First Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REENGROSSED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the House of Introduction LLS NO. 25-0629.01 Renee Leone x2695 HOUSE BILL 25-1016 House Committees Senate Committees Health & Human Services A BILL FOR AN ACT C ONCERNING AUTHORIZING AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST TO101 PRESCRIBE DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT .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 .) The bill authorizes an occupational therapist to directly recommend or prescribe durable medical equipment to a patient without requesting the prescription from a licensed physician. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1 HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended January 23, 2025 HOUSE 2nd Reading Unamended January 22, 2025 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Stewart K., Bacon, Bird, Brown, Camacho, Duran, Espenoza, Froelich, Garcia, Gilchrist, Lindsay, Lindstedt, Lukens, Mabrey, McCormick, Rutinel, Stewart R., Valdez, Velasco, Weinberg, Willford SENATE SPONSORSHIP 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. SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-270-104, amend1 (10) introductory portion; and add (10)(d) as follows:2 12-270-104. Definitions - rules. As used in this article 270, unless3 the context otherwise requires:4 (10) "Occupational therapy" means the therapeutic use of5 occupations, including everyday life activities with individuals, groups,6 populations, or organizations, to support participation, performance, and7 function in roles and situations in home, school, workplace, community,8 and other settings. Occupational therapy is provided for habilitation,9 rehabilitation, and the promotion of health and wellness to persons10 INDIVIDUALS who have, or are at risk for developing, an illness, injury,11 disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or12 participation restriction. Occupational therapy uses everyday life activities13 to promote mental health and support functioning in people INDIVIDUALS14 who have, or who are at risk of experiencing, a range of mental health15 disorders, including psychiatric, behavioral, emotional, and substance use16 disorders. Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive,17 psychosocial, sensory, perceptual, and other aspects of performance in a18 variety of contexts and environments to support engagement in19 occupations that affect physical health, mental health, well-being, and20 quality of life. The practice of occupational therapy includes:21 (d) T HE AUTHORITY TO DIRECTLY RECOMMEND AND PRESCRIBE22 DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO A PATIENT WITHOUT REQUESTING THE23 PRESCRIPTION FROM A LICENSED PHYSICIAN .24 SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act25 takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the26 ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except27 1016 -2- that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V1 of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this2 act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take3 effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in4 November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the5 official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.6 1016 -3-