Legislative Status Report - 2007 Regular Session

SB 004
S: Shaffer
H: Todd

Coverage of early intervention services by Medicaid and private health insurance: Establishes a coordinated system of payment for early intervention services for children eligible for benefits under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act.
SFI: $3.2 million FYs 07-08 and 08-09

SB 011
S: Williams
H: Todd

SB 012
S: Williams
H: Solano

Investigation of Family Child Care Providers: Requires all child care providers receiving public moneys for child care to undergo a criminal history check.

SFI: None

HB 1025
H: Jahn

Funding of child welfare services: Requires the state Department of Human Services to review rates, services and outcomes negotiatied by counties with providers, promulgate rules governing how counties negotiate rates, services, outcomes, review rate-setting every two years.
SFI: None

Improving the qualify of child care by increasing the frequency of visits to licensed child care facilities by child care facility inspectors: Requires at least one monitoring visit per year by child care facility inspectors to licensed child care facilities
SFI: $2.7 million 07-08; $2.5 million 08-09

HB 1062
H: Solano
S: Williams

Early Childhood Councils: Allows counties to apply for local early childhood council designation and receive funds to address local needs and conditions. The councils are directed to increase and sustain the quality, accessibility, capacity and affordability  of early childhood services for children 5 and younger.
FI: $2 million in 07-08 and 08-09

HB 1248
H: Benefield
S: Kester

Colorado Student Before and After School Project: Creates a new project within the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program
FI: $1 million in 07-08 and 08-09

Minimum Compulsory School  Age: Lowers the minimum age of compulsory attendance from 7 to 6 years of age, effective July 1, 2008. Parents who homeschool their child are not required to establish a program until the child is 7 years of age.
SFI: None

01/10/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Education
Pass amended Senate Education 1/25
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 2/2
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 2/5
Pass amended House Education, 2/22
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 2/26
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/28
Senate considers House amendments, concur & repass, 3/2
Signed by President of the Senate and Speaker of the House, 3/12
Signed by the Governor, 3/16

Local Revenues for Full-Day Kindergarten: Authorizes a school district, upon voter approval, to impose an additional mill levy to fund the district’s excess full-day kindergarten costs. Excess costs are those that exceed 50 percent of the district's per pupil revenue multiplied by the number of students enrolled or expected to enroll in the district's full-day kindergarten.
SFI: None. Conditional local fiscal impact, depending upon whether or not voters increase mill levies in their school districts.

01/10/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Education
Pass amended Senate Education, 1/17
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 1/19
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 1/22
Passed House Education, 2/1
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 2/5
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/6
Senate considers House amendments, concur & repass, 2/7
Signed by Speaker of the House & President of the Senate, 2/26
Signed by the Governor, 3/7

Education Pre-kindergarten to Higher Ed: Creates a P-16 council to examine how to create an integrated, seamless education system from pre-kindergarten to higher education and a legislative oversight committee to oversee the work of the P-16 council.
SFI: $23,613 in FY 07-08, 08-09 and 09-10

Bell Opportunity Note, Feb. 14, 2007

01/10/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Education
Refer amended Senate Education, 2/14
Postponed indefinitely Senate Appropriations, 4/25

(Note: this bill was rendered moot by Gov. Ritter's executive order of April 24 establishing the P-20 Education Coordinating Council.)

SB 140
S: Spence

Teacher Identifier System and Effective Teachers Commission: Creates a commission in the Department of Education to study the disparity in teacher qualifications between schools in high-income areas and schools in low-income areas. Charges the commission with the assessing the development and omplementation of a system to identify and track teachers.
FI: none in FY 2007-08 and up to $319,620 in FY 2008-09

01/29/2007 Introduced in Senate, Assigned to Education
Witness testimony Senate Education, 2/8
Pass amended Senate Education, 2/15
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 2/22
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 2/23
Passed House Education, 3/8
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 3/16
Passed House 3rd reading, 3/19
Senate considers House amendments, concur & repass, 3/21
Signed by President of the Senate, 3/29
Signed by Speaker of the House, 3/30
Sent to the Governor, 4/2
Signed by the Governor, 4/11

SB 192
S: Bacon

Read-to-Achieve Board Changes: Continues the Read-to-Achieve board for seven years and changes provisions regarding how the sunset review will be performed. Makes changes regarding board membership; adds kindergarten and first grade pupils to those that may be served by the program.

FI: None.

02/14/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Education
Pass amended Senate Education, 3/1
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 3/16
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/19
Refer amended House Education, 3/22
Pass amended House Appropriations, 4/25
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 4/26
Passed House 3rd reading, 4/27
Senate considers House amendments, concur & repass, 4/30
Signed by President of the Senate and Speaker of the House, 5/8
Signed by the Governor, 5/22

HB 1041
H: Benefield
S: Windels

Board of Education Waiver Requirements: Requires a 2/3 majority of the State Board of Education to waive statutory education requirements. Requires school districts applying for waivers to show consent of a majority of the members of the appropriate accountability committee, a majority of the affected administrators, and a majority of the teachers in the affected school or school district. Limits waivers to a maximum of five years and provides a review process for the renewal of expired waivers.
SFI: None

HB 1048
H: Merrifield
S: Windels

Longitudinal Analysis of Assessments: Directs the governor and the Department of Education to convene a new technical advisory panel to assist the department and the State Board of Education in developing a longitudinal growth model to measure the academic growth of students.
SFI: None

SB 004

Coverage of early intervention services by Medicaid and private health insurance.

Please see complete listing in Gateway 2.

SB 023
S: Hagedorn
H: McGihon

Prohibits the use of an artifical tanning device by a minor unless specifically prescribed by a physician.
SFI: None

01/10/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Health & Human Services
Passed Senate Health & Human Services, 2/7
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 2/16
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 2/20
Passed House Health & Human Services, 3/5
Passed House 2nd reading, 3/13
Voted down House 3rd reading, 3/26

SB 036

The inclusion of certain additional mental health disorders in the mandatory health insurance coverage for mental illness.

Please see complete listing in Gateway 7.

SB 059
S: Sandoval
H: Hodge

Start Smart Nutrition Program: Creates a program and fund to cover the costs for children who currently pay a reduced price for breakfasts under the federal National School Lunch Act.
FI: $700,000 in FY 07-08; $700,000 to $1.5 million in FY 08-09

Bell Opportunity Note, Feb. 14, 2007

01/11/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Health and Human Services
Refer amended Senate Health & Human Services, 2/14
Pass amended Senate Appropriations, 4/5
Laid over Senate 2nd reading, 4/12
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 4/16
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 4/17
Refer unamended House Education, 4/26
Passed House Appropriations, 4/27
Passed House 2nd reading, 5/1
Passed House 3rd reading, 5/2
Signed by President of the Senate and Speaker of the House, 5/14
Signed by the Governor, 5/15

SB 080
S: Williams
H: M. May

Cervical Cancer Prevention: Requires a female student between 11 and 12 years of age and her parent or guardian to be informed about the link between human papillomavirus and cervical cancer, and of the availability of a vaccine. No female student over age 12 shall attend school without evidence she has been vaccinated for human papillomavirus or evidence her parent or guardian refused to have her vaccinated.
SFI: up to $354,000 in FY 07-08

01/15/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Health and Human Services
Refer amended Senate Health & Human Services, 1/31
Postponed Indefinitely Senate Appropriations, 4/5

SB 097

Please see complete listing in Gateway 7

SB 130
S: Boyd

SB 186
S: Sandoval
H: Frangas

Transition Between Private Market and CHP+: Requires some private health insurers to cover illnesses that children already had before enrolling in their health plan if those children were previously insured by the state's Children's Basic Health Plan (CHP+). Requires some private insurers to allow parents to add their children to a health plan at the time they lose their CHP+ coverage, even it it’s after the enrollment period. Requires parents to notify their current health insurer at least 30 days before transferring their children from private insurance to CHP+.

02/12/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Health and Human Services
Passed Senate Health & Human Services, 2/22
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 2/28
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/1
Passed House Health & Human Services, 3/12
Passed House 2nd reading, 3/15
Passed House 3rd reading, 3/16
Signed by President of the Senate, 3/29
Signed by Speaker of the House, 3/30
Sent to the Governor, 4/2
Signed by the Governor, 4/11

SB 211
S: Hagedorn
H: McGihon

Covering all Kids by 2010: Creates a committee to investigate ways to ensure all children in Colorado have health insurance by the year 2010. Grants presumptive eligibility to enrollees and requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to release information on health outcomes.
FI: $200,340 in FY 07-08; $80,886 in FY 08-09

03/05/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Health and Human Services
Referred Senate Health & Human Services, 3/21
Pass amended Senate Appropriations, 4/27
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 4/27
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 4/30
Refer amended House Health & Human Services, 5/1
Pass amended House Appropriations, 5/2
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 5/2
Passed House 3rd reading, 5/3
Senate considers House amendments, concur & repass, 5/3
Signed by President of the Senate, 5/14
Signed by Speaker of the House, 5/15
Signed by the Governor, 5/31

HB 1057
S: Veiga
H: Garcia

01/10/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Judiciary + Appropriations
Refer amended House Judiciary, 1/24
Pass amended House Appropriations, 4/11
Passed House 2nd reading, 4/11
Passed House 3rd reading, 4/12
Introduced to Senate; Assigned to Judiciary, 4/16
Refer unamended Senate Committee on Judiciary, 4/18
Pass amended Senate Appropriations, 4/23
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 4/26
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 4/27
House considers Senate amendments, concur & repass, 5/1
Signed by Speaker of the House, 5/16
Signed by President of the Senate, 5/21
Signed by the Governor, 5/30

HB 1112

Parity in health care coverage for mental illness

Please see complete listing in Gateway 7

HB 1258
H: Primavera
S: Hagedorn

Colorado Indigent Care Program Eligibility Expansion: Amends the language creating the Colorado health care services fund to allow funds to be used for all Colorado Indigent Care Program enrollees, including children.
SFI: None

HB 1292
H: Todd
S: Windels

Science-Based Content Standards for Sex Education: Requires all schools teaching sex education to inform students that abstinence is the only sure way to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Requires schools to teach age-appropriate, culturally sensitive and medically accurate information. Requires teen pregnancy prevention programs to follow the same guidelines.
SFI: None

Bell Opportunity Note, March 29, 2007

02/12/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Education
Pass amended House Education, 2/22
Passed House 2nd reading, 2/27
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/28
Pass amended Senate Education, 3/29
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 4/4
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 4/5
House considers Senate amendments, concur and repass, 4/9
Signed by the Speaker of the House, 4/23
Signed by President of the Senate, 4/25
Signed by the Governor, 5/14

HB 1293
H: Green

Limiting Health Hazards Near School Sites: Prohibits school boards from acquiring land for a school if the land contains solid waste or air pollutants, but Provides ways to bypass this requirement if no other options are available. Prohibits the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission from issuing permits to drill oil or gas wells close to schools and prohibits the Department of Transportation from constructing highways that will have a high volume of traffic close to schools.

02/12/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Education
Refer amended House Education, 3/26
Postponed Indefinitely House Appropriations, 4/12

HB 1301
H: Buescher
S: Williams

Increasing Availability of Cervical Cancer Immunizations: Creates a cervical cancer immunization program, encourages federally qualified health clinics to provide the vaccine to underinsured female minors, allocates $1.5 million to pay for vaccinations at local health departments, creates a public awareness campaign fund, adds cervical cancer immunizations to the list of services covered by Medicaid and requires some health insurers to cover the cost of the HPV vaccine.
FI: $913,567 in FY 07-08
(Note: The most current fiscal note does not reflect the appropriation amendments made to the bill in the Senate Appropriations Committee. For the most recent fiscal information on this bill, please see the re-revised version.)

Bell Opportunity Note, March 8, 2007

02/15/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Health and Human Services
Refer amended House Health & Human Services, 3/8
Pass amended House Appropriations, 4/17
Passed House 3rd reading, 4/18
Refer unamended Senate Health & Human Services, 4/26
Pass amended Senate Appropriations, 4/27
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 4/30
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 5/1
Signed by Speaker of the House, 5/18
Signed by President of the Senate, 5/21
Signed by the Governor, 5/29

SB 073
S: Romer

English Competency Graduation Requirement: Requires each school district board of education and the State Charter School Institute Board to adopt English language competency as a graduation requirement for high school students graduating during or after the spring semester of 2012.
SFI: Conditional

SB 131
S: Penry
H: Witwer

Math and Science Graduation Requirements: Requires public schools to require four years of math and four years of science as a condition for graduation from high school. Grants school boards the authority to determine which courses shall count towards the math and science graduation requirements.
SFI: Unknown

01/29/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Education
Pass amended Senate Education, 2/15
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 2/26
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 2/27
Postponed indefinitely House Education, 3/22

SB 144
S: Spence
H: Gardner

Teacher Performance Grants: Creates a grant program for school districts and charter schools that pay salary bonuses to teachers who demonstrate exemplary performance.
SFI: None

01/29/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Education
Postponed indefinitely Senate Education, 2/14

SB 148
S: Romer

01/30/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Education
Pass amended Senate Education, 2/15
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 2/26
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 2/27
Pass amended House Education, 3/8
Passed House 2nd reading, 3/12
Passed House 3rd reading, 3/14
Senate considers House amendments, concur & repass, 3/16
Signed by President of the Senate, 3/21
Signed by Speaker of the House, 3/22
Signed by the Governor, 4/2

HB 1059
H: Massey
S: Shaffer

Post-Secondary Transition Program: Creates the Colorado post-secondary transitions grant program and fund to address retention and achievement with low-income students and students from traditionally underrepresented groups when they transition from high school to post-secondary studies. Creates the Colorado Post Secondary Transitions Commission within the lieutenant governor’s office.
SFI: $3,113,340 in FY 07-08; $3,107,840 in FY 08-09

Bell Opportunity Note, Feb. 1, 2007

HB 1118
H: Todd
S: Tupa

High School Graduation Requirements: Requires the State Board of Education to develop guidelines for minimum high school graduation requirements. Establishes the 12-member Graduation Guidelines Council to provide recommendations to the State Board of Education. Directs local school boards to develop a blueprint for education in their community that identifies the skills students will need following graduation. Each board shall use their blueprint plus the state guidelines to set local graduation requirements.  
FI: $35,304 in 07-08

HB 1243
H: Todd
S: Williams

Funding for After-School Science and Math Programs: Creates a pilot grant program in the Office of Economic Development for after-school education programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, (“STEM”). Funding for the grants is exclusively through gifts, grants, and donations. Sets requirements for participation, including provider experience, program benefits, and student populations to be served.
FI: None. Local school districts may receive grant moneys to offset the costs of participation.

SB 001
S: Hagedorn
H; Madden

Generic and Nonpatented Rx Drug Program: Establishes the Colorado Cares Rx program with the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to provide generic and non-patented prescription drugs to eligible patients at discounted prices. The program is open to Colorado residents who do not have insurance and are not eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Basic Health Plan and whose family income does not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
FI: $2.6 million in FY 07-08; $3.9 million in FY 08-09 – revenue is from participant fees paid to the Colorado Cares Rx Program Cash Fund.

SB 002
S: Sandoval
H: Stafford

Medicaid Eligibility for Foster Care: Allows residents under 21 who were in the foster care system and who attained the age of 18 years or otherwise became emancipated to continue to be eligible for Medicaid. All funding to expand Medicaid to emancipated youth is from the Health Care Expansion Fund (Amendment 35 tobacco tax money) and federal funds.
FI: $43,200 in 06-07; $8.2 million in 07-08; $11.7 million in 08-09

Bell testimony
Bell Opportunity Note, March 26, 2007

SB 009
S: Tochtrop
H: Butcher

SB 010
S: Tochtrop
H: Frangas

Staffing Plans for Hospitals: Requires each hospital to develop, implement, file with the Department of Public Health and Enviroment and make available to patients upon request a staffing plan for the hospital that sets forth the minimum number of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and other personnel providing direct patient care.
SFI: $96,437 in 07-08; $86,068 in 08-09

SB 036
S: Keller
H: Stafford

Inclusion of certain additional mental health disorders in the mandatory health insurance coverage for mental illness: Expands mandatory health insurance coverage for some mental health disorders.
FI: $31,459 in 07-08; $65,035 each year thereafter

Bell Opportunity Note, April 9, 2007

SB 049
S: Isgar

CoverColorado Supplemental Insurance Medicare Eligibility: Authorizes the board of directors of the CoverColorado program to establish one or more plans to supplement reimbursements under Medicare for the eligible patient’s hospital, medical or surgical expenses. To be eligible, a person must have lived in Colorado for at least six months, be under age 65 and receive Medicare because of a disability.
SFI: $1 million in 07-08; $2.1 million in 08-09

SB 079
S: Johnson
H: Romanoff

SB 097
S: Fitz-Gerald
H:Madden

SB 104
S: Shaffer
H: Pommer

SB 146
S: Morse
H: Rice

SB 196
S: Hagedorn
H: Massey

HB 1016
H: Frangas
S: Keller

Access to Health Insurance: Expands the coverage of
CoverColorado to include employees who are eligible for small group insurance through a multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA), but who have a presumptive condition as determined by the
CoverColorado board of directors.
SFI: $26,985 in FY 06-07; $7.9 million in FY 07-08; $16.3 million in FY 08-09; $28.7 million in FY 09-10
Increased revenues of $37,060 in FY 07-08; $91,882 in FY 08-09; $170,090 in FY 09-10. Counties will be required to spend an additional $74,719 in FY 07-08 as well.

HB 1021
H: Frangas
S: Keller

Prescription drug consumer information and technical assistance program: Creates a program to provide prescription drug assistance for recipients of prescription drug benefits under the Colorado Medical Assistance Act.
SFI: Savings of $550,000 07-08; $1.3 million 08-09

HB 1022
H: Butcher
S: Sandoval

Rural Health Care Needs: Re-engrossed bill requires the Division of Insurance to conduct a study on the cost of insurance in Pueblo County, modifies the nursing teacher loan forgiveness pilot program to specify that a nursing teacher must teach classes in a rural area to qualify for the program, authorizes CollegeInvest to develop a nursing teacher recruitment program, requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to issue a request for proposals for the operation of a mobile cancer screening unit, creates a grant program for medical equipment purchases in rural areas, and creates a grant program for family mental health centers in rural areas.
FI: None in FY 07-08; $205,541 in FY 08-09

HB 1042
H: Labuda
S: Kester

Health Boards Membership: Changes the terms of office of existing members of the state boards of psychologist examiners, social work examiners, marriage and family therapist examiners and licensed professional counselor examiners to make their terms of office staggered. Eliminates the requirement that professional members of state boards be in direct practice of their profession.
SFI: None

HB 1101
H: Butcher
S: Tapia

Pueblo Health Insurance Costs Study: Instructs the Division of Insurance to conduct a study of factors that drive health insurance costs in the Pueblo area, to be competed no later than Jan 15, 2009.
SFI: $29,569 in 07-08

HB 1112
H: Casso

Parity in health care coverage for mental illness: Requires group health benefit plans to provide coverage for mental illness that is at least as extensive as the coverage provided for physical illness. Eliminates the ability of small group basic health benefit plans to exclude coverage of mental illness.
SFI: Conditional

HB 1121
H: Butcher
S: Tapia

Geographic Location for Rating Insurance: Eliminates the use of geographic locations as a rating factor to calculate premiums for health coverage plans by insurers.

HB 1125
H: King

HB 1128
H: Primavera

Health Facilities Advisory Committee on Patient Safety: Creates a committee on patient safety in the Department of Public Health & Enviroment to provide policy guidance in developing standards and innovations at health care facilities. in order to ensure patient safety and quality care.
SFI: $38,737 in FY 07-08; $40,588 in FY 08-09

HB 1134
H: Gallegos

Add Optional Services to Colorado's Medicaid Program: Expands the list of covered services in the Colorado Medical Assistance Act to include vision services (eye examinations, purchase of glasses and repair of glasses), hearing services (diagnostic testing, hearing aid purchase and hearing aid maintenance) and partial dentures.
SFI: $130,410 in FY 07-08; $5.9 million in FY 08-09

HB 1176
H: Carroll
S: Tochtrop

Physician Choice for Injured Employees: Allows an injured employee covered under the Workers' Compensation Act to choose a treating physician from a list prepared by the injured employee's employer and allows a health care provider or governmental entity that has its own health care network to designate that network as a treating physician.
FI: None

HB 1210
H: Green

HB 1216
H: Frangas
S: Shaffer

SB 022
S: Veiga

PUC Low-Income Regulatory Consideration: Grants statutory authority to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to determine rates and practices for gas and electric service for low-income utility customers. Low-income customers are those with household income at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level and who are eligible for LEAP, the low-income energy assistance program.
FI: None

SB 025
S: Veiga
H: Madden

Expansion of employment nondiscrimination protections: Adds sexual orientation and religion to the list of characteristics for which a person may not be discriminated against under state law.
FI: $33,885 in 07-08
Note:  The most recent fiscal note was prepared before the bill was amended in the House Appropriations Committee, so it does not reflect the $33,885 appropriation added by that committee.

SB 081
S: Bacon
H: Pommer

Innovative Higher Ed Research Fund: Creates the Higher Education Competitive Research Authority and establishes a governing board for the authority. Directs the board to provide matching grants from the fund to Colorado public research universities for federally sponsored research projects.

SB 085
S: Veiga
H: Massey

Consumer Protections in Real Estate Transactions: Authorizes the Director of the Division of Real Estatein the Department of Regulatory Agencies to fine and revoke the license of mortgage brokers if they have had a license revoked, been enjoined from engaging in deceptive conduct in brokering a mortgage or been convicted of improperly influencing an appraiser in the last five years. Prohibits mortgage brokers from inappropriately influencing appraisers. Requires the director to investigate complaints of fraudulent appraisals. Public trustees must receive notice of foreclosure provisions that apply to the public trustee and public trustees must notify homeowners' associations when certain liens are to be foreclosed.
SFI: $56,696 in FY 07-08; $104,301 in FY 08-09

SB 093
S: Harvey
H: Lambert

Labor Union Participation Discrimination: Prohibits employers from requiring workers to join a labor organization or to pay dues, fees or other assessments to such an organization.
SFI: less than $5,000 in revenue in 07-08 and 08-09

SB 136
S: Morse

Protection Orders in Cases of Domestic Violence: Grants courts the authority to require defendants in cases of domestic violence to continue to make mortgage payments, pay phone and utility bills and pay for child care, and to prohibit defendants from selling property or letting insurance coverage lapse due to nonpayment.
FI: None

01/29/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Judiciary
Pass amended Senate Judiciary, 2/28
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 3/6
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/7
Passed House Judiciary, 3/20
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 3/23
Passed House 3rd reading, 3/26
Senate considers House amendments, concur & repass, 3/27
Signed by President of the Senate and Speaker of the House, 5/8
Signed by the Governor, 5/17

SB 144
S: Kester

Exempted Assets and Income from Debt Collection: Increases the amount of personal finances exempted from attachment or execution. Also exempts child tax credits,disability benefits and primary residences whose value is less than $60,000, or $90,000 for elderly or disabled owners.
FI: $2,722 in FY 07-08

02/07/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Finance
Refer amended Senate Finance, 3/1
Passed Senate Appropriations, 3/16
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 3/21
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/22
Passed House Finance, 3/28
Passed House 2nd reading, 3/30
Passed House 3rd reading, 4/2
Reconsidered House 3rd reading, 4/10
Pass amended House 3rd reading, 4/10
Senate considers House amendments, concur, repass, 4/12
Signed by President of the Senate, 5/2
Signed by Speaker of the House, 5/3
Signed by the Governor, 5/14

Creation of an Economic Self-Sufficiency Standard: Directs the executive director of the Department of Local Affairs to post on the department's web site a self-sufficiency standard unique to each county, reflecting what income would be required for a family to afford necessities such as food, transportation, housing and child care.
FI: None

Bell Opportunity Note, March 29, 2007

03/21/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Finance
Refer amended Senate Finance, 4/3
Pass amended Senate Appropriations, 4/11
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 4/16
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 4/17
Passed House Local Government, 4/24
Passed House 2nd reading, 4/25
Passed House 3rd reading, 4/26
Signed by President of the Senate and Speaker of the House, 5/8
Signed by the Governor, 5/17

HB 1001
H: Marshall
S: Fitz-Gerald

01/10/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Business Affairs and Labor
Pass amended House Business Affairs and Labor, to House floor 1/15
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 1/19
Passed House 3rd reading, 1/22
Passed Senate Business, Labor & Technology, 2/21
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 2/26
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 2/27
Signed by President of the Senate & Speaker of the House, 3/5
Signed by the Governor, 3/14

HB 1133
H: Carroll
S: Hagedorn

Protection for Health Care Workers Who Report Patient Safety Information: Prohibits a health care provider from taking disciplinary action against a health care worker if the worker submits a report in good faith.
FI: None

01/16/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Health & Human Services
Pass amended House Health & Human Services, 2/1
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 2/5
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/6
Pass amended Senate Health & Human Services, 3/7
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 3/16
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/19
Signed by Speaker of the House, 3/21
Signed by President of the Senate, 3/23
Signed by the Governor, 3/29

HB 1157
H; Garcia
S: Veiga

Real Estate Foreclosures: Changes the procedure for foreclosing on real estate and selling property obtained through foreclosure, including allowing purchasers to rescind their purchase of a home for a fee, dispensing with a plaintiff's appearance at a sale of property in some cases, allowing certain persons to cure a default in the terms of a lien being foreclosed, and stating that a lienor who accepts a redemption amount less than the full amount of a lien may not collect excess proceeds from a sale.
FI: Costs to local government of increased workload offset by creation of new fees

01/16/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Judiciary + Business Affairs & Labor
Referred House Judiciary, 1/31
Pass amended House Business Affairs & Labor, 2/8
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 2/16
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/19
Pass amended Senate Business, Labor & Technology, 2/28
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 3/12
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/26
House considers Senate amendments, concur & repass, 3/27
Signed by Speaker of the House, 4/25
Signed by President of the Senate, 4/26
Signed by the Governor, 6/1

HB 1188
H: Rose
S: Kester

Income Tax Credit for Job Creation: Allows any tax filer who creates new jobs that exist for more than a year to claim an income tax credit. The amount of the tax credit shall vary depending on the wages paid to the new employees.

01/26/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Finance
Postponed indefinitely House Finance, 2/21

HB 1202
H: Borodkin

Economic Development Funds Minimum Standards: Requires companies receiving grants or loans from the Colorado Economic Development Commission to: pay employees at least minimum wage as determined by the commission; create new jobs for at least one year; and follow all laws relating to health, safety and working conditions for employees. Requires companies receiving economic development funds to file an annual progress report.
FI: None

01/30/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Finance
Pass amended House Finance, 2/20
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 2/27
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/28
Pass amended Senate Finance, 3/13
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 3/19
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/20
House considers Senate amendments, concur & repass, 3/21
Signed by Speaker of the House, 4/4
Signed by President of the Senate, 4/5
Sent to the Governor, 4/5
Signed by the Governor, 4/16

HB 1250
H: Riesberg
S: Kester

Deregulation of Rural Telecommunications: Changes PUC regulations relating to rural telecommunications rate of return. Creates a pathway for rural telecommunications providers to become exempt from PUC regulations.

02/01/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Transportation & Energy
Postponed indefinitely House Transportation & Energy, 2/28

HB 1261
H: Benefield
S: Tochtrop

Payment Plan for Payday Loans: Requires lenders who provide deferred deposit loans to offer a payment plan to consumers at the time the consumer takes out a fourth consecutive loan that coincides with consumers’ pay dates. If a consumer requests such a plan, the lender shall not charge additional fees or offer any additional loans during the repayment period.
FI: None

02/01/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Business Affairs and Labor
Passed House Business Affairs & Labor, 2/21
Passed House 2nd reading, 2/26
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/27
Passed Senate Business, Labor & Technology, 3/7
Passed Senate 2nd reading, 3/13
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 3/14
Signed by Speaker of the House, 3/21
Signed by President of the Senate, 3/23
Signed by the Governor, 4/2

SB 010

Hospital staffing plans.

Please see complete listing in Gateway 7

SB 014
S: Taylor
H: Balmer

State Nursing Home Funding: Appropriates General Funds to the Central Fund for State Nursing Homes, but not to exceed the funding for nursing homes requested by the Department of Human Services. The appropriation must go through the normal budget processes.  As a result it is deemed to have no additional fiscal impact on the state.
FI: None

01/10/2007 Introduced in Senate; Assigned to Health & Human Services
Refer amended Senate Health & Human Services, 2/1
Pass unamended Senate Appropriations, 4/17
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 4/19
Passed Senate 3rd reading, 4/20
Refer unamended House Health & Human Services, 4/26
Passed House Appropriations, 5/1
Passed House 2nd reading, 5/1
Passed House 3rd reading, 5/2
Signed by President of the Senate, 5/14
Signed by the Governor, 5/25

SB 078
S: Williams
H: Roberts

Home Health Services Offered on Small Group Market: For basic health benefit plans issued or renewed to small groups, restores the requirement that policy holders be offered the opportunity to purchase coveage for benefits for the cost of medically necessary home health services and hospice care.
FI: None

HB 1039
H: Swalm
S: Tochtrop

Conforming the Long-term Care Insurance Act to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners model act: Adopts the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Long-Term Care Insurance Model Regulations and Model Act, which allows Colorado to become a qualified partnership state under the federal Social Security Act. As a partnership state, Colorado can disregard a person's long-term care insurance (LTCI) benefits when calculating assets used to determine Medicaid eligibility.
FI: None

HB 1043
H: Todd
S: Tochtrop

Use of telemedicine by home care providers under the Colorado Medical Assistance Program: Requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to seek federal authorization for the reimbursement and provision of home health care services through telemedicine.
SFI: None

HB 1100
H: Riesburg
S: Morse

Increase funding to the Older Coloradans Cash Fund by $2 million from receipts collected from the state sales and use tax. A total of $5 million annually will be allocated to the Older Coloradans Cash Fund.
FI: Transfers an additional $2 million in 07-08 and 08-09 from General Fund to Older Coloradans Cash Fund.

HB 1106
H: Gallegos

Elderly and Disabled Assistance Grants: Increases the yearly income thresholds used to determine whether an elderly or disabled person is eligible to receive a grant for property tax assistance or for residential heat or fuel expenses and indexes yearly income thresholds for inflation.
FI: none in FY 07-08; $5.3 million in FY 08-09

HB 1136
H; Lundberg
S: Johnson

Alternative Medical Assistance Program: Creates a program for the elderly to provide 50 percent of the medical assistance benefits under the traditional Medicaid program in return for the state waiving all estate recovery. Allows an eligible person to use funds for long-term care services, assisted living services, etc.

SB 083
S: Tupa
H: Weissmann

Conduct of Elections: Changes the Uniform Election Code of 1992 to address registration requirements, voter registration drives, nomination petitions, vacancies following a primary, requirements for testing computerized registration, books used at vote centers, election watchers and paper records.
FI: $82,334 in FY 07-08; $72,552 in FY 08-09

HB 1116
H: Lambert
S: Harvey

Prohibit Government Wage Deductions for Political Purpose: Prohibits state and local governments from acting as a conduit of money for political purposes and from deducting from employees’ wages any money to be used, directly or indirectly, for a political purpose.

01/15/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
Postponed indefinitely House State, Veterans, & Military Affairs, 1/25

HB 1162
H: Kefalas
S: Gordon

Instant Runoff Voting Study: Creates a Voter Choice Study Group to study instant runoff voting, which allows voters to indicate a preference for more than one candidate in order to ensure candidates with the most popular support win elections. Allows political subdivisions to conduct elections with instant runoff voting with approval from the Secretary of State and local authorization.
SFI: $25,431 in FY 07-08; $25,000 in FY 08-09

01/16/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
Refer amended House State, Veterans & Military Affairs, 2/8
Postponed indefinitely House Appropriations, 4/26

HB 1167
H: McGihon
S: Viega

Short-Term Continuation of Rules: Provides for the continuation of rules and regulations of state agencies that were adopted or amended on or after Nov. 1, 2005.
SFI: None

01/17/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to Legal Services
Passed House Legal Services, 2/20
Passed House 2nd reading, 2/26
Passed House 3rd reading, 2/27
Pass amended Senate Legal Services, 4/12
Laid over Senate 2nd reading, 4/19
Pass amended Senate 2nd reading, 4/20
Laid over Senate 3rd reading, 4/23
Pass amended Senate 3rd reading, 4/24
House considers Senate amendments, concur & repass, 4/25
Signed by Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, 4/30
Signed by the Governor, 5/10

HCR 1001
H: White

02/05/2007 Introduced in House; Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
Pass amended House State, Veterans & Military Affairs, 4/19
Pass amended House 2nd reading, 4/20
Passed House 3rd reading, 4/23
Postponed indefinitely Senate Judiciary, 4/30