For ground ambulance services (ambulance services), the act: Allows a political subdivision or an ambulance service providing ambulance services on behalf of the political subdivision to submit to the division of insurance (division) the established rates for the ambulance services, if the rates meet specified conditions; Requires the division to publish reimbursement rates on the division's public-facing website; Establishes reimbursement rates for ambulance services that are out of network; and Prohibits an out-of-network ambulance service from billing an individual covered under a health insurance coverage plan (covered person) any outstanding balance for a covered service not paid for by an insurance carrier, except for any coinsurance, deductible, or copayment amount required to be paid by the covered person. If a covered person makes a payment for an out-of-network ambulance service, the payment must be applied to the covered person's in-network deductibles and in-network out-of-pocket maximum amounts. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, $38,149 is appropriated from the division of insurance cash fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division to implement the act. VETOED by Governor 5/29/2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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The act requires a landlord who initiates an eviction proceeding for nonpayment of rent against a tenant to comply with certain notice requirements set forth in federal law for tenants who use housing subsidies. Under current law, if a tenant proves as an affirmative defense to an eviction proceeding that the landlord violated the warranty of habitability, the court must order a reduction in the fair rental value of the dwelling unit and order the landlord to reimburse the tenant any difference in rent between the reduced fair rental value and any greater amount of rent that the tenant paid. The act states that the landlord must reimburse this amount regardless of whether part or all of the rent was paid by the tenant or by a housing subsidy issued to the tenant. The act states that a landlord commits an unfair housing practice if the landlord fails to: Make reasonable efforts to timely respond to requests for information and documentation necessary for a rental assistance application process; or Cooperate with a tenant who is applying for rental assistance in good faith. Current law allows a person to pursue relief for damages resulting from a landlord's commission of an unfair housing practice. The act states that, if a court awards damages to a plaintiff who prevails in such an action, and the violation concerns discrimination on the basis of an individual's use of a housing subsidy, the court shall award the plaintiff at least $5,000 in damages. The act also states that a calculation of actual damages must include consideration of losses that a tenant may incur as a result of the tenant forfeiting their housing subsidy as a result of the landlord discriminating against the tenant based on the tenant's source or amount of income. Current law provides that, in addition to relief awarded to a tenant in a private action, the Colorado civil rights commission may order a respondent who has been found to have engaged in an unfair housing practice to pay a civil penalty in an amount that varies based on whether the respondent has previously committed discriminatory housing practices. The act establishes a minimum penalty amount of $5,000 if a person commits any of certain unfair housing violations and the violation concerns discrimination on the basis of an individual's use of a housing subsidy. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires a court to vacate any court costs and fees assessed to a juvenile under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court prior to July 6, 2021, however, this requirement repeals on June 30, 2025. The act removes the June 30, 2025 repeal. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, a sheriff may allow an individual to choose to stay in jail overnight after release when extenuating circumstances exist. The act makes facilitation of a connection to a service provider an extenuating circumstance. If an individual chooses to remain in jail overnight, the individual must be released by 10 a.m. the next morning. Under current law, to qualify for special needs parole, there is a distinction between inmates who are 55 years of age or older and those who are under 55 years of age. The act changes that distinction. The act makes an inmate eligible for special needs parole if the inmate suffers from a diagnosed severe cognitive impairment or serious impairment that limits the person's ability to function. If the inmate is under 55 years of age, the act provides for special needs parole if the inmate has served at least 25% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 50% of their sentence including earned time; has served at least 35% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 75% of their sentence including earned time; has served at least 40% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 75% of the sentence; or has been diagnosed by a licensed health-care provider as having a terminal illness that is irreversible, unlikely to be cured, and likely to cause death; and has not incurred a class I code of penal discipline violation within the 12 months before the date of the application for special needs parole. An inmate who is 64 years of age or older and has served at least 20 years of their sentence and was not convicted of a class 1 or class 2 felony, unlawful sexual behavior, a crime that includes domestic violence, or stalking is eligible for special needs parole. The act makes a person eligible for special needs parole if the person has a condition such as advanced or metastatic cancer; end-stage renal disease; end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder; end-stage heart disease; end-stage liver disease; progressive neurodegenerative disease such as Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; intractable seizure disorder; severe dementia; or Alzheimer's disease. The act provides that when a health-care provider who is providing care or recently provided care to the person makes a determination that the person's medical condition meets the standard for special needs parole, then a referral must be made to the parole board. The department of corrections is required to include in each contract with a licensed health-care provider involved in providing inmate care a requirement that the provider screen for eligibility for special needs parole. The act requires legislative council staff to conduct a study of options for releasing aging and seriously ill offenders from secure custody to appropriate care or placing offenders in alternative programs that can better provide the offender's needed medical care. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act prohibits the sale or distribution for consideration of an algorithmic device if: The algorithmic device is sold or distributed with the intent that it will be used by 2 or more landlords in the same market or a related market to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises; and The device sets or recommends the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises based on data or a formula that is similar for each landlord. The act also prohibits the use of an algorithmic device by a person to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises if: The person knew or should have known that another person used the algorithmic device to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises; and The circumstances suggest that the person adhered to or participated in a scheme to fix the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises. The act also prohibits a person engaged in the business of providing algorithmic device services or products that are used to set or recommend the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises from using nonpublic competitor data pertaining to residential properties in Colorado in setting or recommending the amount of rent, level of occupancy, or other commercial term associated with the occupancy of a residential premises for residential properties in Colorado. A violation is deemed to be an illegal restraint of trade or commerce and is punishable in accordance with the "Colorado State Antitrust Act of 2023". VETOED by Governor 5/29/2025(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows a health-care provider to, under certain circumstances, adjust the dose or frequency of a chronic maintenance drug without needing prior authorization from an insurance carrier. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act makes changes to requirements for preventive care coverage by health insurers for breast cancer screening, including: Relocating in statute the high-risk breast cancer screening requirements; Defining and specifying criteria for the use of diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations; and Clarifying that, in addition to regular breast cancer screening, diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations that are medically necessary and conducted within nationally recognized screening guidelines do not require cost sharing by the patient.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current Colorado laws do not always expressly provide whether the laws apply to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe or the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (Tribes). The act creates a rule of construction that a law does not apply to the Tribes unless the law clearly and expressly states that the law applies to the Tribes. The act further clarifies that if the general assembly enacts a new law or materially amends an existing law that is silent as to its application to the Tribes or to tribally controlled entities; purports to apply statewide; or grants a governmental agency or entity civil, criminal, or regulatory authority, it is presumed that the law does not apply within the exterior boundaries of the reservations to the Tribes, including the Tribes' officials and employees acting in their official capacities, to a tribally controlled entity, or to Tribal lands. The act reinforces that these rules of construction do not: Preclude or limit the authority of the Tribes' governing bodies from requesting inclusion in legislation pending before the general assembly; Abrogate the sovereign immunity of the state or the Tribes; or Affect the rights of the state, the Tribes, or other persons to pursue legal remedies that may be available to contest the application of laws passed by the general assembly.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act creates the provider stabilization fund for use by Colorado department of health care policy and financing (department) to distribute provider stabilization payments to safety net providers who provide services to low-income, uninsured individuals on a sliding-fee schedule or at no cost. Provider stabilization payments will be distributed to eligible safety net providers based on the proportion of low-income, uninsured individuals that an individual provider serves in comparison to the total number of low-income, uninsured individuals served by all eligible safety net providers. The state treasurer is directed to make an interest-free loan of interest earnings on the principal in the unclaimed property trust fund (UPTF) and, if the interest earnings are insufficient, from the principal of the UPTF as well, to the provider stabilization fund as follows: $25 million for the 2025-26 state fiscal year; $20 million for the 2026-27 state fiscal year; and $15 million for each of the 2027-28, 2028-29, and 2029-30 state fiscal years. The act specifies that the loan from the UPTF to the provider stabilization fund is an interfund loan that is not classified as revenue, is booked as an interfund receivable or payable, is not state fiscal year spending or state revenues, and does not count against the state fiscal year spending limit or the excess state revenues cap. The department is directed to repay the loan by January 1, 2045, but in any year in which state revenues do not exceed the limit on state fiscal year spending, the department must present to the joint budget committee a proposal to repay all or a portion of the loan at an earlier time, and to the extent possible, the general assembly must prioritize repaying the loan starting in the 2030-31 state fiscal year or sooner if funds are available. The provider stabilization fund also consists of any money the general assembly appropriates, transfers, or credits to the fund and any gifts, grants, or donations the department may receive for the fund. The act directs the department to leverage money in the provider stabilization fund to obtain federal matching money. The act establishes a provider stabilization fund advisory board (advisory board) to assist the department in implementing and administering the provider stabilization fund. The department, with assistance from the advisory board, is required to submit an annual report on the provider stabilization fund to specified committees, the governor, and the medical services board in the department. The advisory board is scheduled for repeal on September 1, 2031, and is subject to a sunset review by the department of regulatory agencies before the repeal. The act appropriates $25,000,000 from the provider stabilization fund to the department to implement the act, allocated as follows: $138,505 for personal services to administer the act, including 2.0 FTE; $15,900 for operating expenses; and $24,845,595 for provider stabilization payments to eligible safety net providers.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Beginning July 1, 2026, absent an emergency placement change, the act requires a county or district department of human or social services (county department) child welfare caseworker (caseworker) to create an individualized placement transition plan (plan) for a child any time the child is moved from one placement in a foster care home, kinship foster care home, or non-certified kinship care home (placement) to another or back to the child's home. The plan must prioritize the mental, emotional, and physical needs of the child while considering the needs of the parents, current providers, and future providers as the needs of the parents, current providers, and future providers relate to the care of the child. If a sibling group is moved from a placement together, the caseworker may develop a single plan for the sibling group, as long as the plan takes into account the individualized needs of each child. The plan, at a minimum, must include: A determination of pre-transition logistics to adequately prepare for the child's new placement; A plan for pre- and post-transition communications between individuals who have relevant information for the transition; A timeline to transition the child to a new placement; A plan to physically move the child to the new placement; and A framework for a caseworker's post-transition communications. The department of human services (state department), within existing resources, shall create a training on the importance of plans that is recorded and made available on a training system that can be accessed statewide. The training must focus on plans and individuals who have lived experience with placement transitions, including an emphasis on individuals who experienced placement transitions. Newly employed caseworkers must complete the training within the first year of employment as a caseworker. All caseworkers may complete this training every 3 years. A foster care, kinship foster care, or non-certified kinship care provider (provider) may complete the training and may receive support from the state department or the county department to improve the provider's skills in transitioning a child in the provider's care from one placement to another. The state department may adopt rules for purposes of the plans. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)