the provider of additional information concerning the review or audit.Current law requires the reviewer or auditor, prior to initiating the review or audit, to deliver to the provider not less than 10 business days prior to the commencement of the audit a written request describing in detail such records and offering the provider the option of providing either a reproduction of such records or inspection at the provider's site. The act requires the written request to be provided through both e-mail and certified mail.The act requires the state department to ensure providers understand the relationship between the state department and the qualified agent and how to contact the qualified agent prior to a qualified agent commencing any review or audit.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
