Colorado Bills

signed · Colorado · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 1198: Access to Veterinary Care

The act requires the state board of veterinary medicine (board) to review and update the existing process by which an individual who has a license to practice veterinary medicine in another state may be licensed by endorsement to practice veterinary medicine in Colorado. The board shall adopt rules with the intent to expedite the licensure by endorsement process, including eliminating duplicative requirements and streamlining the pathway to licensure. The act clarifies that a veterinarian who administers, dispenses, distributes, or prescribes medicine to a patient in an emergency situation is not acting as a pharmacist or conducting the practice of pharmacy, and, as such, is not subject to discipline by the state board of pharmacy. The act relocates certain provisions specific to the practice of veterinary medicine from regulation by the state board of pharmacy to regulation under Colorado's veterinary practice act. Under current law, the board must approve a credentialing organization for the purpose of credentialing veterinary technicians, which credentialing organization must require the completion of an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited program for veterinary technicians. The act updates the requirement to require the completion of an accredited program for veterinary technicians offered by other associations. The act also establishes a veterinary prescription drug donation program. An owner of an animal may donate unused veterinary drugs that have been prescribed to the owner to a licensed veterinarian or an animal shelter. A licensed veterinarian may use any drugs accepted through donation if the veterinarian and drugs meet certain conditions.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

in committee · Colorado · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 1080: County Mail Ballot Signature Verification Requirements

Currently, in every mail ballot election coordinated with or conducted by a county clerk and recorder, a single election judge personally conducts the review of each mail ballot for purposes of signature verification, unless the county clerk and recorder allows the election judge to use a signature verification device. The bill requires the county clerk and recorder to use a team of bipartisan election judges, rather than a single election judge, to review mail ballots for purposes of signature verification. The bill requires the secretary of state to adopt rules concerning the procedure for using a team of bipartisan election judges for such signature verification.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

signed · Colorado · House Apr 29, 2026

HB 1011: Transfers of Certain Pet Animals

Under current law, a pet store in Colorado is permitted to sell or offer for sale dogs or cats if the pet store abides by certain requirements. The act removes the existing permission so that, beginning January 1, 2028, a pet store is no longer permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. Nothing prohibits a pet store from providing space for the display of dogs or cats available for adoption if the pet store does not collect a fee from the display and if certain requirements are met. The act defines 'broker' as a person that, for profit, sells, leases, offers to sell or lease, barters, auctions, or otherwise transfers ownership of, in person or online, a pet animal bred by another person. A broker does not include a person that transfers no more than 3 single pet animals per each calendar year if the person transfers each single pet animal no more than once. The act states that a broker is not permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. The act clarifies that the following are still permitted:The sale, transfer, or adoption of an animal, including a law enforcement animal, to a governmental agency;The sale, transfer, or adoption of a guide, signal, or service dog;The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by an animal shelter or pet animal rescue;The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog bred or trained for lawful hunting to or by an individual who possesses a current hunting license;The sale or transfer of a dog or cat by the original breeder of the dog or cat; andThe sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by a health-related research facility.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

in committee · Colorado · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 70: Ban Government Access Historical Location Information Database

The bill prohibits a government entity from accessing a database that reveals an individual's or a vehicle's historical location information, subject to certain exceptions. The bill prohibits a government entity from sharing historical location information with third parties or government agencies outside their jurisdiction, subject to certain exceptions, and makes historical location information not a public record for the purposes of the "Colorado Open Records Act".The bill requires a government entity that collects historical location information to adopt a policy to maintain compliance with the provisions of the regulatory scheme.An enforcement action is created for the attorney general to enforce the provisions of the bill. Historical location information obtained in violation of the prohibitions of the bill are inadmissible in trial.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

in committee · Colorado · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 22: Challenges Meeting 2030 Emissions Reduction Goals

Current law requires certain entities to file a clean energy plan (plan) to achieve an 80% decrease of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the entity's electricity sales in Colorado by 2030 relative to 2005 levels. Other entities may voluntarily choose to file a plan.Under current law, no later than March 31, 2026, an entity required to submit a plan may inform the division of administration (division) in the department of public health and environment in writing of challenges the entity is encountering or expects to encounter in achieving the 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The bill clarifies that an entity that has voluntarily submitted a plan may also inform the division of challenges the entity is encountering or expects to encounter in achieving the 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The bill also extends the deadline by which an entity must inform the division of challenges from March 31, 2026, to May 31, 2026.A cooperative electric association (association) exempted from regulation by the public utilities commission or a municipal utility (utility) that informs the division of challenges the association or utility is encountering or expects to encounter has until December 31, 2026, to submit to the division an updated plan with the earliest year, not later than 2040, that the association or utility expects to be able to achieve the 80% decrease of greenhouse gas emissions, relative to 2005 levels, without impairing the association's or utility's ability to maintain applicable electric reliability standards and without increasing the association's or utility's average annual electric rates greater than 1.5%.The bill prohibits the air quality control commission and the division from undertaking any action that impairs the association's or utility's ability to maintain applicable electric reliability standards or that increases the association's or utility's average annual electric rates greater than 1.5%.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

in committee · Colorado · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 161: Modernize Regulation of Cannabis-Related Products

Under current law, an excise tax of 15% is levied and collected on the first sale or transfer of unprocessed retail marijuana by a retail marijuana cultivation facility, and a sales tax of 15% is imposed on sales of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products by a retailer. The bill lowers the excise tax to $1 per pound of unprocessed retail marijuana and replaces the 15% sales tax with a sales tax structure that is based on the content of intoxicating cannabinoids in retail cannabis products. The sales tax may be changed by an act of the general assembly but may not exceed 2 cents per milligram of total intoxicating cannabinoids until January 1, 2030, and 5 cents thereafter. The legislative council staff shall make projections based on the tax changes and propose adjustments to the joint budget committee in order to stabilize intoxicating cannabinoid tax revenue. If such a proposal is made, the joint budget committee may propose legislation to stabilize the tax revenue. Current law creates a bifurcated regulatory structure for marijuana and intoxicating hemp. The bill moves the testing and safety elements from the department of revenue to the department of public health and environment (department). The state licensing authority (authority) in the department of revenue is currently directed to adopt rules to, among other things, establish testing standards. The bill transfers these responsibilities from the authority to the department. Mandatory compliance testing requirements are shifted from throughout the supply chain to the point at which products are packaged for sale to or use by consumers. Mandatory compliance testing standards are set by a new reference laboratory, which will also conduct statewide off-shelf surveillance testing of intoxicating cannabis products. This means that the products are tested at the retail level where consumers may purchase them. The bill requires the following be made available for public inspection via an online portal:Adverse health reports, including the product manufacturer and basis for the report, with personally identifiable information related to the affected customers redacted; andTraceability information and testing results for intoxicating cannabis products transferred to a consumer, so that consumers may access and view product batches, manufacturers, cultivators, or retailers and the associated traceability or testing data. The bill requires marijuana product producers to be registered with the department and regulated in a like manner as other food manufacturers. The department may enforce labeling and content claim requirements and impose penalties for health- and labeling-related violations or refer violations to the authority for license discipline.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Colorado · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 164: Regulation of Lawful Tetrahydrocannabinol Beverages

The bill regulates the manufacture, distribution, sale, and consumption of lawful tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) beverages. A 'lawful THC beverage' is defined as a nonalcoholic beverage product that is infused with THC derived from a legal source of hemp that contains no more than 10 milligrams of total THC per serving. The bill permits a person that is registered (registrant) with the department of public health and environment (CDPHE) as a hemp products manufacturer to manufacture lawful THC beverages if the registrant uses an approved source of hemp, complies with rules adopted by the CDPHE related to product labeling, production, and transportation, and sells the lawful THC beverages under certain circumstances. A registrant that manufactures a lawful THC beverage shall only sell the lawful THC beverage to a wholesaler that is licensed by the state licensing authority in the department of revenue (DOR). The bill prohibits manufacturers from selling lawful THC beverages directly to a retail licensee or directly to a consumer. The bill directs the CDPHE to adopt rules related to the labeling, packaging, and consumer notice requirements for lawful THC beverages on or before January 1, 2028. A manufacturer of a lawful THC beverage shall also adhere to the testing standards and requirements adopted by the CDPHE for hemp products. A person licensed by the state licensing authority in the DOR (licensee) may sell a lawful THC beverage to a consumer if the licensee obtains a lawful THC beverage permit. A licensee must apply to the state licensing authority for the lawful THC beverage permit, and, if the lawful THC beverage permit is granted, the licensee may sell a lawful THC beverage under the rules of their existing license and additional rules adopted by the DOR specific to the sale of a lawful THC beverage. A licensee shall not:Sell a lawful THC beverage to an individual under 21 years old;Sell a lawful THC beverage to an individual who is visibly intoxicated;Allow a lawful THC beverage to be removed from the premises if the beverage is sold for on-site consumption;Permit the use of marijuana or marijuana products on the premises; orMix a lawful THC beverage and an alcohol beverage in the same container. The bill prohibits the manufacture or sale of lawful THC beverages that are made from synthetic or semi-synthetic cannabinoids. The bill directs the DOR, in consultation with the CDPHE, to adopt rules related to the sale, transportation, inventory, recall, and seizure of lawful THC beverages. The bill permits a local government to prohibit the sale of lawful THC beverages within the local government's jurisdiction.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

in committee · Colorado · House Apr 28, 2026

HCR 1003: Nonmortgage Property Tax Exemption

If approved by the voters of the state at the 2026 general election, the concurrent resolution authorizes a county to allow an exemption from property tax imposed by the county to the owner-occupier of single-family residential real property owned outright by the owner-occupier without a mortgage.(Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as introduced.)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

passed · Colorado · Senate Apr 27, 2026

SB 90: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair

Under current law, consumers in Colorado have a right to repair all digital electronic equipment, which could include equipment that is considered critical infrastructure. The bill exempts information technology equipment that is intended for use to be used in critical infrastructure from Colorado's consumer right to repair laws. Critical infrastructure is defined as a system or asset, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of the system or asset would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters. The bill authorizes the attorney general to review an exemption from Colorado's consumer right to repair laws for certain information technology equipment (equipment) that is intended to be used in critical infrastructure. In reviewing whether the equipment is exempt, the attorney general shall consider whether the equipment is actually intended to be used in a manner that qualifies as critical infrastructure and whether the equipment is sold under a business-to-business or business-to-government contract and not customarily sold in a retail setting. Any determination made by the attorney general regarding an exemption may be appealed by the manufacturer of the equipment.(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 ✓ Technology

signed · Colorado · House Apr 27, 2026

HB 1089: Uniform Mortgage Modification Act

The act enacts the 'Uniform Mortgage Modification Act', drafted by the Uniform Law Commission. The act provides that, in the event that a mortgage is modified:The mortgage continues to secure the obligation as modified;The modification does not affect the priority of the mortgage;A mortgage retains its priority regardless of whether a modification agreement is recorded; andThe modification is not a novation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House Apr 27, 2026

HB 1134: Fairness & Transparency in Municipal Court

The act clarifies that municipal court defendants have a right to counsel and that municipal defense counsel have the same notice requirements, case information, and opportunity to meet with their clients as do state-level defense counsel. Current law prohibits paying indigent municipal defense counsel on a fixed or flat-fee payment structure if the municipality prosecutes domestic violence cases. The act applies the prohibition to all municipalities and allows a flat fee arrangement if the flat fee is the same or higher than a resulting fee based on hourly compensation. Current law requires municipal court proceedings to be open to public observation. The act requires virtual observation for all in-custody proceedings and prompt resolution of municipal cases.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Colorado · House Apr 27, 2026

HB 1002: Provider Participation in Health Insurance

If a mental health provider, substance use disorder provider, or psychiatric nurse (provider) has not submitted a claim for a period of at least 12 months, the act requires a commercial insurance carrier (carrier) to contact the provider to confirm the provider's participation in the carrier's provider network and to determine whether the provider is accepting new patients. The act includes mental health providers, substance use disorder providers, and psychiatric nurses as providers who may participate in a carrier's provider network. The act requires carriers to admit prelicensed providers into the carrier's network and to reimburse prelicensed providers for services rendered when provided under the supervision of a mental health provider, substance use disorder provider, or psychiatric nurse. The act requires a clinical social worker to complete 3,000 hours of practice prior to licensure.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Bill results