Colorado Bills

SJR 25-024 is a procedural resolution that establishes the final adjournment date for the First Regular Session of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly. It declares that when the session concludes on May 7, 2025, it will stand adjourned "sine die," meaning it will be the final adjournment without a set date to reconvene. This directly affects the members of the General Assembly by formalizing the end of their legislative session.

SJR 25-020 is a commemorative resolution that recognizes Colorado Mesa University's 100-year anniversary. The bill celebrates the university's history, achievements, and impact on students and the western Colorado community. It directs that copies of the resolution be sent to the university's Board of Trustees and Century Project Steering Committee.

SJR 25-019 is a joint resolution that recognizes April 10, 2025, as "Home Education Day" in Colorado. It aims to honor, thank, and celebrate home educators and their home-educated children in the state.

A tap fee is a fee that is paid by a developer or property owner in order to connect a property to a public water or sewer system. State law allows the board (board) of any sanitation district, water and sanitation district, or water district to impose and set the amount of a tap fee. The act states that a board of a water and sanitation district or a water district (district) has a duty to provide water service if the district has the capacity to do so, with certain exceptions. The act also requires a board of a district, in determining the amount of a tap fee, to: Ensure that the amount of the tap fee is reasonably related to the costs incurred by the district in providing water service, which may include certain costs and do not include certain other costs; and Take into consideration at least one of the following factors in supporting the calculation and setting of proportional or reduced fees: Expected long-term water usage, both indoor and outdoor, including the existence of nonnative turf grass and use of water-wise landscaping, with an emphasis on native plants; The square footage of the unit or the number of bedrooms in the unit; The presence of low-water-usage appliances, if applicable; Per-unit fixture counts in bathrooms, kitchens, and other spaces, interior and exterior, that provide water or sanitation service; and The presence of graywater treatment works, as may be authorized within the district boundaries.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

A kei vehicle is the smallest road-legal, 4-wheeled vehicle in Japan and is imported into the United States as a used vehicle. The act defines a kei vehicle as a motor vehicle for the purposes of the "Uniform Motor Vehicle Law" and the "Certificate of Title Act". These acts govern issuing a certificate of title, registering a motor vehicle, and the rules of the road for motor vehicles. The act authorizes a kei vehicle to operate on the roads and requires a kei vehicle to be issued a certificate of title, be registered, and obey motor vehicle traffic laws. Driving a kei vehicle on a roadway that has a speed limit greater than 55 miles per hour or on a limited-access highway is prohibited. For emissions testing, a kei vehicle is tested not using a dynamometer but using a 2-speed idle test. The vehicle must pass the emissions standards for the year it was manufactured. The department of revenue, the Colorado state patrol, and the agents or contractors of these agencies may not require a vehicle to have an inspection because it is a kei vehicle or has the design or manufacturing parameters of a kei vehicle. And a kei vehicle may not be declared not roadworthy because of its design or manufacturing parameters. Kei vehicles are included in the motor vehicle dealer and powersports vehicle dealer statutes, and this requires a person to be licensed as a dealer to sell kei vehicles at retail. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act allows a transmission developer to co-locate longitudinally high voltage transmission lines within a state highway right-of-way (right-of-way), according to a process developed by rule by the department of transportation (department). Upon the request of a transmission developer, the department is required to provide to the transmission developer the best available information on potential future state highway development projects that could impact the placement of a high voltage line within a right-of-way. If the department and a transmission developer agree that a site may be suitable for high voltage line development and preconstruction requirements are approved, the transmission developer is required to provide a constructability, access, and maintenance report that includes mitigation strategies for potential impacts of the proposed high voltage line. Beginning on January 1, 2027, a transmission developer is required to make a report with the following information available on a public-facing website within 30 days of filing for a local permit for the construction or development of high voltage lines: A description of the analysis undertaken for route selection; An evaluation of the economic impacts, engineering considerations, and reliability of the electric system; and Information demonstrating that, in assessing potential sites for the placement of high voltage lines, a transmission developer has considered or is considering development sites in the following order of priority: First, existing utility corridors; second, rights-of-way; and last, new utility corridors. A transmission developer is not required to select an existing utility corridor or a right-of-way for development of high voltage lines. A transmission developer seeking to locate a high voltage line within a right-of-way within the exterior boundaries of an Indian reservation is required to obtain the written consent of the applicable tribal government. A transmission developer is required to compensate the department for its co-location of high voltage lines in a right-of-way, either through a public-private initiative or by paying surcharges as established by the department by rule. The act also requires the Colorado electric transmission authority, through a public-private partnership and in collaboration with the department, the Colorado energy office, the Colorado public utilities commission, and other state agencies, including the division of parks and wildlife, to study state highway corridors to identify potential corridors that may be suitable for high voltage transmission line development and to publish and share with specified state agencies a report on the findings of the study. The act also aligns the definition of a real estate appraiser with federal law. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act allows a currently licensed Colorado teacher seeking to add an early childhood education endorsement, early childhood special education endorsement, elementary education endorsement, or special education generalist endorsement to demonstrate professional competencies by submitting evidence of achieving sufficiently high education coursework grades on coursework aligned with relevant standards as approved by the department of education. If the applicant spots for the multiple measures pathway are not filled, the act allows currently licensed Colorado teachers who are seeking additional licensure endorsements to demonstrate professional competencies using the multiple measures pathway. The act clarifies that 4-year institutions of higher education that offer programs of off-campus instruction and that have courses included in the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix or that are part of a statewide degree transfer agreement may participate in the teacher recruitment education and preparation program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, a person engages in an unfair and unconscionable act or practice in violation of consumer protection laws if the person engages in price gouging during a declared disaster emergency. The act provides that a person engages in price gouging in the sale or offer for sale of certain goods or services if, after the governor declares a disaster emergency, which declaration may be based on a market disruption, the price of the good or service is increased by 10% or more above the price at which a similar good or service was sold or offered for sale before the disaster began. The act also establishes that seasonal pricing is not considered unreasonably excessive pricing and therefore is not price gouging. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Under current law, the independent ethics commission created in article XXIX of the state constitution does not have jurisdiction over officials or employees of special districts or school districts. The bill gives the independent ethics commission jurisdiction to hear complaints, issue findings, assess penalties, and issue advisory opinions on ethics issues concerning a special district official or employee or school district official or employee. However: "Officials" include only members of a school district or special district board; "School district employee" includes only the superintendent or head administrative officer designated by a school board to execute its policy decisions who is appointed or hired by, directly reports to, and is subject to the direction of the school district board; and "Special district employee" includes only an employee of a special district who is appointed or hired by, directly reports to, and is subject to the direction of the special district's board. Existing law establishes ethical standards for a special district official or employee or school district official or employee. The bill incorporates those standards under the independent ethics commission's jurisdiction and expands the standards to include those described in article XXIX of the state constitution. The bill appropriates $120,856 in general fund to the judicial department for use by the independent ethics commission for the 2025-26 state fiscal year. To implement the bill, the commission may use $96,917 for program costs and $23,939 for the purchase of legal services. The bill also appropriates $23,939 to the department of law for the 2025-26 state fiscal year. This appropriation is from reappropriated funds received from the bill's appropriation to the judicial department. To implement the bill, the department of law may use this appropriation to provide legal services for the independent ethics commission. (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.)

Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems. Current law establishes the youthful offender system in the department of corrections as a sentencing option that provides a continuum of services. Section 1 of the bill: Revises certain legislative declaration provisions to emphasize lasting behavioral changes in preparation for reentry, accountability, healthy relationship building, and offender and staff safety; Adds language related to housing arrangements and equitable treatment for youthful offenders, including youthful offenders with disabilities; Adds a requirement for rehabilitative treatment and life skills programming and, in certain cases, for individual and family therapy and substance use disorder treatment; Elaborates on clinician evaluations, tailored treatment plans, and client manager requirements for youthful offenders; and Imposes an annual reporting requirement beginning in January 2026. Section 2 of the bill applies the standards for determining competency in juvenile delinquency cases to juveniles who have charges directly filed against them in adult court, juveniles whose cases are transferred to adult court, or juveniles subject to concurrent court jurisdiction. Section 3 of the bill permits bridges court liaisons to access juvenile competency evaluations and related information. Current law sets forth procedures for court determinations of a juvenile's competency in juvenile justice proceedings. Section 4 of the bill requires a court to dismiss the case against a juvenile if the court makes a final determination that the juvenile is incompetent to proceed and the juvenile's highest charged act is a class 2 misdemeanor, a petty offense, a drug misdemeanor, or a traffic offense. Under current law, one year after a court finds a juvenile charged with a level 4 drug felony is incompetent to proceed the court shall enter a finding the juvenile is unrestorable to competency and shall determine whether a management plan is necessary for the juvenile. The bill reduces the time from one year to 6 months. The bill imposes certain limitations on a case management plan's contents in cases that involve sexual conduct and addresses court responses when a juvenile or a juvenile's parent or guardian fails to engage with a management plan's ordered services. Section 5 of the bill requires that a person sentenced for a delinquent act committed as a juvenile receive credit for any period of confinement prior to sentencing. Section 6 of the bill creates the deflection and community investment grant program (grant program) in the office of adult and juvenile justice assistance in the division of criminal justice to provide grants to eligible nonprofit and tribal applicants to implement a mixed-delivery system of trauma-informed health and development deflection programs for youth, including Native American youth.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill creates the data center development and grid modernization program (program) in the Colorado office of economic development (office). To facilitate efficient data center development and g rid modernization, the program allows tax and utility benefits to a data center operator that applies to the office to have a data center project certified at one of 2 levels and that satisfies certain eligibility criteria for certification. The first level of data center project certification created in the bill is base certification. In connection with base certification, the bill specifies that: To obtain base certification, a data center operator must commit, through the application process with the office, to making a $250 million minimum capital investment in data center facility construction and equipment within 5 years, creating 25 full-time jobs that satisfy specified criteria, and breaking ground on the data center project within 5 years of obtaining base certification; In addition to the investment and job creation requirements, to obtain base certification a data center operator must also commit to implementing basic grid support capabilities, obtaining certification under one of several energy efficiency standards, implementing water stewardship strategies that optimize operational water management, sourcing at least 50% of the data center project's energy consumption from renewable and clean sources, supporting clean integration by implementing energy storage solutions that align with the data center project's needs and operations, agreeing to certain post-certification requirements, and agreeing to submit annual compliance reports to the office; A data center operator must apply to the office, in a form and manner to be determined by the office, for base certification before taking action to satisfy any of the eligibility criteria; The office is required to review a data center operator's application for base certification and award base certification to data center operators that have demonstrated that they will satisfy the base certification criteria; A data center operator that obtains base certification for a data center project is eligible for a 100% sales and use tax exemption on the purchase, use, and storage of information technology infrastructure, data center infrastructure, and electrical grid enhancement equipment (qualified purchases) for 20 years from the date that the data center project was certified, so long as the data center project satisfies ongoing compliance requirements; and In addition to the sales and use tax credit, a data center operator that obtains base certification for a data center project is eligible for standard utility rate incentives as negotiated between the data center operator and the utility. The second level of data center certification created in the bill is enhancement certification. A data center operator that has obtained base certification for a data center project may apply for enhancement certification for the same data center. In connection with enhancement certification, the bill specifies that: To obtain enhancement certification, a data center operator must invest a minimum of $10 million in grid enhancement and modernization, invest in workforce development or other community benefit programs, agree to certain post-certification requirements, and agree to submit annual compliance reports to the office; A data center operator must apply to the office, in a form and manner to be determined by the office, for enhancement certification either before or after making the required minimum grid enhancement and modernization investment; The office is required to review a data center operator's application for enhancement certification and award enhancement certification to data center operators that have demonstrated that they will satisfy the enhancement certification criteria; For income tax years commencing on or after 2026, a data center operator that obtains enhancement certification for a data center project is eligible for an income tax credit in an amount equal to 10% of the amount of any grid enhancement and modernization investment made by the data center operator and an additional amount equal to 5% of the amount of such investment if the investment is made in a rural area (grid enhancement credit); A data center operator is not eligible to claim the grid enhancement credit until the data center operator has made the required minimum grid enhancement and modernization investment; and In addition to the grid enhancement credit, a data center operator that obtains enhancement certification for a data center project is eligible for enhanced utility benefits as negotiated between the data center operator and the utility. Before submitting an application for certification for a data center project, a data center operator is required to conduct and document a preliminary consultation with the utility that will provide electricity for the data center project regarding interconnection feasibility, capacity, and infrastructure requirements and obtain a written feasibility assessment from the utility. A data center operator is required to include the documentation of the consultation and the written feasibility assessment with an application to the office for certification of the data center project, and, if the data center project includes projects requiring review by the public utilities commission (commission), the commission is required to review specified aspects of the application. A certified data center project that necessitates a new customer load or co-located customer load that satisfies certain criteria (emerging new load) is eligible for targeted resource acquisition if the data center operator satisfies specified requirements. The bill specifies a process by which a utility regulated by the commission may submit a resource acquisition application to the commission to meet emerging new load needs. The bill also specifies how a utility may finance resources and infrastructure needs in connection with emerging new loads. After achieving base certification and enhancement certification, a data center operator may apply to the office for certain benefit extensions for the sales and use tax exemption allowed to data center operators that have obtained base certification, for the grid enhancement credit allowed to data center operators that have obtained enhancement certification, and for the utility benefits negotiated between the data center operator and the utility. If the office determines that a data center operator is not fulfilling its obligations and commitments to retain base certification or enhancement certification, the office is required to revoke the certification and the data center operator is required to repay the state for the tax benefits that it received. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill tasks the statewide health care review interim committee with studying health-care billing practices across the state during the 2025 interim to: Deduce whether patients across the state are receiving timely billing for health-care services, and if not, determine why; and Consider potential legislative changes to ensure that patients across the state are guaranteed timely billing for health-care services. The committee may meet up to 4 times during the 2025 interim to complete this study and must, within 90 days after their final meeting during the 2025 interim , submit to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health matters a report that contains: A brief recap of the committee's meetings; The committee's findings; and Recommendations, if any, regarding legislative measures that may be taken to improve health-care billing practices to ensure that patients receive timely billing for health-care services. (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.)