Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 2:21pm MDT
 Denver Business Journal - by Ed Sealover
Construction companies and hospitals are among the primary beneficiaries of new Colorado laws that are now in effect.

Here are a look at some major bills that became state statutes as of 12:01 a.m.:

• Senate Bill 108, sponsored by Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne, increases vehicle-registration fees by an average of $41 per year in order to raise some $265 million annually to repair state highways and bridges.

• House Bill 1293, sponsored by Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Greeley, creates hospital patient fees that will be used to put as much as $600 million toward public health insurance, a figure that will let the state insure about 100,000 new residents.

• Senate Bill 228, sponsored by Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, removes the annual cap on general-fund spending increases, a move proponents say will allow the state to address needs like higher education more easily.

• House Bill 1012, sponsored by Reps. Joe Rice, D-Littleton, and Amy Stephens, R-Monument, allows health insurance companies to offer incentives for participation in wellness and prevention programs.

• Senate Bill 247, sponsored by Sen. Lois Tochtrop, D-Thornton, expands unemployment insurance benefits to residents relocating because of a spouse’s new job and increases benefits to residents participating in job-training programs.

• Senate Bill 80, sponsored by former Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, creates a pilot program to allow some developments to collect rainwater from residence roofs and use it for household purposes.

• House Bill 1091, sponsored by Reps. John Soper, D-Thornton, and Lois Court, D-Denver, requires carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in every home or apartment that is being sold or rented to a new tenant.

• Senate Bill 251, sponsored by Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, permits optometrists and physicians to prescribe and sell new drug-releasing contact lenses.