Sen. Robert Rodriguez

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.

Beginning July 1, 2025, the act increases by one the number of district court judges in the fourth, seventeenth, eighteenth, and twenty-third judicial districts and increases by one the number of county court judges in La Plata county. Beginning July 1, 2026, the act increases by one the number of district court judges in the fourth, seventh, thirteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth judicial districts and increases by one the number of county court judges in Larimer county, Douglas county, Mesa county, and Eagle county. Current law requires district court judges regularly assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices within Arapahoe county. The act allows the district court judges assigned to Arapahoe county to maintain offices outside of the county seat. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $2,638,326 from the general fund to the judicial department to implement the increased number of judges and appropriates $621,337 from the general fund to the judicial department for use by the office of state public defender. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SJR 25-009) expresses Colorado's support for federal management of national public lands, including parks, forests, and monuments. It formally opposes efforts to sell, transfer, or dispose of these lands and urges Colorado's governor, attorney general, and congressional delegation to take action against such proposals. The resolution is non-binding but directs state officials to advocate for continued public stewardship by federal agencies like the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. It was passed by the Colorado Senate and referred to the House for consideration.

Under Colorado law, a person may file a claim with the division of parks and wildlife (division) for compensation for damages to property caused by wildlife, and the division must review and investigate that claim. The act requires that the personal information of a person, information related to site assessments received by the division through the claim procedures, and personal information associated with proactive nonlethal measures is kept confidential and not disclosed pursuant to the "Colorado Open Records Act". The act excludes from this prohibition: Information about nonlethal predator-livestock conflict minimization measures that does not reveal the identity of the person or the person's business; Nonidentifying information of county-level data highlighting the number or dollar amount of claims made to the division, the number of claims that were settled and the monetary amounts of those settlements, the number of claims that are pending at the time of a request for disclosure, and the number of claims that were denied and the reasons for denial; and Personal information that becomes public by the actions of the subject of the personal information or the subject's agent. The act prohibits bringing or maintaining a private action challenging the division's determination that a person or the person's agent has taken actions or made statements that led to the person's personal information becoming publicly known. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summarySJR 25-011 is a symbolic resolution passed by the Colorado General Assembly to recognize the 19th annual Latino/a Advocacy Day 2025. It honors the contributions of Latinas and Latinos to Colorado's political engagement and their advocacy for equitable policies addressing systemic inequities in health, housing, education, and economic opportunity. The resolution directs copies to the event organizers, the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) and Voces Unidas de las Montañas, and expresses the legislature's commitment to creating a Colorado that works for all residents regardless of immigration status. As a commemorative resolution, it has no legal effect but serves as a formal acknowledgment of community advocacy efforts.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution designating March 17, 2025, as "Colorado FFA Day." It recognizes the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization's role in supporting agricultural education and youth development in Colorado. The resolution directly affects Colorado FFA members, educators, and supporters by formally honoring their contributions through this annual recognition. It does not create new laws or policy changes, as it is a symbolic gesture celebrating the organization's work.

In an action against a construction professional, section 2 of the bill requires the construction professional to provide the claimant or the claimant's legal representative with: Copies of all plans, specifications, soils reports, and available engineering calculations; Any maintenance and preventive maintenance recommendations; The name, last-known address, and scope of work of each construction professional that performed work or services; and Copies of all insurance policies held by the construction professional during the appropriate time. The construction professional may charge reasonable copying costs for the documents. Failure to provide the identifying information of the other construction professionals bars the construction professional from designating the unidentified construction professionals as nonparties at fault in any subsequent action. Section 3 requires a court to award prejudgement interest of 8% to a prevailing claimant who alleges defects in a residential property construction. Section 5 voids a provision in a real estate contract that: Prohibits group lawsuits against a construction professional; or Imposes different or additional requirements than the statutory requirements to bring or join a legal action. Section 6 changes the time when a claim of relief arises, for the purposes of the statute of limitation and repose, to include both the discovery of the physical manifestation and the cause of the defect. Current law authorizes, subject to the requirements of the common interest community's (community) declarations, a community to engage in certain actions, such as instituting, defending, or intervening in litigation or administrative proceedings on matters affecting the community. Section 7 exempts an association's authority to institute, defend, or intervene in litigation proceedings concerning construction defects from the requirement that the action be subject to the declaration. Section 8 requires the department of regulatory agencies to include in its "SMART Act" report information concerning construction liability insurance and the basis for rates.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

When a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity is accepted by a court, the act requires the court, in consultation with the department of human services (CDHS) and the parties, to determine whether a sanity examination requires the defendant to stay overnight for an extended examination and the number of days of the extended examination. If the defendant is in custody, the act authorizes the sanity examination to be conducted at the jail or place of confinement or at a facility operated by or under contract with CDHS. If the defendant is at liberty on summons or on bond, the act authorizes the sanity examination to be conducted at a facility operated by or contracted with CDHS or at an out-of-custody location that the court and CDHS determine is appropriate. If a sanity examination is recorded, the act prohibits a defendant from being dressed in prison or jail clothing and prohibits restraints on the defendant from being visible on the recording. Current law authorizes psychiatrists, forensic psychologists, and other personnel conducting a sanity examination to conduct a narcoanalytic interview of the defendant with drugs that are medically appropriate, to subject the defendant to a polygraph examination, and to testify to the results of the procedures, statements, and reactions of the defendant. The act repeals this provision. The act makes conforming amendments and technical corrections. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Subject to specific requirements, the act allows a notice to or from a party or other document required by law in an insurance transaction that is related to a provision of a health insurance contract or that is to serve as evidence of health insurance coverage to be delivered, stored, and presented by electronic means if the electronic means meet the requirements of the "Uniform Electronic Transactions Act". The delivery of a notice or document by electronic means is considered the equivalent to and has the same effect as any other delivery method required by law. The act requires health insurance carriers to deliver paper communications to any individuals that may elect to receive paper communications upon request. An insurance producer is not subject to civil liability for any harm or injury that occurs because of a party's election to receive any notice or document by electronic means or by a carrier's failure to deliver or a party's failure to receive a notice or document by electronic means. A carrier may mail, deliver, or, if the carrier obtains separate, specific consent, post on the carrier's website a health coverage plan and an endorsement that does not contain personal identifying information. If the carrier elects to post a health coverage plan and an endorsement on the carrier's website in lieu of mailing or delivering the health coverage plan and endorsement, the carrier shall comply with certain conditions. The commissioner of insurance may adopt rules to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution declares February 28, 2025, as Rare Disease Day in Colorado to raise awareness about rare diseases. It directly affects Colorado residents living with rare diseases - over 500,000 people - and their families, recognizing the challenges they face, including high medical costs and limited treatments. The resolution makes no new policy changes but symbolically honors those impacted by urging the state to "show our stripes" in solidarity. It references national statistics (e.g., 1 in 10 Americans affected) and the "zebra" awareness symbol for rare conditions, without creating any legal obligations or funding.