Nearly 300 bills into the session, lawmakers took aim this week at abolishing abortion, eviction protections, recidivism, court data sharing, gig work and family court and family law arbitration. Also introduced this week was a bill that would require the peace officer standards and training board to seek authorization from the U.S. attorney general for anyone who has deferred action status to possess a firearm in order to be certified as a peace officer.
Bill Number: HB23-1119
Title: Abolishing Abortion In Colorado
Introduced: Jan. 26
Sponsors: S. Bottoms
Summary: The bill defines a “person” to include an unborn child at all stages of gestation, from fertilization to natural death, as it relates to a private right of action and current homicide and assault provisions. The bill would declare any existing state law relating to prenatal homicide or assault or regulating abortion or abortion facilities is superseded to the extent it conflicts or is inconsistent with the provisions of the bill. The bill authorizes the state to disregard any federal court decision that purports to enjoin or void this requirement and subjects a Colorado judge to impeachment or removal if the judge purports to enjoin, stay, overrule or void the requirement.
Bill Number: HB23-1120
Title: Eviction Protections For Residential Tenants
Introduced: Jan. 27
Sponsors: J. Joseph, D. Ortiz, R. Fields, F. Winter
Summary: The bill would require a landlord and residential tenant to participate in mandatory mediation prior to commencing an eviction action if the residential tenant receives supplemental security income, federal social security disability insurance or cash assistance through the Colorado Works program. The landlord and residential tenant don’t have to participate in mediation if the residential tenant didn’t disclose or declined to disclose in writing to the landlord that the residential tenant receives cash assistance.
Bill Number: SB23-067
Title: Participant Facilitated Recidivism Reduction Program
Introduced: Jan. 27
Sponsors: J. Coleman
Summary: The bill would require the Department of Corrections to operate a pilot program at the Sterling Correctional Facility to provide program participants with resources to support their rehabilitation and to reduce recidivism. The program must provide training in trades and other employment-focused activities, education in skills beneficial for a participant following release from confinement and mental health sessions.
Bill Number: SB23-089
Title: Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act
Introduced: Jan. 27
Sponsors: B. Gardner, M. Snyder
Summary: The bill would enact the Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act as drafted by the Uniform Law Commission, which authorizes the use of arbitration in domestic relations cases. The bill would establish qualifications, duties and authority of arbitrators and specify on what grounds and how a party may ask a court to confirm, modify or vacate an award by an arbitrator.
Bill Number: HB23-1130
Title: Drug Coverage For Serious Mental Illness
Introduced: Jan. 30
Sponsors: D. Michaelson Jenet, R. Rodriguez
Summary: With respect to step-therapy protocols for health insurance, the bill defines “serious mental illness” and would prohibit the protocols from requiring a person to try more than one prescription drug prior to receiving coverage for the drug recommended by the person’s health care provider.
Bill Number: HB23-1132
Title: The Court Data-sharing Task Force
Introduced: Jan. 30
Sponsors: M. Snyder, R. Fields
Summary: The bill would create a data-sharing task force to evaluate data-sharing practices between state and municipal courts and report the evaluation to the judiciary committees of the general assembly. The task force would investigate current data sharing and access to court data systems, consider processes for sharing data and providing access to court data systems statewide and consider safety measures or integration of systems to protect sensitive data in court systems.
Bill Number: SB23-098
Title: Gig Work Transparency
Introduced: Jan. 30
Sponsors: R. Rodriguez, J. Bacon, S. Vigil
Summary: Among hiring and termination requirements, the bill would require a delivery network company or a transportation network company operating in the state to provide various disclosures to their drivers and to consumers regarding payments a consumer makes to the DNC or TNC and the amount the DNC or TNC pays a driver.
Bill Number: HB23-1138
Title: Procedures Related To Adult Competency
Introduced: Jan. 31
Sponsors: J. Amabile, M. Soper
Summary: The bill would remove the requirement for a competency evaluation and report finding a defendant is an imminent danger to themself or others. If the competency evaluation determines the defendant meets the criteria for civil certification and inpatient services, the Behavioral Health Administration would need to provide care coordination services for the defendant.
Bill Number: HB23-1143
Title: Federal Authorize Firearms For DACA Peace Officers
Introduced: Jan. 31
Sponsors: C. Kipp, R. Armagost, J. Gonzales
Summary: The bill would require the peace officer standards and training board to seek authorization from the U.S. attorney general for persons who have deferred action status from the federal immigration and naturalization service to possess a firearm in order to be a certified peace officer or reserve peace officer. If the authorization is granted, every law enforcement agency would be required to amend its written firearms policy.
Bill Number: HB23-1159
Title: Family Courts Study Commission
Introduced: Feb. 1
Sponsors: S. Luck
Summary: The bill would establish the commission to study family courts to evaluate family courts in Colorado and make recommendations to the general assembly for changes to the administration of family courts to better serve the people of Colorado. The bill also specifies who would be on the commission.
Law Week’s legislative tracking is done through State Bill, a product of our publisher, Circuit Media.