Subject to the limitations in state and federal law and state or local public health orders, the act specifies that a patient or resident of a hospital, a nursing care facility, or an assisted living residence (collectively referred to as "health-care facility") may have at least one visitor of the patient's or resident's choosing during the stay or residency. A health-care facility is required to have written policies and procedures that are consistent with state and federal law regarding the visitation rights of patients and residents, including policies and procedures setting forth any necessary or reasonable restriction or limitation to ensure the health and safety of patients, staff, or visitors that the health-care facility may need to place on patient and resident visitation rights and the reasons for the restriction or limitation. The act allows a health-care facility to impose specific requirements on visitors during a period when the risk of transmission of a communicable disease is heightened, including the requirement to wear medical masks or other protective equipment and be screened or tested for a communicable disease. A health-care facility may impose visitation restrictions for a patient or resident with a communicable disease who is isolated. $45,409 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public health and environment for use by the health facilities and emergency medical services division for the nursing and acute care facility survey. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The Colorado constitution allows a qualifying senior or a veteran who has a service-connected disability rated as a 100% permanent disability to claim a property tax exemption for 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value of the qualifying senior's or veteran's owner-occupied primary residence. The concurrent resolution extends eligibility for the exemption to the surviving spouse of a United States armed forces service member who died in the line of duty or veteran whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease as determined by the United States department of veterans affairs, if the surviving spouse is a recipient of dependency indemnity compensation awarded by the United States department of veterans affairs pursuant to applicable federal law. (Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as adopted.)
The act creates the Colorado career advisor training program in the department of education to provide training programs and courses to Colorado career advisors. The department of education, in coordination with the department of higher education, department of labor and employment, Colorado workforce development council, and the Colorado community college system, administers the program. The act appropriates $1 million from the general fund to the department of education. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
With regard to health-care services, section 1 of starting January 1, 2024, the bill requires a health insurance carrier (carrier) or private utilization review organization (organization) , as applicable, to offer a qualified provider with at least a 95% approval rate of prior authorization requests over the prior 12 months an alternative to prior authorization requirements, including an exemption from the requirements or incentive awards or other innovative programs to reward provider compliance designed by the carrier or organization that reduce patient wait times or administrative burdens to receiving the requested health-care service . To be a "qualified provider", a provider must: Be, and have been continuously for at least the immediately preceding 12 months, a participating provider; and Have, over the immediately preceding 12 months: At least a 95% approval rate on prior authorization requests submitted for the same health-care service; and submitted at least 24 prior authorization requests for the same health-care service. A carrier or organization is required to inform a provider of the provider's status as a qualified provider and, at least annually, to reevaluate whether a provider satisfies the requirements of a qualified provider.With regard to drug benefits, section 2 requires a carrier or pharmacy benefit management firm, as applicable, to offer the same types of alternatives to prior authorization requirements to a provider who has at least a 95% approval rate of prior authorization requests over the prior 12 months. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The act prohibits a common interest community's unit owners' association from regulating the use of a public right-of-way. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
For the purposes of determining state taxable income and calculating state income tax for taxpayers who claim the standard deduction allowed under section 63 (c) of the internal revenue code, the bill subtracts an amount from the taxpayer's federal taxable income equal to the standard deduction claimed by the taxpayer not adjusted pursuant to section 63 (c)(4) or (c)(7)(B)(ii) of the internal revenue code multiplied by the combination of: The percentage change in the United States department of labor's bureau of labor statistics consumer price index for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood for all items paid by all urban consumers, or its applicable predecessor or successor index, (CPI) in the most recent year compared to 2017; and Twenty thousandths of a percent for every percent that the United States department of labor's bureau of labor statistics motor fuel index, or its applicable predecessor or successor index, exceeds the increase in CPI since 2017. The subtraction is only allowed for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2023. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill requires each health-care facility to permit patients and residents in the health-care facility to receive visitors to the fullest extent permitted under the least restrictive of any applicable state laws or local ordinances. The bill authorizes the department of public health and environment (department) to issue a warning to a health-care facility if the department finds that the health-care facility has violated an applicable state law or local ordinance. The department may fine the health-care facility for a violation of the state law or local ordinance. If circumstances require the complete closure of a health-care facility to visitors, the health-care facility is required to use its best efforts to develop alternate visitation protocols that would allow visitation to the greatest extent and as safely as possible. A health-care facility is required to provide notice of its patient and resident visitation rights and to allow compassionate care visits. Notwithstanding other provisions of law to the contrary, each health-care facility is required to allow compassionate care visits if specific circumstances apply. A health-care facility may require compassionate care visitors to pass a health screening and wear personal protective equipment. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, the bill requires each school district, each board of cooperative services that operates a public school, and each charter school (local education provider) to post on its website: A list of the educational materials that the local education provider uses for each grade, subject, and course; A copy of each survey, nonacademic assessment, analysis, and evaluation distributed to students; A list of the devices, programs, and software that the local education provider uses that collect student biometric data; and Information concerning the professional development requirements for educators whom the local education provider employs. A local education provider may adopt a policy concerning the teaching of controversial issues. At a minimum, the policy must include procedures for reporting policy violations, and the local education provider must post the policy on its website. Upon request, a local education provider must provide a copy of an item on the educational materials list to the parents of enrolled students. The local education provider shall not impose a nondisclosure requirement on a parent. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)