Colorado Bills

failed · Colorado · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 25-150: Pilot Program for Youth in Foster Care

The bill creates the fostering success pilot program (pilot program) in the department of human services (department). The pilot program is a 2-part program, which includes: The supplemental support for foster students program (supplemental support program), which awards $2,000 scholarships annually to a foster care provider, kinship foster care provider, or a non-certified kinship care provider (provider) who cares for a youth in the legal custody of a county department of human or social services until the youth graduates from high school; and The milestone incentives program (milestone program), which awards $1,000 to a youth for successfully graduating from high school. On or before September 30, 2025, subject to available appropriations, the department shall contract with a third-party administrator (administrator) to develop, implement, and administer the pilot program. The department shall contract with an administrator that is: A nonprofit organization; Experienced working with students and families; and Experienced administering student scholarship and grant programs. On or before December 31, 2025, subject to available appropriations, the department shall establish a timeline for: Announcing the pilot program; Accepting applications from youth and their providers; and Selecting youth and their providers to participate in the pilot program. The department shall select youth and provider participants in the order of applications received. A youth and their provider selected to participate in the pilot program must participate in the supplemental support program and the milestone program. The administrator may contract with one or more private entities to develop and implement a system to establish scholarship accounts that allows payment to qualifying vendors by electronic means from an online portal. The administrator shall: Ensure that the scholarship account is accessible through an online portal for the provider to facilitate payments to a qualifying vendor for the supplemental support program; Ensure the transfer of scholarship funds from the online portal directly to a qualifying vendor without direct access to scholarship funds by a provider; and Distribute money to each scholarship account. The administrator shall ensure that a youth has sole access to the milestone program award funds. There are no restrictions on how the youth may use the milestone program award funds. On or before July 1, 2028, the administrator shall administer a survey to youth and their providers to receive feedback on the pilot program. On or before October 31, 2028, the administrator shall report to the department the following information: The number of participants selected for the pilot program; The amount of money awarded through the pilot program; The survey results from youth and their providers; and How the pilot program affected the youth's performance in school. On or before December 31, 2028, the department shall submit a report summarizing the information collected from the survey to the education committees of the house of representatives and senate, the health and human services committees of the house of representatives and senate, or their successor committees. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

signed · Colorado · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 25-002: Regional Building Codes for Factory-Built Structures

The act provides that, after the state housing board (board) adopts rules about any activity required to undertake or complete the construction or installation of a factory-built nonresidential structure, a factory-built residential structure, or a factory-built tiny home (factory-built structure), the state plumbing board, the state electrical board, and the state fire suppression administrator do not have jurisdiction over and their rules do not apply to a factory-built structure. The advisory committee on factory-built structures and tiny homes (advisory committee) is required to develop regional building codes standards accounting for local climatic and geographic conditions and fire suppression activities to ensure safety, to apply the most stringent of these requirements for the construction and installation of factory-built structures, and to develop implementation requirements. The advisory committee must submit the recommended codes and implementation requirements to the board. Any future statewide adopted codes contemplated in statute must be vetted through the advisory committee for consideration for adoption by the board. The act requires that plumbing or electrical installations that connect factory-built structures to external utility sources and that are not considered actions to complete the installation of a factory- built structure as required by a registered installer must be completed by a licenced plumber or electrician under a registered plumbing or electrical contractor. The inspection and inspectors of these installations, other than those authorized to be performed by a registered installer, must be performed by licensed plumbing or electrical inspectors. During the 2026 legislative session, the department of local affairs (department) shall present the recommendations of the advisory committee related to the development of regional building codes accounting for local climatic and geographic conditions and fire suppression activities, and improved coordination between the state and local permitting process onsite for the construction and installation of factory-built structures, to the senate local government and housing committee and the house transportation, housing, and local government committee prior to consideration and adoption by the board. The department shall report on the outcomes as part of its 2031 "SMART Act" hearing. On or before July 1, 2026, the board must adopt rules: Establishing regional building code standards from the advisory committee that account for local climatic and geographic conditions, and fire protection and suppression activities for the construction and installation of factory-built structures developed by the advisory committee, which supersede any conflicting ordinance, code, regulation, or other law of a local government unless the local government adopts the rules of the board; Establishing requirements based on the recommendations developed by the advisory committee, including the continued authorization of a local government certified by the division of housing (division) to perform inspections of factory-built structures on behalf of the division and registration, responsibility, and accountability requirements for a manufacturer, installer, seller, or general contractor who develops the installation site or completes the construction of a factory-built structure at the installation site; Covering electrical or plumbing codes required to undertake or complete the construction or installation of a factory-built structure; Allowing the division to contract for third-party review and approval of a final design and construction plan for a factory-built structure on behalf of the division; Allowing the division to create a process for vetting and approving the ability of a third party to review and approve a final design and construction plan for a factory-built structure on behalf of the division; and Requiring the division to cause an audit to be performed on a third party that reviews and approves design and construction plans, on a third party that conducts inspections on its behalf, of contracts of sellers to verify compliance, and to ensure protection of down payments made by purchasers that are retained by the seller of manufacturer. A county or municipality may not: Enact a regulation that excludes factory-built structures from the county or municipality; Impose more restrictive standards on factory-built structures than those that the county or municipality applies to site-built homes in the same residential zones in the county or municipality; or Enact or enforce a regulation, law, or ordinance affecting the installation or construction of a factory-built structure that is more stringent than a regulation, ordinance, or law that applies to other types of construction. A county or municipality may enact: Land use regulations to the extent that the regulations are applicable to existing similar housing or structures or new site-built housing in the county or municipality; A building code provision for unique public safety requirements unless the provision applies to a factory-built structure; and Rules regulating above-grade site-built components of a factory-built structure. Factory-built homes certified by the division prior to the effective date of the regional building code standards adopted by the board are subject to state or local rules concerning unique public safety requirements related to geographic conditions or wildfire risk relating to the construction and installation of the structures existing before the effective date of the regional building code standards. A county or municipality must comply with the requirements established by the division for factory-built structures and by the United States department of housing and urban development for manufactured homes. The act repeals the ability of local governments to adopt different standards for factory-built housing than those adopted by the division only if: The board adopts rules establishing requirements for factory-built housing based on the recommendations of the advisory committee; and The board notifies the revisor of statutes in writing via email of the adoption of the rules. The act changes the composition of the advisory committee from 15 to 19 members. The membership changes include the: Addition of four members from building code enforcement, each representing a local building department from climate zones 4, 5, 6, and 7, instead of 3 members from building code enforcement; Removal of a member with experience in mechanical engineering or contracting; Substitution of a member who is a licensed electrician who may be employed by the department of regulatory agencies for a member from electrical engineering or contracting; Substitution of a member who is a licensed plumber who may be employed by the department of regulatory agencies for a member from the plumbing industry; Removal of a member from the construction design or producer industry; Substitution of 3 members from factory-built structure construction for 2 members from manufactured housing; Subtraction of one of the 2 current members from the tiny home industry; Addition of one member who is a developer specializing in the use of factory-built structures in projects; Addition of one member from climate resiliency; Addition of one member who is a registered installer; Addition of one member who is a registered seller; and Addition of one member who is an individual representing emergency services or management. The state treasurer shall transfer $600,000 on July 1, 2025, from the innovative housing incentive program fund to the building regulation fund. The act excludes the building regulation fund from the limitations on cash fund reserves. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $182,264 from the building regulation fund to the department for use by the division to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

failed · Colorado · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 25-013: Senior Housing Income Tax Credit Extension

Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy. Section 2 of the bill extends a refundable income tax credit (credit) that is available for the income tax years commencing on January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2024, so that the credit is also available for the income tax years commencing on January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026. For each income tax year, the credit is for a qualifying senior, which means a resident individual who: Is 65 years of age or older at the end of the income tax year; Has federal adjusted gross income (AGI) that is less than or equal to $75,000 if filing a single return, or less than or equal to $125,000 if filing a joint return; and Has not claimed the senior property tax exemption for the property tax year that coincides with the income tax year. The amount of the credit for both the 2025 and 2026 income tax years is: $800 for a qualifying senior filing a single return with federal AGI that is $25,000 or less. For every $500 of federal AGI above $25,000, the amount of the credit is reduced by $8. $800 for 2 taxpayers filing a joint return with federal AGI that is $25,000 or less. For every $500 of federal AGI above $25,000, the amount of the credit is reduced by $4. $400 for each taxpayer, in the case of 2 taxpayers who share the same primary residence, and may legally file a joint return but actually file separate returns and both claim the credit. For every $500 of federal AGI above $25,000, the amount of the credit is reduced by $4. Notwithstanding the income-based reductions in the allowable credit amount, a taxpayer who also qualifies for a property tax and rent assistance grant or heat assistance grant during the calendar year 2025 or 2026 is eligible to receive the full amount of the credit. Section 1 requires the property tax administrator to provide reports from counties related to taxpayers who are eligible for and actually claim the homestead property tax exemption.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed both · Colorado · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 25-124: Reducing Costs of Health Care for Patients

The bill requires nonprofit hospitals (hospitals) to use 340B profits to decrease out-of-pocket costs for low-income patients. details prohibited uses of 340B profits for nonprofit hospitals. The bill requires entities covered under the federal 340B drug pricing program that are hospitals licensed by the state to report information related to their participation in the 340B program, their use of 340B program profits, their provision of charity care, their payments to third parties for 340B program-related services and compliance, and their use of contract pharmacies. The bill grants sole community hospitals and critical access hospitals unrestricted access to, and delivery of, 340B drugs. The bill requires the joint budget committee to annually issue a request for information to the department of health care policy and financing and to the department of personnel and administration for information related to the losses and costs to the state medical assistance program that arise from a nonprofit hospital's participation in the 340B drug program. (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 ✓ Healthcare

passed both · Colorado · House May 6, 2025

HJR 25-1028: Designate April 25 Colorado Sportsmen's Day 2025

HJR 25-1028 designates Friday, April 25, 2025, as "Sportsmen's Day" in Colorado. This resolution aims to recognize the contributions of Colorado's sportsmen and women to conservation efforts and the state's economy. It also encourages members of the General Assembly to join the Colorado Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus and urges public and private institutions to work with the caucus.

passed both · Colorado · House May 6, 2025

HJR 25-1027: Designate Commissioner Lew Gaiter III Memorial Highway

House Joint Resolution 25-1027 designates a specific portion of Colorado State Highway 1 in Larimer County, from East County Road 60 to Interstate 25, as the "Commissioner Lew Gaiter III Memorial Highway." It authorizes the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to accept donations for the initial placement of signs and to explore a cooperative agreement with Larimer County for sign maintenance.

passed both · Colorado · House May 6, 2025

HJR 25-1030: Products with Forced Labor Components

House Joint Resolution 25-1030 expresses the State of Colorado's strong opposition to the use of forced labor in the production of goods. The resolution states that Colorado will use its purchasing power to support businesses that ethically source or manufacture products without forced labor. It also encourages state and local economic development offices to attract businesses that avoid these labor practices. This joint resolution aims to influence state and local government purchasing decisions and promote ethical business standards.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed both · Colorado · House May 6, 2025

HJR 25-1026: Designate Representative Hugh McKean Memorial Highway

HJR 25-1026 designates Colorado State Highway 402, from United States Highway 287 to Interstate 25, as the "Rep. Hugh McKean Memorial Highway." It also authorizes the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to accept donations for the initial placement of signs and to explore agreements with Larimer County for sign maintenance.

passed · Colorado · House May 6, 2025

HB 25-1078: Forestry & Firefighter Workforce & Education

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. Section 1 of the bill authorizes the Colorado cooperative extension service (extension) to expand and implement outreach programs and initiatives recommended by the Colorado forest health council for the purpose of increasing awareness of and interest in areas of forestry, wildland fire, and natural resources (forest health) in youth and young adults. The outreach programs and initiatives may be implemented for the 2025-26 state fiscal year through the 2027-28 state fiscal year and may include, in part: The expansion of 4-H programs and curricula in forest health; Partnerships with the forest health industry, local school districts, higher education institutions, conservation districts, the Colorado state forest service, the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety (division), and others to facilitate career and workforce readiness and entry into forest health careers; Outreach and support to youth and young adults relating to 2- and 4-year programs and certificates in forest health; Industry partnerships and scholarships for forest health certifications, such as wildland fire or chain saw certifications; Paid natural resources summer internships focused on forestry for high school students, including the potential to earn high school credit for completing the internship; and Paid internships in forest health careers offered by the extension, with mentoring of young adults by the extension, Colorado state university, the Colorado state forest service, and the division. The bill requires the extension to report annually to the department of natural resources and the house of representatives agriculture, water, and natural resources committee and the senate agriculture and natural resources committee on the implementation and outcomes of the outreach programs and initiatives. Section 2 authorizes the division to use money in the local firefighter safety and disease prevention fund to: Provide need-based grants to fire service governing bodies and volunteer fire departments for the cost of certain firefighter certification courses, course materials, textbooks, instructors, and written testing and to provide fire instructor I or equivalent certification for instructors who want to participate in a train-the-trainer program created by the division; Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a train-the-trainer program to ensure that all instructors providing grant-funded certification classes described in the bill teach a consistent curriculum; and Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a statewide outreach program to promote fire service careers, including marketing materials targeted to youth, an online portal to access career pathways and resources, and marketing materials that include social media. The bill requires the state treasurer to make an interest-free loan of $50 million from the unclaimed property trust fund (UPTF loan) to the department of local affairs (department). The department shall use the UPTF loan to create a zero-interest revolving loan program (loan program) to benefit fire departments. Eligible fire departments include town, city, county, and city and county fire protection organizations, fire protection districts, or other districts that provide fire protection, as well as volunteer fire departments. Eligible uses of loans made to fire departments under the loan program may include: The purchase of rolling stock, such as fire trucks, brush trucks, and fast attack vehicles, and associated apparatus; Capital improvements for existing or new facilities; The purchase of other facilities, infrastructure, or equipment for the state's firefighter workforce to respond to emergencies and ensure public safety; and Temporary bridge loans to cover unusual costs in response to emergencies. Prior to making loans to fire departments, the department shall consult with statewide associations representing fire chiefs and firefighters and the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety. The department may charge an administrative fee of up to one-half of one percent on the principal amount of the loans made to fire departments and may use earnings from the investment of the UPTF loan to administer the loan program. The bill creates a fund in the state treasury for use by the department for the UPTF loan and requires the department to pay the UPTF loan back to the UPTF not later than July 1, 2065. In addition, the bill creates the firefighter first homeownership program (homeownership program) and, if implemented, authorizes the state treasurer to invest money from the UPTF in the homeownership program. If implemented, the Colorado housing and finance authority or another entity selected by the state treasurer will serve as the program manager. The state treasurer shall purchase from the program manager mortgage products in tranches of reasonable amounts. The program manager shall establish guidelines and underwriting criteria that: Prioritize first-time homebuyers who use the home as a primary residence; Provide shared equity down payment assistance to firefighters; Allow appreciation-sharing benefits between the homeownership program and homeowner; If the program manager is the Colorado housing and finance authority, pair a borrower with a mortgage loan provided through the program manager's network of lenders that bears an interest rate at or below market rate; and Serve homebuyers across diverse geographic areas and housing markets. The program manager is entitled to normal and customary fees for managing the homeownership program and other costs related to the homeownership program, and shall annually report to the state treasurer concerning the homeownership program. (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

passed · Colorado · House May 6, 2025

HB 25-1302: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprises

The bill creates 2 enterprises in the division of insurance (division) in the department of regulatory agencies. The bill creates the strengthen Colorado homes enterprise (strengthen homes enterprise), which is a state-owned business that imposes and collects a fee from insurance companies (insurers), including the FAIR plan association, that offer on policyholders of homeowner's insurance policies issued by insurance companies (insurers) and the fair access to insurance requirements (FAIR) plan association in the admitted market covering property located in or risks in Colorado. which The fee is collected on a per-policy basis and is equal to 1.5% of one-half percent on the dollar amount percentage of the total premiums that the insurer collects in the immediately preceding calendar year from homeowners for issuing homeowner's insurance policies ( insurer fee); except that an insurer shall not collect the fee on policyholders that have resilient roof systems. With the insurer fee revenue, the strengthen homes enterprise board administers a grant program (grant program) to strengthen homes against the risk of future damage claims caused by high winds, wildfire, hail, and other extreme weather events (extreme weather events) by allowing a homeowner to use grant money to upgrade their roof system with certain resilient roof materials. By paying the insurer fee to support the grant program to retrofit homes with resilient roofs, policyholders may defray the cost of retrofitting their property to resist losses due to common perils, including windstorms, wildfire, and other extreme weather events, and insurers reduce their overall risk in the market due to hail and other extreme weather events, in order to promote insurance market stability throughout the state. The bill also creates the wildfire catastrophe reinsurance enterprise (reinsurance enterprise), which is a state-owned business implementing and administering the wildfire catastrophe reinsurance program (reinsurance program). The reinsurance program makes reinsurance payments to insurers that offer homeowner's insurance on properties located in the state to partially mitigate losses in the event of a state or federally declared wildfire-related disaster (wildfire-related disaster). The purpose of the reinsurance program is to stabilize the homeowner's insurance market in the state and to attract and retain homeowner's insurers. In exchange for access to the reinsurance program, the reinsurance program requires insurers to sell homeowner's insurance in areas of the state that are at high risk for wildfires. To pay for the reinsurance program, the reinsurance enterprise: Issues revenue bonds secured by the reinsurance enterprise; Issues a catastrophe bond to a person that purchases the bond but pays the principal to cover costs of a wildfire-related disaster if it occurs; May impose and collect an insurer fee on insurers to cover a shortfall if a wildfire-related disaster does not occur during the bond term and the reinsurance enterprise has insufficient money to redeem the bonds at maturity; and Beginning in the 2026 calendar year, impose and collect a fee on a per-policy basis on each policyholder of a homeowner's insurance policy issued in the admitted market covering property in or risks in the state. The amount of the fee is equal to one-half percent on the percentage of total premiums collected by each insurer in the immediately preceding calendar year. Invests the revenue from the revenue bonds and insurer fees. In addition, the bill sets the loss ratio for homeowner's insurance by presuming that the rates charged to purchasers are excessive if the insurer's loss ratio is less than 75% over a 3-year period and, if rates are in excess of the loss ratio, requires insurers in the admitted market participating in the reinsurance program to submit rates that are at least 5% less than the previous year one set of rates taking into consideration the reinsurance program and one set without. In addition to offering a replacement-cost policy in accordance with current law, an insurer may offer a replacement-cost policy that has a reasonable coverage limit or percentage cap for additional living expenses if the insurer provides a premium decrease for the coverage limit or replacement cap that is approved by the division. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the bill appropriates $7,410,037 to the department of regulatory agencies from the strengthen homes enterprise and also appropriates money to the department of law for legal services to implement the reinsurance program. (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 ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Colorado · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 25-322: Management of Consumer Protection Claims Critical Infrastructure

The bill establishes an exemption from Colorado's "Consumer Repair Bill of Rights Act" (Act) for information technology equipment if the equipment meets certain criteria, such as whether: The equipment qualifies as critical infrastructure, as defined by federal law; The equipment is sold in a retail setting or only through business-to-business or business-to-government transactions; and Dissemination of the parts, documentation, embedded software, firmware, or tools required for the equipment would pose a security risk. The attorney general may adopt rules for manufacturers of information technology equipment to submit requests for an exemption from the Act. The bill clarifies the attorney general's responsibility regarding discovery requests during the litigation on behalf of the state of Colorado or on behalf of the people of the state of Colorado of claims brought by the attorney general . (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

in committee · Colorado · House May 6, 2025

HB 25-1297: Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise Update

Beginning in 2026, the bill authorizes an increase to the health insurance affordability fee assessed and collected from insurance carriers (carriers) by up to one percentage point to implement and administer the health insurance affordability enterprise (HIAE). The bill includes objectives for the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) to consider in determining whether to increase the HIAE fee, including, in part, maintaining HIAE programs to achieve a premium reduction in the reinsurance program and to provide subsidies for individuals with low income who purchase insurance on the Colorado health benefit exchange. The commissioner shall notify carriers of the amount of the HIAE fee for the upcoming calendar year. The bill changes the allocation of the HIAE fee assessed for 2026, dedicating up to 40% each to state-subsidized individual health coverage plans purchased by qualified individuals and to the reinsurance program cash fund, with the remaining revenue allocated for other purposes specified in the bill, including new and emerging health insurance affordability initiatives. The bill authorizes the enterprise to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for the purposes of the HIAE. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Bill results