Sen. Kyle Mullica

On and after April 10, 2025, the act prohibits the state and local licensing authorities (licensing authorities) from issuing a new liquor-licensed drugstore license (license). Licensing authorities may continue to renew existing licenses. On and after April 10, 2025, a person holding a license (licensee) is prohibited from changing the location of, merging, selling, converting, or transferring a license; except that a licensee that holds a license that was issued to an independent pharmacy before January 1, 2025, may change the location of or sell or transfer the license to another licensee that is an independent pharmacy that holds a license or to a person that does not already have a license. The act defines an independent pharmacy as a prescription drug outlet privately owned by at least one licensed pharmacist with no ownership interest by or affiliation with a chain or publicly owned pharmacy. The act prohibits an owner, part owner, shareholder, or person interested directly or indirectly in a liquor-licensed drugstore from having an interest in more than 8 licenses. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The Timothy Montoya task force (task force): Analyzed the root causes of why a child or youth runs away from an out-of-home placement; Developed consistent, prompt, and effective responses to recover a missing child or youth; Addressed the safety and well-being of a child or youth upon the child's or youth's return to the out-of-home placement; and Made recommendations. The act implements the task force recommendations that focus on preventing a child or youth from running away from a residential child care facility (facility). The act requires the office of the child protection ombudsman (office) to conduct a statewide inventory survey (survey) of facilities to address: The physical infrastructure currently in place to deter children and youth from running away; and The physical infrastructure needed to deter children and youth from running away. The office shall consult with the department of human services to develop the survey. On or before July 1, 2026, the office shall submit a report to the health and human services committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or their successor committees, that summarizes the results of the survey. The act requires each facility, on or before July 1, 2026, to develop an efficient, well-structured, and trauma-informed policy that outlines how the facility responds to a child or youth who threatens or attempts to run away from care. The policy must include whether the facility uses physical restraints. Each facility shall provide a copy of the policy to the child or youth and the child's or youth's parent, legal guardian, or custodian during the child's or youth's intake at the facility. When a facility discovers that a child or youth is missing from its care, the facility shall notify the child's or youth's parent, legal guardian, or custodian and the guardian ad litem or counsel for youth within 4 hours after the discovery of the missing child or youth. If the facility cannot make initial contact with the child's or youth's parent, legal guardian, or custodian, the facility must make repeated efforts to notify the child's or youth's parent, legal guardian, or custodian. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act creates a new refundable tax credit only if at least one qualified film festival entity with a multi-decade operating history and a verifiable track record of attracting 100,000 or more in-person ticket sales and over 10,000 out-of-state and international attendees (global film festival entity) commences the relocation of the festival to Colorado by January 1, 2026. Upon relocation, for calendar years commencing on or after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2037, the maximum aggregate amount of refundable tax credits that any qualified global film festival entity is eligible to receive is $34 million and the maximum aggregate amount that all existing or small Colorado festival entities collectively may receive is $5 million. A film festival entity is allowed a tax credit for each tax year in which the film festival entity hosts a film festival in Colorado, and may be allowed an additional tax credit in the subsequent tax year with respect to any qualified expenditures incurred in the year the film festival entity hosted the film festival in Colorado. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The prosecution fellowship program in the department of higher education provides money to the Colorado district attorneys' council (CDAC) to fund fellowships for persons who have recently graduated from a law school in Colorado to allow them to pursue careers as prosecutors in rural Colorado. The program, through a prosecution fellowship committee, places up to 6 fellows in rural district attorneys' offices throughout the state each year. The act changes the prosecutor fellowship program to provide fellowship funding to rural district attorneys' offices to recruit and hire new deputy district attorneys rather than selecting and placing fellows in rural district attorneys' offices. The selected offices then use the money to recruit and hire new district attorneys. The act requires the prosecution fellowship committee to determine which rural district attorneys' offices receive funding. On or before January 1, 2028, CDAC shall provide a report to the judiciary committees regarding the prosecutor fellowship program. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Colorado statute states that a marriage is valid only if it is between one man and one woman. That provision has been unenforceable since the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges , 576 U.S. 644 (2015), in which the Court ruled that same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marry. The act repeals the provision.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law authorizes public hospitals with fewer than 50 beds to enter into collaborative agreements with other hospitals or hospital affiliates to engage in activities to increase access to health care. The act changes the law to allow public and private, nonprofit hospitals that are not owned by or affiliated with a health system that is comprised of 3 or more hospitals to enter into collaborative agreements. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summarySJR 25-008 designates March 3, 2025, as "Buy Colorado Day" (also called "303 Day") and March 3-10, 2025, as "Buy Colorado Week" to encourage Coloradans to support local businesses. The resolution urges residents to spend money at homegrown Colorado brands and enterprises, highlighting the state's diverse business community including restaurants, breweries, agricultural producers, and retailers. This symbolic measure has no legal force and serves as a recognition of Colorado's economic contributions, not a new policy or requirement. It directly affects all Coloradans by promoting a voluntary shift in consumer behavior toward local spending.

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.