You need to know about 101 bills that were debated by the Colorado legislature

The Colorado Sun

The Colorado legislature debated more than 700 bills in the lawmaking term that ended Wednesday.
House Bill 1313: An estimated 31 local governments — most of them along the Interstate 25 corridor — would be required to change their zoning laws to allow more housing units near major bus and rail corridors under House Bill 1313.
READ MORE House Bill 1316: This measure would create a pilot program to offer a new tax credit to developers of middle-income housing.
House Bill 1434: This measure would expand Colorado’s affordable housing tax credit, which helps fund development of low-income housing.
House Bill 1456: Rates of syphilis infections are booming in Colorado, as they are across the country.
READ MORE Senate Bill 171: Colorado Parks and Wildlife would be authorized to reintroduce the North American Wolverine in Colorado under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature.
While other states have been pursuing similar legislation this year, the Colorado bill appears to be the first of its kind nationwide.
House Bill 1048: Veterinarians will be allowed to provide telemedicine under this measure signed into law by the governor.

NEUTRAL

Over 700 bills were discussed by the Colorado legislature during its recently concluded legislative session.

The Colorado Sun examined each measure in detail to bring your attention to the ones that succeeded and some that failed.

Gov. Bills will either become law without Jared Polis’ signature or he will have until June 7 to sign them into law.

Accommodation.

House Bill 1007: The governor has signed this bill into law, which prohibits local governments from limiting the number of people who can live together in the same home, regardless of their familial relationship, as of July 1. The only times this rule is not followed are when it comes to issues related to health and safety or meeting regulations regarding affordable housing.

News on CPR.

House Bill1098: The governor has signed this legislation into law, requiring landlords to renew a tenant’s lease unless they have good reason not to. Known as the “for-cause eviction” law, it permits landlords to terminate rental agreements early for nonpayment of rent and other infractions. If they want to rent the property to a family member, make significant renovations, or remove it from the rental market, they may also decline to have the lease renewed.

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House Bill 1152: Under this legislation, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, residents of the states’ metropolitan planning organizations, which include the majority of the Front Range and the Grand Junction region, would be permitted to construct accessory dwelling units, or “granny flats,” on their properties. The new unit would require parking to be identified. Additionally, a number of current municipal laws that forbid ADUs would be blocked by the bill. In conclusion, the bill would establish state grant and loan programs to assist in funding the development of ADUs constructed by homeowners with low to moderate incomes and to encourage local governments to undertake ADU-related regulations.

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House Bill 1175: When rental restrictions on affordable housing properties expire, this legislation would grant local governments a new “right of first refusal” to purchase the properties. Under the proposal, landlords would also have to let the government know if they intend to sell older apartment buildings without renting restrictions. In order to convert the land into reasonably priced low-income housing, the local government would then be entitled to make the first offer.

READ ON.

A bill passed by the legislature in 2022 requiring homeowners associations to physically post a notice on a home when an owner owes them money would be repealed by House Bill 1233, which is awaiting the governor’s signature. It does, however, stipulate that the HOA must send a notice by mail and make contact with the owner via text message, email, or phone.

House Bill 1304: This bill, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, would forbid cities and towns from creating or enforcing minimum parking requirements for residential buildings in particular areas. In addition to covering the majority of the Front Range and the Grand Junction region, the measure would apply to areas of the state that are within metropolitan planning organizations and in close proximity to specific bus or train stops or routes. It would go into effect on June 30, 2025. Furthermore, the law would only cover multifamily residential developments, redeveloped buildings for residential use, and redeveloped buildings for mixed use where at least half of the new use is residential.

House Bill 1313: Under this bill, approximately 31 local governments, the majority of which are located along the Interstate 25 corridor, would have to amend their zoning regulations to make room for more homes close to important bus and rail corridors. A half mile from rail stations and a quarter mile from bus stops, the measure would mandate that those local governments zone for 40 units per acre. One important component of Gov. The housing plan put forth by Jared Polis offers communities that comply with four years’ worth of financial incentives totaling $35 million. Projects aimed at providing affordable housing could be funded with the money. The legislation is not yet signed.

SEE MORE NOW.

House Bill 1316: This bill would establish a new tax credit pilot program for middle-class housing developers. It would subsidize housing that is affordable for people who make between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income, based on the affordable housing tax credit for low-income families. The governor has not yet signed the bill.

House Bill 1337: This measure awaiting the governor’s signature would cap the attorneys fees a homeowner’s association can charge a homeowner facing eviction at half of the homeowner’s unpaid assessments and any other money owed to the association, or $5,000, whichever is less. People who can afford to pay more but purposefully neglected to pay their HOA debts would be exempt, and the cap would rise yearly in line with inflation. A community land trust, a cooperative housing corporation, renters, affordable housing nonprofits, homeowners, and the state or local government would all have 30 days to file an affidavit stating their intent to purchase the property if the measure is implemented. Additionally, the measure would impose a “first right of redemption” on HOA-foreclosed homes sold at auction. After the sale, they would have 180 days to raise the funds and seal the deal. After an investigation by The Colorado Sun in August revealed that, of the approximately 3,000 foreclosure cases Colorado HOAs had filed since 2018, over 250 (or approximately 8%) resulted in the properties being auctioned off, with the majority selling for far less than market value, House Bill 1337 was introduced.

The affordable housing tax credit in Colorado, which aids in the development of low-income housing, would be increased by House Bill 1434. The governor is anticipated to sign the bill, which would enable the state to introduce $20 million in new credits for this tax year and subsequently lower amounts through 2027. The bill also provides grants for transit-oriented communities totaling $30 million through 2029.

Senate Bill 94: The governor has signed this bill into law, which updates Colorado’s “warranty of habitability” law. Among other things, it mandates that landlords fix the majority of problems—such as loose tiles or making sure there are enough trash pickups—and do so within 14 days. The bill would give landlords seven days to fix more serious issues like gas leaks, malfunctioning heating systems, insufficient running water, and pest infestations that could endanger someone’s life, safety, or health.

READ ON.

Senate Bill 111: If seniors move under this bill, which makes the so-called senior homestead exemption portable, they would not forfeit a well-liked property tax benefit. The governor has not yet signed the bill.

Senate Bill 134: This law forbids a homeowners association from preventing a resident from running a business out of their home. The governor has signed it into law.

Senate Bill 174: This bill would mandate that every six years, local governments evaluate housing needs and develop plans of action to address those needs. Local governments that move forward with their housing plans stand to gain funding grants from several state agencies. The governor must still sign the bill.

weapons.

House Bill 1174: If approved by the governor, this bill would alter Colorado’s laws regarding concealed carry permits and how they are obtained. It would require training programs to provide at least eight hours of instruction, including a live-fire test in which candidates must fire at least fifty rounds, in order for candidates to be eligible for a concealed carry permit. Obtaining a concealed carry permit would require passing both the written and live-fire exam.

House Bill 1348: If a gun is kept in a car, it must be kept in a locked, hard-sided container that is out of sight, such as a glove box or center console. The bill is currently pending the governor’s signature. The bill also stipulates that the car must be locked. People who work on farms and ranches, in the military, or in law enforcement would not be subject to the fine that would be imposed on violators.

Legislatively passed House Bill 1349: It asks voters in Colorado to impose an excise tax of 6.5 percent on firearms and ammunition sold in the state starting April 1, 2025. Voters will be asked to determine this in November. The money raised would support programs for mental health, schools, and victims of crime.

House Bill 1353: This bill would make it necessary for Colorado’s gun dealers to get a state permit and submit to both routine and random inspections. In addition, background checks on potential gun buyers and employee training to spot those attempting to buy weapons illegally are mandated by the legislation, which the governor has not yet signed. Staff members would be required to notify law enforcement within 48 hours of any attempt to purchase a gun illegally. The law would also mandate that gun retailers secure their weapons.

Senate Bill 3: Although it hasn’t been signed into law yet, this bill would allow the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to look into crimes involving firearms. Also, it would give the agency $1.07 million to look into cases of felons seeking to purchase firearms illegally after receiving a conviction.

Senate Bill 66 requires credit card companies to provide firearms and ammunition dealers with unique merchant codes by May 2025. The governor has signed this bill. The purpose of the law is to facilitate the tracking of gun purchases.

Senate Bill 131: If approved by the governor, this bill would forbid open or concealed carry of a firearm in the Colorado Capitol, courthouses, child care centers, K–12 schools, colleges, and polling places.

Moving.

Senate Bill 65, which is pending the governor’s signature, would forbid drivers in Colorado from using a mobile electronic device, such as a cellphone, while operating a vehicle. There are some exceptions to the rule for drivers who are making an emergency call or using hand-free accessories.

Senate Bill 79: If the governor signs this bill into law, motorcycle riders will be permitted to “lane split,” or drive between cars in two lanes, starting in August when they are going up to 15 mph and passing stopped traffic. It will expire on September. Unless the legislature extends it, on January 1, 2027.

Senate Bill 100: This measure, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, would forbid commercial vehicles from using the left lane on hazardous portions of Interstate 70 through Colorado’s high country, including Floyd Hill, Georgetown Hill, close to the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels, Vail Pass, Dowd Junction, and Glenwood Canyon, beginning in August. The bill would also add a list of mountain routes to the areas where commercial vehicle drivers must carry chains between September and December, and it would increase fines for commercial vehicles speeding through Glenwood Canyon. May 1 and May 31 in particular. Finally, the legislation would mandate that the Colorado Department of Transportation research potential sites for new chain-up and chain-down stations along I-70 through the mountains, as well as ways to enhance current stations.

SEE MORE NOW.

Senate Bill 182: This legislation, which has not yet become law, would remove the state’s requirements that applicants for a driver’s license be residents of Colorado, have filed a tax return, and have a social security or taxpayer identification number. This would make it simpler for individuals living in the country illegally to obtain a license.

PR News.

Senate Bill 184: If the governor signs this bill, Colorado’s daily rental car fee would rise from $2.13 to $5.13. The projected annual revenue of over $55 million will be allocated towards transit projects, primarily towards the construction of a Front Range passenger rail system. The fee would go into effect in 2025 and, beginning on July 1, 2026, increase yearly in accordance with inflation.

READ ON.

tax code modifications or other changes that would have an impact on your pocketbook.

House Bill 1052: This measure, which passed with broad bipartisan support and is anticipated to be signed into law, allows qualifying seniors 65 and older at the end of 2024 who make up to $75,000 — or $125,000 if filing jointly — to claim an income tax refund of up to $800 when they file their taxes the following spring. The senior homestead exemption does not apply to homeowners.

House Bill 1134: The governor is anticipated to sign this bill into law, which would increase the earned income tax credit for low-income households by up to $200 million per year. A refundable credit equal to up to 50% of the federal tax credit of the same name would be available to households with incomes under $65,000. Specific credit values fluctuate in response to changes in the economy.

SCROLL DOWN.

House Bill 1311: This bill, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, would allow Colorado families with low and moderate incomes to receive income tax credits of up to $3,200 per child. Economic growth determines the credit’s precise value.

READ ON.

House Bill 1312: If passed into law, this bill would give single taxpayers making up to $75,000 annually who work as child care providers or nurses in certain skilled nursing facilities an income tax credit of $1,200. The legislation is an attempt to address the industry’s staffing shortage. A $2,400 income tax credit would be available to joint filers with incomes up to $100,000. The governor has not yet signed the bill.

Senate Bill 228: Aside from creating two new taxpayer refund mechanisms, this bill would temporarily reduce income taxes for Coloradans in years when the surplus from the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights surpasses a predetermined threshold. The bill would temporarily lower income taxes from 4 percent this year to 4 percent, the maximum reduction permitted by the bill, and is currently awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill only starts cutting if $300 million is left over after funding a tax break on senior properties. The sales tax rate would also be lowered in years when the remaining surplus exceeded $1.55 billion. The governor, who insisted on short-term income tax cuts in exchange for using a sizable portion of the surplus to pay for income tax credits, and Democratic lawmakers came to an agreement on the measure.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

Senate Bill 233: Bipartisan and passed at the last minute, this bill would not affect K–12 funding and would maintain property tax rates this year. It is currently awaiting the governor’s signature. After that, the bill would provide a property tax break in all ensuing years, partly by capping local governments’ annual revenue increases at 5 percent.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

Medical care.

House Bill 1058: This groundbreaking bill, which the governor has signed into law, will extend the protection of the Colorado Privacy Act to cover biological data, including neural data collected through new neurotechnologies and utilized for anything from anxiety treatment to dating app optimization, beginning in August.

The New York Times.

House Bill 1081: If this measure is signed into law by the governor, only verified commercial businesses will be allowed to sell or transfer products with a potency of 10% or more sodium nitrite starting on July 1. In order to stop people from getting the chemical to commit suicide, this measure has been put in place. Additionally, products containing sodium nitrite must state that ingesting them can be fatal.

News on CPR.

House Bill 1136: This bill would force social media companies to notify Colorado youths via pop-up messages after an hour of daily use if a teen is using the platform after 10 p.m. me. The alerts would include information about the negative effects of social media use, which has been connected to depression and anxiety. The bipartisan bill is now awaiting the governor’s signature after passing both chambers.

READ ON.

The governor signed House Bill 1231, which calls for the development of a Health Institute Tower at Metropolitan State University of Denver, the construction of a veterinary health education complex for Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and the renovation and expansion of the main building at Trinidad State College’s valley campus in Alamosa to house all of the school’s health care programs. Colorado will establish its third medical college at the University of Northern Colorado, most likely in 2026.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

House Bill 1380: This bill, which is still pending, would forbid hospitals from disclosing to the public that they are parties to debt collection actions against patients. Introduced in response to a joint Colorado Sun/9News investigation into the practice, the bill would cover all debt collection lawsuits, not just those pertaining to medical debt issues.

House Bill 1456: Syphilis infections are on the rise nationwide, including in Colorado. This has also led to an increase in the number of babies infected in utero. The law as it stands now mandates that medical professionals offer syphilis testing early in the first trimester, which is treatable with antibiotics. Moreover, early syphilis testing in the third trimester would be mandated by this bill, which has not yet been signed into law.

Senate Bill68: Approved by the legislature and pending the governor’s signature, this bill would reduce Colorado’s waiting period for terminally ill individuals wishing to utilize the state’s medical-aid-in-dying law from fifteen to seven days in August. Additionally, the measure would allow advanced practice nurses to prescribe aid-in-dying medication and waive the waiting period for individuals who are expected to pass away within 48 hours.

READ ON.

Senate Bill 203: Individuals with rare diseases are concerned that the Prescription Drug Affordability Board of Colorado may take action that renders their medications unavailable. Price ceilings on medications that the board deems unaffordable may be imposed. But patients worry that a cap might force a drug manufacturer to leave the Colorado market or force pharmacies to stop carrying the medication. The board would have to confer with the state’s Rare Disease Advisory Council prior to reviewing a drug under this bill, which the governor has not yet signed.

law enforcement.

House Concurrent Resolution 1002: Voters in Colorado will determine in November whether to amend the state constitution to permit judges to forbid the release of inmates accused of first-degree murder on bond prior to their trials. House Concurrent Resolution 1002 had that effect after the state Supreme Court decided last year that the legislature’s 2020 repeal of Colorado’s death penalty meant that judges had to set bail for those defendants and that they were eligible for pretrial release.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

House Bill 1071: In Colorado, a person convicted of a felony may only change their name if they can demonstrate that they have “good cause.”. The governor signed this bill into law, expanding the definition of “good cause” to include changing one’s name to reflect one’s gender identity. “.

House Bill 1103: The term “excited delirium” is banned from being used in first responder training, in police incident reports and from being listed as the cause of death in Colorado death certificates under this measure signed into law by the governor. The bill was inspired by the death of Elijah McClain in Aurora after an encounter with city police and paramedics.

Nine News.

House Bill 1355: This bill would send those charged with misdemeanor offenses to mental health facilities rather than putting them through the lengthy and sometimes painful process of being “restored to competency” in order to face trial. The new Bridges Wraparound Care Program, which is run by Bridges of Colorado, an independent state office, may be referred to by judges, public defenders, and district attorneys.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

Senate Bill 35: If this bill is signed into law by the governor, there will be more severe criminal penalties for human trafficking involving forced or sexual labor. From a maximum average of 28 years, the maximum penalty has been raised to 48 years. The bill also extends to 20 years the statute of limitations for prosecuting those offenders.

surroundings.

House Bill 1379: This legislation was brought forth in response to a U. S. ruling from the Supreme Court limiting the federal government’s ability to control wetlands. The bill, which hasn’t been signed yet, would hand the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that responsibility, and require the agency to create a framework to protect the waterways the federal government no longer oversees.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

House Bill 1436: Colorado voters will be asked in November whether to let the state keep all of the sports betting tax revenue it collects under this measure that passed the legislature. As of right now, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights mandates that the state return any winnings from sports betting that exceed $29 million. The excess will be returned to casinos in the event that voters reject the ballot question.

SCROLL DOWN.

Senate Bill 81: This bill, which hasn’t been signed by the governor yet, would close loopholes in a 2022 state ban on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, known as “forever chemicals,” that are polluting the water supply. It would extend the list of products that would be affected and accelerate the dates by which the sale of some products containing those chemicals would be phased out.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

Currently awaiting the governor’s signature, Senate Bill 171 would allow Colorado Parks and Wildlife to reintroduce the North American Wolverine in Colorado. To compensate livestock owners for losses brought on by wolverines, CPW would have to establish regulations. For the reintroduction efforts, lawmakers have set aside over $100,000 for the upcoming fiscal year.

SEE MORE NOW.

State regulators would be necessary by August, according to Senate Bill 229. 31, 2026, to establish regulations requiring the oil and gas sector to cut its nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% between May 1 and September 30 from 2017 levels by 2030. This bill is currently pending the governor’s signature. In addition, the measure would mandate data collection and publication from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, as well as changes to the agency’s enforcement strategies for emissions violations.

SEE MORE NOW.

Senate Bill 230: This bill would impose a new tax on Colorado-produced oil and gas, with the estimated annual revenue coming to $138 million, of which 80 percent would be allocated to public lands and transit projects. The bill, which awaits the governor’s signature, would also require the Regional Transportation District to prioritize completion of its long-promised commuter rail lines between Denver and Longmont and Denver and north Adams County.

Read more about the long-term agreement on transit and air quality reached by the governor and Democrats. Read more about the legislature’s 2024 efforts to reshape RTD.

Senate Bill 218: Under this bill, Xcel Energy would be required to create more detailed plans for modernizing the distribution grid, which supplies electricity to homes and businesses and is experiencing strain from rising demand. The bill, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, would allow the utility to recover costs by adding charges to residential and commercial bills.

READ MORE.

Commerce.

House Bill 1121: Should the governor sign this so-called right-to-repair bill, tech and appliance companies would have to provide the tools and software necessary to fix their products. Proponents of the proposal claim that it would cover everything, including cellphones and blenders.

House Bill 1129: This measure, which the governor has not yet signed, would impose new rules on third-party delivery services such as DoorDash or UberEats. These rules would require that drivers receive tips at all times, be informed in advance of the amount they should be paid for a trip, and have a multilingual driver deactivation policy developed by the companies. The bill would also require that the companies give drivers at least a minute to decide whether to accept a delivery.

House Bill 1378: Venues would be required to admit ticket holders to an event regardless of where they purchased the ticket under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill would also make it a deceptive trade practice for a company to not disclose fees associated with a ticket purchase before a buyer tries to complete their transaction.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

Senate Bill 173: This measure, which hasn’t been signed into law yet, would require funeral directors, mortuary science practitioners, embalmers, creationists and natural reductionists to obtain a state license starting in 2027. To get a license, people working in those professions would have to graduate from an accredited institution, pass a national board exam, complete an apprenticeship and be subject to a criminal background check. Colorado is currently the only state does doesn’t require licensure for directors and others who work in the funeral industry.

SEE MORE NOW.

Senate Bill 75: If the governor signs this bill, ride-sharing businesses like Uber and Lyft will be required to tell their drivers, beginning in the upcoming year, how much each trip costs and to clearly communicate to customers how much their drivers are paid. Numerous additional changes to the state’s regulation of the rideshare industry would be made by the legislation.

Senate Bill 205: Companies that use artificial intelligence to make “consequential” decisions — such as whether a Coloradan gets a job, house, loan or medical coverage — would have to disclose to consumers when they are using AI under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. Consumer advocates believe the bill doesn’t go far enough, while some in the AI business community have criticized it for coming too soon. The Colorado bill seems to be the first of its kind in the country, even though other states have been pursuing legislation along similar lines this year. Should it be signed, it would go into force on February. 1, 2026.

SEE MORE NOW.

Schooling.

House Bill 1003: This measure, signed into law by the governor, gives school bus drivers and other school employees who accompany students on buses the same civil and criminal immunity as other staffers when it comes to administering opioid overdose drugs. Along with granting school employees who use fentanyl test strips civil and criminal immunity, the legislation also permits schools to maintain a supply of these kits on hand. Last but not least, the bill permits districts to maintain those overdose reversal medications on school buses, in schools, and at events hosted by schools.

House Bill 1017: The bill strengthens several current protections found in state child welfare laws by providing foster children with their own official “bill of rights.”. Among the rights are the freedoms from unreasonable searches, discriminatory practices, and harassment. Children who identify as transgender would also be entitled to use pronouns and their preferred name. The state must inform foster children of their rights at every placement and provide guidance on what to do if their foster parents violate those freedoms, according to a law that Polis signed in April.

SEE MORE NOW.

House Bill 1039: Public school employees are required to address pupils by their chosen name and knowingly or intentionally using a different name would be considered discriminatory under this measure signed into law by the governor. The legislation defines chosen name as “any name that a student requests to be known as that differs from the student’s legal name, to reflect the student’s gender identity. “.

Legislation enacted by Polis, House Bill 1044, allows hundreds more retired public school teachers to resume their careers after they start receiving pension benefits from the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association. The proposal increases the current cap of ten retired teachers per K–12 district, enabling schools in districts with 10,000 students or more to hire one additional retiree for every 1,000 students. The pension system is required to report every five years on the financial impact of the changes, which could add as much as $200 million to PERA’s unfunded debt.

Those who are not affiliated.

House Bill 1164: Under this measure, K-12 schools across the state would be required to provide free menstrual products to students in all applicable bathrooms as soon as the 2025-26 year. Initially, the requirements would only apply to urban and suburban school districts and charter schools; they would kick in for rural schools and the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind starting in July 2028. The bill has not yet been signed by the governor.

House Bill 1394: Starting next school year, the state will provide additional funding to state-sponsored charter schools in communities where local voters have increased property taxes for traditional public and charter schools. The bipartisan measure, which Polis signed into law, equalizes the per-student funding received by Charter School Institute schools that don’t benefit from the local property tax bumps, known as mill levy overrides.

House Bill 1448: This attempt would be the first in thirty years to rewrite the school finance formula, and it would be beneficial to many rural schools and districts with high concentrations of children at-risk. But wealthier districts with a high cost of living could lose out under the measure, which would prioritize student need-based factors over local economic conditions that districts say make it hard to pay teachers a living wage. The governor must still sign the bill.

GO HERE FOR MORE.

Senate Bill 188: Next school year, Colorado would fully fund K-12 education for the first time since the Great Recession under the annual School Finance Act, which has passed both chambers and is expected to be signed into law. The bill eliminates Colorado’s long-standing school funding deficit, also known as the budget stabilization factor, and increases base funding per pupil to $8,496.

READ MORE.

Senate Bill 216: Public libraries in Colorado would be prohibited from banning books or other resources based on the ethnic origin or gender identity of the creator, nor could they enact a ban because of partisan disapproval under this bill awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill would also prohibit a public library employee from being fired, demoted, disciplined or otherwise retaliated against for refusing to remove a book or other resource before it has been reviewed in accordance with the library’s policies.

Additional approved bills.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 3: Colorado voters will be asked in November to amend the state constitution to remove the ban on same-sex marriage under this resolution passed by a supermajority of the legislature. Same-sex marriage is legal in Colorado, but the constitutional provision defining marriage as being between a man and a woman remains.

Legislation enacted by the governor, House Bill 1048, permits veterinarians to offer telemedicine services.

House Bill 1051: This measure, which hasn’t been signed by the governor yet, aims to tighten regulations on towing companies, including by prohibiting them from patrolling or monitoring a parking area for enforcement purposes. In addition, tow firms would have to deliver cars back to their original locations within 48 hours of an incorrect tow.

House Bill 1059: An independent commission would be created and meet every four years to recommend pay adjustments for elected officials in the state under this legislation passed by the General Assembly. The recommendations from the first report would be implemented in January 2026, and it would be due in December 2025. 1, 2027. In order to account for inflation, annual wage adjustments would be made. The measure would also increase the per diem pay for state lawmakers.

House Bill 1147: Colorado campaigns would be prohibited from using artificial intelligence to create and disseminate deepfakes — an image, video or piece of audio that falsely appears to be authentic but really depicts someone appearing to say or do something they didn’t say or do — without a clear disclosure under this bill awaiting the governor’s signature.

House Bill 1150: It is now a crime to be a presidential elector who doesn’t back the presidential candidate who wins the most votes in Colorado presidential elections under this measure signed into law by the governor. The measure also makes it a crime to assist someone in becoming a false elector or conspiring with another person to become a false elector. Violators face a fine of up to $10,000 and if convicted would be barred from serving as a member of the General Assembly or holding any office of trust or profit in the state.

House Bill 1244: Colorado coroners would be restricted as to whom they could release a child’s autopsy report to under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. Members of the public could not obtain a child’s autopsy report unless the juvenile’s death happens while they are in custody or under the supervision of the state or a local government, including foster care or in a public school.

House Bill 1280: Under this bill, the state would give community organizations grants totaling about $2 million to aid in the integration of immigrants into Colorado. Aiming to assist recent immigrants to the U.S., the bill established the welcome grant program. S. find a job, enroll their kids in school and access certain social services.

House Bill 1360: This measure, passed by the General Assembly and awaiting the governor’s signature, would create Colorado’s first ever Disability Opportunity Office, which would be housed within the Department of Labor and Employment. The office’s four employees would provide guidance to the governor and state agencies on accessibility problems, and implement a statewide strategy to promote economic stability and societal integration for those with disabilities.

The Colorado Newsline.

House Bill 1430: This lengthy bill, which forms the core of a budget package comprising over a dozen pieces of legislation, authorizes $40 point six billion in state spending for Colorado’s fiscal year 2024–25, which begins on July 1. The state budget funds large pay raises for state workers and increases spending on health care services, K-12 and higher education. According to the bill that Polis signed into law, general fund spending will rise by $1 billion the following year. A 7% increase over the current budget year is represented in that. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which administers Medicaid and other public health programs, was responsible for about half of the general fund budget growth.

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House Bill 1472: This measure, the product of a deal between trial lawyers, business interests and the insurance industry, would raise award caps in Colorado personal injury and medical malpractice cases to as high as $2.1 million. A bipartisan coalition of legislators and the governor’s office assisted in the bill’s negotiation. It isn’t yet signed. In exchange for the legislation, lawyers have agreed to abandon a ballot effort to eliminate the caps altogether, including a $300,000 cap on medical malpractice claims.

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Senate Bill 53: This measure would create a commission to study racial inequities affecting Black Coloradans and propose solutions to address them. The bill calls for an economic analysis on the generational harms caused by systemic racism, and directs History Colorado, the state historical society, to help study discriminatory policies dating back to slavery. If the governor signs the bill into law, the commission’s work would be funded through $785,000 in grants and donations.

News on CPR.

Senate Bill 58: Under this legislation, which the governor has signed into law, a landowner who posts signs alerting visitors to potentially dangerous conditions, structures, and activities on their property—that are at least 8 inches by 10 inches—will not be subject to legal action from an injured party for “a willful or malicious failure to guard against a known condition.”. Rather than at every potential hazard, the signs could be positioned at trailheads.

SCROLL DOWN.

Senate Bill 157: The governor has signed this bill into law, which modifies the way the state’s open meetings laws apply to the legislature. Among other things, it exempts written correspondence between two or more lawmakers, but it is still governed by Colorado’s unique open records laws. Legislation also relieves legislators of the need to take minutes of meetings, record them, and post them online, unless they are discussing public business (such as bills, resolutions, or memorials) and only if a quorum is present throughout the meeting. Exempt from public access are conversations that are “by nature interpersonal, administrative or logistics or that concern personnel, planning, process training or operations. The bill also mandates that the executive committee of the legislature receive public input on how the legislature should implement the laws governing open meetings and examine potential amendments to the existing statutes.

The Poster in Denver.

notable bills that were defeated.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 1: This proposal would have put a question on the ballot in November asking voters to change the state constitution so that victims of decades-old child sex abuse could continue to sue their abusers even after the statute of limitations had passed. Despite having the support of every Republican in the Senate, the resolution failed to receive the necessary supermajority votes to pass by one vote.

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House Bill 1028: This bill would have allowed local governments in Colorado to grant permission for the establishment of drug-use centers where users could openly consume illegal substances while being watched over by professionals skilled in reversing overdoses. Although the Senate Health and Human Services Committee rejected the bill, it passed the House.

House Bill 1057: This bill would have limited the use of computer algorithms by landlords to determine rent, and it would have violated consumer protection laws if landlords had used competitor companies’ nonpublic data to determine rent rates. Although the Senate amended the bill to permit the practice in numerous situations, it still passed the House. The legislation was killed in the last days of the session when the House rejected the Senate’s modifications and the Senate declined to reconsider the bill.

House Bill 1158: This measure would have required that the minimum bid for HOA-foreclosed homes being sold at auction be set at roughly 60 percent of the property’s market value. Right now, the minimum bid is set at whatever the homeowner owes their HOA, which may only be a few thousand dollars. During the final House floor debate, the bill was defeated by a single vote.

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House Bill 1162: This measure would have increased the criminal penalties for stealing a firearm valued at up to $300 a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 120 days in jail, up from a petty offense. In the first committee hearing, the measure was turned down.

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House Bill 1163 would have required pet owners to pay a minimum of $8.50 annually to register their animals with the state. Shelters would have received the money collected from fees. There would have been a $100 fine for offenders. At its initial committee hearing, the bill was unanimously rejected.

House Bill 1169: This legislation was voted down in committee on its first attempt to allow Colorado’s public pension to invest in businesses that boycott Israel economically.

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House Bill 1239: Under this bill, local governments were to update their codes by December. 1, 2026, to permit structures up to five stories tall to have a single stairwell exit. The bill, which was marketed as a means of increasing housing, was shot down during its initial committee hearing.

House Bill 1270: This bill, which was withdrawn from consideration in the Senate, would have mandated that all gun owners in Colorado obtain homeowners, renters, or other liability insurance beginning in 2025. When coverage was denied by two or more insurance companies, among other circumstances, gun owners would have been able to petition a judge for an exemption. The bill would also have required insurers to make firearms coverage available as part of liability coverage for homeowners and renters policies, though they could offer discounts for people who own a gun safe or other secure firearm container. The infringers would have been fined.

House Bill 1292: The Colorado legislature rejected a bill that would have outlawed the acquisition, transfer, and sale of a large variety of semiautomatic firearms, which the bill defined as assault weapons, for the second year in a row. In its first Senate committee, House Bill 1292 was killed at the request of one of its senatorial sponsors, who stated that “more conversations need to take place.”. “.

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House Bill 1296: Under this proposal, Colorado government agencies would now have to respond to requests for public records within five to ten days instead of just three to seven days, with the news media being the only exception. Agencies could have been given a month to reply in certain circumstances. In the Senate, the bill was defeated.

House Bill 1299: If a property was listed as short-term rental and the owner was a person or business that owned two or more other homes, the property would have been subject to Colorado’s commercial property tax rate. In the House, it was denied at its initial committee hearing.

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House Bill 1363: Designed to increase accountability and transparency for Colorado’s charter schools, this legislation was strongly opposed by both Democratic and Republican proponents of educational reform. The initial committee rejected it. READ ON.

House Bill 1433: This measure was rejected in a Senate committee and would have given the parole board authority to decide whether to grant parole to the Department of Corrections’ Young Adults Convicted as Adults Program. Currently, the parole board’s recommendations are used by the governor to determine eligibility for parole.

The property taxes on Colorado homes rented out for less than 90 days a year would have been increased fourfold under Senate Bill 33. The Senate Finance Committee denied it.

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Senate Bill 43: This bill, which was voted down in the Senate, would have permitted Coloradans to purchase raw milk from farms, farmers markets, and roadside stands. Sen. The avian flu outbreak in cows is the reason Frisco Democrat Dylan Roberts said he disregarded the bill.

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Senate Bill 106: This so-called construction defects measure sought to restrict the time frame within which developers could be sued for construction defects, thereby promoting the development of condominiums in Colorado. It was approved by the Senate, but when it became apparent that it wouldn’t have enough support to pass, a House committee unanimously rejected it.

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Senate Bill 146: This bill, which was scheduled to expire on the House calendar, would have provided renters with an income tax credit of up to $1,000. The credit would only have been available to renters who make less than $75,000 (or $125,000 if filing jointly).

Senate Bill 159: During its first hearing, a bipartisan majority of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee rejected this measure, which would have prohibited new oil and gas drilling in Colorado by 2030.

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Senate Bill 181: The proceeds from the sale of beer, wine, and liquor to wholesale distributors and manufacturers of alcohol would have funded drug addiction treatment. The House Finance Committee denied it.

This story was written by Colorado Sun staff writers Sandra Fish, John Ingold, Tamara Chuang, Parker Yamasaki, and Mark Jaffe.

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