(1) There is hereby created in the department the family and medical leave implementation task force.
(2) The task force consists of the following members:
Three members who are workers or represent an organization that represents workers'interests in paid family and medical leave, each of whom shall be appointed from a list of at least three names submitted by a recognized statewide organization that promotes workers' rights;
Three members who are private employers with a range of business size and experience in providing employees with paid family and medical leave, each of whom shall be appointed from a list of at least three names submitted by a recognized statewide organization of employers;
One member who is a representative of a state policy organization that works onissues of economic opportunity;
One member who is a private insurer with experience in administering temporarydisability or family and medical leave insurance benefits;
One member who represents a state policy organization that works on health advocacy;
One labor economist with demonstrated research or expertise in studying paid familyand medical leave and labor standards, and the data necessary to do so;
One member who is a representative of a statewide domestic violence organization;
One member who is a professional from a recognized institution of higher educationand who has expertise in studying paid family and medical leave;
One member who is a representative of organized labor; and
Two nonvoting members, one of whom must represent the department.
(3) The members of the task force are appointed as follows:
The governor shall appoint one member;
The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint four members;
The president of the senate shall appoint four members;
The house minority leader shall appoint two members;
The senate minority leader shall appoint two members;
The executive director shall appoint one nonvoting member; and
The executive director of the department of personnel shall appoint one nonvotingmember.
(4) (a) The appointing authorities shall make the appointments to the task force no later than July 1, 2019.
In making the appointments, the appointing authorities shall ensure that the appointments reflect communities of color, rural communities, and historically underutilized businesses, as defined in section 24-49.5-105 (4).
The department shall assist and coordinate the appointing authorities to ensure thatmembers appointed to the task force pursuant to subsection (3) of this section meet the membership requirements specified in subsection (2) of this section.
Each member of the task force serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
Each member of the task force serves without compensation but is entitled to receivereimbursement for actual and necessary expenses the member incurs in the performance of the member's duties as a member of the task force.
(a) The member appointed by the executive director shall call the first meeting of the task force.
(b) The task force shall elect a chair from among its voting members.
(8) (a) No later than September 1, 2019, the task force shall accept and consider public comment regarding the administration and establishment of a paid family and medical leave program in the state. The task force shall receive public comment for a minimum of thirty days.
No later than November 1, 2019, the task force shall make an initial recommendationon a family and medical leave program for employees in the state and provide the recommendation to the actuary contracted by the department pursuant to section 8-13.3-303 (4). In making the recommendation, the task force shall consider the information it receives pursuant to section 8-13.3-303 (3).
No later than January 8, 2020, after consideration of the actuarial analysis performedon the task force's initial recommendation, the task force shall report its final recommendation on a paid family and medical leave program for all employees in the state, along with the thirdparty administration study made pursuant to section 8-13.3-303 (1), and the actuarial study made pursuant to section 8-13.3-303 (4) to:
The senate committees on finance and business, labor, and technology, or their successor committees;
The house of representatives committees on finance and business affairs and labor,or their successor committees; and (III) The governor.
(d) Recommendations made by the task force pursuant to this subsection (8) should attempt to meet a timeline that presumes a paid family and medical leave program that is established by July 1, 2020; begins education and outreach on January 1, 2022; establishes the funding stream on January 1, 2023; and starts paying benefits on January 1, 2024.
(9) Upon request by the task force, the department shall provide office space, equipment, and staff services as may be necessary to implement this section.
Source: L. 2019: Entire part added, (SB 19-188), ch. 352, p. 3251, § 1, effective May 30.