Proposition 123, which was approved by the voters at the 2022 statewide election, created the affordable housing support fund (fund) and continuously appropriated money from the fund to the division of housing within the department of local affairs (department) for enumerated uses relating to an affordable home ownership program and a program serving persons experiencing homelessness and to the division of local government, also within the department, for enumerated uses relating to a local planning capacity development program. A specified percentage of money from the fund is allocated for the implementation of each program, and from each allocated percentage the division of housing or the division of local government, as applicable, is permitted to use up to 5% to pay for the direct and indirect costs of administering each program. Beginning in state fiscal year 2026-27, the act makes the expenditure of up to 5% of the money from each program's allocation of funding for administration of each program subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly and clarifies how that 5% amount is calculated. The act also allows the division of housing, subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, to expend money under the program serving persons experiencing homelessness for: Capital needs at 2 state-owned supportive residential communities for persons experiencing homelessness (supportive residential communities); and Direct and indirect costs of operating the 2 supportive residential communities. Proposition 123 also included a prohibition on the general assembly appropriating funds from the fund and the affordable housing financing fund to supplant other state support for affordable housing projects. The act clarifies when appropriations from the fund and the affordable housing financing fund would violate this prohibition. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The department of health care policy and financing (department) received federal authorization to provide coverage for health-related social needs and to provide reentry services to justice-involved individuals through the medicaid program. The act creates 2 cash funds, one for health-related social needs and one for reentry services for justice-involved individuals. The act requires the state treasurer to transfer the savings of state money realized from each federal authorization to the respective cash fund. Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, the department may expend money from the funds to provide health-related social needs or reentry services to justice-involved individuals. The department is required to develop a workforce to provide peer support services in order to comply with the terms of the federal authorization for health-related social needs. The department is authorized, subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, to spend money from the affordable housing support fund for services authorized by the federal authorization to provide coverage for health-related social needs. The act makes and reduces appropriations from the general fund, and from reappropriated funds, to the department, the department of corrections, the department of human services, and the department of local affairs. The act appropriates money from the affordable housing support fund to the department for medical and long-term care services for medicaid-eligible individuals and reduces the appropriation from the affordable housing support fund to the department of local affairs. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires that, for health insurance policies providing maternity coverage, policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, must include prenatal care coverage without cost sharing for up to 3 office visits. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its 2024 sunset review of the workers' compensation accreditation of health-care providers program (program), including extending the program for 11 years to September 1, 2036, and authorizing any health-care professional regulated by the division of professions and occupations and listed in the utilization standards established by the director of the division of workers' compensation (division) who provides treatment in the workers' compensation system to obtain level I accreditation from the division. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires a landlord who initiates an eviction proceeding for nonpayment of rent against a tenant to comply with certain notice requirements set forth in federal law for tenants who use housing subsidies. Under current law, if a tenant proves as an affirmative defense to an eviction proceeding that the landlord violated the warranty of habitability, the court must order a reduction in the fair rental value of the dwelling unit and order the landlord to reimburse the tenant any difference in rent between the reduced fair rental value and any greater amount of rent that the tenant paid. The act states that the landlord must reimburse this amount regardless of whether part or all of the rent was paid by the tenant or by a housing subsidy issued to the tenant. The act states that a landlord commits an unfair housing practice if the landlord fails to: Make reasonable efforts to timely respond to requests for information and documentation necessary for a rental assistance application process; or Cooperate with a tenant who is applying for rental assistance in good faith. Current law allows a person to pursue relief for damages resulting from a landlord's commission of an unfair housing practice. The act states that, if a court awards damages to a plaintiff who prevails in such an action, and the violation concerns discrimination on the basis of an individual's use of a housing subsidy, the court shall award the plaintiff at least $5,000 in damages. The act also states that a calculation of actual damages must include consideration of losses that a tenant may incur as a result of the tenant forfeiting their housing subsidy as a result of the landlord discriminating against the tenant based on the tenant's source or amount of income. Current law provides that, in addition to relief awarded to a tenant in a private action, the Colorado civil rights commission may order a respondent who has been found to have engaged in an unfair housing practice to pay a civil penalty in an amount that varies based on whether the respondent has previously committed discriminatory housing practices. The act establishes a minimum penalty amount of $5,000 if a person commits any of certain unfair housing violations and the violation concerns discrimination on the basis of an individual's use of a housing subsidy. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law requires a court to vacate any court costs and fees assessed to a juvenile under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court prior to July 6, 2021, however, this requirement repeals on June 30, 2025. The act removes the June 30, 2025 repeal. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Section 1 of the act creates the prescribed fire claims cash fund (fund) in the state treasury and requires the state treasurer to transfer $250,000 from the general fund to the fund on July 1, 2025. Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, the division of fire prevention and control (division) shall expend money from the fund to pay claims for damages related to prescribed burns that are certified by the division in accordance with new guidelines as specified in the act and as adopted by the director of the division. The division shall authorize a payment in the amount certified in a claim; except that the maximum payment that the division may authorize for a singular burn is equal to the greater of $20,000 or 10% of the amount of money in the fund at the time the claim is filed. Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly of money for the division to administer the fund, the division shall certify a claim that meets the following guidelines: The claim demonstrates, in sufficient detail, the costs or damages that resulted from the prescribed burn; The prescribed burn that resulted in the costs or damages was conducted in full compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements for prescribed burning; Before conducting the prescribed burn, the certified prescribed burn manager registered the written prescription plan for the prescribed burn with the division and paid an administrative fee; and No more than 60 days have passed between the completion of the prescribed burn and the date upon which costs and damages were incurred. The act authorizes the director of the division to adopt rules and guidelines for the implementation and administration of the program and permits the division to contract with a third party to administer, certify, and pay the claims. The act also requires a claimant who accepts a payment that covers the full amount certified in the claim to waive all future claims related to the prescribed burn against the certified prescribed burn manager that conducted the burn; any organization, entity, or individual with whom the certified prescribed burn manager worked to conduct the burn; any individual or entity that provided funding for the burn; and any landowner on whose behalf the burn was conducted. Sections 2 and 3 expand the definition of a "certified burner" in the state to include an individual who has not completed the Colorado division's training and certification program but who meets reciprocity requirements and possesses a valid Colorado certification number. An individual seeking certification through reciprocity may receive a certification number from the division by: Applying for certification to the division, according to the rules and standards of the division, including the payment of any associated fee; and Submitting evidence to the division, according to the rules and standards of the division, that the individual holds a valid certification from a state government or other entity. The required rules and standards adopted by the director of the division, in consultation with the Colorado state forest service, pertaining to the qualification for and the terms and durations of certification, are required to include certification through reciprocity. Section 4 adds pretax costs associated with the implementation of an approved program or project to mitigate the effects of extreme weather, wildfires, climate change, or other hazards to the definition of Colorado energy impact costs. For the 2025-26 fiscal year: $250,000 is appropriated from the fund to the department of public safety for use by the division for prescribed fire claims; and $153,025 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of public safety for implementation of the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act allows enrolled members of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and enrolled members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe to enter state parks without having to pay an entrance fee. By June 1, 2026, the division of parks and wildlife (division) in the department of natural resources (department) shall build on existing efforts to conduct outreach to and engagement with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, other tribal governments, American Indian communities, and Indigenous communities about opportunities related to state parks that are managed by the division. In January 2026 and January 2027, the department shall include, as part of its presentation during its "SMART Act" hearing, information concerning the division's outreach and engagement about opportunities related to state parks. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Under current law, a sheriff may allow an individual to choose to stay in jail overnight after release when extenuating circumstances exist. The act makes facilitation of a connection to a service provider an extenuating circumstance. If an individual chooses to remain in jail overnight, the individual must be released by 10 a.m. the next morning. Under current law, to qualify for special needs parole, there is a distinction between inmates who are 55 years of age or older and those who are under 55 years of age. The act changes that distinction. The act makes an inmate eligible for special needs parole if the inmate suffers from a diagnosed severe cognitive impairment or serious impairment that limits the person's ability to function. If the inmate is under 55 years of age, the act provides for special needs parole if the inmate has served at least 25% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 50% of their sentence including earned time; has served at least 35% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 75% of their sentence including earned time; has served at least 40% of the inmate's sentence and is eligible for parole after serving 75% of the sentence; or has been diagnosed by a licensed health-care provider as having a terminal illness that is irreversible, unlikely to be cured, and likely to cause death; and has not incurred a class I code of penal discipline violation within the 12 months before the date of the application for special needs parole. An inmate who is 64 years of age or older and has served at least 20 years of their sentence and was not convicted of a class 1 or class 2 felony, unlawful sexual behavior, a crime that includes domestic violence, or stalking is eligible for special needs parole. The act makes a person eligible for special needs parole if the person has a condition such as advanced or metastatic cancer; end-stage renal disease; end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder; end-stage heart disease; end-stage liver disease; progressive neurodegenerative disease such as Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; intractable seizure disorder; severe dementia; or Alzheimer's disease. The act provides that when a health-care provider who is providing care or recently provided care to the person makes a determination that the person's medical condition meets the standard for special needs parole, then a referral must be made to the parole board. The department of corrections is required to include in each contract with a licensed health-care provider involved in providing inmate care a requirement that the provider screen for eligibility for special needs parole. The act requires legislative council staff to conduct a study of options for releasing aging and seriously ill offenders from secure custody to appropriate care or placing offenders in alternative programs that can better provide the offender's needed medical care. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires that, in addition to notice requirements under the Colorado open meetings law, notice of annual public meetings held by metropolitan districts be mailed, at the lowest-cost option, to eligible electors within the metropolitan district or sent by email to any email addresses that eligible electors have provided to the metropolitan district for the purpose of receiving communication from the metropolitan district. Additionally, notice of the annual meeting must be either posted on the homepage of the metropolitan district's website or accessible by a link on the homepage. The act also requires, for any special district, that, if the annual meeting is held at a physical location and in a year immediately preceding a year in which a regular special district election will be held, there be available hard copies of self-nomination and acceptance forms, which are forms required to be filed for an eligible elector to be a candidate for a board position at a special district election. The act also requires that metropolitan districts that are required to have a publicly accessible website must establish a system or a process for residents to contact someone associated with the metropolitan district during regular business hours to address any questions or concerns regarding services of the metropolitan district. Further, these metropolitan districts must establish a system or process for residents to contact someone associated with the metropolitan district outside of regular business hours or when metropolitan district personnel are otherwise unavailable or unreachable to address emergent matters that cannot wait to be addressed until regular business hours resume. For a metropolitan district that is required to have a publicly accessible website, the act requires the following additional information to be provided on the website: The date, time, and location of the annual public meeting; An explanation of what a metropolitan district is, its services, debt, and public infrastructure, and how a resident can serve on its board; The names of the governmental entities that overlap the metropolitan district's boundaries; The name of the county or municipality with which the metropolitan district must file its annual report; and The name and contact information of someone who residents can contact with questions or concerns about the services of the district during regular business hours and outside of regular business hours or when district personnel are otherwise unavailable or unreachable for emergent matters. The act also specifies that the following information must be provided on the home page of the metropolitan district's website: The names, terms, and contact information of individuals serving on the board of directors and of any manager of the metropolitan district; The date, time, and location of scheduled regular meetings, including the annual meeting; The call for nominations for candidates to run for election to the board of directors; The names of the governmental entities that overlap the metropolitan district's boundaries; and The name and contact information of who residents can contact with questions or concerns about the services of the district during regular business hours and outside of regular business hours or when district personnel are otherwise unavailable or unreachable for emergent matters. The act adds to the requirements of what a metropolitan district must include in its service plan when seeking approval of the service plan a requirement to include the maximum term for imposing a debt service mill levy on any property developed for residential purposes after the initial year of imposition of such debt service mill levy. The act requires certain disclosures be made by all sellers of any residential real property located within the boundaries of a metropolitan district, including access to the annually required notice to electors and the metropolitan district's service plan; information on the authority the metropolitan district has to issue debt, levy property taxes, and impose fees, rates, tolls, penalties, or other charges; an estimate of property taxes levied by the metropolitan district for collection during the year the sale occurs; and a copy of the most current certificate of taxes due or tax statement to provide an estimate of the sum of additional mill levies levied by other taxing entities that overlap the property. Additionally, the act requires a written statement be included in the required disclosures that certain actions that the metropolitan district is authorized to take may increase costs to residents living in the metropolitan district, and the property tax estimate disclosure requirement is modified to require that the estimate be given in a dollar amount. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act requires the state board of education (board) to adopt high school health education standards regarding drug overdose risks, identification of a drug overdose event, and drug overdose prevention and response. The act authorizes the board to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of adopting these standards. The board must adopt the standards on or before July 1, 2028, if, the board receives by July 1, 2026, $20,000 from gifts, grants, or donations to adopt the standards. If sufficient money is not received, the board is required to adopt the standards on or before July 1, 2032, pursuant to the general standards schedule. Under current law, a school district, the state charter school institute (institute), or the governing board of a nonpublic school may adopt and implement a policy allowing an employee or agent of the school to furnish an opioid antagonist to any individual, including a student, but only if the student has received appropriate school-sponsored training. The act repeals the required condition that a student must receive appropriate school-sponsored training. The act authorizes a school district, the institute, a public school, or a nonpublic school to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations for purposes related to acquiring, maintaining, and providing training for administering opioid antagonists. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law states that an employer shall not interfere with an agricultural worker's reasonable access to key service providers (KSP) at any location when the worker is not performing compensable work and with respect to health-care providers at any time. The act exempts an employer's property from this provision; except that the act prohibits an employer from interfering with a worker's access to KSP through remote channels on the employer's property. The act also removes language referring to health-care providers. Current law states that the division of labor standards and statistics (division) may adopt rules regarding additional times that an employer may not interfere with a worker's reasonable access to KSP. The act clarifies that such rules must apply only to locations other than the employer's property. Lastly, the act states the division shall not adopt rules that: Infringe upon an employer's private property rights; or Conflict with the common law rights of an individual to access private property in a time of emergency.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
