Sen. Larry Crowder

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Under current law, when an employee or manager of a retail business applies for an occupational license, the person must be a Colorado resident on the date of his or her application. The bill gives the state licensing authority the ability to create an exemption to the residency requirement for a person applying for an occupational license for participation in a marijuana-based workforce development or education program if the person files an affirmation that he or she is participating in a program that requires access to licensed premises. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Under current law, for some clients, home health services under the medicaid program may only be provided in the client's residence. The bill removes the location restriction for home health services to comply with changes to federal medicaid rules that allow for services to be delivered in the community as well as the residence. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill requires that if certain licensed securities professionals (qualified individuals), while acting within the scope of their employment, reasonably suspect that an elderly or at-risk person is the subject of financial exploitation, the broker-dealer or investment adviser shall report the suspected financial exploitation to the commissioner of securities (commissioner). The commissioner is required to forward the report to local law enforcement and to the county department of human or social services. The commissioner has access to records to conduct an investigation, but the records are not subject to an open records request. The bill also authorizes the qualified individual to notify any third party designated by or associated with the elderly or at-risk person of any suspected financial exploitation. It also authorizes the broker-dealer or investment adviser to delay disbursement of a transaction that might result in financial exploitation. The bill provides immunity to qualified individuals, broker-dealers, and investment advisers making reports, disclosures, or delaying disbursements under the bill. For qualified individuals who are also required to report mistreatment of an elderly or at-risk person pursuant to the 'Colorado Criminal Code' (code), the bill clarifies that, if the individual makes a report pursuant to the code, the individual does not have to submit a report with the commissioner, and that filing a report with the commissioner does not satisfy the individual's obligation pursuant to the code. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Interim Study Committee on Communication Between the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and Medicaid Clients. The bill requires the department of health care policy and financing (department) to engage in an ongoing process to improve medicaid client communications, including client letters and notices, that concern eligibility for or the denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of a benefit. Among other requirements included in the bill, the department shall ensure that client communications are accurate, readable, and understandable, clearly conveying the purpose of the letter or notice and the specific action or actions that the client must take in response to the letter or notice. The bill requires the department to include in certain notices a specific and plain language explanation of the basis for the denial, reduction, suspension, or termination of a benefit; and a description of necessary information or documents that the client has not provided. If sufficient state and federal appropriations are available, on and after July 1, 2018, the department shall make available electronically a client's information concerning household composition, assets, and income sources and amounts, if relevant to the determination for which the client correspondence was issued. The department may test new or significantly revised client communications against the requirements included in the bill with a representative sample of medicaid clients, advocacy organizations, and counties prior to implementing the client communications. The department shall also develop a process to consider feedback from stakeholders and counties prior to implementing significant changes to correspondence. The department shall also ensure that letters and notices affecting clients with disabilities, seniors, and other vulnerable populations are appropriately prioritized for improvement consistent with the requirements in the bill. The department shall receive feedback from the workgroup established to provide customer and community partner feedback regarding client communications as part of the department's involvement in state-level decision-making relating to computer system changes and training. The department shall provide information concerning medicaid client communications improvements as part of its annual presentation to its legislative committee of reference. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill requires the department of health care policy and financing, with assistance from the department of human services' office of behavioral health, to prepare a written report for committees of the general assembly relating to residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment options under the medicaid program, the cost of treatment, and the potential impact on other state and county programs and services if residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment options were effective. The departments' report shall also include recommendations relating to the implementation of residential and inpatient substance use disorder treatment, better coordination of substance use disorder services among state agencies, and necessary changes to state law to implement treatment. The bill authorizes the department of health care policy and financing to access the prescription drug use monitoring program data to identify clients who may be at-risk of opioid overdose or who may benefit from increased care coordination. The bill makes an appropriation. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Sunset Process - Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the sunset review and report on the Colorado board of veterans affairs by eliminating the repeal date of the board and extending the board indefinitely.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Current law authorizes a county to propose a county public safety improvements tax by submitting a ballot question to the voters of the county at a general election only. The bill authorizes a county to also submit such a ballot question at a biennial county election or an election held in November of an odd-numbered year. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill replaces the existing southwest chief rail line economic development, rural tourism, and infrastructure repair and maintenance commission (old commission), the current statutory authorization for which expires on July 1, 2017, with an expanded southwest chief and front range passenger rail commission (new commission). The new commission must: Assume the old commission's powers and duties and its mission of preserving existing Amtrak southwest chief rail line service in the state, extending such service to Pueblo, and exploring the benefits of extending such service to Walsenburg; and Facilitate the future of front range passenger rail and specifically develop and present by December 1, 2017, to the local government committees of the house of representatives and the senate, draft legislation to facilitate the development of a front range passenger rail system that provides passenger rail service in and along the interstate 25 corridor.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)