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July 15, 2024 HB 24-1031
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Final Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 24-0350
Rep. Bradley; Joseph
Sen. Kirkmeyer; Michaelson
Jenet
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
July 15, 2024
Signed into Law
John Armstrong | 303-866-6289
john.armstrong@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS IN CHILD WELFARE MATTERS
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☐ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☒ Local Government
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill requires the state and local governments to make reasonable efforts to
ensure language access for children and families in the child welfare system.
Beginning in FY 2024-25, the bill will increase state and local expenditures on an
ongoing basis.
Appropriation
Summary:
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires and includes an appropriation of $74,953 to the
Judicial Department.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The final fiscal note reflects the enacted bill, which was recommended by the Child
Welfare System Interim Study Committee.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts Under HB 24-1031
Budget Year
FY 2024-25
Out Year
FY 2025-26
Revenue - -
Expenditures Cash Funds $74,953 $84,854
Centrally Appropriated $16,053 $20,066
Total Expenditures $91,006 $104,920
Total FTE 0.8 FTE 1.0 FTE
Transfers - -
Other Budget Impacts - -
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July 15, 2024 HB 24-1031
Summary of Legislation
The bill requires counties to meet the provisions of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and make
reasonable efforts to ensure language access when providing services to children placed in
out-of-home care and their families.
The bill also requires courts to provide translation and interpretation services to parties in
dependency and neglect cases, including in dispositional hearings, if the party has limited
English proficiency.
State Expenditures
The bill will increase state expenditures about $91,000 in FY 2024-25 and $105,000 in
FY 2025-26 and ongoing, paid from the Judicial Stabilization Cash Fund. Expenditures are shown
in Table 2 and detailed below.
Table 2
Expenditures Under HB 24-1031
FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26
Judicial Department
Personal Services $66,803 $83,504
Operating Expenses $950 $950
Capital Outlay Costs $7,200 $400
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
$16,053 $20,066
Total $91,006 $104,920
FTE 0.8 FTE 1.0 FTE
1
Centrally appropriated costs are not included in the bill's appropriation.
Judicial Department. Providing language access services to parties upon request requires an
increase in court expenditures as described below.
Staff. The Office of Language Access in the State Court Administrator’s Office requires
1.0 FTE for a Court Programs Analyst to support the increased need for translation services.
Standard operating expenses and capital outlay costs are included. Costs are prorated to
assume a September start date in FY 2024-25.
Potential additional costs. In future years, demand for translation services is expected to
grow as attorneys and clients become aware of these services. For informational purposes, a
review by the Judicial Department of current translation costs estimated the average cost for
Spanish translation was $1,443 per document and $4,002 per document for other language
translation. If 3 percent of written court orders are requested to be translated, including
requests in languages other than Spanish, it is estimated that costs to courts to translate
documents would increase by $137,547 annually. Because translation costs will depend on Page 3
July 15, 2024 HB 24-1031
utilization, they have not been included in the fiscal note, and will be addressed through the
annual budget process when utilization data are available.
Centrally appropriated costs. Pursuant to a Joint Budget Committee policy, certain costs
associated with this bill are addressed through the annual budget process and centrally
appropriated in the Long Bill or supplemental appropriations bills, rather than in this bill. These
costs, which include employee insurance and supplemental employee retirement payments, are
shown in Table 2.
Local Government
Similar to the state, counties will have increased costs to make reasonable efforts to provide
language access services to persons in child dependency and neglect cases as well as comply
with the Federal Civil Rights Act.
Effective Date
The bill was signed into law by the Governor on June 3, 2024, and takes effect on
August 7, 2024, assuming no referendum petition is filed.
State Appropriations
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires and includes an appropriation of $74,953 and 0.8 FTE to the
Judicial Department, paid from the Judicial Stabilization Cash Fund.
State and Local Government Contacts
Counties Human Services Judicial
Law Office of the Child's Representative
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.