HB 1045: Disabilities Housing Protections - Colorado

Final Act → Signed Act · 5 edits · May 29, 2026

MODERATE

This bill clarifies Colorado's housing laws regarding assistance animals by codifying federal guidance that was previously rescinded. It establishes that the mere presence of an assistance animal is not a direct threat to health or safety and is not presumed to cause damage to property. The legislation also clarifies that refusing reasonable accommodations for assistance animals is discriminatory and outlines specific rules for documentation requests.

Scope change

The bill expands legal clarity and predictability for housing providers and individuals with disabilities by permanently embedding federal guidance into state law, ensuring consistent application of rules regarding assistance animals.

DEFINITION

Added a specific definition for 'reasonable accommodation' to ensure equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities to use and enjoy housing.

REQUIREMENT

Established that the mere presence of an assistance animal does not constitute a direct threat to health or safety or cause substantial physical damage to property.

Clarified that permitting an assistance animal is presumed to be a reasonable accommodation, while prohibiting them is presumed to be discriminatory.

Refined the rules for requesting documentation, stating that a housing provider does not engage in discrimination solely for requesting reasonable documentation unless the disability is obvious.

TECHNICAL

Corrected formatting errors in section numbers and text spacing throughout the bill.

Rerevised → Final Act · 7 edits · May 19, 2026

MODERATE

This bill was finalized to codify federal guidance regarding assistance animals into Colorado state law, ensuring that housing providers cannot automatically ban these animals based on fear of damage or threats. It clarifies that the mere presence of an assistance animal is not a direct threat and that prohibiting them is presumed discriminatory, while also outlining a specific process for evaluating individual cases.

Scope change

The bill applies to all housing providers in Colorado and specifically targets the interpretation of 'reasonable accommodation' for individuals with disabilities.

DEFINITION

Added specific legal definitions for 'assistance animal' and 'emotional support animal' to clarify that both terms are protected under the law.

Defined 'reasonable accommodation' to include exceptions or adjustments to rules, policies, or services necessary for individuals with disabilities to enjoy housing.

REQUIREMENT

Established that the mere presence of an assistance animal does not constitute a direct threat to health or safety or cause substantial physical damage to property.

Created a legal presumption that permitting an assistance animal is a reasonable accommodation if the provider engages in an interactive process with the individual.

Stated that completely prohibiting assistance animals in housing is presumed to be discriminatory.

Clarified that requesting documentation for an assistance animal is not discriminatory, unless the disability is obvious.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the act to 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly, subject to potential referendum.

Revised → Rerevised · 2 edits · Apr 14, 2026

MINOR

The bill was re-revised to include additional Senate sponsors and updated the document header to reflect that it contains all amendments adopted in the Second House. Substantively, the text of the bill itself was removed from this version, indicating that the specific policy provisions regarding housing discrimination were deleted or replaced in this iteration.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's text is currently null because the substantive content detailing housing discrimination protections was removed from this version.

REQUIREMENT

The specific section defining unfair or discriminatory housing practices against individuals with disabilities was removed from the text.

TECHNICAL

Additional names of Senators were added to the sponsorship list, and the document header was updated to indicate a 'Rerevised' status with a specific date.

Reengrossed → Revised · 2 edits · Apr 13, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reclassified from a 'Reengrossed' version to a 'Revised' version, indicating it has moved to the second house for further consideration. Substantively, the text removed specific provisions that defined 'reasonable accommodations' to include assistance animals and mandated an interactive process between housing providers and individuals with disabilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding disability protections was narrowed by the removal of specific definitions and requirements related to assistance animals.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted the definition of 'reasonable accommodations' that explicitly included allowing assistance animals in housing.

Removed the requirement that housing providers must engage in an interactive accommodation process with individuals requesting assistance animals.

Engrossed → Reengrossed · 3 edits · Feb 4, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to include additional co-sponsors and updated the legislative status notes to reflect amendments adopted during the House of Introduction. The text also includes a placeholder for a future bill summary that will apply to the reengrossed version. No substantive policy changes regarding definitions, requirements, or enforcement were identified in the provided text.

TECHNICAL

Added names of new co-sponsors to the House sponsorship list.

Updated the legislative status header from 'Engrossed' to 'Reengrossed' and adjusted the accompanying explanatory text.

Inserted a note indicating that a specific bill summary will be available on February 4, 2026, after the bill passes third reading.

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Feb 2, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was reclassified from 'Introduced' to 'Engrossed' to reflect that it has passed all amendments. The most significant substantive change is the addition of a mandatory 'interactive accommodation process' for housing providers. Previously, providers could simply refuse an animal if they suspected a threat; now, they must first engage in a dialogue with the resident to assess the specific conduct of the animal before taking action. This change aims to reduce unnecessary litigation by clarifying that a blanket ban on assistance animals is discriminatory, while still allowing providers to address specific safety issues through conversation rather than immediate prohibition.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding housing discrimination remains the same, but the enforcement mechanism for handling animal-related complaints has been expanded to require a dialogue process.

REQUIREMENT

Added a mandatory requirement for housing providers to engage in an interactive process with residents before refusing an assistance animal based on safety concerns.

Added a presumption that completely prohibiting assistance animals in housing is discriminatory, unless specific conduct issues are resolved through the new interactive process.

Removed the previous language that allowed housing providers to refuse animals based on a general presumption of threat without engaging in a specific assessment process.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'Emotional Support Animal' to specify that it provides 'solely' emotional support, distinguishing it from service animals.

Disabilities Housing Protections

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