The act requires that, immediately after a railroad notifies the state's watch center in the department of public safety (watch center) of an emergency involving a train, the watch center must notify the public utilities commission (commission) and the office of rail safety (office) of the incident. The commission is required to submit a report to specified committees of the general assembly on the information reported by railroads regarding an emergency involving a train. A crew member of a train operated by a railroad may communicate with first responders during an emergency situation after notifying the railroad dispatch. A crew member has discretion in determining the appropriate response to the emergency situation, including cutting the railroad crossing. A railroad employee or a crew member is immune from civil liability and is not liable in civil damages for actions taken in good faith in the course of a response to an emergency situation involving a train. The act eliminates the shared authority that the commission, the department of public safety, and the department of transportation had to inspect and investigate railroads and grants the commission alone the authority to engage in inspection, investigation, and enforcement activities regarding the following railroads: A class I railroad; A railroad operating on any line that was used by class I railroads as of July 1, 2024; and A passenger railroad. The act requires the office to gather, analyze, and assess information, including: Data to create a more comprehensive understanding of railroad safety; Wayside detector information; Information regarding blocked public crossing locations; Information regarding railroad maintenance activity; An assessment of the state's ability to respond to a large-scale release of hazardous materials from railroad transportation; The best practices for ensuring financial responsibility for response, cleanup, and damages from major rail events, including reviewing best practices from other states; and Communication issues impacting railroad lines in the state. Beginning on or before July 1, 2027, a railroad regulated by the commission is required to pay a fee to cover the costs incurred by the commission and the office in relation to the act. The commission shall determine a methodology for calculating the fee by rule, and the commission may include specified criteria in the calculation. The total amount collected pursuant to the annual fee must not exceed $2,900,000 in a calendar year. A railroad regulated by the commission must pay the fee in equal quarterly installments and is subject to penalties and interest if they fail to timely pay the fee. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The office of legislative workplace relations (OLWR) was established in 2019 as an entity within the office of legislative legal services to provide services to the general assembly, its members and employees, and the legislative services agencies. Specifically, the OLWR is directed to provide services related to employee relations, training, compliance, workplace culture, and workplace harassment, including investigations of complaints under the general assembly's policies on workplace expectations and workplace harassment. The act rebrands the OLWR as the legislative human resources division and directs the division to provide human resource services to the legislative branch, which includes the existing services required by law and additional services, such as benefits administration, compensation and classification, hiring and recruitment, and new employee onboarding, within available resources. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act amends and makes additions to existing law concerning security deposits that tenants submit to landlords and the conditions under which a landlord may retain all or part of a security deposit. For the purposes of security deposits, the act expands the definition of "normal wear and tear". Under current law, a landlord may not retain a security deposit to cover normal wear and tear and, if actual cause exists for retaining any portion of a security deposit, the landlord must provide the tenant: A written statement listing the exact reasons for the retention (written statement); and The difference between any sum deposited and the amount retained. The act states that a landlord may not retain a security deposit to cover any damage or defective condition that preexisted the tenancy and, if the landlord delivers the written statement within fourteen days after a written request by the tenant, the landlord must also deliver any relevant documentation in the landlord's possession or control. Upon a landlord's or tenant's request, if reasonable and practicable, the act requires a landlord and tenant to conduct a walk-through inspection, either in person or via a telecommunication-assisted interactive walk-through, of the dwelling unit to identify in writing any damage or defective conditions that are beyond normal wear and tear and that did not preexist the tenancy. The landlord must provide a walk-through inspection at a time that is mutually convenient to the parties, before the termination of the lease or the surrender of the premises, and after the tenant has had the opportunity to remove furniture. A landlord wrongfully withholds a security deposit or any portion of it if the landlord: Fails to timely provide the written statement and any required documentation; Provides a written statement that fails to list the exact reasons for retaining any portion of the security deposit; Fails to timely return the difference between any sum deposited and the amount retained; or Retains a security deposit or any portion of it in bad faith. A landlord retains a security deposit or any portion of it in bad faith if the amount retained: Unreasonably exceeds the amount of actual damages; Is retained without actual cause; Is an amount the landlord knew or should have known exceeded the actual damages; or Is retained solely or in part for an unlawful, retaliatory, or discriminatory purpose. A landlord is presumed to have retained an unreasonable amount of a security deposit if the amount retained is 125% or greater than the amount of the actual damages. In any court action brought by a tenant under the act, the landlord bears the burden of proving the amount of actual damages the landlord incurred. Under current law, upon cessation of a landlord's interest in a dwelling unit, the person in possession of a tenant's security deposit must either transfer the security deposit to the landlord's successor in interest or return the security deposit to the tenant within a reasonable time. The act states that this must be done within 60 days after cessation of the landlord's interest in the dwelling unit. If a landlord's payment refunding a tenant's security deposit or any portion of it is returned to the landlord, the landlord must hold the payment for at least one year after receiving it and must disburse the payment to the tenant within 15 calendar days upon the tenant's request. A landlord does not have actual cause to retain any amount from a security deposit for the replacement of carpet or painting unless there is substantial and irreparable damage to the carpet, or substantial damage to the paint, that exceeds normal wear and tear and did not preexist the tenancy. If a landlord has actual cause, the landlord may retain only the minimum amount necessary to replace the carpet or to repaint in the area that is damaged. A landlord may not deem carpet substantially and irreparably damaged if it has not been replaced with new carpet within the 10 years preceding the termination of the lease or surrender of the premises. The act takes effect January 1, 2026. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires a school district, a charter school, an institute charter school, a board of cooperative services, or the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind (local education provider) to satisfy certain requirements concerning installation, inspection, and maintenance of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in schools if the local education provider undertakes HVAC infrastructure improvements using money from the "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" cash fund. The requirements established in the act concern: Ventilation verification assessments, which include assessments of an HVAC system's filtration, ventilation exhaust, economizers, demand control ventilation, air distribution and building pressurization, general maintenance requirements, and operational controls ; The preparation of HVAC assessment reports; The review of HVAC assessment reports by mechanical engineers, who make recommendations regarding necessary repairs and improvements, suggest pathways to reduce emissions, and estimate associated costs; HVAC adjustments, repairs, upgrades, and replacements; and The preparation of HVAC verification reports, which must be maintained for at least 5 years and made available to the public upon request. The act establishes mandatory criteria that an HVAC contractor must satisfy in order to perform work described in the act. A local education provider that undertakes HVAC infrastructure improvements using money from the "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" cash fund must do so using only contractors on the certified contractor list established by the department of labor and employment, unless the local education provider determines that there were no responsive, eligible subcontractors available to fulfill the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing portions of the contract. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Starting January 1, 2027, the act prohibits an electrical employer or plumbing employer that employs an apprentice in the state (employer) from registering an apprentice with the employer's respective governing board (board) unless the apprentice is enrolled in an apprenticeship program training the apprentice for an occupation officially recognized by the United States department of labor as an electrical occupation for an electrical apprenticeship or a plumbing occupation for a plumbing apprenticeship. On or before July 1, 2027, if existing resources are available or if the department of regulatory agencies (DORA) receives sufficient gifts, grants, or donations, the act requires the state apprenticeship agency and DORA to establish data-sharing agreements and policies to enable the entities to determine if there are apprentices registered with a board who are enrolled to be trained for occupations other than electrical or plumbing occupations and who are therefore ineligible for registration with the board. If the board cannot verify that an apprentice is eligible to be registered as an apprentice within 60 days after notice of noncompliance, the board shall remove the apprentice's registration with the board, and the noncompliant apprentice shall not perform work as a plumbing or electrical apprentice in the state. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
On or before September 1, 2025, the act requires the office of school safety (office) to convene and oversee a work group to develop best practices for the use of trauma-informed practices to conduct school safety drills. The act requires the work group to convene its first meeting no later than 56 days after the office receives $50,000 of gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of the work group or receives an in-kind donation with a value of $50,000 as part of a public-private partnership agreement. No later than one year and one month after the office receives $50,000 of gifts, grants, or donations or receives an in-kind donation with a value of $50,000, the act requires the work group to develop recommendations to support schools in training school personnel on the use of trauma-informed practices in conducting school safety drills, how to best conduct school safety drills in a trauma-informed manner, and how to best respond to a school safety incident. The act requires that the work group be entirely funded by gifts, grants, and donations, including in-kind donations as part of a public-private partnership agreement. If by June 30, 2027, the work group has not received $50,000 in gifts, grants, or donations or an in-kind donation with a value of $50,000 as part of a public-private partnership agreement, the state treasurer must transfer any money received for purposes of the work group to the state education fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the Colorado sexual assault forensic medical evidence review board (board), consisting of the attorney general, or their designee, as board chair; the executive director of the Colorado district attorneys' council, or their designee; and various members appointed by the attorney general or the governor. The board's duties include reviewing and monitoring processes related to sexual assault response, making recommendations to improve sexual assault response, and submitting an annual report concerning its duties. The act creates a notification requirement under the "Victim Rights Act" that requires a law enforcement agency to notify a victim every 90 days when the law enforcement agency has not received the results of the forensic medical evidence DNA analysis from an accredited crime laboratory. The act requires an accredited crime laboratory to endeavor to analyze forensic medical evidence within 60 days after its receipt. The act expands public reporting requirements concerning forensic medical evidence and DNA evidence backlogs. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $112,365 from the general fund to the department of law for use by the administration division to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the state board of education (state board) to adopt standards related to Black historical and cultural studies (standards). Local education providers shall incorporate the standards into courses for public elementary and secondary school students in the state no later than 2 years after the state board adopts the standards. The act aligns the timeline for the development, adoption, and integration of the standards with the 6-year cycle that the state board of education currently uses for revising the state academic standards. The act creates the Black historical and cultural studies advisory committee (committee) in the department of education (department) to recommend standards and related materials and to provide technical assistance at the request of local education providers implementing the standards. The committee's recommendations must include updates to the state's history and civics standards and must advance developmentally appropriate but comprehensive instruction that features factual accounts of the struggles and contributions of Black Americans in all fields of endeavor. Using the committee's recommendations, the department will create and maintain a resource bank of research-based, scholarly articles and promising program materials and curricula pertaining to Black historical and cultural studies. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $19,225 from the general fund to the department for costs related to content specialists. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act authorizes an agency of government to incorporate a project labor agreement requirement for a public project in the amount of $1 million or more if the project labor agreement will promote successful project delivery by securing a skilled labor force for the project and if it will promote cost-efficiency, safety, quality, and timely completion of the project. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act establishes a process for a person to voluntarily waive the right to purchase a firearm (voluntary waiver). The Colorado bureau of investigation (bureau) in the department of public safety (department) shall deny a firearm transfer to the person while the voluntary waiver is in effect. The bureau shall develop an online portal (portal) for a person to electronically file for a voluntary waiver, update contact information, and revoke a voluntary waiver. The bureau is required to verify the filer's identity before accepting a voluntary waiver or revocation. The bureau shall enter a voluntary waiver into the national instant criminal background check system and any other federal or state computer-based systems used to identify prohibited purchasers of firearms. A person may revoke the voluntary waiver by filing for revocation with the bureau. The waiver remains in effect for 30 days after the bureau accepts the revocation. A person filing the voluntary waiver form may provide the name and contact information of a person who will be contacted if the person attempts to purchase a firearm while the voluntary waiver is in effect or if the filer revokes the voluntary waiver. The act prohibits a person from attempting to purchase a firearm while subject to a voluntary waiver. Attempting to purchase a firearm while subject to a voluntary waiver is a civil infraction, punishable by a maximum $25 fine. The voluntary waiver process and the prohibition on attempting to purchase a firearm while subject to a voluntary waiver are contingent on the department receiving $200,000 of gifts, grants, or donations to develop and operate the portal. The act permits the department to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for the portal. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)