HB 1023: Political Party Liability for Accessibility Requirements - Colorado

Rerevised → Final Act · 5 edits · Apr 13, 2026

MODERATE

This bill clarifies that political parties in Colorado are responsible for ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities during precinct caucuses and party assemblies. It mandates the use of accessible video conferencing platforms or telephone alternatives in unserved areas, sets a 30-day advance request deadline, and limits liability to the central committee of the political party, shielding individual volunteers from lawsuits.

Scope change

The bill applies to all political parties holding precinct caucuses or party assemblies in Colorado, with specific provisions for unserved geographic areas.

REQUIREMENT

Requires political parties to allow participation via accessible video conferencing platforms within six months of August 7, 2024, without asking for explanations of need.

Mandates that parties in unserved areas provide an alternative accessible method, such as a telephone conference call, instead of video conferencing.

Establishes a 30-day advance notice requirement for individuals requesting to participate via video or telephone.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarifies that only the central committee of the political party can be held liable for violations, protecting individual members and volunteers from personal liability.

Allows aggrieved individuals to seek monetary damages or a statutory fine of $3,500 per violation for accessibility failures.

Revised → Rerevised · 4 edits · Apr 1, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was re-revised to include additional Senate sponsors and updated the reading date to April 1, 2026. Substantively, the text removed specific requirements for political parties to offer telephone conference calls as an alternative to video conferencing for precinct caucuses, while also deleting the section detailing consequences for failing to comply with accessibility rules.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding political party accessibility requirements has been narrowed by removing the mandate for telephone alternatives and the associated enforcement language.

TIMELINE

Added a specific date of April 1, 2026, for the 3rd Reading Unamended in the Senate.

SCOPE

Added seven new names to the list of Senate sponsors.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement that political parties must allow participation via telephone conference calls as an alternative to video conferencing.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed the text defining the failure to comply with accessibility requirements as discrimination under state law.

Reengrossed → Revised · 4 edits · Mar 31, 2026

MODERATE

The bill's status was updated from 'Reengrossed' to 'Revised' to reflect amendments adopted on second reading in the second house. The Senate sponsorship was expanded to include Rodriguez, and the committee assignments were slightly adjusted. A significant substantive change was the removal of a section that previously limited liability actions to only the central committee of a political party, thereby allowing individuals to seek relief against other party members or volunteers for accessibility violations.

Scope change

The bill's scope of liability was broadened by removing an exemption that previously protected individual party members and volunteers from being sued for accessibility violations.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the ability of individuals to seek legal relief against party members and volunteers, removing a previous restriction that limited such actions to the central committee only.

TECHNICAL

Added 'and Rodriguez' to the Senate sponsorship list.

Changed the bill status header from 'Reengrossed' to 'Revised' and updated the adoption context.

Adjusted the Senate committee name from 'State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs' to 'State, Veterans, & Military Affairs'.

Engrossed → Reengrossed · 3 edits · Feb 26, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to include additional sponsors and updated the summary date to reflect the 3rd Reading Unamended status. Substantively, the bill removed a section that would have allowed aggrieved parties to file civil lawsuits for violations of Section 1-1-116, effectively eliminating the private right of action previously included in the text.

Scope change

The bill's scope was reduced by removing the legal mechanism for private citizens to sue for violations of the referenced statute.

ENFORCEMENT

Deleted the provision allowing individuals to bring civil court actions for violations of Section 1-1-116.

TECHNICAL

Added new co-sponsors to the House sponsorship list.

Updated the bill summary header to indicate the 3rd Reading Unamended status and a new date.

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Feb 25, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to remove references to 'the general assembly' and 'STATE' political parties, narrowing the focus to individual political parties. Additionally, the exemption for unserved areas was updated to explicitly require accessible alternatives like telephone calls for those specific locations, and the liability section was clarified to limit lawsuits to the central committee of the party holding the caucus.

Scope change

The scope of responsibility was narrowed by removing the general assembly and secretary of state from the list of entities required to ensure accessibility, applying the requirements solely to political parties.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the general assembly, secretary of state, and the word 'STATE' from the list of entities required to ensure caucus accessibility, limiting the mandate to political parties only.

Changed the exemption for unserved areas to explicitly require that any eligible person in those areas must be able to participate via an accessible alternative, such as a telephone conference call.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified liability rules to ensure that only the central committee of the political party holding the caucus can be sued for violations, protecting individual members and volunteers.

TECHNICAL

Removed redundant references to 'the general assembly' and 'STATE' throughout the text to streamline the language.

Political Party Liability for Accessibility Requirements

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors