In January 2025, Colorado State Senator Iman Jodeh introduced Senate Bill 25-050, titled "Racial Classifications on Government Forms." This legislation mandates that all state and local government forms requesting an individual's race or ethnicity include options for "Middle Eastern," "North African," and "South Asian," in addition to categories required by the federal Office of Management and Budget.
Key aspects of the bill include:
Inclusion of Additional Categories: Requires government forms to provide specific options for individuals identifying as Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.
Alignment with Federal Standards: Ensures that these additions are made alongside existing categories mandated by the federal Office of Management and Budget.
Implementation Timeline: The bill is set to take effect 90 days following the adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, provided no referendum petition is filed.
Fiscal Impact: State agencies will incur costs to update forms and databases, with appropriations outlined for various departments to facilitate these changes.
Summary
The bill requires a form issued by the state or a local government
that requests that the individual completing the form disclose the individual's race or ethnicity to include, in addition to spaces for any other racial or ethnic categories required by the federal office of management and budget, a space to indicate if the individual's race or ethnicity is Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.
