HB 18-1224 Summary

• Requires Colorado state agencies to offer mediation to resolve disputes with licensed professionals before conducting formal disciplinary hearings, unless the license was summarily suspended for deliberate violations or public safety emergencies.

• Agencies must assign a person with settlement authority to participate in mediation and may use administrative law judges as public mediators at no cost to licensees; licensees may hire private mediators at their own expense.

• Establishes findings that mediation saves time and money compared to formal proceedings (typically hours versus months or years) and increases compliance with agreements.

• Mediation applies only to individual professionals licensed to practice occupations or professions, excluding commercial driver's licenses; licensees can petition to suspend proceedings if agencies fail to comply with mediation orders.

• Appropriates $125,356 for the 2018-19 fiscal year to the Department of Regulatory Agencies to implement mediation procedures, including staffing and administrative law judge services.