Colorado Disability Opportunity Office

The bill creates the Colorado disability opportunity office (CDOO) within the department of labor and employment (department) as a type 1 entity. The executive director of the department is required to appoint the director of the CDOO. The CDOO is required to:

• Serve as a resource for contact for state agencies, private and nonprofit organizations, and the public concerning disability issues in Colorado;
• Ensure that goals of full societal inclusion for individuals with disabilities are met by meeting with stakeholders from entities around the state related to disabilities and with state agencies to develop recommendations on the administration of grants, restructuring of disability related entities, and collaboration on overlapping aging and disability issues; and
• Submit the recommendations to the governor and state agencies.

The CDOO is also required to:

• Implement a statewide strategy to facilitate economic stability for individuals with disabilities and promote successful economic, social, and community integration and to identify and address issues related to integration;
• Work towards enhanced inclusion and equitable opportunities for individuals with disabilities, as well as address concerns raised by disability populations;
• Coordinate with other entities to identify and eliminate barriers to prosperity and the integration of individuals with disabilities into their communities;
• Make recommendations to the governor and state agencies on ways to improve policies and programs to support the integration of individuals with disabilities across the state;
• As funding allows, undertake other projects, including analyzing economic and demographic trends, gathering insight and formulating and presenting recommendations to the governor and state agencies related to issues of concern and importance to individuals with disabilities in Colorado; and
• Promote integration among individuals with disabilities with the goal of implementing disability support through community-based initiatives and nonprofit organizations, which promotion includes economic opportunities, increased access to resources, and state education and outreach.

The bill also transfers the Colorado disability funding committee (committee) from the department of personnel to the CDOO. The transfer includes a transfer of the committee's responsibilities, including:

• The program to assist persons to obtain disability benefits;
• The program to investigate, fund, and pilot projects or programs to benefit individuals with disabilities; and
• The buying and selling of select registration numbers for license plates to raise funds for the disability support fund.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)