Sen. Dylan Roberts

The act creates the streamlined solar permitting and inspection grant program (program) in the Colorado energy office (office), which will grant money to local governments to implement free automated permitting and inspection software for residential solar projects. To fund the program, the act creates the streamlined solar permitting and inspection cash fund (fund), which is annually appropriated to the office, and appropriates $992,709 from the general fund to the fund for fiscal year 2023-24. The act requires the office to administer the program by developing procedures to award money to applicants, establishing a process for applicants to apply for money, requiring applicants to demonstrate expected costs to implement the automated permitting and inspection software, and beginning to approve applicants no later than June 30, 2024. A grantee is encouraged to implement the free automated permitting software within 180 days of receipt of grant money. Grantees are required to report to the office the implementation status of the free automated permitting software one year after being granted the money, and are encouraged to voluntarily report the same information each year thereafter for 4 years. The office is required to report to the house of representatives energy and environment committee, the senate transportation committee, and the joint budget committee the progress of the grant program yearly beginning on January 1, 2025, and continuing until the repeal of the program on July 1, 2034, or until 5 years after the last grant is awarded, whichever comes first. APPROVED by Governor May 11, 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 changes to the "Colorado Standardized Health Benefit Plan Act" to require the Colorado health benefit exchange (exchange), in collaboration with the commissioner of insurance (commissioner), and after a stakeholder engagement process with consumers, producers, and insurance carriers (carriers), to develop a format for displaying the standardized health benefit plans (standardized plans) on the exchange. The act requires carriers to file with the commissioner insurance rates for the standardized plans that comply with the premium rates specified in law for the standardized plans. The act allows the commissioner to establish uniform limits on carriers' administrative costs and profits for standardized plans. Under the act, if a carrier is unable to offer the standardized plan at the required premium rates: The carrier must provide relevant information concerning the steps the carrier will take to meet the requirements, along with supporting documentation; and The division of insurance may hold a public hearing, pursuant to notice by the commissioner and in a manner specified by rules promulgated by the commissioner, prior to the approval of the carrier's final rates. APPROVED by Governor May 10, 2023 EFFECTIVE May 10, 2023 (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.)

Current law requires an electric retail utility (utility) to offer a net metering credit as the means of purchasing output from a community solar garden (CSG) located within the utility's service territory and establishes the means of calculating the net metering credit. The act maintains that calculation if the CSG indicates to the utility that the CSG's subscribers' bill credits change annually. However, if the CSG indicates to the utility that the CSG's subscribers' bill credits remain fixed, the act provides a different calculation for determining the net metering credit. The public utilities commission shall allow a utility to recover costs incurred in implementing and maintaining the net metering credit billing systems. APPROVED by Governor April 17, 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 adds information to the department of higher education's current annual reporting requirement as it relates to Colorado scholars. Current law limits the number of Colorado scholars that each institution counts in an academic year to 8% of the total number of in-state students. The act increases that limit to 15%. The act requires a peace corps volunteer to be classified as an in-state student for tuition purposes if the student was certified by the director of the peace corps as having served satisfactorily as a peace corps volunteer. A peace corps volunteer who is classified as an in-state student must not be counted as a resident student for any purpose other than tuition classification. APPROVED by Governor April 11, 2023 EFFECTIVE April 11, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Starting December 31, 2023, the act requires each entity described below to label packages of premoistened, nonwoven disposable wipes (covered product) with the phrase "Do Not Flush": A manufacturer of a covered product that is sold or offered for sale in this state; and A wholesaler, supplier, or retailer that is responsible for the labeling or packaging of a covered product. The act outlines the parameters to which the labeling must adhere in order to comply with state and federal requirements, as applicable, and specifies that a violation of the requirements of the act is a deceptive trade practice under the "Colorado Consumer Protection Act". APPROVED by Governor April 11, 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 creates an additional exception to the general prohibition on advance payment in the state's fiscal rule by directing the controller to promulgate rules providing for advance payment for the purchase of state agricultural products by a charitable food organization using state grant money. APPROVED by Governor March 31, 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 high cost support mechanism provides high cost support funding to telecommunications and broadband service providers that provide service in high-cost areas of the state. The high cost support mechanism was scheduled to conclude on December 1, 2023. The act continues support funding from the high cost support mechanism to 12 rural telecommunications providers in Colorado until September 1, 2024. The date aligns with the department of regulatory agencies' 2023 sunset review of the high cost support mechanism and the final determination of the high cost support mechanism by the general assembly in 2024. APPROVED by Governor March 23, 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 expands the scope of the Colorado agricultural future loan program by amending the following definitions as follows: Includes in the definition of "eligible business" entities that will be in operation in the near future; Includes in the definition of "eligible farmer or rancher" farmers and ranchers that will own or operate a farm or ranch; and Includes in the definition of "farm-to-market infrastructure loan" the development or manufacturing of technology designed to benefit farmers and ranchers. The act also removes the repeal of the loan program. APPROVED by Governor March 22, 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.)