Colorado Bills

signed · Colorado · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 25-1129: Department of Corrections Peer Behavioral Health Services Reentry Program

Under existing law, the department of corrections is required to develop and implement initiatives specifically designed to assist each offender's transition from a correctional facility into the community. The act adds peer support behavioral health services that are provided by credentialed peer support professionals or other researched-based programs as a component listed in state law that may be included in an initiative. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Matt Ball (D) Judy Amabile (D) Lorena García (D) Gretchen Rydin (D) · 27 co-sponsors

signed · Colorado · Senate Mar 20, 2025

SB 25-052: Railroad Investigative Report Confidentiality

The act repeals a requirement that investigative reports be kept confidential and replaces it with a grant of rule-making authority to make ongoing investigations and security information confidential. The confidentiality rules must not make final reports of investigations confidential and must require the timely release of information if public knowledge of the information would protect the public safety, health, or welfare. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 25-1002: Medical Necessity Determination Insurance Coverage

The act clarifies that the health benefits coverage for the prevention of, screening for, and treatment of behavioral, mental health, and substance use disorders must be no less extensive than the coverage provided for any physical illness. The act requires that every health benefit plan provide coverage for medically necessary treatment of covered behavioral, mental health, and substance use disorder benefits, consistent with specified criteria. The act also specifies criteria to be used for conducting utilization review, service intensity, and the level of care for covered persons. In addition, the act prohibits: A health benefit plan from limiting coverage for chronic behavioral, mental health, or substance use disorders to short-term symptom reduction; and A health insurance carrier from reversing or altering a determination of medical necessity except in the case of fraud. The act requires carriers that provide benefits for mental health conditions or substance use disorders to offer meaningful benefits for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The act describes how to determine whether the benefits provided are meaningful benefits. The commissioner of insurance is authorized to adopt rules to: Establish carrier utilization review compliance; Specify data testing requirements for plan design and application of parity compliance; Set standard definition for coverage requirements; Establish timelines for carriers to provide comparative analysis information to the division of insurance; and Establish time periods for visits with a provider for treatment of a behavioral, mental health, or substance use disorder after an initial visit with a provider.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Colorado · Senate Mar 14, 2025

SB 25-082: Enactment of CRS 2024

The bill enacts the softbound volumes of the Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, the subsequent changes approved by the voters at the statewide election on November 5, 2024, and the 2024 Colorado Second Extraordinary Session Supplement as the positive and statutory law of the state of Colorado and establishes the effective date of said publication. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House Mar 14, 2025

HB 25-1050: Regional County Jail Approach

Current law requires each county with a population of 2,000 or more to maintain a county jail. The act exempts a county from the requirement to maintain a county jail if the county has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with another county to operate a multijurisdictional county jail. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House Mar 14, 2025

HB 25-1058: Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity Defense

When a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity is accepted by a court, the act requires the court, in consultation with the department of human services (CDHS) and the parties, to determine whether a sanity examination requires the defendant to stay overnight for an extended examination and the number of days of the extended examination. If the defendant is in custody, the act authorizes the sanity examination to be conducted at the jail or place of confinement or at a facility operated by or under contract with CDHS. If the defendant is at liberty on summons or on bond, the act authorizes the sanity examination to be conducted at a facility operated by or contracted with CDHS or at an out-of-custody location that the court and CDHS determine is appropriate. If a sanity examination is recorded, the act prohibits a defendant from being dressed in prison or jail clothing and prohibits restraints on the defendant from being visible on the recording. Current law authorizes psychiatrists, forensic psychologists, and other personnel conducting a sanity examination to conduct a narcoanalytic interview of the defendant with drugs that are medically appropriate, to subject the defendant to a polygraph examination, and to testify to the results of the procedures, statements, and reactions of the defendant. The act repeals this provision. The act makes conforming amendments and technical corrections. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House Mar 14, 2025

HB 25-1034: Changes to Dangerous Dog Statute

In the case of a veterinary health-care worker, dog groomer, humane agency personnel, professional dog handler, or trainer acting in the performance of that person's professional duties, the bill removes the term "or serious bodily injury" to the list of provisions that the statute does not apply to, leaving just "bodily injury". (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · Senate Mar 14, 2025

SB 25-010: Electronic Communications in Health Care

Subject to specific requirements, the act allows a notice to or from a party or other document required by law in an insurance transaction that is related to a provision of a health insurance contract or that is to serve as evidence of health insurance coverage to be delivered, stored, and presented by electronic means if the electronic means meet the requirements of the "Uniform Electronic Transactions Act". The delivery of a notice or document by electronic means is considered the equivalent to and has the same effect as any other delivery method required by law. The act requires health insurance carriers to deliver paper communications to any individuals that may elect to receive paper communications upon request. An insurance producer is not subject to civil liability for any harm or injury that occurs because of a party's election to receive any notice or document by electronic means or by a carrier's failure to deliver or a party's failure to receive a notice or document by electronic means. A carrier may mail, deliver, or, if the carrier obtains separate, specific consent, post on the carrier's website a health coverage plan and an endorsement that does not contain personal identifying information. If the carrier elects to post a health coverage plan and an endorsement on the carrier's website in lieu of mailing or delivering the health coverage plan and endorsement, the carrier shall comply with certain conditions. The commissioner of insurance may adopt rules to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House Mar 14, 2025

HB 25-1076: Motor Vehicle Regulation Administration

Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the act prohibit making, distributing, advertising, selling, promoting, completing, altering, or producing or causing to be made, distributed, advertised, sold, promoted, completed, altered, or produced a document that simulates or closely resembles an official document related to the administration of the motor vehicle or identification statutes (vehicular document piracy). A person does not commit vehicular document piracy if the person received the express written permission of the department of revenue (department). A violation is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000. Sections 5 and 6 make the "Uniform Power of Attorney Act" apply to the motor vehicle statutes. Section 7 repeals the requirement that a military service-connected disability be permanent in order for a veteran to be eligible to register a motor vehicle without paying fees. Section 7 also repeals the license plates issued to foreign governments, consuls, or other official representatives of a foreign government. Section 8 repeals the Navy SEAL special license plate and the North American aerospace defense command commemorative special license plate, and section 9 repeals the "Alive at Twenty-five" special license plate. Under current law, a minor who is under 18 years of age must submit a log showing the minor drove at least 50 hours with a driving supervisor to be issued a driver's license. Section 10 authorizes any responsible adult to sign the log. Section 11 corrects a provision that describes a minor as being 21 years of age or older. Section 12 repeals a provision that incorrectly states the length of time a person must agree to register a vehicle after moving to Colorado. Under current law, the department may require a person to obtain a written medical opinion from certain medical professionals concerning medical criteria for driver licensing. Section 13 authorizes an advanced practice registered nurse to issue such an opinion. Section 14 authorizes the department to round fee increases to the nearest dollar. Under current law, a person who is not lawfully present may, to obtain an identification document, use an identifying document issued by an agency of the United States government or its contractors or subcontractors in accordance with rules adopted by the department, but this provision is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. Section 15 changes this effective date to the earlier of January 1, 2027, or when the department is able to implement it. Section 16 authorizes the use of a mobile driver's license, which is an official electronic extension of a department-issued physical identification document, to verify age or identity. The provider of a mobile driver's license must comply with the standards adopted by the department by rule. The department is given rule-making authority to approve and implement mobile driver's licenses. Section 16 takes effect January 1, 2026. Section 17 authorizes the motor vehicle investigations unit (unit) to cancel, deny, or deny the issuance or reissuance of an official document upon determining that the person was not entitled to the issuance of the official document for: Failure to give the required or correct information in an application or for committing fraud in making the application or in submitting any proof for the application; or Permitting an unlawful or fraudulent use of the official document or for being convicted of an offense involving misuse of the official document. If the unit cancels, denies, or denies the issuance or reissuance of an official document, the affected person may request a hearing. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · Senate Mar 14, 2025

SB 25-019: Modernization of the State Plane Coordinate System

Current law allows the use of the Colorado coordinate system of 1927 and the Colorado coordinate system of 1983 established by the national geodetic survey to state the geographic positions or locations of points on the surface of the earth within the state. The act allows the use of the most recent or a prior version of the state plane coordinate system for the same purpose. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

signed · Colorado · House Mar 13, 2025

HB 25-1138: Protect Victims in Civil Sex Misconduct Suits

Under current law, certain evidence of a victim's prior or subsequent sexual conduct is presumed irrelevant and inadmissible in a civil proceeding, but there is an exception for evidence of the victim's prior or subsequent sexual conduct with the defendant. The act eliminates this exception. The act prohibits the admission of evidence of the victim's manner of dress, hairstyle, mode or manner of speech, or lifestyle as evidence of the victim's consent, credibility, or the existence or extent of damages or harm. The party moving to admit evidence presumed irrelevant is required to raise the issue at a pretrial conference and make a prima facie showing that the evidence is relevant for an admissible reason and that discovery is likely to rebut the presumption of inadmissibility. The court is required to allow the nonmoving party to object. If the court allows discovery, the court must issue a protective order that limits the scope of discovery to relevant issues and protect against unwarranted, irrelevant, or overly broad discovery into the alleged victim's sexual conduct or history. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Colorado · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 25-1030: Accessibility Standards in Building Codes

The act requires a board of county commissioners, a governing body of a municipality, or a regional building department operating through an intergovernmental agreement with a board of county commissioners or governing body of a municipality that adopts or substantially amends a building code or updates a building code with a succeeding version of the international building code to ensure that the building code meets or exceeds the accessibility standards in the International Building Code, and the adopted accessibility standards cannot provide less protection than what is required by the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990". However, this requirement does not apply when energy-efficient building codes are adopted, nor does it apply to one- and 2-family dwellings and townhomes that comply with either the International Residential Code or a local building code whose accessibility standards are equivalent to the standards in the International Residential Code. The act requires the division of fire prevention and control within the department of public safety to ensure that, when certain building codes pertaining to public school and health facilities are substantially amended, the codes meet or exceed accessibility standards in the International Building Code. The act also requires the state housing board to ensure that, when the uniform construction and maintenance standards for hotels, motels, and multiple dwellings in jurisdictions with no local building code are substantially amended, the standards meet or exceed the accessibility standards in the International Building Code. The act also requires the state housing board to ensure that, when the recommendations for uniform housing standards and building codes to the general assembly and local governments are substantially amended, the codes meet or exceed the accessibility standards in the International Building Code. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Topics ✓ Housing

Bill results