Page 1
June 5, 2024 HB 24-1046
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Final Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 24-0347
Rep. Duran; Evans
Sen. Kolker; Kirkmeyer
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
June 5, 2024
Signed into Law
Aaron Carpenter | 303-866-4918
aaron.carpenter@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM TOOLS
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☐ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☒ Local Government
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill requires that reports of child abuse include any evidence of domestic
violence or intimate partner violence, the child abuse hotline have a disclaimer that
calls are recorded, and the Child Protection Ombudsman audit certain child welfare
system tools. From FY 2024-25 through FY 2025-26, the bill increases state and local
expenditures.
Appropriation
Summary:
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires and includes an appropriation of $109,392 to the
Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The final fiscal note reflects the enacted bill, which is recommended by the Colorado
Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts HB 24-1046
Budget Year
FY 2024-25
Out Year
FY 2025-26
Revenue - -
Expenditures General Fund $109,392 $116,463
Centrally Appropriated $9,298 $7,439
Total Expenditures $118,690 $123,902
Total FTE 0.5 FTE 0.5 FTE
Transfers - -
Other Budget Impacts General Fund Reserve $16,409 $17,469
Page 2
June 5, 2024 HB 24-1046
Summary of Legislation
As described in more detail below, this bill requires that:
reports for child abuse include any evidence of domestic violence;
the child abuse hotline have a disclaimer that calls are recorded; and
the Child Protection Ombudsman audit certain child welfare system tools.
Reporting child abuse. The bill requires reports of known or suspected child abuse or neglect
to include any evidence of known domestic violence or intimate partner violence, including past
cases, in a child’s home whenever possible. The Colorado Department of Human Services
(CDHS) must also review the screening process used by counties and hotline system operators
and create a consistent screening process, which includes questions about domestic or intimate
partner violence, for county departments to follow while responding to a report from the child
abuse reporting hotline. Finally, the CDHS must develop a disclosure that notifies callers that
calls to the child abuse reporting hotline are recorded.
Audit of child welfare system tools. The bill requires the Colorado Child Protection
Ombudsman (OCPO) to contract with a third party to conduct audits on the Colorado family
safety assessment and the Colorado family risk assessment. The OCPO must report the results of
the audit by March 1, 2026.
State Expenditures
The bill will increase General Fund expenditures in the OCPO by about $119,000 in FY 2024-25
and $124,000 in FY 2025-26 as shown in Table 2 and discussed below. In addition, workload in
the CDHS will increase in FY 2024-25 only.
Table 2
Expenditures Under HB 24-1046
FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26
Child Protection Ombudsman
Personal Services $37,798 $30,239
Operating Expenses $640 $512
Capital Outlay Costs $6,670 -
Audit Contract $64,284 $85,712
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
$9,298 $7,439
Total Costs $118,690 $123,902
Total FTE 0.5 FTE 0.5 FTE
1
Centrally appropriated costs are not included in the bill's appropriation.
Page 3
June 5, 2024 HB 24-1046
Child Protection Ombudsman. From FY 2024-25 through FY 2025-26, costs in the OCPO will
increase to hire additional staff and to contract for the required audits, as described below.
Staff. From FY 2024-25 through FY 2025-26, the OCPO requires 0.5 FTE to develop request
for proposals, review the proposals, choose a third party administer, and to manage the
contract with the third party administrator. Costs assume an August 1, 2024 start date, and
includes standard operating and capital outlay expenses.
Audit contract. Costs in the OCPO will increase to contract with a third-party administrator
to conduct audits on the required tools outlined in the bill. The fiscal note estimates that
contractor costs will be about $11,000 per month, with work starting on January 1, 2025 and
finishing by March 1, 2026. This results in six months of costs in FY 2024-25 ($64,000) and
eight months of cost in FY 2025-26 ($86,000).
Department of Human Services. In FY 2024-25, workload to the CDHS will increase to update
rules to reflect the requirements of the bill, update messaging/recordings for the child abuse
hotline, and to provide information as needed to the auditor. This work can be accomplished
within existing appropriations.
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.
Other Budget Impacts
General Fund reserve. Under current law, an amount equal to 15 percent of General Fund
appropriations must be set aside in the General Fund statutory reserve. Based on this fiscal note,
the bill is expected to increase the amount of General Fund held in reserve by the amounts
shown in Table 1, decreasing the amount of General Fund available for other purposes.
Local Government
To the extent that county departments are involved with any of the audits, or if additional
training is needed for screenings of domestic violence, workload to county departments of
human services will increase.
Effective Date
This bill was signed into law by the Governor and took effect on May 28, 2024.
Page 4
June 5, 2024 HB 24-1046
State Appropriations
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires and includes a General Fund appropriation of $109,392 to the
Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman, and 0.5 FTE.
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.