The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to strengthen Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Act to make mobile home park sales more fair and transparent. < Back April 14, 2026 Mobile Home Park Protections Bill Advances DENVER, CO – The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to strengthen Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Act to make mobile home park sales more fair and transparent. “Mobile home residents are uniquely vulnerable to displacement, and it is crucial that we strengthen protections for residents to prevent housing instability,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “Mobile homes are one of the most common affordable housing options we have in Colorado, especially on the Western Slope. This legislation builds on our work to protect mobile home residents and create opportunities for them to build generational wealth by bolstering resident protections and improving disclosure and notice requirements. This would help give residents the time and information they need to present a strong bid to purchase the park, keeping Coloradans safely housed and preserving existing affordable housing.” “Mobile home parks are a great source of unsubsidized affordable housing, and it is crucial that we protect this resource for hardworking Coloradans to bring down housing costs,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “Colorado Democrats have passed key protections for mobile home residents in recent years, but these residents are still struggling to compete against better-resourced external buyers when presented with the opportunity to purchase the park. This bill ensures that mobile home residents have a fair shot at buying the mobile home park that they live in, which will help maintain affordable housing options for low- and middle-income Coloradans.” Beginning January 1, 2027, HB26-1224 would strengthen Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Act (MHPA) to ensure that residents have a fair chance to purchase the land underneath their mobile home. The bill would give residents at least 90 days to conduct inspections and protect residents who negotiate in good faith. The bill bans anti-competitive practices that inflate prices above market value to make it harder for residents to purchase the mobile home park. HB26-1224 would improve transparency by requiring a landlord to disclose documentation to justify the list price of the property, the age and history of major infrastructure on the property, rental information and operating expenses. Upon request, the bill would also require a landlord to disclose any financial ties to potential buyers of the property and any agreements between the landlord and the potential buyer. To prevent evictions and keep housing costs down, the bill would: Ensure that residents receive notice when a park owner is temporarily prohibited from raising lot rents; Require evictions to be based on an official government finding of a violated law, ordinance, or rule, not just an informal claim; and Limit the amount of the annual MHPA registration fee that can be passed onto homeowners to keep housing costs down. In 2020, the legislature passed a law to create a pathway for mobile home park residents to join together to purchase the land under their communities. Reps. Velasco and Boesenecker have passed laws to improve water quality in mobile home parks, strengthen tenant protections, improve language accessibility for important park notices and meetings and clarify the conditions of a sale of mobile homes and parks. The legislature also passed a bill this session, also sponsored by Rep. Velasco, to strengthen water quality protections for Coloradans in mobile home parks. Previous Next

< Back May 27, 2021 ORTIZ BILL TO FUND MOBILE VETERAN SUPPORT UNIT DENVER, CO– The House State, Civic and Military Affairs Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by Representative Ortiz that would fund a mobile veterans support unit. The bill passed 7-4, with all four Republicans on the committee voting no. “Veterans are over-represented in Colorado’s homeless population, and for many vets struggling in our rural areas, accessing essential services and care is incredibly difficult,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D Littleton. “No one that served our nation should be left behind because they don’t have access to housing or because they live in rural areas. This bill will move us closer to that goal by funding a new mobile veterans unit that will distribute supplies, connect veterans with critical services, and provide transportation to veterans who need it. By putting this mobile support van into action, we’ll be able to meet veterans where they are to better serve the men and women who have served us.” SB21-032 , sponsored by Representative Ortiz, would provide funding to establish a mobile veterans support unit. A mobile veterans support unit serves as a point of contact to veterans in rural areas and to veterans experiencing homelessness. The unit would distribute supplies, transport veterans who do not have access to transportation services, and work with the Office of Economic Development to offer business and job opportunities to veterans. The bill provides funding for a veteran-owned or veteran-focused organization to purchase a vehicle and operate the program. Previous Next

The House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee today passed legislation to help create more high-quality child care facilities in Colorado and save families money. < Back March 6, 2024 Lukens Bill to Boost Child Care, Save Parents Money Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee today passed legislation to help create more high-quality child care facilities in Colorado and save families money. This bill would create incentives and support for local governments and communities with expressed need for more child care facilities, such as rural and mountain towns. “Child care is the foundation to future educational success, and it’s important that our families and kids have access to high-quality child care in their communities,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs . “This bill would help local governments create and support new child care facilities in their towns, easing the burden on families to find a location that’s close to home and saving them money. When we support families, we strengthen communities and I am committed to helping our youngest learners succeed.” HB24-1237 , also sponsored by Representative Mary Bradfield, R-Colorado Springs, passed by a vote of 11-0, would help reduce costs and burden for child care by providing technical planning, building, construction, and development support to increase child care capacity in communities. Specifically, this legislation would provide incentives and support for local governments, private partners, builders, and child care providers to: Create regulatory alignment and simplification of the processes to develop child care facilities Navigate the process of creating or developing a child care facility Access capital to help with development or renovation of new child care spaces Outlined in the legislation are three specific programs including the Child Care Facility Development Toolkit and Technical Assistance Program to create support mechanisms including training and web resources, the Child Care Facility Development Planning Grant Program to help local governments accelerate the development of new child care facilities, and the Child Care Facility Development Capital Grant Program to directly support the development of care facilities that meet a demonstrable need in a community. Previous Next

The House Education Committee today passed legislation to make reproductive health care, including abortion, more accessible to Colorado’s college students. < Back April 16, 2026 Committee Passes Bill to Expand Access to Abortion Care for College Students DENVER, CO - The House Education Committee today passed legislation to make reproductive health care, including abortion, more accessible to Colorado’s college students. “From shield laws to protect patients and providers, to enshrining the right to an abortion in our constitution – Colorado is a blueprint for safeguarding reproductive health care in a post-Dobbs era,” said Rep. Lorena Garíca D-Unincorporated Adams County. “Abortion is legal, but it’s not always accessible, and this bill makes it easier for college students to access abortion medication on campus. In Colorado, we trust people to make their own medical decisions without government interference, and this bill champions reproductive freedom so students can make their own decisions about their future.” “Colorado has taken bold steps to ensure abortion remains safe, legal and protected in our state,” said Rep. Kenny Nguyen, D-Broomfield . “Despite major pushback from the Trump Administration to dismantle all abortion health care, Colorado remains a beacon for reproductive freedom. Reproductive health care is health care, and this bill meets college students where they are to improve access to abortion medication. No one should have to jump through hoops to receive essential reproductive health care, and this bill streamlines access on college campuses.” HB26-1335 passed committee by a vote of 8-5. This bill would expand college students’ access to reproductive health care by requiring public and private higher education institutions with student health centers to provide on-site abortion medication services. If the college has an on-campus pharmacy, abortion medication must be available to enrolled students. If the college does not have a pharmacy on campus, health care providers would be required to submit a prescription for abortion medication to a pharmacy located off campus. The bill exempts higher education institutions from the requirement to stock or dispense abortion medication if doing so would conflict with their religious beliefs or practices. Colorado Democrats have championed multiple laws to expand and safeguard abortion access in Colorado. This includes legislation to strengthen Colorado's shield laws , protecting patients and providers from hostile out-of-state actions. Last year, Colorado Democrats implemented the will of the voters by enshrining abortion rights into the state constitution. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation to create the Colorado River Drought Task Force, which will develop proposals to protect Colorado’s water future. < Back May 20, 2023 Polis Signs Bipartisan Colorado River Legislation GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation to create the Colorado River Drought Task Force, which will develop proposals to protect Colorado’s water future. “All of us on the Western Slope depend on a clean and reliable supply to power our economy and promote our way of life, but worsening drought conditions, exacerbated by climate change, are putting our water supply in jeopardy,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “I am proud to sponsor this important legislation, which will bring us one step closer to addressing one of the most pressing issues our state has ever faced - the endangered Colorado River - and ensure every Colorado community has access to the water resources they need now and into the future.” “The Colorado River captures the essence of the Colorado Way of Life,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “We must be proactive to secure our water future, which is why we are creating a process that will bring every voice to the table to develop solutions to the devastating impacts of a hotter, drier climate. This collaborative approach will help communities in Colorado partner together to protect agriculture, outdoor recreation, and the freshwater we need, and create the foundation needed to proactively address the threats we face to our water and economic future.” SB23-295 , also sponsored by Senator Perry Will, R-New Castle, and Representative Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, creates the Colorado River Drought Task Force which will include representatives from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, regional water conservation districts, local governmental officials, agricultural producers, environmental non-profit organizations, and others that have diverse experiences with complex water issues. By December of 2023, after an extensive stakeholding process open to public comment, the task force will make policy recommendations to the General Assembly to: Proactively address the impact of droughts on the Colorado River and its tributaries, Avoid disproportionate economic and environmental impacts to any one region of the state, Ensure that any program related to the acquisition of agricultural water rights is voluntary, temporary, and compensated, Assure meaningful collaboration among the Colorado River District, Southwestern Water Conservation District, and the State of Colorado in the design and implementation of drought security programs, and Evaluate sources of revenue for the acquisition of program water. A sub-task force consisting of representatives from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Department of Natural Resources will also provide policy recommendations to the General Assembly to address tribal needs. These recommendations will consider the unique nature of tribal water rights and tribal water use. The Colorado River provides water to Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California, Nevada, and Mexico. Over 40 million people rely on the Colorado River for their water supply, and record-breaking heatwaves and droughts in the Southwestern U.S. have only exacerbated water conservation issues. SB23-295 will rely on water experts and relevant stakeholders to provide effective solutions to the General Assembly so our state can protect the Colorado River and its tributaries through meaningful collaboration with local voices and without disproportionate impacts on certain regions of the state. Previous Next

< Back January 18, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY URGES CONGRESS TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS Democrats call on Congress to protect the cornerstone of our democracy while reasserting the validity of the 2020 election results DENVER, CO – The Colorado House and Senate today passed measures calling on Congress to defend democracy and pass critical voting rights protections. The measures, HR22-1004 and SM22-001 , reassert the validity of the 2020 election results and highlight Colorado’s Gold Standard elections system to the nation as a model for holding free, safe, and secure elections. Democratic legislators condemned attempts across the country to restrict voting rights, lauded the safeguards in place in our state, and urged action to protect voting rights across the country. Republicans in the House offered and largely voted in favor of amendments calling into question the election of Joe Biden as president, encouraging states to conduct sham Arizona-style election “audits,” and thanking Representative Ron Hanks and the insurrectionists who attempted to stop the US Congress from certifying the 2020 election certification on January 6. Republicans also supported amendments offering support for Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, who is currently under federal and state investigations for election security breaches. “We will not be silent while states across our country use lies and conspiracies to attack voting rights and make it harder for people of color to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said Rep. Tony Exum, Sr, D-Colorado Springs. “ Silence about the lies and conspiracies that were spread about the 2020 election is what led to the violent insurrection on January 6th. Protecting the right to vote, something that Black Americans fought and died for and the most fundamental of right in our democracy, should not divide us. As Dr. King’s family has said, we cannot truly honor his legacy and all those who fought tirelessly for voting rights unless we urgently add our voice to those calling on Congress to protect our democracy.” “The right to vote is sacred, but right now across the country that right is in jeopardy as states across the country are dead set on making it harder for communities of color and for young folks to exercise their fundamental right to vote,” said Senator James Coleman, D-Denver. “These unacceptable attacks on the right to vote are damaging to our democracy, and we must stand together as one and condemn them – as well as those pushing the lies and misinformation spurring their actions in the first place. If we truly want to honor the memory of Dr. King, Congress must quickly pass critical voting rights legislation that will stop these escalating attacks on voters, and to take steps to ensure that every eligible voter can make their voice heard at the ballot box.” “Before the Voting Rights Act of 1965, election officials routinely ‘ran out’ of voter registration cards when Latinos asked for them, refused assistance to American citizens who could not read English and regularly beat and intimidated Latinos who were simply trying to exercise their right to vote,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “We will not stand by while states pass laws to suppress the vote and take us back to when people of color were denied their fundamental constitutional rights. I’m proud the General Assembly took the important step today to reassert the validity of the 2020 election results and condemn the lies and falsehoods that led to the violent insurrection on January 6th and the renewed efforts in state legislatures across the country to suppress the vote.” “The threat to our democracy posed by continuing efforts across the country to suppress marginalized communities is unacceptable, and it’s far past time we put a stop to it,” said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. “When the right to vote is under attack anywhere, it’s under attack everywhere, and we need to do everything we can to defend our democracy and ensure equal access to the ballot box. Colorado has proven that you can have safe, secure elections without making it harder for folks to vote, and we urge Congress to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote.” The resolution passed the House by a vote of 40-23 and the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 20-13. The full text of the resolution is below: WHEREAS, Every January we honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his heroic efforts to advance voting rights and we aspire to follow in his footsteps; and WHEREAS, No one did more to promote the right to vote for Disenfranchised Americans than the civil rights leaders of the 1960s, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congressman John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Ella Baker; and WHEREAS, Until the United States Congress passed the federal “Voting Rights Act of 1965”, people of color in the United States were frequently subject to poll taxes, literacy tests, and fraud and intimidation, preventing them from exercising their right to cast a ballot; and WHEREAS, The United States Senate is considering critical federal elections reform and long overdue updates to the federal “Voting Rights Act of 1965” to preserve voting rights for generations to come, in honor of the legacy of the late Congressman John Lewis; and WHEREAS, Colorado’s electoral system serves as an example to the rest of the nation, and in fact the world, of how to expand voter access while protecting electoral integrity through safeguards including risk-limiting audits and signature verification; and WHEREAS, In the 2020 election, Colorado had the second highest voter turnout of any state in the nation, and Colorado’s largest voting bloc young people ages 18 to 34 — turned out in record numbers; and WHEREAS, Efforts to suppress the vote and disenfranchise Americans who historically have had the least access to the ballot have been on the rise across the country in recent years; and WHEREAS, Last year, more than 440 bills with provisions that restrict voting access were introduced in 49 states, including here in Colorado, where legislation was introduced to restrict voters’ access to Colorado’s vote by mail system, a national model of excellence for election access, security, and integrity; and WHEREAS, Last year, 19 states passed 34 laws restricting access to voting, including Georgia’s Senate Bill 202 and Texas’ Senate Bill No.1, both of which made it more difficult for voters to exercise their fundamental right to vote enshrined in the United States Constitution and the federal “Voting Rights Act of 1965”; and WHEREAS, Falsehoods and conspiracies regarding the integrity of the 2020 election have run rampant in our media and public discourse; and WHEREAS, The months-long, coordinated attempt to interfere with the democratic process following the November 2020 election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power by overturning the legitimate results of the presidential election, which culminated at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, serves as a violent reminder of the fragility of our democracy; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-third 32 General Assembly of the State of Colorado: That we, the members of the Colorado House of Representatives: -2- HR22-1004 (1) Reassert the validity of the 2020 presidential election results as legitimate and verified; (2) Offer Colorado’s premier electoral system as a model for state across the country to adopt in order to increase voter participation while ensuring electoral integrity; and (3) Call on the United States Congress, and specifically members of the United States Senate, to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation to protect the fundamental right to vote, which has been the cornerstone of our democracy since the founding of our republic. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and all members of the Colorado Congressional delegation. Previous Next

Governor Polis today signed two bills that would increase transparency of health care services and bolster community-based health care services across the state. < Back May 10, 2023 SIGNED! Bills to Increase Health Care Transparency, Improve Community Health Services Become Law DENVER, CO - Governor Polis today signed two bills that would increase transparency of health care services and bolster community-based health care services across the state. “It’s essential that health care providers are transparent about the services they can provide to patients,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville . "Receiving health care usually requires people to take time off work, secure child care, and find reliable transportation. With this bill becoming law today, everyday Coloradans can have peace of mind that their chosen provider fits their health care needs, saving them time and money.” “Every Coloradan deserves quality care that meets their needs and allows them to thrive,” Senator Jaquez Lewis, D-Longmont, said . “Shining a light on which health care services Colorado hospitals provide - and which services they deny - will help Coloradans make more informed choices about where they receive their health care.” “Too many times, LGBTQ+ Coloradans have shown up to a doctor's appointment only to be told that the provider would not provide the care they needed,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada . “From abortion to gender-affirming care, Coloradans deserve transparency of the services their health care provider can offer. I’m proud that this bill is being signed into law today so Coloradans can compare services across providers and receive the care that they need.” HB23-1218 requires certain health care facilities to share details with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) of the health care services they provide. The CDPHE will create forms to compile a list of services that a health care facility may deny for non-medical reasons, like abortion and gender-affirming care. The forms will be updated biannually and shared on a public facing website so they have a better understanding of facilities that meet their specific health care needs. Providers must also make their forms available to their patients to disclose the care they offer due to the informed consent process. By February 1, 2024, the CDPHE must publish the forms on their website so consumers can easily compare services across health care facilities. “Community-based health programs can greatly uplift the health and safety of Colorado communities, but to have maximum efficacy, we must include the voices of vulnerable communities that benefit from these programs ,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Now, non-profit hospitals will be required to incorporate community feedback and will be held accountable for how they allocate funding to improve public health.” “Non-profit hospitals have the opportunity to provide much needed benefits back to their community,” Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, said . “House Bill 1243 works to ensure the public’s concerns are heard when hospitals are determining what benefits to provide to their community. This bill requires greater transparency from hospitals about what benefits are being funded and how community feedback is being implemented, ensuring Coloradans have access to the unique services they need.” HB23-1243 centers hospitals’ community benefit spending around local under-privileged communities by incorporating community feedback into the community benefit implementation plan and restricting the amount of out-of-state spending that can be counted as “community benefit” spending. The bill would also require each reporting hospital to seek feedback from their community during its annual proposed community benefit implementation plan, submit a detailed report about any discussions or decisions at the annual meeting, make the report public, present priority areas that were identified through the hospital’s community needs assessment, and execute a community benefit plan that addresses the needs of the community as discussed in the annual meeting to better understand the impact that hospital spending has on the health of Coloradans. Under the bill, the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) would be required to hold stakeholder meetings to ensure low-income residents, people of color, people with disabilities, people with serious mental illness, and others experiencing disproportionate health outcomes are fairly represented and meaningfully engaged in the hospital’s community benefit spending plan. HCPF would also create an annual report that summarizes the estimated federal and state tax exemptions of each reporting hospital, a summary of the reporting hospital’s investments that have been effective in improving community health outcomes, and sets compliance requirements for hospitals. HCPF would be able to apply corrective action or fines for reporting hospitals that do not abide by the guidelines set by this bill. Additionally, the bill enhances existing public meeting requirements and ensures representation from the tribal council and Urban Indian Organization who have hospitals within their communities. Institutions of higher learning will also be represented to help bring meaningful input into discussions on spending. Previous Next

DENVER, CO - On August 7, three laws to reduce the cost of housing, protect homeowners’ access to insurance plans, and improve local governments’ ability to hold short-term rentals to local rules and regulations will go into effect. < Back August 7, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: Laws to Save Coloradans Money on Housing, Improve Wildfire Insurance Coverage Take Effect DENVER, CO - On August 7, three laws to reduce the cost of housing, protect homeowners’ access to insurance plans, and improve local governments’ ability to hold short-term rentals to local rules and regulations will go into effect. “The lack of housing in Colorado is driving up home prices and rental rates while also negatively impacting our environment,” said Rep. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield, sponsor of HB23-1255 . “By eliminating arbitrary local growth caps, communities will be able to strategically build housing that better accommodates our needs while also reducing our reliance on car travel, which will improve our air quality.” "Colorado needs more housing," said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, sponsor of HB23-1255. "Eliminating arbitrary growth caps will increase supply and allow more Coloradans to remain in the communities they currently live and work in. I’m proud to champion policy that will help communities keep up with ongoing growth, ease displacement, and help us meet our housing needs." “Arbitrary growth caps shift the burden of keeping up with housing demand on neighboring, and often lower-income, communities,” said Rep. Ruby Dickson, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB23-1255 . “Housing affordability is one of the biggest concerns for Coloradans. With our new law going into effect soon, we can tackle our housing shortage together while reducing commute times and air pollution.” Beginning August 7, local governments are prohibited from enacting and enforcing housing growth restrictions that limit housing development to a certain number of building permits or approvals without a transparent process and fair consideration of a proposal’s merits. Under HB23-1255 , local governments are not required to accept any specific developments or projects, but they can’t reject a proposal simply due to an arbitrary growth cap. “The increasing threat of wildfires has left many homeowners with less insurance coverage than they need, but with our new law, home owners will have more options for additional coverage they can afford,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB23-1174 . “Coloradans will be able to purchase a plan that provides the peace of mind that their home is appropriately insured in the event of a wildfire disaster.” “Homeowners in my community have faced devastating and costly damage from wildfires that can feel impossible to build back from,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, sponsor of HB23-1174. “With our new law going into effect soon, Colorado homeowners will be able to purchase coverage that meets their needs and protects them from future wildfire damage.” Starting August 7, HB23-1174 , also sponsored by Republican Senator Mark Baisley, requires home insurance companies to offer a variety of extended coverages to protect consumers, covering the cost of repair or replacement for a damaged or destroyed structure. If a homeowner wants additional coverage, the insurer must offer coverage for extended replacement, law and ordinance, and inflation protection. It also extends the length of time in which an insurer would have to notify a homeowner of a cancellation or refusal to renew a homeowner’s policy from 30 days to 60 days. Representative Judy Amabile passed similar legislation in the 2022 Legislative Session in response to the Marshall Fire that destroyed over 1,000 homes in Boulder County. The law ensured that homeowners received fair compensation for the loss of their property and streamlined the insurance claims process for underinsured disaster victims. “These two new bipartisan laws that take effect today are the next step forward in our continued and multi-faceted commitment to addressing the housing crisis in Colorado,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, sponsor of HB23-1174 and HB23-1287. “The bolstered insurance protections offered by HB 1174 will help protect vulnerable Coloradans and allow people to insure their homes, businesses, and property against potential disasters like wildfires. And with HB23-1287, we’re strengthening protections for local residents in rural resort communities to help curb the unintended impacts of short-term rentals on our communities.” “Short-term rentals offer important benefits to our mountain communities and support tourism, but it’s clear they have impacts on the liveability of our towns,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of HB23-1287. “By strengthening transparency and compliance with local regulations of short-term rentals, we can live in neighborhoods that work better for everyone.” “Rural resort communities know firsthand the impact that short-term rentals have had on our neighborhoods and our housing market,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, sponsor of HB23-1287. “With the implementation of our new law, local governments will now be able to effectively regulate short-term rentals to protect owners, renters, and community members if a short-term rental violates local rules and regulations.” A board of county commissioners already has the authority to regulate units that are rented or used for short-term stays. HB23-1287 clarifies the definition of a short-term rental and provides counties with the authority to work with digital platforms to accurately list compliant short-term rentals. Beginning August 7, HB23-1287 gives counties the ability to require an owner of a property, or the owner’s agent, to include a rental license or permit in any listing for a short-term rental unit on a digital platform. If a county has regulations on short-term rentals, the county will be able to require a digital platform to remove any rental listing if the owner of the listing: Has their local short-term rental license or permit suspended or revoked, Has received a notice violation, or a similar legal process, for not holding a valid local short-term rental license or permit, or Is not allowed to list their unit as a short-term rental due to county rules. Previous Next

< Back May 27, 2022 ESGAR’S STATE FAIR BILL SIGNED INTO LAW Governor also signs Esgar’s bill to create the Southern Colorado Institute of Transportation Technology at Colorado State University – Pueblo DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed Majority Leader Esgar’s bills to increase funding for the Colorado State Fair to implement the 2021 State Fair Master Plan and create the Southern Colorado Institute of Transportation Technology at CSU-Pueblo. “What an exciting day for Pueblo and Southern Colorado!” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Today Governor Polis signed two of my bills into law to boost funding for the State Fair and create the Southern Colorado Institute of Transportation Technology at CSU-Pueblo. The State Fair supports our agriculture industry and is an economic driver for the entire state, and CSU-Pueblo is a critical part of our community. I’m proud to have sponsored these important bills for Southern Colorado that will boost our economy, help secure the long-term future and success of the State Fair, and make CSU-Pueblo a leader in transportation safety and innovation.” SB22-134 , sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Don Coram, would provide the state fair with $4 million to implement the master plan. The fairgrounds are currently facing many challenges common to fairs across the country, including older facilities, limited funding, competing venues, and a backlog of building deficiencies. The Colorado state fair authority board created a master plan that details the solutions to these challenges. HB22-1365 , sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar and Senator Hinrichsen, creates a new institute at CSU-Pueblo to research safety, security, and innovation of railroad, ground, and intermodal transportation and general issues related to surface transportation problems in the state. The institute will also offer funding to small businesses that are developing and testing surface transportation technologies. Previous Next

< Back January 24, 2022 TAX EXTENSION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES RETAILERS PASSES DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation that would save small business retailers money by extending the deadline for sales tax collection practices that came as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair in 2018. The vote was 64-0. HB22-1027 extends the destination sourcing deadline from February 1, 2022 to October 1, 2022 giving Colorado small businesses more time before needing to remit sales taxes based on the buyer’s address. This bill is also the first piece of legislation to advance the House this year. “This session, we’re looking at every way we can to save Coloradans and businesses money, and that’s what this bill will do,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp D-Ft. Collins . “With the legislation we passed today, small retailers will have a nine-month extension for destination sourcing, providing them more flexibility before making the final transition later in 2022.” Last year, the Colorado Legislature passed SB21-282 to provide relief to Colorado’s small business network amidst the pandemic. This bill builds upon last year’s legislative efforts to save retailers money by extending the compliance deadline to October 2022. In accordance with Colorado tax codes, destination sourcing is sales tax calculated based on the buyer’s address when the taxable product or service is delivered to a consumer. HB22-1027 allows small business retailers with less than $100,000 of sales, to continue to source their sales to the business’ location regardless of where the purchaser receives the good. It also provides more time for retailers to onboard with the electronic sales and use tax system. Previous Next

< Back April 3, 2019 HOUSE GIVES FINAL APPROVAL TO BIPARTISAN REMOTE NOTARY BILL (Apr. 3) – The House gave final approval to a bill sponsored by Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, that will move the state toward embracing emerging remote notary technologies. “This is a very simple bill. First, it makes clear that Colorado is embracing remote notary technology, but wants to have a voice in how that process looks like and wants to ensure to consumers that we will protect their personal information from being shared or sold,” said Rep. Duran. “Colorado should get to decide what that looks like. This bill will help protect personal information by limiting the recording to the notarial act itself.” HB19-1167 will move the state toward embracing emerging remote notary technologies, expanding access to these services for people across the state. The bill will also help protect Coloradans’ nonpublic personal information when they use remote notary services by implementing data privacy protections, filling a gap in current law. The bill, which was also sponsored by Rep. Terri Carver, R-Colorado Springs, was approved by a bipartisan vote of 49-14. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back February 5, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES BILL TO HELP RENTERS Titone and Gonzales-Gutierrez’s commonsense bill could help ease housing crunch (Feb. 5) – The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee voted in favor of a bill this morning that would protect renters from unnecessarily high rental application fees. “The high cost of unchecked rental application fees has played a role in exacerbating the affordable housing crisis,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “The goal of this bill is to ease the housing crunch, increase transparency in the rental application process and ensure bad actors aren’t harming Coloradans seeking a home for themselves and their families. Under current state law, there are no limits on what landlords can charge for a rental application fee, and there are no safeguards to ensure the fee aligns with the actual costs of screening a prospective tenant. “Rental application fees should actually be used to conduct a consumer credit or reference check, not increase a landlord’s profit,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “Our bill aims to provide some relief to individuals or families searching for housing across our state by putting in place a key consumer protection safeguard in the rental process.” More than a dozen states have enacted policies that set reasonable terms for the collection and retention of rental application fees. For hardworking individuals or families struggling to find housing, the high cost of non-refundable application fees can easily exhaust their limited financial resources, sometimes making it impossible for them to pay a security deposit or the first month’s rent. HB19-1106 puts in place commonsense limits on the application fees that renters face as they search for their next rental home. The bill keeps application fees to the price of what is necessary to screen residents—such as credit reports, reference checks or tenant screening reports—and ensures the fee is refunded if the applicant is never screened. The bill was approved on a vote of 7-4 and now heads to the House floor. Previous Next