Colorado budget, debt, and interest

Firearm mortality includes suicide, homicide, and other intents. The provision concerns firearm access, safety, or prevention of firearm injury and may address only part of the death count. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Firearm deaths. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

The act requires a firearms dealer (dealer), beginning July 1, 2025, to obtain a state firearms dealer permit (state permit) in order to engage in the business of dealing in firearms other than destructive devices in Colorado. Engaging in the business of dealing in firearms other than destructive devices without a permit is an unclassified felony, punishable by a fine of up to $250,000. In order to be issued a state permit, the dealer must hold a federal firearms license; not have had a federal, state, or local license to deal firearms or ammunition revoked, suspended, or denied within the prior 3 years; and not have violated any state or federal law concerning the possession, purchase, or sale of firearms in the 3 years before applying for the state permit. The department of revenue (department) is responsible for issuing state permits. The fee for issuing a permit is $400, which may be adjusted annually by the department. A state permit is valid for 3 years. The department, subject to available appropriations, is required to conduct an on-site inspection of a random selection of 10% of state permit holders each year and, additionally, may conduct periodic unannounced dealer inspections. The department shall revoke a dealer's state permit if the dealer: No longer holds a valid federal firearms license; Does not permit a required inspection of the dealer's business or a required record; or Is convicted of obtaining a firearm for or transferring a firearm to a person who is ineligible to possess a firearm, transferring a firearm prior to receiving the results of a background check, trafficking in firearms, or unlawfully selling or transferring a firearm component or accessory. If the department finds that a dealer failed to post a required notice, make a report about unlawful purchase, or make a required record; transferred a firearm without a locking device; or violated other federal, state, or local laws concerning the sale of firearms or firearm components, the department shall: For a first offense, issue a warning; and For a second offense, issue a warning, suspend the dealer's permit, or revoke the dealer's state permit.

Firearm mortality includes suicide, homicide, and other intents. The provision concerns firearm access, safety, or prevention of firearm injury and may address only part of the death count. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Firearm deaths. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

Firearms - extreme risk protection order - petition requirements - hearings - firearm surrender options - termination hearing - appropriation. The act creates the ability for a family or household member or a law enforcement officer to petition the court for a temporary extreme risk protection order (ERPO) beginning on January 1, 2020. The petitioner must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that a person poses a significant risk to self or others by having a firearm in his or her custody or control or by possessing, purchasing, or receiving a firearm. The petitioner must submit an affidavit signed under oath and penalty of perjury that sets forth facts to support the issuance of a temporary ERPO and a reasonable basis for believing they exist. The court must hold a temporary ERPO hearing in person or by telephone on the day the petition is filed or on the court day immediately following the day the petition is filed. After issuance of a temporary ERPO, the court must schedule a second hearing no later than 14 days following the issuance to determine whether the issuance of a continuing ERPO is warranted. The court shall appoint counsel to represent the respondent at the hearing. If a family or household member or a law enforcement officer establishes by clear and convincing evidence that a person poses a significant risk to self or others by having a firearm in his or her custody or control or by possessing, purchasing, or receiving a firearm, the court may issue a continuing ERPO. The ERPO prohibits the respondent from possessing, controlling, purchasing, or receiving a firearm for 364 days. Upon issuance of the ERPO, the respondent shall surrender all of his or her firearms and his or her concealed carry permit if the respondent has one. The respondent may surrender his or her firearms either to a law enforcement agency or a federally licensed firearms dealer, or, if the firearm is an antique or relic or curio, the firearm may be surrendered to a family member who is eligible to possess a firearm and who does not reside with the respondent.

Firearm mortality includes suicide, homicide, and other intents. The provision concerns firearm access, safety, or prevention of firearm injury and may address only part of the death count. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Firearm deaths. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

The act requires a firearms dealer (dealer), beginning July 1, 2025, to obtain a state firearms dealer permit (state permit) in order to engage in the business of dealing in firearms other than destructive devices in Colorado. Engaging in the business of dealing in firearms other than destructive devices without a permit is an unclassified felony, punishable by a fine of up to $250,000. In order to be issued a state permit, the dealer must hold a federal firearms license; not have had a federal, state, or local license to deal firearms or ammunition revoked, suspended, or denied within the prior 3 years; and not have violated any state or federal law concerning the possession, purchase, or sale of firearms in the 3 years before applying for the state permit. The department of revenue (department) is responsible for issuing state permits. The fee for issuing a permit is $400, which may be adjusted annually by the department. A state permit is valid for 3 years. The department, subject to available appropriations, is required to conduct an on-site inspection of a random selection of 10% of state permit holders each year and, additionally, may conduct periodic unannounced dealer inspections. The department shall revoke a dealer's state permit if the dealer: No longer holds a valid federal firearms license; Does not permit a required inspection of the dealer's business or a required record; or Is convicted of obtaining a firearm for or transferring a firearm to a person who is ineligible to possess a firearm, transferring a firearm prior to receiving the results of a background check, trafficking in firearms, or unlawfully selling or transferring a firearm component or accessory. If the department finds that a dealer failed to post a required notice, make a report about unlawful purchase, or make a required record; transferred a firearm without a locking device; or violated other federal, state, or local laws concerning the sale of firearms or firearm components, the department shall: For a first offense, issue a warning; and For a second offense, issue a warning, suspend the dealer's permit, or revoke the dealer's state permit.

Wages and cash benefits can be components of household money income. Census income is measured before taxes, so tax relief alone is not an increase in this statistic; the provision does not determine the statewide median. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Median household income. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

Starting April 1, 2024, the act allows the division of labor standards and statistics (division) in the department of labor and employment (department) to use money in the wage theft enforcement fund (fund) to pay employees who are owed money from their employers due to obligations and liabilities related to the payment of wages or other compensation. The division may pay an employee if an employer fails to fulfill an order by the division to pay the employee that results from a wage claim or an investigation: Within 6 months after the division issues a citation and notice of assessment to the employer; or If the employer requests a hearing, within 6 months after the hearing officer issues a decision. The act specifies that after the division pays the employee: The employee cannot recover that payment amount from the employer; The division replaces the employee as creditor and shall continue to pursue the payment from the employer; and Any money recovered from the employer by the division will be credited to the fund. The act requires the division to promulgate rules specifying procedures and criteria for employees to request payments and for the division to make determinations on employee requests. The act continuously appropriates money in the fund to the division for the purpose of making payments to employees for unpaid liabilities, but for purposes of the division's direct and indirect costs implementing wage laws, the money in the fund is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly. The act excludes the fund from the limit on cash fund reserves. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $12,657 from the fund to the department for use by the department's office of the executive director for personal services. APPROVED by Governor April 17, 2023 EFFECTIVE April 17, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Gross rent includes contract rent and tenant-paid utilities. Rental protections, assistance, and housing supply concern components of rental-market conditions; they do not set Colorado’s median rent. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Median gross rent. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

Section 2 clarifies that the attorney general has the power to initiate and bring civil and criminal actions to enforce certain state landlord-tenant laws and that these actions must be initiated and brought within existing appropriations. Sections 4 and 5 grant counties, cities and counties, and municipalities the power to initiate and bring civil actions to enforce certain state landlord-tenant laws. Sections 4 and 5 also create requirements related to a county, city and county, or municipality retaining a private attorney to initiate or bring these civil actions. Section 6 establishes a receivership mechanism that is available as a remedy for violations of applicable laws and regulations by the landlord of multifamily residential property. The attorney general, a county, a city and county, and a municipality may all apply to a district court for the appointment of a receiver to operate a multifamily residential property if there is reasonable cause to believe that the landlord has engaged in a pattern of neglect, as defined in the Act, in connection with the property. The act establishes the process for a district court appointing a receiver, including requiring a hearing and an order of appointment that specifies the duties of a receiver, and the criteria for qualifying as a receiver. No sooner than 90 days after the district court appoints a receiver, the landlord of the relevant property, a lessee of the entire relevant property, the attorney general, or a county, city and county, or municipality may submit an application to the district court to terminate the receivership. As with the appointing of a receiver, section 6 establishes the process by which a district court may terminate a receivership. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Gross rent includes contract rent and tenant-paid utilities. Rental protections, assistance, and housing supply concern components of rental-market conditions; they do not set Colorado’s median rent. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Median gross rent. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

The act modifies the affordable housing programs (programs) created by Proposition 123, which was approved by voters at the 2022 statewide election, by: Allowing tribal governments to participate in the programs; Requiring the division of local government, rather than the division of housing, to administer the land planning capacity development program; Allowing the office of economic development (office) to use a portion of the money in the affordable housing financing fund (financing fund) for its administrative expenses, without increasing the total amount of money from the fund that may be used for administrative expenses; Modifying the calculation for determining eligibility for some of the programs; Clarifying the description of how money is transferred or allocated; Specifying certain units to be included for purposes of the 3% growth obligation that is a condition for funding for local and tribal governments; Establishing a process for rural resort communities to petition the division of housing to use alternative percentages of area median income for eligibility for certain affordable housing programs for a given funding cycle; Exempting money that was originally from the federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund from the appropriations for fiscal year 2022-23 used to determine the state's maintenance of effort requirement for other affordable housing funding; and Requiring the office and the division of housing to provide 3 annual reports to legislative committees about the affordable housing programs. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2023 EFFECTIVE June 5, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The fact counts Health First Colorado enrollees, with Child Health Plan Plus reported separately. Eligibility, enrollment and renewal rules concern the covered population. Provider payments and covered services alone do not establish a change in enrollment. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus enrollment · Residents who are foreign-born. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

The act makes the following changes to health insurance coverage for low-income pregnant people and children in low-income families: Provides full health insurance coverage for Colorado pregnant people who would be eligible for medicaid and the children's basic health plan (CHIP) if not for their immigration status and continues that coverage for 12 months postpartum at the CHIP federal matching rate; Provides comprehensive health insurance coverage for all Colorado children who would be eligible for medicaid and CHIP if not for their immigration status; Requires the state department of health care policy and financing (department) to create an outreach and enrollment strategy for enrolling eligible groups into new coverage options; Requires the department to report to the joint budget committee in its 2024 presentation, as well as in its "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" reports, beginning in January 2026, information concerning the state-funded health and medical care program, the state children's basic health plan, and its plans and progress in implementing the coverage expansion for lawfully residing persons; Allows the state controller to allow the department to make an expenditure in excess of the amount authorized if the amount is for the state medical assistance program or the state children's basic health plan; Provides comprehensive lactation support services, lactation supplies and equipment, and maintenance of multi-use loaned equipment. Removes the annual enrollment fee for a family whose income is at or below one hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty line or an enrollee who is a pregnant person. Draws down federal funds to improve perinatal and postpartum support and requires that priorities for the funds be determined through a stakeholder process; Creates a special enrollment period for health insurance coverage due to pregnancy so that an eligible person can sign up for insurance as soon as the person becomes pregnant; and Improves the quality of health insurance coverage available through the health insurance affordability enterprise.

Gross rent includes contract rent and tenant-paid utilities. Rental protections, assistance, and housing supply concern components of rental-market conditions; they do not set Colorado’s median rent. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Median gross rent. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

Forcible entry and detainer - legal aid services - eviction legal defense fund - appropriation. The act creates the eviction legal defense fund (fund). The state court administrator awards grants from the fund to qualifying nonprofit organizations (organizations) that provide legal advice, counseling, and representation for, and on behalf of, indigent clients who are experiencing an eviction or are at immediate risk of an eviction. The act lists permissible uses of grant money awarded from the fund. Organizations that receive a grant from the fund are required to report to the state court administrator certain information about persons served and services provided by the organization. The state court administrator is required to evaluate the use of grants from the fund every 5 years and submit that evaluation to the general assembly. For the 2019-20 state fiscal year, $750,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the eviction legal defense fund created through the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Wages and cash benefits can be components of household money income. Census income is measured before taxes, so tax relief alone is not an increase in this statistic; the provision does not determine the statewide median. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the fact’s measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Colorado evidence context: Median household income. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

Existing law authorizes the general assembly to set compensation levels for employees of the state. Accordingly, the act clarifies that, for the purposes of laws concerning local minimum wages, the term 'employer' means a corporation, a proprietorship, a partnership, a joint venture, a limited liability company, a trust, an association, a political subdivision of the state, an individual, or any other entity that employs an employee. However, 'employer' does not include the state of Colorado to the extent that a state employer has a collective bargaining agreement as to employee wages. Current law states that the governing bodies of municipalities have the power to license, regulate, and tax any lawful occupation, business place, amusement, or place of amusements (occupation or business place) and to fix the amount, terms, and manner of issuing and revoking licenses issued to an occupation or business place. The act clarifies that the state of Colorado is not an occupation or business place subject to such tax. The act requires the office of state planning and budgeting to submit to the joint budget committee, on or before January 4, 2027, a supplemental budget request concerning compensation of state employees during the 2026-27 state fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)