DENVER - The Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform (COPRRR), in the Executive Director’s Office at the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), released the 2022 sunset and sunrise reports today. The reports have been sent to the Colorado General Assembly and are now available online at coprrr.colorado.gov.
This year, COPRRR conducted 21 sunrise and sunset reviews of programs throughout Colorado state government to identify opportunities to reduce regulatory burdens while upholding consumer protection. Programs reviewed include those housed within the legislative branch, Colorado State University, DORA and the Departments of Agriculture, Corrections, Higher Education, Local Affairs, Military and Veterans Affairs, Public Health and Environment, Public Safety, Revenue and the Secretary of State.
“Sunrise and sunset reviews help to keep Colorado on the forefront of regulations and reform,” Patty Salazar, DORA Executive Director said. “We provide the General Assembly with comprehensive and thoughtful recommendations for changes to regulatory and other government programs. As our State recovers from the setbacks related to COVID-19, protecting consumers while fostering an inclusive economy and a thriving workforce is more important now than ever.”
“Our office seeks to find the balance between protecting consumers and eliminating unnecessary regulatory burdens,” Brian Tobias, director of COPRRR said. “COPRRR provides the public an opportunity to participate in state government, and public participation is vital to all that we do. When conducting sunset and sunrise reviews, we strive to contact as many interested parties as possible, and we encourage the public to contact us directly to participate in any of our reviews.”
Report highlights include:
- Continuing regulation: Professions, such as notaries, nursing home administrators, pesticide applicators and sex offender treatment providers, were up for sunset review, and the reviews recommend continuing the regulation of these professions.
- Recommended for regulation: A sunrise review of a possible new regulatory program considered certified midwives. The review concluded that new regulation of this occupation is necessary to protect consumers, and it recommended the creation of a new regulatory program.
- Recommended against regulation: A sunrise review of a possible new regulatory program examined host home providers. The review found that the Departments of Health Care Policy and Financing, Public Health and Environment and Local Affairs already provide oversight and concluded that additional oversight of host home providers is unnecessary to protect consumers, and it recommended against the creation of a new regulatory program.
- Continuing administrative programs: Sunset reviews determined several administrative programs were necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare, including the Custom Meat Processing Program, which ensures that custom processing facilities maintain minimum sanitation and safety requirements and have the necessary tools and equipment for the safe handling and processing of meat products; the Division of Racing Events and the Colorado Racing Commission, which regulates all aspects of horse racing, including betting on live and simulcast horse and simulcast greyhound racing events; Human Trafficking Prevention Training, which provides training to law enforcement, service providers and and members of the public to increase awareness of the signs of human trafficking and provide tools to respond to suspected instances of human trafficking; and Private Letter Rulings, which provides clarity to taxpayers regarding their tax burden.
- Continue grant programs: Sunset reviews determined two grant programs were necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare, including the Community Crime Victims Grant program, which provides funding to community-based organizations to provide direct and indirect services to crime victims in order to prevent future victimization; and the Grant Program for Community Based Offender Reentry Services, which provides funding to community-based organizations to provide education and employment skills to incarcerated individuals who are returning to the community.
- Continue a veterans service center: A sunset review determined that a veterans service center should be continued. The Grand Junction Veterans One Stop Center serves veterans and their families by issuing federal identification cards that are necessary to access certain benefits and services and assisting veterans and their families with applying for federal and state benefits.
- Recommended for sunset: The Evidence-Based Practices Implementation for Capacity (EPIC) Advisory Board was created to assist agencies serving juvenile and adult offenders and victims in the development and implementation of evidence-based practices. As the EPIC Advisory Board has not met since 2017 and it was defunded in fiscal year 20-21, the sunset report recommends sunsetting it.
- Unique recommendation: In Colorado, the total number of in-state simulcast racing facility licenses is limited to 12. Rather than limit the total number of in-state simulcast racing facility licenses, the sunset review recommends repealing this limitation and instead authorizing local jurisdictions to opt-out of allowing any additional in-state simulcast racing facilities to operate in their jurisdictions.
The complete sunset and sunrise reports and a schedule of future reviews are available online at coprrr.colorado.gov.
The Colorado General Assembly created the sunset process in 1976 as a way to improve state regulation by streamlining existing programs, enhancing consumer protection and repealing unnecessary programs and functions of government. Since that time, Colorado’s sunset process has gained national recognition and is routinely highlighted as a best practice as states seek to create more efficient and effective regulatory programs.
COPRRR analysts conduct comprehensive reviews of state programs and then produce reports with recommendations to the Colorado General Assembly. A sunset review examines existing regulatory programs to enhance consumer protection and streamline regulation, and a sunrise review explores whether there is a need to regulate a currently unregulated profession or occupation.
The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) is dedicated to preserving the integrity of the marketplace and is committed to promoting a fair and competitive business environment in Colorado. Consumer protection is our mission. Visit coprrr.colorado.gov for more information about COPRRR or call 303-894-7855 / toll free 1-800-886-7675.