Second Regular Session
               Seventieth General Assembly
                    STATE OF COLORADO
                                                 INTRODUCED
                                                           
                                                           
 LLS NO. 16-0698.01 Nicole Myers x4326   HOUSE BILL 16-1147
                    HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
 Navarro,
 
                   SENATE SPONSORSHIP
 (None),
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 House Committees
 Senate Committees
 
 
 State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                         A BILL FOR AN ACT
       Concerning the reduction of wait times for state employees
            to receive services through the Colorado state
            employee assistance program.
       
       
                           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 Colorado state employee assistance program (C-SEAP) was
       established by the department of personnel over 30 years ago pursuant to
       the executive director of the department of personnel's statutory authority
       to establish and operate an employee assistance program to address
       personal problems and workplace issues faced by state employees and
       employers. C-SEAP provides a wide range of services for state employees
       and employers. While C-SEAP makes every effort to see employees or
       employers quickly in emergency situations, the wait time for services in
       less urgent situations would ideally be shorter than it is.
            The bill requires the executive director to ensure that any
       additional moneys that are appropriated to C-SEAP as a result of the bill
       will be used to reduce wait times for state employees and employers to
       receive services through C-SEAP.
       
       
       
       Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
            SECTION 1.  Legislative declaration. (1)  The general assembly
       hereby finds and declares that:
            (a)  The Colorado state employee assistance program was
       established by the department of personnel pursuant to the executive
       director of the department of personnel's statutory authority to establish
       and operate an employee assistance program to address personal problems
       and workplace issues faced by state employees and employers before the
       problems and issues severely impact the productivity, safety, work
       relationships, absenteeism, and accident rates of state employees in the
       workplace;
            (b)  The Colorado state employee assistance program provides a
       wide range of services, including confidential counseling, manager and
       supervisor consultation, mediation, emotional intelligence coaching for
       managers, workplace training, and facilitation of financial assistance in
       unforseen life events;
            (c)  The Colorado state employee assistance program is a valuable
       resource for state employees and employers, and the fact that most state
       employees and employers have to wait several weeks for an appointment
       indicates that state employees and employers have come to rely on the
       services and support that the program offers;
            (d)  While in emergency situations, the Colorado state employee
       assistance program makes every effort to see employees or employers on
       the day that assistance is requested, the wait time for state employees and
       employers to get an appointment in less urgent situations is often longer
       than is ideal; and
            (e)  The Colorado state employee assistance program would
       benefit from additional resources to reduce the wait times for state
       employees and employers to receive the services that the program
       provides.
            (2)  It is the general assembly's intent that any additional moneys
       appropriated to the Colorado state employee assistance program through
       this bill be used, in the discretion of the executive director, to hire
       additional staff or to acquire additional resources to reduce wait times for
       state employees and employers to receive services through the program. 
            SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-50-604, add (1)
       (k) (VI) as follows:
            24-50-604.  Powers and duties of the director. (1)  The director
       shall administer and manage the state employees group benefit plans and,
       subject to the provisions of this part 6, has the following powers and
       duties:
            (k) (VI) (A)  Beginning in the 2016-17 fiscal year, the
       director shall make a good-faith effort to reduce the length of
       time that state employees are required to wait before receiving
       services through a state employee assistance program
       established and operated pursuant to this paragraph (k). The
       director shall ensure that any moneys appropriated pursuant to
       this subparagraph (VI), for any state employee assistance
       program established and operated pursuant to this paragraph
       (k), shall be used in an effort to reduce such wait times for state
       employees.
            (B)  For the 2017-18 fiscal year and each fiscal year
       thereafter, the amount appropriated for a state employee
       assistance program established and operated pursuant to this
       paragraph (k), shall not be less than the total amount
       appropriated, through any bill, to such program for the 2016-17
       fiscal year.
            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.