SB13-111, sponsored in the House by Reps. Sue Schafer (D-Wheat Ridge) and Amy Stephens (R-Monument), takes the recommendations made by the Elder Abuse Task Force and requires specified professionals and individuals to report to law enforcement instances of suspected abuse, caretaker neglect and financial exploitation of at-risk elders. The bill also improves accountability and funding for investigations and protective services ...]]> (May 16) –Gov. John Hickenlooper visited the Seniors’ Resource Center in Wheat Ridge today to sign two bills that will protect and streamline services for seniors.

SB13-111, sponsored in the House by Reps. Sue Schafer (D-Wheat Ridge) and Amy Stephens (R-Monument), takes the recommendations made by the Elder Abuse Task Force and requires specified professionals and individuals to report to law enforcement instances of suspected abuse, caretaker neglect and financial exploitation of at-risk elders. The bill also improves accountability and funding for investigations and protective services so that the right services will be available at the right time to help ensure at-risk elders’ safety and well-being.

“Colorado is one of just three states that do not require the reporting of elder abuse, and this bill changes that,” Rep. Schafer said. “We must protect those who are most vulnerable from being mistreated and abused.”

The governor also signed SB13-004, sponsored in the House by Rep. Joann Ginal (D-Fort Collins), which allows seniors who are 65 and older to renew their state-issued identification cards online or by mail every renewal period.

SB13-266, sponsored in the House by Reps. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada) and Dave Young (D-Greeley), directs the Department of Human Services to create a coordinated behavioral health crisis response system for people who are experiencing significant mental health crises. This bill will create a 24-hour crisis telephone hotline, walk-in crisis services and crisis stabilization units, mobile crisis services, residential and respite ...]]> (May 16) – Gov. John Hickenlooper signed two key reforms to Colorado’s mental health system today at the Jefferson Center for Mental Health in Wheat Ridge.

SB13-266, sponsored in the House by Reps. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada) and Dave Young (D-Greeley), directs the Department of Human Services to create a coordinated behavioral health crisis response system for people who are experiencing significant mental health crises. This bill will create a 24-hour crisis telephone hotline, walk-in crisis services and crisis stabilization units, mobile crisis services, residential and respite crises services and a public information campaign.

“Improving our mental health system is a public safety issue,” said Rep. Kraft-Tharp, who has worked in the mental health field for 20 years. “There are people sitting out there right now who need help that our mental health system is not able to provide. We need a strong, comprehensive, integrated crisis system that provides appropriate and timely care, and these important bills will move us in that direction.”

Three in ten Coloradans are in need of behavioral health services and the economic downturn caused mental health services to be significantly cut. These bills are components of the governor’s focus on rebuilding and reinvesting in mental and behavioral health services system in Colorado.

“We are looking for a seamless system,” Rep. Young said. “We want to make sure people get the services they need, when they need them, and ensure we don’t have people falling through the cracks.”

HB13-1296, sponsored by Reps. Beth McCann (D-Denver) and Kraft-Tharp, creates the Civil Commitment Statute Review Committee in the Department of Human Services to meet during the 2013 legislative interim. During 2011, 28,700 people were placed on an emergency mental health hold or were certified for commitment. Currently, Colorado is the only state with three different statutory processes—one for mental illnesses, one for alcohol-related crises and one for substance abuse-related crises. The task force is required to study and prepare recommendations concerning the consolidation of mental health, alcohol and substance abuse disorder statutes concerning civil commitments.

“Our laws are confusing, so this task force will consider how to make our mental health system more efficient and provide better outcomes for Coloradans facing civil commitments and their families,” Rep. McCann said.

Corporations have an overriding fiduciary duty: to maximize profits for their shareholders. HB13-1138, which Rep. Lee sponsored with Sen. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins), creates a new class of businesses — benefit ...]]> (May 15) – Gov. John Hickenlooper, beer lover and former brewer, combined business and pleasure on a bill-signing road trip today when he made his last stop at New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, where he signed a bill by Rep. Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs) to give corporations more room to pursue the public good.

Corporations have an overriding fiduciary duty: to maximize profits for their shareholders. HB13-1138, which Rep. Lee sponsored with Sen. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins), creates a new class of businesses — benefit corporations, with the freedom to pursue beneficial causes as well as profits.

An existing corporation would need a two-thirds vote of its shareholders to amend its articles of incorporation to become a public benefit corporation. Employee-owned New Belgium has already begun the process of converting itself to benefit corporation status.

“My aim is to encourage all types of legitimate business,” Rep. Lee said. “There are entrepreneurs and social impact investors who want to benefit people and the planet as well as pursue profit. This new law will encourage them to grow their businesses in Colorado.”

HB13-1044 creates a legal definition for “graywater,” which comes from post-use sources other than toilets and urinals, kitchen sinks, dishwashers, and nonlaundry utility sinks. It does not meet drinking water standards but is purer than wastewater. Rather than dispose of graywater in a septic system or send it to a ...]]> (May 15) – Rep. Randy Fischer’s bill to bring Colorado up to speed with the other Western states on water conservation was signed today by Gov. John Hickenlooper on the main campus of Colorado State University.

HB13-1044 creates a legal definition for “graywater,” which comes from post-use sources other than toilets and urinals, kitchen sinks, dishwashers, and nonlaundry utility sinks. It does not meet drinking water standards but is purer than wastewater. Rather than dispose of graywater in a septic system or send it to a wastewater treatment plant, it can be used for irrigation or in air-conditioning systems.

Currently, graywater is classified as wastewater and may not be used outside the home. The new law gives counties and municipalities the option to permit graywater use in residential and commercial settings, as is done in all the other Western states, and directs the state Water Quality Control Commission to adopt public health guidelines that encourage its use.

Rep. Fischer noted that with Colorado’s water resources already stretched thin in some places and the state’s population projected to double by 2050, water conservation is of critical importance.

“This new law helps to address the problem of  how we are going to provide water for Colorado’s growing population,” Rep. Fischer said, adding that he hoped graywater use would slow the trend in which cities buy up water rights from the dwindling agricultural sector.

The Advanced Industries Acceleration Act had bipartisan cosponsors in Reps. Dave Young (D-Greeley) and Cheri Gerou (R-Evergreen), and Speaker Mark Ferrandino made it the first bill to be introduced this session. It establishes a grant program to promote commercialization of new technologies and growth among Colorado’s small high-tech startups.

HB13-1001 targets advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and ...]]> (May 15) – Gov. John Hickenlooper traveled to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley today to sign the centerpiece of the House Democrats’ jobs and economic development package.

The Advanced Industries Acceleration Act had bipartisan cosponsors in Reps. Dave Young (D-Greeley) and Cheri Gerou (R-Evergreen), and Speaker Mark Ferrandino made it the first bill to be introduced this session. It establishes a grant program to promote commercialization of new technologies and growth among Colorado’s small high-tech startups.

HB13-1001 targets advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources, infrastructure engineering, and information technology. Colorado-based advanced-industry concerns would be eligible for proof-of-concept grants, capped at $150,000; early stage capital and retention grants, capped at $250,000, and infrastructure grants, capped at $500,000.

These advanced industries already account for 30 percent of Colorado’s workforce.

“This new law will help expand industries that will be the foundation of a robust, sustainable Colorado economy that’s based on modern, high-tech products,” Rep. Young said after the signing. “It will increase the number of high-paying, high-skilled jobs in Colorado.”

The signing took place at the chamber of commerce in Boulder, home of the sponsors of HB13-1142, Majority Leader Dickey Lee Hullinghorst (D-Boulder) and Sen. Rollie Heath (D-Boulder).

The new law will make the state’s enterprise zone system more targeted at jobs creators. Enterprise zones hand out nearly $100 million in tax credits. Originally designed to encourage development in depressed areas, enterprise zones now cover ...]]> (May 15) – A bill reforming the state’s largest economic development program was signed into law this morning by Gov. John Hickenlooper.

The signing took place at the chamber of commerce in Boulder, home of the sponsors of HB13-1142, Majority Leader Dickey Lee Hullinghorst (D-Boulder) and Sen. Rollie Heath (D-Boulder).

The new law will make the state’s enterprise zone system more targeted at jobs creators. Enterprise zones hand out nearly $100 million in tax credits. Originally designed to encourage development in depressed areas, enterprise zones now cover 70 percent of the state, and more than half of the money is going to big oil and gas companies that are drilling in the state not because they get a tax break, but because there’s oil and gas here.

The measure caps enterprise zone tax credits at $750,000, with 14 years of carryovers that would allow up to $11.2 million in tax credits for a single claim. Savings will be plowed back into other economic development programs that have been shown to be more effective in creating jobs.

“This is a very good bill for jobs in Colorado,” Rep. Hullinghorst said.

The governor went to Rose Hill Elementary School in Commerce City today to sign HB13-1006, sponsored by Reps. Dominick Moreno (D-Commerce City) and Tony Exum Sr. (D-Colorado Springs). The bill will phase in a requirement that schools where at least 80 percent of the students qualify for federal free or reduced-cost lunch will serve breakfast to all students after the official ...]]> (May 15) – A bill to help make sure more Colorado schoolkids get a decent breakfast was signed into law today by Gov. John Hickenlooper.

The governor went to Rose Hill Elementary School in Commerce City today to sign HB13-1006, sponsored by Reps. Dominick Moreno (D-Commerce City) and Tony Exum Sr. (D-Colorado Springs). The bill will phase in a requirement that schools where at least 80 percent of the students qualify for federal free or reduced-cost lunch will serve breakfast to all students after the official start of school.

Hungry children don’t learn as well as their better-fed peers, but many students who qualify for existing before-school breakfast programs don’t get to school in time to eat, some of them because of the stigma of acknowledging that their families are too poor to feed them. When the Adams 14 School District went from school breakfast before the bell to an after-the-bell meal, the participation rate went from 30 percent to 98 percent.

“Breakfast after the bell gives students from low-income families an equal chance to learn and succeed,” said Rep. Moreno, who qualified for free in-school meals on his way to becoming valedictorian of his high school class.

By serving breakfast during attendance-taking and announcements, schools that have already initiated Breakfast After the Bell have been able to do it with no reduction in instruction time.

“This is a significant part of making sure our students get a good education,” Rep. Exum said.

The vast majority of the cost of Breakfast After the Bell is covered by an existing federal program.

HB13-1080, sponsored by Reps. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada) and Chris Holbert (R-Parker), expands the type of industries that can claim the Aircraft Manufacturer New Employee Tax Credit. It includes companies involved with the maintenance and repair, completion or modification of aircrafts.

“Not only will this tax credit create jobs across Colorado, but it will create jobs right in my district and support the Rocky Mountain ...]]> (May 13) – Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill today at the Centennial Airport that will create jobs in the aircraft manufacturing sector.

HB13-1080, sponsored by Reps. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada) and Chris Holbert (R-Parker), expands the type of industries that can claim the Aircraft Manufacturer New Employee Tax Credit. It includes companies involved with the maintenance and repair, completion or modification of aircrafts.

“Not only will this tax credit create jobs across Colorado, but it will create jobs right in my district and support the Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport,” Rep. Kraft-Tharp said. “This bipartisan bill will create jobs, and I’m proud of the bipartisan efforts to grow this important industry.”

“I am happy the governor came to my district to sign these important public safety and victim protection bills,” Rep. Kagan said. “These bills really will help save lives and prevent survivors from further victimization, and I’m proud of the ...]]> (May 13) – Gov. John Hickenlooper signed two measures today to protect victims and assist law enforcement. The bills were sponsored by Rep. Daniel Kagan (D-Cherry Hills Village) and signed at the Cherry Hills Village Community Center with law enforcement, victims’ rights advocates and survivors present.

“I am happy the governor came to my district to sign these important public safety and victim protection bills,” Rep. Kagan said. “These bills really will help save lives and prevent survivors from further victimization, and I’m proud of the bipartisan cooperation and support.”

HB13-1163, sponsored by Rep. Kagan, will create the Sexual Assault Victim Emergency (SAVE) Payment Program, which will provide funding for victims who would qualify. Federal law prevents hospitals from charging sexual assault survivors for their rape kits, but the survivors are still responsible for other costs incurred when going to a medical service provider. These can range from emergency room admittance fees to treatment of injuries to further testing.

“There is absolutely no reason why a sexual assault victim should have to endure medical costs related to their attack, in addition to the trauma they’re facing” Rep. Kagan said. “This bill would put an end to that.  For those people it can be a life-changing factor.”

HB13-1308, sponsored by Reps. Kagan and Bob Gardner (R-Colorado Springs), helps law enforcement locate people believed to be in danger of imminent harm. The bill allows a law enforcement agency to direct a cellular service provider to provide location information without a court order. The law enforcement agency must have probable cause to believe that an emergency situation exists and the time required to obtain a search warrant or other court order would exacerbate the risk of death or serious bodily injury. Additionally, the bill requires that law enforcement seek a court order after the event demonstrating that the information was acquired legally to prevent abuse.

The bill is modeled after other legislation that was in response to the Kelsey Smith case. Smith was abducted, raped and killed in Kansas in 2007, and it took four days for the cell phone carrier to release the location of her cell phone because the law wasn’t clear as to whether the company could release that information. Within 45 minutes of the company releasing her cellular location information, Smith’s body was found.

HB13-1287, sponsored by Reps. Primavera (D-Broomfield) and Brian DelGrosso (R-Loveland), extends the Colorado job growth incentive tax credit through 2023. The credit is available to any business in Colorado that creates jobs in the state – a minimum of five jobs in a rural enterprise zone, at least 20 in other areas. The average credit is $2,800 per job; the ...]]> (May 13) – Rep. Dianne Primavera’s bill to continue one of the state’s main levers for encouraging job creation was signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper today.

HB13-1287, sponsored by Reps. Primavera (D-Broomfield) and Brian DelGrosso (R-Loveland), extends the Colorado job growth incentive tax credit through 2023. The credit is available to any business in Colorado that creates jobs in the state – a minimum of five jobs in a rural enterprise zone, at least 20 in other areas. The average credit is $2,800 per job; the new jobs must be retained for at least one year; and they must pay at least 110 percent of the local average wage.

“I’m supporting an all-of-the-above approach to economic development and job creation,” Rep. Primavera said when the bill was approved by the House last month. “This bill is an important part of the strategy.”

Since its inception in 2009 the program has attracted 27 new businesses and 7,200 jobs to Colorado, and 80 more companies are in the pipeline.