HB 25-1112: Local Authorities Enforce Vehicle Registration - Colorado

Rerevised (04/28/2025) → Revised (04/25/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was revised to update its status from 'Rerevised' to 'Revised' and correct the Senate sponsorship list by removing names that were likely added in error. Additionally, new text was inserted to expand the enforcement powers of local authorities regarding vehicle registration requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded by adding a new subsection (1)(gg) to Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-111, which explicitly authorizes local authorities to enforce vehicle registration requirements for vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers.

TECHNICAL

Updated the document header from 'REREVISED' to 'REVISED' and adjusted the description of amendments adopted.

Removed the '3rd Reading Unamended' date stamp and the Senate name list from the sponsorship section.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new statutory language granting local authorities the power to enforce vehicle registration requirements for vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers under Article 3 of Title 42.

PA1 (02/27/2025) → Rerevised (04/28/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was re-revised to include all amendments adopted in the second house, expanding the list of co-sponsors and updating committee assignments. The substantive policy content regarding vehicle registration enforcement and waiver provisions for low-income individuals remains unchanged from the previous version.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; only procedural elements like sponsor names and committee assignments were updated.

TECHNICAL

Added co-sponsors Clifford, Froelich, Lindsay, McCormick to House sponsorship and Frizell, Bridges, Coleman, Cutter, Hinrichsen, Kipp, Michaelson Jenet to Senate sponsorship.

Updated committee assignments to reflect final versions: House Transportation, Housing & Local Government and Appropriations; Senate Transportation & Energy and Appropriations.

Added reading status headers indicating 3rd Reading Unamended in Senate (April 28, 2025) and 2nd Reading Unamended in House (March 31, 2025).

PA2 (03/17/2025) → PA1 (02/27/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill revision changes the vehicle registration violation waiver process by renumbering the statute and expanding eligibility criteria. The new version allows waivers for both ownership tax and fees/late fees when income is below 150% of the federal poverty line, whereas the previous version only covered ownership tax. The revision also adds a requirement for income verification through third-party services.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from only covering ownership tax waivers to including both ownership tax and all past-due fees, late fees, and ownership tax waivers.

ELIGIBILITY

Waiver eligibility now includes both past-due ownership tax and past-due fees/late fees when household income is 150% or less of the federal poverty line.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for income verification through third-party services including the IRS, the Department, or licensed income verification services.

TECHNICAL

Statute renumbered from 42-4-1720 to 42-3-128 and title changed from 'dismissal upon compliance' to 'waiver - forms and rules - repeal'.

Final Act (05/14/2025) → PA2 (03/17/2025) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill text was replaced with a new version that appears to be from an earlier stage of the legislative process (First Regular Session, 75th General Assembly) rather than the final act. The new version includes a bill summary explaining that local authorities can now enforce vehicle registration requirements, courts may waive certain penalties for low-income individuals or those with good cause, and the department of revenue must track waiver amounts. The substantive policy content regarding registration violations and court dismissal procedures appears largely similar between versions, though the new version adds specific income thresholds for penalty waivers.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on vehicle registration enforcement, but the new version clarifies that local authority convictions do not bar subsequent state prosecutions unless they arise from the same event, and adds income-based eligibility criteria for penalty waivers.

TIMELINE

The document version changed from Final Act dated 05/14/2025 to a pre-final version dated First Regular Session with committee amendments not yet adopted.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 3 (42-4-1720) specifies that courts may waive penalties, past-due taxes, and fees if the vehicle was unregistered for four months or less, the owner registered before the first court date, and the owner pays a $30 administrative dismissal fee.

The department of revenue must adopt forms and rules to implement the bill and include waiver information in its SMART Act hearing reports.

ELIGIBILITY

Added income-based eligibility criteria for penalty waivers: households with income 150% or less below the federal poverty line may waive past-due specific ownership tax; households with income 100% or less below the poverty line may waive all penalties, taxes, and fees.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that a conviction by local authority does not bar subsequent state prosecution if the prosecution does not arise from the same event, and peace officers must notify defendants of dismissal opportunities under specific conditions.

Signed Act (06/02/2025) → Final Act (05/14/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted to include a note about the Governor's signature and reorganized the sponsor information and title placement. The substantive legislative content regarding vehicle registration enforcement penalties and procedures remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Added a note at the beginning indicating the bill is prepared for signatures and directing readers to consult legislative status sheets for Governor action.

Reorganized the placement of the bill title and sponsor information to appear after the enacted clause rather than before it.

Removed handwritten-style signatures and approval stamps from the House and Senate officers and the Governor, replacing them with blank signature lines.

Reengrossed (03/31/2025) → Signed Act (06/02/2025) · 4 edits · Jun 2, 2025

MODERATE

This bill was amended to clarify how local authorities can enforce vehicle registration laws in Colorado. The changes clarify that local authorities must enforce state registration laws rather than create their own registration rules, establish a $30 administrative fee for dismissal of registration violations in municipal courts, and require peace officers to notify defendants of their right to have charges dismissed if they register their vehicle before the first court date.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined to explicitly limit local authority power to enforce state registration laws rather than create local registration requirements, and added specific conditions for dismissal of registration violation charges.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that local authorities must enforce state laws regarding vehicle registration rather than enact their own ordinances requiring local registration.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that peace officers must notify defendants of their opportunity to have charges dismissed if they register their vehicle before the first court date.

FISCAL

Established a $30 administrative dismissal fee for registration violations in municipal courts.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific conditions for dismissal of registration violations, including a four-month maximum period of non-registration and requirement to register before the first court date.

Engrossed (03/27/2025) → Reengrossed (03/31/2025) · 3 edits · Apr 28, 2025

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed with additional co-sponsors added to the House sponsorship list. The most significant substantive change is the removal of a specific provision that limited enforcement of vehicle registration violations to cases where the vehicle was unregistered for no more than four months. This removal expands the scope of enforcement, allowing authorities to pursue violations regardless of how long the vehicle has been unregistered.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded by removing a time limitation on enforcement of vehicle registration violations.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed the four-month time limit on vehicle registration violations, allowing enforcement regardless of how long a vehicle has been unregistered.

TECHNICAL

Added three new co-sponsors (Clifford, Froelich, Lindsay, McCormick) to the House sponsorship list.

Updated the document header from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED' and added a 3rd Reading Unamended date stamp.

Introduced (01/27/2025) → Engrossed (03/27/2025) · 4 edits · Apr 28, 2025

MODERATE

This bill was amended to expand its scope and modify how vehicle registration violations are handled. The House added a new provision allowing local authorities to require vehicle registration, while also changing the court's ability to waive penalties for unregistered vehicles from a mandatory requirement to a discretionary option with stricter time limits.

Scope change

The bill now includes a new provision (Section 3) that allows local authorities to enact ordinances requiring vehicle registration, and changes the court's authority regarding registration violations from mandatory fee waivers to discretionary dismissal with a four-month registration limit.

SCOPE

Added a new provision allowing local authorities to require vehicle registration through ordinances or resolutions.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed court authority from mandatory fee waivers to discretionary dismissal of violations for unregistered vehicles.

Modified income eligibility criteria from 150% below federal poverty line to 100% below federal poverty line for fee waiver consideration.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement that unregistered vehicles must have been unregistered for no more than four months at the time of violation to qualify for dismissal.

Local Authorities Enforce Vehicle Registration

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors