Business-related laws proposed

Following are summaries of business-related legislation that has been proposed as of Jan. 15 for the Colorado Legislature’s 69th general assembly to consider.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Colorado Advanced Industries Acceleration Act
House Bill 13-1001

Summary: The bill would create the advanced-industries acceleration grant program in the Colorado Office of Economic Development. The following are defined to be advanced industries: Advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources, infrastructure engineering and information technology.

Sponsors: House: Young, Gerou, Ferrandino. Senate: Heath, Steadman.

Small Business Development Centers Act
House Bill 13-1002

Summary: The bill would require the Colorado Office of Economic Development to expend $500,000 in each of the 2013-14 and 2014-15 state fiscal years for small-business development centers, or SBDCs. Appropriations made would be in addition to any other money the office receives. The state director of SBDCs in the office shall expend between 10 percent and 15 percent of these monies per year to increase awareness of SBDCs and shall equitably apportion the remainder for distribution to SBDCs across the state. If separate legislation is enacted to establish an economic gardening initiative, $200,000 of the $500,000 will be used for that initiative.

Sponsors: House: Tyler, Lee, Moreno, Primavera, Ryden, Schafer, Williams, Young. Senate: Jahn.

Economic Gardening Pilot Project
House Bill 13-1003

Summary: The bill would create an economic gardening pilot project in the Colorado Office of Economic Development. Through the pilot project, staff members of the office and SBDCs who have been trained and certified in economic gardening principles and practices provide 12 months of strategic assistance to at least 20 Colorado-headquartered second-stage companies and SBDC clients selected by the state director of SBDCs in the office. The pilot project terminates in 2016.

Sponsors: House: Lee, Garcia, Tyler.

Colorado Careers Act of 2013
House Bill 13-1004

Summary: The bill would establish the career pathways program in the Division of Employment and Training in the Department of Labor and Employment. The program would provide grants to eligible entities to enable individuals to acquire skills necessary to obtain or improve their employability. The bill establishes a career pathways fund and directs the division to submit an annual report to specified committees of the general assembly. The program would be repealed on Jan. 31, 2016, unless the director of the division sends notice to the revisor of statues that the program has proved effective through significant job placement.

Sponsors: House: Duran and Melton. Senate: Kerr.

Refund for Overpaid Sales/Use Tax
House Bill 13-1009

Summary: The bill would require a person who overpays the state sales and use tax to apply for the refund within three years after the date of purchase.

Sponsors: House: DelGrosso, Senate: Jahn.

Employer Access to Personal Information through Electronic Communication Devices
House Bill 13-1046

Summary: The bill would prohibit an employer from requiring an employee or applicant for employment to disclose a user name, password or other means for accessing a personal account or service through an electronic communications device. This does not include access to nonpersonal accounts or services that provide access to the employer’s internal computer or information systems. The bill also would prohibit an employer from discharging, disciplining, penalizing or refusing to hire an employee or applicant who does not provide access to personal accounts or services. The bill clarifies that an employer may investigate an employee to ensure compliance with securities or financial law or for suspected unauthorized downloading of proprietary information based on the receipt of information about these activities.

Sponsors: House: Williams. Senate: Ulibarri.

Deadly Physical Force Against a Person Who Has Made an Illegal Entry into a Place of Business
House Bill 13-1048

Summary: The bill would extend the right to use deadly force against an intruder under certain conditions to include owners, managers and employees of businesses.

Sponsors: House: Everett. Senate: Grantham.

SENATE

Use of Consumer Credit Information by Employers
Senate Bill 13-018

Summary: The bill would prohibit an employer’s use of consumer credit information for employment purposes if the information is unrelated to the job. It would require an employer to disclose to an employee or applicant for employment when the employer uses the employee’s consumer credit information to take adverse action against him or her and the particular credit information upon which the employer relied. It would authorize an employee aggrieved by a violation of the above provisions to bring suit for an injunction, damages or both.

Sponsors: House: Fisher. Senate: Ulibarri.

Report Business Fiscal Impacts of Proposed Legislation
Senate Bill 13-020

Summary: The bill would direct the staff of the legislative council to designate a five-day period following the introduction of new legislation or the notice of proposed rule-making during which any person may submit comments regarding the potential business fiscal impacts of the new legislation or rule.

Sponsor: Senate: Harvey.

Prohibit Discrimination Labor Union Participation
Senate Bill 13-024

Summary: The bill would prohibit an employer from requiring any person, as a condition of employment, to become or remain a member of a labor organization or to pay dues, fees, or other assessments to a labor organization, charity organization or other third party in lieu of the labor organization. Any agreement that violates these prohibitions or the rights of an employee is void. The bill would create civil and criminal penalties for violations and authorizes the attorney general and the district attorney in each judicial district to investigate alleged violations and take action against a person believed to be in violation. The bill states that all union agreements are unfair labor practices.

Sponsor: Senate: Hill.

on Facebook on LinkedIn