Bill Tracker

As introduced, this bill would:

• raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21;
• repeal the current criminal penalty (class 2 petty offense) for minors who purchase or attempt to purchase such products;
• increase retailer compliance checks, require tobacco/nicotine product retailers to be licensed;
• prohibit new retail locations from being located within 500 feet of a school, restrict visible advertisements, prohibit delivery of said products; and
• adjust fines for violating prohibition against selling products to minors, establish additional fines for selling products without a valid state license.

LR34

ADC

This bill would:

• repeal the requirement to provide awareness and educational materials to preschools;
• require the program to devise way for all calls and texts to be received initially by a crisis operator and then non-crisis calls and texts routed appropriately;
• require alignment of processes for tips received via all communication methods;
• require the program to conduct annual advertising campaign; and
• allow the AG to disclose information to law enforcement if disclosure is necessary for the prevention of imminent physical harm or serious bodily injury.

LR29

LR35

This bill would require SBE to stagger the review and revision of PreK-12 education standards (approximately one-third of the standards every 6 years). It would also require SBE to ensure that all PreK-12 education standards are reviewed once every 6 years.

LR37

This bill would specify that protections against discrimination on the basis of one's race includes traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles (i.e., braids, locks, and twists). This bill would apply to public, pilot, and charter schools. The bill also proposes minor language changes to C.R.S. 22-32-109.1 (such as replacing the word 'verbal' with 'oral).

If passed, school dress codes with hair restrictions may need to be reviewed to ensure that they do not discriminate on the basis of traits historically associated with race. For example, a dress code that prohibits dreadlocks or braids using extensions, or requires students' hair to be "neatly groomed," which is defined as having chemically relaxed or straightened hair, would be racially discriminatory under this bill.

AC

AC-E-1

GBA

GCE/GCF

GDE/GDF

JB

JF

JFBA

JFBB

JICDD

JICDE

JII

LBD

This bill would require an administrative unit to allow a behavior analyst to provide medically necessary services to a student during school hours if the student's parent or legal guardian requests such services. The bill would also require each administrative unit to adopt a policy that outlines certain requirements for a behavior analyst who is providing services in a school setting and parents who request the services of a behavior analyst, and to establish reporting requirements. The bill prohibits an administrative unit from entering into a contract or an exclusive agreement with a behavior analyst that prohibits the parent or legal guardian from choosing a behavior analyst for the student.

This bill would clarify that the term "student publication" can mean a publication in written, broadcast, or online format. The bill would also add a provision to protect public school employees from any form of retaliation resulting solely from the employee's actions to protect a student's rights of free expression or refusing to infringe on protected student conduct.

This bill would prohibit an employer from terminating an employee for the employee's off-duty activities that are lawful under state law even if those activities are illegal under federal law (namely, the consumption of marijuana).

The bill preserves the ability of employers to terminate employee's due to lawful off-duty activities if such a restriction either (1) relates to a bona fide occupational requirement or is reasonably and rationally related to the employment activities and responsibilities of a particular employee or a particular group of employees, rather than to all employees of the employer; or (2) is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest with any responsibilities to the employer or the appearance of such a conflict of interest. See C.R.S. 24-34-402.5.

If passed, this bill would not likely have a significant impact on school districts since school employees, as representatives of the district and role models for students, are generally expected to uphold high professional, ethical, and moral standards. Additionally, schools are required to maintain a drug-free workplace and to educate students on the effect of use of alcohol and controlled substances; having a restriction on employees' off-duty activities is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest with the a district's responsibilities. 

This bill would allow eligible parents to petition the SBE to implement specified reforms for a low-performing public or charter school. These reforms include: (1) adopting and implementing safety protocols and student discipline procedures at the low-performing school; (2) adopting and using alternative or supplementary curricula or programs at the low-performing school; (3) converting a low-performing school to a charter school or requesting an external manager for the school; (4) replacing school staff and faculty; or (5) allowing the authorization of new charter schools within the district.

GCQC/GCQD-R

GCQF-R

This bill would modify the current PERA employment-after-retirement provisions for certain retirees hired by a BOCES to serve as special service providers where there is a critical shortage of such providers.

For renewal of an educator license, this bill would require teachers, SSPs, principals, and administrators to complete 10 clock hours (included in the current 90 clock hour requirement) of professional development during the term of their license relating to increasing awareness of laws and practices relating to special education.

This bill would create a Department of Public Health & Environment grant program to provide awards to public schools or districts in order to provide menstrual hygiene products at no expense to students.

This bill would require school districts to submit a list of all usable real property (vacant, unused, or underused land or habitable structures) to the Office of the State Architect each year and to notify the Office whenever there is a plan to offer such property for sale. The intent is to create a database that would assist Colorado nonprofits in finding adequate and affordable spaces to provide community services.

This bill would establish a Parent's Bill of Rights that sets forth specific parental rights which, in the educational context, are mostly already established in state and federal law. For example, the bill proposes to establish the following parental rights: access and review all school records relating to their minor child; consent in writing before their child is filmed or recorded; and be notified if an employee has committed, or is under suspicion of committing, a criminal offense against their child. The bill also proposes requiring boards of education to develop and adopt a policy to promote parental involvement in schools, as well as providing certain information to parents that districts are already required to make available. 

This bill would prohibit school districts/school food services from distributing styrofoam or similar cups and containers, effective January 1, 2022.

LR35

This bill would allow a physician or a mental health professional to evaluate or treat a minor for a behavioral health disorder with the consent of only one parent or legal guardian of the minor if both parents have legal decision-making authority over the minor. It is unclear how this bill would affect custody orders.

JLCD

JLCD-R

The bill defines sexual misconduct and removes the limitation on bringing a civil claim based on sexual misconduct, including claims brought against a person or entity that is not the perpetrator of the sexual misconduct. It would remove the statute of limitations for any claims after January 1, 2021.

LR12

This bill requires CDE to create and maintain an online resource bank of materials and resources pertaining to media literacy. The bill also requires CDE, upon request, to provide technical assistance to a school district with implementing policies and procedures. The bill also requires the State Board of Education to review and adopt revisions that implement media literacy within reading, writing, and civics standards by June 30, 2021.

JLCD

JLCD-R

This bill would require CDE to offer a training program designed to improve school culture, promote youth behavioral and mental health, and prepare attendees to teach a youth behavioral and mental health training course. A local education provider and its employees would not be required to participate in the program.

LR29

This bill would require a school district's attendance policy to include excused absences for behavioral health concerns (and would replace "physical, mental, or emotional disability" with "a physical disability or a mental or behavioral health disorder").

CASB sample policy JH, Student Absences and Excuses, provides, among other things, the following as excused absences: (1) a student who is temporarily ill or injured or whose absence is approved by the administrator of the school of attendance on a prearranged basis. Prearranged absences shall be approved for appointments or circumstances of a serious nature only which cannot be taken care of outside of school hours; and (2) a student who is absent for an extended period due to physical, mental or emotional disability.

LR29

JH

This bill would allow a board to provide transportation to students who are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch or who are students with disabilities (or who received special education services in the preceding school year) to and from schools located in any other district--without requiring the consent of the board of the district of residence.

The bill would also allow a board to reimburse a parent/guarding for transporting a student to and from a school in another district without requiring the consent of the board of the district of residence.

JFBB

This bill would require districts to issue a request for proposal for a safety specialist to evaluate and make recommendations regarding the safety of each public school within the district. The board would be required to select and contract with a safety specialist who has security training and experience with securing facilities for a safety evaluation of the district' schools by January 2, 2021. 

Under current law, a secondary school teacher who has sexual contact with a student who is 18 years of age or older may not have committed a crime. The bill provides that a person who subjects a student at the school at which the person is an educator to sexual contact commits the crime of sexual assault on a student by an educator.

Current law requires a public school that offers human sexuality education to provide to the parent or legal guardian of each student, prior to commencing the planned curriculum, written notification of the ability to excuse a student and a detailed, substantive outline of the topics and materials to be presented during the planned curriculum.

This bill would require an electronic notification to be provided to the parent or legal guardian of each student, in addition to the written notification, 90 days prior to commencing the planned curriculum. The notification must include the date the planned curriculum will be taught and it must be sent separately from any other school notifications. Any materials used during the planned curriculum must be made available for viewing online 90 days prior to the commencement of the planned curriculum.

IHAM

IHAM-R

This bill would direct  the community college system to work with school districts and charter schools to provide information to the parents of students enrolled in grades 6 through 8 concerning concurrent enrollment opportunities available in grades 9 through 12.

If passed, districts would be authorized to provide directory information, as defined in and in accordance with FERPA, to the community college system to use only in disseminating information under this bill. Local education providers would also be required to collaborate witht he community college system in providing concurrent enrollment information.

IHCDA

IHCDA-R

This bill would create a school transportation grant to provide one-time grant awards to public schools or school districts to increase transportation services to students. Preference would be given to schools or districts that: (1) have a high percentage of students who are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch; (2) do not provide transportation services to students; (3) want to increase transportation services to more students; and (4) want to eliminate a transportation fee imposed on students or students' parents/guardians.

LR17

JLCB

JLCB-R