101 bills debated by the Colorado legislature in 2025 that you need to know about ...Middle East

The Colorado legislature debated more than 600 bills at the state Capitol this year during the lawmaking term that ended Wednesday.

The Colorado Capitol News Alliance pored through the measures to highlight the ones that passed — and some that failed — that you need to know about.

Gov. Jared Polis has a June 6 deadline to sign or veto bills, or let them become law without his signature.

Browse by topic Guns Business Housing Health care Environment Education Transportation Government and taxes Criminal justice and immigration Grab-bag bills Notable bills that failed or were vetoed

Guns

Rifles and shotguns for sale at Bristlecone Shooting, Training and Retail Center in Lakewood, Colorado, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)

House Bill 1062: Stealing a firearm in Colorado would be a Class 6 felony, punishable by up to 18 months in prison, under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. Right now, the penalty for stealing a firearm in Colorado depends on the value of the weapon. Stealing a gun worth less than $300 is a petty offense, punishable by up to 10 days in jail. Gun theft currently becomes a felony, and carries the possibility of prison, only when the weapon stolen is worth more than $2,000.

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House Bill 1238: This bill requires a gun show promoter to prepare a security plan and submit that plan to each local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the gun show. Polis signed the measure, but included a statement in which he said its provisions apply differently to shows that sell collectible firearms, such as curios, relics or antique firearms.

House Bill 1250: Under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature, starting in the fall, schools would have to provide gun violence prevention materials to parents at the beginning of each academic year and also post them on their website. The Colorado Department of Gun Violence Prevention would generate the materials and be responsible for distributing them to schools.

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Colorado governor signs bill banning manufacture, drastically limiting sale of many semiautomatic guns

Starting in August 2026, the manufacture, sale and purchase of certain semiautomatic firearms that can accept detachable ammunition magazines will be outlawed in Colorado

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Senate Bill 205: Federal firearms licensees would be able to request a gun serial number check from law enforcement before purchasing a firearm from an individual under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill would give county sheriff’s offices and police departments 72 hours to complete the serial number check. It would take effect July 1, 2026. The legislation would also require federal firearms licensees to report within 48 hours if they believe someone attempted to sell them a gun that is stolen, lost or involved in an open criminal investigation.

Business

Hiring signs are posted outside a T.J. Maxx at the 16th St. Mall Oct. 13, 2022, in downtown Denver, Colorado. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

House Bill 1010: This measure, if signed by Polis, would revise the state’s price gouging laws as they pertain to natural or human-made disasters. If the governor declares a disaster emergency, companies would not be able to increase the cost of an item by more than 10% of its price before the disaster began. They also would be prohibited from selling a new item at a significantly higher price than other sellers.

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Colorado union and business leaders can’t reach deal on Labor Peace Act, so Democrats will test Jared Polis’ veto pen

The governor has said he opposes any effort to repeal a requirement that workers get to vote on whether they should be forced to pay fees for collective bargaining representation — whether or not they are members of their workplace’s union

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Senate Bill 145: This measure, awaiting the governor’s signature, would require that sellers of goods or services give buyers a chance to cancel an automated subscription before it renews through a one-step process. That process could include a link or an in-person cancellation option, but the cancellation option needs to be accessible, at a minimum, through the same medium by which someone subscribed to the good or service in the first place. If signed, the bill would take effect next year.

Housing

A for rent sign hangs in the foyer of an apartment building in Denver’s Alamo Placita neighborhood on Dec. 6. (Eric Lubbers, The Colorado Sun)

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House Bill 1030: Starting next year, Colorado local governments that adopt or amend their building codes must ensure that they meet or exceed the accessibility standards set by the International Code Council. This bill has been signed into law.

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With Biden-era consumer protections in jeopardy, Colorado Democrats look to crack down on rental housing fees

The effort got a boost last week from a top Federal Trade Commission official, who sent a letter to Gov. Jared Polis urging the state to target so-called “junk fees”

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House Bill 1093: This new law, signed by Polis in March, expands the state’s prohibition on anti-growth laws in urban areas. Starting July 1, affected local governments will be barred from adopting land use codes that reduce how much residential density is allowed in their community overall. Under the new rules, any reductions to housing density on one piece of land would have to be offset by increases elsewhere.

House Bill 1108: This measure would prevent landlords from imposing early lease-termination penalties or other fees when a tenant dies. It’s awaiting the governor’s signature.

House Bill 1207: Insurers would be prohibited from refusing, canceling or increasing the cost of coverage for residential property owners based on the breed of their dog under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. It would take effect in August. The measure would also require, starting in 2026, that renters in publicly financed housing be able to have up to two pets.

House Bill 1240: Colorado landlords would have to comply with federal, COVID-era eviction requirements when trying to remove a tenant under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. The legislation would also require landlords to help tenants gather information needed to apply for rental assistance.

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Why there are a growing number of unsellable condos in Colorado

Many HOAs hoping to limit a spike in monthly condo fees are opting for higher deductibles, more deferred maintenance. They may not be aware that those decisions may prevent buyers from getting a conventional loan.

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Senate Bill 20: The Colorado Attorney General’s Office and Department of Law would be given the power to enforce tenant protection laws and sue landlords over violations of certain state housing laws under this measure, which is headed to the governor’s desk. The measure would similarly empower cities and counties to enforce tenant-landlord laws. That would mark a change from the current legal landscape, in which tenants generally have to fight court battles on their own when they face substandard living conditions or other violations of state housing laws.

Health care

Margaret Durnford, an RN and clinical nurse coach, is portraying a patient at the entrance to the emergency department inside the brand new Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital. Amanda Adams, second from right, the interim nurse manager, runs emergency staff through their first practice scenario of the day. (Kathryn Scott, Special to The Colorado Sun)

House Bill 1002: With this measure, signed by Polis, lawmakers are trying to make sure health insurance companies cover behavioral health, mental health and substance use disorder treatments as thoroughly as they cover physical health issues. The bill prohibits health insurers from denying care based on a patient’s current or future behavioral health or substance use disorder. The law takes effect next year.

House Bill 1027: This bill, which has been signed into law, updates Colorado’s vaccination requirements for children attending public schools. It lessens the state’s reliance on vaccine recommendations from the federal government in response to the Trump administration’s Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who prior to his current position was a prominent opponent of vaccine policies. When setting immunization standards, the law directs the state Board of Health to also consider guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Physicians. The law has several other public health law updates, including repealing a committee that advises the governor during pandemics.

House Bill 1088: This measure is intended to prevent excessive, surprise charges for ambulance rides. It would limit how much ambulance services can charge for transporting patients and would require health insurance companies to cover the cost, minus deductibles or copays. It would also require ambulance services to post their reimbursement rates online. The governor hasn’t signed the bill yet.

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Colorado lawmakers consider rollback of sperm donor disclosure requirements adopted in wake of scandals

Colorado was the first state to outlaw anonymous sperm donation. House Bill 1259 would reverse some of the transparency rules around sperm donor health history and make it easier for sperm banks to keep donors’ identities secret.

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Senate Bill 45: The School of Public Health at the University of Colorado would be directed under this measure to analyze implementation of a single-payer health care system — should it raise the estimated $400,000 to pay for the study. The money could come from gifts, grants and/or donations. The measure is awaiting the governor’s signature.

Senate Bill 48: All large-group health insurance plans in Colorado would have to offer consumers a plan that covers Glucagon-like peptide-1 medications, known as GLP-1 drugs, to treat obesity and pre-diabetes. Those include injectable medications like Wegovy and Ozempic. The measure, if signed by the governor, would take effect in 2027.

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Senate Bill 129: This measure, already signed into law, is meant to shield abortion providers and patients, as well as transgender people and their doctors, from out-of-state investigations. The legislation will let health care providers omit their names from prescriptions they write and clarifies that Colorado governments, hospitals and insurers don’t have to comply with investigations into abortion and transgender care initiated in other states.

Senate Bill 130: This abortion-centered bill would define going into labor and certain pregnancy complications as “emergency medical conditions” and mandate that emergency departments and other medical facilities treat patients with such conditions. It also defines abortion as an emergency medical treatment when the procedure is necessary to stabilize a patient. It would give the attorney general the power to investigate violations and includes protections against retaliation for facilities that follow the rules. It hasn’t been signed by the governor yet.

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Colorado is projected to save money by covering abortions for Medicaid, Child Health Plan Plus recipients

The coverage will be offered starting in 2026 as part of the November passage of Amendment 79 and once Democrats in the legislature sign off on Senate Bill 183

Senate Bill 144: The state currently covers three months of paid work leave for new parents, with an extra four weeks for parents who experience complications at birth. This measure, if signed into law, would provide families whose babies have to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit with 12 additional weeks of leave.

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Senate Bill 289: This measure, which hasn’t been signed by Polis yet, would create a state-regulated drug donation program to allow pharmacies, long-term care facilities, medical providers and members of the public to donate unexpired prescription medicine for redistribution to poor and uninsured patients.

Criminal justice and immigration

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stage in the Best Buy parking lot at 4100 E. Mexico Ave., Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in Denver. (Jeremy Sparig, Special to The Colorado Sun)

House Bill 1013: Prisoners would have a right to see visitors under this measure. Currently, visitation is a privilege for people in Colorado prisons. The bill awaits the governor’s signature.

House Bill 1031: Law enforcement whistleblowers would get new protections against retaliation under this measure, which is awaiting the governor’s signature. The measure lays out specific forms of prohibited retaliation against officers who report misconduct. It also allows whistleblowers to seek damages if they are retaliated against. A similar bill failed at the Capitol in 2024 largely due to opposition from police and sheriffs.

House Bill 1058: This measure, which was signed into law by the governor, changes the process that’s triggered when someone charged with a crime pleads not guilty by reason of insanity. Those changes include requiring attorneys, state officials and the court to determine how long a sanity evaluation will take.

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House Bill 1136: This measure would make changes to the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board in an effort to increase its oversight of law enforcement conduct. If signed, it would give police officers the ability to appeal their inclusion in the POST Board’s conduct database and gives the board the power to remove officers from the database or revoke their certification if it sees fit. The measure would also implement more stringent reporting requirements for law enforcement agencies when submitting information about officers’ conduct to the database, including requiring that they provide more documentation about disciplinary actions taken against officers.

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House Bill 1275: Crime lab employees would be required to report misconduct by a supervisor or lab director within seven days under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill would also create a process for prosecutors and defendants in cases affected by crime lab misconduct. The legislation was brought in response to a scandal involving a Colorado Bureau of Investigation crime lab scientist.

Senate Bill 62: Failing to appear in municipal court on a municipal charge can no longer be a separate crime with separate penalties under this measure signed by the governor. However, municipal judges can still issue a warrant for someone who fails to appear in court and they can be arrested on that warrant.

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Colorado Democrats’ effort to further shield immigrants from deportation is one vote from Jared Polis’ desk

The Colorado House passed a bill that would further limit local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It comes as the Trump administration is suing the state and Denver over their immigration policies.

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Environment

Flames rise amid the billowing smoke from a wildland fire burning along the ridges near the Ken Caryl Ranch development Wednesday, July 31, 2024, southwest of Littleton, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

House Bill 1009: Starting in August, fire protection and metropolitan districts will be able to require the removal of dead or dry material that can fuel a wildfire — like leaves, grass and pine needles — from private property. The legislation, signed into law by the governor, also lets the district impose fines on property owners who don’t comply.

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Colorado wants to force insurance companies to help homeowners understand, mitigate wildfire risk

House Bill 1182 would also require insurers to give customers an opportunity to appeal assessments of a property’s wildfire risk, which can lead to increased costs and nonrenewals

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Senate Bill 299: People and companies selling residential solar-power systems would have to disclose the terms of financing, be truthful about electric bill savings and not make cold-call solicitations between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m., under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill would also give consumers three days to cancel a contract they’ve signed for residential solar-power systems.

Education

Students participate in classroom lessons at Alice Terry Elementary School, Thursday, February 20, 2025, in Sheridan. (Jeremy Sparig, Special to The Colorado Sun)

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House Bill 1192: Public high schools in Colorado would have to work financial literacy into their curriculum, under this bill awaiting the governor’s signature.

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School funding bill headed to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk after Colorado lawmakers approve spending plan

Legislators approved House Bill 1320 Wednesday afternoon, moving the state’s new school funding formula one step closer to takeoff

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Transportation

Eastbound traffic on Interstate 70 inside Glenwood Canyon, March 12, 2024, near Glenwood Springs. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

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House Bill 1290: Starting in August, it would become a Class 1 misdemeanor to assault a transit worker — such as someone operating a bus or train — should the governor sign this bill into law. It also opens up some state law enforcement funding for RTD’s police force.

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House Bill 1230: Colorado school districts would be allowed to work with local authorities to install cameras on their buses that detect motorists who illegally pass school buses and issue them up to a $300 fine, under this measure awaiting the governor’s signature.

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Colorado is mapping out plan to let vendors sell and install tire chains along mountain roadways

Senate Bill 69 would also require rental car companies to notify their customers of Colorado’s traction laws. It would clarify as well that all-wheel drive vehicles must have winter or all-season tires to comply with the passenger-vehicle traction law.

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Senate Bill 161: This measure, once signed by the governor, would require the Regional Transportation District to set goals for ridership, safety and expanding service. It also would set up a state commission that would examine RTD’s governance and performance.

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Government and taxes

The Colorado Capitol in Denver on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. The gold dome is made of a thin layer of real gold. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)

House Bill 1005: This measure, signed into law by the governor, offers tax incentives for the Sundance Film Festival, which is relocating to Boulder starting in 2027. The credit is worth between $3 million and $5 million a year through 2036.

House Bill 1077: This measure, signed by the governor, reverses the legislature’s 2024 decision to limit who is authorized to inspect backflow prevention devices. The bill clarifies that inspection, testing or repair of backflow prevention devices does not require a state plumbing license. Licenses are required, however, to install or replace the devices.

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House Bill 1321: This measure sets aside $4 million for the governor’s office to cover the legal costs of defending the state against any Trump administration efforts to withhold funding. The money could also be used to pay for the criminal defense of state officers or employees charged for actions they carried out as part of their official duties. It hasn’t been signed by the governor yet.

House Bill 1327: This bill awaiting the governor’s signature would require that proponents of ballot measures report when they have 75% of the required number of voter signatures to make the ballot. That information would have to be posted on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. The measure would also impose new procedures for people or groups that submit multiple versions of the same ballot measure to the state’s Title Board, including that they clearly summarize differences between alternate versions.

Senate Bill 24: Colorado will increase the number of district and county judges in the state by 15 under this bill signed by the governor. The measure, which has an annual price tag of about $12 million, is aimed at decreasing the backlog of cases in some communities.

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Colorado lawmakers eye term limits, transparency rules for PERA board

Senate Bill 147 has wide-ranging support from groups, from labor to lawmakers, that want the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association to disclose more information to the public

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Grab-bag bills

Gov. Jared Polis signs a bill designating the Agaricus julius mushroom, commonly known as the emperor mushroom or the prince mushroom, as the state’s mushroom during a signing ceromony in the governor’s office at the Colorado Capitol on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)

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House Bill 1131: The cap on the number of students Colorado State University can enroll in its College of Veterinary Medicine has been removed through this legislation that was signed by Polis.

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Senate Bill 72: This measure would require the Colorado Department of Revenue to regulate the manufacture, packaging, labeling and distribution of kratom, a tropical tree whose leaves can be used as stimulants or opioid-like sedatives. It also would mandate that kratom processors hold a food facility registration from the federal Food and Drug Administration, and it would enact fines for violating the regulations. The bill hasn’t been signed by the governor yet.

The notable bills that failed or were vetoed during session

The Colorado House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Denver. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)

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House Bill 1044: This measure, which was rejected in its first committee, would have let local governments impose vehicle registration fees to fund strategies to protect pedestrians and bicyclists.

House Bill 1079: School board members, superintendents and school administrators would have been added to the purview of Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission under this measure that died on the calendar in the Senate. The commission, created in 2016, investigates complaints and enforces Colorado’s ethical rules of conduct for public officials and government employees.

House Bill 1123: This measure sought to force homeowners associations to try to resolve disputes with its members through mediation instead of in court. It was rejected in a Senate committee.

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Colorado Senate rejects “YIGBY” measure, a priority for Jared Polis that would have boosted housing on church land

The measure, House Bill 1169, would have overridden local zoning laws, escalating a long-running dispute between the state and local governments over housing policy

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House Bill 1237: This bill, which was rejected in its first House committee, would have let Colorado bars stay open until 2:30 a.m. Right now, they must close at 2 a.m.

House Bill 1243: This bill would have prohibited Colorado law enforcement officers from asking motorists during traffic stops if they are aware of the reason they were pulled over. It was rejected in the House Judiciary Committee during its first hearing.

House Bill 1251: This bill would have prohibited anyone from soliciting, arranging or performing any medical or mental health service to a child without first getting consent from their parent or legal guardian. The measure was rejected during its first committee hearing.

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House Bill 1282: This measure sought to rein in the fees credit card companies charge businesses. It was rejected in a Senate committee.

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Legislature rejects Jared Polis’ key effort this year to drive down Colorado home insurance costs

House Bill 1302 would have imposed a 1% fee on every homeowners insurance policy. Homeowners would have borne the cost, which is why the measure died.

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Senate Bill 160: This measure, which was rejected by a House committee after passing the Senate, would have prevented Scout Motors from selling their electric trucks and SUVs directly to consumers as opposed to through a dealership. The failure of the bill means Scout vehicles can be sold directly to consumers, like Teslas and Rivians.

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Colorado Public Radio editor Megan Verlee and reporter Bente Birkeland contributed to this report. Colorado Sun staff writer John Ingold contributed to this report.

This story was produced by the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS and The Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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