S_HHS_2020A 02/12/2020 10:43:14 AM Committee Summary

Senator Tate, bill sponsor, distributed amemdments L.001, L.002, and L.003 (Attachments A, B, and C) to Senate Bill 20-033.

Public testimony for Senate Bill 20-033 was heard by the committee on February 6, 2020, in the Old Supreme Court Chamber.  

Marivel Klueckman, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, responded to committee questions about the amendments and the fiscal note.

Senator Tate discussed amendment L.001 (Attachment A) and responded to questions.

Brita Darling, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions about amendment L.003 (Attachment C).

Senator Tate discussed amendment L.002 (Attachment B).

Senator Gardner, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 20-137.  The bill requires the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to make available a waiver form that parents may use to waive provisions of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as necessary to allow school personnel to communicate with behavioral health care providers about a student's health records. The form must be available on CDE's website by July 1, 2021, and must include an explanation that signing the waiver is optional. The bill also requires that school districts, boards of cooperative educational services, and charter schools (local education providers) include a waiver form in their registration materials, and collect signed waivers at the beginning of each school year. Local education providers may develop their own waiver or use the one provided by CDE.

Senator Gardner responded to questions.

Jennifer Mello, CDE, responded to questions.

Senator Gardner requested that the bill be postponed indefinitely since CDE can accomplish the provisions of the bill without further statutory authority.