HB 1116: Process for People with Behavioral Health Disorder - Colorado

Final Act → Signed Act · 4 edits · Jun 4, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized and signed into law, moving from a draft state to an enacted act. The substantive policy changes include extending the required follow-up contact window for individuals released from emergency mental health holds from 48 hours to 72 hours, while excluding weekends and holidays. Additionally, the bill clarifies that applicants providing only outpatient services may receive a certificate of compliance from the fire department, and it corrects a clerical error in the timeline for the Board of Health Actions to review licensure applications.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on behavioral health procedures, but the specific requirements for post-discharge follow-up care and licensure compliance have been adjusted.

REQUIREMENT

Extended the mandatory follow-up contact period for discharged individuals from 48 hours to 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.

Clarified that applicants providing only outpatient services are eligible for a certificate of compliance from the Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

TIMELINE

Corrected a clerical error regarding the 30-day timeline for the Board of Health Actions to act on licensure applications.

TECHNICAL

Updated the document status from a draft prepared for signatures to a signed act with the Governor's signature included.

Rerevised → Final Act · 5 edits · Jun 2, 2026

MODERATE

This bill updates Colorado laws regarding emergency mental health holds and behavioral health licensing. It extends the required follow-up time for individuals released from emergency holds from 48 to 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) and clarifies how behavioral health facilities must obtain fire safety certificates for licensing, creating exceptions for telehealth-only providers and outpatient services inspected by certified fire department inspectors.

Scope change

The bill modifies the applicability of follow-up care requirements for emergency mental health holds and introduces specific exemptions for certain types of behavioral health entities regarding fire safety certification requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Extended the mandatory follow-up window for individuals discharged from emergency mental health holds from 48 hours to 72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.

Added a requirement for facilities to obtain explicit authorization from the person before providing follow-up care through third-party contracts.

ELIGIBILITY

Created an exemption for behavioral health entities providing only telehealth services from the requirement to obtain a fire safety certificate of compliance.

Allowed behavioral health entities providing only outpatient services to receive a fire safety certificate from a certified fire department inspector instead of the state division of fire prevention and control.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the act to August 12, 2026, unless a referendum petition is filed.

Revised → Rerevised · 3 edits · Apr 14, 2026

MINOR

The bill was re-revised to include all amendments adopted in the Second House, updating the version status from 'Revised' to 'Rerevised'. The Senate sponsorship was expanded to include four new co-sponsors (Coleman, Jodeh, Kipp) who were not listed in the previous version. Additionally, a new header was added indicating the bill was read in the Senate on April 14, 2026, without amendments.

TECHNICAL

Added four new Senate co-sponsors: Coleman, Jodeh, and Kipp.

Updated the document status from 'Revised' to 'Rerevised' to reflect the inclusion of all amendments adopted in the Second House.

Added a header noting the bill was read in the Senate on April 14, 2026, as unamended.

Reengrossed → Revised · 5 edits · Apr 13, 2026

MODERATE

The bill text was reclassified from 'Reengrossed' to 'Revised' to reflect amendments adopted during the second reading in the Senate. The document's internal tracking dates and committee assignments were updated to match the new legislative stage, while the substantive policy text regarding behavioral health licensure and the effective date section were removed from the visible excerpt.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the modifications are administrative updates reflecting the bill's progression through the legislative process.

TECHNICAL

Header status changed from 'Reengrossed' to 'Revised' to indicate the bill has been amended in the second house.

Committee assignments were updated to include the Senate Health & Human Services committee.

New metadata lines were added indicating the bill is '2nd Reading Unamended' and dated April 13, 2026.

Text referencing the '3rd Reading Unamended' status and March 16, 2026 date was removed from the summary section.

The effective date section (Section 3) and related page markers were removed from the excerpt.

Engrossed → Reengrossed · 3 edits · Mar 16, 2026

MINOR

The bill text was reengrossed to include additional co-sponsors in the House, expanding the legislative coalition behind the measure. The document header was updated to reflect that this version includes all amendments adopted during the House of Introduction. A placeholder note was added indicating that a summary for the reengrossed version will be available after the third reading.

TECHNICAL

Added five new co-sponsors (Boesenecker, Brown, Clifford, Duran, English, Joseph, Lieder, Lindsay, Marshall, McCluskie, Nguyen, Sirota) to the House sponsorship list.

Updated the header status from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED' and adjusted the accompanying text to clarify that amendments were adopted in the House of Introduction.

Inserted a notice stating that a bill summary for the reengrossed version will be available at the third reading, dated March 16, 2026.

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Mar 13, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to shift its focus from emergency mental health holds to fire safety licensing requirements for behavioral health facilities. The changes remove definitions related to mental health emergencies and add a mandate that behavioral health entities must obtain a fire safety certificate of compliance before receiving a license, with specific exemptions for telehealth-only providers.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from regulating emergency mental health procedures to regulating the licensing and fire safety compliance of behavioral health facilities.

DEFINITION

Removed definitions for 'Certified Peace Officer', 'Danger to the Person's Self or Others', 'Gravely Disabled', 'Intervening Professional', 'Lay Person', and 'Person Under the Influence of Drugs'.

REQUIREMENT

Removed requirements regarding follow-up care plans, discharge instructions, and lay person authorization for emergency mental health holds.

Added a requirement that the Behavioral Health Authority (BHA) cannot issue or renew a license unless the applicant provides a certificate of compliance from the Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

EXEMPTIONS

Added exemptions from the fire safety certificate requirement for applicants providing only telehealth services or only outpatient services.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified the licensing process to include fire safety inspections as a prerequisite for licensure, enforced by the Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

Process for People with Behavioral Health Disorder

What changed between versions

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