Legislative Status Report - 2006 Interim

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Legislative Status Report

2006 Interim Committees

The Bell Policy Center and Bell Action Network do not explicitly support or oppose the following bills unless indicated. The Bell provides these summaries as a service to the public.

During the regular legislative session, the Bell Policy Center's Legislative Status Report only tracks bills directly related to Bell's opportunity agenda. However, in this report, we present all bills to emerge from the summer's legislative interim committees.

Thanks to the House Majority Commications Office for summaries of these bills.

Shortcuts to bills, by committee

Health Care Task Force

Early Childhood and School Readiness Commission

Legislative Oversight Committee for Persons with Mental Illness Involved with the Justice System

Police Officers’ and Firefighters’ Pension Reform Interim Commission

Legislative Oversight Committee on State and Veterans Nursing Homes

Transportation Legislation Review Committee

Water Resources Review Committee

 

Health Care Task Force • Legislative Council info page

Bill No. & sponsors

Bill title, summary
and state fiscal impact

Bill status

Bill A
H: Frangas
S: Keller

Prescription Drug Consumer Information and Technical Assistance Program: Allows for the creation of a program intended to avoid dangerous drug interactions, improve patient outcomes and lower the cost of prescriptions in the Medicaid program through consultation with pharmacists. Also directs the Dept. of Health Care Policy and Financing to measure cost savings as a result of the program.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill B
H: Butcher
S: Tochtrop

Substance Abuse, Transfer of the Electronic Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: Currently the Department of Regulatory Agencies is required to develop an electronic prescription drug monitoring program. This bill requires the program be transferred and implemented by the Department of Public Health and Environment in order to expedite development.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill C
H: Butcher
S: Sandoval

Health Care Needs in Rural Colorado: Addresses health care shortages and inadequacies through an analysis of health insurance costs in the Pueblo area, creation of a mobile cancer screening unit for rural areas, two grant programs that address equipment and community mental health needs, and a rural nursing teacher recruitment program.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill D
H: Stafford
S: Tochtrop

Provider Compensation Rates, Measures to Enhance the Profession of Advanced Practice Nursing: Seeks to equalize insurance reimbursement rates between physicians and advanced practice nurses who perform the same services due to the shortage of physicians in rural areas.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill E
H: Frangas
S: Keller

Health Insurance for Children and Working People: Addresses health insurance gaps through a systemic approach that meshes free market with cost effective government approaches. In order to address small business insurance needs, Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) can shift clients with chronic conditions to Cover Colorado in order to provide a lower cost insurance pool. These clients are then provided with a premium subsidy to equalize their Cover Colorado premium.
• Directs the Director of the state Division of Insurance to work with industry to develop a product for pre-exiting conditions to mesh with Cover Colorado in a similar manner to that prescribed for the MEWAs.
• Incrementally expands CHP over the course of four years to enroll 44 percent of uninsured children and directs HCPF to seek a waiver to cover HPV vaccination and dental care for pregnant women under CHP.
Note: Children and pregnant women are the concern of one aspect of this bill, which directs state and local government to utilize existing resources to increase enrollment in programs as necessary.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill F
H: Stafford
S: Sandoval

Extending Medicaid Eligibility for Persons who are in the Foster Care System: Allows for children who emancipate from the foster care system to continue on Medicaid until they reach 21 years of age.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill G
H: Frangas
S: Tochtrop

Nurse Staffing Levels in Hospitals: Sets requirements for nurse staffing levels.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill H
H: Todd
S: Tochtrop

Using Telemedicine to Provide Certain Services by Home Care Providers: Directs HCPF to seek federal authorization for the reimbursement of several services through the use of telemedicine.

Approved by Legislative Council

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Early Childhood School Readiness Commission

Commission info page | SmartStart Colorado info page

Bill No. & sponsors

Bill title, summary
and state fiscal impact

Bill status

Bill A
H: Todd
S: Williams

Creating the Early Childhood Commission: Develops a plan for a statewide governing authority for all early childhood programs, overseen by the commission, which would conduct a comprehensive cost analysis of all programs.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill B
H: Todd & Solano
S: Jones

Improving the Quality of Child Care: Amends existing law to require at least one monitoring visit per year by child care facility inspectors to licensed child care facilities in the state.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill C
H: Solano & Todd
S: Williams

Statewide System of Early Childhood Councils: Allows counties to apply for local early childhood council designation and receive funds to address local needs and conditions; Incorporates existing pilot programs into a new integrated system; Outlines the manner in which the system would be administered.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill D
H: Todd
S: Shaffer

Coordinated System of Payment: Requires the Department of Human Services to implement a coordinated system of payment for early intervention services, from birth to the third birthday, for children with developmental disabilities.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill E
H: Solano
S: Williams

Investigation of Child Care Providers Paid by Assistance Program: Requires non-licensed child care home providers to undergo criminal background checks if they are paid by the Colorado child care assistance program.

Approved by Legislative Council

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Legislative Oversight Committee for the Continuing Examination of Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness who are Involved with the Justice System

Legislative Council info page

Bill No. & sponsors

Bill title, summary
and state fiscal impact

Bill status

Bill A
H: Jahn
S: Kester

Advisory board to make recommendations concerning competency evaluations in adult criminal cases: Creates an advisory board to study and recommend standards regarding the level of training, education, and experience that a psychiatrist or psychologist must have to be qualified to perform competency evaluations in criminal cases.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill B
H: Stafford
S: Windels

Demonstration programs for integrated family advocacy programs for mental health juvenile justice populations: Establishes pilot programs for a system of family advocates for mental-health diagnosed juveniles that would be implemented and monitored by the Division of Mental Health in the Department of Human Services, with input, cooperation, and support services from the Division of Criminal Justice.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill C
H: Solano
S: Takis

Juvenile justice procedures for juveniles who may suffer from mental health problems: In a juvenile delinquency proceeding, requires the court, prosecution, defense, guardian ad litem, probation officer, parent or legal guardian to raise the issue of emotional disturbance if one of those parties has a reason to believe the juvenile suffers from emotional disturbance; Directs the court to order an assessment, if needed, and permits the court to order mental health treatment or services.

Approved by Legislative Council

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Police Officers’ and Firefighters’ Pension Reform Interim Commission

Legislative Council info page

Bill No. & sponsors

Bill title, summary
and state fiscal impact

Bill status

Bill A
H: Cerbo
S: Tochtrop

Property tax exemption for property of the Fire and Police Pension Association: For property tax years commencing on or after Jan. 1, 2007, exempts real property used and occupied by the Fire and Police Pension Association and personal property used by the association from the levy and collection of property tax.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill B
H: Riesberg
S: Taylor

Timing of contribution deposits for plans administered by the Fire and Police Pension Association: Requires all contribution deposits for police officers' and firefighters' new hire pension plans and the statewide death and disability plan to be made 10 days following the payment of salary to the member, regardless of whether a member is paid more than once per month.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill C
H: Liston
S: Tochtrop

Police officers' and firefighters' pension options for new hire members who have a change in their marital status after retiring unmarried: For a police officers' and firefighters' new hire pension member (member) who is single when he or she retires under the statewide defined benefit plan or is awarded a disability benefit and chooses a single life annuity and who subsequently marries or remarries and wishes to choose a new pension option, allows the member to do so within a specified number of days of the date of marriage or remarriage or by a specified date, whichever is later.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill D
H: McGihon
S: Tochtrop

Disability and survivor benefits for members of the Fire and Police Pension Association: Changes eligibility for a disability or survivor benefit to be based on whether a member is receiving a pension from a plan in the defined benefit system and whether the member has been enrolled in the statewide death and disability plan, irrespective of the type of retirement plan in which the member participated. Modifies the definition of "dependent child" to include any child under the age of 23.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill E
H: Witwer
S: Taylor

Qualification as a Volunteer Firefighter for Purposes of a Volunteer Firefighter Pension Plan: In the case of a municipality or district volunteer firefighter pension plan, modifies the existing definition of a volunteer firefighter; Identifies additional types of benefits and payments that are excluded from the definition of compensation.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill F
H: Witwer
S: Tochtrop

Length of Service Awards for Bona Fide Volunteers Who Provide Qualified Emergency Services: Specifies that a governing body of an emergency service provider may adopt and administer a volunteer service award plan for bona fide volunteers who provide qualified emergency services, so long as the plan is in compliance with federal IRS requirements.

Approved by Legislative Council

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Legislative Oversight Committee on State and Veterans Nursing Homes

Legislative Council info page

Bill No. & sponsors

Bill title, summary
and state fiscal impact

Bill status

Bill A
H: Cloer
S: Tochtrop

Creation of the Board of Commissioners of State and Veterans Nursing Homes in the Department of Human Services.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill B
H: Balmer
S: Entz

Appropriation of funds to the Central Fund for State Nursing Homes.

 

Approved by Legislative Council

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Transportation Legislation Review Committee Legislative Council info page

Bill No. & sponsors

Bill title, summary
and state fiscal impact

Bill status

Bill A
H: Pommer
S: Williams

Criminal background checks for certain motor vehicle carriers that transport passengers: Requires certain motor vehicle carriers that transport passengers to obtain employees' and contractors' fingerprints for purposes of conducting criminal history record checks. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation would conduct a state and federal criminal history record check using the fingerprints.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill B
H: J. Kerr
S: Takis

Redundant Railroad Crossings: Outlines authorization for the abolition of a redundant, non-signalized, and unattended at-grade railroad crossing without a hearing before the Public Utilities Commission.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill C

Repealing the limitation on the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees that the Colorado Department of Transportation may employ.

Not Approved by Legislative Council

Bill D
H: McFadyen
S: May

Avoidance of specific ownership taxes on motor vehicles: Increases to a Class 1 misdemeanor the penalty for failing to register a motor vehicle two or more times in five years and would prohibit the issuance of more than two temporary registrations per year to a Class A or Class B motor vehicle unless the delay is caused by a title or lien problem, as specified.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill E
H: Green
S: Hagedorn

Rules regulating carriers exempt from regulation as a public utility: Requires the PUC to promulgate rules governing the standards used to define a luxury limousine; the operational requirements of luxury limousines and insurance requirements for carriers exempt from regulation as a public utility.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill F
H: Rose
S: Williams

Scope of jurisdiction of the Transportation Legislation Review Committee: Expands the scope of the Transportation Legislation Review Committee to include review of laws governing the regulation of traffic, licensing of drivers, registration and titling of motor vehicles, and oversight of the agencies and political subdivisions of Colorado that administer such laws.

Approved by Legislative Council

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Water Resources Review Committee Legislative Council info page

Bill No. & sponsors

Bill title, summary
and state fiscal impact

Bill status

Bill A
H: Curry
S: Taylor

Expansion of the water efficiency grant program: Allows any state or local governmental entity that provides water at retail to customers to participate in the water efficiency grant program administered by the Colorado Water Conservation Board; Extends the repeal of the program to July 1, 2012.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill B
H: Butcher
S: Isgar

Maximum compensation paid to the directors of certain water districts: Increases the compensation payable to directors of conservancy districts to a maximum of $2,400 per year; Increases to a maximum of $100 per day the compensation payable to directors of the Colorado River Water Conservation District, the Rio Grande Water Conservation District and the Republican River Water Conservation District.

Approved by Legislative Council

Bill C
S: Fitz-Gerald

Asking Congress support the federal Rural Colorado Water Infrastructure Act.

Approved by Legislative Council

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