Sen. Katie Wallace

The act requires an individual who completes a certificate of death to record the decedent's sex to reflect the decedent's gender. If an individual who completes a certificate of death is presented with a document memorializing the decedent's gender (gender document), the individual must record the decedent's sex to reflect the gender indicated in the gender document. If a gender document is not presented and an individual with the right to control the disposition of the decedent's remains objects to the sex recorded by the individual who completes the certificate of death, the individual with the right to control the disposition of the decedent's remains may state their objection to the individual who completes a certificate of death before the certificate of death is filed, and the individual who completes the certificate of death must record the sex as the gender reported by the individual with the right to control the disposition of the decedent's remains. If a gender document is presented to the office of state registrar of vital statistics in the department of public health and environment (state registrar) for a decedent that died in the state, the state registrar must issue an amended certificate of death for the decedent that changes the decedent's sex to reflect the gender indicated in the gender document. The state registrar must also amend the certificate of death to reflect a legal name change if the appropriate legal name change documentation is submitted to the state registrar. An individual with the right to control the disposition of a decedent's remains may file a claim seeking an order of the court to amend the information recorded on the decedent's certificate of death. The act requires the department of public health and environment to add a gender field to the certificate of death form and the electronic death registration system. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Beginning on January 1, 2026, any political subdivision of the state, public entity, or nonprofit corporation that provides paratransit services in the state (paratransit provider) is required to establish, in coordination with local public entities providing emergency services, a plan to communicate information and provide paratransit services during emergencies. The communication plan must include information on the number of riders who use paratransit services and the resource capacity of the paratransit provider, including the number of drivers and the number of vehicles used to provide paratransit services. Paratransit providers and public entities providing emergency services are also required to submit a report to the transportation legislation review committee on or before September 1, 2026, about the implementation of the communication and emergency services plan. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 25-016 is a commemorative resolution from the Colorado General Assembly expressing strong support for strengthening the sister-state relationship between Colorado and Taiwan. It reaffirms the 42-year relationship and advocates for enhanced trade relations and academic exchanges between the two entities. The resolution also calls for the signing of a U.S.-Taiwan agreement on avoiding double taxation to promote bilateral investment. Additionally, it supports Taiwan's meaningful inclusion in various international organizations.

Under current law, the office of school safety (office) oversees the school safety resource center (center) and 2 separate units that assist schools with crisis management and safety-related grant funding, respectively. There is an advisory board that recommends the policies of the center. The act broadens the scope of the advisory board's work to include policy recommendations for the entire office. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act defines a "specified semiautomatic firearm" as a semiautomatic rifle or semiautomatic shotgun with a detachable magazine or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine. The act excludes certain types of firearms and specified models of firearms from the definition of "specified semiautomatic firearm". The act prohibits knowingly manufacturing, distributing, transferring, selling, or purchasing a specified semiautomatic firearm on or after August 1, 2026; except that a person may transfer a specified semiautomatic firearm to an individual residing in another state or a federally licensed firearm dealer. The act exempts certain manufacture, transfers, sales, and purchases from the prohibition, including specified transactions involving law enforcement agencies and peace officers, the department of corrections, armored vehicle businesses, military forces, gunsmiths, educational programs, and historical societies and museums; transfers that occur by operation of law or because of the death of a person; and conduct involving firearms for use solely as a prop for a film. Additionally, the prohibition does not apply to the transfer or sale of a specified semiautomatic firearm to, and receipt or purchase of a specified semiautomatic firearm by, a person who: Completed a hunter education course certified by the division of parks and wildlife (division) and, within 5 years before making the purchase, completed a basic firearms safety course; Within 5 years before making the purchase, completed an extended firearms safety course; or Completed an extended firearms safety course more than 5 years before making the purchase and completed a basic firearms safety course within 5 years before making the purchase. Unlawful manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, or purchase of a specified semiautomatic firearm is a class 2 misdemeanor; except that a second or subsequent offense is a class 6 felony. The department of revenue shall revoke the state firearms dealer permit of a dealer who unlawfully manufactures, distributes, transfers, sells, or purchases a specified semiautomatic firearm. The Colorado bureau of investigation shall deny the transfer of a firearm to a person who was convicted of misdemeanor unlawful manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, or purchase of a specified semiautomatic firearm within 5 years prior to the transfer. A person convicted of felony unlawful manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, or purchase of a specified semiautomatic firearm is prohibited from possessing a firearm and certain other weapons. The act sets minimum requirements for the instruction included in, and length of, a basic firearms safety course and an extended firearms safety course. The act requires the division to establish the course requirements for a basic or extended firearms safety course. In order to enroll in a basic or extended firearms safety course, a person must hold a valid firearms safety course eligibility card (firearms course card) issued by a sheriff. The act sets the requirements to be issued a firearms course card, which includes completing a name-based background check, paying a processing fee set by the sheriff, and paying the firearms training and safety course record fee established by the division. A sheriff shall issue a firearms course card to an applicant; except that a sheriff shall deny an application if the applicant cannot lawfully possess a firearm under state or federal law or the sheriff cannot positively identify the applicant. A sheriff may deny an application for a firearms course card if the sheriff has a reasonable belief that documented previous behavior by the applicant makes it likely the applicant will present a danger to themself or others if the applicant holds a card. A sheriff shall revoke an issued firearms course card if the cardholder cannot lawfully possess a firearm under state or federal law and may revoke an issued card if the sheriff has a reasonable belief that documented previous behavior by the applicant makes it likely the applicant will present a danger to themself or others. The act sets forth the process for judicial review of the denial or revocation of a firearms course card. The act requires the division to develop and maintain a firearms training and safety course record system (system) that includes records of persons who hold a valid firearms course card and who have completed a hunter education course, a basic firearms safety course, or an extended firearms safety course. The system must allow: A sheriff to electronically enter information about each person who was issued a firearms course eligibility card; The instructor of a basic or extended firearms safety course to request and receive information about whether a person holds a valid firearms course card; The instructor of a hunter education course or a basic or extended firearms safety course to electronically enter into the system information about each student who completes a course; and A federal firearms licensee to electronically request and receive information about whether a person has completed the courses necessary to purchase a specified semiautomatic firearm. The act creates the firearms training and safety course cash fund, which consists of firearms training and safety course record fee remitted to the division by a sheriff and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. Money in the fund is continuously appropriated to the division. The director of the division may report to the state treasurer an amount of money to transfer between the firearms training and safety course cash fund from the parks and outdoor recreation cash fund. Within 3 days after receiving a report, the state treasurer shall make the reported transfer. By June 30, 2030, the total amount of the transfers to the parks and outdoor recreation cash fund reported by the director of the division must be equal to the total amount transferred from the parks and outdoor recreation cash fund, plus fair market interest. On or before December 31 of each year, the division shall submit a report to the house of representatives and senate judiciary committees, or their successor committees, about the expenses incurred by the division to implement the act, and any additional resources the division needs to effectively implement the act. The act requires the division in the department of revenue responsible for issuing state firearms dealer permits to publish and make publicly available guidance about specific models of specified semiautomatic firearms to which the act applies. The act makes the unlawful sale, transfer, or possession of a large-capacity magazine a class 1 misdemeanor. Existing law prohibits possession of a dangerous weapon. The act defines "rapid-fire device" and classifies rapid-fire devices as dangerous weapons under Colorado law. The act repeals the definition of "machine gun conversion device" and removes machine gun conversion devices from the list of dangerous weapons. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the bill appropriates $100,000 to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology from funds received from the department of natural resources from the firearms training and safety course cash fund. The general assembly appropriated money to the department of revenue to implement House Bill 24-1353, concerning requirements to engage in the business of dealing in firearms. The act further appropriates unspent money from that appropriation to the department of revenue for expenditure until the close of the 2025-26 state fiscal year. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires the public utilities commission (commission) to adopt rules requiring that, unless the applicable road authority is a local government, the total costs to maintain an existing railroad crossing (total costs) are shared equally between the railroad, railroad corporation, rail fixed guideway, transit agency, or owner of the track (railroad) and the applicable road authority. If the applicable road authority is a local government, the commission must adopt rules that require the total costs to be apportioned as follows: The railroad is responsible for the costs to maintain the portion of the existing railroad crossing that is between the ends of the railroad ties; and The local government is responsible for the costs to maintain the portion of the existing railroad crossing that is outside of the ends of the railroad ties. The act applies to costs accrued on or after the effective date of the act unless the costs accrue pursuant to an agreement entered into by the parties before the effective date of the act, which agreement provides for the distribution of the costs to be shared between the parties. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summarySJR 25-018 recognizes April 2025 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and designates April 30, 2025, as Colorado Denim Day. The resolution symbolically supports the annual Denim Day observance, which began in Colorado in 2013, to raise awareness about sexual violence and honor the work of organizations like the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA). It highlights ongoing challenges such as evidence kit backlogs and the need for survivor support services, without creating new laws or funding. This is a ceremonial resolution, not a policy change, aligning Colorado with the global Denim Day movement that uses wearing jeans to protest attitudes condoning sexual assault.

Maddy summaryThis symbolic resolution designates March 21 as "Single Parent Day in Colorado" to recognize single parents' efforts in raising children. It directly honors single parents across the state, referencing U.S. Census data showing over 10 million single-parent households nationwide. The resolution continues Colorado's recognition of the day, aligning with President Reagan's 1984 national declaration. It has no policy or funding provisions - it is purely a commemorative gesture without legal or financial impact.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 25-008 designates March 31 of each year as "Transgender Day of Visibility" in Colorado. The resolution commits the Colorado Senate to defending transgender rights in health care, education, employment, housing, and civic participation while acknowledging Colorado's historical role in providing gender-affirming care. It also expresses solidarity with transgender people and other marginalized groups facing rights challenges. This symbolic resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a formal public affirmation of support for transgender Coloradans.

Maddy summarySJR 25-013 is a symbolic resolution recognizing Thursday, March 20, 2025, as Nowruz Day in Colorado. It honors the ancient Persian New Year celebration observed by Iranian, Kurdish, Afghan, and Central Asian communities, acknowledging its cultural significance and the contributions of Colorado's Iranian-American residents. The resolution has no legal effect but formally extends recognition to the traditions of Nowruz, including its themes of renewal and community. It directly affects Colorado's Iranian-American community by affirming their cultural heritage through state acknowledgment.