First Regular Session Seventieth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 15-0150.01 Nicole Myers x4326 HOUSE BILL 15-1090 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Dore, SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees Local Government Appropriations A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning the creation of a grant program to assist counties that are experiencing impacts from the legalization of retail marijuana. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The bill creates the county retail marijuana impact grant program (program) in the division of local government (division) in the department of local affairs. The purpose of the program is to provide assistance and resources to counties that are experiencing impacts to services or budgets as a result of the cultivation, testing, sale, consumption, and regulation of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products in the state. A county is eligible to apply for a grant through the program regardless of whether it has chosen to allow or prohibit the cultivation, testing, and sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products. A county that receives a grant through the program is required to use the grant money, in the county's discretion, to assist in managing the impact that the cultivation, testing, sale, consumption, and regulation of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products have on law enforcement, child welfare, and other services that the county provides, as well as to develop and implement youth marijuana education and prevention campaigns and services. The division is required to adopt rules for implementation of the program, and a county that receives a grant through the program is required to provide certain information to the division each year during the term of the grant. Beginning on June 30, 2015, and on each June 30 thereafter, the state treasurer is required to transfer 30% of the moneys in the marijuana tax cash fund to the county retail marijuana impact fund. The division is also authorized to seek and accept gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources to be used for the program. The division is required to include an update regarding the effectiveness of the program in its report to the members of the applicable committees of reference in the senate and house of representatives required by the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act". Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-32-117 as follows: 24-32-117. County retail marijuana impact grants - county retail marijuana impact cash fund - creation. (1) There is hereby created in the division the county retail marijuana impact grant program, referred to in this section as the "grant program", to provide assistance and resources to counties that are experiencing impacts to services or budgets as a result of the cultivation, testing, sale, consumption, and regulation of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products in the state. (2) A county that receives a grant through the grant program shall use the moneys, in the county's discretion, to assist in managing the impact that the cultivation, testing, sale, consumption, and regulation of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products have on services that it provides within the boundaries of the county. A county may use the grant money for the following purposes: (a) To manage the costs of increased arrests, increased traffic violations, and other law enforcement activities associated with retail marijuana and retail marijuana products; (b) To develop and implement youth marijuana education and prevention campaigns and services; (c) To mitigate the impact that the cultivation, testing, sale, consumption, and regulation of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products has on child welfare and other social services that are required in connection with retail marijuana or retail marijuana products; and (d) To mitigate the impact that the cultivation, testing, sale, consumption, and regulation of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products has on other services provided by a county as deemed necessary and relevant by the county. (3) A county is eligible to apply for a grant through the grant program regardless of whether it has chosen to allow or prohibit the cultivation, testing, and sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products within the boundaries of the county. (4) The division shall adopt rules pursuant to the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of this title, for implementation of the grant program, including but not limited to: (a) The timeline for submitting applications to the division; (b) The form of the grant application and the information to be included in the application; (c) The criteria for awarding grants; and (d) The level of specification that a county shall include in its report to the division required in subsection (6) of this section. (5) In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the division shall prioritize counties with a population of thirty thousand residents or fewer. (6) Each county that receives a grant through the grant program shall provide a report to the division each year during the term of the grant. In the report, the county shall specify the purposes for which it used the grant moneys. (7) On June 30, 2015, and on each June 30 thereafter, the state treasurer shall transfer thirty percent of the moneys in the marijuana tax cash fund created in section 39-28.8-501, C.R.S., to the county retail marijuana impact cash fund created in subsection (9) of this section. (8) The division is authorized to seek and accept gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources to be used to provide the grants authorized in this section. The division shall transmit all moneys received through gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the county retail marijuana impact cash fund created in subsection (9) of this section. (9) (a) The county retail marijuana impact cash fund, referred to in this subsection (9) as the "fund", is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of: (I) Any moneys that the state treasurer transfers to the fund pursuant to subsection (7) of this section; (II) Any moneys that the general assembly appropriates to the fund from the general fund or any other fund; and (III) Any moneys that the division receives from gifts, grants, or donations pursuant to subsection (8) of this section. (b) The moneys in the fund are annually appropriated to the division for county grants to provide assistance and resources to counties that are experiencing impacts to services or budgets as a result of the cultivation, testing, sale, consumption, and regulation of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products in the state. (c) All interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of moneys in the fund are credited to the fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not be transferred to the general fund or any other fund. (10) On or before November 1, 2017, and on or before November 1 each year thereafter, the division shall include an update regarding the effectiveness of the county retail marijuana impact grant program created in this section in its report to the members of the applicable committees of reference in the senate and house of representatives required by the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2, C.R.S. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 39-28.8-501, amend (2) (b) introductory portion as follows: 39-28.8-501. Marijuana tax cash fund - creation - distribution - repeal. (2) (b) Subject to the limitations in subsection (5) of this section, any moneys in the fund that are not appropriated to the department of revenue pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) are subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly for any fiscal year following the fiscal year in which they were received by the state. The general assembly shall initially appropriate moneys in the fund based on the most recent estimate of revenue prepared by the staff of the legislative council or the department of revenue for the applicable fiscal year. The general assembly may appropriate moneys in the fund that are not transferred to the county retail marijuana impact cash fund pursuant to section 24-32-117, C.R.S., for the following purposes: SECTION 3. 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.