Bill Tracker

The bill 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 bill requires that every health
benefit plan must provide coverage for:
  • The placement, including admission, continued stay,
transfer, and discharge of a covered person and
determinations relating to mental health disorders in
accordance with criteria developed by the American
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or the
American Association for Community Psychiatry; and
  • Medically necessary treatment of covered behavioral,
mental health, and substance use disorder benefits,
consistent with specified criteria.
The bill also specifies criteria to be used for utilization review,
service intensity, the level of care for covered persons, and provider
reimbursement.

The bill merges 2 existing medicaid waiver programs for children
into one children's home- and community-based services waiver program,
known as the children with complex health needs waiver program. The
bill relocates provisions to the new program due to the repeal of the 2
existing waiver programs.

Transportation Legislation Review Committee. Beginning on
January 1, 2026, the bill imposes the following duties on any political
subdivision of the state, public entity, or nonprofit corporation that
provides paratransit services in the state, in addition to those duties
otherwise provided by law:
  • To establish, in coordination with local public entities
providing emergency services, a plan to communicate
information and provide paratransit services during
emergencies;
  • To ensure that fare collection technology for paratransit
services is comparable to that offered for regular or fixed
route services; and
  • Before reducing the service area for paratransit services, to
consult with affected community members and conduct an
impact analysis.
The bill also creates the paratransit task force (task force) in the
department of transportation. The purpose of the task force is to study and
make recommendations regarding the standardization of and best
practices for paratransit services in the state. The task force consists of 16
members as follows:
  • 3 legislative members, jointly appointed by the president of
the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives,
with 2 members of the majority party and one member of
the minority party;
  • 4 members representing disability advocacy organizations,
with one member appointed by and from each of the
following organizations:
  • Atlantis Community, Inc.;
  • American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today;
  • The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition; and
  • The National Federation of the Blind;
  • 5 members representing transit organizations, with one
member appointed by and from each of the following
organizations:
  • The department of transportation;
  • The Colorado Association of Transit Agencies;
  • The regional transportation district;
  • AARP; and
  • The Denver regional council of governments;
  • One member representing a private company that partners
with a transit agency to provide paratransit services,
appointed by the governor;
  • One member representing the Colorado disability
opportunity office, appointed by the governor;
  • One member determined by the governor to enhance and
expand the expertise of the task force, appointed by the
governor; and
  • The lieutenant governor or the lieutenant governor's
designee.
The task force is required to meet at least 3 times in 2025 to study and
make recommendations on the standardization of and best practices for
paratransit services in the state. On or before October 15, 2025, the task
force must submit a report to the transportation legislation review
committee that includes a summary of the work accomplished by the task
force and any recommendations to the general assembly concerning
matters studied by the task force. The department of transportation must
include a summary of the report and the recommendations of the task
force in its annual presentation to the general assembly in January 2026.

Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning the Treatment
of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and
Juvenile Justice Systems. Under existing law, the behavioral health
administration (BHA) in the department of human services administers
the jail-based behavioral health services program (program). The bill
requires the BHA to, as part of the program, provide funding to jails to
administer services that complement a person's primary course of
treatment for a behavioral health disorder (complementary behavioral
health services) to persons in custody in the jail. A jail shall use the
funding to train jail staff to administer complementary behavioral health
services and to provide complementary behavioral health services to
persons in custody in the jail at no cost to the person.
The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate up
to $50,000 for the administration of complementary behavioral health
services as part of the program.

Under current law, a person engages in an unfair and
unconscionable act or practice in violation of consumer protection laws
(unfair act) if the person engages in price gouging during a declared
disaster. The bill adds engaging in price gouging in the sale of necessities
as an unfair act and creates a presumption that, if the price of a necessity
is increased by 10% or more above the average price that the necessity
cost during the 90 days preceding the price increase, the price increase
amounts to price gouging.
The bill also defines necessities as goods or services that are
necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of consumers or of the
general public.

The bill establishes that public and governmental entities (entities)
shall administer services, programs, and activities in the most integrated
setting that is appropriate to the needs of individuals with disabilities. The
bill establishes when entities are required to provide home- and
community-based services (services) to individuals with disabilities.
If an entity cuts services, the entity shall assess whether the service
cut increases the risk of institutionalization for individuals receiving
services. If so, the entity must develop a plan to reduce that risk.
The bill directs the department of health care policy and financing
to develop a comprehensive community integration plan (plan) for
implementing its obligation to provide individuals with disabilities with
opportunities to live, work, and be served in integrated settings. The plan
must be reviewed and updated every 3 years.
An entity is not required to comply with the provisions of the bill
if it can establish that doing so would require a fundamental alteration of
its program, services, or activities.

The bill makes the following changes to current law regarding
individuals to whom the department of labor and employment
(department) provides vocational rehabilitation services (services):
  • Eliminates the requirement that an individual with a
disability require financial assistance to participate;
  • Allows the department to consider financial need before
providing services during a period of cost containment to
prevent or manage a wait list for services due to
insufficient financial resources;
  • Eliminates the requirement that an individual with a
disability, or the individual's legally and financially
responsible relative, must contribute toward the cost of
their services to the extent that they are financially able;
and
  • To align Colorado law with federal law, eliminates the
requirement that the department provide services only to
individuals who are present in the state at the time of filing
an application for the services and can satisfactorily
achieve rehabilitation.

Beginning January 1, 2026, the bill requires a local government
that adopts or substantially amends a building code to ensure that the
building code meets or exceeds the accessibility standards in international
building codes.
The bill also 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 heath facilities are
substantially amended, the codes meet or exceed accessibility standards
in international building codes.
The bill 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 updated, the standards meet or exceed the accessibility
standards in international building codes. The bill 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 updated, the codes meet or exceed the
accessibility standards in international building codes.

Under current law, certain provisions are required in a public
school contract (contract), and if the provisions are omitted from a
contract, the law deems that the provisions are automatically included in
the contract. The bill clarifies that the list includes that a contractor is
required to comply with accessibility standards for an individual with a
disability adopted by the office of information technology. The bill adds
a provision to the list to require a contractor to indemnify, hold harmless,
and assume liability on behalf of a public school contracting entity, the
public school, and the public school's employees and agents, for all
remedies for noncompliance with standards that ensure technology
accessibility to persons with disabilities.

Under current law, the state librarian administers the reading
services for the blind program by supporting privately operated reading
services for individuals who are blind or print-disabled, and the Colorado
commission for the deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind coordinates and
advocates for the provision of, and access to, services and resources for
individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind (services and
resources). Sections 2 through 14 of the bill create the communication
services for people with disabilities enterprise (enterprise) to provide
these services and resources through imposition of an enterprise fee and
administration of the communication services for people with hearing
disabilities enterprise cash fund (communication services fund) and the
reading services for the blind enterprise cash fund (reading fund).
Section 1 repeals the reading services for the blind function of the
state librarian, which function is transferred to the enterprise in section
8.
Telecommunications relay services (TRS) are provided for
individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind in the state
through a monthly surcharge that wireline voice service providers collect
from their telephone customers. Sections 16 and 17 transfer 77% of the
money collected from the TRS monthly surcharge to the communication
services fund and the reading fund based on the enterprise's imposition of
the enterprise fee to finance the services and resources that the enterprise
provides.
Sections 15 and 18 through 27 make conforming amendments.

The bill authorizes the department of health care policy and
financing (state department) to seek federal authorization to:
  • Extend the timeline for member reenrollment in the state
medical assistance program based on the financial
eligibility for a member whose income is based solely on a
fixed income source; and
  • Verify a member's eligibility for reenrollment based on
income and need at the same time.
The bill requires the state department to modify the questions
asked to medical professionals when verifying a member's need for
long-term services and supports and allows any licensed medical
professional who has a bona fide physician-patient relationship with a
member to complete the documentation necessary to verify a member's
need for long-term services and supports.
The bill prohibits the state department from requiring new
documentation for a member who transitions from receiving services in
an institutional setting to receiving services in a home- and
community-based setting and vice versa.

The bill exempts an assisted living residence with fewer than 19
beds that has not undergone new construction or renovations and that
complies with the standards for assisted living residences from complying
with facility guidelines adopted by the state board of health.
The bill requires the department of health care policy and
financing (state department) to follow the standards set by the federal
centers for medicare and medicaid when updating rules.
The state department must establish a process for reviewing and
updating the general billing manual on an annual basis and ensure that the
general billing manual includes all necessary CPT codes.
Beginning January 1, 2026, for claims that must be reprocessed as
a result of updating the provider rates, the bill requires a managed care
organization to issue payment to a contracted provider within one year
after the provider rate is updated.
The bill requires the state department to include in each new
contract with, or renewal of a contract with, a managed care entity (MCE)
a provision requiring the MCE to submit to the state department, on an
annual basis, the amount the MCE is paid and the MCE's medical loss
ratio. The state department is required to publish this information on the
state department's website on an annual basis.
The bill prohibits the state department from imposing signature
requirements on a physician or practitioner certifying a medicaid
member's (member) plan of care that involves physical therapy or
occupational therapy.
The bill prevents a member receiving home- and community-based
services from losing the services the member currently receives if the
member's disability and need for services have not changed in the
preceding 3 years.

The bill tasks the statewide health care review interim committee
with studying health-care billing practices across the state during the 2025
interim to:
  • Deduce whether patients across the state are receiving
timely billing for health-care services, and if not, determine
why; and
  • Consider potential legislative changes to ensure that
patients across the state are guaranteed timely billing for
health-care services.
The committee may meet up to 4 times during the 2025 interim to
complete this study and must, within 90 days after their final meeting,
submit to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health matters
a report that contains:
  • A brief recap of the committee's meetings;
  • The committee's findings; and
  • Recommendations, if any, regarding legislative measures
that may be taken to improve health-care billing practices
to ensure that patients receive timely billing for health-care
services.

The bill amends the definition of a portable tenant screening
report (screening report) to specify that a prospective tenant using a
housing subsidy is not required to include a credit history report, a credit
score, or an adverse credit event with the tenant's screening report.
The bill repeals language allowing a landlord to require a tenant
to make a screening report directly available to the landlord through a
consumer reporting agency or third-party website.
Current law prohibits a landlord from inquiring into a prospective
tenant's adverse credit event. The bill defines adverse credit event as an
event that can be reflected in a consumer credit report or might negatively
affect a person's credit score, including past due delinquent rent payments
and collections.
The bill allows a landlord receiving a portable tenant screening
report to require that the screening report was completed within the
previous 60 days, which time period is increased from 30 days.

The bill consolidates damages provisions for individuals with
disabilities who experience an unfair housing practice, discrimination in
places of public accommodation, or a violation of their civil rights with
the general protections under the Colorado anti-discrimination act
(CADA) for all protected classes. With the consolidation of these
provisions, the allowable remedies under CADA include a court order
requiring compliance with the applicable section of CADA, actual
monetary damages, attorney fees and costs, damages for noneconomic
loss or injury, and a statutory fine of $5,000 per aggrieved party and per
violation. An award of damages for noneconomic loss or injury is capped
at $50,000, and if a defendant is a small business, it is entitled to a 50%
reduction of a noneconomic loss or injury award if it corrects the
violation within 30 days of the complaint being filed and did not
knowingly or intentionally make or cause to be made the violation.
The bill also extends the deadline for filing a charge with the
Colorado civil rights commission alleging discrimination in places of
public accommodation or discriminatory advertising from 60 days to one
year after the alleged discriminatory act occurred.

The bill 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 (covered tenants).
The bill prohibits a landlord from charging a covered tenant a late
fee in an amount that exceeds $20.
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 bill 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.
Current law defines certain acts as unfair housing practices and
exempts a landlord with 3 or fewer rental units from enforcement of
several such definitions. Current law also states that a landlord with 5 or
fewer single-family rental homes and no more than 5 total rental units is
not required to accept federal housing choice vouchers. The bill repeals
both of these exemptions. The bill also 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 that is necessary for a
rental assistance application program; 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 bill
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 at least $5,000
in damages. The bill also states that a calculation of such 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 found to have engaged in an unfair housing practice to pay a
civil penalty in an amount that has no minimum and a maximum that
varies based on whether the respondent has prior violations. The bill
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.

The bill creates a specific criminal offense related to assault of a
transit worker. The bill also adds regional transportation district transit
police officers to the list of law enforcement officials who can access the
peace officer training and support fund.

Beginning in 2026, the bill authorizes an increase to the health
insurance affordability fee assessed and collected from insurance carriers
(carriers) by up to one percentage point to implement and administer the
health insurance affordability enterprise (HIAE). The bill includes
objectives for the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) to consider
in determining whether to increase the HIAE fee, including, in part,
maintaining HIAE programs to achieve a premium reduction in the
reinsurance program and to provide subsidies for individuals with low
income who purchase insurance on the Colorado health benefit exchange.
The commissioner shall notify carriers of the amount of the HIAE fee for
the upcoming calendar year.
The bill changes the allocation of the HIAE fee assessed for 2026,
dedicating up to 40% each to state-subsidized individual health coverage
plans purchased by qualified individuals and to the reinsurance program
cash fund, with the remaining revenue allocated for other purposes
specified in the bill, including new and emerging health insurance
affordability initiatives.
The bill authorizes the enterprise to seek, accept, and expend gifts,
grants, or donations for the purposes of the HIAE.

The bill implements recommendations made by the direct care
workforce stabilization board (board) by:
  • Requiring the board to investigate health-care benefits for
the direct care workforce;
  • Requiring the department of labor and employment
(department) to collaborate with the board and other
entities to establish a comprehensive know your rights
training for direct care workers;
  • Requiring the department to ensure that the know your
rights training is available to direct care workers, to allow
worker organizations to participate in the training free of
charge, and to report direct care worker training completion
information to the board; and
  • Requiring direct care employers to conduct and document
direct care worker training attendance, distribute a notice
of rights to direct care workers, and inform all employees
about the direct care worker website and communication
platform established by the department of health care
policy and financing.
The bill also requires the director of the division of labor standards
and statistics (director) in the department to provide compliance
assistance to direct care employers and investigate possible violations by
the employers. The director is also required to enforce compliance with
the requirements in the bill.
To implement the board's recommendations, the bill also requires
the department of health care policy and financing to:
  • Establish a website and communication platform for direct
care workers;
  • In coordination with the board, develop a direct care
worker-specific notice of rights for direct care employers;
  • Collaborate with direct care employers to inform direct
care workers about the website and communication
platform;
  • Allow specified entities access to the contact information
of each direct care worker enrolled in the communication
platform; and
  • Convene and administer an interested party advisory group
pursuant to federal requirements.
The bill also establishes the direct care worker minimum wage at
$17 per hour beginning July 1, 2025, and encourages the state to set the
minimum wage for direct care workers at $25 per hour by January 1,
2028.

The bill creates the Colorado Voting Rights Act (act) and modifies
certain election-related statutes in 4 areas:
  • Election and voting statutes related to Indian tribes;
  • Voting-related services for individuals with disabilities;
  • Election-related language access; and
  • Election-related data collection.
Creation of the act. The bill creates the act, which prohibits
political subdivisions from:
  • Taking any action that results in or is intended to result in
a material disparity between electors who are members of
a protected race, color, or language minority group or other
minority reporting group (protected class members) and
other eligible electors in regard to voter participation,
access to voting opportunities, or the opportunity or ability
to participate in the political process (voter suppression);
  • Enacting or employing any method of election that has the
effect of, or is motivated in part by the intention of,
disparately impairing the opportunity or ability of protected
class members to participate in the political process, elect
the candidates of their choice, or otherwise influence the
outcome of elections (voter dilution); or
  • Implementing, imposing, or enforcing a voting
qualification or another prerequisite to voting based on an
individual's actual or perceived gender identity, gender
expression, or sexual orientation.
An aggrieved individual or organization may file a civil suit alleging
voter suppression, voter dilution, or an unlawful voting prerequisite based
on gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. The attorney
general may investigate potential violations of the act and may file suit to
enforce the act or may intervene in an aggrieved individual's or
organization's civil suit.
Election and voting statutes related to Indian tribes. The bill
clarifies provisions related to voter registration and election access for
Indian tribes, including valid identification for registration purposes and
the requirements for voter service and polling centers and ballot drop-off
locations on Indian reservations.
Voting-related services for individuals with disabilities. The bill
imposes a requirement on covered entities, defined as entities that provide
state-funded services primarily to individuals with disabilities, to publicly
display notices related to voting in advance of statewide general and
primary elections.
Election-related language access. The bill expands existing
requirements for the creation of multilingual ballots from only applying
to qualifying counties to also applying to qualifying municipalities, based
on the population or percentage of the voting-age population within the
relevant jurisdiction who are minority language speakers and speak
English less than very well.
Election-related data collection. The bill creates the statewide
election database and information office (office) in the department of
state. The office collects and maintains data related to elections, including
demographics, election results, and voting information, which the office
is required to make publicly available. After each election, political
subdivisions are required to submit election-related information to the
office. The office also provides assistance to political subdivisions,
researchers, and members of the public related to the data it maintains, in
addition to providing data to the attorney general for purposes of
investigating potential violations of the act.

Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy.
Section 2 of the bill extends a refundable income tax credit (credit) that
is available for the income tax years commencing on January 1, 2022, and
January 1, 2024, so that the credit is also available for the income tax
years commencing on January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026.
For each income tax year, the credit is for a qualifying senior,
which means a resident individual who:
  • Is 65 years of age or older at the end of the income tax
year;
  • Has 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 $125,000 if filing a joint return; and
  • Has not claimed the senior property tax exemption for the
property tax year that coincides with the income tax year.
The amount of the credit for both the 2025 and 2026 income tax
years is:
  • $800 for a qualifying senior filing a single return with
federal AGI that is $25,000 or less. For every $500 of
federal AGI above $25,000, the amount of the credit is
reduced by $8.
  • $800 for 2 taxpayers filing a joint return with federal AGI
that is $25,000 or less. For every $500 of federal AGI
above $25,000, the amount of the credit is reduced by $4.
  • $400 for each taxpayer, in the case of 2 taxpayers who
share the same primary residence, and may legally file a
joint return but actually file separate returns and both claim
the credit. For every $500 of federal AGI above $25,000,
the amount of the credit is reduced by $4.
Notwithstanding the income-based reductions in the allowable
credit amount, a taxpayer who also qualifies for a property tax and rent
assistance grant or heat assistance grant during the calendar year 2025 or
2026 is eligible to receive the full amount of the credit.
Section 1 requires the property tax administrator to provide reports
from counties related to taxpayers who are eligible for and actually claim
the homestead property tax exemption.

The bill requires private insurance companies to provide coverage
for the treatment of the chronic disease of obesity and the treatment of
pre-diabetes, including coverage for the national diabetes prevention
program, medical nutrition therapy, intensive behavioral or lifestyle
therapy, metabolic and bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved anti-obesity
medication.
The bill requires the department of health care policy and
financing (department) to seek federal authorization to provide treatment
for the chronic disease of obesity and the treatment of pre-diabetes.
Within existing appropriations and upon receiving federal authorization,
the department is required to notify medicaid members in writing about
the availability of the treatment.

Under the federal 340B drug pricing program (340B program), a
covered entity, including certain hospitals, programs, and federally
qualified health centers (covered entity), that serves patients with low
income receives discounted outpatient drugs (340B drugs) from
manufacturers that participate in the federal medicaid and medicare
programs.
Unless the receipt of 340B drugs is prohibited by the federal
department of health and human services, the bill prohibits a
manufacturer, wholesaler, third-party logistics provider, or repackager in
this state, or an agent, contractor, or affiliate of those entities, including
an entity that collects or processes health information, from directly or
indirectly denying, restricting, prohibiting, discriminating against, or
otherwise limiting the acquisition of a 340B drug by, or delivery of a
340B drug to, a covered entity, a pharmacy contracted with a covered
entity, or a location otherwise authorized by a covered entity to receive
and dispense 340B drugs.
The bill also prohibits a manufacturer from directly or indirectly
requiring a covered entity, a pharmacy contracted with a covered entity,
or any other location authorized to receive 340B drugs by a covered entity
to submit any health information, claims or utilization data, or other
specified data that does not relate to a claim submitted to certain federal
health care programs, unless the data is voluntarily furnished or required
to be furnished under federal law.
A violation of the prohibitions in the bill is an unfair or deceptive
trade practice under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act (act), and
the violator is subject to the enforcement provisions and penalties
contained in that act. The attorney general may investigate and enforce
the provisions of the bill, as well as a business harmed by a violation of
the provisions of the bill. In addition, a person regulated by the state
board of pharmacy (pharmacy board) that violates the provisions of the
bill may be subject to discipline by the pharmacy board against the
person's license, certification, or registration, as well as other penalties.
The bill requires a covered entity that is a hospital to annually post
on its public-facing website information concerning the annual, estimated,
aggregate financial benefit to the hospital covered entity resulting from
its ability to acquire pharmaceuticals at a discount through the 340B
program and a description of how the hospital covered entity uses savings
from participation in the 340B program.

The bill requires nonprofit hospitals (hospitals) to use 340B profits
to decrease out-of-pocket costs for low-income patients.
The bill requires entities covered under the federal 340B drug
pricing program that are hospitals licensed by the state to report
information related to their participation in the 340B program, their use
of 340B program profits, their provision of charity care, their payments
to third parties for 340B program-related services and compliance, and
their use of contract pharmacies.

Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws. The bill repeals
the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act and enacts
the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective
Arrangements Act, drafted by the uniform law commission.
The bill provides guidance for guardians and conservators and
clarifies how appointees must make decisions on behalf of a person under
guardianship or conservatorship.
The bill encourages the use of protective arrangements and less
restrictive alternatives instead of conservatorship or guardianship if a
person's needs can be met with support services and technology.
The bill expands the procedural rights for respondents to ensure
that guardianships and conservatorships are only imposed when
necessary.
The bill provides for expanded monitoring of guardians and
conservators to ensure compliance with fiduciary duties and prevent
exploitation.
The bill provides for visitation and communication rights for
individuals subject to guardianship or conservatorship. This includes a
limitation on a guardian's ability to prevent communication, visitation, or
interactions between a person subject to guardianship and a third party.
The bill provides for protections to prevent exploitation of
vulnerable individuals by allowing the court to restrict access to the
respondent or the respondent's property by a specified person without
imposing a guardianship or conservatorship.
The bill prohibits courts from establishing full guardianship or
conservatorship if a limited guardianship or conservatorship would meet
the respondent's needs, requires a petitioner seeking full guardianship or
conservatorship to provide support to justify full guardianship or
conservatorship, and requires courts to provide findings to support the
imposition of full guardianship or conservatorship.
The bill updates provisions concerning minors subject to
guardianship and provides for involvement of a minor in decisions that
involve the minor.
The bill provides guidance for property management for
individuals subject to guardianship.
The bill contains model forms for petitioners and respondents to
use when filing petitions and notice with the court.

Under current law, the state income tax rate imposed on the
taxable income of individuals, estates, trusts, and corporations is 4.4%;
except that, for the income tax year commencing on January 1, 2024, the
income tax rate is 4.25% and for any income tax year commencing on or
after January 1, 2025, but before January 1, 2035, the income tax rate is
temporarily reduced if state revenue exceeded the limitation on state
fiscal year spending imposed by section 20 (7)(a) of article X of the state
constitution for the state fiscal year that ended during the income tax year.
The extent to which the rate is temporarily reduced depends on the total
amount of excess state revenues remaining after homestead exemption
reimbursements and qualified-senior primary residence reimbursements
are paid.
The bill makes the 4.25% tax rate permanent beginning with the
income tax year commencing on January 1, 2025, makes any additional
temporarily reduced income tax rate permanent for subsequent income tax
years, and eliminates the state income tax on individuals, estates, and
trusts for income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2035.

The bill makes the following changes for the purpose of improving
the performance of the regional transportation district (RTD):
  • Authorizes RTD to enter into a service partnership
agreement with a local government, institution of higher
education, or other entity to expand services within RTD's
service territory (section 2 of the bill);
  • Requires RTD, in discharging its responsibilities, to
(section 3):
  • Align with statewide greenhouse gas reduction
targets, Transportation Vision 2035 goals, and
mode choice targets as will be developed according
to Senate Bill 25-030, if enacted;
  • Create worker retention goals;
  • Adhere to the requirements of General Directive
24-1: Required Actions Regarding Assaults on
Transit Workers, issued on September 25, 2024, by
the federal transit administration of the United
States department of transportation; and
  • Develop performance measures to evaluate its
progress in aligning with state climate goals and
achieving its worker retention goals;
  • Requires RTD to create a 10-year strategic plan no later
than April 10, 2026, and a comprehensive operational
analysis no less frequently than every 5 years beginning in
2026, and to report quarterly to the RTD board of directors
regarding the plan and analysis (section 4);
  • Requires RTD, in conjunction with the creation of its
10-year strategic plan, to study or contract with a third
party to study and identify opportunities to increase funding
to achieve the goals, measures, and targets identified in the
10-year strategic plan (section 4);
  • Requires RTD to create, maintain, and publish on its
website information and dashboards related to capital
projects, ridership and service information, planned service
changes, workforce statistics, and transit safety (section 4);
  • Requires RTD to update its service policies and standards,
its equitable transit-oriented development policy, and its
service buy-up policy, to create specific communication
protocols, and to implement parking and transportation
demand management strategies and policies (section 4);
  • Requires RTD to periodically notify the Denver regional
council of governments (DRCOG) and the department of
local affairs of any known infrastructure gaps that exist
within specific areas of a transit-oriented community within
RTD's service territory (section 4);
  • Requires RTD to modernize and advertise its EcoPass and
low-income fare discount programs (section 4);
  • Adds 2 nonvoting ex officio members to the RTD board of
directors (RTD board), to be appointed by the executive
director of the department of transportation and by
DRCOG (sections 6 and 8); and
  • Prohibits write-in candidates for the RTD board (section
7).
The bill also requires other entities to analyze opportunities for the
improvement of transit services by:
  • Requiring the transportation commission to develop and
publish best practices and technical assistance materials
concerning the creation of regional transportation
authorities to increase funding for transit and to provide
additional transit services within the state (section 5); and
  • Creating an RTD accountability committee within the
Colorado energy office that consists of 13 appointed
members. On or before January 30, 2026, the commission
is required to provide recommendations to the
transportation committees of the general assembly
concerning the governance structure and compensation of
the RTD board and executive leadership, the representation
of local governments and state agencies within RTD, and
RTD's workforce retention (section 9).

The bill includes a performance metric related to workplace
violence in determining quality incentive payments made to hospitals.
No later than September 1, 2025, the bill requires the department
of health care policy and financing (state department) to convene a
stakeholder group to develop recommended metrics, determine whether
any federal or private funds are available to assist hospitals in lowering
the number of incidents of workplace violence, and develop legislative
recommendations, which the stakeholder group must submit to the
general assembly no later than February 1, 2026.
Beginning July 1, 2026, and each July thereafter, the bill requires
the state department to assess whether each hospital has adopted a formal
policy to address workplace violence and submitted the reporting
requirements to the department of public health and environment for the
next federal fiscal year. The bill exempts hospitals with fewer than 100
beds from the reporting requirements.

No later than January 1, 2026, the bill requires the department of
human services to submit an application to the United States department
of agriculture food and nutrition service to implement a restaurant meals
program that allows eligible supplemental nutrition assistance program
recipients to purchase hot or prepared foods at participating restaurants.

Joint Budget Committee. Section 20 of article X of the state
constitution (TABOR) requires the maximum annual percentage change
in state fiscal year spending to equal inflation plus the percentage change
in state population in the prior calendar year adjusted for revenue changes
approved by voters. Although TABOR does not specify how the state
shall determine the percentage change in state population (population
growth), the TABOR implementing statutes do. For years in which there
is not a decennial census, the TABOR implementing statutes require the
state to calculate population growth by determining the percentage change
between:
  • The federal census bureau's estimate of state population
(census estimate) for the previous calendar year, as of
December in the current calendar year; and
  • The census estimate for the current calendar year, as of
December in the current calendar year.
The current method for calculating population growth can lead to
either double-counting or under-counting population changes in census
estimates. If the federal census bureau revises a census estimate upward
for a given year:
  • The calculated population growth between the given year
and the immediately preceding year will be understated,
since the population growth between those years is based
on an inaccurately low census estimate for the given year;
and
  • The understated population growth between the given year
and the immediately preceding year is not corrected or
carried forward when calculating population growth for
subsequent years, as those calculations are based on the
revised census estimate for the given year.
Put differently, if the federal census bureau revises a census estimate
upward for a given year, population growth will be understated and the
fiscal year spending limit will be lower. The opposite is true if the federal
census bureau revises a census estimate downward. In either case, under
the current method for calculating population growth, population growth
would be measured inaccurately.
The bill adjusts the method of calculating population growth.
Under the bill, population growth is calculated by determining the
percentage change between:
  • The census estimate, as of December in the previous
calendar year, for the previous calendar year; and
  • The census estimate, as of December in the current
calendar year, for the current calendar year.
This approach prevents double-counting or under-counting population
changes as a result of revised census estimates and results in a more
accurate measurement of population growth.
The bill also makes conforming amendments.
1

The bill repeals and reenacts, with amendments, the current
requirements for providing notice of transactions involving licensed
hospitals and requires that the parties to a merger, acquisition, or
contracting affiliation of one or more health-care entities, long-term care
entities, or veterinary care entities (material change transaction) submit
specified notice requirements to the attorney general at least 60 days
before the effective date of the material change transaction. If the terms
of the material change transaction are altered or modified following the
submission of the written notice, the parties must provide notice to the
attorney general of the alteration or modification.
The attorney general may review a required notice of a material
change transaction and may assess whether the proposed material change
transaction is contrary to the public interest using factors specified in the
bill. The attorney general may convert their review of the material change
transaction to an investigation under the Colorado State Antitrust Act of
2023.
The bill prohibits a material change transaction unless:
  • The attorney general states that a formal assessment and
review of the material change transaction are not necessary;
  • The attorney general issues an assessment that the material
change transaction is not likely to be contrary to the public
interest;
  • A court finds that the material change transaction is not
likely to be contrary to the public interest;
  • 90 days have elapsed since the parties to the material
change transaction submitted notice of the material change
transaction, and the attorney general has not issued an
assessment and has not notified the parties to the material
change transaction that more time is required to complete
an assessment; or
  • The attorney general has notified the parties that more time
is required to complete the assessment, and 45 days have
elapsed since the attorney general provided the notice.
The attorney general may bring an action in district court to enjoin
or unwind a material change transaction or seek other equitable relief
necessary to protect the public interest.
Parties to a material change transaction may challenge the attorney
general's assessment of a material change transaction in the district court
for the city and county of Denver. The reviewing court shall affirm the
attorney general's assessment unless a person seeking judicial review
proves, by a preponderance of the evidence, specified criteria regarding
the attorney general's assessment.
The bill grants the attorney general authority to seek additional
information regarding a material change transaction, including requiring
the parties to a material change transaction to:
  • File a statement or report in writing answering, or to
answer in writing, questions propounded by the attorney
general as to the facts and circumstances reasonably related
to an alleged or potential violation of the bill;
  • Appear pursuant to a subpoena or produce relevant
documents in aid of an investigation or inquiry; and
  • Allow the attorney general to make true copies of
documents that may be offered into evidence.
If a person fails to comply with an investigation or inquiry
pursuant to a request or subpoena issued by the attorney general, the
attorney general may apply to a district court for relief, including a civil
penalty of up to $5,000, reasonable costs, and attorney fees or a protective
order.
For at least 5 years after the effective date of a material change
transaction, the parties to the material change transaction shall provide the
attorney general an annual report meeting specified requirements. The
report must be made available to the public on the attorney general's and
the parties' websites.
A person that fails to comply with any provision of the bill is
subject to a civil penalty of not more than $200 for each day the person
remains in violation. Failure of a party to a material change transaction to
provide notice of the material change transaction is an independent and
sufficient ground for a court to enjoin or unwind the material change
transaction.
The bill requires that, if certain health-care providers refer a
patient to an entity for health-care services and the provider, or an
immediate family member of the provider, has a financial relationship
with the entity, the provider shall disclose the nature of the financial
relationship to the patient at the time of the referral.

Joint Budget Committee. Under current law, there are 2 programs
available to low-income individuals to buy in to the state medical
assistance program: One for adults with disabilities and one for children
with disabilities (medicaid buy-in programs). Individuals who participate
in either program pay a premium based on their family income. The
premiums are credited to the medicaid buy-in cash fund. The premiums
credited to the medicaid buy-in cash fund are used to offset the costs of
providing the medicaid buy-in programs. The costs of providing the
medicaid buy-in programs are also offset by the money in the healthcare
affordability and sustainability fee cash fund in the Colorado healthcare
affordability and sustainability enterprise (CHASE) within the department
of health care policy and financing (HCPF).
The bill repeals the existing medicaid buy-in cash fund and creates
the healthcare affordability and sustainability medicaid buy-in cash fund
(buy-in cash fund) within CHASE and directs that individuals who
participate in the existing medicaid buy-in programs pay their premiums
into the buy-in cash fund. The bill creates a medicaid buy-in enterprise
support board within CHASE to support the existing enterprise with the
implementation of the medicaid buy-in program, including consulting
with HCPF and the state medical services board on the amount of the
premiums for and other components of the medicaid buy-in programs.
Because CHASE is an enterprise for purposes of the Taxpayer's Bill of
Rights, its revenue does not count against the state fiscal year spending
limit.
The bill also makes conforming amendments.

The bill repeals the existing nursing facility provider fee and
intermediate care facility service fee, effective May 1, 2025, and provides
that, beginning on May 1, 2025, and for each state fiscal year thereafter,
the Colorado healthcare affordability and sustainability enterprise
(CHASE) within the department of health care policy and financing will
charge and collect a new healthcare affordability and sustainability
nursing facility provider fee and a new healthcare affordability and
sustainability intermediate care facility fee that function similarly to the
repealed fees. The bill creates a facility provider fee enterprise support
board within CHASE for the purpose of supporting the existing enterprise
with the implementation of the healthcare affordability and sustainability
nursing facility provider fee and the healthcare affordability and
sustainability intermediate care facility fee. In exchange for payment of
the healthcare affordability and sustainability nursing facility provider
fee, CHASE will provide certain business services to nursing facility
providers to sustain or increase reimbursement rates and make
supplemental medicaid payments to nursing facility providers. In
exchange for payment of the healthcare affordability and sustainability
intermediate care facility fee, CHASE will provide certain business
services to intermediate care facility providers for individuals with
intellectual disabilities for the purposes of maintaining the quality and
continuity of services provided by intermediate care facilities for
individuals with intellectual disabilities. Because CHASE is an enterprise
for purposes of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, its revenue does not count
against the state fiscal year spending limit.
The bill also makes conforming amendments and, for clarity,
renames the existing healthcare affordability and sustainability fee and
healthcare affordability and sustainability fund to be the healthcare
affordability and sustainability hospital provider fee and the healthcare
affordability and sustainability hospital provider fee cash fund.

The bill creates the provider stabilization fund within the Colorado
healthcare affordability and sustainability enterprise (enterprise) to
distribute provider stabilization payments to safety net providers who
provide services to low-income, uninsured individuals on a sliding-fee
schedule or at no cost. Provider stabilization payments will be distributed
to eligible safety net providers based on the proportion of low-income,
uninsured individuals that an individual provider serves in comparison to
the total number of low-income, uninsured individuals served by all
eligible safety net providers.
The bill directs the state treasurer to credit interest earnings on the
principal in the unclaimed property trust fund to the provider stabilization
fund as follows:
  • $25 million for the 2025-26 state fiscal year;
  • $20 million for the 2026-27 state fiscal year; and
  • $15 million for the 2027-28 and subsequent state fiscal
years.
The provider stabilization fund also consists of any money the
general assembly appropriates, transfers, or credits to the fund and any
gifts, grants, or donations the enterprise may receive for the fund. The bill
directs the enterprise to leverage money in the provider stabilization fund
to obtain federal matching money.
The bill establishes a provider stabilization fund enterprise support
board to assist the enterprise in implementing and administering the
provider stabilization fund. The enterprise's governing board is required
to submit an annual report on the provider stabilization fund to specified
committees, the governor, and the medical services board in the
department of health care policy and financing.