As the state’s legislative session draws to a close on May 8, lawmakers are on the final stretch of bill passage. So far Gov. Jared Polis has already signed more than 165 bills into law.
Among the signed bills is one that establishes written communication exchanged between members of the general assembly aren’t subject to the Colorado Open Meetings Law, but any records of the communications are subject to disclosure to the extent required by the Colorado Open Records Act.
Lawmakers also passed a new law codifying the regulation of licensed legal paraprofessionals authorized by Colorado Supreme Court rules. According to the bill’s fiscal note, LLPs are generally allowed to represent clients in specific civil matters, must abide by the same professional conduct standards as attorneys and are entitled to the same fee recovery procedures as attorneys.
Another new law updates privacy protections for certain criminal justice records. Subject to limited exceptions, the signed bill allows a named victim of sexual assault or victim’s designee to receive unredacted criminal records, according to the bill’s fiscal note.
Also passed so far is a bill that allows schools and school districts to adopt a policy that allows for the storage and distribution of opiate antagonists like naloxone on school buses, shielding bus operators and other employees on buses from criminal and civil liabilities if they furnish or administer the antagonist in good faith.
The anticipated Foster Youth Bill of Rights has also been signed into law. The bill of rights establishes what rights foster youth have in the system and requires them to be informed of those rights. In the list of rights, access to food, clothing, hygiene products, necessary hygiene services, an appropriate education and communication and contact with people outside of the foster system are enshrined.
Below are some of the noteworthy bills signed into law so far this session.
- HB24-1003 — Opiate Antagonists and Detection Products in Schools
- HB24-1007 — Prohibit Residential Occupancy Limits
- HB24-1012 — Front Range Passenger Rail District Efficiency
- HB24-1013 — Victim Programs in New Twenty-Third Judicial District
- HB24-1017 — Bill of Rights for Foster Youth
- HB24-1039 — Non-Legal Name Changes
- HB24-1041 — Streamline Filing Sales & Use Tax Returns
- HB24-1058 — Protect Privacy of Biological Data
- HB24-1067 — Ballot Access for Candidates with Disabilities
- HB24-1071 — Name Change to Conform with Gender Identity
- HB24-1072 — Protection of Victims of Sexual Offenses
- HB24-1090 — Privacy Protections Criminal Justice Records
- HB24-1103 — Prohibiting Term Excited Delirium
- HB24-1118 — Authority of Attorney General to Operate District Attorney’s Office
- HB24-1150 — False Slates of Electors
- HB24-1212 — Board & Committee of 23rd Judicial District
- HB24-1213 — General Fund Transfer Judicial Collection Enhancement
- HB24-1214 — Community Crime Victims Funding
- HB24-1225 — First Degree Murder Bail & Jury Selection Statute
- HB24-1241 — Alignment of Petty Property Crime Threshold
- HB24-1291 — Licensed Legal Paraprofessionals
- HB24-1420 — Transfer to Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund
- SB24-035 — Strengthening Enforcement of Human Trafficking
- SB24-119 — Term Abandonment for Federal Classification Juvenile
- SB24-157 — Colorado Open Meetings Law for the General Assembly
Law Week’s legislative tracking is done through State Bill, a product of our publisher, Circuit Media.