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February 6, 2023 HB 23-1027
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 23-0427
Rep. Joseph; Weissman
Sen. Winter F.
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
February 6, 2023
House Judiciary
Shukria Maktabi | 303-866-4720
shukria.maktabi@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: PARENT AND CHILD FAMILY TIME
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☐ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☒ Local Government
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill enacts new requirements for family time during dependency and neglect
proceedings and extends the task force on High-Quality Family Time by one year to
commission and evaluate a study. The bill increases state expenditures in FY 2023-24
only, and increases local government workload and costs on an ongoing basis.
Appropriation
Summary:
For FY 2023-24, the bill requires appropriations totaling $163,352 to multiple agencies.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts Under HB 23-1027
Budget Year
FY 2023-24
Out Year
FY 2024-25
Revenue - -
Expenditures General Fund $155,879 -
Federal Funds $7,473 -
Total Expenditures $163,352 -
Transfers - -
Other Budget Impacts General Fund Reserve $23,382
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February 6, 2023 HB 23-1027
Summary of Legislation
The bill enacts new requirements for dependency and neglect cases, including:
requiring county department of human services to encourage maximum family time;
allowing the court and county departments to rely on community resources, foster parents, or
relatives to provide transportation or supervision for family time;
creating the presumption that family time must be supervised by a relative, kin, foster parents, or
other persons identified by the family and occur in the community, unless the health or safety of
child is at risk;
limiting the court’s ability to restrict or deny family time, except when the health or safety of the
child is at risk;
requiring courts to order family time to occur in the least restrictive setting and at least every seven
days;
requiring county departments to provide a proposed family time plan to the court;
prohibiting courts or county departments from limiting family time as a sanction or incentive for
the parents or child; and
authorizing the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to promulgate rules on family
time.
The bill also extends the High-Quality Family Time Task Force, administered by the Office of
Respondent Parents’ Counsel, and requires the task force to commission and evaluate a study about
family time by December 1, 2024. The task force will make recommendations to the Governor,
committees of the General Assembly, and state agencies.
The bill also requires a permanency hearing to be held within 12 months after a child enters foster care
and changes “visitation time” to “family time” in statute.
State Expenditures
In FY 2023-24 only, the bill increases state expenditures by about $163,000 in the Office of Respondent
Parents’ Counsel and the Department of Human Services, paid from the General Fund and federal
funds, as shown in Table 2 and detailed below. The bill also may increase workload in the Judicial
Department and Office of Child’s Representative on an ongoing basis.
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February 6, 2023 HB 23-1027
Table 2
Expenditures Under HB 23-1027
FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25
Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel
Task Force Facilitator $42,000 -
Contracted Family Time Study $100,000 -
ORPC Subtotal $142,000 -
Department of Human Services
Trails Modification $21,352 -
DHS Subtotal $21,352 -
Total $163,352 -
Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel. The ORPC will have a one-time cost of $142,000 to contract
with third parties to facilitate and support the task force ($42,000) and to perform the required study
on family time ($100,000). These estimates are based on current task force costs and cost estimates
from potential third-party providers.
Department of Human Services. The CDHS will have a one-time cost of $21,352 to modify TRAILS,
its child welfare data system, to replace all references of “visitation” with “family time" and add
additional functionality for caseworkers. This cost includes business analysis, development, quality
assurance, and training. TRAILS upgrade costs receive a 35 percent federal match, with the remaining
costs coming from the General Fund.
Judicial Branch impacts. The Office of the Child's Representative, the ORPC, and the trial courts may
have an increase in costs and workload due to additional or longer hearings and the review of family
time plans filed by county departments. However, this increase can be managed within existing
appropriations.
Local Government
The bill will increase workload and costs for county departments of human services in several areas.
County department may be required to reimburse relatives, kin and others for transportation and
supervision of family time. Second, county departments will also need to provide training to persons
involved in supervising family time and caseworkers will have additional workload coordinating
family time among different people involved in the child’s care. Also, the bill requires county
departments to submit additional information on family time plans to the courts, which must be
developed by caseworkers. The costs and extent of these workload impacts will vary and depend on
the specific county.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his signature. Page 4
February 6, 2023 HB 23-1027
State Appropriations
For FY 2023-24, the bill requires appropriations totaling $163,352, as follows:
$142,000 from the General Fund to the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel; and
$21,352 to the Colorado Department of Human Services, of which $13,879 is from the General
Fund and $7,473 is from federal funds.
State and Local Government Contacts
Child Welfare Counties Human Services Information Technology
Law
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit: leg.colorado.gov/fiscalnotes.