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.)
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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.)
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.)
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.)
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.
Maddy summaryHouse 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.
Maddy summaryHJR 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.
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.)