Sen. Rod Pelton

The director of the Colorado energy office or the director's designee (director) is required to conduct studies of electric transmission and advanced energy solutions technologies in rural Colorado. One study must consider ways to assist northwestern and west end of Montrose county, Colorado as it transitions to producing advanced firm dispatchable energy resources. The other study must consider the potential for the development of new energy resources in southeastern Colorado. The act specifies information that the director is required to consider in the studies. On or before July 1, 2025, the director is required to submit the director's findings and conclusions of both studies to the legislative committees of reference with jurisdiction over energy matters and to the just transition office. The act appropriates $50,000 from the just transition cash fund to the office of the governor for use by the Colorado energy office to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law authorizes the inspection, testing, quarantine, condemnation, and destruction of livestock when there is an outbreak of an infectious or contagious disease. The act: Removes the requirement that the inspection, testing, and quarantine of livestock occur pursuant to rules promulgated by the commissioner of agriculture (commissioner); and Changes the appraisal process that is required before livestock may be condemned and destroyed. The act gives the commissioner the authority to investigate all buildings, yards, pens, pastures, and other areas in which any animals are kept, handled, or transported to ensure compliance with the "Livestock Health Act". The commissioner may: Administer oaths and take statements; Issue administrative subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses and the production of all books, memoranda, papers, and other documents, articles, or instruments; and Compel the disclosure by witnesses of all facts known to them that are relevant to the matters under investigation. Under current law, it is an unlawful act to alter or falsify a health certificate issued for the import of livestock into the state. The act makes it an unlawful act to alter or falsify a health certificate issued for the export of livestock out of the state. APPROVED by Governor May 18, 2023 EFFECTIVE May 18, 2023(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act implements the recommendation of the department of regulatory agencies in its sunset review and report on the state noxious weed advisory committee. The act continues the noxious weed advisory committee until September 1, 2034. APPROVED by Governor May 1, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies, as contained in the department's 2022 sunset review of the "Custom Processing of Meat Animals Act", by: Continuing the act for 9 years, to September 2032; Repealing obsolete provisions that concern the use of a stakeholder process to develop poultry labeling requirements; Consolidating statutory provisions imposing civil penalties for a violation into one provision; Standardizing criminal penalties by reducing the penalty for a violation of the act or a rule promulgated under the act from a class 2 misdemeanor with a fine of $750 and up to 364 days imprisonment to a petty offense, which is up to a $300 fine or 10 days in jail; and Directing that civil penalties be credited to the general fund. APPROVED by Governor April 28, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act extends the duration of internships under the agricultural workforce development program from up to 6 months to up to one year. The act also extends the repeal date of the program by 5 years, to July 1, 2029. APPROVED by Governor April 25, 2023 EFFECTIVE April 25, 2023(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The Public Airport Authority Law authorizes a county or a municipality, or a combination of counties and municipalities, to create an airport authority to operate an airport located within the county or municipality or the combination of counties and municipalities. The act modernizes the Public Airport Authority Law by: Clarifying the extent of the power of a county, a municipality, or a combination of counties and municipalities, to terminate an airport authority. The act requires a terminating county, municipality, or combination to assume the terminated authority's outstanding financial and contractual obligations, maintain the airport that the airport authority previously operated, and receive and hold title to the land on which the airport is located. Specifying that members of an airport authority's board of commissioners (board) do not receive compensation for their services, are local government officials, and are subject to the statutory ethics and conflict of interest provisions that apply to local government officials; Clarifying that a member of a board who was appointed to fill a vacancy may be appointed to serve a successive term, and that board meetings are subject to statutory open meetings requirements; Changing the requirement that 60% of board members be present for a quorum to 50%; Clarifying that the majority vote of all members of a board is required for questions involving the inclusion in or exclusion from an airport authority of a municipality or county and for authorizing an expenditure greater than $250,000; Modifying the process by which a board procures contracts, including updating the process for a board to award a contract to the lowest bidder after soliciting an invitation for bids and clarifying that the process to award a contract to the lowest bidder applies only to capital improvement projects and the purchase of new vehicles and equipment; Clarifying an airport authority's powers to remove hazards and encroachments, impose fees on airport users to defray the cost of operating an airport, and regulate commercial activities conducted at an airport; Clarifying that an airport authority must follow local zoning regulations when erecting structures within an airport authority and that an airport authority may invest surplus money in a local government investment pool; Allowing an airport authority to request that a county or municipality within which the airport authority is located levy a tax for the airport authority's benefit or modify or adopt certain local zoning regulations; and Clarifying that tenants or users of an airport that an airport authority operates are not entitled to any of the tax exemptions that apply to airport authorities. APPROVED by Governor April 10, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act makes the following changes regarding county public hospitals: Allows the board of county commissioners of a county with a population of less than 3,000 to determine, by a resolution of the board of county commissioners, that the public hospital board of trustees (hospital board) will consist of 7, rather than 5, citizens at large and specifies the length of the terms of the additional hospital board trustees in a manner that staggers the terms; Authorizes real property to be in the name of either the county or the hospital, rather than only in the name of the county; Clarifies that any indebtedness incurred by a hospital board is an obligation of the hospital board and not an obligation of the board of county commissioners; Specifies that a hospital board needs the approval of the board of county commissioners before incurring indebtedness only if the repayment of the indebtedness is dependent on tax money received for hospital purposes from the board of county commissioners; Allows a hospital board to offer to the general public products and services of any health-care organization, association, partnership, or corporation to the extent that the products and services are consistent with the powers and duties of a county public hospital; and Removes the annual 5% limit on appropriations from a county's general fund for the improvement or enlargement of any public hospital established in the county and also allows such money to be used for the operation of a public hospital. APPROVED by Governor April 3, 2023 EFFECTIVE April 3, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act updates information associated with Prader-Willi syndrome to conform to current laws and regulations. APPROVED by Governor March 31, 2023 EFFECTIVE March 31, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)