The act appropriates the following amounts for the 2025-26 state fiscal year from the Colorado water conservation board (CWCB) construction fund to the CWCB or the division of water resources in the department of natural resources for the following projects: Continuation of the satellite monitoring system, $380,000 (section 1 of the act); Continuation of the floodplain map modernization program, $500,000 (section 2); Continuation of the weather modification permitting program, $500,000 (section 3); Continuation of the Colorado Mesonet project, $200,000 (section 5); Continuation of the water forecasting partnership project, $2,000,000 (section 6); Continuation of the Arkansas river decision support program, $300,000 (section 7); Continuation of technical assistance for the federal irrigation improvement cost-sharing program, $500,000 (section 8); Decision support systems model enhancements to support the Colorado water plan, $1,000,000 (section 9); Support for the basin implementation plan analysis and updates, $4,500,000 (section 10); Continuation of the Colorado watershed restoration and wildfire ready watershed programs, $5,000,000 (section 11); Support for a statewide turf analysis, $1,400,000 (section 12); Support for the Yampa river and Walton creek confluence restoration project, $2,000,000 (section 14); and Support for the south fork focus zone irrigated acreage retirement, $6,000,000 (section 15). Section 4 directs the state treasurer to transfer up to $2,000,000 from the CWCB construction fund to the CWCB litigation fund on July 1, 2025. Section 13 directs the state treasurer to transfer $500,000 from the CWCB construction fund to the plant health, pest control, and environmental protection cash fund on July 1, 2025, and makes an appropriation of that amount to the department of agriculture for use by the conservation services division for the Colorado soil health program. Section 16 authorizes the CWCB to make a loan in an amount of $12,978,500 from the severance tax perpetual base fund to the North Poudre Irrigation Company to support the park creek expansion project. Section 17 appropriates $29,200,000 from the water plan implementation cash fund to the CWCB to award grants that will help implement the state water plan. Sections 18, 19, 20, and 21 eliminate the office of water conservation under the CWCB and the water efficiency grant program, transfer remaining money from the water efficiency grant program cash fund to the severance tax perpetual base fund, and make conforming amendments accordingly. Current law authorizes the governor to appoint a director of compact negotiations. Section 22 states that the governor or the executive director of the department of natural resources shall appoint the director of compact negotiations within 30 days after a vacancy of the position. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
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For construction of multifamily, attached housing of 2 or more units, the act creates the multifamily construction incentive program (program). A builder may chose to participate in the program by: Providing a warranty that covers any defect and damage at no cost to the homeowner for specified periods; Having a third-party inspection performed on the property; and Recording a notice of election to participate in the program in the real property records before the property is offered for sale. For construction defect claims brought for the construction of housing for which the builder is a participant in the program, the act: Requires a claimant to file a certificate of review with the complaint, if the complaint is against an architect or engineer; Limits actions to claims that have resulted in: Actual damage to real or personal property; actual loss of the use of real or personal property; actual bodily injury or wrongful death; an unreasonable reduction in the capability of, or an actual failure of, a building component to perform an intended function or purpose; or an unreasonable risk of bodily injury or death to, or a threat to the life, health, or safety of, the occupants of the residential property; and Requires that a construction professional must send or deliver to the claimant an offer to settle the claim or a written response that identifies the standards that apply to the claim and explains why the defect does not require repair. For all construction defect claims, the act: Establishes a claimant's duty to mitigate an alleged construction defect and specifies how a claimant may satisfy this duty and the consequences to a claimant that fails to satisfy this duty; Requires a construction professional who is the defendant in a construction defect action to submit specified information to the claimant; Prohibits an insurer from cancelling, denying, or reducing coverage based on any claim for benefits covered by an existing liability insurance policy issued to a construction professional based on the construction professional's offer to repair or settle a construction defect claim; Tolls the statute of limitations or repose during a claimant's mitigation of an alleged construction defect; Increases the percentage of owners that an executive board of a unit owners' association (executive board) must obtain approval from before initiating a construction defect claim on behalf of the owners from a majority to 65%; and Requires an executive board that is successful in a construction defect claim or settlement to first use the net monetary damages or net proceeds received as a result of the claim to repair the construction defect. The act requires a local government to establish a fast-track approval process for an application for for-sale multifamily condominium projects in order to qualify for assistance from the state affordable housing fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Maddy summarySJR 25-023 is a procedural resolution that establishes a joint committee of five members from the Senate and House of Representatives. This committee is tasked with formally notifying the Governor that the legislative session is about to conclude and to ask if he has any final communications for the General Assembly.
Maddy summarySJR 25-024 is a procedural resolution that establishes the final adjournment date for the First Regular Session of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly. It declares that when the session concludes on May 7, 2025, it will stand adjourned "sine die," meaning it will be the final adjournment without a set date to reconvene. This directly affects the members of the General Assembly by formalizing the end of their legislative session.
Maddy summarySJR 25-020 is a commemorative resolution that recognizes Colorado Mesa University's 100-year anniversary. The bill celebrates the university's history, achievements, and impact on students and the western Colorado community. It directs that copies of the resolution be sent to the university's Board of Trustees and Century Project Steering Committee.
Maddy summarySJR 25-019 is a joint resolution that recognizes April 10, 2025, as "Home Education Day" in Colorado. It aims to honor, thank, and celebrate home educators and their home-educated children in the state.
The bill creates the data center development and grid modernization program (program) in the Colorado office of economic development (office). To facilitate efficient data center development and g rid modernization, the program allows tax and utility benefits to a data center operator that applies to the office to have a data center project certified at one of 2 levels and that satisfies certain eligibility criteria for certification. The first level of data center project certification created in the bill is base certification. In connection with base certification, the bill specifies that: To obtain base certification, a data center operator must commit, through the application process with the office, to making a $250 million minimum capital investment in data center facility construction and equipment within 5 years, creating 25 full-time jobs that satisfy specified criteria, and breaking ground on the data center project within 5 years of obtaining base certification; In addition to the investment and job creation requirements, to obtain base certification a data center operator must also commit to implementing basic grid support capabilities, obtaining certification under one of several energy efficiency standards, implementing water stewardship strategies that optimize operational water management, sourcing at least 50% of the data center project's energy consumption from renewable and clean sources, supporting clean integration by implementing energy storage solutions that align with the data center project's needs and operations, agreeing to certain post-certification requirements, and agreeing to submit annual compliance reports to the office; A data center operator must apply to the office, in a form and manner to be determined by the office, for base certification before taking action to satisfy any of the eligibility criteria; The office is required to review a data center operator's application for base certification and award base certification to data center operators that have demonstrated that they will satisfy the base certification criteria; A data center operator that obtains base certification for a data center project is eligible for a 100% sales and use tax exemption on the purchase, use, and storage of information technology infrastructure, data center infrastructure, and electrical grid enhancement equipment (qualified purchases) for 20 years from the date that the data center project was certified, so long as the data center project satisfies ongoing compliance requirements; and In addition to the sales and use tax credit, a data center operator that obtains base certification for a data center project is eligible for standard utility rate incentives as negotiated between the data center operator and the utility. The second level of data center certification created in the bill is enhancement certification. A data center operator that has obtained base certification for a data center project may apply for enhancement certification for the same data center. In connection with enhancement certification, the bill specifies that: To obtain enhancement certification, a data center operator must invest a minimum of $10 million in grid enhancement and modernization, invest in workforce development or other community benefit programs, agree to certain post-certification requirements, and agree to submit annual compliance reports to the office; A data center operator must apply to the office, in a form and manner to be determined by the office, for enhancement certification either before or after making the required minimum grid enhancement and modernization investment; The office is required to review a data center operator's application for enhancement certification and award enhancement certification to data center operators that have demonstrated that they will satisfy the enhancement certification criteria; For income tax years commencing on or after 2026, a data center operator that obtains enhancement certification for a data center project is eligible for an income tax credit in an amount equal to 10% of the amount of any grid enhancement and modernization investment made by the data center operator and an additional amount equal to 5% of the amount of such investment if the investment is made in a rural area (grid enhancement credit); A data center operator is not eligible to claim the grid enhancement credit until the data center operator has made the required minimum grid enhancement and modernization investment; and In addition to the grid enhancement credit, a data center operator that obtains enhancement certification for a data center project is eligible for enhanced utility benefits as negotiated between the data center operator and the utility. Before submitting an application for certification for a data center project, a data center operator is required to conduct and document a preliminary consultation with the utility that will provide electricity for the data center project regarding interconnection feasibility, capacity, and infrastructure requirements and obtain a written feasibility assessment from the utility. A data center operator is required to include the documentation of the consultation and the written feasibility assessment with an application to the office for certification of the data center project, and, if the data center project includes projects requiring review by the public utilities commission (commission), the commission is required to review specified aspects of the application. A certified data center project that necessitates a new customer load or co-located customer load that satisfies certain criteria (emerging new load) is eligible for targeted resource acquisition if the data center operator satisfies specified requirements. The bill specifies a process by which a utility regulated by the commission may submit a resource acquisition application to the commission to meet emerging new load needs. The bill also specifies how a utility may finance resources and infrastructure needs in connection with emerging new loads. After achieving base certification and enhancement certification, a data center operator may apply to the office for certain benefit extensions for the sales and use tax exemption allowed to data center operators that have obtained base certification, for the grid enhancement credit allowed to data center operators that have obtained enhancement certification, and for the utility benefits negotiated between the data center operator and the utility. If the office determines that a data center operator is not fulfilling its obligations and commitments to retain base certification or enhancement certification, the office is required to revoke the certification and the data center operator is required to repay the state for the tax benefits that it received. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Maddy summaryHJR 25-1028 designates Friday, April 25, 2025, as "Sportsmen's Day" in Colorado. This resolution aims to recognize the contributions of Colorado's sportsmen and women to conservation efforts and the state's economy. It also encourages members of the General Assembly to join the Colorado Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus and urges public and private institutions to work with the caucus.
Maddy summaryHouse Joint Resolution 25-1027 designates a specific portion of Colorado State Highway 1 in Larimer County, from East County Road 60 to Interstate 25, as the "Commissioner Lew Gaiter III Memorial Highway." It authorizes the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to accept donations for the initial placement of signs and to explore a cooperative agreement with Larimer County for sign maintenance.
Maddy summaryHouse Joint Resolution 25-1030 expresses the State of Colorado's strong opposition to the use of forced labor in the production of goods. The resolution states that Colorado will use its purchasing power to support businesses that ethically source or manufacture products without forced labor. It also encourages state and local economic development offices to attract businesses that avoid these labor practices. This joint resolution aims to influence state and local government purchasing decisions and promote ethical business standards.