First Regular Session Seventy-fourth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 23-1030.01 Michael Dohr x4347 SENATE BILL 23-302 Senate Committees House Committees State, Veterans, & Military Affairs A BILL FOR AN ACT C ONCERNING CHANGES TO THE COLORADO VETE RANS '101 SERVICE-TO-CAREER PROGRAM .102 Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov .) Current law includes a Colorado veterans' service-to-career program (program), which authorizes nonprofit agencies to partner with work force centers selected by the department of labor and employment to provide veterans and other eligible participants with skills training, internships, work placements, mentorship opportunities, career and professional counseling, and support services. The program requires that SENATE SPONSORSHIP Pelton B. and Hinrichsen, HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Ortiz and Hartsook, Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment. Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. if a program participant is eligible for federal funding that federal funding must be used first. The bill repeals that requirement. Obsolete language related to the program is repealed. The bill extends the repeal date for the program to January 1, 2029. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1 SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-14.3-201.5, amend2 (1) as follows:3 8-14.3-201.5. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly4 finds, determines, and declares that5 (a) the pilot program enacted in House Bill 16-1267, which6 created the Colorado veterans' service-to-career pilot program that7 authorized nonprofit agencies to partner with work force centers selected8 by the department to provide veterans and other eligible participants with9 skills training, internships, work placements, mentorship opportunities,10 career and professional counseling, and support services, has been11 successful in increasing the employment rates for veterans, veterans'12 spouses, and eligible participants. and13 (b) The services offered through the pilot program were designed14 to enhance work force center services not available under the federal act.15 SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-14.3-202, repeal16 (1) as follows:17 8-14.3-202. Definitions. As used in this part 2, unless the context18 otherwise requires:19 (1) "Act" means the federal "Workforce Innovation and20 Opportunity Act", Pub.L. 113-128.21 SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-14.3-203, amend22 (6)(c); and repeal (2)(b), (6)(b), and (6)(d) as follows:23 SB23-302-2- 8-14.3-203. Colorado veterans' service-to-career program -1 report. (2) (b) If an eligible participant is eligible for funding through2 the act, this funding must be used first. If funding is not available or is3 limited or if the use of funds is not allowable under the act, the eligible4 participant may use program funding.5 (6) (b) The department shall develop an evaluation methodology6 to measure program outcomes and effectiveness prior to initiating the bid7 process for awarding grants. To the extent feasible, the evaluation process8 must enable a comparison between programs serving similar populations.9 It is the intent of the general assembly that the department award the10 grants no later than January 1, 2019. The grant period may be extended11 for one year subject to money appropriated by the general assembly. The12 grant award must include data tracking requirements that will be used to13 measure outcomes and effectiveness.14 (c) Any unspent money remaining in the department's fiscal year15 2017-18 appropriation for administrative costs may be used for the16 purpose of designing an evaluation methodology or contracting out the17 design. Any unspent money for direct program services remaining as of18 June 30, 2018, may be used by the programs in effect as of June 30, 2018,19 for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2018. Unspent money available at the20 end of each fiscal year rolls over to the next fiscal year to be spent in that21 year.22 (d) In analyzing and reporting on the performance data described23 in subsections (6)(a) and (6)(b) of this section, the department shall24 separately account for data pertaining to significant barriers to25 employment.26 SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 8-14.3-20527 SB23-302 -3- as follows:1 8-14.3-205. Repeal of part. This part 2 is repealed, effective2 January 1, 2024 2029.3 SECTION 5. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act4 takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the5 ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except6 that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V7 of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this8 act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take9 effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in10 November 2024 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the11 official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.12 SB23-302 -4-