Rep. Junie Joseph

The bill prohibits an employer from:Subjecting an employee to an adverse employment action in response to the employee's disclosure of, or communication about, the employee's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression or to the employee's status as a transgender, nonbinary, or transitioning individual; orRetaliating against an employee who supports, assists, or advocates for a coworker, student, or client in exercising their right to nondiscrimination, including by referring to an individual by their chosen names, pronouns, or personal titles.The bill allows an employee to determine the names, pronouns, and personal titles that are used to refer to the employee in the workplace, and the bill requires an employer, upon notification by an employee, to update all internal and public-facing records to reflect the employee's chosen name. If an employee chooses a name other than the employee's legal name, an employer must use the employee's legal name only where such use is required by law.The bill prohibits an employer from having a workplace dress code that imposes different requirements on the basis of an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. An employer must allow each employee access to a restroom and changing facility that corresponds with the employee's gender identity.An employer operating a public building must ensure that the building includes at least one restroom that is compliant with the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990" and accessible to all individuals, regardless of the individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. An employer must provide private, nonbathroom spaces for nursing or pumping, which spaces are available to all parents regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.An employer must ensure equal access to certain employment benefits without regard to an employee's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.The bill requires every public employer to provide a voluntary, employee-initiated process for the development and implementation of a written transition plan for a transgender or transitioning employee. Upon request by an employee, a public employer shall promptly engage in good faith discussions with the employee, and, if applicable, the employee's designated union representative, to develop a transition plan. A transition plan may include consideration of:Internal and external communications regarding the employee's transition;Scheduling and approval of any absences related to the transition process;Procedures for updating and using the employee's chosen names, pronouns, and personal titles in employment contexts; andTraining or educational opportunities for coworkers, students, or other stakeholders to promote understanding of the experiences in the workplace of transgender individuals and individuals who are transitioning.An employee of a private employer may request to collaborate with their employer to develop and implement a transition plan.The bill requires an employer to permit an employee to use the employee's available sick or personal leave time for the purpose of changing the employee's legal name or obtaining gender-affirming medical care, including recovery time.The bill requires a public employer to provide annual training to all employees regarding inclusive workplaces and support for LGBTQ+ employees. The department of labor and employment (department), in consultation with labor unions and LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, must develop and make available training materials for this purpose.The department may receive and investigate complaints alleging violations, issue findings and orders to provide relief, and refer cases involving egregious or willful violations to the Colorado civil rights division or to the attorney general. The types of relief that the department may order include a fine in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each violation.The department is required to adopt rules to implement and enforce the bill.The bill takes effect June 1, 2028.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

In current law concerning contracts with health-care providers, an entity wishing to make a material change to such a contract must provide written notice of the change to the health-care provider (provider) at least 90 days before the effective date of the change. The bill adds language requiring a person to give such written notice two separate times by standard electronic means and, if the provider has not affirmatively responded, a third time by registered mail and by email or personal service to the health-care provider or administrator who signed the contract. and The bill adds a reference to this language in the area of the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning health-care insurance carriers.(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.)

The bill states that the Colorado prescription drug affordability review board has no authority to perform an affordability review of, or to establish an upper payment limit for, a prescription drug that is:Designated as a drug for a rare disease or condition by the food and drug administration (FDA) of the federal department of health and human services; orA licensed biological product that is derived from human whole blood or plasma as indicated on product labeling approved by the FDA.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Under current law, a special district is required to conform to its approved service plan and must petition the governing body of the county or municipality that approved the formation of the special district for approval of any material modifications of its approved service plan. Material modifications include a change in services provided by the special district, a decrease in the financial ability of the district to discharge existing or proposed indebtedness, and a decrease in the existing or projected need for organized service in the district's service area. The court that approved the organization of the special district may enjoin any material departure from the district's service plan as originally approved or from the district's service plan as modified.     In the case of a health service district, a change in service by the district is not a material modification to or departure from the district's approved service plan, unless the change affects the license or certificate of compliance issued to the district by the department of public health and environment. The bill expands this provision to provide that the addition or termination of affordable housing services to a health service district's service plan is not a material modification to or departure from the district's approved service plan so long as a majority of the board of directors of the district affirmatively votes to approve the addition or termination of affordable housing services and any affordable housing services are carried out in coordination with local public housing entities . With this change, a health service district is able to provide affordable housing services, which are defined as the planning, financing, acquisition, construction, reconstruction or repair, maintenance, management, and operation of affordable housing-related projects or programs rehabilitation of affordable housing, or the provision of related supportive services , without needing to seek approval for a material modification to or departure from the district's approved service plan.     The bill also makes conforming amendments.(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.)

Currently, in a county with a population of 70,000 or more (covered county) , the board of county commissioners (board) may consist of 3 or 5 commissioners. If the board consists of 3 commissioners, the county is divided into 3 districts, with one commissioner elected from each district by voters in the district or voters of the whole county. Alternatively, the board may consist of 5 commissioners, in which case the county may be divided into 3 or 5 districts, and the commissioners may be elected pursuant to numerous methods, including by district, at large, or by some combination of both methods.     The bill eliminates modifies this discretionary system and instead requires any county with a population of 70,000 or more ( so that if a covered county ) to elect has 3 commissioners, the commissioners must be elected by district only by voters resident in those districts. If a covered county has 5 commissioners , the commissioners must be elected by one of the following 2 alternative methods of election :5 commissioners resident in 5 districts elected only by voters resident in those districts (by-district method) ; or 5 3 commissioners elected by district only by voters in those districts and 2 commissioners elected at large using a ranked voting method by voters of the whole county (combination method) .      The board of a covered county that has 3 commissioners must refer a resolution to the electors of the county at the general election during each decennial census year to ask the electors whether they would like to increase the board to 5 commissioners and, if so, which of the two alternative methods of election they prefer for electing those 5 commissioners.      The board of a covered county that has 5 commissioners is required to adopt a resolution designating the 2 alternative methods of electing the 5 county commissioners no later than its first regularly scheduled meeting in the calendar year 2027 . or its first regularly scheduled meeting in the month following becoming a covered county. The board is required to refer the resolution to the electors of the county at the first general election following its adoption for those electors to select their preferred method of electing the 5 commissioners. A covered county that has a board consisting of 5 commissioners and that already elects its commissioners according to one of the 2 alternative methods using either the by-district method or the combination method of election is not required to pass a resolution. With a petition signed by at least 5% of the qualified electors of the county, the electors of a covered county that has a board consisting of 5 commissioners may also place on the ballot at a general election the question of whether to change the method of electing members of the board from one of the 2 alternative methods of election to the other.     A home rule county that elects more than half of its county commissioners by district or using a ranked voting method is exempt from the requirements of the bill.     The bill also makes conforming amendments.(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.)

Maddy summarySJM 1 is a joint memorial resolution honoring Senator Faith Winter, who died in November 2025. It recognizes her career as a Colorado legislator representing Adams, Broomfield, and Weld Counties, her work on environmental justice, women's leadership initiatives, and legislative achievements like the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. The resolution expresses the legislature's condolences to her family and commemorates her legacy of advocacy for climate action, healthcare access, and community-centered policies. This procedural resolution does not create new laws or affect any policies.

The act requires that an applicant for a teacher license disclose misdemeanor convictions that occurred in the last 7 years, except traffic misdemeanors, unless:The misdemeanor was committed against an at-risk person or a child; or The department of education has specified that the misdemeanor is grounds for denial, annulment, suspension, or revocation of a license, certificate, endorsement, or authorization.     The act requires that an applicant for a teacher license disclose any misdemeanor conviction in the 2 above categories, regardless of the date of conviction.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act allows the state department of education (CDE) to issue a professional teacher license to a teacher with at least 3 years of successful teaching experience in another state or country for which CDE has granted reciprocity. The act eliminates the requirement that an applicant have the successful teaching experience within the previous 7 years.     The act creates a temporary licensing process for teachers from states that participate in the 'Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact' (Compact). The process requires that CDE:Issue an initial teacher license within 30 days of receiving a complete teacher license application from a person licensed by a Compact state when the applicant passes a criminal history record check and holds an unencumbered eligible license issued by a Compact state that is equivalent to an eligible license in Colorado; and Publish an annual table showing how out-of-state licenses correspond to Colorado endorsement areas.     The act repeals the temporary licensing process when CDE begins issuing licenses pursuant to the Compact.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act implements the recommendation of the department of regulatory agencies in its 2025 sunset review and report to sunset the kidney disease prevention and education task force.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law prohibits a landlord from requiring a tenant to submit a security deposit in an amount that exceeds 2 monthly rent payments. The act creates an exception to this prohibition for cases in which a buyer and a seller of residential real property have executed a post-closing occupancy agreement in connection with the sale. The exception takes effect January 1, 2027.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)