After much ado on the topic over the past few years, lawmakers this past week introduced a bill that would remove party affiliations for district attorney and county sheriff candidates from ballots and set eligibility requirements for their minimum level of education.
Also introduced this week was a bill that would require car towing companies not to charge any fees for towing a vehicle if the owner of the vehicle can prove the vehicle was either stolen or that the person was the victim of a crime that resulted in the parking violation and tow.
Lawmakers also introduced a bill that would allow midwives to become certified through the state, opening the profession up to both more medical legitimacy and the same regulations for nurses.
Bill Number: HB23-1217
Title: Motor Vehicles Tows And Crime Victims
Introduced: Feb. 22
Sponsors: M. Froelich, R. Fields
Summary: Among other provisions, the bill would require a towing carrier to release a motor vehicle without demanding or accepting payment for any fee or charge associated with the tow or storage if the motor vehicle was towed without the owner’s consent from public or private property and the tow was a result of the owner being a victim of a crime or the motor vehicle being stolen. The owner must provide appropriate documentation.
Bill Number: SB23-167
Title: Board Of Nursing Regulate Certified Midwives
Introduced: Feb. 21
Sponsors: F. Winter, P. Will, S. Gonzales-Gutierrez
Summary: Starting July 1, 2024, the bill would authorize individuals who have a midwife certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board, pay the required fee and submit to a criminal history record check to obtain a license from the state board of nursing to practice as a certified midwife in the state. Certified midwives would be subject to the same regulation the practice of nursing is in the state.
Bill Number: HB23-1206
Title: County Sheriffs And District Attorneys
Introduced: Feb. 17
Sponsors: B. Marshall
Summary: The bill would require a county sheriff in a county with a population of 25,000 or more to possess a bachelor’s degree or higher in criminal justice or a related field. The bill would also require candidates for the offices of county sheriff and district attorney to petition onto the ballot and prevent those candidates from being nominated as a candidate for a primary process election. Among other things, the bill would also prevent a ballot from listing the political affiliation of candidates for the offices of county sheriff and district attorney and exclude county sheriffs and district attorneys from party committees.
Bill Number: HB23-1209
Title: Analyze Statewide Publicly Financed Health-care
Introduced: Feb. 17
Sponsors: A. Boesenecker, K. McCormick, S. Jaquez Lewis
Summary: The bill would require the Colorado School of Public Health to analyze model legislation for implementing a publicly financed and privately delivered universal health care payment system for Colorado that directly compensates providers. The Colorado School of Public Health must submit a report detailing its findings to the general assembly by Dec. 1.
Bill Number: HB23-1210
Title: Carbon Management
Introduced: Feb. 17
Sponsors: R. Dickson, C. Hansen
Summary: The bill would define “carbon management” and ensure that carbon management projects, except for agricultural, forestry and enhanced oil recovery projects, are eligible for money under the industrial and manufacturing operations clean air grant program. The bill would also require the Colorado Energy Office and the Office of Economic Development to contract with an organization for the development of a carbon management roadmap for the state.
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