House Committee of Reference Report

Committee on Health & Human Services

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March 4, 2026

After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the following:

HB26-1147   be amended as follows, and as so amended, be referred to the Committee on Appropriations with favorable recommendation:

Page 1, Line 1Amend printed bill, strike everything below the enacting clause and

Page 1, Line 2substitute:

Page 1, Line 3"SECTION 1.  Legislative declaration. (1)  The general

Page 1, Line 4assembly finds and declares that:

Page 1, Line 5(a)  Within the continuum of individual residential services and

Page 1, Line 6supports settings, host homes are a specific type of supported living

Page 1, Line 7arrangement in which an individual with intellectual and developmental

Page 1, Line 8disabilities resides in the private residence of a host home provider whose

Page 1, Line 9home is under contract with a service provider agency to deliver

Page 1, Line 10individual residential services and supports;

Page 1, Line 11(b)  Host homes are a subset of individual residential services and

Page 1, Line 12supports settings;

Page 1, Line 13(c)  Individual residential services and supports are home- and

Page 1, Line 14community-based service benefits available under the home- and

Page 1, Line 15community-based services waiver administered by the Colorado

Page 1, Line 16department of health care policy and financing;

Page 1, Line 17(d)  Individual residential services and supports are designed to

Page 1, Line 18ensure that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Page 1, Line 19receive residential supports that promote individualized guidance,

Page 1, Line 20habilitation, community inclusion, and health and safety in home settings;

Page 1, Line 21(e)  Individual residential services and supports include a variety

Page 1, Line 22of residential arrangements, including service provider agency-owned or

Page 1, Line 23leased homes and host homes, among other arrangements, to meet the

Page 1, Line 24unique needs and preferences of participants;

Page 1, Line 25(f)  The diversity of individual residential services and supports

Page 1, Line 26settings, including host homes and other residential options, reflects the

Page 1, Line 27state's commitment to person-centered choice, integration in community

Page 2, Line 1life, and compliance with the federal home- and community-based

Page 2, Line 2services rules that prohibit institutionalization and support

Page 2, Line 3community-based placement;

Page 2, Line 4(g)  While individual residential services and supports settings,

Page 2, Line 5including host homes, currently operate under regulatory oversight, there

Page 2, Line 6are identified needs for enhanced tracking, monitoring, and coordination

Page 2, Line 7to ensure consistent compliance with health, safety, and quality standards

Page 2, Line 8and to provide appropriate protections for participants across all settings;

Page 2, Line 9(h)  Further, the Colorado department of health care policy and

Page 2, Line 10financing must allow for appropriate parties to access relevant

Page 2, Line 11information in order to enable a more informed choice by participants or

Page 2, Line 12potential participants and their families, advocates, and other interested

Page 2, Line 13parties;

Page 2, Line 14(i)  The Colorado department of health care policy and financing

Page 2, Line 15and the Colorado department of public health and environment must

Page 2, Line 16coordinate to establish standardized requirements for the oversight of host

Page 2, Line 17homes and other individual residential services and supports settings,

Page 2, Line 18including inspection frequency, reporting mechanisms, data sharing, and

Page 2, Line 19corrective action processes where appropriate; and

Page 2, Line 20(j)  This coordinated oversight framework is necessary to

Page 2, Line 21strengthen accountability, ensure health and safety outcomes for home-

Page 2, Line 22and community-based services waiver participants, support compliance

Page 2, Line 23with state and federal home- and community-based services rules, and

Page 2, Line 24promote transparency for individuals, families, providers, and

Page 2, Line 25stakeholders.

Page 2, Line 26SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25.5-6-414 as

Page 2, Line 27follows:

Page 2, Line 2825.5-6-414. Individual residential services and supports

Page 2, Line 29settings for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Page 2, Line 30- statewide database - risk criteria - complaint process - rules -

Page 2, Line 31definitions.

Page 2, Line 32(1)  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise

Page 2, Line 33requires:

Page 2, Line 34(a)  "Individual residential services and supports" means

Page 2, Line 35the residential services provided by a service provider agency to

Page 2, Line 36no more than three individuals within one residence.

Page 2, Line 37(b)  "Individual residential services and supports setting"

Page 2, Line 38means a community living residential setting in which individual

Page 2, Line 39residential services and supports are provided to no more than

Page 2, Line 40three persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Page 2, Line 41and for which a state license is not required.

Page 2, Line 42(c)  "Service provider agency" means an organization

Page 2, Line 43approved by the state department to provide oversight and

Page 3, Line 1support to an individual residential services and supports

Page 3, Line 2setting to ensure that the caregivers meet state standards for

Page 3, Line 3health, safety, and quality of care.

Page 3, Line 4(2) (a)  The state department shall establish a statewide

Page 3, Line 5database to enhance the transparency of Colorado's individual

Page 3, Line 6residential services and supports network. The purpose of the

Page 3, Line 7statewide database is to provide accurate information about

Page 3, Line 8certain individual residential services and supports settings and

Page 3, Line 9their associated service provider agencies.

Page 3, Line 10(b)  The database is for use by the state department, the

Page 3, Line 11department of public health and environment, and service

Page 3, Line 12provider agencies.

Page 3, Line 13(c)  The database must include information on individual

Page 3, Line 14residential services and supports settings. The state department

Page 3, Line 15shall determine what information must be collected on each

Page 3, Line 16individual residential services and supports setting type for

Page 3, Line 17inclusion in the database. At a minimum, each service provider

Page 3, Line 18agency must submit the following information for each covered

Page 3, Line 19individual residential services and supports setting that the

Page 3, Line 20service provider agency oversees:

Page 3, Line 21(I)  The name and contact information of the individual

Page 3, Line 22residential services and supports setting, if applicable;

Page 3, Line 23(II)  The address and location of the individual residential

Page 3, Line 24services and supports setting;

Page 3, Line 25(III)  The name of each service provider agency that the

Page 3, Line 26individual residential services and supports setting is currently

Page 3, Line 27associated with and the service provider agency's contact

Page 3, Line 28information; and

Page 3, Line 29(IV)  When applicable, the name of each service provider

Page 3, Line 30agency that the individual residential services and supports

Page 3, Line 31setting contracted with in the previous five years and each

Page 3, Line 32service provider agency's contact information.

Page 3, Line 33(d)  Beginning July 1, 2026, and quarterly thereafter, a

Page 3, Line 34service provider agency shall submit the information detailed

Page 3, Line 35in subsection (2)(c) of this section to the state department.

Page 3, Line 36(e)  Beginning August 1, 2026, and quarterly thereafter,

Page 3, Line 37the state department shall update the database to accurately

Page 3, Line 38reflect the information submitted by a service provider agency,

Page 3, Line 39as required by subsection (2)(d) of this section. The state

Page 3, Line 40department shall update the database within one month after

Page 3, Line 41receiving the information detailed in subsection (2)(c) of this

Page 3, Line 42section.

Page 3, Line 43(f)  The state department shall determine the

Page 4, Line 1circumstances in which information from the database may be

Page 4, Line 2shared with members of the public, consistent with all

Page 4, Line 3applicable state and federal privacy and confidentiality laws.

Page 4, Line 4(g)  Information from the database may be provided to

Page 4, Line 5appropriate and authorized parties by the service provider

Page 4, Line 6agency when considering potential placement.

Page 4, Line 7(5)  The state department may adopt rules, as necessary,

Page 4, Line 8to carry out the requirements of this section.

Page 4, Line 9(6)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to reduce,

Page 4, Line 10limit, or otherwise diminish the rights of individuals receiving

Page 4, Line 11intellectual and developmental disability services, including

Page 4, Line 12the right to informed choice of setting consistent with federal

Page 4, Line 13home- and community-based services requirements.

Page 4, Line 14SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25.5-10-202, amend

Page 4, Line 15(22); and add (21.5) as follows:

Page 4, Line 1625.5-10-202.  Definitions.

Page 4, Line 17As used in this article 10, unless the context otherwise requires:

Page 4, Line 18(21.5)  "Individual residential services and supports" has

Page 4, Line 19the meaning set forth in section 25.5-6-414.

Page 4, Line 20(22)  "Independent residential support services" means a

Page 4, Line 21community living situation, defined by rule of the state board, in which

Page 4, Line 22services and supports are provided to no more than three persons with

Page 4, Line 23intellectual and developmental disabilities and for which a state license

Page 4, Line 24is not required. "Individual residential services and supports

Page 4, Line 25setting" has the meaning set forth in section 25.5-6-414.

Page 4, Line 26SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25.5-10-214, amend

Page 4, Line 27(1) as follows:

Page 4, Line 2825.5-10-214.  Community residential home - licenses - rules.

Page 4, Line 29(1)  The department of public health and environment and the state

Page 4, Line 30department shall implement a system of joint licensure and certification

Page 4, Line 31of community residential homes. Independent residential support services

Page 4, Line 32individual residential services and supports provided by the state

Page 4, Line 33department do not require licensure by the department of public health

Page 4, Line 34and environment. An individual residential services and supports

Page 4, Line 35setting must be treated as residential property in the

Page 4, Line 36application of local regulations, including zoning, land use

Page 4, Line 37development, fire and life safety, sanitation, and building codes.

Page 4, Line 38Local governing authorities shall not impose additional

Page 4, Line 39regulations on an individual residential services and supports

Page 4, Line 40setting that do not apply to other residential properties.

Page 4, Line 41SECTION 5.  Safety clause. The general assembly finds,

Page 4, Line 42determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate

Page 4, Line 43preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for

Page 5, Line 1the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state

Page 5, Line 2institutions.".