Second Regular Session
Seventy-fourth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 24-1178.01 Shelby Ross x4510
SENATE BILL 24-221
Senate Committees House Committees
Health & Human Services
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING FUNDING FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE , AND, IN101
CONNECTION THEREWITH , MAKING AN APPROPRIATION .102
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
.)
For the Colorado rural health-care workforce initiative (workforce
initiative), the bill authorizes the department of higher education to enter
into a limited purpose fee-for-service contract with the board of regents
of the university of Colorado for allocation to programs or institutions of
higher education to expand an existing rural track program. If an
allocation is made to a program or institution to expand an existing rural
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
May 2, 2024
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Roberts and Kirkmeyer, Pelton R., Rich
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Catlin and Lukens, Lynch, McLachlan
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. track program, the department of higher education shall utilize a formula
developed and revised annually by the rural program office that is based
on data that documents the program's or institution's fulfillment of certain
requirements. The bill requires the rural program office to submit a report
to the general assembly each year that includes the allocation formula
developed by the rural program office.
The bill authorizes any money not expended or encumbered from
any appropriation at the end of any fiscal year to remain available for
expenditure for the workforce initiative in the next fiscal year without
further appropriation.
The bill requires the department of health care policy and
financing to distribute money appropriated for payments to rural
hospitals.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-76.5-104, amend2
(1) as follows:3
23-76.5-104. Initiative reporting. (1) On or before November4
1, 2023, and on or before November 1 each year thereafter, the rural5
program office shall submit a report to the house of representatives6
education committee and the senate education committee, or their7
successor committees, concerning the initiative. The report must include:8
(a) Information about each institution's health-care professionals9
rural tracks, the number of students enrolled in each rural track, the10
number of students who have completed each rural track and are11
practicing in a rural or frontier county, and any other relevant data and12
information about the initiative; and
13
(b) The rural program office's analysis of the effectiveness of the14
initiative and rural tracks;
AND15
(c) T
HE ALLOCATION FORMULA DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO SECTION16
23-76.5-105 (2)(c).17
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-76.5-105, amend18
221-2- (1), (2)(a) introductory portion, and (2)(a)(VI)(A); and add (2)(c) and (3)1
as follows:2
23-76.5-105. Initiative funding - fee-for-service contracts.3
(1) Subject to available appropriations, the department of higher4
education shall enter into a limited purpose fee-for-service contract with5
the university of Colorado health sciences center pursuant to section6
23-18-308 to provide funding for the rural program office
IN THE7
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE to carry out its
THE OFFICE'S duties8
described in section 23-76.5-103. The funding for the rural program9
office may be included in a single fee-for-service contract with the10
university of Colorado health sciences center described in PURSUANT TO11
subsection (2) of this section.12
(2) (a) Subject to available appropriations, the department of13
higher education shall enter into a limited purpose fee-for-service contract14
with the governing boards of each of the following institutions, except for15
Colorado mountain college, for allocation to each program or school16
INSTITUTION listed in this subsection (2) to establish or expand an existing17
rural track pursuant to this article 76.5:18
(VI) The university of Colorado, in the following programs or19
schools:20
(A) At the health sciences center campus, in its school of dental21
medicine and in
THE RURAL PROGRAM OF its doctor of medicine program22
in the school of medicine;23
(c) S
UBJECT TO AVAILABLE APPROPRIATIONS, THE DEPARTMENT OF24
HIGHER EDUCATION MAY ENTER INTO A LIMITED PURPOSE25
FEE-FOR-SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE26
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOR ALLOCATION TO EACH PROGRAM OR27
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-3- INSTITUTION LISTED IN SUBSECTION (2)(a) OF THIS SECTION TO EXPAND AN1
EXISTING RURAL TRACK PROGRAM PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE 76.5. THE2
RURAL PROGRAM OFFICE, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE INSTITUTIONS ,3
SHALL DEVELOP A FORMULA BASED ON DATA THAT DOCUMENTS THE4
PROGRAM'S OR INSTITUTION'S FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS5
SPECIFIED IN SECTION 23-76.5-102 FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER6
EDUCATION TO USE TO MAKE ALLOCATIONS TO A PROGRAM OR7
INSTITUTION PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (2)(c). WHEN DEVELOPING8
THE ALLOCATION FORMULA , THE RURAL PROGRAM OFFICE SHALL9
CONSIDER:10
(I) T
HE PERCENTAGE OF MONEY DEDICATED TO DIRECT STUDENT11
SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND RURAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE12
DURING RURAL PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE ;13
(II) T
HE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN EACH RURAL TRACK14
PROGRAM;15
(III) T
HE LENGTH OF STUDY FOR THE RURAL TRACK PROGRAM ;16
(IV) T
HE TUITION EXPENSES FOR THE RURAL TRACK PROGRAM ;17
(V) T
HE AMOUNT OF RURAL CURRICULUM PROVIDED TO STUDENTS ;18
(VI) T
HE RURAL PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE PROVIDED TO STUDENTS ;19
(VII) T
HE TEACHING DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED TO VOLUNTEER20
RURAL PRECEPTORS; AND21
(VIII) T
HE NUMBER OF GRADUATES WHO ENTER RURAL PRACTICE .22
(3) A
NY MONEY NOT EXPENDED OR ENCUMBERED FROM ANY23
APPROPRIATION AT THE END OF ANY FISCAL YEAR REMAINS AVAILABLE24
FOR EXPENDITURE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION IN THE NEXT FISCAL25
YEAR WITHOUT FURTHER APPROPRIATION .26
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25.5-4-431 as27
221
-4- follows:1
25.5-4-431. Rural hospital cash fund - creation - definition.2
(1) T
HE RURAL HOSPITAL CASH FUND IS CREATED IN THE STATE TREASURY
3
AND IS REFERRED TO IN THIS SECTION AS THE "FUND". THE FUND CONSISTS4
OF MONEY CREDITED TO THE FUND AND ANY OTHER MONEY THAT THE5
GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY APPROPRIATE OR TRANSFER TO THE FUND .6
(2) T
HE STATE TREASURER SHALL CREDIT ALL INTEREST AND
7
INCOME DERIVED FROM THE DEPOSIT AND INVESTMENT OF MONEY IN THE8
FUND TO THE FUND.9
(3) M
ONEY IN THE FUND IS CONTINUOUSLY APPROPRIATED TO THE
10
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE POLICY AND FINANCING FOR THE PURPOSE11
OF DISTRIBUTING MONEY IN EQUAL AMOUNTS TO RURAL HOSPITALS .12
(4) O
N JULY 1, 2024, THE STATE TREASURER SHALL TRANSFER ONE
13
MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY-TWO THOUSAND TWENTY -NINE DOLLARS14
FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE FUND .15
(5) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, "RURAL HOSPITAL" MEANS A16
HOSPITAL LICENSED OR CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-1.5-10317
(1)(a)
OR AN AFFILIATE OWNED OR CONTROLLED , AS DEFINED IN SECTION18
25.5-4-402.8 (1)(c),
BY A HOSPITAL, AND THAT IS LOCATED IN A COUNTY19
WITH A POPULATION OF FEWER THAN FIFTY THOUSAND RESIDENTS OR IN A20
MUNICIPALITY WITH A POPULATION OF FEWER THAN TWENTY -FIVE21
THOUSAND RESIDENTS IF THE MUNICIPALITY IS NOT CONTIGUOUS TO A22
MUNICIPALITY WITH A POPULATION OF TWENTY -FIVE THOUSAND OR MORE23
RESIDENTS.24
SECTION 4. Appropriation. (1) For the 2024-25 state fiscal25
year, $866,667 is appropriated to the department of higher education. This26
appropriation is from the general fund. To implement this act, the27
221
-5- department may use this appropriation for the college opportunity fund1
program to be used for limited purpose fee-for-service contracts with2
state institutions.3
(2) For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $866,667 is appropriated to4
the department of higher education. This appropriation is from5
reappropriated funds received from the limited purpose fee-for-service6
contracts with state institutions under subsection (1) of this section. To7
implement this act, the department may use this appropriation for the8
regents of the university of Colorado for allocation to institutions of9
higher education pursuant to section 23-76.5-105 (2)(c), C.R.S.10
11
SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,12
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate13
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for14
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state15
institutions.16
221
-6-