NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative history, or the Session Laws. SENATE BILL 14-088 BY SENATOR(S) Newell, Crowder, Aguilar, Guzman, Heath, Hodge, Johnston, Jones, Kefalas, Kerr, King, Nicholson, Roberts, Schwartz, Steadman, Tochtrop, Todd, Ulibarri, Zenzinger, Carroll; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Kraft-Tharp, Becker, Buckner, Court, Duran, Exum, Fields, Fischer, Garcia, Ginal, Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst, Labuda, Lee, McCann, Mitsch Bush, Pabon, Pettersen, Primavera, Rosenthal, Salazar, Schafer, Singer, Stephens, Tyler, Vigil, Williams, Young, Lebsock, Melton. Concerning the creation of the suicide prevention commission, and, in connection therewith, making and reducing appropriations. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. The general assembly finds and declares that suicide can be prevented, that the incidence of suicide is extremely high in Colorado, and that suicide is a matter of statewide concern and therefore requires further attention to educate the public and provide resources to reduce the incidence of suicide. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25-1.5-111 as follows: 25-1.5-111. Suicide prevention commission - created - responsibilities - gifts, grants, donations - repeal. (1) The suicide prevention commission is hereby created for the purpose of: (a) Providing public and private leadership for suicide prevention and intervention in Colorado; (b) Setting statewide, data-driven, evidence-based, and clinically informed suicide prevention priorities in Colorado; (c) Serving as an advisor to the office of suicide prevention; (d) Establishing and leading subgroups to set strategy and implementation plans for each statewide suicide prevention priority for the office of suicide prevention; (e) Providing a forum for government agencies, community members, business leaders, and lawmakers to examine the current status of suicide prevention and intervention policies, analyze the system's near-term opportunities and challenges, and make recommendations to the office of suicide prevention, the governor's office, and the general assembly regarding improvements and innovations in policies and programs to reduce the preventable occurrence of suicide in Colorado; (f) Expanding local and national partnerships and resources for statewide suicide prevention activities; (g) Promoting cooperation and coordination among suicide prevention programs and strategies across Colorado; (h) Evaluating the distribution of state resources for suicide prevention; (i) Ensuring that suicide prevention remains a state priority; and (j) Encouraging the development of suicide prevention plans at the local level. (2) (a) Within sixty days after the effective date of this section, the executive director of the department of public health and environment shall appoint to the committee no more than twenty-six members, including: (I) A representative from the office of suicide prevention in the department, which office shall serve as the administrator and coordinator of the commission; (II) A representative from the office of behavioral health in the department of human services; (III) A representative from law enforcement; (IV) A representative from higher education; (V) A representative from K-12 education; (VI) A representative from an employee assistance program or human resources in the private sector; (VII) A representative from the suicide prevention coalition of Colorado; (VIII) A licensed mental health professional; (IX) A representative from the behavioral health transformation council; (X) An active member or veteran of the United States military who has been affected by suicide; (XI) A representative from the Colorado youth advisory council; (XII) A family member of a person who died by suicide; (XIII) A person who has attempted suicide, recovered, and is now thriving; (XIV) A person representing a philanthropic foundation; (XV) A representative of medical providers or first responders; (XVI) A representative from a hospital with an on-site emergency department; (XVII) A representative from the agricultural and ranching industry; (XVIII) A representative from the oil and gas industry from a rural area; (XIX) At least three members of the Colorado business community, one of whom represents a rural area; (XX) One representative of the suicide prevention nonprofit community; (XXI) A representative from a nonprofit community service club; (XXII) A representative from an interfaith organization; (XXIII) A representative from the school safety resource center with experience in bullying, including cyber bullying; and (XXIV) A representative from the department of health care policy and financing. (b) When appointing the commission members, the executive director shall ensure that persons of different ethnic backgrounds are represented and that the regions of the state with high suicide rates, including rural areas, are represented and that the commission includes members with expertise with groups associated with high suicide rates and suicide attempts, including: Persons with disabilities; working-age men; senior adults; veterans and active-duty military personnel; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and adults; and Coloradans of disproportionately affected diversities and genders. (c) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation; except that the members may seek reimbursement for travel expenses to and from meetings of the commission. (d) The executive director shall appoint one commission member who represents the public sector and one commission member who represents the private sector to serve as co-chairs of the commission. (3) The department shall provide to the commission support that includes the coordination of all commission activities, including: Meeting logistics, agenda development, and follow-up; organizing and orienting commission members; working closely with the co-chairpersons to set priorities, recruit members, oversee all commission initiatives, coordinate activities, and implement any commission-directed initiatives; and any other duties assigned by the co-chairpersons. The director of the office of behavioral health in the department of human services, a representative from the university of Colorado depression center, and a representative of the suicide prevention coalition of Colorado may also provide support to the commission. (4) The office of suicide prevention shall include the recommendations of the commission in the report submitted annually to the general assembly pursuant to section 25-1.5-101 and shall present the recommendations as part of its annual presentation to the general assembly pursuant to the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, Transparent (SMART) Government Act" as enacted by House Bill 10-1119 in 2010. (5) The department may accept gifts, grants, and donations from public and private sources for the direct and indirect costs associated with the implementation and duties associated with the commission. The department shall transmit any gifts, grants, and donations it receives to the state treasurer, who shall credit the moneys to the suicide prevention coordination cash fund created in section 25-1.5-101 (1) (w) (II). The fund also consists of any moneys appropriated or transferred to the fund by the general assembly for the purposes of this section. The moneys in the fund are subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly. (6) (a) This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2024. (b) Prior to the repeal, the department of regulatory agencies shall review the commission pursuant to section 2-3-1203, C.R.S. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 2-3-1203, amend (3) introductory portion; and add (3) (kk) as follows: 2-3-1203. Sunset review of advisory committees. (3) The following dates are the dates for on which the statutory authorization for the designated advisory committees is scheduled for repeal: (kk) September 1, 2024: (I) The suicide prevention commission created in section 25-1.5-111, C.R.S. SECTION 4. Appropriation - adjustments to 2014 long bill. (1) For the implementation of this act, the general fund appropriation made in the annual general appropriation act to the controlled maintenance trust fund created in section 24-75-302.5 (2) (a), Colorado Revised Statutes, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, is decreased by $73,972. (2) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the general fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of public health and environment, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, the sum of $73,972 and 0.9 FTE, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be allocated to the prevention services division for the suicide prevention program. SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. ____________________________ ____________________________ Morgan Carroll Mark Ferrandino PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES ____________________________ ____________________________ Cindi L. Markwell Marilyn Eddins SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ John W. Hickenlooper GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO