HB 25-1200
Fiscal Note
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
HB 25-1200: MODS TO OFFICE OF CHILD PROTECTION OMBUDSMAN
Prime Sponsors:
Rep. Feret
Sen. Cutter
Published for: House Health & Human Services
Drafting number: LLS 25-0806
Fiscal Analyst:
Shukria Maktabi, 303-866-4720
shukria.maktabi@coleg.gov
Version: Initial Fiscal Note
Date: February 21, 2025
Fiscal note status: The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Summary Information
Overview. The bill reorganizes and updates statutes for the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman to
clarify responsibilities and creates new measures for certain youth facilities.
Types of impacts. The bill is projected to affect the following areas on an ongoing basis:
Minimal State Workload
Appropriations. No appropriation is required.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts
Type of Impact
Budget Year
FY 2025-26
Out Year
FY 2026-27
State Revenue $0 $0
State Expenditures $0 $0
Transferred Funds $0 $0
Change in TABOR Refunds $0 $0
Change in State FTE 0.0 FTE 0.0 FTE
Page 2
February 21, 2025 HB 25-1200
Summary of Legislation
The bill reorganizes and updates the statutes governing the Office of the Child Protection
Ombudsman (CPO). It clarifies the definition of “complaint” and when the CPO may receive and
conduct an investigation of complaints concerning child protection services. It also specifies that
the CPO must comply with all state and federal confidentiality laws. The bill outlines their ability
to request and access necessary information during investigations, access child welfare systems,
and physically access residential child care facilities and other youth facilities operated by the
Department of Human Services (CDHS) in response to requests received by the CPO.
Additionally, the CPO must create and distribute information about its role and complaint
process, which residential child care facilities must display. The CPO must report annually on its
outreach efforts to these facilities and other CDHS-operated facilities.
State Expenditures
Workload will minimally increase in the CPO to conduct outreach to youth facilities on CPO
processes and report on outreach activities. This increase is expected to be minimal and can be
accomplished within existing resources.
The bill is not expected to increase workload and number of cases for the CPO, as the bill does
not expand the agency’s investigative role. Workload may minimally increase related to new
access to some child welfare systems such as the child welfare training academy, but overall the
CPO already has access to major systems and information, so any impact to CPO and the CDHS
is expected to be minimal.
CDHS facilities and licensed residential child care facilities must grant the CPO physical access to
meet with youth in person and display CPO materials in their facilities. While this may increase
workload for CDHS to grant access and ensure compliance with these provisions, the impact is
expected to be minimal. The CPO can currently meet with youth in some capacity at these
facilities and the option to conduct virtual meetings is included in the bill.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect 90 days following adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, assuming
no referendum petition is filed.
Departmental Difference
CDHS estimates that 0.5 FTE is required to support the additional workload from the increased
scope of authority of the CPO and to monitor compliance among facilities. This includes
administrative tasks related to training system access and assisting facilities in posting CPO Page 3
February 21, 2025 HB 25-1200
materials, addressing non-compliance and providing training on the bill’s requirements. The
fiscal note assumes additional staff is not required, as the bill does not substantially expand the
CPO’s investigative authority but rather clarifies existing duties. Additionally, CDHS already
monitors licensed facilities and can absorb any workload related to ensuring compliance with
the new requirements within existing resources.
State and Local Government Contacts
Behavioral Health Administration
Counties
Early Childhood
Human Services
Judicial
Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman
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.