Colorado 2025 Regular Session

Colorado Senate Bill SB008 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		First Regular Session
2	2		Seventy-fifth General Assembly
3	3		STATE OF COLORADO
4		-	~~REENGROSSED~~
5		-	This Version Includes All Amendments
6		-	~~Adopted~~ in the House of Introduction
	4	+	ENGROSSED
	5	+	This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
	6	+	on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
7	7		LLS NO. 25-0151.01 Christopher McMichael x4775
8	8		SENATE BILL 25-008
9	9		Senate Committees House Committees
10	10		Health & Human Services
11	11		Appropriations
12	12		A BILL FOR AN ACT
13	13		C
14	14		ONCERNING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT PROGRAM101
15	15		ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY IN THE102
16	16		DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT .103
17	17		Bill Summary
18	18		(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
19	19		not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
20	20		passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
21	21		applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
22	22		http://leg.colorado.gov
23	23		.)
24	24		Beginning on July 1, 2027, the bill adjusts aspects of the necessary
25	25		document program (program) administered by the office of health equity
26	26		in the department of public health and environment, which program
27	27		assists certain populations of Colorado residents with paying the fees to
28	28		acquire necessary documents. The bill clarifies that an individual who is
29	29		SENATE
30		-	3rd Reading Unamended
31		-	April 21, 2025
32		-	SENATE
33	30		Amended 2nd Reading
34	31		April 17, 2025
35	32		SENATE SPONSORSHIP
36		-	Hinrichsen and Kipp, Cutter, Exum, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica,
37		-	Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Winter F.
	33	+	Hinrichsen and Kipp,
38	34		HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
39	35		Froelich,
40	36		Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
41	37		Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
42	38		Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. eligible under the program may obtain necessary documents without
43	39		charge at participating division of motor vehicles locations, participating
44	40		vital statistics offices, or participating mobile units or from authorized
45	41		representatives that offer driver's licenses, identification card services, or
46	42		vital statistics certificates and reports.
47	43		The bill establishes that an individual may self-attest to the
48	44		individual's eligibility under the program. The bill does not change the
49	45		identity verification requirements that may be required to obtain a
50	46		necessary document.
51	47		The bill also specifies that an individual who is eligible for the
52	48		program is not subject to the fees charged by the department of revenue
53	49		for driver's licenses or identification cards.
54	50		Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
55	51		SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
56	52		finds and declares that:3
57	53		(a) The cost of identification documents can be prohibitive for4
58	54		some individuals, particularly individuals experiencing homelessness,5
59	55		individuals fleeing domestic violence, and individuals who have been6
60	56		displaced by a natural disaster;7
61	57		(b) Without necessary identification documents, individuals8
62	58		cannot access financial services, drive legally, comply with certain law9
63	59		enforcement requests, or access health care, housing, employment, or10
64	60		public services and benefits;11
65	61		(c) Since 2016, the necessary document program has provided a12
66	62		critical service to eligible individuals who are unable to pay for essential13
67	63		identification documents;14
68	64		(d) Certain demographic groups, such as residents of rural15
69	65		Colorado; unaccompanied youth; individuals who are lesbian, gay,16
70	66		bisexual, or transgender; and Black people, Indigenous people, and other17
71	67		people of color, have been overrepresented in their participation in the18
72	68		necessary document program and may face additional barriers to19
73	69		008-2- accessing the identification documents necessary to meet basic life needs;1
74	70		(e) Because of the program's complicated structure, geographic2
75	71		inconsistencies, and low level of funding, which has remained stagnant3
76	72		since the program's creation, the necessary document program currently4
77	73		falls short of meeting statewide need by as much as 90%; and5
78	74		(f) This has resulted in social service providers running out of6
79	75		vouchers to distribute to individuals in need, and, in some cases, the7
80	76		providers are covering costs out of their own pocket, which has resulted8
81	77		in social service providers having less money for other critical9
82	78		organizational functions.10
83	79		(2) Therefore, the general assembly further declares that it is11
84	80		necessary to adjust the necessary document program to better meet the12
85	81		needs of Colorado by allowing eligible individuals access to identification13
86	82		documents available through the program at the point of service.14
87	83		SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-4-2205, amend15
88	84		(2)(l) and (2)(m); and add (2)(n) as follows:16
89	85		25-4-2205. Powers and duties of the office of health equity -17
90	86		rules - working group. (2) The office has the following powers, duties,18
91	87		and functions:19
92	88		(l) Building collaborative partnerships with communities to20
93	89		identify and promote health equity strategies; and21
94	90		(m) Developing communications strategies regarding health22
95	91		equity;
96	92		AND
97	93		23
98	94		(n) S
99	95		EEKING, ACCEPTING, AND EXPENDING GIFTS, GRANTS, OR
100	96		24
101	97		DONATIONS FROM PRIVATE OR PUBLIC SOURCES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE25
102	98		NECESSARY DOCUMENT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-4-2208.26
103	99		SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-4-2208, amend27
104	100		008
105	101		-3- (2) and (3); and add (5) as follows:1
106	102		25-4-2208. Necessary document program - report -2
107	103		appropriation - definition. (2) (a) The office shall administer a3
108	104		necessary document program The office shall make one or more grants4
109	105		per fiscal year to, enter into one or more vendor contracts with, or both,5
110	106		a nonprofit entity or collection of nonprofit entities that conduct a6
111	107		collaborative identification project to assist Colorado residents who are7
112	108		victims of domestic violence,
113	109		ARE impacted by a natural disaster,8
114	110		low-income, disabled, homeless, or elderly
115	111		EARN LOW INCOMES, HAVE9
116	112		DISABILITIES, ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS , OR ARE ELDERLY and10
117	113		who are seeking documentation of their identity, status, or citizenship by11
118	114		paying the fees to acquire a necessary document.12
119	115		(b) (I) O
120	116		N AND AFTER JULY 1, 2027, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT13
121	117		MONEY APPROPRIATED TO THE OFFICE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF14
122	118		THIS SECTION IS AVAILABLE, AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION15
123	119		(2)(a)
124	120		OF THIS SECTION WHO NEEDS TO OBTAIN ANY NECESSARY16
125	121		DOCUMENTS MAY OBTAIN THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS WITHOUT COST TO17
126	122		THE INDIVIDUAL AND WITHOUT A PHYSICAL VOUCHER AT :18
127	123		(A) P
128	124		ARTICIPATING DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES LOCATIONS ;19
129	125		(B) P
130	126		ARTICIPATING MOBILE UNITS OR FROM AUTHORIZED20
131	127		REPRESENTATIVES THAT OFFER DRIVER'S LICENSES, IDENTIFICATION CARD21
132	128		SERVICES, VITAL STATISTICS CERTIFICATES, VITAL STATISTICS REPORTS, OR22
133	129		RELATED DOCUMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (1)(c) OF THIS23
134	130		SECTION; OR24
135	131		(C) P
136	132		ARTICIPATING VITAL STATISTICS OFFICES.25
137	133		(II) A
138	134		N INDIVIDUAL MAY SELF-ATTEST TO THE INDIVIDUAL 'S26
139	135		ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT27
140	136		008
141	137		-4- PROGRAM.1
142	138		2
143	139		(c) N
144	140		OTHING IN THIS SUBSECTION (2) CHANGES THE IDENTITY3
145	141		VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A4
146	142		NECESSARY DOCUMENT .5
147	143		(3) (a) The general assembly shall annually appropriate to the6
148	144		office up to three hundred thousand dollars from the general fund. The7
149	145		office shall expend the money for the purposes specified in this section.8
150	146		including up to fifteen thousand dollars for the office's direct and indirect
151	147		9
152	148		costs in administering the necessary document program.10
153	149		(b) T
154	150		HE OFFICE SHALL USE THE MONEY APPROPRIATED PURSUANT11
155	151		TO SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF THIS SECTION FOR THE FOLLOWING:12
156	152		(I) U
157	153		P TO FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE OFFICE 'S DIRECT13
158	154		AND INDIRECT COSTS OF ADMINISTERING THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT14
159	155		PROGRAM;15
160	156		(II) T
161	157		O REIMBURSE THE DEPARTMENT FOR FEES FOR THE ISSUANCE16
162	158		OF VITAL STATISTICS CERTIFICATES , VITAL STATISTICS REPORTS, OR17
163	159		RELATED DOCUMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTIONS (1)(b)(III) AND18
164	160		(1)(c)
165	161		OF THIS SECTION; AND19
166	162		(III) T
167	163		O REIMBURSE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR THE20
168	164		ISSUANCE OF DRIVER'S LICENSES, IDENTIFICATION CARDS, OR RELATED21
169	165		DOCUMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTIONS (1)(b)(I), (1)(b)(II), AND22
170	166		(1)(c)
171	167		OF THIS SECTION.23
172	168		(c) (I) T
173	169		HE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE24
174	170		SHALL EACH SUBMIT REQUESTS TO THE OFFICE FOR REIMBURSEMENT25
175	171		BASED ON THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF NECESSARY DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY26
176	172		THE DEPARTMENT OR THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND IN THE MANNER27
177	173		008
178	174		-5- DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE.1
179	175		(II) T
180	176		HE OFFICE SHALL PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE2
181	177		DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN A M ANNER3
182	178		DETERMINED APPROPRIATE BY THE DEPARTMENT UNTIL THE MONEY4
183	179		APPROPRIATED TO THE OFFICE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF THIS5
184	180		SECTION IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.6
185	181		(5) T
186	182		HE OFFICE MAY USE THE GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS
187	183		7
188	184		ACCEPTED BY THE OFFICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-2205 (2)(n) FOR8
189	185		THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION.9
190	186		SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 42-2-114.5, add (8)10
191	187		as follows:11
192	188		42-2-114.5. Fees for driver's licenses, identification cards, and12
193	189		related services - crediting to DRIVES account - fee setting13
194	190		procedures - rules. (8) I
195	191		F THERE IS MONEY AVAILABLE FROM THE14
196	192		APPROPRIATION MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-2208 (3) OR THE GIFTS,
197	193		15
198	194		GRANTS, OR DONATIONS ACCEPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-220516
199	195		(2)(n), THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT CHARGE OR COLLECT THE FEES17
200	196		ESTABLISHED IN THIS SECTION FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO DEMONSTRATES18
201	197		ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UNDER THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT19
202	198		PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-4-2208 AND ADMINISTERED BY THE20
203	199		OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND21
204	200		ENVIRONMENT.22
205	201		SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 42-2-306, add (3) as23
206	202		follows:24
207	203		42-2-306. Fees - disposition. (3) I
208	204		F THERE IS MONEY AVAILABLE25
209	205		FROM THE APPROPRIATION MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-2208 (3) OR
210	206		26
211	207		THE GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS ACCEPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION27
212	208		008
213	209		-6- 25-4-2205 (2)(n), THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT CHARGE OR COLLECT THE1
214	210		FEES ESTABLISHED IN THIS SECTION FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO2
215	211		DEMONSTRATES ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UNDER THE3
216	212		NECESSARY DOCUMENT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-4-22084
217	213		AND ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY IN THE5
218	214		DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT .6
219	215		SECTION 6. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act7
220	216		takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the8
221	217		ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except9
222	218		that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V10
223	219		of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this11
224	220		act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take12
225	221		effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in13
226	222		November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the14
227	223		official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.15
228	224		008
229	225		-7-