NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signature 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. HOUSE BILL 04-1030 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Frangas, Boyd, Johnson R., Stafford, Tochtrop, Borodkin, Madden, Paccione, Romanoff, Weddig, Carroll, and Jahn; also SENATOR(S) Hanna, Hagedorn, Kester, Sandoval, and Groff. Concerning the evaluation of the Colorado works program, and making an appropriation in connection therewith. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. 26-2-723, Colorado Revised Statutes, is REPEALED AND REENACTED, WITH AMENDMENTS, to read: 26-2-723. Evaluation - state department - repeal. (1) The state department shall oversee the administration of an annual independent evaluation of the works program pursuant to this section. The evaluation shall track key outcomes statewide and within different regions in the state. The state department shall use the evaluation as a program improvement tool to assess the effectiveness and cost efficiency of different approaches by the counties to the works program and the program services provided. The state department, in conjunction with the advisory committee appointed pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, shall report annually to the health, environment, welfare, and institutions committees of the house of representatives and the senate regarding the progress and findings of the evaluation. (2) (a) The purpose of the independent evaluation shall be to obtain systematic data on the outcomes resulting from the works program, including the full range of services and benefits provided in the works program. The outcomes shall include, but need not be limited to the following: (I) The characteristics of families receiving cash assistance and other services in the works program, including services received and work activities participated in and the length of that participation; (II) The availability of appropriate services to enable families to move off cash assistance into employment and toward long-term self-sufficiency; (III) The well-being of children in families who receive cash assistance or in families who are no longer receiving cash assistance; (IV) The number of families who no longer receive cash assistance due to income earned through employment or due to other reasons; (V) The earnings of families who leave the works program; (VI) The number of parents who leave the works program who remain employed; (VII) The number of families who return to cash assistance; (VIII) The number of former participants who are moving to long-term self-sufficiency; (IX) The impact of the works program on Colorado's medicaid, child care, and child welfare programs; and (X) The effectiveness of the works program in providing services and benefits to families to help them move to long-term self-sufficiency. (b) The evaluation shall report on these outcomes for the state as a whole and for the regions within the state. The state department shall identify regions based on geography and similarities in economic and social characteristics. (c) The evaluation shall identify approaches that have been developed and implemented to address challenges facing participants in the works program and shall provide analyses of the effectiveness and cost efficiency of these approaches. (d) The evaluation shall not be duplicative of the state department's monitoring and oversight responsibilities pursuant to section 26-2-712 nor shall the evaluation seek to address any individual county's performance contract with the state department. (e) The state department shall provide any necessary technical assistance to the counties for the purpose of the evaluation. (f) The state department and the advisory committee, established in subsection (4) of this section, may attach comments to each final evaluation. (g) No later than August 31 of each year, the state department shall develop an annual evaluation plan specifying the evaluation's scope of work. (3) (a) No later than September 30, 2004, the state department shall issue a request for proposals for a public or private entity to conduct the evaluation. The request for proposals shall encourage bids that include participation by state-supported and private institutions of higher education in Colorado. The request for proposals shall allow for subcontracting of work under the contract with the approval of the state department. The primary contractor shall be responsible for all work done under the contract. (b) The evaluation data collected pursuant to this section shall be public information. The state department shall require the evaluation contractor to implement suitable measures to protect the confidentiality of each Colorado works participant. (4) (a) The state department shall seek the input of an independent advisory committee on all stages of the evaluation, including but not limited to: (I) Developing the request for proposals; (II) Selecting the contractors who carry out the evaluation, including approving subcontractors identified after the contract is awarded; (III) Developing the scope of work for each year of the evaluation; (IV) Commenting on draft reports and recommendations submitted by the contractors; (V) Developing recommendations for administrative or legislative actions based on the findings of the evaluation. (b) The executive director shall appoint the advisory committee, which at a minimum shall include representatives from a statewide association of counties, representatives of counties not represented by a statewide association, representatives of advocate groups, and members of the public. (c) The executive director shall appoint the chair of the advisory committee after consultation with the chairpersons of the health, environment, welfare, and institutions committees of the house of representatives and the senate. The chairpersons of the health, environment, welfare, and institutions committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or the chairpersons' designee, shall be ex-officio members of the advisory committee. (d) Members of the advisory committee shall receive all draft final reports from the evaluation contractors. (e) All advisory committee meetings shall be open to the public. (5) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2009. SECTION 2. Appropriation. In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, to the department of human services, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the implementation of this act. Said sum shall be from federal temporary assistance for needy families block grant funds. SECTION 3. Effective date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004. SECTION 4. 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. ________________________________________________________ Lola Spradley John Andrews SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Judith Rodrigue Mona Heustis CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ Bill Owens GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO