The act establishes permitting procedures for electric vehicle (EV) charging systems for counties with a population of 20,000 or more (covered county) and municipalities with a population of 10,000 or more (covered municipality). On or before December 31, 2025, a board of county commissioners of a covered county or the governing body of a covered municipality must do one of the following: Adopt an ordinance or resolution that incorporates the same standards and permitting process or less restrictive standards and permitting process as the standards and permitting process described in the Colorado energy office's EV charger permitting model code that the office is required to publish on or before March 31, 2025; Adopt an ordinance or resolution that establishes the covered county's or covered municipality's own objective standards and administrative review process to be used by the covered county or covered municipality permitting agency in the agency's review of EV charger permits, which ordinance or resolution must comply with certain requirements; or Adopt an ordinance or resolution that establishes that the covered county or covered municipality does not intend to adopt the EV charger model code or adopt the standards and administrative review process required by the act, but instead will continue to utilize the covered county's or covered municipality's existing permitting review process for EV charging systems. If a covered county or covered municipality establishes its own objective standards and administrative review process, the covered county or covered municipal permitting agency must provide a checklist to prospective applicants of all requirements that must be included in an application for an EV charger permit. The covered county or covered municipality may deny an application if the application does not comply with the objective standards for EV charging systems set forth by the covered county or covered municipality or for health or safety reasons. A covered county or covered municipality must also notify an EV charger permit applicant of the covered county permitting agency's or covered municipal permitting agency's decision to approve, conditionally approve, or deny an applicant within 3 business days after the date the agency makes such determination. The Colorado energy office, in addition to developing the model code regarding the approval of EV charger permits, is required to provide covered counties and covered municipalities technical assistance in developing and administering the expedited EV charger permitting process. If a board of county commissioners of a covered county or governing body of a covered municipality adopts the model code, it is not subject to the other requirements specified in the act. APPROVED by Governor May 21, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the director of the energy and carbon management commission in the department of natural resources, at the request of a local government or tribal government, to provide technical support concerning: The development of local codes governing wind, solar, energy storage, and energy transmission projects (renewable energy projects); or The review of renewable energy projects for which a local government or a tribal government receives an application for land use approval after June 30, 2024. At the request of an owner or operator of a renewable energy facility (facility owner), a local government, or a tribal government, the division of parks and wildlife (division) must provide a set of best management practices to avoid, minimize, and mitigate wildlife impacts of renewable energy projects. The facility owner, local government, or tribal government may incorporate the best management practices into project plans, and the best management practices may be considered as conditions of approval by a local government or tribal government with land use authority over a renewable energy project. The division must also identify high-priority habitats based on the best available science, update the list of high-priority habitats at least annually, and make the list publicly available. A facility owner, local government, or tribal government may consider the high-priority habitats in planning, siting, permitting, and developing renewable energy projects. The act requires the Colorado energy office (office), in cooperation with the department of local affairs and the department of natural resources, to develop a repository of codes and ordinances that support renewable energy projects and commercial energy transmission facilities for the purpose of providing conceptual frameworks that local governments and tribal governments may consider and adapt to suit local circumstances and address local energy resources. On or before September 30, 2025, the office must submit to the general assembly a report that: Evaluates local government processes for the siting of commercially viable renewable energy projects and commercial energy transmission facilities; and Evaluates the impact of renewable energy projects and commercial energy transmission facilities on wildlife resources; the use of wildlife mitigation, decommissioning, and community benefit agreements; and the range of fees imposed by local governments. In preparing the report, the office must provide opportunities for stakeholders and the public to provide input before the final report is completed. For renewable energy projects for which a local government receives an application for land use approval after June 30, 2024, the act prohibits a local government from granting a development permit for the construction of a facility in any area that is included within the land relinquished and conveyed by the confederated bands of the Ute nation to the United States in the Brunot Agreement of September 13, 1873, unless the local government first consults with the tribal governments of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe concerning the potential impacts to hunting, fishing, and gathering rights related to the construction of the facility. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $307,991 to the department of natural resources from the wildlife cash fund. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $95,490 to the department of natural resources from the energy and carbon management cash fund for use by the energy and carbon management commission. APPROVED by Governor May 21, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 21, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes the reintroduction of the North American wolverine in the state by the division of parks and wildlife (division). As long as the North American wolverine remains on the list of threatened or endangered species pursuant to applicable federal law, the division must not reintroduce the North American wolverine in the state until a final rule designating the North American wolverine in Colorado as a nonessential experimental population pursuant to applicable federal law has taken effect. The act also creates certain requirements for the reintroduction of the North American wolverine. The parks and wildlife commission must adopt rules for the compensation of owners of livestock for losses caused by the North American wolverine. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $102,808 is appropriated from the wildlife cash fund to the department of natural resources for use by the division. To implement the act, the division may use the appropriation for wildlife operations. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the Colorado state forest service (forest service) to: Conduct enhanced wildfire awareness month outreach campaigns (campaigns) through 2027 and other outreach efforts through the 2026-27 state fiscal year that are expected to increase awareness of wildfire risk mitigation by residents in the wildland-urban interface; and Report to certain legislative committees on an annual basis concerning the campaigns and outreach efforts. For state fiscal year 2024-25, the act appropriates $40,000 from the general fund to the healthy forests and vibrant communities fund for use by the forest service for the ongoing campaigns and outreach efforts. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 20, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under existing law, it is a class A traffic infraction to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a commercial driver's license, to operate a commercial motor vehicle if the operator is under 21 years of age, or to drive a commercial motor vehicle if the person has more than one driver's license. The act makes each a class 1 misdemeanor; except that, if a person presents a valid commercial driver's license to the court within 30 days, the offense is a class A traffic infraction. The act creates the offense of unlawful direction to operate a commercial motor vehicle. An employer who authorizes or permits an employee who the employer knows or reasonably should know does not have a commercial driver's license or is under 21 years of age to operate a commercial motor vehicle commits unlawful direction to operate a commercial motor vehicle, a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. The act requires the transportation legislation review committee to study the following issues during the 2024 legislative interim: Enforcement of impaired driving offenses, including situations involving a driver who refuses to take or complete a blood or breath test as required by law; Careless driving that results in accidental death, including whether available civil and criminal charges and penalties for those incidents are appropriate; and The appropriate penalty for failing to maintain motor vehicle or low-powered scooter insurance and failing to present evidence of insurance to a requesting officer. The act appropriates $1,455 from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund to the department of revenue to implement the act's provisions. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE May 20, 2024 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE August 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act directs the Colorado state forest service (forest service) to establish a rural grant navigator grant program to provide grant money to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) providing outreach and technical assistance, including grant writing assistance, to rural communities seeking to apply for state or federal grants for wildfire mitigation and preparedness (wildfire-related grants). On or after March 1, 2025, an NGO may apply to the forest service for grant money in accordance with application and eligibility guidelines that the forest service establishes with input from NGOs that assist Colorado communities with wildfire mitigation and preparedness. On or before March 1, 2026, and on or before March 1 of every year thereafter, the forest service is required to prepare a report summarizing its work to award grants to NGOs assisting rural communities with identifying and applying for wildfire-related grants. The forest service is required to submit the report to the wildfire matters review committee or, if the committee no longer exists, to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over natural resources matters. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $300,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of higher education for use by the forest service to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Section 1 of the act changes the geographic locations where the department of transportation (department) has authority to require certain traction-enhancing equipment for any commercial vehicle with a declared gross vehicle weight rating of 16,001 pounds or more from September 1 through May 31 of each year during any conditions that exist on the highway to the following corridors located on the western slope: Interstate highway 70 (I-70) west of milepost 259 (Morrison); Colorado state highway 9 from milepost 63 to milepost 97 (Frisco to Fairplay); U.S. Route 40 west of milepost 256 (Empire); U.S. Route 50 west of milepost 225 (Salida); U.S. Route 160 west of milepost 304 (Walsenburg); U.S. Route 285 west of milepost 250 (Morrison); and U.S. Route 550 from milepost 0 to 130. Section 2 allows the department to establish heightened speed limit enforcement zones (zone) within public highways in Glenwood Canyon on I-70 eastbound from milepost 116.0 to milepost 131.0 and westbound from milepost 118.5 to milepost 131.0 where there are safety concerns related to commercial motor vehicle drivers exceeding the posted speed limits. If the department establishes a zone, the department must erect signs identifying the zone and notifying commercial motor vehicle drivers that increased fines are assessed for speeding in the zone. Section 3 makes it a traffic offense for any commercial vehicle to be driving in the farthest left lane on I-70 between milepost 115.5 and milepost 131.0 (Glenwood Springs), between milepost 169.5 and milepost 173.0 (Dowd junction), between milepost 180.0 and milepost 190.5 (Vail pass), between milepost 205.5 and milepost 221.0 (Eisenhower-Johnson tunnel), between milepost 224.0 and milepost 228.5 (Georgetown hill), and between milepost 243.0 and milepost 247.0 (Floyd hill) during all conditions on that highway except to safely pass a vehicle driving under the posted speed limit. Section 4 subjects a commercial motor vehicle driver who commits a speeding violation in a zone to double fines and surcharges except when the driver of a commercial motor vehicle commits the violation within a highway maintenance, repair, or construction zone and is already subject to an increased penalty and surcharge. Section 5 ensures that a port of entry officer has all the powers of a peace officer when enforcing highway closures and the state's winter traction device law. Section 6 requires the freight mobility and safety branch of the department to study potential additional locations of chain-up and chain-down stations and to study what appropriate technology could be added to existing chain-up and chain-down stations to improve safety and mobility. The study must identify existing barriers to building new chain-up and chain-down stations and examine the economic and safety impacts of commercial motor vehicle incidents and closures during inclement weather events and examine commercial motor vehicle parking locations on I-70. Section 7 allows the study on feasibility of new chain-up and chain-down stations to be funded by the fuels impact reduction grant program. Section 8 appropriates $31,684 from the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account in the highway users tax fund to the department of revenue for implementation of the act. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act extends the conservation easement oversight commission (commission) and the certified holder program indefinitely. The act replaces a nonvoting member of the commission who represents the great outdoors Colorado trust fund (GOCO) with a voting member who represents GOCO and who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the executive director of GOCO. The act also adds a voting member appointed by the governor who meets the definition of "socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher" as defined in federal law. A conservation easement tax credit (credit) is not available for income tax years commencing after December 31, 2031, except for credits created on or before December 31, 2031, and subsequently transferred or carried over as a credit in other tax years. The cap for the total value of credits that may be claimed by and credited to donors of a conservation easement (easement) in one calendar year is increased from $45 million to $50 million starting in calendar year 2025. Credits filed after the cap is reached are placed in a priority system of allocation based on the date the application for the credit was filed, the completeness of the application, and whether the application is approved. Earlier filed credits take precedence over later filed credits. Credits for easements donated in a prior year are eligible for tax credit certificates in subsequent years in order of application. The act provides that for conservation easements donated on or after January 1, 2027, a taxpayer may claim 80% of the fair market value of the donated portion of the easement. Credits may be issued in increments of no more than $1.5 million per year. The total aggregate amount of the credit that may be refunded to the owners, partners, and shareholders of an entity donating an easement may not exceed $200,000 for income tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. On and after January 1, 2027, the act eliminates the requirement that to claim the credit, the state controller must certify that the amount of state revenues for the fiscal year ending in the income tax year for which the refund is claimed exceeds the limitation on state fiscal year spending for that fiscal year. The act allows an easement granted on or after January 1, 2025, to include a provision that, subject to specified requirements, allows the holder to approve expanded wind or solar energy facilities that are compatible with and do not impair conservation values. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, $12,925 is appropriated from the conservation cash fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of conservation. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act refers a ballot issue to the voters at the November 2024 statewide election to allow the state to keep and spend all revenue from the existing tax on the net proceeds of licensed sports betting (sports betting tax), including revenue in excess of the $29 million fiscal year estimate included in the 2019 ballot question as follows: All revenue from the sports betting tax up to $29 million annually, together with all revenue derived by the division of gaming in the department of revenue, will continue to be used to pay for the regulation of sports betting, to offset losses to other wagering revenue recipients, and to support responsible gaming, with any remaining money being transferred to the water plan implementation cash fund; and All sports betting tax revenue in excess of $29 million annually will be transferred to the water plan implementation cash fund to be used for water conservation and protection projects. If the majority of electors voting at the November 2024 statewide election vote against allowing the state to keep and spend all sports betting tax revenue as outlined above, then any tax revenue collected in excess of $29 million annually will be refunded to the licensed sports betting operations that paid the sports betting tax according to a reasonable method to be determined by the department of revenue. APPROVED by Governor May 20, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 20, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows a school district board of education (school district) to consider and submit to the eligible electors of the district the question of contracting a bonded indebtedness for capital construction or land and facilities needs of an institute charter school (school) located within the school district. In order for a school district to consider whether to include the capital construction needs of a school located within the school district, the school must submit a capital construction plan to the board of education (board) of the school district. The capital construction plan must include, but is not limited to: Reasons why the school capital construction must be financed by bonded indebtedness; A description of the capital construction that will be financed by bonded indebtedness; A description of the architectural, functional, and construction standards that meet applicable state building code requirements and that will be applied to each facility subject to the capital construction project (project); An estimate of the total costs for completing capital construction that will be financed by the bonded indebtedness; An estimate of the amount of time needed to complete the project; A statement addressing whether the construction or renovation, payment of overrun costs, and other project issues will be managed by the school or the school district and whether costs for project management will be negotiated between the school or the school district; Reasons why revenue sources other than bonded indebtedness are inadequate to fully finance the school capital construction; and The school's proposed method for disbursement of its share of the bonded indebtedness proceeds. When a school district, in its sole discretion, wants to include the capital construction needs of a school in a ballot question, the board must, prior to submitting the ballot question to the voters of the school district, enter into a written agreement with the school that includes: The process by which investment and interest earnings on bonded indebtedness proceeds are distributed and the process by which the investment and interest earnings proceeds and the bonded indebtedness proceeds are released to the school; The allocation of investment and interest earnings on the bonded indebtedness proceeds; Allocation of the costs to submit the ballot question, which must be borne by both the school district and the school in proportion to the respective portions of the total bonded indebtedness proceeds that are to be received; An agreement that if the school's charter is revoked or not renewed, if the school becomes insolvent and can no longer operate as a school, or if the school otherwise ceases to exist, the school district has priority in recovering debt over all other debtors for costs and payments of all other debts secured by the capital construction and that ownership of any capital construction, land, or facilities financed by the bonded indebtedness proceeds automatically reverts to the school district; and An agreement that the school shall not encumber any capital construction financed by bonded indebtedness with any additional debt without the express approval of the school district. If the school district denies approval, the school district shall provide written reasons for the denial. APPROVED by Governor May 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act adds the following rights to the rights of higher education students: Cost transparency regarding a postsecondary education program; A seamless transfer of course credit for courses in the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix and a timely response on whether transfer credit will be accepted by a public institution of higher education (institution); The right to appeal an institution's decision not to accept a student's request to transfer credits; and The right to know what work-related experiences or prior learning opportunities are awarded postsecondary credit at the institution at which the student is enrolled. The act makes changes to the statewide common course numbering system, now referred to as the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix (matrix), to guarantee certain course transfer credits between community colleges, local district colleges, and area technical colleges. The department of higher education (department), beginning in January 2026, shall include as part of its "SMART Act" presentation a compilation of information regarding courses in the matrix. The act provides the department with exclusive authority to bring an enforcement action against an institution that violates the provisions related to the matrix. The act requires the department to establish an appeal process if an institution wrongfully denies a student's transfer credit. The act requires an institution to issue a decision to a student regarding the acceptance or denial of transfer credits within 30 days after the student is admitted to the institution. APPROVED by Governor May 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 18, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, the ninth-grade success grant program (grant program) provides funding to local education providers and charter schools to implement a ninth-grade success program to assist ninth-grade students to develop the skills needed to successfully graduate high school and succeed in their education and careers. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriated $2 million from the state education fund to the department of education (department) for the grant program and reduced the general fund appropriation in the long bill for the grant program by $792,444. The act requires the general assembly to appropriate $2 million from the state education fund to the department for the grant program in the 2025-26, 2026-27, and 2027-28 state fiscal years. Under current law, the office of dropout prevention and student re-engagement (office) submits an annual report to the state board of education, the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, and the governor regarding findings and recommendations to reduce the student dropout rate and increase graduation and completion rates. Starting with the report submitted in March 2026, the act requires the office to include certain ninth-grade performance measures for each public school, school district, the charter school institute, and the state as a whole. APPROVED by Governor May 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 18, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
