Sen. Jeff Bridges

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution formally asks the people of Colorado to remember the Holocaust and acknowledges specific survivors, including Fred Bryner, Samuel Weinberg, and Silvia Weinberg. It encourages schools and universities to promote antibias and bullying prevention programs to stop antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish students. The resolution also declares that citizens should understand the power of words and commit to preventing future atrocities, and it directs copies of the document to various local and national organizations focused on Holocaust education and remembrance.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific section of State Highway 92 in Delta County as the "Educators and Teachers Memorial Highway" to honor the contributions of local educators and teachers. The designated stretch runs from mile marker 3 to mile marker 7, passing through the unincorporated community of Read, Colorado, which historically housed the headquarters for Delta County Joint School District 50J. The resolution authorizes the Colorado Department of Transportation to accept donations and grants for installing commemorative signs along this highway segment. This measure serves as a symbolic recognition of the role schools and teachers play in the community without changing any laws or regulations.

Maddy summaryThis bill encourages Colorado public employees to improve their retirement readiness by seeking financial education and recommends adding lifetime income options to certain retirement plans. It specifically targets the Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA), which serves over 226,000 public employees across more than 400 government agencies. The resolution suggests that the General Assembly consider expanding lifetime income choices in the PERA defined contribution plan and voluntary savings plans to provide guaranteed retirement income similar to the existing defined benefit plan. The bill also recognizes the economic importance of retirement security for Colorado residents and directs copies to relevant state committees for review.

With regard to the family and medical leave insurance (FAMLI) program, the bill:Defines a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for the duration extension that applies to a covered individual who has a child receiving care in a NICU; andExtends the duration of paid FAMLI leave for claims arising on or after January 1, 2027, up to an additional 2 weeks, following the death of a family member for whom a covered individual cared for while using such leave.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act prohibits a person from:Identifying an agricultural product as being produced in the state when selling, marketing, advertising, or distributing the product unless the product is grown in the state; andUsing the Colorado proud designation or logo unless authorized by the department of agriculture.     A violation of these prohibitions constitutes a deceptive trade practice. There is no private right of action to enforce a violation of the prohibitions.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Joint Budget Committee. Current law authorizes medicaid reimbursement for therapy using equine movement provided by a licensed physical therapist, a licensed occupational therapist, or a certified speech-language pathologist. The bill repeals this provision and reduces the 2026-27 appropriation to the department of health care policy and financing by $181,514.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The fire and police pension association (association) provides disability retirement and survivor benefits (disability and survivor benefits) for eligible members of the association (members) who become disabled or die. The act recodifies and reorganizes the disability and survivor benefits statutes, removes outdated provisions, and clarifies ambiguous language. In addition, the act makes the following modifications to the disability and survivor benefits statutes:Removes the current requirement that the association require every member who applies for disability retirement benefits to have 3 independent medical exams and instead authorizes the board of the association (board) to appoint a medical advisor to assess the needs of each applicant for disability retirement benefits;Authorizes the board to adopt rules to streamline the appeal process for disability retirement benefit applicants who are denied benefits;Allows the association to require a member who is occupationally disabled to participate in a rehabilitation and retraining program to help the member gain additional skills and knowledge so the member can earn a wage doing a job other than being a police officer or firefighter;Clarifies that a member who is a total disability retirement benefit recipient will begin receiving a cost of living adjustment when the member starts receiving a total disability retirement benefit;Clarifies eligibility for a member to apply for disability retirement benefits; Repeals the statute that makes an employer liable for the payment of disability retirement benefits if a member's disability existed at the commencement of employment, the employment was not ordered by a court, and the employer failed to require the member to complete and file a health history form prior to commencing employment; andRequires members to fill out a health history form, which notifies the association of any preexisting health conditions, prior to employment.     The act does not change the amounts of disability retirement and survivor benefits or the length of time a member must be employed to be eligible for a benefit, nor does it require additional money from the state, employers, or members.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act requires that the state court administrator create a process for evaluating bond hearing officers. An evaluation must include input from the district attorney and regional public defender and allow the opportunity for input from court staff and other interested parties within each judicial district in which a bond hearing officer presides.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis bill urges the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Farmers Market Association to maintain and strengthen their partnership to support farmers' market managers across the state. It recognizes that most market managers are volunteers who need expertise, training, and resources to handle tasks like event planning, food safety, and vendor coordination. The resolution aims to help sustain local farmers' markets that provide fresh produce to communities and support small-scale producers who rely on these venues for sales.

Maddy summaryHJR 1017 is a joint resolution urging the federal government to fulfill its obligations under the 1986 Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement. It specifically calls for action to address infrastructure gaps affecting two tribes: the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribes, who have settled water rights but cannot access or use them due to missing pipelines (e.g., from Lake Nighthorse) and deteriorating irrigation systems (like the PRIIP, requiring $126 million in repairs). The resolution highlights federal failures to fund operations, maintain infrastructure, and enable tribes to utilize their legally secured water for agriculture, municipal use, and economic development. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new law but formally requests federal action to resolve these longstanding barriers.