The act creates the purple star school program (program) in the department of education (department). The purpose of the program is to designate schools of a school district, district charter schools, institute charter schools, or boards of cooperative services (public schools) that provide services and supports to military-connected students and their families to help mitigate the academic and social-emotional challenges they may face as a result of frequent moves, new schools, parental deployments, and different social circles and experiences. The department is required to create: An application for a public school to apply for a purple star school designation; A rubric to measure whether a public school qualifies for a purple star school designation; and A timeline for a public school to apply for and to renew the purple star school designation. The department shall designate a public school as a purple star school if the public school applies and qualifies for the designation. To qualify as a purple star school, a public school shall: Designate a staff member as a military liaison; Create and maintain on the public school's website an accessible web page that includes resources for military-connected students and their families; Establish and maintain a student-led transition program that assists military-connected students who are relocating to the public school; Offer professional development for educators and staff on issues related to military-connected students; and Offer at least one of the following initiatives: A public school resolution published on the public school's website showing support for military-connected students and their families; Celebrations in April and November to recognize military children and military families, with associated events hosted by the public school; A partnership with a local military installation that facilitates opportunities for military members to volunteer on the public school's campus, speak at a public school assembly, or host a field trip; or Student-driven clubs and groups that show community-family engagement for military-connected students and their families. During the first week of April each year, the governor, or the governor's designee, shall recognize each purple star school and present the purple star schools with a certificate. A purple star school designation is valid for 3 years. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $33,247 to the department to implement the program. APPROVED by Governor May 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The act prohibits a law enforcement officer or emergency service patrol officer who takes a juvenile into protective custody from detaining the juvenile in jail. Beginning July 1, 2024, the act requires each local law enforcement agency that has taken a person into protective custody to provide an annual report to the behavioral health administration that includes disaggregated and nonidentifying information concerning persons who were taken into protective custody in an approved treatment facility or detained in an emergency medical facility or jail. Beginning July 1, 2024, the act requires each approved treatment facility or emergency medical services facility that detains a person under protective custody or detains or holds a person on an emergency commitment to provide a quarterly report to the behavioral health administration that includes information about the persons detained or held at the facility. The act appropriates $64,738 from the general fund to the department of human services for use by the behavioral health administration. APPROVED by Governor May 17, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 17, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits knowingly leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless the handgun is stored in a locked hard-sided container that is placed out of plain view and the container is in a locked vehicle, the locked trunk of the locked vehicle, or a locked recreational vehicle. The act prohibits knowingly leaving a firearm that is not a handgun in an unattended vehicle unless the firearm is stored in a locked hard-sided or soft-sided container that is placed out of plain view and the container is in a locked vehicle, the locked trunk of the locked vehicle, or a locked recreational vehicle. A firearm that is not a handgun that is stored in a soft-sided container must have a locking device installed on the firearm while stored in the soft-sided container. A person who is considered to have a disability who stores a firearm in a locked soft-sided container does not violate the requirement to store a firearm in a hard-sided container. The act includes exceptions from the storage requirement for storing antique firearms, storing a firearm that is a not a handgun in a vehicle being used for farm or ranch operations, a person who lives in a vehicle or in a recreational vehicle, peace officers and active members of the armed forces, and certain activities related to lawful hunting. Unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle is a civil infraction. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE January 1, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes the following updates to the "Crime Victim Compensation Act" (act): Changes terminology concerning an award of compensation to approval of compensation for consistency with how crime victim compensation programs operate; Revises language to be gender neutral; Changes the terminology for court administrator to court executive to reflect the accurate position title as changed by the state court administrator's office; Includes state offenses specified in the "Victim Rights Act" under the definition of compensable crime; Includes as property damage expenses incurred for a motor vehicle determined by law enforcement to be where a compensable crime was committed; Modifies the requirement to notify appropriate law enforcement officials to be eligible to receive compensation under the act by removing the 72-hour requirement. The requirement is met if the victim or applicant provides documentation that a forensic examination was conducted by a licensed or registered nurse or medical providers. Modifies the requirement to fully cooperate with law enforcement officials to be eligible to receive compensation under the act to requiring the applicant to have reasonably cooperated with law enforcement officials; Removes the requirement that an application be submitted within one year of the date of injury to the victim; Removes outpatient care and homemaker and home health services and adds replacement services losses, which is defined in the act, funeral expenses, certain travel expenses, dependent care services, and certain relocation services as losses compensable under the act; Adds as compensable losses towing or impound fees for a motor vehicle that is determined to be where a compensable crime was committed and prosthetic or medically necessary devices were damaged or stolen as a result of a compensable crime; Excludes property damage expenses and motor vehicle expenses as losses compensable under the act except as otherwise provided under the act; Allows for emergency approvals to be made in a maximum amount according to a judicial district's crime victim compensation board's policies instead of $2,000; Increases the amount that district attorneys may retain from money deposited in the judicial district's crime victim compensation fund for administrative costs from 12.5% to 22.5%; and Levies a cost of $33 on each criminal action that results with placement in an alternative sentencing program to be credited to the crime victim compensation fund established in the judicial district where the offense occurred. APPROVED by Governor May 15, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 15, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems. Under current law, the department of human services (department) offers statewide access to crisis system services (services) for children and youth. The bill expands the services provided through the creation of the crisis resolution team program (program) in the department. The behavioral health administration (BHA) shall administer the program to provide community-based services to de-escalate and stabilize children or youth experiencing high-acuity behavioral health crises. The BHA shall contract with crisis resolution team providers (providers) to provide community-based de-escalation and stabilization services to children or youth. A child or youth is eligible for services provided by the program if the child or youth: Is 21 years of age or younger; Has experienced high-acuity behavioral health crises as identified by the behavioral health crisis response system or emergency departments; and Is safe to remain in the home or the community while receiving intensive, short-term stabilization interventions. Providers shall offer the following services to children or youth and their caregivers: Counseling or therapy; Case management to help meet treatment plans; Peer support or family skills coaching to foster connectedness, goal setting, and new routines to achieve positive, lasting change; Medication management; and Care coordination to provide tailored support and connection. Providers shall offer services to a child or youth a minimum of 3 days per week with a variety of services offered daily depending on the child's or youth's clinical needs. Services must be offered to the child or youth for a minimum of 4 weeks up to a maximum of 6 weeks depending on the child's or youth's clinical needs. The BHA shall: Maintain existing relationships with community partners; Conduct outreach and educate community partners regarding providers' services; Provide technical assistance to providers regarding specialized training and the use of screening and assessment tools; and Conduct an annual evaluation of the program. On or before September 1, 2025, the BHA shall submit to the general assembly a feasibility study to determine whether the program can be further expanded statewide. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Under current law, all persons have the right to bail pending disposition of charges, with certain exceptions, including an exception for persons charged with capital offenses. The act adds an exception for murder in the first degree when proof is evident or presumption is great. Under current law, in capital cases, each side is entitled to 10 peremptory juror challenges, and if there is more than one defendant, each side is entitled to an additional 3 peremptory challenges for every defendant after the first. The act applies that existing law to cases in which a defendant is charged with murder in the first degree. The act takes effect only if House Concurrent Resolution 24-1002 is approved by the people at the general election to be held November 2024. APPROVED by Governor April 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE Date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, certain evidence of a victim's or witness's prior or subsequent sexual conduct is presumed irrelevant, but there is an exception for evidence of the victim's or witness's prior or subsequent sexual conduct with the defendant. The act eliminates this exception. The act expands the criminal rape shield law to prohibit the admission of evidence of the victim's manner of dress or hairstyle as evidence of the victim's consent. The act amends what a moving party must show to the court and to opposing parties and what the court must find in order to introduce evidence that is presumed to be irrelevant under the criminal rape shield law. Under current law, a defendant may move to introduce evidence that the victim or a witness has a history of false reporting of sexual assaults, upon a sufficient showing to the court and opposing parties. The act allows the defendant to offer evidence concerning at least one incident of false reporting of unlawful sexual behavior and also articulate facts that would, by a preponderance of the evidence, demonstrate that the victim or witness has made a report that was demonstrably false or false in fact. APPROVED by Governor April 24, 2024 EFFECTIVE July 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Effective September 1, 2024, the act makes changes to Colorado's occupational credential portability program (program) relating to the spouses and dependents of military members and other qualified servicemembers serving in the United States uniformed services, including: In addition to military spouses already covered by the program, allowing gold star military spouses, dependents of military members, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers who are licensed, certified, registered, or enrolled in a profession or occupation (credentialed) in good standing in another state or United States territory (current state) to be credentialed in Colorado by endorsement from the current state to practice the same profession or occupation in Colorado; Allowing an applicant to be credentialed under the program if the applicant committed an act that would have been grounds for discipline in this state, but for which the applicant remains in good standing in the current state because the act is not grounds for discipline in the current state; Removing the 3-year limitation and nonrenewal provision for a military spouse's credential and allowing military spouses, gold star military spouses, military dependents, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers to obtain a renewable 6-year credential while in Colorado; Waiving the application and renewal fee for Colorado credentials issued to military spouses, gold star military spouses, military dependents, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers; and Expanding eligibility for the program to spouses and dependents of Armed Forces Reserve, Ready Reserve, National Guard members in Colorado, and spouses and dependents of other qualified servicemembers. APPROVED by Governor April 17, 2024 EFFECTIVE September 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The Colorado constitution prohibits the general assembly from enacting law that is retrospective in its operation. The concurrent resolution amends the Colorado constitution to authorize the general assembly to pass a retrospective law that permits a victim of sexual abuse that occurred while the victim was a minor to bring a civil claim for the sexual abuse. The concurrent resolution permits the general assembly to waive governmental immunity, by a law that is retrospective in its operation, for a child sexual abuse civil claim.(Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as introduced.)
With certain exceptions, for health benefit plans that are issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, the bill requires a health-care insurance carrier (carrier) to include a primary care provider as a participating provider in all networks, including narrow networks and all tiers of tiered networks, of the carrier's health benefit plan if the primary care provider is: Licensed to practice in Colorado; Certified or accredited by a national association for the certification or accreditation of primary care providers; Enrolled in an alternative payment model; and Credentialed by federal law to receive reimbursement for the provision of care to patients receiving benefits from medicaid. On or before December 31, 2025, the commissioner of insurance must promulgate rules to implement the bill, including rules: Establishing criteria and a process for determining whether a primary care provider meets the criteria; and Establishing a schedule for contracted reimbursements issued to primary care providers who participate in a health benefit plan. The division of insurance must contract with an actuary to determine a minimum reimbursement schedule for alternative payment models. The schedule: Must ensure that primary care providers are reimbursed at rates that are at least equal to the reimbursement rates established in law for purposes of the Colorado standardized health benefit plan; Must include adjustments for regional cost of living variations; and May include incentives for integration of behavioral health-care services and comprehensive care coordination services. If a carrier and a primary care provider do not negotiate and agree to terms of reimbursement, the carrier must compensate the primary care provider in accordance with the schedule for contracted reimbursements established by rule. If a primary care provider employed by a medical group or hospital system leaves the medical group or hospital system to establish an independent practice, the primary care provider may communicate with patients about continuing to see them in the new practice. Under current law, any covenant not to compete provision of an employment, partnership, or corporate agreement between physicians that restricts the right of a physician to practice medicine upon termination of the agreement is void; except that all other provisions of the agreement, including provisions that require the payment of damages in an amount that is reasonably related to the injury suffered by reason of termination of the agreement, are enforceable. Provisions of a covenant not to compete that require the payment of damages upon termination of the agreement may include damages related to competition. The bill: Establishes exceptions to the general prohibition on covenant not to compete provisions; Broadens the scope of the prohibition to apply to any agreement rather than applying only to employment, partnership, and corporate agreements between physicians; Narrows the existing exception to the prohibition to apply only to provisions that require the payment of damages in an amount that is reasonably related to the injury suffered due to a breach, rather than a termination, of the agreement; and Prohibits including in an agreement any of several provisions that require payment of certain types of damages. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)