Second Regular Session
Seventy-fourth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REVISED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the Second House
LLS NO. 24-1126.01 Chelsea Princell x4335
HOUSE BILL 24-1431
House Committees Senate Committees
Health & Human Services Health & Human Services
Appropriations Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING THE CREATION OF A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE STABLE101
HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVORS OF ABUSE , AND, IN102
CONNECTION THEREWITH , MAKING AN APPROPRIATION .103
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
.)
The bill creates the stable housing for survivors of domestic or
sexual violence program (program) in the department of human services
(state department).
SENATE
2nd Reading Unamended
May 4, 2024
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 25, 2024
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
April 24, 2024
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Lukens and Armagost, Amabile, Bacon, Bird, Boesenecker, Duran, English, Epps,
Froelich, Garcia, Hamrick, Hernandez, Herod, Jodeh, Lieder, Lindsay, Lindstedt, Mabrey,
Mauro, McCluskie, McCormick, McLachlan, Ortiz, Pugliese, Ricks, Rutinel, Sirota, Snyder,
Story, Titone, Weissman, Woodrow, Young
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Winter F. and Michaelson Jenet,
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. The bill requires the state department to contract with
community-based advocacy organizations to provide short-term
assistance payments to survivors of domestic or sexual violence for stable
housing.
For each state fiscal year 2024-25 through 2028-29, the bill
requires the general assembly to appropriate $2 million from the state
long-term works reserve to the program.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds that:3
(a) Domestic and sexual violence inflicts profound and enduring4
harm on children, youth, and their caregivers, with economic abuse tactics5
often exacerbating the challenges survivors of domestic and sexual6
violence often face in escaping their abusive environments;7
(b) Stable housing is paramount for individuals who escape8
abusive environments, with rapid rehousing programs playing a crucial9
role in addressing homelessness among survivors of domestic and sexual10
violence and their children;11
(c) Providing timely financial assistance for housing expenses to12
survivors of domestic and sexual violence significantly enhances the13
safety and well-being of affected households;14
(d) The domestic violence program within the department of15
human services utilized federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021"16
(ARPA), Pub.L. 117-2 funds to administer a time-limited flex fund17
project to help survivors of domestic and sexual violence overcome18
barriers to safety and recovery. Data from this ARPA-funded flexible19
funding project emphasizes the critical need for housing support among20
survivors of domestic and sexual violence.21
(e) Community organizations that provide crisis intervention22
1431-2- services are well-positioned to provide the financial support survivors of1
domestic and sexual violence need to overcome housing barriers and2
establish a sense of safety and stability for themselves and their children;3
and4
(f) Individuals who have experienced domestic or sexual violence5
make up a disproportionate share of the TANF program caseload, which6
highlights the intersecting challenges faced by survivors of domestic and7
sexual violence and their children.8
(2) Therefore, the general assembly declares that using unused9
Colorado works program state money to establish and execute a10
housing-focused flexible financial assistance project for domestic and11
sexual violence survivors is a proactive and effective solution to address12
the immediate needs of this vulnerable population.13
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 26-2-726 as14
follows:15
26-2-726. Stable housing for survivors of domestic or sexual16
violence program - creation - funding - appropriation - definitions.17
(1) A
S USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE18
REQUIRES:19
(a) "C
ONTRACTED ORGANIZATION " MEANS A COMMUNITY20
ORGANIZATION THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS WITH TO21
PROVIDE STABLE HOUSING SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC OR22
SEXUAL VIOLENCE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE PROVIDED23
PURSUANT TO THE COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM THR OUGH THE PROGRAM .24
(b) "P
ROGRAM" MEANS THE STABLE HOUSING FOR SURVIVORS OF25
DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE PROGRAM CREATED IN SUBSECTION (2) OF26
THIS SECTION.27
1431
-3- (c) "SHORT-TERM ASSISTANCE PAYMENT " HAS THE MEANING SET1
FORTH IN SECTION 26-2-706.6 (3).2
(2) T
HERE IS CREATED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES3
THE STABLE HOUSING FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE4
PROGRAM TO PROVIDE STABLE HOUSING SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS OF5
DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE6
PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM .7
(3) O
N OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2025, THE STATE DEPARTMENT8
SHALL CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITY -BASED ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS9
TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM .10
(4) A
CONTRACTED ORGANIZATION SHALL USE THE MONEY11
ALLOCATED TO IT BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL12
SUPPORT TO A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE WHO IS13
ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE PURSUANT TO THE COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM14
TO OBTAIN A SHORT-TERM ASSISTANCE PAYMENT FOR STABLE HOUSING .15
(5) F
OR EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 THROUGH 2028-29, THE16
GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE TWO MILLION DOLLARS FROM17
THE COLORADO LONG-TERM WORKS RESERVE , CREATED IN SECTION18
26-2-721,
TO THE PROGRAM.19
(6) T
HE COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM SHALL ACCOUNT FOR THE20
FUNDS USED FOR THE PROGRAM IN ITS ANNUAL COLORADO WORKS REPORT21
SUBMITTED TO THE JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE .22
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-2-721, amend (2)23
introductory portion; and add (2)(c) as follows:24
26-2-721. Colorado long-term works reserve - creation - use.25
(2) The general assembly, upon request of the state department, may26
appropriate the moneys
MONEY in the reserve for the purposes of:27
1431
-4- (c) THE STABLE HOUSING FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC OR SE XUAL1
VIOLENCE PROGRAM CREATED IN SECTION 26-2-726.2
SECTION 4. Appropriation. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year,3
$2,000,000 is appropriated to the department of human services for use4
by the office of economic security. This appropriation is from the5
Colorado long-term works reserve created in section 26-2-721 (1), C.R.S.,6
and is based on the assumption that the office will require an additional7
1.3 FTE. To implement this act, the office may use this appropriation8
for the stable housing for survivors of domestic or sexual violence9
program.10
SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,11
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate12
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for13
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state14
institutions.15
1431
-5-