Legislation Category: End Health-Based Discrimination

Clarifies that people charged in municipal court have a right to legal counsel and ensures defense attorneys receive timely case information and access to their clients.

Allows survivors of conversion therapy to bring civil lawsuits against mental health professionals who caused harm through sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts.

This bill addresses discriminatory practices in transportation network services and strengthens accountability and protections for riders experiencing discrimination.

Addresses the stigma surrounding behavioral health treatment for medical professionals in Colorado by modifying medical licensing application and renewal processes.

Eliminates the exception allowing evidence of a victim’s sexual conduct with the defendant in civil proceedings and prohibits the use of a victim’s appearance, speech, or lifestyle to suggest consent, credibility, or damages. It also requires pretrial motions to admit presumed irrelevant evidence to demonstrate admissibility, with protective orders limiting discovery to relevant issues.

Establishes procedures for sanity examinations in criminal cases involving a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, allowing flexibility in examination locations and prohibiting custody solely for the examination if the defendant is out on bond. It also prohibits visible restraints or prison attire during recorded examinations and repeals the use of narcoanalytic interviews and polygraph tests in such evaluations.

Prohibits a law enforcement officer or emergency service patrol officer who takes a person into protective custody from detaining the person in jail and requires involved entities and officers to provide reports to the behavioral health administration.

Makes 3 primary clarifications about the remedies a person with a disability is entitled to under current Colorado law related to protections against discrimination on the basis of disability for persons with disabilities. It allows a court to award reasonable attorney fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff for any action commenced pursuant to certain Colorado law related to protections against discrimination on the basis of disability for persons with disabilities.

Establishes a commission in the attorney general’s office that will work to improve first responder training concerning interactions with persons with disabilities.

The bill changes the name of the ‘legislative oversight committee concerning the treatment of persons with mental illness in the criminal and juvenile justice systems’ to the ‘legislative oversight committee concerning the treatment of persons with mental health disorders in the criminal and juvenile justice systems’. The bill makes a corresponding change to the associated task force and cash fund. The bill also modernizes terminology related to mental health disorders.

The bill updates and modernizes terminology in the Colorado Revised Statutes related to behavioral health, mental health, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse. Based on specific contexts, the new terminology refers to behavioral health disorders, mental health disorders, alcohol use disorders, or substance use disorders.

Outdated references to the ‘unit in the department of human services that administers behavioral health programs and services, including those related to mental health and substance abuse’ have been corrected to use the actual current name of that office, which is ‘the office of behavioral health in the department of human services’.

By March 31, 2018, and by each March 31 thereafter through March 31, 2020, the bill requires health insurers to submit to the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) information regarding pharmaceuticals covered under individual and group health insurance plans in prior years.

The bill conforms Colorado statutory language relating to the creation of a disability trust to conform to the language established in the federal ’21st Century Cures Act’. Specifically, it clarifies that the individual who is the beneficiary of a disability trust can also be the person who establishes such trust.

Concerning preparation by the department of health care policy and financing of health care provider expenditure reports.

Concerning a clarification of when a worker may be compensated for a claim of mental impairment for a psychologically traumatic event under workers’ compensation.

Concerning a prohibition on conversion therapy by a licensed mental health care provider.

Concerning updating statutory references to certain limited outdated terms relating to people with disabilities.