The act creates a voluntary recovery-friendly workplace program (program) in the center for health, work, and environment at the Colorado school of public health. The program recognizes and assists employers that implement recovery-friendly policies to help employees in recovery from substance use disorders. The program repeals September 1, 2028. The act creates a grant program in the department of education for schools that: Educate and support students in recovery from substance use or co-occurring disorders, including self-harm and disordered eating; Intend that all students enrolled are working in an active and abstinence-focused program of recovery as determined by the student and the school; and Provide support for families learning how to live with, and provide support for, their teens who are entering into the recovery lifestyle. For purposes of public school financing, the act allows a school district to include in its annual pupil count a student who has transferred to a recovery high school before the pupil count date. The act allows a recovery community organization that receives a grant through the recovery support services grant program to use the money to provide guidance to individuals on the many pathways for recovery. Current law establishes the requirements a facility must meet before operating as a recovery residence. The act requires the behavioral health administration in the department of human services to send a cease-and-desist letter to a recovery residence operating unlawfully. The act declares recovery residences, sober living facilities, and sober homes as residential use of land for zoning purposes. The act requires the liquor enforcement division in the department of revenue to adopt rules related to the location of alcohol beverages displays. Before adopting rules, the division must convene a stakeholder group consisting of recovery providers, individuals representing recovery residences, and individuals representing specified retailers licensed to sell alcohol beverages. To implement the act: $144,321 is appropriated for the 2024-25 state fiscal year from the general fund to the department of education; $303,752 is appropriated for the 2024-25 state fiscal year from the general fund to the department of higher education; $37,980 is appropriated for the 2024-25 state fiscal year from the liquor enforcement division and state licensing authority cash fund to the department of revenue. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The act amends the "Colorado Privacy Act" to add protections for individuals' biometric data by requiring a person that controls or processes one or more biometric identifiers (controller) to adopt a written policy that: Establishes a retention schedule for biometric identifiers and biometric data; Includes a protocol for responding to a data security incident that may compromise the security of biometric identifiers or biometric data; and Includes guidelines that require the deletion of a biometric identifier on or before certain dates. With certain exceptions, a controller must make its written policy available to the public. The act also: Prohibits a controller from collecting a biometric identifier unless the controller first satisfies certain disclosure and consent requirements; Specifies certain prohibited acts and requirements for controllers that process biometric identifiers and biometric data; Requires a controller to disclose to a consumer certain information concerning the collection and use of the consumer's biometric identifier; Restricts an employer's permissible reasons for obtaining an employee's consent for the collection of biometric identifiers; and Authorizes the attorney general to promulgate rules to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE July 1, 2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes 2 principal changes to current firefighter benefit programs. First, the act expands state funding for the firefighter heart and circulatory malfunction benefits program to include part-time and volunteer firefighters. Second, the act provides state funding for the firefighter cancer benefits program for eligible firefighters. The act requires an employer of a covered individual to provide access to specified heart and circulatory malfunction benefits to part-time and volunteer firefighters in addition to full-time firefighters and the employer is reimbursed by the state for providing the benefits. The requirement that an employer provide these benefits becomes voluntary if funding is insufficient. The act requires an employer of an eligible firefighter to participate in a cancer trust for firefighter benefits, but specifies that if funding to reimburse the employer is insufficient, participation in the trust becomes optional. The act also requires an employer to participate in a funded trust to provide cardiovascular screenings, at a minimum, and other health screenings and prevention, as practicable, to peace officers. The trust is reimbursed by the state for providing the benefits, and if funding to reimburse the trust is insufficient, then the requirement for employers to provide the specified program is optional. The general assembly is required to appropriate money from the general fund to the department of local affairs to reduce employer contributions for volunteer and part-time firefighters in the following amounts: $300,000 for state fiscal year 2024-25; 500,000 for state fiscal year 2025-26; 650,000 for state fiscal year 2026-27; and $1,000,000 for state fiscal year 2027-28. In addition, on July 1, 2028, the state treasurer is required to transfer $2,500,000 from the general fund to the firefighter benefits cash fund and to transfer sufficient funds, subject to annual appropriation, on each July 1 thereafter, to reimburse employers for the direct costs of providing the benefits for volunteer and part-time firefighters under the firefighter heart and circulatory malfunction benefits program. The general assembly is required to appropriate money from the general fund to the division of criminal justice in the department of public safety for reimbursing a multiple employer health trust for providing cardiovascular screenings for peace officers in the following amounts: $200,000 for state fiscal year 2024-25; 250,000 for state fiscal year 2025-26; 350,000 for state fiscal year 2026-27; $500,000 for state fiscal year 2027-28; and $1,000,000 for state fiscal year 2028-29. For state fiscal year 2024-25, the act appropriates $300,000 from the general fund to the department of local affairs for use by the division of local government for firefighter heart and circulatory malfunction benefits and $200,000 from the general fund to the department of public safety for use by the division of criminal justice for cardiovascular screenings for peace officers. APPROVED by Governor May 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 29, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the university of Colorado and Colorado state university, in collaboration with the division of administration (division) in the department of public health and environment (department), to: On or before October 1, 2024, start to conduct a feasibility study of the use of green infrastructure, which refers to interconnected networks of green spaces for water quality management solutions that are an alternative to traditional gray infrastructure, which refers to centralized water quality treatment facilities, and the use of green financing mechanisms for water quality management; Complete the feasibility study on or before April 1, 2026; and Establish up to 3 pilot projects in the state to demonstrate the use of green infrastructure and the financing of an alternative compliance program. Each pilot project may be operated for up to 5 years and the universities may provide technical assistance to the operator of a pilot project. On or before November 1, 2026, the division, in coordination with the universities, is required to submit a report and, on or before February 1, 2027, present the report to the water resources and agriculture review committee. The report and presentation must concern the progress of the feasibility study and any pilot projects and on any legislative and administrative recommendations to promote the use of green infrastructure and green financing mechanisms for water quality management in the state. APPROVED by Governor May 24, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act extends the conservation easement oversight commission (commission) and the certified holder program indefinitely. The act replaces a nonvoting member of the commission who represents the great outdoors Colorado trust fund (GOCO) with a voting member who represents GOCO and who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the executive director of GOCO. The act also adds a voting member appointed by the governor who meets the definition of "socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher" as defined in federal law. A conservation easement tax credit (credit) is not available for income tax years commencing after December 31, 2031, except for credits created on or before December 31, 2031, and subsequently transferred or carried over as a credit in other tax years. The cap for the total value of credits that may be claimed by and credited to donors of a conservation easement (easement) in one calendar year is increased from $45 million to $50 million starting in calendar year 2025. Credits filed after the cap is reached are placed in a priority system of allocation based on the date the application for the credit was filed, the completeness of the application, and whether the application is approved. Earlier filed credits take precedence over later filed credits. Credits for easements donated in a prior year are eligible for tax credit certificates in subsequent years in order of application. The act provides that for conservation easements donated on or after January 1, 2027, a taxpayer may claim 80% of the fair market value of the donated portion of the easement. Credits may be issued in increments of no more than $1.5 million per year. The total aggregate amount of the credit that may be refunded to the owners, partners, and shareholders of an entity donating an easement may not exceed $200,000 for income tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. On and after January 1, 2027, the act eliminates the requirement that to claim the credit, the state controller must certify that the amount of state revenues for the fiscal year ending in the income tax year for which the refund is claimed exceeds the limitation on state fiscal year spending for that fiscal year. The act allows an easement granted on or after January 1, 2025, to include a provision that, subject to specified requirements, allows the holder to approve expanded wind or solar energy facilities that are compatible with and do not impair conservation values. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $12,925 is appropriated from the conservation cash fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of conservation. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
For income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, but before January 1, 2033, the bill creates a new refundable state income tax credit for a qualified licensed veterinarian and a registered veterinary technician (veterinary professional) working full-time in an underserved area or under-resourced area (underserved area) and for a buyer of a veterinary practice in an underserved area. The department of agriculture (department) is required to certify tax credits for eligible veterinary professionals and buyers of a veterinary practice in an underserved area in an amount not to exceed, in aggregate, $2 million in any tax year. No later than July 1, 2025, the department is required to promulgate rules for issuing a tax credit certificate to an eligible veterinary professional working full-time in an underserved area and for a buyer of a veterinary practice in an underserved area using the recommendations of an advisory board (board) that consists of 3 licensed veterinarians, 3 registered veterinary technicians, 3 agricultural animal producers, and 3 representatives from animal welfare nonprofits chosen by the commissioner of agriculture. The department must promulgate rules that include criteria for the determination of which geographic areas of the state fall within the definition of an underserved or under-resourced area. The department must also promulgate rules that determine a mechanism to determine the tax credit amount the department is able to certify to an eligible veterinary professional working full-time in an underserved area that is no less than $5,000 and no more than $30,000 and to a buyer of a veterinary practice in an underserved or under-resourced area that is no less than $10,000 and no more than $200,000. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Under current law, all persons have the right to bail pending disposition of charges, with certain exceptions, including an exception for persons charged with capital offenses. The act adds an exception for murder in the first degree when proof is evident or presumption is great. Under current law, in capital cases, each side is entitled to 10 peremptory juror challenges, and if there is more than one defendant, each side is entitled to an additional 3 peremptory challenges for every defendant after the first. The act applies that existing law to cases in which a defendant is charged with murder in the first degree. The act takes effect only if House Concurrent Resolution 24-1002 is approved by the people at the general election to be held November 2024. APPROVED by Governor April 29, 2024 EFFECTIVE Date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The constitution guarantees all persons the right to bail pending disposition of charges, with exceptions for capital offenses and crimes of violence under certain circumstances. The concurrent resolution amends the Colorado constitution to add an exception for the offense of murder in the first degree when proof is evident or presumption is great. (Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as adopted.)
Federal law requires a state to comply with federal requirements regarding effective control, as described in federal law, of outdoor advertising along federal-aid highways (outdoor advertising) or be subject to the loss of 10% of its federal-aid highway funding. State law authorizes the department of transportation (CDOT) to adopt rules governing outdoor advertising but also, to ensure that the state does not lose any federal-aid highway funding, specifies that state law does not authorize the erection or maintenance of advertising devices that would disqualify the state from receiving federal-aid highway funding made available to states that exercise effective control of outdoor advertising (complying state funding). CDOT has adopted rules governing outdoor advertising in Colorado (the rules) for the purpose of establishing effective control through a statewide uniform program controlling the use of advertising devices in areas adjacent to the state highway system, but certain persons have alleged that CDOT's rules allow or might allow advertising devices to be erected and maintained that would disqualify the state from receiving complying state funding. The bill requires CDOT to hold a public hearing, on or before October 1, 2024, at which any person may identify any provision of the rules that the person believes allows or might allow the erection or maintenance of any advertising device that would disqualify the state from receiving complying state funding (disqualifying provision). CDOT shall review any provision identified and, if CDOT determines that the provision is a disqualifying provision, shall conduct new rule making to repeal or amend the disqualifying provision to mitigate the risk of losing complying state funding. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)