The concurrent resolution submits a constitutional amendment to the voters of the state at the 2026 general election that adds to the nonexclusive list of inalienable rights of all persons the right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.(Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as introduced.)
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 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.)
The act protects certain legal privileges for state entities related to disclosures to the state auditor, legislative audit committee, or governor for purposes of an investigation by the state auditor that is related to the state's fraud hotline.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act increases the gross vehicle weight rating limit from less than 10,000 pounds to less than 16,000 pounds for a passenger vehicle for which the use of a child restraint system is required.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires that, beginning July 1, 2027, a death certification professional ensure that they are aware of the most recent epilepsy-related death certification recommendations from a nationally recognized and reputable organization. On or before June 1, 2027, the department of public health and environment (department) must electronically notify all registered medical certifier users of the Colorado vital events system of this requirement. If a death certification professional determines that the cause of an individual's death is consistent with known or suspected sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, the act requires the professional to ensure that the individual's death certificate identifies epilepsy as a contributing cause or a suspected cause of death. The act allows the department to provide online guidelines for clinicians and medical certifiers for death certificates regarding epilepsy-related deaths, including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution recognizes Nowruz, the traditional Iranian New Year, as a celebration of renewal and hope for Middle Eastern communities in Colorado and around the world. The bill extends solidarity with the Iranian people and specifically honors the Women, Life, Freedom movement advocating for gender equality and civil rights in Iran. It also mourns civilians lost to violence and expresses hope for a future where all people in Iran can live with freedom, justice, and full protection of their human rights. This resolution does not change laws or policies but serves as a formal statement of recognition and support from the Colorado General Assembly.
The act requires a bank, broker-dealer, depository institution, credit union, or financial or institutional investor (covered entity) that holds benefits that are designated by a donor to a charitable organization to pay the designated benefits no later than 60 calendar days after the charitable organization submits an affidavit attesting to the death of the donor and other information to the covered entity, except as described in federal law. If a covered entity that holds designated benefits is unable to pay the designated benefits to a charitable organization because federal law requires the covered entity to take certain actions or satisfy certain criteria in order to pay the designated benefits, the covered entity must take the actions or satisfy the criteria that are required by federal law and comply with the act no less than 120 calendar days after the charitable organization submits the affidavit to the covered entity. If a charitable organization receives designated benefits that concern a creditor claim, statutory allowance, or the unsatisfied balance of an elective-share or a supplemental elective-share claim (outstanding claim) for which the charitable organization may be liable, the charitable organization must return to the donor's estate a portion or all of the designated benefits in order to satisfy the outstanding claim within 60 days after receiving written notice of the liability, with certain exceptions. If the charitable organization fails to comply, it must pay statutory interest to the donor's estate for each day the unreturned amount remains outstanding. Upon receiving notice of the outstanding claim from the personal representative of the donor's estate, the charitable organization must hold all or a portion of the designated benefits in a constructive trust pending a determination of the outstanding claim. Moreover, the charitable organization may be subject to one or more court actions. A covered entity that holds benefits that are designated to a charitable organization shall not:Require the charitable organization to establish an account with the covered entity as a condition of receiving the designated benefits; orRequire an individual employed by, or serving on the board of, the charitable organization to submit personal information as a condition of receiving designated benefits. The act may be enforced by the division of banking, the financial services board, or the division of securities, as appropriate.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
