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Legislative Status Report

2005 Regular Session

The Bell Policy Center and Bell Action Network do not explicitly support or oppose the following bills unless indicated. The Bell provides these summaries as a service to the public.

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TABOR, Ref C and state finance

Gateway 1: A Healthy BirthGateway 2: A Safe and Stimulating Childhood

Gateway 3: Building a Solid Base for LiteracyGateway 4: Establishing a Healthy Lifestyle in Childhood and Adolescence

Gateway 5: Leaving High School with a Diploma and the Skills to Succeed

Gateway 6: Access to Education and Training for AdultsGateway 7: A Healthy Adult Life

Gateway 8: Earning a Decent Living and Building Wealth

The Health of Democracy

TABOR, Ref C and state finance

BILL #
TITLE-SUMMARY
SPONSOR(S)
STATUS
HB05-1001

Prohibit Use of Cash Funds for General Governmental Purposes
(Prohibits moneys derived from a charge imposed by the state and credited to a cash fund from being transferred to the general fund or appropriated for purposes unrelated to the collection of the cash fund.)

GARCIA-SANDOVAL

House- Passed
Senate- Passed
VETOED by Governor Owens 5/27/2005

HB05-1005

Creation of a Revenue Shortfall Relief Fund
(Creates a revenue shortfall relief fund, and requires interest and income earned on the deposit and investment of moneys in the fund to be credited to and remain in the fund, in fiscal year 2006-2007.)

LUNDBERG- None Postponed Indefinitely
HB05-1194

Stable Means of Funding Budgetary Need
(Authorizes the state to retain and spend excess revenues from fiscal year 2005-2006 to fiscal year 2009-2010. Requires all retained revenue to be used to fund transportation, education, health care and pension plans for firefighters and police officers. Introduces a new formula determining state fiscal year spending to be equal to the highest total state revenues for a fiscal year from the period 2005-06 through 2009-10, adjusted each subsequent year for inflation and population growth.)

(Click here to read Bell testimony in support of this bill.)

(REFERENDUM "C")
(Related: HB-1317 and HJR-1057 and SB-237)

ROMANOFF-JOHNSON

House- Passed
Senate- Passed


HB 1194 is a referred measure that will appear on the ballot in November of 2005
.

HB05-1222

Concerning Tobacco Litigation Settlement Moneys
(Requires the state to sell as much of the tobacco settlement revenues owed to the state in future years as is financially feasible in order to help fund short-term general fund needs and to continue the funding of specified programs currently funded with tobacco settlement revenues.)

HALL-none Postponed Indefinitely
HB05-1292

Adjust Revenues to Stabilize Budget
(Refers to the voters of the state a measure that: Authorizes the state to retain all state revenues in excess of the limitation for each state fiscal year through 2009-10. Reduces the state income tax rate.)

HALL-TECK Postponed Indefinitely
HB05-1317 Concerning a Temporary Income Tax Rate Reduction
(For the purpose of refunding state revenues in excess of the limitation on state fiscal year spending reduces the state income rate from 4.63% to 4.5% in fiscal years in which excess revenues are available.)
ROMANOFF-JOHNSON

House- Passed
Senate- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/6/05

HB05-1350 Concerning Uses of Moneys in the General Fund Exempt Account
If Referendum C and D pass in November, this bill specifies retained revenues to be split equally for funding health care, K-12 education, higher education. It also includes appropriations to the Critical Needs Fund and the Healthy Business, Healthy People program (SB05-237).
ROMANOFF,
FITZ-GERALD

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/6/05

SB05-074

Repayment of Cash Funds
(Requires the general assembly to restore the moneys transferred or diverted from specified cash funds to the general fund during the 2002 and 2003 legislative sessions.)

MAY R.-none Postponed Indefinitely
SB05-237

Healthy Business Healthy People Program
(Concerning the expansion of the availability of affordable health care coverage for Colorado. Utilizes a portion of retained revenues (upon approval of Ref. C by voters in Nov. of 2005) to create the Healthy Business Healthy People Program to extend health coverage to small businesses in Colorado.

KELLER,
GREEN

Postponed Indefinitely

HCR-1005

Concerning Ballot Issue for Voter Approval of Refund Mechanisms
(Submits to voters of the state an amendment to Section 20, Article X (TABOR) concerning the mechanisms used to refund excess state revenues)

CADMAN-none House Third Reading - Failed
HJR-1057

Concerning Ballot Issue Authorizing Long-Term Financial Obligations
(Submits to voters of the state at the 2005 election a ballot issue that would authorize the state to to incur multiple-fiscal year financial obligations for the purpose of providing financing to address critical state needs.)

(REFERENDUM "D")

BUESCHER-ISGAR House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 5/2/05

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Gateway 1. A Healthy Birth

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

HB05-1025

Presumptive Eligibility Under Medicaid
(Allows women in need of prenatal care and meeting financial criteria to be presumed eligible for specified services under the state's Medicaid program.)

STAFFORD-HAGEDORN

SIGNED into law by Governor Owens 4/22/2005

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Gateway 2. A Safe and Stimulating Early Childhood

No bills in this category

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Gateway 3. Building a Solid Base for Literacy

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

HB05-1238

School Readiness Quality Improvement
(Provides funding to early care and education providers that serve economically disadvantaged children for the purpose of enhancing school readiness.)

HEFLEY-WILLIAMS

House- Passed
Senate- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/2/05

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Gateway 4. Establishing a Healthy Lifestyle in Childhood and Adolescence

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

HB05-1161

Reporting Immunization Information
(Establishes a immunization tracking fund and requires the board of health to adopt rules governing the requirement that immunization information be reported.)

POMMER-

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/3/05

HB05-1261

Implementation of Tobacco Taxes
for Health-Related Purposes
Creates the Tobacco Tax Cash Fund, implements the use of revenue for health related purposes as created by the tobacco tax amendment adopted in November 2004 and creates the Tobacco Education Programs Fund to promote tobacco cessation

BUESCHER,
OWEN

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/2/05

SB05-087

Childhood Immunizations
(Authorizes the Department of Public Health to contact a parent if a child's immunizations are due or overdue.)

SHAFFER-WITWER

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 4/29/05

SB05-081

Nutrition and Physical Health in Schools
(Encourages each school to adopt a policy insuring a child's access to healthy food, nutritional information, and daily physical activity on school premises.)

SANDOVAL-MADDEN

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 4/14/05

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Gateway 5. Leaving High School with a Diploma and the Skills to Succeed

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

HB05-1027

High School College Preparation
(Requires notice to parents of a student in need of additional college preparatory classes based on the results of the 11th grade ACT test.)

JAHN-GROFF House- Passed
Senate- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 5/24/05
HB05-1024

Creation of Dropout Prevention Grant Fund
(Creates grant program for the reduction of student dropout rate and adds a line to Colorado state individual income tax forms for individual taxpayers to make voluntary contributions to the dropout prevention activity grant fund.)

SOLANO-WILLIAMS
House- Passed
Senate- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 5/24/05
HB05-1057

Notice of Postsecondary Education Opportunities
(Requires notice to parents of students concerning CCHE's pre-collegiate curriculum, the potential financial liabilities if a student later needs remedial education, and the availability of information regarding financial assistance.)

FRANGAS-SANDOVAL House- Passed
Senate- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 5/2/05
SB05-091

School Accreditation Standards
(Standardizes the calculation of graduation and dropout rates. Requires the reporting of mobility rates, continuing education rates, and disaggregated data based on specific criteria.)

SPENCE-CARROLL T. Senate- Passed
House- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/6/05
SB05-139

Statewide Online Education
(Creates a state online education authority to approve statewide online education programs, creates a web site for online education programs, and develops supplemental online education service for purchase by local school districts.)

WINDELS-MERRIFIELD Senate- Passed
House- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/2/05
SB05-164

High School Dropout Parental Notice
(Requires written notification to a parent of a student who drops out of high school.)

JONES-GARCIA Senate- Passed
House- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 4/14/05

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Gateway 6. Access to Education and Training for Adults

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

HB05-1085

Higher Education Tuition Income Tax Credit
(Creates an income tax credit for tuition paid by a resident to a public or private institution of higher education in Colorado.)

PACCIONE- Postponed Indefinitely
HB05-1124

In-State Student Tuition
(Specifies criteria for a student to receive in-state tuition based on domicile, regardless of immigration status.)

VIGIL-TAPIA Postponed Indefinitely
SB05-003

Colorado Achievement Scholarship
(Creates the Colorado achievement scholarship program for the purpose of promoting a pre-collegiate curriculum and increasing access to postsecondary education.)

TAPIA-HALL

SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 4/7/05

SB05-132

College Opportunity Fund Act
(Specifies that an eligible student may receive a stipend for basic skills courses, and for graduate level courses that apply toward a student's undergraduate degree.)

WINDELS-PACCIONE

Senate - Passed
House - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/2/05

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Gateway 7. A Healthy Adult Life

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

HB05-1086

Reinstate Medicaid for Legal Immigrants
(Reinstates medical assistance eligibility to specific groups of qualified legal immigrants and specifies that these legal immigrants qualify as an optional group to be served under the state's Medicaid program.)

PLANT-TAPIA

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 2/2/05

HB05-1245 Reporting Requirements for Persons Receiving Public Health Care Benefits
(Requires an applicant for health care benefits and a person requesting uncompensated care in a hospital to identify their employer. Requires the state to issue an annual report regarding employers with 25 or more employees who are public health beneficiaries.)
SOLANO-TOCHTROP Senate - Passed
House - Passed

VETOED by
Gov. Owens 5/27/05
HB05-1262

Implementation of Tobacco Taxes
for Health-Related Purposes
Allocates revenues raised by the tobacco taxes imposed by Amendment 35.  These funds expand access to Medicaid for more families, provide for prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer and underwrite tobacco education, prevention and cessation programs.

BOYD,
HAGEDORN

Senate - Passed
House - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/2/05
SB05-059

Mental Health Care Services
(Authorizes the creation of a mental health district and allows the district to seek voter approval to levy a tax in order to generate revenues to provide mental health care services. Upon voter approval, allows any county in the state to impose additional sales tax for the purpose of providing mental health care.)

KELLER-HEFLEY Senate - Passed
House - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/2/05
SB05-173

Long-Term Care Services Under Medicaid
(Establishes a committee to create a community long-term care delivery system and requires the state to develop and implement coordinated long-term care services.)

OWEN-HALL Senate - Passed
House - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 4/5/05

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Gateway 8. Earning a Decent Living and Building Wealth

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

HB05-1020

Unemployment Insurance Benefit Alternative Base Period
(Creates an alternative base period for the purpose of qualifying more workers for unemployment insurance benefits.)
Bell testimony

CERBO-TAKIS

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
VETOED by Gov. Owens 5/25/05

HB05-1022

Requirement for Economic Development Grants
(Requires any person or entity that receives a grant or loan from the state, to create new jobs that meet wage and benefit requirements, to file an annual report.)

BORODKIN- Postponed Indefinitely
HB05-1092

SUTA Dumping Compliance-Unemployment Insurance Rate
(For purposes of compliance with the federal act, modifies the method of determining the unemployment insurance tax rate of an entity that acquires the trade or business of an employer.)
Bell testimonyBell policy brief

SOLANO-TAKIS House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 5/25/05
HB05-1105

Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Domestic Abuse
(Allows a person who has left employment due to domestic abuse to be considered for unemployment insurance benefits if the Division of Labor and Employment is provided with evidence documenting domestic abuse.)

MCGIHON-VEIGA House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 4/20/05
HB05-1232 Earned Income Tax Credit
(Allows the earned income tax credit against state income taxes in all tax years, not to be contingent on state surplus revenues. Gradually increases the amount of the credit.)
Bell testimony
BOYD-KESTER Postponed Indefinitely
HB05-1265

Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Military Spouses
(Provides that good cause exists for leaving employment if an employee voluntarily leaves to accompany his/her military-connected spouse to new employment, or for medical reasons.)

COLEMAN-TAPIA

House - Passed
Senate - Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/2/05

HB05-1331 Concerning the Home Investment Fund
(Authorizes the state division of housing to temporarily hold real property for the purpose of providing affordable housing. Expands permitted uses of Fund and entities to which loans may be awarded. Requires that 50 percent of moneys from the fund benefit households earning 50 percent less than the area median income.)
BOYD-GROFF House - Passed
Senate - Passed
VETOED by
Gov. Owens 6/1/05

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The Health of Democracy

BILL #

TITLE-SUMMARY

SPONSOR(S)

STATUS

SB05-031

False Statements in Elections
(Expands the existing election offense governing false statements, which currently proscribes certain conduct performed "knowingly", to prohibit any person from recklessly making a false statement designed to affect the vote on any issue or candidate.)

KELLER-MERRIFIELD

Senate- Passed
House- Passed
SIGNED into law by Gov. Owens 6/6/05

SB05-040

Concerning Benefits Accepted by Public Officials
(Prohibits certain public officials from accepting monetary gifts and treats specified gifts to such officials as contributions for campaign finance law purposes.)

TUPA-MERRIFIELD Senate- Passed
House- Passed
VETOED by
Gov. Owens 5/5/05
SCR05-002 Concerning Amendments to the Constitution
(Requires approval by 3/5 of votes cast for adoption of any initiative or referendum that would amend the Colorado constitution. Authorizes a simple majority of votes cast to repeal or amend constitutional provisions approved prior to or at the 2006 general election.)
TECK-WHITE Senate Third Reading - Failed

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