Under Colorado law, a special event permit allows the service of alcohol beverages during special events. The act authorizes a special event permit to be issued to a chamber of commerce. Certain types of business are excluded from participating in the special event. The holder of a retail establishment permit may participate in the special event if the permit holder is not serving complimentary alcohol beverages sold at the same date and time as the special event. The act also requires the executive director of the department of revenue (department) to promulgate rules to authorize age-restricted tobacco festivals by means of a permit issued by the department. Standards are set for the rules. The executive director of the department may establish by rule an application fee for the tobacco festival permit. The application fee must be set at an amount that offsets the direct and indirect cost of implementing and enforcing the tobacco festival permit rules. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act establishes the Black Coloradan racial equity commission (commission) in the legislative department to conduct a study to determine, and make recommendations related to, any historical and ongoing effects of slavery and subsequent systemic racism on Black Coloradans that may be attributed to Colorado state practices, systems, and policies. The study includes historical research conducted by the state historical society (society), commonly known as history Colorado, and an economic analysis conducted by a third party. The society may enter into an agreement with a third-party entity to conduct all or parts of the historical research. The society shall conduct at least 2 community engagement sessions for members of the public to provide input to the society. The society shall provide the commission with quarterly updates about the status of its research. The society is required to submit a report to the commission with the results of its research and any recommendations. The commission shall enter into an agreement with a third party to conduct an economic analysis of the financial impact of systemic racism on historically impacted Black Coloradans utilizing the findings of the society's historical research. The third party shall deliver the results of its economic analysis to the commission. At the conclusion of the study, the commission shall submit a report to the general assembly and the governor about the study and make the report available on a publicly accessible webpage of the general assembly's website. The report must include a description of the study's goals, the results of the historical research and economic analysis, and the commission's recommendations. After the commission submits the report, the commission shall work with any parties necessary to implement the recommendations in the report. The study is contingent upon the commission receiving $785,000 of gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of conducting the study. The act creates the Black Coloradan racial equity study cash fund to accept the gifts, grants, or donations received for the study. The money in the cash fund is continuously appropriated to legislative council for use by the commission and to the society for conducting the historical research. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act: Requires the Colorado civil rights commission to establish certain parameters when receiving reports for maternity care; Adds a midwife to the environmental justice advisory board and the governor's expert emergency epidemic response committee and adds midwifery as a preferred area of expertise for members of the health equity commission; and Requires a health facility that provides maternal health-care services to notify certain individuals at least 90 days before eliminating the services. The act also allows the department of public health and environment (department) to contract with a third-party evaluator to complete the following tasks and make appropriate recommendations: Study closures, consolidations, and acquisitions related to perinatal health-care practices and facilities and perinatal state-designated health professional shortage areas and assets and deficits related to perinatal health and health-care services across the state, not limited to obstetric providers; Identify major outcome categories that the department should track over time and identify risks and opportunities; Explore the effects of practice and facility closures (closures) on maternal and infant health outcomes and experiences; Identify recommendations and best practice guidelines during closures and resultant transfers of care; and Create a health professional shortage area and perinatal health services assets and deficits map. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act overhauls the Colorado child care assistance program (CCCAP). The act simplifies the application process by: Limiting the application requirements to only what is necessary to determine eligibility; Prohibiting counties from adding eligibility requirements; and Requiring recipients to provide only information that has changed when applying for redetermination. Income qualifications are changed to correspond with universal preschool program requirements. A county may exclude state and federal assistance program income eligibility guidelines in eligibility determinations. An employee of a child care provider may apply to the CCCAP and be granted full benefits for children from 6 weeks of age to 13 years of age, regardless of the employee's income. The act directs that child care providers be paid based on enrollment and not on attendance and be paid a weekly rate in advance. Employers are permitted to cover copayments, and copayments are limited to 7% of a family's income. The act authorizes grants and contracts for underserved populations. Starting July 1, 2025, the department shall create a pilot program for unlicensed providers to seek license-exempt status and establishment as an eligible CCCAP provider separate and distinct from the parent-initiated process. A CCCAP recipient is required to engage in an eligible activity to receive benefits. The act includes substance use disorder treatment programs, job training, and education activities as eligible activities. The department of early childhood education, in consultation with the department of public health and environment, shall conduct or contract for a study to determine the feasibility of de-linking eligibility for the federal child and adult care food program from the CCCAP. The act appropriates $100,000 from the general fund to the department of early childhood for the child and adult care food program study. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act extends for an additional 5 years the availability of the state income tax credit allowed to a taxpayer for an approved environmental remediation of contaminated property, through income tax years commencing prior to January 1, 2030. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law identifies bullying behaviors that are subject to school district and charter school discipline policies and reporting requirements. The act adds a pattern of bullying based on a student's weight, height, or body size to the prohibited bullying behaviors. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The temporary youth mental health services program (program), commonly known as "I Matter", is scheduled to repeal on June 30, 2024. The act continues the program until June 30, 2034. Under existing law, the selection of a vendor to create or use an existing online portal to facilitate the program (program vendor) is exempt from the requirements of the state's procurement code. The act repeals the exemption. Existing law requires the state department of human services to report to the general assembly about the program twice each year. The act requires one annual report, due June 30 of each year. The act requires the program vendor to annually deliver to the BHA information and data about the program and requires the BHA to conduct surveys of providers who participate in the program. The act appropriates $5 million from the general fund to the BHA for the program. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act implements the recommendation of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review and report on the veterans assistance grant program (program) by continuing the program for 7 years, until September 1, 2031. The act requires the adjutant general to promulgate rules that set forth criteria and procedures for identifying underserved veteran populations, with the intent to prioritize allocating program money to improve access to services for underserved veterans. The act requires the department of military and veterans affairs to annually report to the general assembly the criteria used to identify underserved veteran populations and how program money was allocated to meet the needs of underserved veterans. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act repeals the following infrequently used tax expenditures: The catastrophic health insurance income tax deduction (sections 2 and 3 of the act); The non-resident disaster relief worker income tax subtraction (sections 4, 5, and 6); The medical savings account income tax deduction (sections 7, 8, 9, and 10); The childcare facility investment income tax credit (section 11); The school to career expenses income tax credit (section 12); The Colorado works program employer income tax credit (section 13); The income tax credit for purchase of uniquely valuable motor vehicle registration numbers (section 14); The low-emitting vehicles and commercial vehicles used in interstate commerce sales and use tax exemptions (sections 15, 16, 17, and 18); The biotechnology sales and use tax refund (sections 19 and 20); The rural broadband equipment sales and use tax refund (section 21); The first time home buyer savings account income tax deduction (sections 22, 23, 24, and 25); The aircraft gasoline and special fuel tax exemption (section 26); and The cigarette and tobacco bad debt tax credit for cigarette and tobacco wholesalers, distributors, and retailers that write off bad cigarette and tobacco tax debts (sections 27 and 28). The act also modifies several tax expenditures as follows: Section 29 of the act eliminates the requirement that the executive director of the department of revenue present the tax profile and expenditure report to the finance committees of the house of representatives and the senate; Section 30 clarifies that the purpose of the college tuition program income tax deduction is to create additional incentives for saving for college tuition not already created by other state or federal law and allows the wildfire mitigation deduction for tax years commencing before January 1, 2025, rather than for tax years commencing before January 1, 2026; Section 31 increases the maximum amount of a health-care preceptor income tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000, allows for a maximum of 3 credits per income tax year, and increases the maximum aggregate amount of the credit awarded to any one taxpayer from $1,000 to $6,000 for any income tax year; Section 32 changes the maximum amount a taxpayer may claim for the wildfire hazard mitigation income tax credit to $1,000 per income tax year for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, but prior to January 1, 2028. Section 33 requires a local government and a nonprofit to file an informational tax return as prescribed by the executive director of the department of revenue (informational tax return) rather than a corporate tax return when claiming an alternative transportation options income tax credit; Section 34 requires a local government and a nonprofit to file an informational tax return when claiming a conservation easement income tax credit; Section 35 requires a local government and a nonprofit to file an informational tax return when claiming an income tax credit for environmental remediation of contaminated land; On and after January 1, 2025, sections 36 and 37 exempt from sales and use tax the sale, storage, usage, or consumption of a modular home or any closed panel system utilized in construction of a factory-built residential structure; Section 38 states that the purpose of the renewable energy source sales and use tax exemption is to create additional incentives for developing renewable energy projects not already created by other state or federal law; Section 39 repeals detailed required reporting for enterprise zone tax credits; Section 40 extends the employer alternative transportation for employees tax credit until January 1, 2027; and Section 41 makes the income tax credit for employer expenditures for alternative transportation options for employees available through the 2026 income tax year, rather then through 2024 income tax year. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act modifies the amount of per diem a member of the general assembly is entitled to for expenses incurred during sessions of the general assembly. Beginning with state fiscal year 2025-26, and for each state fiscal year thereafter, a member who resides within the Denver metropolitan area is entitled to an amount equal to 25% of the federal per diem rate for the city and county of Denver as of October 1 of the calendar year immediately preceding the fiscal year the rate is used in, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar, and a member who does not reside within the Denver metropolitan area is entitled to an amount equal to 90% of that rate, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. The act also creates the independent state elected official pay commission (commission) to set compensation for members of the general assembly, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and the state treasurer (state elected officials). The initial commission will: Be appointed on or before July 31, 2025; Hold its first meeting on or before September 1, 2025; and Submit its report on or before December 15, 2025. The compensation set by the initial commission, unless rejected or modified by the general assembly, will go into effect on January 1, 2027. After a commission submits its report, the commission expires. After the initial commission, subsequent commissions will meet every 4 years after 2025 so that the effective date of future recommendations is in alignment with the election cycle of the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and the state treasurer. A subsequent commission will: Be appointed on or before July 31 of each year in which the commission meets; Hold its first meeting on or before September 1 of each year in which the commission meets; and Submit its report on or before December 15 of each year in which the commission meets. The compensation set by commissions subsequent to the initial commission, unless rejected or modified by the general assembly, will go into effect on January 1 of the first year of each subsequent 4-year gubernatorial term. Additionally, the director of research of the legislative council must annually adjust the compensation levels set by the commission for inflation except in the year in which a commission's recommendations take effect. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the Chicana/o special license plate. An applicant becomes eligible to use the plate by providing a certificate to the department of revenue (department) confirming that the applicant has made a donation to a nonprofit organization (organization) chosen by the department based on the organization's provision of services to the Latin American community. The organization may implement the act by making grants to other organizations that also qualify under the standards of the act. In addition to the standard motor vehicle fees, the plate requires 2 one-time fees of $25. One of the fees is credited to the highway users tax fund and the other to the licensing services cash fund. To implement this act, $14,191 is appropriated to the department. This appropriation consists of $7,562 from the license plate cash fund and $6,629 from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates a process for the establishment of a county revitalization authority (authority). An authority is a corporate body that uses tax increment and private financing to conduct a county revitalization project (project) in a revitalization area in accordance with a county revitalization plan. A county revitalization plan (plan) is a plan for the project. A plan must be: Reviewed by the county planning commission, accompanied by a county revitalization impact report, the subject of a public hearing, and approved by the board of county commissioners (the governing body). Any modifications to the plan must also be approved by the governing body. A plan may provide for tax increment financing. An authority may not undertake a project unless, based on evidence presented at a public hearing, the governing body by resolution has both determined that the area where the authority will undertake the project is a revitalization area and designated the area as appropriate for the project. A revitalization area is an area that, upon the implementation of a plan, could substantially promote the sound growth of the county, improve economic and social conditions, and further the health, safety, and well-being of the public. The creation of an authority may be initiated by the registered electors of a county filing a petition with the governing body or by the governing body adopting a resolution. In either case, there is a public hearing and, after that hearing, the governing body determines whether to create the authority. If a governing body decides to create an authority, the governing body appoints the authority commissioners, except for commissioners who are appointed by and as representatives of special districts that have joined the authority. Any taxing entity, other than the county itself or a school district, that levies taxes in an area that would fall under the plan proposed by an authority may file a petition with the authority requesting to join the authority. The authority shall hold a hearing to determine whether to allow the taxing entity to join the authority. An authority may: Undertake projects; Agree with the county or other relevant public body to plan, replan, zone, or rezone any part of the county or other public body in connection with a project; Make bylaws, orders, rules, and regulations; Make and execute contracts; Acquire property by purchase, lease, option, gift, grant, devise, condemnation, or eminent domain; Dedicate property acquired by the authority for public works, improvements, facilities, utilities, and other purposes; Mortgage, pledge, hypothecate, or otherwise encumber or dispose of its property; Set aside, dedicate, and devote project real property to public uses in accordance with the plan or set aside, dedicate, and transfer real property to an appropriate public body for public uses in accordance with the plan; Sell, lease, or otherwise transfer real property or any interest therein acquired by the authority as part of a project; Insure any of its properties or operations; Invest any of its money in the same manner as a public body; Issue bonds; Borrow money and apply for and accept loans, grants, and contributions; Make appropriations and expenditures of its money; Establish and maintain general, separate, or special funds and bank accounts; and Make reasonable relocation payments to individuals, families, and business concerns situated in the county revitalization area that will be displaced by the authority. An authority does not have any power to levy or assess ad valorem taxes, personal property taxes, or any other forms of taxes, including special assessments against any property. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
