HOUSE BILL 24-1431
BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Lukens and Armagost, Amabile, Bacon, Bird,
Boesenecker, Duran, English, Epps, Froelich, Garcia, Hamrick, Hernandez,
Herod, Jodeh, Lieder, Lindsay, Lindstedt, Mabrey, Mauro, McCormick,
McLachlan, Ortiz, Pugliese, Ricks, Rutinel, Sirota, Snyder, Story, Titone,
Weissman, Woodrow, Young, McCluskie;
also SENATOR(S) Winter F. and Michaelson Jenet, Bridges, Buckner,
Cutter, Exum, Ginal, Jaquez Lewis, Mullica, Priola, Roberts, Sullivan,
Zenzinger.
C
ONCERNING THE CREATION OF A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE STABLE HOUSING
ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVORS OF ABUSE
, AND, IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH
, MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly
finds that:
(a) Domestic and sexual violence inflicts profound and enduring
harm on children, youth, and their caregivers, with economic abuse tactics
often exacerbating the challenges survivors of domestic and sexual violence
often face in escaping their abusive environments;
NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative
officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
history, or the Session Laws.
________
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
the act. (b) Stable housing is paramount for individuals who escape abusive
environments, with rapid rehousing programs playing a crucial role in
addressing homelessness among survivors of domestic and sexual violence
and their children;
(c) Providing timely financial assistance for housing expenses to
survivors of domestic and sexual violence significantly enhances the safety
and well-being of affected households;
(d) The domestic violence program within the department of human
services utilized federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" (ARPA),
Pub.L. 117-2 funds to administer a time-limited flex fund project to help
survivors of domestic and sexual violence overcome barriers to safety and
recovery. Data from this ARPA-funded flexible funding project emphasizes
the critical need for housing support among survivors of domestic and
sexual violence.
(e) Community organizations that provide crisis intervention
services are well-positioned to provide the financial support survivors of
domestic and sexual violence need to overcome housing barriers and
establish a sense of safety and stability for themselves and their children;
and
(f) Individuals who have experienced domestic or sexual violence
make up a disproportionate share of the TANF program caseload, which
highlights the intersecting challenges faced by survivors of domestic and
sexual violence and their children.
(2) Therefore, the general assembly declares that using unused
Colorado works program state money to establish and execute a
housing-focused flexible financial assistance project for domestic and
sexual violence survivors is a proactive and effective solution to address the
immediate needs of this vulnerable population.
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 26-2-726 as
follows:
26-2-726. Stable housing for survivors of domestic or sexual
violence program - creation - funding - appropriation - definitions.
PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 24-1431 (1) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES :
(a) "C
ONTRACTED ORGANIZATION " MEANS A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS WITH TO PROVIDE
STABLE HOUSING SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL
VIOLENCE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE
COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM THROUGH THE PROGRAM .
(b) "P
ROGRAM" MEANS THE STABLE HOUSING FOR SURVIVORS OF
DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE PROGRAM CREATED IN SUBSECTION
(2) OF
THIS SECTION
.
(c) "S
HORT-TERM ASSISTANCE PAYMENT " HAS THE MEANING SET
FORTH IN SECTION
26-2-706.6 (3).
(2) T
HERE IS CREATED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES THE
STABLE HOUSING FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE
PROGRAM TO PROVIDE STABLE HOUSING SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS OF
DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE
PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE
COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM .
(3) O
N OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2025, THE STATE DEPARTMENT SHALL
CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITY
-BASED ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS TO
IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM
.
(4) A
CONTRACTED ORGANIZATION SHALL USE THE MONEY
ALLOCATED TO IT BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL
SUPPORT TO A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE WHO IS
ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE PURSUANT TO THE
COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM
TO OBTAIN A SHORT
-TERM ASSISTANCE PAYMENT FOR STABLE HOUSING .
(5) F
OR EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 THROUGH 2028-29, THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE TWO MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE
COLORADO LONG-TERM WORKS RESERVE, CREATED IN SECTION 26-2-721, TO
THE PROGRAM
.
(6) T
HE COLORADO WORKS PROGRAM SHALL ACCOUNT FOR THE
FUNDS USED FOR THE PROGRAM IN ITS ANNUAL
COLORADO WORKS REPORT
SUBMITTED TO THE JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
.
PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 24-1431 SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-2-721, amend (2)
introductory portion; and add (2)(c) as follows:
26-2-721. Colorado long-term works reserve - creation - use.
(2) The general assembly, upon request of the state department, may
appropriate the moneys MONEY in the reserve for the purposes of:
(c) T
HE STABLE HOUSING FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL
VIOLENCE PROGRAM CREATED IN SECTION
26-2-726.
SECTION 4. Appropriation. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year,
$2,000,000 is appropriated to the department of human services for use by
the office of economic security. This appropriation is from the Colorado
long-term works reserve created in section 26-2-721 (1), C.R.S., and is
based on the assumption that the office will require an additional 1.3 FTE.
To implement this act, the office may use this appropriation for the stable
housing for survivors of domestic or sexual violence program.
SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
PAGE 4-HOUSE BILL 24-1431 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state
institutions.
____________________________ ____________________________
Julie McCluskie Steve Fenberg
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
____________________________ ____________________________
Robin Jones Cindi L. Markwell
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
APPROVED________________________________________
(Date and Time)
_________________________________________
Jared S. Polis
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
PAGE 5-HOUSE BILL 24-1431