2020 Legislative Session
HB20-1209
Sunset Nurse-Physician Advisory Task Force
Representatives Cutter & Mullica
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This bill implements the recommendation of the department of regulatory agencies' sunset review and report on the nurse-physician advisory task force for Colorado health care (NPATCH) by continuing the NPATCH indefinitely.
More information on this bill can be found here.
HB20-1412
COVID-19 Utility Bill Payment Related Assistance
Representatives Cutter & Kennedy
Senators Story & Zenzinger
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Though most utilities have suspended utility disconnections due to the pandemic, households facing economic hardship will still have to catch up on their utility bills once the disconnection moratoria are lifted, or else will likely have their utilities shut off. This bill allocates $4.8 million to the Energy Outreach Colorado Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, which helps Coloradans who are at risk of having their service shut off catch up on their utility payments.
More information on this bill can be found here.
HB20-1041
Physician Assistants Financial Responsibility Requirements
Representatives Cutter & McKean
Senator Fields
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This bill specifies that a physician assistant who has been practicing for at least 3 years must comply with the same financial responsibility requirements to which physicians are subject, namely to maintain professional liability coverage of at least $1 million per incident and $3 million aggregate per year. Additionally, the bill authorizes the Colorado medical board to exempt physician assistants from the financial responsibility requirements, or lessen the requirements, to the same extent permitted for physicians.
More information on this bill can be found here.
HB20-1413
Small Business Recovery Loan Program Tax Credits
Representatives Cutter & Bird
Senators Donovan & Zenzinger
This bill establishes a small business recovery loan program that will invest up to $30 million in 2020-21 and up to $50 million between 2020-222. These loans will be available, in amounts between $30,000 and $500,000, to businesses with between 5 and 100 employees that are struggling because of the pandemic. They will be distributed across the state of Colorado, allocated on a per-capita basis by county. The state portion of the fund will be raised by selling insurance premium tax credits for future years, then those funds will be matched at a ratio of 4:1 with private funds before being loaned to small businesses at better-than-market rates for most businesses or at market rates to small businesses that would not otherwise be eligible for such loans.
More information on this bill can be found here.
HB20-1422
Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program
Representatives Cutter & Esgar
Senators Story & Zenzinger
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This bill uses federal CARES funding to establish the food pantry assistance grant program to aid Colorado food pantries and food banks in purchasing food to meet the needs of their clientele, which has expanded significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill also assists Colorado’s agricultural producers by requiring that food purchased using grant money be designated as a Colorado agricultural product.
More information on this bill can be found here.
SB20-014
Excused Absences in Public Schools for Behavioral Health
Representatives Cutter & Arndt
Senators Priola & Story
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Current law requires school districts to adopt a written policy setting forth the school district's attendance requirements. The bill requires the policy to include excused absences for behavioral health concerns.
More information on this bill can be found here.
SB20-057
Fire Prevention & Control
Employee Benefits
Representatives Cutter & Snyder
Senator Lee
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Beginning July 1, 2020, this bill adds the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety to the definition of "employer" for the purpose of providing benefits for a heart and circulatory malfunction and to the definition of "employer" for the purpose of providing benefits for certain covered cancers. In addition, this bill expands the definition of "state trooper" for purposes of the public employees' retirement association to include all current and future employees of the division that are classified as a firefighter I through firefighter VII class titles.
More information on this bill can be found here.
SB20-055
Incentivize Development Recycling End Market
Representatives Cutter & Arndt
Senators Priola & Story
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This bill directs the pollution prevention advisory board within the department of public health and environment to recommend to the department a structure and governing guidance for a recycling market development center to support the development of end-market businesses within the state. It also allows the board to use the recycling resources economic opportunity fund and the front range waste diversion cash fund to reimburse eligible recycling businesses for locally assessed personal property taxes paid in the current tax year in this state on personal property. Finally, the bill requires the department, on and after October 1, 2020, to administer a statewide campaign to educate Colorado residents concerning recycling.
More information on this bill can be found here.
SB20-208
Extending Expiring Tax Write Off
Representatives Cutter & Duran
Senators Corum & Story
On the state income tax form, voluntary contribution options to a number of nonprofits and funds were set to expire after this tax year. This bill reauthorizes those funds to remain on the form as long as they meet certain requirements. The funds in question include:
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American Red Cross Colorado disaster response, readiness, and preparedness fund
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Colorado domestic abuse program fund
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Habitat for Humanity of Colorado fund
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Pet overpopulation fund
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Special Olympics Colorado fund
More information on this bill can be found here.
