SB20-035 – Kiosk Program Provider Vehicle and Identity Services
Signed by Governor 6/6/2020
This bill converts a pilot program for county clerks into a regular program. The program enables county clerks, acting as authorized agents of the Department of Revenue, to participate in a kiosk program to offer motor vehicle registration renewals through a private provider. Additionally, the bill expands the services that may be offered through the kiosk program, eliminates the current convenience fee cap of $3, and adds data security and accessibility requirements for kiosk providers.
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SB20-040 – Require License Practice Genetic Counseling
House Committee on Finance: Postponed Indefinitely 5/28/2020
This bill would require people who work as genetic counselors to receive a license from the Division of Professions and Occupations in order to practice genetic counseling. With the rapid expansion of at-home genetic testing kits, requiring that genetic counselors be vetted and hold a license would keep people safe when they seek guidance based on their genetic information.
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SB20-102 – Provider Disclose Discipline Convict Sex Offense
Signed by Governor 6/29/2020
This bill requires providers subject to the Medical Transparency Act of 2010 to disclose in writing to their patients any final conviction or acceptance of a guilty plea for a sex offense and any resulting final disciplinary or any finding of unprofessional sexual misconduct. Barring several exemptions—unconscious patient, if the visit occurs in an emergency room, or the provider isn’t known to the patient prior to the visit—the provider must obtain the patient’s agreement and acknowledgement. Failure to comply with these requirements constitutes unprofessional conduct.
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SB20-106 – Consent To Shelter And Services By Homeless Youth
Signed by Governor 6/26/2020
This bill provides aid to homeless youth as young as 15 years of age by allowing them to receive shelter or shelter services from a licensed homeless youth shelter without requiring the consent of their parents. The bill also extends the time period for a facility to attempt reconciliation between homeless youth and their parent or legal guardian from 48 to 72 hours, and a shelter is not required to notify a homeless youth’s parent or legal guardian if the youth refuses to provide that contact information or if the shelter believes notifying the parent or legal guardian would not be in the youth’s best interest due to imminent abuse or neglect.
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SB20-107 – Drug Production Costs Transparency Analysis Report
Senate Second Reading: Laid over to 12/31/2020 (no Amendments) 6/3/2020
The purpose of this bill is to make the cost of prescription drugs more transparent. It requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to gather data from state agencies and drug manufacturers on high-cost prescription drugs and to analyze and report on this information to the General Assembly. It creates a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day for drug manufacturers that fail to report the information requested by HCPF.
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SB20-119 – Expand Canadian Prescription Drug Import Program
House Committee on Health & Insurance: Postponed Indefinitely 6/10/2020
The purpose of this bill is to lower the cost of prescription drugs and save Coloradans money. It builds on SB19-005, which created the Canadian Drug Importation Program. It directs the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to design an importation program and submit it for approval to the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services and to expand the program to allow drug importation to other nations besides Canada (once federal law permits). A similar version of this bill, SB21-123, was introduced in the 2021 Legislative Session and became law.
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SB20-125 – Prohibit Exotic Animals In Travelling Performances
House Committee on Energy & Environment: Postponed Indefinitely 5/28/2020
This bill is intended to ensure that exotic animals, such as monkeys, koalas, or tigers, are not permitted in traveling performances. This legislation recognizes that “circus” animals spend up to 90% of their lives in cages or confinement, and are often let out only during “performances,” which are involuntary acts often necessitating the use of prods or whips. And as a result of lengthy travel, they often lack adequate veterinary care. To protect these animals, the bill makes it illegal to use exotic types of animals in traveling circuses in the state of Colorado. A similar bill, SB21-135, was introduced in the 2021 legislative session and became law.
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SB20-129 – Protection Of Individuals Subject To A Fiduciary
Signed by Governor 7/10/2020
This bill is designed to offer additional protection for seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable or at-risk individuals who have been subject to a court-ordered emergency guardianship. It requires the court to appoint individuals to help them understand their rights, gather relevant information about and from their support network, and offer recommendations to the court regarding the appropriateness of emergency guardianship or special conservatorship.
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SB20-160 – Require Movie Theaters To Provide Open Captioning
Senate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology: Postponed Indefinitely 2/12/2020
This bill is about accessibility and equity. Many people cannot participate in or fully benefit from movies without visualized dialogue and sounds, i.e., captions. In Colorado, it is estimated that 20% of the population (over 1 million people) have a hearing loss disability. This bill requires public movie theaters (with more than two locations in CO) to provide open movie captioning during at least two showings each week for each movie that is offered.
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SB20-164 – Treatment Of Dogs And Cats In Shelters And Rescues
House Committee on Rural Affairs & Agriculture: Postponed Indefinitely 5/27/2020
This bill establishes a minimum standard of care that each animal shelter and pet animal rescue must provide for each dog and cat in its custody. It also requires that shelters and rescues adopt out, return to the owner, or transfer to another facility all cats and dogs that is healthy and safe or has a good prognosis for recovery, thus disallowing the euthanasia of these animals. A related bill, HB21-1160, was introduced in the 2021 legislative session and became law.
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SB20-176 – Protect Neutral Determinations In Health Insurance
Signed by Governor 7/14/2020
This bill clarifies that any health or disability insurance contract offered in the state of Colorado may not contain clauses that give an insurer discretionary authority to determine benefits. It also entitles a person whose insurance claims have been rejected an opportunity to have their claim reviewed in court. In doing so, this bill protects Coloradans from possible unfair treatment by insurance companies.
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HB20-1032 – Timing K-12 Education Standards Review
Signed by Governor 7/11/2020
The bill creates a schedule for the review and revision of academic standards for preschool through secondary. It is the duty of the State Board of Education to perform this review every six years. On or before July 1, 2022, the bill requires the board to conduct its review of approximately one third of the education academic standards. Another third is to be reviewed by July 1, 2024, and the final third by July 1, 2026. Each group of standards is to be reviewed and revised every six years going forward on a staggered schedule.
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HB20-1044 – Modify Pension Plans Administered By FPPA Fire and Police Pension Association
Signed by Governor 4/1/2020
This bill is an effort to bring more sustainability to police and firefighter pensions. To do so, it modifies various plans administered by the Fire and Police Pension Association (FFPA), the statewide defined benefit plan, and the death and disability plan, by increasing member and employer contributions. It also modifies the old-hire pension plans by granting the FPPA board the authority to modify the employers’ contribution as the old-hire liabilities wind down.
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HB20-1050 – Other Outlet Pharmacies Drug Distribution
Signed by Governor 3/24/2020
Quick access to necessary medications is important for patient safety and outcomes. Current law permits a pharmacy or hospital to sell or give a drug to another pharmacy or practitioner or to supply an emergency kit to certain facilities. This bill extends that authority and enables pharmacies and hospitals to sell or give drugs to ambulatory surgical centers, hospices, and convalescent centers as well, enabling them to better serve their patients.
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HB20-1056 – Nonsubstantitive Reorganization Dental Practice Act
Signed by Governor 3/23/2020
This bill reorganizes the Dental Practice Act in Title 12, which includes the laws governing the practices of dentistry and dental hygiene as well activities related to those practices. It makes other nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and consistency.
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HB20-1094 – Repeal Fee Cap On-site Wastewater Treatment System
Signed by Governor 3/11/2020
Under current law, local boards of health may set fees for on-site wastewater treatment system permits in order to offset the costs associated with the permit but not to exceed $1,000. This bill removes the $1,000 fee cap. It also requires the local board of health to provide the permittee with a statement that specifies how the permit fee was calculated if requested.
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HB20-1140 – Direct Primary Care for Medicaid Recipients
House Committee on Health & Insurance: Postponed Indefinitely on 3/11/2020
This bill improves access to health care. Under current law, health care providers treating Medicaid clients are prohibited by law from accepting client payments outside of the terms set by the Medicaid program. The bill creates an exception for Medicaid clients who choose to purchase direct primary care services or enter into a direct primary care agreement with a provider. It also directs the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to seek any federal waiver necessary to implement this change. The department is also required to report on any savings created by this change.
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HB20-1160 – Drug Use Transparency Insurance Premium Reductions
House Second Reading: Laid Over Daily, with No Amendments, 6/1/2020
This bill tackles the issue of high prescription drug prices and helps consumers understand what’s driving the cost. It does this by requiring health insurers, drug manufacturers, and others to report non-proprietary information relating to their costs to the Commissioner of Insurance. This information would then be posted publicly. The bill authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules to implement the bill, sets fees, requires health insurers to reduce insurance premiums to adjust for rebates they receive for prescription drugs, and establishes penalties for non-compliance.
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HB20-1183 – Sunset Continue Certification of Nurse Aides
Signed by Governor 6/29/2020
This bill extends the regulation of nurse aides until September 1, 2027. Nurse aides are an important component of health care, and like other medical professions, regulation is important. The bill also moves nurse aide related provisions to the Nurse Practice Act, updates aspects of discipline and recertification, and others.
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HB20-1198 – Pharmacy Benefits Carrier And Pharmacy Benefits Manager Requirements
House Committee on Health & Insurance: Postponed Indefinitely 6/10/2020
This bill ensures that Coloradans have access to fair and reasonable health insurance plans. To do this, it requires health insurance carriers and pharmacy benefit management firms (PBMs) to submit the following information to the Division of Insurance: a list of all PBMs that a carrier uses; its program for compensating pharmacies and pharmacists and its prescription drug formulary for the next benefit year; and the amount that the PBM expects to receive from a carrier for eligible pharmacist services. This information is to be reviewed by the Commissioner of Insurance and other requirements are put into place that require truth in advertising and fair fee structures.
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HB20-1201 – Mobile Home Park Residents Opportunity To Purchase
Signed by Governor 6/30/2020
The bill gives homeowners in a mobile home park, or an association representing a majority of homeowners, the opportunity to make an offer to buy the park if the landlord anticipates selling it or changing the use of the land. Upon receiving an offer, the landlord is required to provide documents in response to reasonable requests for information and to negotiate in good faith. The bill establishes notification and reporting requirements, timeframes for homeowners to act, and exemptions from these requirements.
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HB20-1209 – Sunset Nurse-physician Advisory Task Force
Signed by Governor 6/30/2020
This bill extends the Nurse-Physician Advisory Task Force for Colorado Healthcare (NPATCH) until September 1, 2027. NPATCH’s purpose is to promote public safety and improve healthcare in Colorado by facilitating communication between the practices of nursing and medicine. The bill also implements recommendations from the 2019 sunset report, including a specification that three NPATCH members must be licensed physicians that are recommended by and represent a statewide, multi-specialty physicians’ organization.
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HB20-1216 – Sunset Continue Nurse Practice Act
Signed by Governor 6/30/2020
This bill extends the State Board of Nursing until September 1, 2027. The State Board of Nursing is responsible for enforcing statutes, rules, and policies as implemented by the Nurse Practice Act, Nurse Aide Practice Act, and the Licensed Psychiatric Technician Practice Act. Board staff oversee education, licensing, and enforcement of nurses, nurse aides, and licensed psychiatric technicians. The bill also implements recommendations in the 2019 sunset report, including new rules for discipline of nurse misconduct.
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HB20-1308 – Nonsubstantive Email And Open Meetings Law
House Second Reading: Laid Over to 12/31/2020, with No Amendments, 5/28/2020
This bill is about modernization, clarification, and efficiency. It clarifies that certain emails between elected officials—emails that are not related to legislation or public business—are not subject to the Open Meetings Law. These email types include 1) responses to constituent inquiries; 2) scheduling and availability; 3) forwarded information; and 4) questions for later discussion by the public body. It does not change or alter any CORA requirements; all of the email types specified would continue to be open to public inspection and review. This bill was reintroduced as HB21-1025 in the 2021 legislative session and became law.
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HB20-1316 – Gestational And Genetic Surgery Agreements
House Second Reading: Laid over to 12/31/2020, with No Amendments, on 5/28/2020
This bill repeals CRS 19-4-106 of the Uniform Parentage Act concerning assisted reproduction and creates the Colorado Surrogacy Agreement Act to govern surrogacy agreements. It codifies legal protections for people who use the surrogacy process to have a child, such as couples who are infertile, single parents, or men in same sex relationships, ensuring that everyone involved in a surrogacy agreement in Colorado—whether it is the intended parents, the surrogate, or the resulting child—everyone is protected to a high legal standard. A similar version of this bill, HB21-1022, was introduced in the 2021 legislative session and became law.
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HB20-1425 – Hospital Patient Visitation Rights During COVID-19
Signed by Governor 6/29/2020
The bill is a statutory declaration and an effort to address certain problems created by the COVID-19 pandemic. In their efforts to keep patients and employees safe and to minimize the risk of spreading the virus, hospitals have been limiting patients’ ability to have visitors during hospitalizations. The bill encourages hospitals to establish safety protocols enabling patient visitation as knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic advances.
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