| 2007 SESSION BILLS |
As your state representative, I wanted to let you know about some of the new laws that passed
during the last legislative session and have become effective and may affect you. I am providing
a brief summary of these measures, some of which I supported and others which I opposed:
HOUSE BILL 1365 - Sponsored
Concerns the Challenger Learning Center in Colorado Springs. The center’s contract was coming to an
end with Pikes Peak BOCES and they were losing their PERA retirement on June 31. This would have
resulted in losing good teachers and having a hard time attracting new ones. HB 1365 will make them a
PERA employer in themselves.
SR - 32 Sponsored in the House Tribute to the "Fallen Soldiers"
HB 1232 Co-sponsored
Allows for a second count of pupils each school year. This will aide all schools in Fort Carson area
House Bill 1163 Co-sponsored
Extends in-state tuition status to armed services members, and their dependents, when they have been
transferred to Colorado on a temporary basis.
Senate Bill 16
Lowers the mandatory age children must attend school from 7 to 6.
House Bill 1146
Requires counties and cities to adopt and enforce an energy code that meets or exceeds the 2003
International Energy Conservation Code standard for commercial and residential buildings.
House Bill 1235
Makes it a petty offense to own a dangerous dog that damages another persons property.
House Bill 1219
Allows voters to create special healthcare districts to better provide health care services to residents.
House Bill 1248
Creates a new project as part of the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program to help fund before and after
school programs for students 12 to 14 years old.
House Bill 1288
Creates three new solid waste disposal fees, increases the existing tire disposal fee by 50 cents per tire,
and expands the fee-imposing ability of the Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission to fund recycling
programs.
House Bill 1292
Requires school districts, family resource centers, and teen pregnancy programs to adopt "science-based"
content standards on human sexuality.
House Bill 1297
Increases the ceiling on most unemployment compensation awards to $4,000, and to $8,000 if the injury
causes permanent disfigurement to a part of the body visible to the public.
House Bill 1298
Requires the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to minimize adverse impacts to
wildlife resources affected by oil and gas operations.
House Bill 1326
Requires that child sex offenders register their electronic addresses.
House Bill 1343
Expands DNA testing requirements for some felons and misdemeanor offenders.
House Bill 1350
Establishes a program to keep confidential the address of a relocated victim of domestic violence, a sexual
offense, or stalking.
Senate Bill 55
Increases the surcharges on certain traffic infractions, and puts the additional money into the Crime Victim
Compensation Fund.
Senate Bill 96
Summary: Recognizes as a separate crime theft from an at-risk adult or at-risk juvenile by a person in a
position of trust.
Senate Bill 43
Establishes a "Good Samaritan Law" for licensed medical professionals who give first aid at a school
sporting event.
Senate Bill 114
Makes changes to the criminal code that include: clarifying the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a
minor, in regard to alcohol sales; denies bail to those convicted of child abuse resulting in death; expands
sex offender registration to include those convicted of internet luring; prohibits "but she said she was 18"
as a defense when charged with a violation while in a position of trust; strengthens the penalty for false
reporting; strengthens penalties for possession of a weapon by ex-convicts; toughens penalty for repeat
drug offenders.
Senate Bill 154
Allows an officer to choose which sobriety test a suspected drunk driver must undergo if the officer
reasonably believes it will take more than 2 hours to conduct the test the driver requests.
Senate Bill 259
Requires the Secretary of State to make improvements to his/her official website.
Senate Bill 241
Adds an additional $25 fee to purchase certain special license plates and an additional $4.40 fee to
purchase a driver's license to help cover operating expenses of driver's license offices.
Senate Bill 216
Requires mortgage brokers to act in good faith in all communications and transactions with a borrower,
prohibiting the broker from talking a borrower into a loan that they cannot afford.
Senate Bill 215
Increases the oversight of On-Line Learning programs.
Senate Bill 129
Takes Colorado's existing tort caps and adjusts them retroactively for inflation (since 1998). This will
increase the civil liability cap from $219,750 to $286,200, and the non-economic damages cap from
$732,500 to $954,000.
Senate Bill 117
Changes the practice for awarding court fees and attorney's fees to the winner of an unfair employment
practices dispute. Specifically, current law allows for the prevailing party to be awarded court costs and
attorney's fees; this bill would make it so that only the plaintiff can win court costs and attorney's fees, not
the defendant.
Senate Bill 88
Expands the ability of RTD to charge a fee for parking at its park'n'rides.
Senate Bill 87
Prevents anyone in a construction contract from shifting the risk for their own negligence to another party
in the contract.
Senate Bill 70
Requires motor vehicle recyclers to verify whether a vehicle is stolen by using a newly-created Motor
Vehicle Verification System.
Senate Bill 41
Creates an advisory committee to evaluate public school capital construction needs and to propose a
uniform statewide minimum facility and safety standard.
Senate Bill 18
Makes it easier to terminate the legal parent-child relationship in cases where the parents fail to show up in
court.
House Bill 1329
Increases and creates fees for water quality programs.
House Bill 1306
Authorizes the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture to issue hold orders against crops or plant
materials that are suspected of harboring plant pests or diseases.
House Bill 1270
Allows the Department of Education to contract with a third party to conduct a review of the states
educational data collections and infrastructure.
House Bill 1261
Requires deferred deposit lenders (payday lenders) to offer payment plans to consumers at the time of
origination of a fourth consecutive payday loan, and all subsequent loans thereafter.
House Bill 1249
Requires criminal background checks for movers.
House Bill 1244
Requires each school administrative unit to serve every gifted child and to develop and implement a
program for the education of gifted children.
House Bill 1212
Creates a local advisory board for each of the state and veterans nursing homes.
House Bill 1211
Increases state oversight of nursing homes under the purview of the Board of Commissioners of State and
Veterans Nursing Homes.
House Bill 1141
Creates restrictions for buying and selling commodity metals.
House Bill 1131
Requires standards for the certification of hemodialysis technicians.
House Bill 1126
Allows physical therapists to perform physical therapy on animals if it is consistent with regular practice.
House Bill 1117
Requires that a helmet be worn by a person under 18 years operating or being a passenger on a
motorcycle or motorized bicycle.
House Bill 1100
Increases by $2 million annually funding to the Older Coloradans Cash Fund from receipts collected from
the state sales and use tax.
House Bill 1081
Requires a person who sells powersports vehicles to be licensed.
House Bill 1021
Creates a program to allow pharmacists to provide advice to Medicaid patients on prescription drugs.
House Bill 1020
Requires the owner of a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or vehicle designed to be primarily operated on
state highways to register that vehicle within 60 days after purchase.
House Bill 1017
Standardizes examination requirements for mental health professionals.
House Bill 1003
Clarifies the procedures that bank personnel use to open a safe deposit box in search of a deceased
person’s will.
during the last legislative session and have become effective and may affect you. I am providing
a brief summary of these measures, some of which I supported and others which I opposed:
HOUSE BILL 1365 - Sponsored
Concerns the Challenger Learning Center in Colorado Springs. The center’s contract was coming to an
end with Pikes Peak BOCES and they were losing their PERA retirement on June 31. This would have
resulted in losing good teachers and having a hard time attracting new ones. HB 1365 will make them a
PERA employer in themselves.
SR - 32 Sponsored in the House Tribute to the "Fallen Soldiers"
HB 1232 Co-sponsored
Allows for a second count of pupils each school year. This will aide all schools in Fort Carson area
House Bill 1163 Co-sponsored
Extends in-state tuition status to armed services members, and their dependents, when they have been
transferred to Colorado on a temporary basis.
Senate Bill 16
Lowers the mandatory age children must attend school from 7 to 6.
House Bill 1146
Requires counties and cities to adopt and enforce an energy code that meets or exceeds the 2003
International Energy Conservation Code standard for commercial and residential buildings.
House Bill 1235
Makes it a petty offense to own a dangerous dog that damages another persons property.
House Bill 1219
Allows voters to create special healthcare districts to better provide health care services to residents.
House Bill 1248
Creates a new project as part of the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program to help fund before and after
school programs for students 12 to 14 years old.
House Bill 1288
Creates three new solid waste disposal fees, increases the existing tire disposal fee by 50 cents per tire,
and expands the fee-imposing ability of the Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission to fund recycling
programs.
House Bill 1292
Requires school districts, family resource centers, and teen pregnancy programs to adopt "science-based"
content standards on human sexuality.
House Bill 1297
Increases the ceiling on most unemployment compensation awards to $4,000, and to $8,000 if the injury
causes permanent disfigurement to a part of the body visible to the public.
House Bill 1298
Requires the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to minimize adverse impacts to
wildlife resources affected by oil and gas operations.
House Bill 1326
Requires that child sex offenders register their electronic addresses.
House Bill 1343
Expands DNA testing requirements for some felons and misdemeanor offenders.
House Bill 1350
Establishes a program to keep confidential the address of a relocated victim of domestic violence, a sexual
offense, or stalking.
Senate Bill 55
Increases the surcharges on certain traffic infractions, and puts the additional money into the Crime Victim
Compensation Fund.
Senate Bill 96
Summary: Recognizes as a separate crime theft from an at-risk adult or at-risk juvenile by a person in a
position of trust.
Senate Bill 43
Establishes a "Good Samaritan Law" for licensed medical professionals who give first aid at a school
sporting event.
Senate Bill 114
Makes changes to the criminal code that include: clarifying the crime of contributing to the delinquency of a
minor, in regard to alcohol sales; denies bail to those convicted of child abuse resulting in death; expands
sex offender registration to include those convicted of internet luring; prohibits "but she said she was 18"
as a defense when charged with a violation while in a position of trust; strengthens the penalty for false
reporting; strengthens penalties for possession of a weapon by ex-convicts; toughens penalty for repeat
drug offenders.
Senate Bill 154
Allows an officer to choose which sobriety test a suspected drunk driver must undergo if the officer
reasonably believes it will take more than 2 hours to conduct the test the driver requests.
Senate Bill 259
Requires the Secretary of State to make improvements to his/her official website.
Senate Bill 241
Adds an additional $25 fee to purchase certain special license plates and an additional $4.40 fee to
purchase a driver's license to help cover operating expenses of driver's license offices.
Senate Bill 216
Requires mortgage brokers to act in good faith in all communications and transactions with a borrower,
prohibiting the broker from talking a borrower into a loan that they cannot afford.
Senate Bill 215
Increases the oversight of On-Line Learning programs.
Senate Bill 129
Takes Colorado's existing tort caps and adjusts them retroactively for inflation (since 1998). This will
increase the civil liability cap from $219,750 to $286,200, and the non-economic damages cap from
$732,500 to $954,000.
Senate Bill 117
Changes the practice for awarding court fees and attorney's fees to the winner of an unfair employment
practices dispute. Specifically, current law allows for the prevailing party to be awarded court costs and
attorney's fees; this bill would make it so that only the plaintiff can win court costs and attorney's fees, not
the defendant.
Senate Bill 88
Expands the ability of RTD to charge a fee for parking at its park'n'rides.
Senate Bill 87
Prevents anyone in a construction contract from shifting the risk for their own negligence to another party
in the contract.
Senate Bill 70
Requires motor vehicle recyclers to verify whether a vehicle is stolen by using a newly-created Motor
Vehicle Verification System.
Senate Bill 41
Creates an advisory committee to evaluate public school capital construction needs and to propose a
uniform statewide minimum facility and safety standard.
Senate Bill 18
Makes it easier to terminate the legal parent-child relationship in cases where the parents fail to show up in
court.
House Bill 1329
Increases and creates fees for water quality programs.
House Bill 1306
Authorizes the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture to issue hold orders against crops or plant
materials that are suspected of harboring plant pests or diseases.
House Bill 1270
Allows the Department of Education to contract with a third party to conduct a review of the states
educational data collections and infrastructure.
House Bill 1261
Requires deferred deposit lenders (payday lenders) to offer payment plans to consumers at the time of
origination of a fourth consecutive payday loan, and all subsequent loans thereafter.
House Bill 1249
Requires criminal background checks for movers.
House Bill 1244
Requires each school administrative unit to serve every gifted child and to develop and implement a
program for the education of gifted children.
House Bill 1212
Creates a local advisory board for each of the state and veterans nursing homes.
House Bill 1211
Increases state oversight of nursing homes under the purview of the Board of Commissioners of State and
Veterans Nursing Homes.
House Bill 1141
Creates restrictions for buying and selling commodity metals.
House Bill 1131
Requires standards for the certification of hemodialysis technicians.
House Bill 1126
Allows physical therapists to perform physical therapy on animals if it is consistent with regular practice.
House Bill 1117
Requires that a helmet be worn by a person under 18 years operating or being a passenger on a
motorcycle or motorized bicycle.
House Bill 1100
Increases by $2 million annually funding to the Older Coloradans Cash Fund from receipts collected from
the state sales and use tax.
House Bill 1081
Requires a person who sells powersports vehicles to be licensed.
House Bill 1021
Creates a program to allow pharmacists to provide advice to Medicaid patients on prescription drugs.
House Bill 1020
Requires the owner of a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or vehicle designed to be primarily operated on
state highways to register that vehicle within 60 days after purchase.
House Bill 1017
Standardizes examination requirements for mental health professionals.
House Bill 1003
Clarifies the procedures that bank personnel use to open a safe deposit box in search of a deceased
person’s will.
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