The bill creates a financial relief program, available from July 1, 2018, through December 31, 2019, to provide financial assistance to individuals and their families who reside in a county within one of the 3 most costly geographic insurance rating areas of the state and who spend more than 20% of their household income on individual health insurance premiums. The Colorado health benefit exchange (exchange) is to oversee the program, and counties may elect to administer the program in their counties. For any county that opts not to administer the program, the exchange is to administer the program in that county. Financial relief is available to individuals and families determined eligible based on the following: The individual or family enrolled in and paid premiums for a bronze, silver, or gold level individual health benefit plan purchased through the exchange; The individual or family has a household income of more than 400%, but not more than 500%, of the federal poverty line; The individual or family does not have access to a government-sponsored program, such as medicaid or medicare, or an affordable employer-sponsored plan; and The individual or family pays more than 20% of the household income on premiums for the plan. The exchange is to certify that an individual or family has enrolled in one of the specified health benefit plans, the premium amount of the plan, the household income of the individual or family, and that the individual or family does not have access to a government-sponsored program or employer-sponsored plan. The amount of financial relief is calculated based on the cost of the premium for the lowest-cost bronze health benefit plan available to the individual or family through the exchange, minus an amount equal to 20% of the individual's or family's household income. The general assembly is to appropriate not more than $6 million from the general fund to provide financial assistance to individuals who qualify under the program. A carrier offering individual health benefit plans on the exchange must permit an individual to purchase an individual health benefit plan on the exchange during a special enrollment period that begins June 1, 2018, and ends August 1, 2018, for plans effective through December 31, 2018. For the 2019 plan year, individuals are subject to the standard open enrollment period specified in law. The program repeals on September 1, 2020, unless congress enacts and the president signs legislation repealing the advance premium tax credit authorized under federal law, in which case the program repeals upon the date of the repeal of said tax credit. $6,000,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of health care policy and financing for use by the exchange, which is commonly referred to as 'Connect for Health Colorado', to implement the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Sponsored bills
Water Resources Review Committee. The bill codifies rules promulgated by the water quality control commission of the Colorado department of public health and environment concerning allowable uses of reclaimed domestic wastewater, which is wastewater that has been treated for subsequent reuses other than drinking water. Section 3 of the bill defines 3 categories of water quality standards for reclaimed domestic wastewater, sets forth the allowable uses for each water quality standard category, and adds marijuana cultivation as an allowable use for reclaimed domestic wastewater. Section 3 also authorizes the commission to establish new categories of water quality standards and to recategorize any use of reclaimed domestic wastewater to a less stringent category of water quality standard. The commission may develop more stringent standards by rule if it determines that existing standards and categories are not protective of public health and identifies a specific health risk posed by the use of reclaimed domestic wastewater under the existing standards. Section 3 also authorizes the water quality control division, after conducting a public stakeholders' process, to develop policy, guidance, or best management practices for use of reclaimed domestic wastewater. Finally, section 3 authorizes the division of administration in the department of public health and environment to grant variances for uses of reclaimed domestic wastewater. Sections 1, 2, and 4 make conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates the 'Diabetes Drug Pricing Transparency Act of 2018'. The state board of health is responsible for implementing the act. Drug manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, insurers, and pharmacies must submit annual reports to the state board regarding prescription insulin drugs used to treat diabetes. The state board analyzes the submitted information and publishes a report. The state board may impose penalties on drug manufacturers or pharmacy benefit managers who do not comply with reporting requirements. Nonprofit organizations advocating for patients with diabetes or funding diabetes medical research that receive contributions from certain diabetes drug manufacturers must annually report those contributions. $287,602 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public health and environment to implement the act. $10,656 of this amount is reappropriated to the department of law for legal services to the department of public health and environment. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill makes it an unfair employment practice for an employer to seek wage or salary history information, including compensation and benefits, about an applicant for employment, unless the employer notifies the applicant of the wage or salary range for the current employment opening or the applicant agrees to discuss his or her wage or salary history. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill adopts the following greenhouse gas emission reduction goals: Statewide greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 26% by 2025 when compared with 2005 levels; and Carbon dioxide emissions from electrical generation, when compared with 2012 levels, should be reduced by 25% by 2025 and by 30% by 2030. The Colorado resiliency and recovery office in the division of local government in the department of local affairs is required to, on an ongoing basis: Collect and analyze data regarding the economic and environmental impacts of not addressing climate change and calculate the economic costs of climate change; Develop a model to estimate the future impacts of climate change on Colorado; Analyze the results of the modeling on regional and Colorado-specific climatic conditions currently and the expected future conditions under a variety of climate change scenarios; Update the Colorado resiliency framework, taking into account the goals, the rules, and the data and analysis; and Develop tools and resources to support locally led climate resilience initiatives. The bill appropriates $432,345 and 1.6 FTE to the department of local affairs for use by the Colorado resiliency and recovery office to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill establishes the Colorado secure savings plan (plan) board of trustees (board) to study the feasibility of creating the Colorado secure savings plan and other appropriate approaches to increase the amount of retirement savings by Colorado's private sector workers. The board consists of the director of the governor's office of state planning and budgeting and 8 additional trustees with certain experience who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. The board is required to conduct the following four analyses or assessments (analyses) within 2 years of the appointment of the board's membership, with an update to certain legislative committees after one year: A detailed market and financial analysis to determine the financial feasibility and effectiveness of creating a retirement savings plan in the form of an automatic enrollment payroll deduction IRA, to be known as the Colorado secure savings plan. The plan would be designed to promote greater retirement savings for private sector employees in a convenient, low-cost, and portable manner. A detailed market and financial analysis to determine the financial feasibility and effectiveness of a small business marketplace plan to increase the number of Colorado businesses that offer retirement savings plans for their employees. The marketplace plan would be voluntary for both employers and employees, open to all employees and employers with fewer than one hundred employees, and administered by the state department of labor and employment. The bill specifies certain duties of the state department of labor in connection with the marketplace plan if it is implemented. An analysis of the effects that greater financial education among Colorado residents would have on increasing their retirement savings; and An analysis of the effects that not increasing Coloradans' retirement savings would have on current and future state and local government expenditures. The board may accept any gifts, grants, and donations, or any money from public or private entities to pay for the costs of the analyses. The board may delay implementation of one or more of the analyses if it does not obtain adequate money to conduct the analyses. If after conducting the analyses the board finds that there are approaches to increasing retirement savings for private-sector employees in a convenient, low-cost, and portable manner that are financially feasible and self-sustaining, the board is required to recommend a plan to implement its findings to the governor and the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates the family and medical leave insurance (FAMLI) program in the division of family and medical leave insurance (division) in the department of labor and employment to provide partial wage-replacement benefits to an eligible individual who takes leave from work to care for a new child or a family member with a serious health condition or who is unable to work due to the individual's own serious health condition. Each employee in the state will pay a premium determined by the director of the division by rule, which premium is based on a percentage of the employee's yearly wages and must not initially exceed .99%. The premiums are deposited into the family and medical leave insurance fund from which family and medical leave benefits are paid to eligible individuals. The director may also impose a solvency surcharge by rule if determined necessary to ensure the soundness of the fund. The division is established as an enterprise, and premiums paid into the fund are not considered state revenues for purposes of the taxpayer's bill of rights (TABOR). (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Current law does not address reliance on perpetual water treatment as the means to minimize impacts to water quality in a reclamation plan for a mining operation. Section 1 of the bill requires most reclamation plans to demonstrate, by substantial evidence, an end date for any water quality treatment necessary to ensure compliance with applicable water quality standards. Current law allows a mining permittee to submit an audited financial statement as proof that the operator has sufficient funds to meet its reclamation liabilities in lieu of a bond or other financial assurance. Section 2 eliminates this self-bonding option and also requires that all reclamation bonds include financial assurances in an amount sufficient to protect water quality, including costs for any necessary treatment and monitoring costs.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Section 1 of the bill disqualifies an internet service provider from receiving money from the high cost support mechanism if the internet service provider engages in any of the following practices: Blocking lawful internet content, applications, services, or devices unless such blocking is conducted in a manner consistent with reasonable network management practices; Engaging in paid prioritization of internet content; Regulating network traffic by throttling bandwidth or otherwise impairing or degrading lawful internet traffic on the basis of internet content, application, service, or use of a device unless such impairment or degradation is conducted in a manner consistent with reasonable network management practices; or Not providing transparency of its reasonable network management practices. Section 1 also requires that, if the public utilities commission, after reviewing any federal agency or federal court decision against an internet service provider, determines that, based on the federal decision, the internet service provider has engaged in any of the practices listed above, the commission shall issue an order requiring the internet service provider to refund any money that the internet service provider received in the prior 24 months from the high cost support mechanism or from any other state support mechanism or other state funding source established to help finance broadband deployment. Section 2 requires the broadband deployment board to periodically review the websites of the federal trade commission and the federal communications commission to determine if either agency issued a decision concerning a broadband deployment grant applicant or recipient. If, upon the board's review of any such agency decision, the board determines based on the federal agency's decision that a grant applicant or recipient has engaged in any of the practices listed above in section 1, the board shall deny the application and inform the public utilities commission about the grant recipient. Section 3 requires the attorney general or the attorney general's designee, in collaboration with the broadband deployment board, to develop guidance for consumers on how to file a complaint with the federal trade commission to allege that an internet service provider has engaged in any of the practices listed above. Section 4 requires a governmental body, when contracting for broadband internet access service, to give a preference to an internet service provider that certifies to the governmental body that it will not engage in any of the practices listed above in section 1.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Water Resources Review Committee. Section 3 of the bill updates a legislative declaration concerning aquatic nuisance species to encourage the federal government to dedicate sufficient funding and resources to the detection, prevention, control, and eradication of aquatic nuisance species for federally owned or managed aquatic resources and water infrastructure in Colorado. Section 4 defines 'motorboat' and 'sailboat'. Section 5 authorizes the division of parks and wildlife (division) to seek reimbursement from a conveyance owner (i.e., motor vehicles, trailers, and watercraft) for the storage and decontamination of a conveyance that has been impounded and quarantined due to the suspected presence of an aquatic nuisance species. Section 6 requires an in-state resident registering a motorboat or sailboat in Colorado for use on or after January 1, 2019, to pay a $25 fee for an aquatic nuisance species stamp in addition to the watercraft registration fee. A nonresident using a motorboat or sailboat in waters of the state on or after January 1, 2019, is required to pay a $50 fee for an aquatic nuisance species stamp. Section 7 increases penalties related to aquatic nuisance species and creates new penalties for failing to purchase an aquatic nuisance species stamp; failing to comply with a qualified peace officer's or an authorized agent's request to stop, detain, and inspect a vessel; and launching a vessel without first obtaining a vessel inspection at an aquatic nuisance species check station. Section 8 combines the division of parks and outdoor recreation aquatic nuisance species fund and the division of wildlife aquatic nuisance species fund into a single fund: The division of parks and wildlife aquatic nuisance species fund. Sections 1, 2, 9, and 10 make conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More