(1) The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that:

(a) Approximately one million two hundred thousand Coloradans, or nearly one in four, live with a chronic disease or disability;

(b) One in six, or an estimated fifteen percent of, children ages three to seventeen years have at least one developmental disability;

(c) More than one and one-half million, or three in ten, Coloradans require mental health treatment each year;

(d) The older adult population is growing at a faster rate than the general population;

(e) By the year 2040, the number of residents aged sixty or older in Colorado is expected to double from one in eight persons to one in four, or an estimated one million three hundred thousand older adults, and the rapid expansion within that demographic may create a strain on the health care sector, long-term services and supports, and the state;

(f) Family caregivers, including family members and friends, are the main providers of long-term services and supports to older adults and to individuals living with chronic health care needs or disability;

(g) By using community programs, services, and supports that reduce or defer health care expenses or out-of-home placement, family caregivers, family care recipients, and Colorado taxpayers can all benefit;

(h) Helping Coloradans "age in place", safely and independently, is a priority for the state's long-term sustainability; and

(i) Easter Seals Colorado provides support to individuals and families with programs and services to:

(I) Enhance individuals' quality of life;

(II) Create opportunities for individuals living with chronic health care challenges to achieve greater independence; and

(III) Empower and support family caregivers as they work to assist family members living with challenges posed by chronic disease, disability, aging, or other special needs.

(2) Therefore, it is the intent of the general assembly to provide Colorado citizens the opportunity to support the efforts of Easter Seals Colorado, a registered nonprofit organization pursuant to section 501 (c)(3) of the internal revenue code, and support services for individuals living with chronic health care needs and family caregivers by allowing citizens to make voluntary contributions on their state income tax return forms for that purpose.