Rep. Eliza Hamrick

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.)

If a mental health provider, substance use disorder provider, or psychiatric nurse (provider) has not submitted a claim for a period of at least 12 months, the act requires a commercial insurance carrier (carrier) to contact the provider to confirm the provider's participation in the carrier's provider network and to determine whether the provider is accepting new patients.     The act includes mental health providers, substance use disorder providers, and psychiatric nurses as providers who may participate in a carrier's provider network.     The act requires carriers to admit prelicensed providers into the carrier's network and to reimburse prelicensed providers for services rendered when provided under the supervision of a mental health provider, substance use disorder provider, or psychiatric nurse.     The act requires a clinical social worker to complete 3,000 hours of practice prior to licensure.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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.)

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution formally recognizes the 43rd anniversary of the sister-state relationship between Colorado and Taiwan while expressing support for their ongoing trade and academic exchanges. The bill highlights recent cooperation in emerging technologies such as quantum computing and semiconductors, and it advocates for Taiwan's participation in international organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Additionally, the resolution commends Taiwan's democratic system and supports the signing of a U.S.-Taiwan agreement on avoiding double taxation. As a non-binding legislative statement, it does not alter laws or budgets but serves to publicly endorse these diplomatic and economic ties.

Under current law, the department of personnel and a statutorily created preservation trust committee oversee the Colorado veterans' monument preservation trust fund (trust fund). The act moves oversight of the trust fund to the state historical society (history Colorado) and repeals the preservation trust committee. The act also expands the allowable uses of the trust fund, which were previously restricted to maintaining and enhancing the Colorado veterans' monument and any fallen heroes memorials in Lincoln veterans' memorial park, to include the maintenance, enhancement, and repair of monuments and memorials both in Lincoln veterans' memorial park and on the state capitol building grounds. History Colorado may expend principal from the trust fund for these purposes once every 20 years beginning in state fiscal year 2027-28, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, and for unexpected necessary maintenance costs that are not covered by insurance. On or before December 31, 2026, and on or before each December 31 thereafter, history Colorado must submit a report to the state capitol building advisory committee (CBAC) that includes information on:History Colorado's plans to maintain, enhance, and repair monuments and memorials in Lincoln veterans' memorial park and on the state capitol building grounds; andThe actual and planned use of money in the trust fund.     The act also requires the CBAC, before recommending a proposal for the placement of a memorial or an object of art on the state capitol building grounds to the capital development committee and the governor for approval, to ensure that the proposal includes funding sufficient to provide lifetime maintenance of the proposed memorial or object of art. Only a proposal that dedicates at least 5% of its total budget to maintenance includes funding sufficient to provide lifetime maintenance of the proposed object of art or memorial.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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.)

Colorado law exempts the owner of a motor vehicle who is a member of the United States armed forces (member) from motor vehicle registration fees and sets the specific ownership tax at $1 while the member is serving outside the United States. This applies to personal motor vehicles and intrastate trucks, truck tractors, trailers, and semitrailers used to transport property. To qualify, the member must show the military order or evidence acceptable to the department of revenue (department) demonstrating that the member served outside the United States. The act repeals a requirement that the member sign an affidavit to qualify for the $1 specific ownership fee or to be exempt from the motor vehicle fee.     Colorado law exempts members from paying late fees for failing to renew a registration for a vehicle if the member was serving outside the state when the registration period expired. The act sets the requirement to qualify for a late fee exception by requiring the member to show the military order or evidence acceptable to the department demonstrating that the member served outside of the state.     The department will notify the member that the vehicle or motor vehicle must not be driven during deployment.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)