.png){kind=logo}
DENVER, CO - Colorado Democrats today unveiled three new bills that would make goods and services more affordable for Coloradans and better equip Colorado small businesses to grow and thrive.
A new bill that will be introduced in the coming weeks prohibits corporations from using consumers’ personal data to charge them more or pay them less (surveillance pricing and wage setting).
HB26-1012 cracks down on price gouging where consumers don’t have a choice to shop somewhere else. The bill also requires delivery companies like Instacart and DoorDash to display the in-store price for the goods they are selling so consumers know when they are paying more.
A third bill expected to be introduced in February would prohibit wholesalers from charging small businesses more than large retail corporations for goods.
“The largest corporations are raking in profits by squeezing every last dollar out of consumers, which is why we’re bringing these bills to lower costs, boost small businesses and grow our economy for hardworking people,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver, sponsor of forthcoming legislation to prohibit surveillance pricing. “This package of bills will boost wages, help small businesses to grow and expand, and take on corporate monopolies to encourage a more fair playing field for small businesses. I’m proudly sponsoring legislation that will limit corporations from exploiting personal data to increase corporate profits off the backs of the hardworking people in our state.”
“Coloradans deserve to know they’re paying a fair price and have the opportunity to negotiate for a good wage,” said Sen. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora, sponsor of forthcoming legislation to prohibit surveillance pricing. “We all lose when large corporations can set different prices for different people based on sensitive data they’ve collected. This bill stands up for workers and families to ensure that your personal data - like where you live and what you’ve bought in the past - is not used against you to raise prices or keep your wages low.”
“Colorado’s economy thrives when everyone has a fair shot, but when big corporations use surveillance data to jack up prices or keep wages low, it hurts our workers and our small businesses,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, sponsor of forthcoming legislation to prohibit surveillance pricing. “We’re taking bold steps to make Colorado more affordable, and this legislation stands up for workers, consumers and small businesses by prohibiting the use of your personal data to charge you more or pay you less.”
“Large corporations stack the deck against hardworking Coloradans far more than most of us are aware,” said Sen. Mike Weissman, sponsor of HB26-1012 and forthcoming legislation to prohibit surveillance pricing. “They’re now using artificial intelligence to set prices as high as they think an individual will pay, and wages as low as they think someone will accept. They charge exorbitant prices at places like airports or hospitals where consumers have no other option. Grocery delivery apps charge more than what an item costs in the store without showing the difference. The list goes on. This year, I’m proud to sponsor legislation to tackle these unfair pricing practices, protect consumers, and bring down costs.”
New legislation would prohibit the use of automated decision systems, like AI and other machine-based systems, to strategically set prices based on an individual’s surveillance data, including browsing and purchase history, financial status, habits, and political affiliation. Typically, corporations have weaponized price and wage setting to set prices at the highest amount someone is willing to pay and wages at the lowest amount that someone is willing to accept, based on data that is often collected without an individual’s knowledge or consent. Engaging in these price or wage-setting practices would be considered a deceptive trade practice.
A 2025 Federal Trade Commission report found that individualized pricing tools are being used to target specific consumers with artificially-inflated prices for goods and services based on their surveillance data, such as a person’s location or the motion of a computer mouse.
In 2025, Colorado Democrats passed a law to crack down on ‘junk fees’ to improve price transparency for consumers and bring down costs for Coloradans. HB26-1012 would build on this law by requiring food delivery companies to clearly disclose a comparison between the total price for delivered goods and the total price for those same items if they were purchased in-store instead.
“Corporations know that consumers don’t have a choice but to pay unfair inflated prices, and our legislation says enough is enough,” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of HB26-1012. “HB26-1012 would not only limit companies from price gouging ‘captive consumers’, but it would also require food delivery apps to be transparent about in-store pricing so consumers can identify upcharges. This bill builds on efforts to crack down on price gouging and increase price transparency to make Colorado a more affordable place to live.”
“This session, we’re focused on making Colorado more affordable and ensuring our economy works for consumers, workers, and small businesses – not just corporate giants,” said Sen. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield, sponsor of the forthcoming Unfair Practices Act. “I’m proud to sponsor legislation to increase pricing fairness and help small and mid-size businesses keep up with big retailers by cracking down on backroom deals that box them out of lower wholesale prices. This bill prioritizes fairness, stands up to monopolies and corporate consolidation, and aims to keep costs down for everyone.”
“Colorado Democrats are working to build an economy where small businesses and hardworking people all have a fair shot to thrive,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, sponsor of HB26-1012 and legislation to crack down on wholesale price discrimination. “Deceptive prices can add up without any real explanation. Our legislation would work to prevent secret price hikes and improve price transparency on these food delivery apps.”
HB26-1012 would also make it a deceptive trade practice to price gouge a “captive consumer,” which is a consumer who does not have realistic alternatives to purchasing a good or service. These situations are often found at airports or at large events, like sports games. HB26-1012 would make it a violation of the Consumer Protection Act to charge these consumers unreasonably excessive prices for that same good or service.
Sponsored by Sens. Lindstedt and Judy Amabile and Rep. Brown, the forthcoming “Unfair Practices Act” would create a more competitive market for Colorado small businesses by preventing wholesalers from charging them more than larger retailers.
“This bill helps independent grocers keep up with mega-corporations like Amazon and Walmart by leveling the playing field when it comes to wholesale deals,” said Sen. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of the forthcoming Unfair Practices Act. “It preserves legitimate price differences based on volume, logistics, or other real cost-savings, but ensures that independent grocers have the same access to discounts as the big guys. As a former small business owner, I know firsthand the impact this can have to bring down costs and help independent grocers stay competitive.”
The bill would establish uniform pricing rules that would require suppliers to offer the same wholesale terms to all retailers that are purchasing under comparable circumstances.