Sen. Chris Hansen

Section 1 of the bill repeals the wind for schools grant program. Section 2 repeals the renewable energy and energy efficiency for schools loan program. Section 3 removes the Colorado energy office's (office) involvement with the forest service and the air quality control commission to support the increased use of woody biomass in bio-heating. Section 4 removes the office's involvement in grants with the Colorado energy research institute for the development of a central resource for building trade professionals. Section 5 : Specifies nuclear and hydroelectric power as a cleaner energy source that the office should promote; Adds energy storage systems as items that the office should promote; Adds propane as a traditional energy source that the office should promote; Amends the office's requirement to develop and encourage increased utilization of energy curricula, and expands the collaborative groups to include the energy industry and executive departments; and Repeals certain programs for which the office is responsible. Section 6 renames the clean and renewable energy fund as the energy fund and adds the authority to spend the money in the fund for educating the general public on energy issues and opportunities. Section 7 removes the requirement that the funds used in the innovative energy fund for grants or loans shall be limited to innovative energy efficiency projects and policy development. Section 8 repeals the office's authority to submit a proposal for credentialing photovoltaic installers. Section 9 repeals the green building incentive pilot program. Section 10 repeals the 'Colorado Clean Energy Finance Program Act'. Section 11 removes the office's responsibility to maintain a list of solar installers and instead requires the list to be maintained by the Colorado solar energy industries association, or a successor organization, and removes the requirement for the office to offer training on solar installations. Section 12 removes an obsolete section of law pertaining to a computer system for tracking the movement of gasoline or special fuel in the state. Section 13 removes the office as the administrator of the Colorado carbon fund special license plate. Section 14 makes conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

The bill directs the public utilities commission to adopt rules establishing mechanisms for the procurement of energy storage systems by investor-owned electric utilities, based on an analysis of costs and benefits as well as factors such as grid reliability and a reduction in the need for additional peak generation capacity. The information supplied by the utilities must include appropriate data and must specify interconnection points to enable independent evaluation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More

Capital Development Committee. The bill clarifies that for any capital construction project that is the subject of a lease-purchase agreement, the one percent of the total construction costs that is required to be used for the acquisition of works of art is calculated on the state-funded portion of the total construction costs and not on the total construction costs.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

Capital Development Committee. The bill creates the governor's mansion maintenance fund (fund), which is comprised of the money generated from the mansion's operation, such as rental fees. Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, the governor's office may expend money from the fund for any operating costs for any governor's mansion activities and the department of personnel may expend money from the fund for controlled maintenance of the governor's mansion, except that any appropriation for controlled maintenance is subject to the capital development committee's review. The bill also specifies that the department of personnel is still authorized to seek controlled maintenance funding for the mansion through the existing statutory request process if the money in the fund is insufficient to cover all controlled maintenance needs.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

Section 1 of the bill creates the donate to a Colorado nonprofit fund (fund) in the state treasury. A voluntary contribution designation line for the fund will appear on the state individual income tax return form in the first income tax year: In which the department of revenue (department) has received sufficient funding to implement the program; That begins on or after January 1, 2019; and That begins after a space becomes available and the fund is next in the queue. If the space for the fund becomes available before all three conditions are met, the bill requires the department to hold the space for the fund until all three conditions are met, and to include the line thereafter. The line will allow a taxpayer receiving a refund to designate a contribution to an eligible charitable organization (eligible organization) of their choice. The bill requires the secretary of state to provide a list of eligible organizations. To be eligible, an organization must be registered and in good standing with the secretary under the 'Colorado Charitable Solicitations Act' and be a nonprofit that is tax exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the internal revenue code. A charity may request to exclude itself from the list. The department will make the list of eligible organizations available to the public and a taxpayer may choose a single charity from the list to receive the contribution through the fund. Once the fund is placed on the form, the department is directed to determine annually the total amount designated to the fund, and the total amounts designated to each eligible organization, and to report those amounts to the state treasurer and the general assembly. The state treasurer is required to credit the total amount to the fund. The bill requires the general assembly to appropriate from the fund to the department, the secretary of state, and the state treasurer their actual, reasonable costs for implementing the fund. After the appropriations for the administration of the fund are deducted, the state treasurer is required to distribute the contributions to the charities as designated by taxpayers after a reduction proportionate to the amount deducted from the fund for administration. The department is not liable to a taxpayer or charity for an error in distributing a contribution. The fund is repealed if the department does not raise sufficient funding to implement the program through gifts, grants, and donations by September 30, 2020. Section 2 excludes the fund from the time limitations and minimum contribution requirements imposed on voluntary contribution funds. It also adds a limitation that a taxpayer cannot contribute to any voluntary contribution fund or combination of voluntary contribution funds in an amount that exceeds the amount of the taxpayer's refund.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

Capital Development Committee. The bill specifies that any real property acquired by a state agency or a state institution of higher education through a lease-purchase agreement is not eligible for state controlled maintenance funding. The bill specifies that any bill enacted by the general assembly on or after the effective date of the legislation authorizing a lease-purchase agreement for the acquisition of real property must include a requirement that the state agency or state institution of higher education entering into the lease-purchase agreement present a plan to the capital development committee, by a specified date, that details how the state agency or state institution of higher education is prepared to fund the controlled maintenance needs of the real property so that at least a specified amount is available for the controlled maintenance needs of the real property. The plan may include an additional lease-purchase agreement for such controlled maintenance needs or may include a request for partial or complete state funding of such controlled maintenance needs. The bill also requires the state treasurer to advise any state agency or state institution of higher education regarding the controlled maintenance reserve requirement.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

Sunset Process - House Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review and report on the 'Custom Processing of Meat Animals Act' (act) by: Extending the act for 5 years; and Authorizing custom meat processors licensed under the act to sell poultry to retail food establishments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

The bill permits each member of the general assembly to employ one full-time legislative aide to assist the member with his or her legislative duties and functions. With the exception of a constituent or legislative stakeholder meeting with a legislator, a legislative aide is required to perform all of his or her work at the capitol complex facilities. The executive committee of the legislative council is required to establish the annual salaries for legislative aides that are not less than $28,000, adjusted for inflation. The general assembly shall annually appropriate money that is sufficient for each member of the general assembly to employ a full-time legislative aide. The appropriation must be in a separate line item to the legislative department.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

The bill permits a municipality or county to adopt a local ordinance or resolution regulating the operation of bicycles approaching intersections with stop signs or illuminated red traffic control signals. The ordinance shall not, however, apply to any portion of the state highway system. Under a local regulation, a bicyclist approaching a stop sign must slow to a reasonable speed and, when safe to do so, may proceed through the intersection without stopping. A bicyclist approaching an illuminated red traffic control signal must stop at the intersection and, when safe to do so, may proceed through the intersection. The bill sets the reasonable speed limit at 15 miles per hour. However, a municipality or county may lower the reasonable speed to 10 miles per hour or raise the limit to 20 miles per hour at any individual intersection. If the local government sets a lower or higher reasonable speed limit, the local government must post signage indicating that speed limit at the intersection. If the municipality or county adopts an ordinance or resolution pursuant to the act, it must be consistent with the act. An ordinance adopted before the effective date of the act that similarly regulates bicycles remains valid. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

The bill requires candidates for president and vice president of the United States to file with the secretary of state the candidates' federal income tax return forms for the last 5 completed tax years. Neither the name of any candidate who fails to comply with the filing requirement nor the name of that candidate's running mate shall be printed on the official ballot. The secretary of state is required to publish the tax returns on his or her official website within 7 days of the returns being filed. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More