HB20-1421 Delinquent Interest Payments Property Tax
When the Governor shut down Colorado, many business and property owners did not have the cash flow to pay 2019 taxes with 2020 revenue, forcing some business owners to consider closing their doors forever. This law gives counties the flexibility to reduce or waive interest or entirely suspend the accrual of interest on property taxes until October 1st, 2020. This gives businesses in Weld County a much-needed break and a chance to recover when revenues have been down due to COVID. Anyone that pays property taxes can use this new law. Signed by the Governor.
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HB20-1271 Repeal Red Flag and Amend 72 Hour Hold
This introduced bill repeals the unconstitutional Reg Flad law and fixes ambiguous language in the 72-hour mental health hold to help an individual in crisis rather than removing their right to self-defense.
HB17-1279 Construction Defect Actions Notice Vote Approval
While this bill affects all HOA's in Colorado, the prime target for lawsuit abuse was affordable housing. The condominium market was 20% of the housing stock in Colorado fifteen years ago, but lawsuit abuse dropped that number to less than 2% which only represented luxury units. In many suits, only lawyers got paid and homeowners were left with nothing but higher assessments to pay for suits. For the first time in Colorado history, homeowners are now allowed to talk to builders to get any issues resolved before it goes to court and can take a vote on lawsuits that may impact their HOA community fees. Advocates had been trying to get this bill passed for over 10 years. Signed by the Governor.
HB20-1075 Protect life at Human Conception
This introduced bill prohibits terminating the life of an unborn child and states that any act, law, treaty, order, or regulation of the United States government that denies or prohibits protection of a human person's inalienable right to life is null, void, and unenforceable in this state and that the courts of the United States have no jurisdiction to interfere with Colorado's interest in protecting human life at conception when human life begins.
HB19-1023 Foster Children Driving Licenses
Removes government barriers for children in foster care to receive driver's training and a driver's license so they too can reach milestones other teens enjoy to be mobile and gain access to work at a first job.
HB18-1198 Best Practices For State Boards And Commissions
State boards and commissions are typically filled by volunteers who don't receive proper training to identify and manage conflicts of interest or know the parameters regarding their duties relative to their mission and role. Paid staff decisions made without proper oversight compromised the integrity of some boards and commissions. My bill ensures that any new board or commission member receives proper training in regards to their duties, the open meetings law, and potential conflicts of interest. Signed by the Governor.
HB18-1098 Roll Over Year-end Balance Envtl Response Account
This act ensured that funds stay in the Oil and Gas Conservation and Environmental Response Fund if not used during the fiscal year for clean-up and mitigation of orphaned wells instead of being swept into a slush fund. Signed by the Governor.
HB15-1043 Felony Offense For Repeat DUI Offenders
Establishes a class 4 felony DUI if a violation occurs after three or more prior convictions. Advocates had been trying to get this law for over 10 years. Signed by the Governor. Read more...
HB17-1223 Office of the State Auditors Fraud Hotline
Provides state employees a way to report fraudulent behavior and protect taxpayer dollars. Governor signed.
SB18-167 Enforce Requirements 811 Locate Underground Facilities
This act solved a decades-old problem of how to strengthen our 811 reporting system and prevent line strikes like the one that happened in the Firestone house explosion. This bill will also provide better line locations for contractors in the future to see all lines underground in a project. Signed by the Governor.
HB17-1288 Penalties for Felony DUI offenders
Closes a loophole that allowed some Colorado judges to sentence offenders convicted of four or more DUIs to probation only. Governor signed.
HB17-1179 Immunity for Emergency Rescue from Locked Vehicles
Provides a process for good Samaritan a process to save children and animals trapped inside an unsafe vehicle without threat of criminal and civil liability and while providing a process to protect private property. Governor signed.
SB17-006 Municipal Authority to Employ Police
Simplifies the procedure for municipalities to employ a police force. Signed by the Governor.
HB15-1178 Emergency Well Pumping Damaging High Groundwater
Establishes a grant program for the emergency pumping of dewatering wells in the areas of Gilcrest, LaSalle, and Sterling, Colorado. Signed by the Governor.
HB1166 South Platte Alluvial Aquifer Monitoring Network
Establishes one of the first systems in the nation to allow for the design and operation of a tributary groundwater monitoring network in the South Platte River aquifer. Signed by the Governor.
HB16-1172 CDOT Efficiency And Accountability Committee
Reestablishes the Efficiency and Accountability Committee in the Department of Transportation to ensure effective management of FASTER revenue. Signed by the Governor.
SB16-050 Retailer Hold Harmless For Assigned Location Code
Releases retailers from liability for uncollected sales tax if the Department of Revenue made an error and misassigned a location code to the retailer. Signed by the Governor.
HJR16-1025 Honoring Gold Star Families
While national monuments and memorials serve as strong visible reminders for the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, Gold Star Families are a living legacy to each fallen soldier and can help us all remember and honor these heroes by name. Passed House and Senate.
HB16-1155 Controlled-access Highway As County Primary Road
Establishes authority for a County to designate a four lane controlled access highway as a primary road in the County highway system so that the Weld County HWY49 project can be successfully completed. Signed by the Governor.
HB1282 Crimes of Lying and Deception on Birth Certificates
Creates a crime of misrepresentation of material information in preparation of a birth certificate and a disclaimer warning on the birth certificate worksheet. Signed by the Governor.
HB1106 Clarify Access to Adoption Records
Clarifies that an agency is required to release the adoption records without redaction to authorized persons. Signed by the Governor.
HB15-1355 Family History Access Birth & Personal Records
Creates the Heritage Act, which allows an adult to have access to a non-certified copy of their unaltered original birth certificate and the amended birth certificate of an adult sibling or half-sibling upon evidence of at least one common birth parent between the adult adoptee and sibling or half-sibling. Signed by the Governor.
HB16-1117 Record Custodial Interrogations
Requires law enforcement who are investigating a class 1 or 2 felony or a felony sex assault to make an audio-video recording to custodial interrogations. Signed by the Governor.
SB16-019 Videotape Mental Condition Evaluations
An interview conducted in any case that includes a class 1 or class 2 felony charge or felony sex offense charge as described in CRS 18-3-402, 404, 405, or 405.5 must be video and audio recorded and preserved. Signed by Governor.
SB 196 Industrial Hemp Certified Seeds
The bill requires the department of agriculture to administer an industrial hemp (non-THC) certified seed program and provides criminal immunity to transporting and possessing (non-THC) hemp. Signed by the Governor.
69th General Assembly Legislative Proposals:
I passed five pieces of legislation in 2014 including a resolution protecting agricultural water supplies, a bill that reduced government agency regulations and rules, bills that gave Colorado citizens equal treatment under the law with respect to their records, and lastly, a bill that gets government out of the way in times of disaster by reducing taxes.