Current law provides whistleblower protections for workers who raise a reasonable concern about health or safety related to a public health emergency. The act expands the protection to all health and safety concerns regardless of whether there is a declared public health emergency. To implement the act, the act appropriates: $417,629 to the department of labor and employment, of which $386,579 is for use by the division of labor standards and statistics and $31,050 is for the purchase of legal services; $228,499 to the department of personnel, of which $125,000 is for use by the division of human resources for liability claims and $103,499 is for the purchase of legal services; and $134,549 to the department of law, reappropriated from the department of labor and employment and the department of personnel.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The act directs the division of housing in the department of local affairs (division) to award a grant to a local government in the Denver metropolitan area or a community partner in conjunction with a local government in order to build or acquire, and then facilitate, a regional navigation campus to respond to and prevent homelessness. The act requires the division, in collaboration with the department of human services and the behavioral health administration in the department of human services, to establish application requirements, review applications, select a grant recipient, and ensure the grant is only awarded after a fair and rigorous open competition among eligible applicants. The act creates the regional navigation campus cash fund (cash fund) and requires the state treasurer to transfer $50 million from the economic recovery and relief cash fund to the regional navigation campus cash fund on July 1, 2022. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $44,557 to the department of human services for use by the behavioral health administration from the funds transferred to the cash fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
On or before January 4, 2023, the act requires the executive director of the department of revenue to submit a report to the general assembly that analyzes the feasibility of regulating kratom products, kratom processors, and kratom retailers. Effective July 1, 2024, the act prohibits a person from: Knowingly preparing, distributing, advertising, selling, or offering to sell a kratom product that is adulterated with fentanyl or any other controlled substance; Selling a kratom product that does not have a label that sets forth the identity and address of the manufacturer and the full list of ingredients in the kratom product; Knowingly preparing, distributing, advertising, selling, or offering to sell a kratom product to a person under 21 years of age; or Displaying or storing a kratom product in a retail location in a manner that would allow the product to be accessed by individuals under 21 years of age. The act creates a civil infraction for: Giving, selling, distributing, dispensing, or offering to sell a kratom product to individuals under 21 years of age; or Failing to request a government-issued photographic identification that establishes that an individual is over 21 years of age prior to giving, selling, distributing, dispensing, or offering to sell a kratom product to the individual. A person who commits either civil infraction is subject to a fine of $200. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the state treasurer to transfer $8,435,000 from the general fund to the department of state cash fund on July 1, 2022, for use by the department of state to offset the costs of reducing certain of the secretary of state's business-related fees during state fiscal year 2022-23. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The workforce diploma pilot program was established in 2019 as a pilot program scheduled to repeal on July 1, 2022. The bill continues the pilot program indefinitely as the workforce diploma program (program). The bill requires the department of education to annually adjust the amounts paid to qualified providers under the program in accordance with the corresponding percentage change in the consumer price index. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The act implements the recommendation of the department of regulatory agencies, as specified in the department's sunset review of the authority of the director of the division of workers' compensation to impose fines on an employer for a subsequent failure to carry workers' compensation insurance within 7 years after an initial failure to carry the required insurance, by continuing the director's authority for 11 years, until September 1, 2033. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act forbids anyone selling or renting a dwelling from discriminating against an individual based on their veteran or military status. The act forbids anyone from refusing to negotiate for housing with an individual on the basis of their veteran or military status or otherwise denying or withholding housing on the basis of an individual's veteran or military status. For purposes of the act, an individual who was dishonorably discharged from military service does not have veteran or military status. The act allows inquiries regarding an individual's veteran or military status to the extent necessary to determine if the individual is eligible for a benefit offered to veterans or members of the military. The act also permits the advertisement of veteran or military housing or any other veteran or military housing benefit. The act permits adherence to federal regulations governing veterans affairs benefits. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits a person from openly carrying a firearm within any polling location or central count facility, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building in which a polling location or central count facility is located, while an election or any related ongoing election administration activity is in progress. The designated election official responsible for any central count facility, polling location, or drop box involved in that election cycle shall visibly place a sign notifying persons of the 100-foot no open carry zone for firearms. Exceptions are made for persons who own private property within the 100-foot buffer zone to carry a firearm on the private property; peace officers acting within the scope and authority of their duties to carry a firearm; and uniformed security guards employed by a contract security agency acting within the scope of the authority granted by and in the performance of a contractual agreement for the provision of security services with a person or entity that owns or controls the facility, building, or location. Openly carrying a firearm inside or within 100 feet of a polling location, central count facility, or drop box is a misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine, up to 364 days imprisonment in the county jail, or both; except that, for a first offense, the fine shall not exceed $250 and the sentence of imprisonment shall not exceed 120 days. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the state apprenticeship agency (SAA) in the department of labor and employment (department) and specifies that it exercises its powers, duties, and functions, including rule-making, regulation, licensing, and registration, the promulgation of rates and standards, and the rendering of findings, orders, and adjudications, independently of the executive director of the department. The executive director of the department is required to appoint the director of the SAA. The purpose of the SAA is to:Serve as the primary point of contact with the United States department of labor's office of apprenticeship concerning apprentices and registered apprenticeship programs; Accelerate new apprenticeship program growth and assist in promotion and development; and Oversee apprenticeship programs, including registration, required standards for registration, certification, quality assurance, record-keeping, compliance with federal laws and standards, and provision of administrative and technical assistance. The director of the SAA is authorized to promulgate rules to implement the state apprenticeship registration program.The director of the SAA is required to establish the state apprenticeship council (SAC) and an interagency advisory committee (IAC) on apprenticeship. The governor and the director of the SAA appoint the members of the state apprenticeship council and the interagency advisory committee.The SAC is charged with overseeing registered apprenticeship programs for the building and construction trades in this state and ensuring compliance with state and federal laws and standards. The IAC is charged with the same responsibilities for all other apprenticeships not in the building and construction trades. Both entities are charged with:Registering with and maintaining the standards of the United States department of labor's office of apprenticeship and developing standards for registration for their respective apprenticeship programs; Resolving conflicts and complaints that arise between parties to apprenticeship agreements; Reviewing apprenticeship program performance; Making recommendations concerning apprenticeship programs to the director of the state apprenticeship agency; Providing technical and professional guidance and promoting best practices; Developing administrative policies to ensure safety and quality standards; Providing an annual report to the executive director of the department of labor and employment; and Advising the SAA concerning their assigned functions and formulating policies for their respective industries. The act establishes a joint resolution committee of the state apprenticeship council and the interagency advisory committee to resolve conflicts between the 2 entities and to define their respective jurisdictions.Additionally, the act requires the state apprenticeship agency to accept applications for registration of apprenticeship programs beginning July 1, 2023. The state apprenticeship agency may deregister an apprenticeship program for noncompliance with the requirements in the act. The state apprenticeship agency shall conduct a hearing upon request of the SAC or the IAC regarding issues of noncompliance and deregistration.The apprenticeship program is repealed, effective September 1, 2029, after a review of the director's functions is performed.To implement this act, $485,249 is appropriated to the department of labor and employment for use by the SAA. From this amount $85,072 is appropriated to the department of law, and $78,598 is appropriated to the office of the governor.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)