We thank Haley Anderson and the Voices for Justice team for all of the work that they did to track bills during the 2022 Legislative Session of the Colorado General Assembly. Here are their reports, organized by the Colorado Council of Churches public policy priorities.
Environment
Submitted by Mark Meeks
HB22-1012 – Wildfire Mitigation and Recovery. The bill creates the wildfire
mitigation and recovery grant program which provides grants to help counties prevent
and recover from wildfire incidents which will also enhance air and water quality.
Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1072 – Habitat Partnership Program. This program will assist the Division of
Parks and Wildlife in reducing wildlife conflicts while meeting game management
objectives. Policies that preserve open space and wildlife habitats are supported by
this bill. Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1151 – Turf Replacement Program. – This bill promotes efficient water use in
the state, advancing water conservation by providing incentives for replacing high
water use turf grass with water efficient landscapes. Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1218 – Resource Efficiency Buildings Electric Vehicles – This bill would have
required contractors to offer certain resource efficiency options in construction of
certain buildings, including electric vehicle charging resources. Vetoed by the
Governor.
HB22-1244 – Public Protections from Toxic Air Contaminants. This bill creates a new
program to regulate a subset of air pollutants, referred to as “toxic air contaminants”
with the commission having authority to adopt more stringent rules for air quality
than corresponding requirements in the federal “Clean Air Act”. Signed by the
Governor.
HB22-1249 – Electric Grid Resilience And Reliability Roadmap – This requires the
Colorado energy office collaborating with the department of local affairs and the
Colorado Resiliency Office to develop a grid resilience and reliability roadmap for
improving such for electric grids in the state. Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1322 – Water Quality Regulation – This requires the water quality control
commission to conduct outreach and gather input for disproportionately impacted
communities on designating waters as use-protected and creates a 5-year statute of
limitations for bringing actions alleging violations of the “Colorado Water Quality
Control Act”. Signed by the Governor administratively.
HB22-1345 – Perfluoroakyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Chemicals – The toxic chemicals have
contaminated groundwater across the state. The legislation establishes a regulatory
scheme that collects information from product manufacturers regarding the use of
such chemicals and phases out the sale or distribution of products containing
intentionally added PFAS chemicals. Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1348 – Oversight of Chemicals Used in Oil Gas Operations – This establishes a
regulatory scheme that requires disclosure of certain chemical information for
products used in downhole oil and gas operations. Signed by the Governor
administratively.
HB22-1355 – Producer Responsibility Program for Recycling – This legislation creates
the producer responsibility program to mandate that producers and manufacturers
pay for the packaging they use for their products. The more packaging used, the
more they will need to pay, encourgaging producers to stop wrapping their products in
unnecessary material destined to become waste. Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1358 – Clean Water in Schools and Child Care Centers – The bill requires each
public K-12 school, child care center, and family child care home to ensure that a
filter is installed on every drinking water source and that each filter complies with
national standards and is replaced at least as frequently as required by
manufacturer’s instructions. Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1362 – Building Greenhouse Gas Emissions – This seeks to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions in the Built Environment requiring the Colorado energy office to identify
for adoption 3 sets of model code language: 1) Model electric and solar ready code
language; 2) Model low energy and carbon code language; and 3) Model green code
language. Signed by the Governor.
HB22-1381 – Colorado Energy Office Geothermal Energy Grant Program – This
legislation creates a geothermal energy grant program to facilitate development of
geothermal energy resources. Signed by the Governor.
SB22-028 – Groundwater Compact Compliance Fund – The bill creates the
groundwater compact compliance and sustainability fund to help finance
groundwater use reduction efforts in the Rio Grande River Basin and the Republican
River Basin with efforts such as buying and retiring irrigation wells and irrigated
acreage. Signed by the Governor.
SB22-051 – Policies to Reduce Emissions from the Built Environment – The
legislation specifies that air-source and ground-source heat pump systems are
household furnishings exempt from the levy and collection of property tax. Signed by
the Governor.
SB22-118 – Encourage Geothermal Energy Use – The bill encourages geothermal
energy use by modifying statutory provisions that apply to solar energy so that they
apply also to geothermal energy, providing basic education for geothermal energy use
and limiting charges or fees that might be imposed to install geothermal energy
systems. Signed by the Governor.
SB22-151 – Safe Crossings for Colorado Wildlife and Motorists – The bill creates a
cash fund within the state treasury for use by the Department of Transportation to
provide funding for safe road crossings for connectivity of wildlife and that also
reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. Signed by the Governor.
SB22-158 – Species Conservation Trust Fund Projects – This appropriates $6 million
from the species conservation trust fund for programs submitted by the executive
director of the Department of Natural Resources that are designed to conserve native
species that state or federal law list as threatened or endangered. Signed by the
Governor.
SB22 – 176 – Early Stage Front Range Passenger Rail Funding – This provides funding
for work required to enable early stage front range passenger rail corridor
development. Signed by the Governor.
SB22-180 – Programs to Reduce Ozone Through Increased Transit – The legislation
seeks to support increased use of public transit to reduce ground level ozone air
pollution with funds to support free transit for at least 30 days during ozone season.
Signed by the Governor.
SB22-193- Air Quality Improvement Investments – This bill enables grants to private
entities, local governments, and public-private partnerships for voluntary projects to
reduce air pollutants from industrial and manufacturing operations. Signed by the
Governor.
SB22-198 – Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells Enterprise – The bill creates the orphaned
wells mitigation enterprise to fund the plugging, reclaiming, and remediating of
orphaned wells located in the state for which no owner or operator can be found or
for which the owner or operator is unwilling or unable to pay the costs of such efforts.
Signed by the Governor.
SB22-199 – Native Pollinating Insects Protection Study – This enables study regarding
the protection of native pollinating insects in the state. Signed by the Governor.
Health Care
Report by Kelly MacKean
This session, our group monitored several bills. Of the 16 bills either monitored or supported, 14 were
signed by the Governor and 2 failed. The 14 signed by the Governor are a positive outcome for the CCC
(we supported this position). The failed bills were not the outcome our team had hoped for in this session.
Seven bills were added since the interim report.
A few themes emerged in the proposed health care legislation supported or monitored by the team. They
include:
Bills focused on mental health and well-being
Expansion and/or clarification of services for low-income persons, children and the elderly
The following bills were supported by the Colorado Council of Churches:
HB22-1094 Medicaid assistance for survivors of torture
This bill would have allowed survivors of torture access to medical coverage because they often do not
qualify for Medicaid due to pending immigration status.
Outcome: Failed
HB22-1214 Behavioral health crisis response system
The bill requires crisis system facilities and programs, including crisis walk-in centers and mobile crisis
programs, to meet minimum standards to provide mental health and substance use disorder services. The
bill clarifies that crisis system facilities and programs shall provide behavioral health services to individuals
experiencing a substance use disorder crisis. Mobile crisis programs and crisis walk-in centers shall provide crisis services to any individual, including youth of any age.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
HB22-1289 Health benefits for Colorado children and pregnant persons
This bill made important changes to health insurance coverage for low-income pregnant people and
children in low-income families. It expanded coverage and changed reporting structures.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
SB22-052 Medical assistance income eligibility requirements
The bill aligns the Medicaid and children’s basic health plan income eligibility requirements for pregnant
women and children with federal law.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
SB22-057 Violent crime victim brain injury screening program
The bill creates the victims of a violent crime brain injury task force (task force). The purpose of the task
force is to develop a plan for the creation and implementation of a pilot program that would identify and
screen victims of violent crimes for symptoms of possible brain injury. The bill describes the necessary
elements of the plan, the membership for the task force, and reporting requirements.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
SB22-081 Health exchange education campaign health-care services
Concerning a requirement that the board of directors of the Colorado health benefit exchange create a
consumer outreach campaign to provide consumers with comprehensive information regarding covered
health-care services, and, in connection therewith, adjusting the limit on the total amount of tax credits that may be granted to health insurance companies and reinstating special fees assessed by the exchange against health insurance companies in order to fund the consumer outreach campaign.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
The following bills were monitored:
HB22-1050 International medical graduate integrate health-care workforce
This bill would try to reconcile health care provider shortages in the state with needs of qualified health care workers.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
HB22-1065 Emergency mental health treatment and evaluation standard
The bill changes the standard for an emergency 72-hour mental health commitment for treatment and
evaluation to include when a person appears to have a mental health disorder or be gravely disabled and, as a result of such mental health disorder or being gravely disabled, appears to present an imminent or
substantial risk of harm to self or others. “Substantial risk” is defined.
Outcome: Failed
HB22-1267 Culturally relevant training health professionals
This bill would require the office of health equity to create a culturally relevant and affirming health-care
training grant program to provide money to nonprofit entities to develop new, culturally responsive training programs to benefit priority populations (via 3rd party administrator).
Outcome: Signed by Governor
HB22-1269 Health-care sharing plan reporting requirements
The bill requires any person that is not authorized to engage in the business of insurance in this state but
that offers or intends to offer a plan or arrangement to facilitate payment or reimbursement of health-care costs or services for Colorado residents to annually submit to the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) specified information and a certification that the information is accurate and complies with the requirements of the bill.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
HB22-1290 Changes to Medicaid for wheelchair repairs
The bill prohibits the department of health care policy and financing (state department) from requiring prior authorization for any repair of complex rehabilitation technology (CRT).
Outcome: Signed by Governor
HB22-1354 Protecting injured workers’ mental health records
The bill clarifies provisions in the “Workers’ Compensation Act of Colorado” (act) relating to the release
and disclosure of mental health records pertaining to an injured employee making a claim under the act
(claimant).
Outcome: Signed by Governor
SB22-027 Prescription drug monitoring program
Sections 1 and 2 of the bill clarify that each licensed health-care practitioner must query the prescription
drug monitoring program (program) prior to filling a prescription for every opioid or
benzodiazepine. Section 3 requires the group tasked with developing a strategic plan to reduce prescription drug misuse to also make recommendations to the executive director of the department of regulatory agencies concerning balancing the use of the program as a health-care tool with enforcement of the requirements of the program.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
SB22-097 Whistleblower protection health and safety
The bill expands the current protections to all health and safety concerns regardless of whether there is a
declared public health emergency.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
SB22-203 Program of all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE)
The bill requires the department of health care policy and financing (state department), in conjunction with the department of public health and environment, to develop a regulatory plan to establish formal oversight requirements for the program of all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE), and also requires the department to set up and administer regulatory standards as well as monitor the financials of the program.
Outcome: Signed by Governor
SB22-226 Programs to support health-care workforce
The bill creates the health-care workforce resilience and retention program using existing initiatives to
ensure that Colorado’s health-care workforce is adequately supported in order to meet the health-care
demands of Coloradans and to support the resilience, well-being, and retention of health-care workers.
Outcome: Signed
HB22-1050 – International Medical Graduate Integrate Health-care Workforce
Report by Susan Cady
This bill assists and facilitates the licensing of health care workers from abroad into Colorado’s systems
to utilize their abilities and training, especially to address current shortfalls of staff and the provision of
health care workers who can speak to patients in their own language. It requested funds be
appropriated for this purpose but instead was passed to authorize implementation of the program if
gifts, grants or donations become available to fund it. Passed House 44-21-0; Senate 22-13-0. Signed
into law by Governor Polis June 7 th .
Sexuality, Family and Abuse
Submitted by Sue Ricker
The 2022 session saw several foster care bills passed into law. SB22-008 Higher Education
Support for Foster Youth had a great deal of support and compelling testimony. The bill offers foster youth who have been in foster care from the age of 13 free tuition and fees to any college, university or
training programs in Colorado. A major component to the bill is the addition of a liaison to
support the student. HB 22-1231, Foster Parent Bill of Rights creates certain rights for foster parents but excludes those foster parents who jeopardizes the safety of the children. HB22-1375 Creates the Timothy Montoya task force to prevent children from running away from out of home placements and analyze why children do so. Must enter an agreement with an institution of higher education to perform research. Report due Oct.1, 2024. HB22-1374 Foster Care Success Act, Requires the department of education to identify specific goals to improve the educational goals of youth in foster care. HB22-1245 Foster Youth in Transition Program, increases communication for the foster youth as to rights and services.
Children and Youth bills include HB22-1003.
Youth Delinquency Prevention and Intervention Grants establishes the delinquency prevention and young offender intervention pilot program awarding 2-year grants to fund community-based programs to reduce crime among youth in areas of high rates of youth crimes. HB22-1038 Right to Counsel for Youth protects the youth’s right to counsel and allows them to be a party in a dependency and neglect proceeding. HB22-1056 Emergency Temporary Care for Children provides county departments of human services or social services to offer emergency temporary shelters to neglected and dependent shelters. HB22-1090, Reasonable Independence for Children, clarifies that a child is not neglected when allowed to
participate in certain independent activities that a reasonable and prudent parent would
consider safe, given the child’s maturity, condition and abilities. HB22-1131, Reduce Justice Involvement for Young Children. Prohibits arrests of children 10 to 12 years of age except in
the case of homicide and allows for interventions outside the traditional justice system.
HB22-1169, Prohibit Sexual Act Without Consent. Bill clarifies intent and is an answer
to previous jury confusion for a previous bill. HB-1309 Hospital Dispense to Sexual Assault Victims allows a hospital employee to dispense a supply of medication for STD’s in an emergency room to a patient who is a victim of assault. SB22-183 Crime Victims Services, establishes a coalition providing training and
technical assistance to improve the response to domestic violence or sexual assault. Transfer of
existing funds supports this bill. SB22-213 Child Care Support Program creates an advisory and training program for family and neighbor childcare programs. Appropriates funds from the Economic Recovery and Relief Cash Fund to continue support of the programs. HB22-1300, Local Enforcement to Prevent Human Trafficking, allows a board of county commissioners to establish criteria for licensure requirements to regulate massage facilities and prevent human trafficking.
A notable bill that did not pass is SB22-023, Deceptive Tactics Juvenile Custodian
Interrogation. This bill prohibits a law enforcement officer from using deception or false facts
to obtain a statement of admission during interrogation of a juvenile. The bill was pulled during
the final minutes of the session just before midnight on May 11th.
Veterans
by Vicky Daub
The 2022 Colorado General Assembly supported Military Members/Veterans and their families by
passing the following bills:
HB22-1102
Veterans and Military Status in Fair Housing
This bill protects Veterans and those with military status from being refused housing or otherwise
discriminated against when looking for housing.
HCR22-1003
Extend Homestead Exemption to Gold Star Spouses
This bill amends the Colorado Constitution extending the property tax exemption to the surviving spouse
of a United States armed forces service member who died in the line of duty or Veteran whose death
resulted from a service-related injury or disease.
SB22-116
Increase Occupational Credential Portability
Current law authorizes a regulator of a profession or occupation to approve an application for licensure,
certification, registration, or enrollment by endorsement, reciprocity, or transfer through the occupational
credential portability program. This bill amends the program by adding a military occupational
specialty to the types of occupational credentials that qualify a person for a credential through the
program.
HB22-1255
Improve Higher Education for Students with a Disability
This bill improves higher education access for all disabled students, including Veterans.
HB22-1407
Veterans Audit Higher Education Courses
This bill requires an institution of higher education to permit a Veteran to audit a course for no credit if
there is space available for the Veteran in the course. No more than $10 will be collected per audited
course.
Additionally, HB 22-1378 and SB 22-211, which address homelessness, will benefit Colorado’s Veteran
population, since it is estimated that there are currently thousands of homeless Veterans in the state.
