Colorado Revised Statutes Title 24. Government State § 24-75-230. Behavioral and mental health cash fund--creation--allowable uses--task force--definitions--repeal

(a) “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021” means the federal “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021”, Pub.L. 117-2, as the act may be subsequently amended.

(b) “Department” means a principal department identified in section 24-1-110 and the judicial department. The term also includes the office of the governor, including any offices created therein.

(c) “Fund” means the behavioral and mental health cash fund created in subsection (2)(a) of this section or an identical companion fund created by operation of section 24-75-226(4)(c).

(2)(a) The behavioral and mental health cash fund is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of money credited to the fund in accordance with subsection (2)(b) of this section, money transferred to the fund pursuant to section 39-37-301(2)(a)(II), and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The general assembly may appropriate money from the fund to a department for behavioral health care.

(c) On July 1, 2024, the state treasurer shall transfer four million dollars from the general fund to the fund, which must be expended for the purposes specified in section 27-60-502(2)(c)(I)(D).

(3)(a) A department may expend money appropriated from the fund that was credited to the fund in accordance with subsection (2)(b) of this section for purposes permitted under the “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021” Pub.L. 117-2, as the act may be subsequently amended, and shall not use the money for any purpose prohibited by the act. A department or any person who receives such money from the fund shall comply with any requirements set forth in section 24-75-226.

(b) The limitations and requirements set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section do not apply to money transferred to the fund pursuant to section 39-37-301(2)(a)(II).

(4)(a) The executive committee of the legislative council shall, by resolution, create a task force to meet during the 2021 interim and issue a report with recommendations to the general assembly and the governor on policies to create transformational change in the area of behavioral health using money the state receives from the federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund under title IX, subtitle M of the “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021”, Pub.L. 117-2, as the act may be subsequently amended.

(b) The task force may include nonlegislative members and have working groups created to assist them. The executive committee shall hire a facilitator to guide the work of the task force.

(c) The task force created in this section is not subject to the requirements specified in section 2-3-303.3 or rule 24A of the joint rules of the senate and the house of representatives. The executive committee shall specify requirements governing members' participation in the task force. The task force shall not submit bill drafts as part of their recommendations.