HB 1418 Colorado House · 2026 Regular Session

Online Add-on Transaction Fee Youth Service Enterprise

Summary
The act requires each covered social media platform (covered platform) to impose a fee on each add-on transaction that occurs on the covered platform. The act creates the youth mental health services access enterprise in the behavioral health administration (BHA) to use the fee revenue to operate and fund programs that provide youth mental health services. The youth mental health services access enterprise constitutes an enterprise for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution.     The act defines a 'covered platform' as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, an association, or another legal entity, or an affiliate thereof, that:Conducts business in this state;Generates revenue directly from add-on transactions conducted in an online gaming service, product, or feature;Generates a majority of its annual revenue from online gaming services, products, or features;Publishes one or more online gaming services, products, or features that are reasonably likely to be accessed by a youth;Collects users' personal data or has users' personal data collected on its behalf; andDetermines the purposes and means of the processing of users' personal data.     The act defines an 'add-on transaction' as a transaction through which a player or participant in a video game accessed via an online gaming service, product, or feature acquires:An item or ability that provides the player or participant an advantage over other players or participants of the video game; orA feature that alters or enhances the video game as accessed by the online gaming service, product, or feature.     The act creates the youth mental health services access enterprise fund, consisting of money credited to the fund as fee revenue, any money received from the issuance of revenue bonds, and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the youth mental health services access enterprise fund. Money in the youth mental health services access enterprise fund is continuously appropriated to the youth mental health services access enterprise.     After deducting its administrative expenses, the youth mental health services access enterprise is required to allocate the remaining fee revenue credited to the fund as follows:40% to operate and fund the youth mental health peer navigator grant program, which program is created in the act;35% to operate and fund the crisis resolution team program, which program is created in the act; and25%, beginning January 1, 2028, to operate the existing youth mental health services program.     The initial amount of the fee is 5% of the amount of the add-on transaction. On and after October 1, 2027, the youth mental health services access enterprise may adjust the amount of the fee.     The act creates the youth mental health peer navigator grant program to award grants to entities that recruit and train young adults to provide prevention services, peer support, and system navigation to youth in schools or community-based settings.     The act creates the crisis resolution team program to provide community-based de-escalation and stabilization services to youth who are experiencing high-acuity behavioral health crises and to their caregivers.     Under current law, the BHA operates the youth mental health services program to facilitate access to mental health services, including substance use disorder services, for youth in response to mental health needs identified in an initial mental health screening through the program's web-based portal. The youth mental health services program reimburses providers for up to 3 mental health sessions with a youth. The act directs the youth mental health services access enterprise, rather than the BHA, to operate and fund the youth mental health services program beginning January 1, 2028. The act also allows the youth mental health services access enterprise to reimburse a provider for up to 6 mental health sessions with a youth.     The act creates the youth programming and protections enterprise to:Award grants through the existing out-of-school time program grant program; andSupport the department of education's enforcement of educational rights on behalf of children.     The youth programming and protections enterprise constitutes an enterprise for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution.     The act creates the youth programming and protections enterprise fund. In each state fiscal year, after the state treasurer has credited $8 million to the youth mental health services access enterprise fund, the state treasurer must credit any other money received as fees to the youth programming and protections enterprise fund.     Under current law, the department of education administers the out-of-school time program grant program and the state board of education awards grants from the program, subject to available appropriations. The act directs the department of education to consult with the youth programming and protections enterprise in administering the out-of-school time program grant program, and the act directs the youth programming and protections enterprise to award grants from the program in consultation with the state board of education. The act also requires the out-of-school time program grant program to provide programming and services that support the mental health and well-being of children and youth.     The act requires a covered platform to ensure that the purchase price for an online gaming service, product, or feature that is reasonably likely to be accessed by a minor to be listed in United States dollars at the point of sale.     For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, the act appropriates:$294,984 to the department of revenue from the general fund;$26,500 to the department of law from reappropriated funds;$145,750 to the department of law from the youth mental services access enterprise fund created in the act; and$79,500 to the department of law from the youth programming and protections enterprise fund created in the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
May 2026
Vetoed
May 2026
Introduced Apr 20, 2026 Vetoed May 28, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

Rerevised Final Act · 5 edits · May 18, 2026
MODERATE
The bill was reorganized and expanded to clarify its legal status as an enterprise rather than a tax, ensuring it does not violate constitutional spending limits. The scope of applicability was narrowed to specifically target revenue generated from online gaming add-on transactions, and the definitions were updated to strictly distinguish between initial game access and subsequent paid upgrades.
Scope change
The bill's scope was refined to focus exclusively on online gaming add-on transactions and revenue derived from those specific transactions, moving away from broader social media definitions.
REQUIREMENT

Added a legislative declaration stating the fee is a regulatory charge, not a tax, to comply with state constitutional limits on enterprise spending and revenue caps.

Removed the specific breakdown of fee revenue allocation percentages (40%, 35%, 25%) and the initial 5% fee rate, likely to be finalized in subsequent sections or future amendments.

DEFINITION

Redefined 'covered platform' to require that the majority of the entity's annual revenue comes from online gaming services, narrowing the target audience compared to the previous version.

Clarified that 'add-on transaction' only applies to items or features that provide an advantage or enhance the game, explicitly excluding the initial purchase of access to an online game.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a specific requirement that covered platforms must generate a majority of their annual revenue from online gaming to qualify for the fee.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
6
Committee
4
Amendments
1
May 28, 2026
Vetoed
Governor Vetoed
executive
May 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by the President of the Senate
upper
May 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by the Speaker of the House
lower
May 13, 2026
Introduced
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
lower
May 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
upper
May 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole
upper
May 11, 2026
Committee
Senate Committee on Finance Refer Amended to Appropriations
upper
May 8, 2026
Introduced
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Finance
upper
May 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor
lower
May 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
lower
Apr 27, 2026
Committee
House Committee on Finance Refer Amended to Appropriations
lower
Apr 20, 2026
Introduced
Introduced In House - Assigned to Finance
lower
4 primary · 18 co-sponsors

Sponsors