C.R.S. Section 26-1-114
Records confidential

  • authorization to obtain records of assets
  • release of location information to law enforcement agencies
  • outstanding felony arrest warrants

(1)

The state department of human services may establish reasonable rules to provide safeguards restricting the use or disclosure of information concerning applicants, recipients, and former and potential recipients of federally aided public assistance and welfare, including but not limited to assistance payments, food stamps, social services, and child welfare services, to purposes directly connected with the administration of such public assistance and welfare and related state department activities and covering the custody, use, and preservation of the records, papers, files, and communications of the state and county departments. Whenever, under provisions of law, names and addresses of applicants for, recipients of, or former and potential recipients of public assistance and welfare are furnished to or held by another agency, department of government, or an auditor conducting a financial or performance audit of a county department of human or social services pursuant to section 26-1-114.5, the agency, department, or auditor is required to prevent the publication of lists and their uses for purposes not directly connected with the administration of public assistance and welfare.

(2)

Repealed.
(3)(a)(I) Except as provided in subparagraphs (II) and (III) of this paragraph (a), or except as disclosure is otherwise required by statute or by rule of civil procedure for child support establishment or enforcement purposes, it is unlawful for any person to solicit, disclose, or make use of or to authorize, knowingly permit, participate in, or acquiesce in the use of any lists or names of or any information concerning persons applying for or receiving public assistance and welfare directly or indirectly derived from the records, papers, files, or communications of the state or county departments or subdivisions or agencies thereof or acquired in the course of the performance of official duties. No financial institution or insurance company that provides the data, whether confidential or not, required by the state department, in accordance with the provisions of this subsection (3), shall be liable for the provision of the data to the state department nor for any use made thereof by the state department.

(II)

The information described in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a) may be disclosed for purposes directly connected with the administration of public assistance and welfare and in accordance with this paragraph (a) and paragraphs (b) and (c) of this subsection (3) and with the rules and regulations of the state department.

(III)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(A)

Notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary and to the extent allowable under federal law, at the request of the Colorado bureau of investigation, the state department shall provide the bureau with information concerning the location of any person whose name appears in the department’s records who is the subject of an outstanding felony arrest warrant. Upon receipt of such information, it shall be the responsibility of the bureau to provide appropriate law enforcement agencies with location information obtained from the state department. Location information provided pursuant to this section shall be used solely for law enforcement purposes. The state department and the bureau shall determine and employ the most cost-effective method for obtaining and providing location information pursuant to this section. Neither the state department nor its employees or agents shall be liable in civil action for providing information in accordance with the provisions of this sub-subparagraph (A).

(B)

As used in sub-subparagraph (A) of this subparagraph (III), “law enforcement agency” means any agency of the state or its political subdivisions that is responsible for enforcing the laws of this state. “Law enforcement agency” includes but is not limited to any police department, sheriff’s department, district attorney’s office, the office of the state attorney general, and the Colorado bureau of investigation.

(b)

By signing an application or redetermination of eligibility form for assistance or welfare, an applicant authorizes the state department to obtain records pertaining to information provided in that application or redetermination of eligibility form from a financial institution, as defined in section 15-15-201 (4), C.R.S., or from any insurance company. The application or redetermination of eligibility form shall contain language clearly indicating that signing constitutes such an authorization.

(c)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(I)

In order to determine if applicants for or recipients of public assistance have assets within eligibility limits, the state department of human services may provide a list of information identifying these applicants or recipients to any financial institution, as defined in section 15-15-201 (4), C.R.S., or to any insurance company. This information may include identification numbers or social security numbers. The state department of human services may require any such financial institution or insurance company to provide a written statement disclosing any assets held on behalf of individuals adequately identified on the list provided. Before a termination notice is sent to the recipient, the county department in verifying the accuracy of the information obtained as a result of the match shall contact the recipient and inform him or her of the apparent results of the computer match and give the recipient the opportunity to explain or correct any erroneous information secured by the match. The requirement to run a computerized match shall apply only to information that is entered in the financial institution’s or insurance company’s data processing system on the date the match is run and shall not be deemed to require any such institution or company to change its data or make new entries for the purpose of comparing identifying information. The cost of providing such computerized match shall be borne by the appropriate state department. The state department of human services shall not use the provisions of this subparagraph (I) for the information-gathering purposes of the financial institution data match system required by section 26-13-128.

(II)

For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1984, and thereafter, all funds expended by the state department to pay the cost of providing such computerized matches shall be subject to an annual appropriation by the general assembly.

(III)

The state department of human services may expend funds appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (c) in an amount not to exceed the amount of annualized general fund savings that result from the termination of recipients from public assistance specifically due to disclosure of assets pursuant to this subsection (3).

(IV)

The state department of human services shall make quarterly reports concerning the value of computerized matches pursuant to this paragraph (c) to the general assembly and the joint budget committee. Such reports shall include, but need not be limited to, the number of individuals against whom computer matches were run, the number of resulting matches, and the resulting public assistance case load reduction and corresponding savings to the state department.

(d)

No applicant shall be denied nor any recipient discontinued due to the disclosure of their assets unless and until the county department has assured that such assets taken together with other assets exceed the limit for eligibility of countable assets. Any information concerning assets found may be used to determine if such applicant’s or recipient’s eligibility for other public assistance is affected.

(4)

The applicant for or recipient of public assistance and welfare, or his representative, shall have an opportunity to examine all applications and pertinent records concerning said applicant or recipient which constitute a basis for denial, modification, or termination of such public assistance and welfare or to examine such records in case of a fair hearing.

(5)

Any person who violates subsection (1) or (3) of this section commits a petty offense.

Source: Section 26-1-114 — Records confidential - authorization to obtain records of assets - release of location information to law enforcement agencies - outstanding felony arrest warrants, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-26.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

26‑1‑101
Short title
26‑1‑102
Legislative declaration
26‑1‑103
Definitions
26‑1‑104
Construction of terms
26‑1‑105
Department of human services created - executive director - powers, duties, and functions
26‑1‑105.5
Transfer of functions - employees - property - records
26‑1‑106
Final agency action - administrative law judge - authority of executive director
26‑1‑107
State board of human services - reimbursement for expenses - rules
26‑1‑108
Powers and duties of the executive director - rules
26‑1‑109
Cooperation with federal government - grants-in-aid
26‑1‑109.5
Treatment of restitution payments under this title - declaration - exclusion from financial determinations
26‑1‑110
Publications
26‑1‑111
Activities of the state department under the supervision of the executive director - cash fund - report - rules - statewide adoption resource registry
26‑1‑111.3
Activities of the state department under the supervision of the executive director - Colorado state youth development plan - creation - definitions
26‑1‑112
Locating violators - recoveries
26‑1‑114
Records confidential - authorization to obtain records of assets - release of location information to law enforcement agencies - outstanding felony arrest warrants
26‑1‑114.5
Records - access by county auditor
26‑1‑115
County departments - district departments
26‑1‑116
County boards - district boards
26‑1‑117
County director - district director
26‑1‑118
Duties of county departments, county directors, and district attorneys
26‑1‑119
County staff
26‑1‑120
Merit system
26‑1‑121
Appropriations - food distribution programs
26‑1‑121.5
Public assistance funding model - workload study - evaluation - report - definitions - repeal
26‑1‑122
County appropriations and expenditures - advancements - procedures
26‑1‑122.3
Public assistance programs - county administration - data collection and analysis - vendor contract
26‑1‑122.5
County appropriation increases - limitations - definitions
26‑1‑123
County social services fund
26‑1‑124
County social services budget
26‑1‑126
County contingency fund - county tax base relief fund - creation
26‑1‑126.5
Effect of supreme court’s interpretation of section 26-1-126, creating the county contingency fund for public assistance and welfare programs
26‑1‑127
Fraudulent acts
26‑1‑127.5
Prevention of erroneous payments to prisoners - incentives
26‑1‑129
Comprehensive information - packet of aged services and programs - implementation
26‑1‑130
Applications for licenses - authority to suspend licenses - rules - definitions
26‑1‑132
Department of human services - rate setting - residential treatment service providers - monitoring and auditing - report
26‑1‑133.5
Rental properties - fund created
26‑1‑134
Home- and community-based services for persons with developmental disabilities - cooperation
26‑1‑135
Child welfare action committee - reporting - cash fund - created
26‑1‑136
Persons in a department of human services facility - medical benefits application assistance - county of residence - rules
26‑1‑136.5
Menstrual hygiene products for a person in custody - definition
26‑1‑136.7
Opioid treatment for a person in custody - definitions
26‑1‑136.8
Custody of a person with the capacity for pregnancy
26‑1‑137
Persons committed to or placed in a department of human services facility - prohibition against the use of restraints on pregnant women
26‑1‑138
Memorandum of understanding - notification of risk - rules
26‑1‑139
Child fatality and near fatality prevention - process - department of human services child fatality review team - reporting - rules - legislative declaration - definitions
26‑1‑141
Departments - report required - hepatitis and HIV tests - definitions
26‑1‑201
Programs administered - services provided - department of human services
26‑1‑301
Definitions
26‑1‑302
Colorado brain injury trust fund board - creation - powers and duties - reimbursement for expenses
26‑1‑304
Services for persons with brain injuries - limitations - covered services
26‑1‑305
Education about brain injury
26‑1‑306
Research related to treatment of brain injuries - grants
26‑1‑307
Administrative costs
26‑1‑309
Trust fund
26‑1‑310
Reports to the general assembly
26‑1‑312
Brain injury support in the criminal justice system task force - duties - membership - report - repeal
26‑1‑701
Legislative declaration
26‑1‑702
Duties of the state department - contract to implement program - reporting requirement
26‑1‑703
Respite care task force fund - creation
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 26-1-114’s source at colorado​.gov