The bill creates the data center development and incentive program (program) operated by the Colorado data center development authority (authority), which is newly created in the Colorado office of economic development (office) ( section 1 of the bill). The authority consists of 9 members, as follows:2 members appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate;The director of the Colorado energy office or the director's designee;One member who has experience in water projects or water resource management, appointed by the president of the senate;One member who has experience in clean and renewable energy, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;2 members who have experience in data center development, with one member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one member appointed by the president of the senate;One member representing a statewide organization that represents workers in trade crafts who construct data centers, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; andOne member representing a statewide organization that represents contractors who construct data centers, appointed by the president of the senate.To incentivize efficient data center development, the program allows a 100% state sales and use tax exemption on qualified purchases to the operator of a certified data center. To be eligible for certification, the operator of the data center, or a data center operator collectively with participating data center tenants, must:Have initiated a preliminary consultation with the utility that will provide electricity for the data center project regarding interconnection feasibility, capacity, and infrastructure requirements;Commit to making a $250 million minimum investment in data center infrastructure within 5 years;Commit to creating new full-time jobs, including employees and long-term service and maintenance positions, that satisfy specified criteria and breaking ground on the data center project within 2 years of obtaining certification;Commit to complying, and ensure that the utility that provides electricity to the data center also complies, with craft labor requirements, apprenticeship utilization requirements, and prevailing wage requirements; andCommit to obtaining certification under one of several energy efficiency standards, implementing water stewardship strategies that optimize operational water management, ensuring that all backup power generation associated with the data center project meets specified requirements, and consulting with the department of natural resources.To obtain certification, a data center operator must apply to the authority in a form and manner to be determined by the authority. The authority is required to review a data center operator's application for certification and may award certification to a data center operator that has demonstrated that it will satisfy the certification criteria ( section 1 ).A data center operator that obtains certification for a data center project is eligible for a 100% state sales and use tax exemption on the purchase and use of qualified data center infrastructure and systems for 20 years from the date that the data center project was certified, so long as the data center satisfies ongoing post-certification requirements and submits annual compliance reports to the authority. As long as the data center meets post-certification requirements as demonstrated in the annual compliance reports, a data center operator of a certified data center may apply to the authority for an extension of the sales and use tax exemption for an additional 10 years. If the authority determines that a data center operator is not fulfilling its obligations and commitments to retain certification, the authority may revoke the certification and the data center operator is required to repay the state for the sales and use tax benefits that it received ( sections 1 and 5 ). The exemption for a certified data center does not apply to local sales and use taxes unless the exemption is expressly included at the time of adoption or amendment of the local sales tax ordinance or resolution ( section 4 ).The bill allows a utility regulated by the public utilities commission (commission) to submit a targeted resource acquisition application to the commission to propose methods of meeting emerging large-load customer needs. The bill also specifies how a utility may finance resource and infrastructure needs in connection with emerging large-load customers ( section 3 ).(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
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The act makes changes and clarifications in the provisions related to the department of early childhood (department). The act:Eliminates the scheduled repeal of licensing exemptions for certain in-home child care arrangements in which the children are related to the caregiver, are siblings, or number fewer than five;Updates provisions related to early care and education provider reimbursement for services performed before final eligibility determinations in the Colorado child care assistance program;Lowers the age limit for children served by the early childhood mental health consultation program from 8 years old to 6 years old and adjusts that program's reporting requirements;Clarifies the sources of money appropriated to the universal preschool program;Requires the department to keep confidential identifying records and facts regarding children and their relatives;Clarifies that child care facilities approved, certified, or licensed by tribal governments are exempt from the department's licensing rules; andAdjusts the membership requirements and duties of the early childhood leadership commission and subcommittee membership requirements for the rules advisory council.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires measures to improve equity in maternal health, including:Requiring the Colorado medical board to consider, as part of its stakeholder process for continuing medical education, a requirement that a physician complete continuing medical education on cultural competence and equity in maternal care;Requiring the state board of nursing rules relating to continuing education to include rules relating to health-care provider attention to cultural competence and equity in providing health-care services;Authorizing the department of public health and environment (CDPHE), subject to available appropriations, to provide a health survey to additional birthing parents, beyond those currently surveyed, and to compile the data if surveyed;Requiring a health facility that provides labor and childbirth services to make available to a birthing parent and a birthing parent's companion, electronically or in writing, a statement on respectful labor and childbirth regarding rights and components, including freedom from harm, privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, and allowing a birthing parent to have a birthing companion present at the birth, and to make available information, including telephone contact information, for the appropriate state or federal agency to receive a complaint alleging discrimination in labor and childbirth services;Subject to available federal grant funding for the maternal health task force (task force) established by CDPHE, ensuring that the maternal health task force includes at least one advocate representing populations with the worst maternal mortality outcomes in the state; andBeginning October 1, 2026, with respect to CDPHE's Colorado maternal mortality review committee, changing the reporting to the general assembly every 3 years concerning maternal health outcomes and equity from July to October and requiring the reporting of certain maternal health outcomes for populations known to have the worst maternal mortality outcomes in the state.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law defines illicit massage businesses as businesses that engage in massage but also engage in human-trafficking-related offenses. The act expands the definition of 'illicit massage business' to include a massage business that engages in crimes other than human-trafficking-related offenses. Current law states that if a local government adopts a resolution or ordinance to establish business licensure requirements or to prohibit unlawful activities relating to illicit massage businesses, the resolution or ordinance must not be more restrictive than the requirements set forth in state law. The act removes this limitation. The act clarifies that a local government may adopt a resolution or ordinance for the purposes of deterring illicit massage businesses; preventing human trafficking; protecting legitimate massage therapy businesses; and safeguarding public health, safety, and welfare. The act also allows a local government to impose local licensing requirements in addition to those requirements prescribed in state law. Current law allows a local government to impose an administrative fee not to exceed $150 for issuing or renewing a license. The act removes the $150 cap on such fees. If a local government imposes an administrative fee, the amount of the fee must be reasonably related to the costs of the local government in administering the resolution or ordinance and the licensing of massage facilities. The fee must not exceed $500 unless necessary to cover the local government's costs of administering the resolution or ordinance and licensing the massage facilities in its jurisdiction. The fee may be adjusted yearly for inflation or deflation. Current law exempts businesses that held licenses before August 10, 2022, from the administrative fees. The act removes this exemption. The act allows a local government to establish additional grounds to deny, revoke, or suspend a license. The act provides that, if a local government establishes business licensure requirements for massage facilities, the resolution or ordinance adopted by the local government must prohibit ownership of massage facilities by the types of persons that are prohibited from ownership in current law. Current law states that preventing the operation of illicit massage businesses is a matter of statewide concern, and licensing and regulation of massage facilities is a matter of mixed statewide and local concern. The act states that preventing the operation of illicit massage businesses is a matter of mixed statewide and local concern. The act requires a local government that adopts a resolution or ordinance related to the local regulation of massage facilities on or after August 13, 2026, to consider the impacts of the resolution or ordinance on legitimate massage therapy businesses and conduct outreach to massage therapists and massage therapy businesses in the local government's jurisdiction and statewide organizations of massage therapists.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act repeals the requirement for coroners, or other officials performing like functions, to report to the department of transportation (department) deaths resulting from traffic accidents on a monthly basis. The act requires coroners, or other officials performing like functions, to report all available toxicology results to the department for each deceased party who has died as a result of a motor vehicle crash. The report must be submitted by the final business day of each quarter of the calendar year. If a participant in a crash dies within 30 days as a result of a crash, the act requires the law enforcement officer who was notified of, or investigated, the crash to submit an amended report to the department within five days after receiving a notification of the death.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes that Colorado lawmakers consider adding guaranteed lifetime income options to the state public employees' retirement defined contribution plan and voluntary savings plans. The measure aims to ensure public employees have access to a reliable income stream in retirement, similar to what is already available in the state's traditional defined benefit plan. By allowing workers to choose options that provide lifetime payouts, the bill seeks to improve retirement security and financial confidence for over 226,000 active public employees. The resolution encourages the General Assembly to study how these new options could help workers retire with dignity while maintaining the portability of their savings.
The act requires the state board of veterinary medicine (board) to review and update the existing process by which an individual who has a license to practice veterinary medicine in another state may be licensed by endorsement to practice veterinary medicine in Colorado. The board shall adopt rules with the intent to expedite the licensure by endorsement process, including eliminating duplicative requirements and streamlining the pathway to licensure. The act clarifies that a veterinarian who administers, dispenses, distributes, or prescribes medicine to a patient in an emergency situation is not acting as a pharmacist or conducting the practice of pharmacy, and, as such, is not subject to discipline by the state board of pharmacy. The act relocates certain provisions specific to the practice of veterinary medicine from regulation by the state board of pharmacy to regulation under Colorado's veterinary practice act. Under current law, the board must approve a credentialing organization for the purpose of credentialing veterinary technicians, which credentialing organization must require the completion of an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited program for veterinary technicians. The act updates the requirement to require the completion of an accredited program for veterinary technicians offered by other associations. The act also establishes a veterinary prescription drug donation program. An owner of an animal may donate unused veterinary drugs that have been prescribed to the owner to a licensed veterinarian or an animal shelter. A licensed veterinarian may use any drugs accepted through donation if the veterinarian and drugs meet certain conditions.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, a pet store in Colorado is permitted to sell or offer for sale dogs or cats if the pet store abides by certain requirements. The act removes the existing permission so that, beginning January 1, 2028, a pet store is no longer permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. Nothing prohibits a pet store from providing space for the display of dogs or cats available for adoption if the pet store does not collect a fee from the display and if certain requirements are met. The act defines 'broker' as a person that, for profit, sells, leases, offers to sell or lease, barters, auctions, or otherwise transfers ownership of, in person or online, a pet animal bred by another person. A broker does not include a person that transfers no more than 3 single pet animals per each calendar year if the person transfers each single pet animal no more than once. The act states that a broker is not permitted to sell, lease, offer to sell or lease, barter, auction, or otherwise transfer ownership of a dog or cat. The act clarifies that the following are still permitted:The sale, transfer, or adoption of an animal, including a law enforcement animal, to a governmental agency;The sale, transfer, or adoption of a guide, signal, or service dog;The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by an animal shelter or pet animal rescue;The sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog bred or trained for lawful hunting to or by an individual who possesses a current hunting license;The sale or transfer of a dog or cat by the original breeder of the dog or cat; andThe sale, transfer, or adoption of a dog or cat by a health-related research facility.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The 'Traveling Animal Protection Act' permits the use of certain animals as part of an environmental education program if certain requirements are met. The act clarifies that an environmental education program is a program that is conducted by a professional who is qualified to impart environmental education information. The act defines 'professional' as an individual or an organization that has obtained at least one specific professional accreditation or certification.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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.)