Under existing law, each local education provider must administer the state assessments in math and English language arts to ninth-grade students and must administer a state-selected assessment to tenth-grade students. The bill repeals the requirement to administer the state assessment to ninth-grade students. Instead, local education providers must administer a state-selected ninth-grade assessment that is aligned with the ninth-grade content standards and the assessment administered to tenth-grade students. The department of education must ensure that, under the testing schedule, ninth-grade students take the state-selected assessment in the spring semester. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
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The bill creates the reserve academy grant program to provide a one-time grant to a political subdivision of the state that is comprised of multiple participating jurisdictions and that is formed for the purpose of funding a reserve peace officer academy that will train and certify a shared reserve peace officer auxiliary group. The division of homeland security and emergency management (division) will administer the grant program. The division may accept gifts, grants, and donations to use towards the grant program. The division shall consider the following criteria in awarding the grant: Existing access to start-up capital; The capacity to serve communities statewide; and The ability to assist law enforcement agencies in times of need. The bill appropriates $814,834 to the department of public safety from the marijuana tax cash fund to implement the bill. $800,000 is for the grant award and $14,834 is for personal services to administer the grant program. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates a legislative interim committee to study school finance issues and make legislative recommendations concerning how to most accurately meet the educational needs of students through the funding of education in Colorado. The interim committee will meet during the 2017 and 2018 legislative interims. The bill specifies issues that the interim committee must study. The interim committee is required to contract with a private entity to assist in the study. The chair and vice-chair of the interim committee may appoint subcommittees to provide technical assistance to the interim committee. The subcommittees may include members of the interim committee and other persons with expertise in school finance. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Under existing law, one of the performance indicators for determining the level of performance of a public high school, a school district, the state charter school institute (institute), or the state is the degree to which high school graduates demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness. The performance indicator is currently measured by the high school's graduation and dropout rates; the percentage of high school graduates who receive a diploma with a postsecondary and workforce readiness endorsement; students' scores on the state assessments administered in grades 9 through 11, including the achievement college entrance exam; and the percentages of students who graduate and matriculate in the next school year into a postsecondary education option. The bill adds as an additional measure for determining attainment of the postsecondary and workforce indicator the percentage of students enrolled in high school who demonstrate college and career readiness, based on the demonstration options available to the students enrolled in each public high school, at a level that indicates that the student is prepared to enroll in postsecondary general education core courses in reading, writing, and math without needing remediation. The bill defines the demonstration options as those adopted by the state board of education in adopting the high school graduation guidelines. The state board must set achievement standards for each demonstration option that indicate the minimum achievement level required for high school graduation and a higher achievement level that indicates that the student is prepared to enroll in postsecondary general education core courses in reading, writing, and math without needing remediation. The bill requires each school district and the institute to report to the department of education the graduation requirements that the school district, each charter high school of the school district, and each institute charter high school adopts, including the options available to high school students for demonstrating college and career readiness. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Currently, under the Colorado rules of civil procedure, a party may file a motion and affidavit to disqualify a judge for specified reasons. The bill establishes a process for an automatic interlocutory appeal if the motion: Is supported by an affidavit stating facts establishing grounds for disqualification; and Is filed within 21 days after the assignment of the judge or the appearance of a party giving rise to the basis for disqualification. For the interlocutory appeal of an order denying the motion, a petition for review must be filed within 7 days after the order. The bill directs the Colorado supreme court to promulgate rules concerning the interlocutory appeal. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The department of human services licenses addiction programs that compound, administer, or dispense a controlled substance. The bill adds a fingerprint-based criminal background check for license applicants. Applicants must also submit to the department information on programs operated in other states and any regulatory action taken by another state against the applicant. The department must facilitate posting on a public website licensee locations, hours, and contact information. The department must report in writing to the general assembly by January 1, 2019, the program name, location, license type, license status, license expiration date, and contact information of all licensees. These requirements are repealed on September 1, 2019, to coincide with the scheduled sunset of the act. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The resolution makes the following changes regarding the operations of the general assembly: Decreases the maximum length of regular sessions of the general assembly from 120 calendar days to 90 calendar days in even-numbered years and 60 calendar days in odd-numbered years; Requires a biennial budget session to be held in every even-numbered year; Limits the number of bills that a member of the general assembly may introduce to 2 bills in any regular session of the general assembly, excluding bills for appropriations and bills recommended by legislative committees; Limits the number of resolutions that a member of the general assembly may introduce to 2 resolutions in any regular session of the general assembly. This includes resolutions, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions, but excludes resolutions on the question of adjournment or relating solely to the transaction of business between the 2 houses. Allows both houses of the general assembly to create a restrictive process to authorize an exemption from the specified bill and resolution limits; Beginning with the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020, implements a biennial state budget cycle and specifies how the general assembly will apply existing constitutional requirements to the biennial budget process; and Establishes the process for consideration of a general appropriation bill.(Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as introduced.)
Under current law, a judge may issue an ex parte order authorizing the interception of certain communications if there is probable cause to believe that evidence of a crime that is on the statutory list will be obtained. The bill adds to the list of crimes human trafficking for involuntary servitude and for sexual servitude. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill identifies a school district that is accredited with priority improvement plan or accredited with turnaround plan for 5 consecutive school years as a chronically low-performing school district. A chronically low-performing school district must establish a parent choice program under which it creates a parent choice account for the parent of each student who resides within and is enrolled in the school district. The school district must deposit into each account the per-pupil amount of the state share of total program and the per-pupil share of categorical program funding, as applicable to the student, that the school district receives for the school year and may deposit the per-pupil amount of the local share of total program that the school district collects for the school year. If the school district does not deposit the per-pupil amount of the local share, it is not authorized to collect property tax for that school year, but the state share is calculated as if the school district collected the property tax. A parent may withdraw money from his or her account only to purchase educational services for the parent's child. Educational services include enrolling the child in certain public schools, including online schools, of a school district other than the chronically low-performing school district or in certain institute charter schools. A parent may also choose to enroll his or her student in a public school of the chronically low-performing school district, in which case the school district is not required to deposit money in the parent's account while the student is enrolled in the public school. The parent may change educational services or public schools at any time during the school year. The school district must adopt procedures by which a parent may withdraw money from his or her account and by which he or she must report to the school district how the money is used. If a parent misuses money from the account, the parent must reimburse the money to the school district. If a parent misuses money 2 times in a school year, the school district will stop depositing money into the account and notify the parent that he or she may enroll the student in a school of the school district. A parent who disputes the accounting may appeal to the school district board of education and, if dissatisfied with the board's decision, to the state board of education. The school district must operate the parent choice program until the school district achieves the status of accredited or higher. While operating the program, the school district continues to be subject to school district accountability requirements, including ensuring that the students enrolled in the school district participate in state assessments, and is held accountable for the academic performance of students who are enrolled in the school district, regardless of whether the students are enrolled in schools of the school district. Each chronically low-performing school district is deemed to be a school district of innovation. It must submit an innovation plan to the state board of education and may exercise the powers that are provided to school districts of innovation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
To withdraw groundwater within a designated basin, current law requires a permit issued by the ground water commission, and typically a portion of the groundwater must be replaced. The bill exempts a drain from the permit and replacement obligations if the drain is for residential, commercial, or industrial development or utility lines installed to serve such development; the drain does not penetrate a confining layer; the removed groundwater is not put to any use other than collecting and removing groundwater from soils; and the removed groundwater is discharged essentially where the drain is located. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)