Colorado Bills

in committee · Colorado · Senate May 4, 2026

SB 176: State Remedies for Constitutional Rights Violation

A person who, under color of any law, subjects, or causes to be subjected, another person to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the United States constitution is liable to the injured party for legal or equitable relief. A defendant may assert a defense of absolute or qualified immunity to the same extent as in certain federal actions alleging a deprivation of rights. An action alleging a deprivation of constitutional rights must be commenced within 2 years after the cause of action accrues.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1333: Fiscal Year 2026-27 Legislative Appropriation Bill

The bill makes appropriations for matters related to the legislative department for the 2026-27 state fiscal year.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Colorado · Senate May 4, 2026

SB 153: Licensed School Counselor Credit Hour Requirements

This bill establishes new educational requirements for individuals seeking to become licensed school counselors in Colorado. To qualify for an initial school counselor license, applicants must now hold a master's degree or higher specifically in school counseling from an accredited institution, with the program requiring at least 48 graduate semester credit hours. The legislation aims to ensure that school counselors entering the profession have comprehensive graduate-level preparation in counseling practices, student development, and strategies to support students facing behavioral and academic challenges. This change directly affects current and future school counselor candidates in Colorado who must meet these updated academic standards to obtain their professional license.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1186: Sunset Regulation of Cash-Bonding Agents

The act continues the regulation of cash-bonding and professional cash-bail agents for 8 years, until 2034.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1208: Sunset Compliance Advisory Panel Air Pollution

The act continues the compliance advisory panel to the air pollution control division in the department of public health and environment for 10 years, until September 1, 2036, pursuant to the provisions of the sunset law.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Colorado · Senate May 4, 2026

SB 104: Require Key Boxes at Schools

The act requires each school district or, for an institute charter school or nonpublic school, the school, (local education provider) to install an exterior key box that contains keys and other access control devices necessary for law enforcement agencies to access each building and room located on the school grounds. A local education provider is not required to install an exterior key box at a school if:The school has a key box that does not satisfy the requirements in the act and has an alternative plan and procedures to provide emergency access for local law enforcement; orThe local education provider applied for but does not receive a disbursement from the school security disbursement program that may be used to install an exterior key box at the school. The contents of an exterior key box and the information contained therein are not a public record for the purposes of the 'Colorado Open Records Act'.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1232: Court Costs Assessed to Juveniles

Under current law, courts may not assess or collect administrative fees, costs, and surcharges in juvenile delinquency cases involving a juvenile under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court when a juvenile has been charged with or adjudicated of certain crimes. The act adds that courts or the state is prohibited from assessing or collecting administrative fees, costs, and surcharges assessed against a juvenile or the juvenile's parents, guardian, or legal custodian when the juvenile was under 18 years old when the crime was committed.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1234: Access to Records of Child Abuse or Neglect

The act prohibits a person who possesses a record or report (record) of child abuse or neglect from releasing identifying data or information contained in the record to a person who is not authorized to receive the information or data. The act clarifies what constitutes identifying data in a record. The act adds an assigned designee of a person named in a record who is acting on the person's behalf as a person who may have access to child abuse or neglect records if the assigned designee presents a valid release of information signed by an authorized person. The act allows a person named in a record as an alleged abused or neglected child who is in possession of a record in which they are named or, with the person's consent, the person's attorney or guardian ad litem, to disclose and make use of the record, including for the purpose of litigation or to obtain treatment or services. Except as expressly authorized in law, a criminal defendant may only access a record after an in camera review by the court in which the court finds that access to the record is necessary for the resolution of an issue. The act requires each county department of human or social services to establish and submit to the state department of human services a process current and former clients may use to obtain access to their case records. The act repeals the penalties associated with a person who improperly releases or willfully permits or encourages the release of data or information contained in the records to a person not permitted to access the information and makes it a petty offense for the department of education or a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school to release data or information contained in a record to a person not permitted to access the information.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1253: Disconnection from Statutory Municipality

Under current law, the owners of certain tracts of agricultural or farm land within and adjacent to the boundary of a statutory town or statutory city may petition the district court for the county to disconnect the land from the town or city (disconnection by court decree). The act modifies the disconnection by court decree process so that this process is not available for any tract of land that is included within the boundaries of an urban renewal area described in an urban renewal plan of an urban renewal authority (affected urban renewal authority) or a special district that, by its service plan or pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement, is or will be expected to provide service to the tract of land (affected special district). Instead of using the disconnection by court decree process, owners of these tracts of land must use the process for disconnection applications from a statutory municipality. Under current law, the owner of a tract of land within and adjacent to the boundary of a statutory municipality may apply to the governing body of the municipality for the enactment of an ordinance disconnecting the tract of land from the municipality (disconnection by ordinance). The act also modifies this disconnection by ordinance process by requiring that, in addition to the existing requirement that an owner provide notice and a copy of the disconnection application to the board of county commissioners of the county in which the tract of land is located and to the board of directors of any affected special district, the owner seeking disconnection must also provide notice and a copy of the disconnection application to any affected urban renewal authority. Upon receiving the notice and application, these entities may request a meeting with the owner of the land and the governing body of the municipality to discuss and address any negative impacts that would result from the disconnection, including any change in the level or extent of services being provided to the tract of land that is the subject of the disconnection application or any interference with the implementation of an urban renewal plan of an affected urban renewal authority. The failure of these entities to request a meeting constitutes an acknowledgment that the disconnection will not adversely affect them. The act applies to applications for disconnection from a statutory municipality and petitions for disconnection from a statutory city or town commenced on or after the applicable effective date of the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

passed both · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1258: Changes to Practices Relating to Death

The bill makes changes to death-care related practices, including changes to:The practices of professionals licensed and establishments registered pursuant to the 'Mortuary Science Code';The licensure options for professionals seeking licensure pursuant to the 'Mortuary Science Code';The powers and duties of the director of the division of professions and occupations in connection with regulating professionals licensed and establishments registered pursuant to the 'Mortuary Science Code';The provisions concerning nontransplant tissue banks and the discipline of a person that has an interest in a nontransplant tissue bank;The abuse of a corpse as a criminal offense in regard to transporting human remains ;The timeline for regulatory review of certain death-care related entities and provisions; andThe process by which a licensed individual initiates, completes, responds to, or files a death certificate.(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

signed · Colorado · Senate May 4, 2026

SB 121: Overtime Threshold for Agricultural Employees

Beginning January 1, 2027, the act requires an agricultural employer to pay certain agricultural employees overtime pay for time worked in excess of 56 hours in a workweek. The act also increases penalties for an agricultural employer who commits wage theft and repeals the authority of the director of the division of labor standards and statistics to adopt rules concerning overtime pay for agricultural employees.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

passed both · Colorado · House May 4, 2026

HB 1184: Sunset Process Forest Health Council

Sunset Process - House Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources Committee. The bill indefinitely continues the Colorado forest health council (council) until September 1, 2033. Before the repeal, the council will be given a sunset review. The bill also removes the 2 legislative members from the council.(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Topics ✓ Environment

Bill results