The bill authorizes the state treasurer to invest state money in securities issued by a sovereign, national, or supranational entity that are rated at least investment grade by a nationally recognized rating organization. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill establishes in the office of the state court administrator (office) a statewide behavioral health court liaison program (program). The purpose of the program is to identify and dedicate local behavioral health professionals as court liaisons (court liaisons) in each state judicial district to facilitate communication and collaboration among judicial, health care, and behavioral health systems. The office shall administer the program and establish procedures, timelines, and funding guidelines for the program. Program funding must be allocated to judicial districts based on case volume, geographical complexity, and density of need. Specific duties of the court liaisons are outlined, as well as reporting requirements. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Joint Budget Committee. For providers under the Colorado child care assistance program (CCCAP), the bill requires the state department of human services (department), in consultation with the counties, annually to contract for a market rate study of provider rates for each county. Based on the market rate study and each county's percentage of the total number of children eligible to participate in CCCAP, the department establishes the amount of each county's block grant. The bill allows the department to adjust a county's block grant amount based upon rules promulgated by the department. Under current law, a county is permitted to determine the percentage of the federal poverty level for eligibility in CCCAP for that county. The bill sets the federal poverty level for all counties at 185% but allows the state board of human services to adjust the percentage by rule if required by federal law. The bill adjusts certain periods of eligibility and removes references to preconditions that have been previously met. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill continues to allow the correctional treatment cash fund to be used to provide treatment for persons with mental and behavioral health disorders who are being served through the jail-based behavioral health services program (program). The program is housed in the office of behavioral health (office). The purpose of the program is to provide adequate staff to complete competency and behavioral health screenings, prescribe psychiatric medications as necessary, and provide mental health counseling, substance use disorder treatment, and transitional care coordination; train jail staff on behavioral health disorders and best practices in working with individuals with mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders; and fund administrative costs to jails participating in the program. The office shall prioritize jails with minimal behavioral health services, including rural and frontier jails. Jails that are participating in the program shall, at a minimum: Screen individuals who are being booked into the facility for various behavioral health issues; Provide adequate and appropriate access to health care and medications; Coordinate services with community behavioral health providers prior to the release of an inmate to ensure continuity of care following his or her release from the jail facility; and Track performance outcome measures for individuals affected by the program.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill requires each state agency to develop a long-range financial plan on or before November 1, 2019, and to update the plan each of the next 4 years thereafter. The department of state, the department of treasury, the department of law, and the judicial branch shall each publish the required components of the plan for their respective state agencies. The office of state planning and budgeting shall publish the required components of the plan in its annual budget instructions for all other state agencies. The state agency is required to submit its long-range financial plan to the joint budget committee, along with its annual budget request, and post the plan on its official website. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Joint Budget Committee. For the fiscal year 2018-19, and each fiscal year thereafter, the bill increases the statutorily required general fund reserve from 6.5% to 7.25% of the amount appropriated for expenditure from the general fund. The bill also repeals the following exceptions from the definition of expenditure that is used to calculate the general fund reserve: Rental and other payments under a lease-purchase agreement for real property included in a separate, operating line item; and Money that the state controller credits from the general fund to the capital construction fund or to the principal of the controlled maintenance trust fund.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Currently, the first $40 million of retail marijuana excise tax revenue annually collected is credited to the public school capital construction assistance fund (assistance fund) for purposes of the 'Building Excellent Schools Today Act' (BEST) and the remainder of the revenue is credited to the state public school fund. For state fiscal years commencing on and after July 1, 2018, sections 1 and 4 of the bill increase the amount of retail marijuana excise tax revenue credited to the assistance fund to the greater of 90% of the revenue annually collected or the first $40 million of such revenue. The remainder of the revenue continues to be credited to the state public school fund. Section 2 increases the maximum total annual amount of lease payments on BEST lease-purchase agreements authorized to be paid with both state money and local matching money to $110 million for the 2018-19 fiscal year and $120 million for the 2019-20 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter. If, for any state fiscal year, the total amount of revenue credited to the assistance fund from all sources during the prior state fiscal year is less than the total amount of all payments due during the state fiscal year on BEST lease-purchase agreements, then section 3 requires the amount of the annual appropriation to fund the state's share of total program funding for all school districts and institute charter schools to be reduced and general fund money made available by the reduction to be transferred to the assistance fund to make up for the shortfall. Section 5 appropriates $34 million from the assistance fund to the department of education for BEST lease-purchase agreement payments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Joint Budget Committee. The bill establishes a task force for transition planning to make recommendations on improvements for the transition of individuals with disabilities who are receiving services and supports in an educational setting to receiving services and supports through home- and community-based services. It specifies membership on the task force and duties including making a report to specified committees of the general assembly.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates up to 4 pilot programs in judicial districts in the state that divert individuals with low-level criminal behavior and a mental health condition to community resources and treatment rather than continued criminal justice involvement (program). The programs must be developed in accordance with the principles and proposed model recommended by the Colorado commission on criminal and juvenile justice, adopted on January 12, 2018.The state court administrator (SCAO) and the Colorado district attorneys' council shall collaborate to identify potential program sites, with the agreement of the elected district attorneys and chief judges in a judicial district. Once a judicial district has been selected as a program site, the chief judge and district attorney for the judicial district shall work collaboratively with interested and necessary participants to decide which courts and counties within the judicial districts are best suited to implement the pilot program. Interested and necessary participants include law enforcement, jail officials, public defenders, judges, pretrial service providers, and local community mental health and behavioral health service providers. The chief judge of a designated program district is responsible for the local implementation of the program, including establishing policies and procedures and facilitating formal agreements that might be required for implementation. The SCAO is responsible for overall program administration, including ensuring that, on or before January 1, 2019, each judicial district implements its own unique program. The mental health criminal justice diversion grant program (grant program) is created within the SCAO. The SCAO shall administer and monitor the grant program, including establishing funding guidelines and acceptable expenses, making specific grant awards, and disbursing grant award money to district attorneys' offices for the implementation of local programs. The program is repealed, effective December 1, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Joint Budget Committee. The bill directs the department of health care policy and financing (department) to provide information to providers participating in the accountable care collaborative regarding: Cost and quality of medical services provided by hospitals and other medicaid providers; and Cost and quality of available pharmaceuticals prescribed by medicaid providers. The department may make the same information available to other medicaid providers. The department shall automatically review claims to identify and correct improper coding prior to payment and may obtain commercial technology to conduct the reviews. The department is authorized to pursue cost-control strategies, value-based payments, and other approaches to reduce the rate of expenditure growth in the medicaid program. The department shall allow recipients, providers, and stakeholders an opportunity to comment and shall report to the joint budget committee prior to implementing any strategies or measures. The department is required to contract for an independent evaluation of any measures pursued and to provide reports to the joint budget committee on the evaluations. Subject to federal approval, the department is also directed to design and implement an evidence-based hospital review program to ensure that utilization of hospital services is based on a recipient's need for care. Prior to implementing any changes, the department shall allow recipients, providers, and stakeholders an opportunity to comment and shall report to the joint budget committee. The department shall also report to the joint budget committee on the estimated savings from the changes. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
