Section 1 of the act defines a "major political party vacancy election", which is an election that is conducted as part of an odd-year coordinated election to fill a vacancy in the general assembly. Section 2 requires that a vacancy committee that is selected by a state senatorial central committee or state representative central committee consist of, in addition to the members of the state senatorial or state representative central committee, any county commissioners who are members of the political party and reside within the state senatorial or state representative district. Section 2 also provides that if a vacancy in the office of precinct committee person is filled, the new appointee shall not participate in the vacancy committee process to fill a vacancy in the general assembly until, at the earliest, 91 days after appointment. For a major political party vacancy election that is part of an odd-year coordinated election for which the state has not otherwise certified any statewide ballot content, section 3 requires the state to reimburse each county in which the state has certified a major political party vacancy election for 45% of the costs that the county incurs in conducting the coordinated election. Section 4 modifies the way that vacancies in the general assembly are filled when the vacating member is affiliated with a major political party by requiring that, if the vacancy occurs on or after July 31 of an even-numbered year and before July 31 of an odd-numbered year, the vacancy must be filled by vacancy committee selection until the next odd-numbered year coordinated election, when the vacancy must be filled at the odd-year November election (major political party vacancy election); except that, if the vacant seat is scheduled to be on the ballot at the next general election in an even-numbered year and the vacancy occurs on or after July 31 of that even-numbered year but before 90 days remain in the vacant term, the remainder of the vacant term must be filled by a vacancy committee. The candidate elected in the major political party vacancy election serves until the next general election, when the vacancy must be filled by election. If a vacancy in the general assembly occurs on or after July 31of an odd-numbered year and before July 31 of an even-numbered year and the vacating member is affiliated with a major political party, no major political party vacancy election is held and the vacancy is filled by a vacancy committee. The only candidates who may run in a major political party vacancy election are candidates who are members of the same political party and residents of the same representative or senatorial district represented by the former member of the general assembly whose seat is vacant. The only voters who may vote in the major political party vacancy election are voters who are unaffiliated or are members of the same political party as the former member of the general assembly whose seat is vacant and who reside in the same representative or senatorial district represented by the former member of the general assembly whose seat is vacant. A candidate must be placed on the ballot for a major political party vacancy election only if the candidate: Files with the secretary of state and the candidate's major political party before 5 p.m. on the seventieth day preceding the major political party vacancy election, a nominating statement signed by 30% of the district vacancy committee members; or Submits to the secretary of state, no later than 30 days after their petition format has been approved or 85 days prior to the major political party vacancy election, whichever is sooner, a notarized candidate's statement of intent and a petition signed by at least 200 electors who are affiliated with the same major political party as the candidate and are eligible to vote in the district for which the candidate is to be elected. If a vacancy committee member signs a nominating statement after having signed another nominating statement filed for the same office in the same major political party election, the vacancy committee member's signature only counts toward the 30% of applicable vacancy committee member signatures required on the first nominating statement submitted that contains the signature. If an eligible elector signs a petition after having signed another petition submitted for the same office in the same major political party election, the elector's signature only counts toward the 200 elector signatures required on the first petition submitted that contains the signature. Section 4 also provides that a major political party may choose to continue to fill a vacancy in the general assembly by vacancy committee rather than by a major political party vacancy election if at least 75% of the total voting membership of the party's state central committee affirmatively votes to do so, and requires vacancy committee meetings to fill vacancies in the general assembly to be accessible in real time by live streaming video or audio that is recorded and accessible to the public. Section 5 defines a vacancy contender for the purpose of campaign finance regulations as any person who seeks to be selected by a vacancy committee to fill a vacancy in the general assembly (vacancy contender) and adds vacancy contenders and candidates running in major political party vacancy elections to the definition of candidate for the purpose of campaign finance regulations. Section 6 establishes contribution limits for a candidate committee established in the name of a candidate who is a vacancy contender and a candidate who is running for a major political party vacancy election. Section 7 requires disclosures for contributions related to vacancy contenders and candidates running for a major political party vacancy election. Disclosures for vacancy contenders must be filed on the Monday of each week during the election cycle for the vacancy committee selection process. Disclosures for candidates running for a major political party vacancy election must be filed on the first day of each month beginning the sixth full month before the major political party vacancy election; on the first Monday in September and on each Monday every 2 weeks thereafter before the major political party vacancy election; and 35 days after the major political party vacancy election. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Sponsored bills
The act creates the Colorado Voting Rights Act (state voting rights act) and modifies certain election-related statutes in the following areas: Tribal voting; Ensuring voter access to methods of selecting candidates for the general election; Restrictions on electioneering and election-related activity near voting locations; Election and voting notices in facilities serving individuals with disabilities; Recounts; Election-related language access; and Election-related data collection. Creation of the state voting rights act. The act creates the state voting rights act, which prohibits political subdivisions from: Engaging in voter suppression by taking any action that results in, will result in, or is intended to result in a material disparity between electors who are members of a protected race, color, or language minority group or other minority reporting group (protected class members) and other eligible electors in regard to voter participation, access to voting opportunities, or the opportunity or ability to participate in the political process; Engaging in voter dilution by enacting or employing any method of election that has the effect of, or is motivated in part by the intention of, disparately impairing the opportunity or ability of protected class members to elect the candidates of their choice or otherwise influence the outcome of elections as a result of diluting the vote of protected class members ; Implementing, imposing, or enforcing a voting qualification or another prerequisite to voting based on an individual's actual or perceived gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation; or Implementing, imposing, or enforcing an additional voting qualification or another prerequisite to voting based on an individual's confinement to a local jail, other than those eligibility qualifications that already exist. An aggrieved individual or organization (aggrieved person) may file a civil suit alleging voter suppression; voter dilution; an unlawful voting prerequisite based on gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation; or an unlawful voting prerequisite based on confinement to a local jail. The attorney general may investigate potential violations of the act and may file suit to enforce the act or may intervene in an aggrieved individual's or organization's civil suit. Except under specific circumstances, before filing suit, an aggrieved person or the attorney general must send a notification letter describing the alleged violation of the act to the political subdivision. The political subdivision is given 60 or 180 days to adopt a resolution providing for a solution to the alleged violation. Tribal voting. The act clarifies that an identification card, which need not contain a photograph, that is issued by the federal bureau of Indian affairs, Indian health service, or any other federal agency that issues identification certifying tribal membership and that includes an address in Colorado constitutes a valid identification for registration purposes and, upon request of a tribal council, requires a county to establish a drop box, rather than a drop-off location as was previously the case, within the boundaries of a federal reservation. Ensuring voter access to methods of selecting candidates for a general election. The act requires each major political party to ensure that any future alternative process by which a party may select candidates for a general election allows voters not able to attend in person to participate to the same extent as those voting in person, including requiring a process for individuals to vote that does not require in-person voting. Restrictions on electioneering and election-related activity near voting locations. The act clarifies that the restrictions on electioneering and election-related activity conducted within 100 feet of a polling location or drop-off location also apply to drop boxes. Election and voting notices in facilities serving individuals with disabilities. The act imposes a requirement on specified care facilities that provide services primarily to individuals with disabilities to publicly display, in each building in which they serve clients, notices related to voting during the 30 days preceding a general or coordinated election. Recounts. Before a recount, a canvass board has been required to test at least one ballot scanner with a group of 10 test ballots marked by at least 2 canvass board members of different party affiliations. The act changes this process so that each canvass board member, other than the clerk, must separately mark their own group of 10 test ballots. The act also clarifies the duties of a canvass board and a county clerk and recorder in conducting a recount. Election-related language access. The act expands existing requirements for the creation of multilingual ballots from only applying to qualifying counties to also applying to qualifying municipalities. The county clerk and recorder for a county that meets certain requirements for the population or percentage of the voting-age population within the relevant jurisdiction who are minority language speakers and who speak English less than very well has been required to provide multilingual ballots. The act requires a municipal clerk to provide multilingual ballot access if the municipality has a population of at least 3,000 and the municipality exists partially or wholly within a county covered by the existing multilingual ballot requirements. Election-related data collection. The act requires the secretary of state to collect, maintain, and make publicly available data related to elections, including demographics, election results, and voting information. After each election, political subdivisions are required to submit election-related information to the secretary of state. The department of local affairs is also required to annually provide certain demographic information to the secretary of state. The act also changes current law from allowing a custodian of records to deny the right of inspection of certain records and information maintained by the department of revenue to requiring the denial of such inspection. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, $75,432 is appropriated from the department of state cash fund to the department of state for use by the elections division for implementation of the act. The act applies to elections and election-related activities occurring on or after January 1, 2026. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires a form issued by the state or a local government that requests that the individual completing the form disclose the individual's race or ethnicity to include, in addition to spaces for any other racial or ethnic categories required by the federal office of management and budget, a space to indicate if the individual's race or ethnicity is Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian. The state and local governments are exempt from the act's requirements if: The demographic data collected in the form is reported by the state or a local government to the federal government; and The federal government rejects or will reject the demographic data reported by the state or a local government because it includes Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian as a primary demographic category. When exercising the exemption, the state and local governments shall include Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian as a demographic subcategory of the nonspecific racial category on the form. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law mandates insurance coverage of certain preventive health-care services (preventive services) in accordance with the recommendations of the United States preventive services task force, recommendations established by the advisory committee on immunization practices, or preventive care or screening as provided in the comprehensive guidelines supported by the health resources and services administration in the United States department of health and human services (authorities). The act requires that, in the event that any of these authorities is repealed, modified, or otherwise no longer in effect, the commissioner of insurance may adopt rules that require compliance with the recommendations and comprehensive guidelines regarding the coverage of those preventive services as the recommendations and guidelines existed in January 2025 or that comply with the recommendations of the nurse-physician advisory task force for Colorado health care (NPATCH). The act also tasks the NPATCH with making recommendations regarding updates or modifications to the current list of covered preventive health-care services. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The"Freedom From Intimidation In Elections Act" is created and prohibits any individual from intimidating, threatening, or coercing or attempting to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any individual for: Voting or attempting to vote; Urging or aiding any individual to vote or attempt to vote; Exercising any powers or duties to administer elections, including vote counting, canvassing, and election certification; or The individual's status as a past or present participant in the administration of elections. The act specifies that an individual who carries a visible firearm, imitation firearm, or toy firearm while interacting with or observing any of the specified election-related activities is presumed, in the absence of any affirmative showing to the contrary by a preponderance of the evidence, to have engaged in intimidation prohibited by the act; except that the presumption does not apply to a law enforcement officer or a uniformed security guard acting within the scope of their authority, and mere possession of a holstered firearm by such an officer or guard while interacting with or observing any of the specified election-related activities does not violate the Act. An aggrieved individual, an election official, a designated election official, the secretary of state, or the attorney general may enforce the provisions of the act. A suit brought by an election official, a designated election official, the secretary of state, or the attorney general does not preclude a contemporaneous private suit by an aggrieved individual to enforce the provisions of the act. In a suit to enforce the provisions of the act, a court may grant relief enjoining the use or carrying of firearms by a defendant beyond the existing prohibitions on using or carrying firearms in or near polling locations drop boxes and in or on the property of ceratin types of government buildings. To prevail in a suit to enforce the provisions of the act, a plaintiff is not required to prove that a defendant intended to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any individual, except to prove an attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, but a court may consider evidence of intent in determining the appropriate relief. (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.)
Maddy summaryHJR 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.
Maddy summaryHouse 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.