Colorado 2024 2024 Regular Session

Colorado House Bill HB1438 Introduced / Fiscal Note

Filed 04/08/2024

                    Page 1 
April 8, 2024  HB 24-1438 
 
 
 
 Legislative Council Staff 
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature 
 
Fiscal Note  
  
 
Drafting Number: 
Prime Sponsors: 
LLS 24-1123  
Rep. Mabrey; Jodeh 
Sen. Roberts  
Date: 
Bill Status: 
Fiscal Analyst: 
April 8, 2024 
House Health & Human Services  
Shukria Maktabi | 303-866-4720 
shukria.maktabi@coleg.gov  
Bill Topic: IMPLEMENT PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS  
Summary of  
Fiscal Impact: 
☒ State Revenue 
☒ State Expenditure 
☒ State Diversion 
☐ TABOR Refund 
☒ Local Government 
☐ Statutory Public Entity 
 
The bill makes changes to the insulin and epinephrine affordability programs in the 
Department of Regulatory Agencies. It increases state expenditures and requires a 
state diversion in FY 2024-25 only, and may increase state revenue and local workload 
beginning in FY 2024-25.  
Appropriation 
Summary: 
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires an appropriation of $7,699 to the Department of 
Regulatory Agencies. 
Fiscal Note 
Status: 
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill. 
Table 1 
State Fiscal Impacts Under HB 24-1438 
  
Budget Year 
FY 2024-25 
Out Year 
FY 2025-26 
Revenue  	-     	-     
Expenditures 	Cash Funds 	$7,699      	-     
 
Centrally Appropriated 	$1,921  	-     
 
Total Expenditures 	$9,620  	-     
 	Total FTE 	0.1 FTE 	-  
Transfers/Diversions 	General Fund 	($9,620)  	-  
 	Cash  Funds  	$9,620 	- 
 	Net Diversion 	$0 	- 
Other Budget Impacts  	- 	- 
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April 8, 2024  HB 24-1438 
 
 
 
Summary of Legislation 
The bill makes changes to the insulin and epinephrine affordability programs in the Department 
of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Insurance (DOI).  
First, it modifies the fines for manufacturer noncompliance from $10,000 for each month of 
noncompliance to an amount and frequency of the fine permitted under the Consumer 
Protection Act. It also authorizes the Attorney General to enforce the programs, and makes it a 
deceptive trade practice for a manufacturer to fail to comply with the Insulin Affordability 
Program or the requirements for the emergency supply of prescription insulin.  
Finally, the bill requires the DOI to make certain changes to the application form for the 
Epinephrine Auto-Injector Program, including requiring the application to be available online 
and adding a line in the application for a billing code for pharmacy reimbursement purposes. 
The DOI must also provide pharmacies with informational flyers about the program to provide 
to individuals seeking to access the program.  
State Revenue 
State revenue may increase from civil penalties and filing fees beginning in FY 2024-25. 
 
Civil penalties. Under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act, a person committing a deceptive 
trade practice may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $20,000 for each violation. Additional 
penalties may be imposed for subsequent violations of a court order or injunction. This revenue 
is classified as a damage award and not subject to TABOR. Given the uncertainty about the 
number of cases that may be pursued by the Attorney General and district attorneys, as well as 
the wide range in potential penalty amounts, the fiscal note cannot estimate the potential 
impact of these civil penalties.  
 
Filing fees. The bill may increase revenue to the Judicial Department from an increase in civil 
case filings. Revenue from filing fees is subject to TABOR. 
State Diversions 
This bill diverts $9,620 from the General Fund in FY 2024-25 only. This revenue diversion occurs 
because the bill increases costs in the DOI in DORA, which is funded with premium tax revenue 
that would otherwise be credited to the General Fund 
State Expenditures 
The bill increases expenditures in DORA by about $10,000 in FY 2024-25 only, paid from the DOI 
Cash Fund. Expenditures are shown in Table 2 and detailed below. The bill also increases 
workload for the Department of Law and the Judicial Department.  
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April 8, 2024  HB 24-1438 
 
 
 
Table 2 
Expenditures Under HB 24-1438 
 	FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26 
Department of Regulatory Agencies   
Personal Services 	$7,699  
-       
-       
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
 	$1,921  
-       
-       
Total Cost $9,620  
$0 
- 
Total FTE 0.1 FTE 	- 
1
 Centrally appropriated costs are not included in the bill's appropriation. 
Department of Regulatory Agencies. In FY 2024-25, the DOI requires 0.1 FTE to make 
modifications to the application form and to provide information to pharmacies for the 
Epinephrine Auto-Injector Affordability Program. 
Department of Law. Workload in the Department of Law will minimally increase to the extent 
that deceptive trade practice complaints are filed. The department will review complaints under 
the bill and prioritize investigations as necessary within the overall number of deceptive trade 
practice complaints and available resources. 
Judicial Department. The trial courts in the Judicial Department may have an increase in cases 
filed under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act from the addition of a new deceptive trade 
practice. It is assumed that manufacturers will abide by the law and that any violation of the 
legislation will result in minimal number of new cases. The fiscal note assumes that this can be 
accomplished within existing resources and that no change in appropriations is required. 
Local Government 
Similar to the state, to the extent district attorneys receive deceptive trade practice complaints 
related to the new deceptive trade practice under the bill, workload will increase to investigate 
complaints and seek relief when appropriate.  It is assumed most such cases will be handled at 
the state level by the Attorney General.  
Effective Date 
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his 
signature. 
State Appropriations 
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires an appropriation of $7,699 from the Division of Insurance Cash 
Fund to the Department of Regulatory Agencies, and 0.1 FTE. 
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April 8, 2024  HB 24-1438 
 
 
 
State and Local Government Contacts 
District Attorneys       Judicial         Law  
Regulatory Agencies  
 
 
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 the General Assembly website.