Wildfire Matters Review Committee. The bill assists local governments with disaster-related programs in 2 ways. First, section 1 of the bill establishes by establishing the slash removal pilot program (pilot program) under the wildfire mitigation incentives for local governments grant program, which is administered by the forest service. The pilot program supports county efforts to efficiently and effectively remove slash through methods other than burning . The forest service must establish the policies and procedures by which it will select counties for the pilot program and implement the pilot program. Second, section 2 requires the division of homeland security and emergency management in the department of public safety to provide guidance to local governments on the following issues concerning debris removal: Negotiating debris removal program terms with the federal emergency management agency to provide predictability for homeowners and ensure that there are not duplicate payments for debris removal; Developing standard right of entry forms that include opt-in and opt-out provisions and clear insurance assignment of benefit language; Establishing right-of-way cleanup procedures, including the removal of private vehicles, for public roadways; Considering the removal of hazardous materials and other safety and environmental concerns; and Ensuring that local debris removal programs are limited to residential debris removal and do not include commercial debris removal. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill establishes the electronic smoking device recycling strategies advisory group (advisory group). The advisory group is tasked with conducting an analysis of methods and strategies for the recycling of single-use electronic smoking devices (devices). The advisory group shall develop a report that: Evaluates the extent of pollution caused by the disposal of devices; Reviews existing practices and capacity for the recycling of devices; Considers methods and strategies for recycling devices that are protective of the public health and environment; Considers whether Colorado should establish a deposit and recycle program that charges consumers a fee for recycling devices; Recommends any state or local government policies related to the recycling of devices; and Identifies any existing state or federal grant programs or other programs that may be available to assist in the development of strategies for the recycling of devices. The advisory group must submit the report to the general assembly, the department of public health and environment, and the governor's office on or before October 31, 2025. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill creates a legislative interim committee (committee) to study cell phone connectivity in the state and make legislative recommendations concerning how to improve cell phone connectivity. The committee consists of 6 voting members of the general assembly and 6 nonvoting members, including 4 members of the cell phone industry, a representative of the department of transportation, and a representative of the department of public safety. The committee must begin meeting no later than September 30, 2024, and may hold up to 6 meetings in the 2024 legislative interim and up to 6 meetings in the 2025 legislative interim. During each legislative interim, the committee may recommend up to 3 bills. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Current law requires the pipeline safety rules of the public utilities commission (commission) to address the mapping of all pipelines within the commission's jurisdiction. The bill clarifies current law by requiring the commission's mapping requirements for all pipelines within its jurisdiction to be available at a scale of 1 to 6,000 or greater. On or before December 31, 2024, the commission must adopt rules that require: An owner or operator of a transmission line, a distribution system, or a gathering line to use advanced leak detection technology in accordance with certain requirements; An owner or operator of a transmission line, a distribution system, or a gathering line or an investor-owned natural gas utility (owner or operator) to repair grade 1 gas leaks immediately upon detection, grade 2 gas leaks no later than 60 days after detection, and grade 3 gas leaks no later than one year after detection; and That all pipeline road and railroad crossings are inspected with advanced leak detection technology on a monthly basis for damage caused from traffic. The bill also requires a section of pipeline that has not been used for 2 or more years to be removed or abandoned in place. An owner or operator may abandon a section of pipeline in place only in certain circumstances. If an owner or operator intends to remove a section of pipeline or abandon a section of pipeline in place, the owner or operator must notify the commission no less than 30 days before the owner or operator commences the removal or abandonment in place. The commission may review a notice of abandonment in place to determine whether the proposed abandonment in place is less impactful than removal. The bill also requires the commission to develop a user-friendly, public-facing website (website) for pipeline safety data in the state. The website must include the location, date, and owner or operator for the following data: Reportable safety events; Violations; Compliance actions; Pipeline inspection data; and How to access the mapping of pipelines within the commission's jurisdiction. Current law provides that any person that violates certain pipeline safety laws is subject to a penalty of up to $200,000 dollars per violation. The bill changes this maximum penalty to $500,000 per violation. The amount of the penalty must also be no less than $5,000 for each day of a violation and, in the event that the commission deems that the penalty is necessary for the protection of public health, safety, welfare, the environment, or wildlife resources, no less than $15,000 per day of a violation. Beginning in 2026, the commission is required to adjust the penalty amounts for inflation every 2 years. Current law allows the commission to reduce penalties based on certain metrics and factors (factors). The bill changes current law to allow the commission to also increase penalties based on the factors and adds additional factors that the commission must consider. Except with respect to an owner or operator of a distribution system serving fewer than 1,000 customers in the state, the commission is prohibited from reducing a penalty based on the factors by more than 15% and the violator is required to conduct certain compliance actions before a reduction occurs. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Under current law, the air quality control commission (commission) consists of 9 members. As of October 1, 2024, section 2 of the bill increases the membership of the commission to 11 members to include: One member who represents a disproportionately impacted community and the interests of communities of color and who does not derive income from an entity that the commission regulates; and One climate scientist employed by an organization that does not derive income from an entity that the commission regulates. Under current law, the commission is required to adopt rules regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the industrial and manufacturing sector (sector). Section 3 requires the commission to adopt rules, to be implemented by January 1, 2025, that: Prohibit GHG emissions from the sector from increasing in the near term and require sector-wide emissions not to exceed 97 million metric tons of total carbon dioxide equivalent cumulatively between 2025 and 2030; Prohibit a sector source from complying with GHG emissions compliance obligations by making a payment unless the payment is made in exchange for GHG credit that is surrendered as part of a GHG credit trading program; and Establish source-specific GHG emission reduction requirements that must be met through direct reductions of GHG emissions for a sector source that adversely affects a disproportionately impacted community. Section 3 also clarifies the definition of "GHG credit", as applied to the requirement for commission rule-making, to include an allowance to emit one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent of GHG by a regulated source.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Section 1 of the bill, on and after January 1, 2027, prohibits the sale and distribution of certain air conditioners that are manufactured on or after January 1, 2027, (covered HVAC) unless the covered HVAC complies with certain technical standards (technical standards). On or before January 1, 2029, and again on or before January 1, 2034, the executive director of the department of public health and environment (executive director) must assess compliance with the technical standards. On or before February 1, 2029, and again on or before February 1, 2034, the executive director must prepare a report of the assessments. Before January 1, 2027, the executive director must establish a secure process that allows an individual to make an anonymous report of a violation of the technical standards. In the case of the first 2 violations of the technical standards, the executive director must send a warning letter to the alleged violator. In the case of a third or subsequent violation, the attorney general may bring a civil action to seek a civil penalty of no more than $2,000 per ton of cooling and certain other remedial actions. Section 3 , on or before January 1, 2026, and every other January 1 until January 1, 2034, requires the Colorado energy office (energy office) to conduct a market study or literature review to estimate the average cost difference for certain income-qualified households and income-qualified housing providers between installing a covered HVAC that meets the technical standards and installing a covered HVAC that does not meet the technical standards (study). On or before January 1, 2027, the energy office shall establish a program to offer certain financial incentives to certain income-qualified households and income-qualified housing providers to cover the average cost difference described in the energy office's most recent study. For income tax years commencing on and after January 1, 2024, but before January 1, 2034, section 4 creates a refundable, assignable state income tax credit that a home builder or an HVAC contractor that installs certain cold-climate heat pumps or ground-source heat pumps (eligible heat pump) can claim in the tax year that the eligible heat pump is placed into service. The amount of the tax credit is $5,000 per installation of an eligible heat pump, but the amount claimed may be increased based on certain criteria. A home builder or an HVAC contractor must provide certain verification information to the department of revenue to qualify for the tax credit. Section 5 : Makes certain changes to definitions; Changes the state income tax credit amounts that may be claimed for the installation of certain other heat pumps; and Requires the energy office to post information about the tax credit on the energy office's website. Section 6 makes certain changes to definitions. Section 8 , on or before April 1, 2025, requires a public utility that provides electricity to submit to the public utilities commission a proposal for a specific voluntary rate or rates for electricity supplied to residential customers who utilize a heat pump as their primary heating source. Section 9 requires, on and after January 1, 2025, recipients of state financial assistance for new building construction projects that include energy-consuming products covered by the Energy Star program (covered energy-consuming products) to use covered energy-consuming products certified by the Energy Star program (requirements). On and after January 1, 2025, a state agency that provides or administers state financial assistance for a new building construction project (state agency) must include certain requirements in the state agency's criteria for receiving state financial assistance and request an affidavit signed by the recipient of the state financial assistance that declares that the requirements have been or will be followed or that the recipient is requesting a waiver from the requirements. A state agency may issue a waiver from the requirements based on certain evidence and an attestation from a licensed professional engineer or design professional. On or before December 1, 2024, the energy office must distribute and periodically update certain guidance and forms related to the requirements. If the attorney general has probable cause to believe that a recipient of state financial assistance has violated the requirements, the attorney general may bring a civil action to seek a civil penalty of up to the total amount of state financial assistance received by the violator. Current law prohibits a person from selling or leasing new residential windows, residential doors, and residential skylights in the state on and after January 1, 2026, unless the product satisfies certain criteria under the Energy Star program. Section 10 changes current law to require new residential windows, residential doors, and residential skylights to instead satisfy certain standards in the International Energy Conservation Code.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Current rules of the energy and carbon management commission (commission) require oil and gas operators to submit certain reports (covered report) to the commission in the event of a spill or release of a hazardous chemical (incident). The bill enacts the "Community Right to Know Act" to create additional notification requirements in the event of an incident (notification requirements). On and after July 1, 2024, oil and gas operators must, within 24 hours after the discovery of an incident, submit a covered report to the commission and the following state agencies (notification agency): For an incident involving air emissions or water contamination, the department of public health and environment; For an incident involving public conveyances, the department of transportation; and For an incident that results from a clear act of sabotage, vandalism, or a terrorist activity, the division of homeland security and emergency management in the department of public safety. The oil and gas operator must also, within 24 hours after the operator's submission of the covered report to a notification agency, deliver the covered report to certain persons that are located near the well site where the incident was caused (affected persons). Within 24 hours after the receipt of a covered report from an oil and gas operator, a notification agency must: Confirm with the oil and gas operator that the oil and gas operator has provided the covered report to any affected persons; Provide the covered report to any affected persons that have not yet received a covered report from the oil and gas operator; Provide the covered report to the county public health department and the county emergency notification party of the county or counties where the incident occurred; and On and after July 1, 2025, provide the covered report to the person designated by the executive director of the department of local affairs (DOLA) to receive covered reports from the notification agencies (designated person). On and after July 1, 2025, no later than 24 hours after the receipt of a covered report for a certain heightened level of an incident (warning-level covered report) from a notification agency, if the county public health department has an existing opt-in notification system, the county public health department must notify medical professionals in the county that have opted in to the county public health department's notification system about the incident. On and after July 1, 2025, no later than 24 hours after the receipt of a warning-level covered report from a notification agency, the county emergency notification party must: If the county has an existing opt-in public emergency notification system, notify all individuals residing in the county that have opted in; and If the county does not have an existing opt-in public emergency notification system but has an existing public emergency notification system, notify all individuals residing in the county. On and after July 1, 2024, DOLA must maintain and routinely update a list of contact information for the county public health department and the county emergency notification party for each county in the state on DOLA's website. The bill also creates the hazardous chemical notification committee (committee) in DOLA. On or before July 1, 2025, the committee is required to develop content for a hazardous chemical notification website (website) that includes certain informational and educational content about hazardous chemicals, including short-term and long-term adverse health impacts, and an entry for each covered report received by the designated person on and after July 1, 2025. Beginning in the 2026 calendar year, and in each calendar year thereafter, the committee must meet on a quarterly basis to make updates to the content of the website. On or before July 1, 2026, and on or before each July 1 thereafter, DOLA must submit a written report (hazardous chemical notification report requirement) to the health and human services committee of the house of representatives and the health and human services committee of the senate, which report must include a summary of the notifications made by oil and gas operators, the notification agencies, county public health departments, and county emergency notification parties in the previous year. On or before July 1, 2025, and each calendar year thereafter, county public health departments and county emergency notification parties are required to provide a training to medical professionals and the public on the short-term and long-term adverse health impacts of exposure to hazardous chemicals and the notification requirements (training requirement). The bill provides for a repeal of the committee, the hazardous chemical notification report requirement, and the training requirement, effective September 1, 2034, after review in accordance with the general assembly's sunset review process. The bill also: Creates a $1,000 per day penalty for an oil and gas operator that does not comply with the notification requirements (violation); and Provides that if an oil and gas operator commits a violation 3 or more times, the oil and gas operator may not claim a waiver of liability for damages related to the third or subsequent violation.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
For the 2024 income tax year through the 2026 income tax year, the bill creates a nonrefundable income tax credit (credit), which cannot be carried forward, for a taxpayer who: Rents the taxpayer's primary residence in the state; and Has a federal adjusted gross income (AGI) that is less than or equal to $75,000 if filing a single return, or less than or equal to $150,000 $125,000 if filing a joint return (qualifying taxpayer). The amount of the credit is: $2,000 for 2 qualifying taxpayers filing a joint return with a federal AGI that is $50,000 $75,000 or less. For every $500 of AGI above $50,000, the amount of the credit is reduced by $10 $20. $1,000 for a qualifying taxpayer filing a single return with a federal AGI that is $25,000 or less. For every $500 of AGI above $25,000, the amount of the credit is reduced by $10 $20 . Notwithstanding the income-based reductions in the allowable credit amount, a qualifying taxpayer who also qualifies for a rent or heat assistance grant during calendar year 2024, 2025, or 2026, as applicable, is eligible to receive the full credit amount. In addition, the bill specifies that, to the extent permitted by federal law, the credit is not income or resources for the purpose of determining eligibility for the payment of public assistance benefits and medical assistance benefits authorized under state law or for a payment made under any other publicly funded programs or for eligibility determinations made under any affordable housing program provided by local, state, federal, or quasi-governmental entities. The bill specifies that a qualifying taxpayer who is eligible to claim any other income tax credit that is allowed to a taxpayer who rents the taxpayer's primary residence and has a federal AGI that is less than or equal to $75,000 if filing a single return, or less than or equal to $150,000 $125,000 if filing a joint return, may claim the income tax credit allowed in the bill or the other income tax credit allowed for income-qualified renters, but not both. The bill makes appropriations to the department of revenue and the department of personnel for the implementation of the bill. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Pension Review Commission. The bill creates a refundable income tax credit that is available for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2024, but prior to January 1, 2026, for a qualifying public employees' retirement association retiree, which means a full-time Colorado resident individual who: Is a retiree of the public employees' retirement association; Is 65 years of age or older at the end of the 2024 or 2025 income tax year; and Has an annual a federal adjusted gross income of no more than $38,000 as a single filer or $76,000 as a joint filer. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates a new refundable tax credit to be claimed in tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2036. The credit may be claimed for certain costs related to the conversion of a commercial structure to a residential structure. In order to claim the credit, a person must submit an application, a conversion plan, and an estimate of the qualified conversion expenditures under the conversion plan (documents) to the governor's office of economic development (office). Within 90 days of receiving documents, the office shall review the documents, determine whether to reserve a tax credit for the applicant, and provide written notice to an applicant for whom the office determines to reserve a tax credit. The office may not reserve a tax credit in excess of $3 million for any one project and may not reserve more than $5 million of tax credits during any calendar year. If the office reserves less than $5 million in a calendar year, the office may reserve a total of $5 million plus the amount less than $5 million that the office did not reserve in the previous calendar year. An applicant for whom the office reserves a tax credit shall commence a conversion plan and incur 20% or more of the estimated qualified conversion expenditures (expenditures) within 18 months of receiving notice from the office that it is reserving a tax credit for the applicant. Such an applicant shall place in service the conversion set forth in a conversion plan on or before December 31, 2035. After an applicant has placed a conversion in service, the applicant shall notify the office and provide the office with documentation of the applicant's certification of the expenditures and a certified public accountant's review of the expenditures. Within 90 days of receiving this documentation, the office shall review this documentation and issue a tax credit certificate to the applicant in an amount equal to 25% of the expenditures. If, as of the last day of any taxable year within 15 taxable years from when the applicant placed a conversion in service, the structure that is the subject of the conversion plan is not a qualified residential structure, the qualified applicant shall add the full amount of the credit to its return as a recaptured credit for that taxable year. The bill requires the office, in consultation with the department of revenue, to submit an annual report to the general assembly on the impact of the tax credit and to promulgate any policies and procedures necessary to implement the tax credit. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill creates a tax incentive program to be administered by the department of agriculture and the department of revenue to encourage local food and beverage retailers to purchase agricultural commodities from local producers practicing regenerative agriculture. For income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2024, but before January 1, 2029, January 1, 2026, but before January 1, 2031, qualifying retailers that purchase produce and animal products from qualifying local producers are allowed an income tax credit in an amount equal to 25% of the total amount paid for all such purchases by the qualifying retailer in the income tax year in accordance with the requirements and limitations set forth in section 2 of the bill. Section 3 makes a conforming amendment to allow the exchange between the department of agriculture and the department of revenue of otherwise confidential tax information pertinent to an income tax credit claim allowed pursuant to section 2. To claim the credit, a qualifying retailer must annually apply for and receive a tax credit certificate from the department of agriculture, which tax credit certificate must then be filed with the department of revenue. The department of agriculture shall not issue tax credit certificates that exceed an aggregate amount of $2,500,000 in a calendar year. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of the bill, if the June 2025 revenue forecast and each June revenue forecast thereafter through the June 2029 forecast, as prepared by either legislative council staff or the office of state planning and budgeting, projects that state revenues will not increase by at least 4% for the next fiscal year, then the amount of the credit any qualifying retailer may claim pursuant to the bill in said next fiscal year is reduced by 50%; except that, if the amount of a reduced tax credit is equal to or less than $500, then the department of agriculture shall not issue a tax credit certificate at all. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Section 1 of the bill clarifies that a request for general permit registration does not constitute having a valid construction permit (permit). Section 1 also requires the division of administration in the department of public health and environment (division) or the air quality control commission (commission), in evaluating a permit application for an emitting source (source) that includes an oil and gas system (oil and gas system), to: Aggregate emissions from the oil and gas system; and Include emissions from exploration and preproduction activities. Section 2 requires that the division or the commission only grant permits for certain proposed sources in a nonattainment area if: The division or commission determines that the proposed source will not contribute to an exceedance of any applicable national ambient air quality standard (determination); The owner or operator of the proposed source achieves emissions reductions of each air pollutant for which the nonattainment area is in nonattainment that are equal to or greater than the anticipated emissions of the proposed source; and The proposed source is not in a disproportionately impacted community. On and after January 1, 2025, the division or commission must base any determination on the modeling of air quality impacts from emissions (air quality modeling). If a permit is granted after air quality modeling is conducted: Any assumption used in the air quality modeling must be included in the permit as a permit condition; and Any averaging time utilized for a permit condition must be no greater than the averaging time for any applicable national ambient air quality standard. Section 3 requires the energy and carbon management commission to require that an oil and gas operator obtain a permit from the division or the commission before making a final determination on an oil and gas permit application.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
