High-cost special education trust fund - trust fund grants. The act creates the high-cost special education trust fund (trust fund) to be used for high-cost special education trust fund grants (trust fund grants) to public school special education administrative units that have made significant expenditures in providing special education services to a child with a disability. The trust fund consists of $2.5 million transferred from the marijuana tax cash fund to the trust fund on July 1, 2019. The general assembly is encouraged to prioritize the transfer or appropriation of money to the trust fund in future fiscal years. The department of education may expend interest and income from the trust fund for trust fund grants awarded by the Colorado special education fiscal advisory committee (committee). The act specifies the eligibility criteria for a trust fund grant and criteria that the committee shall consider in determining the trust fund grant recipients and the amount of the trust fund grants. The act requires an annual report to the education committees of the general assembly concerning trust fund grants awarded during the fiscal year, and repeals the trust fund on July 1, 2027. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
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Computer science education grant program - appropriation. The act creates in the department of education the computer science education grant program (grant program) to provide money to public schools or school districts in order to increase enrollment or participation of traditionally underrepresented students in computer science education activities. The act requires the state board of education (board) to promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of the grant program. The act requires the board to give priority to grant applications that: Demonstrate how the applicant will use the grant to serve a high-poverty student population, a high percentage of minority students, students in rural areas, or a high percentage of female students; Expose students to diverse professionals within the computer science industry; or Demonstrate a low number of computer science education courses or clubs offered in the public school or school district, if any. The act appropriates $250,000 each year for the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 fiscal years, from the general fund to the department of education. The department shall distribute the money to the education providers that receive a grant. The act requires each grant recipient to submit a report to the board. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
School nurse grant program - appropriation. The act creates the school nurse grant program (grant program) in the department of public health and environment (department). The grant program awards grants to local education providers, as defined in the act, to hire school nurses to serve in public schools. Grants are awarded on a 5-year grant cycle, with an initial one-year grant, renewable for an additional 4 years, as long as there is a school nurse in the grant-funded position and the grant money is being used for authorized purposes. Subject to annual appropriations from the general assembly, the department shall recommend grant recipients, and the state board of health shall annually award up to $3 million during the 5-year grant cycle. Once the 5-year grant cycle is complete, the department shall administer a new grant cycle. The department may expend a portion of the grant money for reasonable and necessary administrative expenses. In each year in which school nurse grants are awarded, the department shall report to certain committees of the general assembly concerning the grant program. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $2,944,809 from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department of public health and environment for use by the prevention services division for the school nurse grant program. The act also appropriates $55,121 and 0.8 FTE from the marijuana tax cash fund to the department of public health and environment for the prevention services division for the primary care office. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Office of information technology - major information technology projects - change management plans - policy for use of external venders - communications and stakeholder management plan - working groups - appropriation. The office of information technology (office) is required to take actions as recommended by an evaluation of the state's information technology (IT) resources. Specifically, the office is required to: Include in the project plan for every major IT project a change management plan developed in collaboration with the state agency that undertakes the major IT project; Develop a policy for the office's use of external vendors, including the statewide internet portal authority, in delivering electronic information, products, and services; Develop and implement a communications and stakeholder management plan for interacting with any governmental unit of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government that is billed for the use of the services provided by the office and to solicit feedback to determine if the communications and stakeholder management plan is increasing satisfaction with the services provided by the office; Convene a working group of state agencies to develop and implement a strategic plan for how state agencies use technology to provide services, data, and information to citizens and businesses; and Convene a working group of state agencies to determine the cost and feasibility of transferring ownership of IT infrastructure from state agencies to the office. The office is required to submit a report to the joint budget committee and the joint technology committee regarding the necessary statutory and rule changes and funding to implement the transfer of ownership of IT infrastructure if the working group finds that it would be in the state's best interest to implement such a transfer. The office is required to enlist vendor services in the development of the communications and stakeholder management plan, the plan for how state agencies use technology to interface with citizens and businesses, and the plan to transfer ownership of IT infrastructure. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $775,000 is appropriated to the office of the governor from the general fund for use by the office of information technology for central administration and project management. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Charitable organizations - tax exempt sales. Under current law, up to $25,000 of the funds raised by a charitable organization through occasional sales are exempt from state sales tax. The act increases that amount to $45,000; removes the requirement that these sales by charitable organizations take place for no more than 12 days, whether consecutive or not, during any calendar year; and allows these sales to cover the sale of tangible personal property, commodities, or services otherwise subject to tax under the state sales and use tax.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Dialysis care - hemodialysis clinics and technicians - continuation under sunset law - regulation - supervision by licensed professional nurses. The act implements recommendations in the 2018 sunset review and report by the department of regulatory agencies by continuing the regulation of dialysis clinics and hemodialysis technicians by the department of public health and environment for 7 years, until 2026. The act deletes obsolete language in the law regulating dialysis treatment clinics and hemodialysis technicians and updates references to nurses who are permitted to supervise hemodialysis technicians. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Driver's licenses - foster children - automobile insurance - appropriation. Section 1 of the act clarifies that a minor who is at least 16 years of age can purchase auto insurance. Section 2 exempts a foster child from being required, when being issued a driver's license, to have his or her foster parent or other legal guardian sign an affidavit of liability if the child holds evidence of financial responsibility in his or her own name. Section 2 also: Authorizes counties to provide a service that exempts foster children from needing a foster parent or other legal guardian to sign an affidavit of liability. The county may accept and expend gifts, grants, or donations to implement this program. Lowers to 17 the age at which the county need not obtain permission of a foster parent to obtain an instruction permit without a responsible adult signing an affidavit of liability; and Repeals a provision that authorizes a foster child to obtain an instruction permit if enrolled in a driving school. Section 3 allows any person who is at least 21 years of age and who holds a driver's license to sign a foster child's driving logs if the person provided the instruction. Section 4 authorizes anyone who is at least 21 years of age and who holds a driver's license to instruct a foster child with a driving permit notwithstanding that the person did not sign the affidavit of liability. Section 5 directs the transportation legislation review committee to examine barriers to foster children meeting the 50-hour driving requirement while holding an instruction permit and to foster children obtaining automobile liability insurance. Section 6 appropriates $6,750 to the department of revenue to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Legislative interim committee on school finance - 2019 legislative interim - expenses. The act extends the work of the legislative interim committee on school finance (interim committee) for one year to include the 2019 legislative interim. For the 2019 legislative interim, the act maintains the party and chamber balance of legislative members on the interim committee, with 5 members from each chamber and 5 democrats and 5 republicans on the interim committee, and specifies the method for appointing interim committee members. The act permits the interim committee to determine whether and in which interim to study the issues set forth in statute. The act authorizes the interim committee to contract with a vendor or vendors to assist with or facilitate the work of the interim committee. The act authorizes the interim committee to use unexpended money from the 2018-19 budget year during the 2019-20 budget year to cover costs incurred by the interim committee, including the hiring of a consultant or facilitator, if applicable. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Income tax - tax credit - eligible early childhood educators. The act provides a refundable income tax credit to an eligible early childhood educator with a federal adjusted gross income less than or equal to $75,000 for an individual filing a single return, or less than or equal to $85,000 for an individual filing a joint return, who, for at least 6 months of the taxable year for which the credit is claimed, holds an early childhood professional credential and is either the licensee of an eligible program or employed by an eligible program. The act specifies that an eligible program means either an early childhood education program or a licensed family child care home and the eligible program must have held at least a level 2 quality rating under the Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system for the income tax year for which the credit is claimed and, for the income tax year for which the credit is claimed, either have fiscal agreements with the Colorado child care assistance program or be a program that meets the federal early head start or head start standards. The amount of the credit is dependent on the eligible early childhood educator's credentialing level and is annually adjusted for inflation. The department of human services is required to provide to the department of revenue an annual report of each individual who held an early childhood professional credential during the previous calendar year for which the income tax credit is allowed. The act takes effect only if, at the November 2019 statewide election, a majority of voters do not approve a referred measure that allows the state to increase the cigarette tax, increase the tobacco products tax, and to create a new tax on nicotine products and use a significant portion of the tax revenue for preschool programs and expanded learning opportunities. If the voters at the November 2019 statewide election do not approve such a measure, then the act takes effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More
Assisted living residence - referral agency - disclosures required - documentation - penalties. The act requires an individual or entity who, for a fee, refers a prospective resident to an assisted living residence to disclose any business relationships that the referring party has with the assisted living residence. The individual or entity must also disclose that the assisted living residence pays for the referral. The act requires written or electronic documentation of the disclosure to be provided to and maintained by the assisted living residence. The referring party is subject to a civil penalty for a violation. The attorney general or district attorney in the appropriate county is authorized to bring a civil action to seek a civil penalty or to enjoin the referring party from any further violation. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.) Read More