Second Regular Session Seventieth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 16-0414.01 Esther van Mourik x4215HOUSE BILL 16-1209 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Rankin and Becker K., SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees Local Government A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning the creation of a results first working group to examine ways to build program evaluation capacity for state and local programs. 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 a results first working group that consists of members appointed by the governor from the governor's office, executive branch agencies, the general assembly, the judicial branch, a nonprofit membership association whose purpose is to offer assistance to county commissioners, mayors, and council members, and local nonprofits or service providers. The working group is tasked with making legislative, policy, and budgetary recommendations to the general assembly, the governor's office, and the executive branch agencies regarding program evaluation practices. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add part 5 to article 37 of title 24 as follows: PART 5 EVALUATION OF STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS 24-37-501. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) It is important for the state to invest in programs that improve outcomes for its customers in an efficient, effective, and cost-effective manner; (b) In order to ensure such investment, it is equally important that the state has the ability to evaluate programs that the state currently funds and to evaluate future programs that the state may fund; (c) The state is a national leader in program evaluation and such progress is best sustained by getting the experts together in a results first working group to review and analyze the existing successful programs to determine best practices; and (d) Establishing a results first working group to examine ways to build further program evaluation capacity in the state is the best approach to making legislative, policy, or budgetary recommendations. 24-37-502. Definitions. As used in this part 5, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Evidence-based program or practice" means a program or practice with a high level of research on effectiveness for an intended population, determined as a result of multiple rigorous evaluations, such as randomized controlled trials and evaluations that incorporate strong comparison group designs, or a single large multi-site randomized study. An "evidence-based program or practice" typically specifies procedures that allow for successful replication. (2) "Promising program or practice" means a program or practice with some research that demonstrates effectiveness, such as a single randomized controlled trial or evaluation with a comparison group design, but does not meet the full criteria for an evidence-based program or practice. (3) "Results first working group" or "working group" means the results first working group created in section 24-37-503. (4) "Theory-based program or practice" means a program or practice that has been tested using less rigorous research designs that do not meet the full criteria or standards for an evidence-based program or practice or a promising program or practice. 24-37-503. Results first working group to examine program evaluation capacity in the state - creation. (1) (a) There is hereby created a results first working group that consists of up to ten members appointed by the governor no later than August 15, 2016. The members of the working group must include representatives from: (I) The governor's office; (II) State agencies, either the executive director or his or her designee; (III) The general assembly; (IV) The judicial branch; (V) A nonprofit membership association whose purpose is to offer assistance to county commissioners, mayors, and council members; and (VI) Local nonprofits or service providers. (b) Members of the working group serve three-year terms. (c) The governor appoints the chair of the working group. (d) The working group may create advisory committees and members of such advisory committees are appointed by the chair of the working group. Advisory committees may consist of working group members or other experts who may assist the working group in performing its duties. (e) The working group members are entitled to reimbursement of any necessary expenses related to his or her participation in the working group. (2) The working group is staffed jointly by the governor's office, the office of state planning and budgeting, legislative council staff, and joint budget committee staff. (3) The duties of the working group are to: (a) Set common definitions and standards for evidence-based programs or practices, promising programs or practices, and theory-based programs or practices in the state using the definitions set forth in section 24-37-502 as a starting point; (b) Make legislative, policy, and budgetary recommendations to the general assembly, the governor's office, and executive branch agencies regarding program evaluation practices; (c) Review recommendations based on good government practices from around the country for program evaluation best practices; (d) Ensure that the state's program evaluation allows for continued innovation in program development; (e) Provide the state with comprehensive system-level recommendations while aiming for manageable implementation of the state's program evaluation; and (f) Recognize, support, and incorporate the need for culture change in the area of program evaluation practices. (4) In order to make legislative, policy, and budgetary recommendations to the general assembly, the governor's office, and executive branch agencies regarding program evaluation practices, the working group shall examine: (a) Resource and infrastructure needs for building evaluation capacity in the state. This includes assessing the value and logistics of: (I) Establishing a state office of program evaluation; and (II) Establishing formal relationships with the state's institutions of higher education to evaluate or assist in evaluating state programs pursuant to the common definitions and standards set by the working group as specified in paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of this section. (b) Integrating in the state's program evaluation any existing good government practices, including programs such as the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2, C.R.S., and existing lean government processes; (c) Collecting an inventory of state and local program inventories and evaluating the utility of the inventories collected; (d) Existing procurement practices, including performance-based contracting; (e) Data collection requirements and capacity; (f) Current evaluation requirements for state programs; and (g) The state providing technical assistance and fidelity monitoring to local governments with their program evaluation. 24-37-504. Repeal of part. This part 5 is repealed, effective December 31, 2019. SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 10, 2016, if adjournment sine die is on May 11, 2016); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2016 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.