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< Back April 9, 2020 JBC ANNOUNCES PLAN OF ACTION ON BUDGET DENVER, CO — Joint Budget Committee leadership today announced a plan of action and preliminary timeline agreed to by all JBC members for completing the budget. The JBC aims to finalize the Long Bill, School Finance Act, and any budget-related bills by the end of May to allow state departments, local governments, school districts, and others the time necessary to finalize their budgets by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2020. “The JBC is committed to a transparent, accountable and responsible budget process that allows us time to gather information on how this crisis is impacting state revenues and work through how we can minimize the impact of severe budget cuts on Coloradans,” said JBC Chair Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “We are prioritizing public health and safety as we work to protect core priorities, such as K-12 education, and craft a balanced budget that supports Colorado families and gets our economy moving again.” “The JBC is working incredibly hard to re-map Colorado’s budget in the wake of COVID-19,” said JBC Vice-Chair, Sen. Dominick Moreno D- Commerce City. “Many of our priorities are being adjusted as we determine how to best support citizens during the next chapter of relief and recovery. We have some extremely difficult decisions ahead, but we will continue to be guided by our values and fight for Colorado’s most critical programs and institutions.” “As the General Assembly extends its recess and the statewide stay at home order remains in effect, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and its staff continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on Colorado’s economy to identify an appropriate time to review the state budget and make necessary balancing decisions,” wrote JBC members in the letter announcing the plan of action. The JBC will use the next few weeks to gather information with the goal of releasing new, publicly available figure setting documents by late April. “JBC and its staff are also utilizing this time to monitor increased demand for social services and unemployment benefits as well as declining state revenues. The JBC continues to work with departments to calculate these impacts on department budgets while also collaborating to identify feasible budget reductions,” the members continued. The JBC plans to begin meeting again in early May under the preliminary timeline below: This preliminary timeline is subject to adjustment if necessary based on how the public health and budgetary situation continues to evolve. Previous Next

The House passed legislation today to help fund housing and nutrition services for those on Medicaid. < Back April 22, 2024 House Passes Bill to Increase Federal Funds for Nutrition and Housing Support DENVER, CO – The House passed legislation today to help fund housing and nutrition services for those on Medicaid. This cost-neutral plan would lay the groundwork for redirecting federal Medicaid funds to help Colorado families access nutritious food options and secure housing. “With this bill, we’re one step closer to securing additional federal funds to help with rental assistance, pantry stocking, housing and nutrition support that will strengthen our communities,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster . “Everyone deserves access to healthy, nutritious food and a roof over their heads and this bill will help and uplift our most vulnerable neighbors, such as youth transitioning out of foster care or older adults seeking nutrition assistance.” “By leveraging federal funds for nutrition and housing support, Colorado can help meet the diverse needs of families in our state,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “This bill allows Colorado to access Medicaid funding for housing and nutrition programs for existing Medicaid patients. For example, Medicaid funding could be used to help someone afford their rent or put food on the table. This bill saves Coloradans money by leveraging federal dollars and ensures our most vulnerable neighbors are set up to thrive.” HB24-1322 , which passed the House by a vote of 45 to 17 would support Coloradans on Medicaid to afford housing and nutritious meals. Specifically, this bill would direct the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) to conduct a feasibility study and pursue an 1115 Waiver so Medicaid could fund housing and nutrition services. This legislation aims to create a path to redirect Medicaid funding for services that address health-related social needs of Coloradans who already rely on the federal Medicaid program. The feasibility study would determine how Medicaid could pay for specific nutrition-based services such as medically tailored meals and pantry stocking. It could also help with temporary housing, rent, utility assistance, as well as eviction prevention and tenant support. The study would also determine the eligibility requirements to access these services and which populations across the state would benefit the most. Utilizing dollars already spent on housing and nutrition support services through an 1115 Medicaid Waiver would provide Colorado with a federal match and the flexibility to design and improve Medicaid programs to fit the needs of Coloradans. It would also help the state conserve local and state financial resources. This cost-neutral model for redirecting Medicaid funds to housing and nutrition support is successfully being used in more than 15 states across the nation, including Arkansas, California, New Jersey and North Carolina. Previous Next

Legislation would increase housing options Coloradans can afford to help meet demand < Back February 28, 2024 Committee Passes ADU Bill to Save Coloradans Money on Housing Legislation would increase housing options Coloradans can afford to help meet demand DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation to create more housing options Coloradans can afford by allowing homeowners to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). HB24-1152 passed by a vote of 9-2. “Nearly 80 percent of Coloradans agree that this bipartisan bill can help solve Colorado’s housing crisis and save people money,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Giving Coloradans the freedom to build an ADU on their own property allows them to care for a loved one with a disability, house an aging parent, or bring in some extra money all while providing much needed housing in our communities. We need to take a multi-faceted approach to address Colorado’s housing crisis, and this bill will create more housing options Coloradans can afford and make it easier to live in this great state.” HB24-1152 , also sponsored by Rep. Ron Weinberg, R-Loveland, would allow homeowners in jurisdictions defined under the bill to build an ADU and create a new state grant program to help local governments implement policies to promote the construction of ADUs. The bill would provide local governments with access to grants that support lower and middle-income Coloradans building an ADU, property owners renting their ADU at an affordable rate or ADUs intended to serve demonstrated housing needs in the community. The bill also provides grants to increase housing accessibility and availability for Coloradans with disabilities. Finally, the bill includes funding through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority to directly help homeowners build ADUs, including with down payment assistance, affordable loans, and buying down interest rates on loans for the conversion or construction of ADUs. Recent polling found that 78 percent of Colorado voters support a law that allows ADUs to be built on single-family home properties. Previous Next

< Back February 24, 2022 LEGISLATION TO HELP PREVENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT MOVES FORWARD DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee passed legislation today to help prevent catalytic converter theft. HB22-1217, sponsored by Representatives Adrienne Benavidez and Rod Bockenfeld, would create a grant program to award grants to increase public awareness around theft and provide assistance to victims of catalytic converter theft. “This session, we’re working to prevent crime before it happens and that starts by changing our current laws to reflect the realities of catalytic converter theft,” said Rep. Adrienne Benavidez D-Denver. “Catalytic converter theft is costing Coloradans a lot of money, which is why we’re working to pass legislation that will provide assistance to those who’ve experienced this misfortune. This bill would cut down on theft, save Coloradans money, and make our communities safer.” HB22-1217 , which passed committee by a vote of 8 to 3, would create the catalytic converter identification and theft prevention grant program to award grants to eligible recipients for public awareness campaigns regarding catalytic converter theft. This grant program would also provide assistance to victims of catalytic converter theft. Part of HB22-1217 works in conjunction with SB22-009 and only takes effect upon SB22-009’s passage. It would require the commodity metals theft task force to audit all dealers related to compliance with selling catalytic converters and report those findings by December 31, 2024. SB22-009 would require dealers to keep books and registrations of catalytic converter transactions in the same manner they already keep for commodity metals. Catalytic converters control the exhaust emissions from vehicles and play an important role in reducing harmful emissions. They have recently become a target for thieves because they contain precious metal alloys that have high resale values. If passed, HB22-1217 would award grants to eligible recipients for public awareness campaigns regarding catalytic converter theft, catalytic converter theft prevention parts as well as provide assistance to victims of catalytic converter theft. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote that would authorize Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) to reintroduce wolverines and strengthen Colorado’s biodiversity. < Back May 2, 2024 Bill to Reintroduce Wolverines in Colorado Advances House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote that would authorize Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) to reintroduce wolverines and strengthen Colorado’s biodiversity. “Aiding in the restoration of wolverines in Colorado is a win-win for our state’s biodiversity and this threatened species,” said Rep. Barbara Mclachlan, D-Durango. “This reintroduction is backed by biologists alongside a broad coalition of stakeholders and has been deliberated upon for years to effectively and safely bring wolverines back to Colorado. Our beautiful state provides the ideal mountainous habitat for wolverines, who live in solidarity and are built to withstand our cold, snowy winters.” “Wolverines were a part of our state’s natural ecosystem for generations, this bill would responsibly and thoughtfully reintroduce them into the mountainous landscapes in Colorado they once called home,” said Rep. Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo. “Adapted for scavenging and surviving cold, alpine temperatures, wolverines would strengthen our state’s biodiversity. This reintroduction effort is years in the making with CPW leaders, including my Dad, John Singletary, working to ensure the wolverine reintroduction would be science-based and what’s best for our state’s ecosystem.” SB24-171 would authorize the reintroduction of wolverines in Colorado. Wolverines are the largest terrestrial species of weasel in the world and live solitary lives in high alpine, mountainous regions. Colorado’s geography offers some of the best remaining habitat for wolverines in the United States. Wolverines were listed as “threatened” in 2023 under the Endangered Species Act. The bill would also require CPW to create rules around reintroduction and to create a robust public communications plan. Reintroduction would be contingent on the federal government designating wolverines as a “nonessential experimental population” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. Previous Next

< Back April 12, 2022 BILL TO CONTINUE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS PASSES COMMITTEE DENVER, CO – The House Public and Behavioral Health Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod and Tom Sullivan to continue critical whistleblower protections regarding workers’ health and safety. “Extending protections for essential workers is the right move to keep our workers and the public safe,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “This bill will permanently extend the worker reporting protections we put in place during the pandemic so Coloradans can report safety and health concerns without fear of retaliation. Coloradans should feel safe speaking out about workplace conditions that could harm them or their colleagues and this bill prioritizes their protection.” “Essential workers shouldn’t be worried about losing their job or having their wages slashed for reporting unsafe or unhygienic working conditions,” said Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial. “During the 2020 statewide public health emergencies, we gave workers the necessary protection to report health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation. This new bill extends those reporting protections for workers so they can feel safe on the job whether we’re experiencing a pandemic or not.” In 2020, the legislature passed legislation establishing protections for whistleblowers during a public health emergency. SB22-097 would make these protections permanent. The bill protects workers in the public and private sectors by ensuring that all workers have the same protections, including the ability to raise concerns about workplace health and safety practices or hazards to their employer, other workers, the public or government agencies. The bill passed the House Public and Behavioral Health Committee by a vote of 8 to 4. The legislation also protects workers from retaliation, discrimination, or adverse action, allows workers to wear personal protective equipment while at work without fear of discrimination, and requires employers to notify employees of their rights. When employees do raise concerns, various remedy options are included under the bill including filing a claim with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) or bringing an action in court. The legislation also gives CDLE the authority to enforce and investigate claims. Previous Next

Representative Bob Marshall held his fourteenth town hall yesterday at the Highlands Ranch library where he highlighted bipartisan legislative accomplishments to cap property taxes and prevent auto thefts. < Back July 19, 2024 Marshall Holds 14th Town Hall, Highlights Bipartisan Bills on Property Tax, Auto Theft, Equity Theft HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO – Representative Bob Marshall held his fourteenth town hall yesterday at the Highlands Ranch library where he highlighted bipartisan legislative accomplishments to cap property taxes and prevent auto thefts. “It’s always great to hear from constituents in House District 43 about the issues that matter most to them, and it was a privilege to participate in my 14th town hall this year,” said Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch. “I’m proud of our bipartisan work to reduce property taxes, which will save homeowners money and make our communities more affordable. I’m also excited that our bipartisan approach to cracking down on auto thefts has led to a significant state-wide reduction in stolen vehicles. Coloradans expect us to work together to put partisanship aside and deliver results, and that’s what we’ve done by cutting taxes while fully funding our schools.” Rep. Marshall sponsored legislation to reduce property taxes and voted for the bipartisan property tax package that will save homeowners money. In 2023, Rep. Marshall cosponsored bipartisan legislation to crack down on auto thefts, which led to a 45 percent reduction in stolen vehicles. He also sponsored legislation to reform Colorado’s tax foreclosure sale process to protect homeowners. This year, he voted for the bipartisan budget and School Finance Act which eliminated the budget stabilization factor and increased funding for public schools by over $400 million. Previous Next

The House today passed a bipartisan bill on a vote of 51-9 to expand property tax exemptions for nonprofit housing developers such as community land trusts to build up Colorado’s affordable housing stock. < Back April 11, 2023 House Advances Property Tax Exemptions for Affordable Housing DENVER, CO - The House today passed a bipartisan bill on a vote of 51-9 to expand property tax exemptions for nonprofit housing developers such as community land trusts to build up Colorado’s affordable housing stock. “With land prices becoming increasingly expensive, it becomes more and more difficult for housing developers to buy land and build housing that is affordable for Coloradans,” said Rep. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield . “By expanding property tax exemptions for nonprofit affordable housing developers we can make it easier to build homes so our health care workers, teachers, and child care providers can afford to stay in their communities.” HB23-1184 , also sponsored by Representative Lisa Frizell, expands property tax exemptions to include more nonprofit organizations that build and sell affordable housing and increases the Area Median Income to qualify for this housing from 80% to 100%. It also extends the exemption period from five years to 10 years to better reflect the development timeline for larger affordable housing projects. The bill would create a new property tax exemption for land owned by community land trusts and other nonprofit affordable homeownership providers that develop permanently affordable for-sale homes. This exemption only applies to the land and not the home. The National Low Income Housing Coalition ranked Colorado as the 8th least affordable state in 2022 and stated that the average renter needed to work 2.3 full-time jobs at minimum wage to afford a two-bedroom rental. Data from the American Community Survey demonstrates the racial inequality when it comes to homeownership with 71 percent of non-Hispanic White Coloradans owning their home compared to only 51 percent of Hispanic and 43 percent of Black Coloradans. Previous Next

< Back May 26, 2021 HOUSE ADVANCES BILL TO CURB YOUTH ACCESS TO HIGH-POTENCY THC Legislation would advance research, address diversion, and educate consumers DENVER, CO – The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Speaker Alec Garnett and Representative Yadira Caraveo, a pediatrician, on a preliminary vote that would address youth access to high-potency cannabis products. “Colorado is going to lead the way on addressing youth access to high-potency cannabis,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “ We are going to be at the forefront of looking at the science and the relationship between high-potency concentrates and the developing brain, taking on a role the federal government should have played years ago. This bill takes a measured, innovative approach to prevent Coloradans age 18-20 from purchasing massive quantities of concentrates and then diverting those products into the gray and black markets where our youth are buying them.” “As a pediatrician, I’ve seen first hand how young Coloradans have experienced significant health issues after using high-potency products,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a pediatrician. “We have to take a look at how we can keep high-potency cannabis away from our youth who aren’t supposed to have access to it. This bill will make a big difference by strengthening the doctor-patient relationship and better educating consumers on high-potency products while ensuring we protect patients’ access to medical marijuana.” The bill would advance research into the impact of high potency marijuana on the developing brain, address diversion of cannabis concentrates purchased in the medical marijuana marketplace, and educate consumers about concentrates through visual representations of a recommended serving size and public awareness campaigns. Advances Research: The bill funds and advances critical research into the impact of high-potency cannabis concentrate products on the developing brain and on physical and mental health. It requires the Colorado School of Public Health to conduct a systematic review of the current scientific research into the effects of high-potency THC marijuana and concentrates and identify gaps in order to conduct new research. Under the bill, a new scientific review council of doctors and experts will review the report and make recommendations to the General Assembly on appropriate evidence-based regulatory changes and the funding of additional necessary evidence-based research. Addresses Diversion of High-Potency Products: The bill cracks down on “looping” and diversion by reducing the amount of medical concentrates someone can purchase in a day and requiring the Marijuana Enforcement Division’s seed-to-sale tracking database, METRC, to update at the point of sale, instead of at the end of each business day. Enhanced Doctor-Patient Relationship: The bill adjusts medical marijuana recommending practices by requiring doctors to specify a daily quantity authorization and to consider a patient’s mental health history when making a cannabis recommendation. For patients ages 18-20, the bill requires two physicians from different medical practices to diagnose the patient as having a debilitating or disabling medical condition after an in-person consultation, and the patient must attend a follow-up appointment every six months after the initial visit unless that patient is homebound. Real-Time Medical Marijuana Purchase Reporting: Through a practice known as “looping,” consumers can purchase the daily limit at multiple dispensaries, circumventing the limits and increasing youth access to high-potency cannabis products. The bill would crack down on “looping” in the medical marketplace by requiring medical marijuana stores to immediately record transactions in the seed-to-sale inventory tracking system. This would allow the system to identify discrepancies with daily purchase limits, access and retrieve real-time sales data, and alert medical mariuana stores if a sale to a patient has exceeded their daily purchase limit for that business day. Reduced Daily Purchase Amounts: The bill would limit daily medical marijuana concentrate purchases to eight grams for patients 21 years and older and to two grams for patients between the age of 18 and 20. Patients who had a medical marijuana card before the age of 18, patients who are homebound, for whom a physician has recommended a higher daily authorization, or for patients for whom going to a medical marijuana store on a daily basis presents significant physical or geographical hardship are exempt from these new limits. Consumer Education and Protection: The bill would better educate consumers about high-potency THC marijuana and concentrates by tasking the Colorado School of Public Health with developing a public education campaign, requiring MED to create a tangible education resource on the potential risks of concentrates and that shows visual representations of a recommended serving size be included with every sale, and by prohibiting advertisements targeted toward Colorado youth. Previous Next

< Back June 9, 2020 HOUSE PASSES SCHOOL FINANCE ACT AND BILL TO TEMPORARILY WAIVE STANDARDIZED TESTING REQUIREMENTS DENVER, CO — The House today passed HB20-1418 , the School Finance Act, sponsored by Speaker KC Becker by a vote of 39-23. “This is one of the most difficult years for education funding in our state’s history, but we did everything we could to prioritize K-12 as we worked to responsibly balance our budget,” said Speaker Becker, D-Boulder. “Our schools and teachers still face enormous challenges to meet the needs of our students. We need to find innovative solutions, like getting rid of outdated tax handouts, to protect K-12 funding in the future and begin to address the fundamental inequities in how our state funds public education.” HB20-1418 is the annual School Finance Act, which sets funding levels for all of Colorado’s school districts and charter schools. This year’s proposal shields K-12 from the worst of budget cuts, reducing funding for all districts by $377.6 million from the prior year amidst a $3 billion revenue shortfall. However, with $510 million in federal CARES Act funding and $37 million in additional federal funding for at-risk students intended to help address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, total school funding increases by at least $169 million overall. While the federal funds are not an offset for cuts due to the revenue shortfall, they go a long way to help schools minimize impacts during this unprecedented situation. The School Finance Act pulls funds from marijuana taxes, school capital construction, and various grant programs and cash funds in order to put dollars where they are most needed – core education funding. The bill also makes various changes to reflect COVID-19’s impacts to the school system. It delays the timeline for school districts to adopt their budgets, since the Long Bill was delayed. It also codifies the suspension of various accountability-related provisions to reflect the Governor’s executive orders and directs the Department of Education to convene a stakeholder group to assess the impact of the COVID pandemic on the 19-20 school year and whether additional changes to accountability systems are needed for the 20-21 school year. Another major provision in this year’s School Finance Act corrects an issue with how local school funding levels are set, which has contributed to the underfunding of our schools over the last 25 years. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled in Mesa v. State that local school funding is set incorrectly in many districts and violates our own statutes, due to districts lowering their mill levies contrary to voter approval. This School Finance Act corrects this violation without impacting anyone’s property taxes by restoring the mill levy in each district to the rate that was adopted by voters or up to a certain limit, and requires credits to offset any increases to property owners. The House also passed Rep. Cathy Kipp’s bill, HB20-1407 , by a vote of 61-0. The bill would respond to the challenges presented by COVID19 by temporarily giving publicly funded colleges and universities the option to waive standardized testing as a requirement for admission for high school students graduating in 2021. “The pandemic has disrupted life for our students as they work to complete their high school education and begin attending college,” said Rep Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “Many students weren’t able to take their standardized tests, so we are changing the requirements for public higher education institutions to allow them to consider other academic credentials, such as GPA and leadership positions when making admissions decisions.” Previous Next

< Back June 21, 2021 COLORADO COMEBACK INVESTMENT, ELECTIONS IMPROVEMENT BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW DENVER, CO — Governor Polis today signed two bills into law, which will allocate nearly a billion dollars in federal stimulus funds to help Colorado recover and build back stronger and improve Colorado’s gold-standard elections system. “In order to keep Colorado’s elections as a gold-standard model for the rest of the nation, it is crucial that we constantly improve our electoral laws and practices,” said Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver, sponsor of SB21-250 . “By making improvements like expanding online and automatic voter registration and requiring colleges to provide information to enrolled students how to register or update their voter registration, this new law continues Colorado’s proud tradition of improving voter access while ensuring electoral integrity.” “While some legislatures across the country spent their time trying to roll back voting rights, here in Colorado we built on our progress and made it easier for every eligible voter to make their voice heard,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton, sponsor of SB21-250 . “Among the many provisions in this new law, I’m particularly excited that we’re making it easier for college students to learn where and how to vote while improving our registration system to make it easier for every voter to register. Thanks to the hard work of Colorado’s bipartisan county clerks and Secretary of State, this session we successfully enhanced our gold-standard electoral system.” SB21-250 stems from the recommendations from Colorado’s 64 county clerks, the Secretary of State and other voting rights advocates. It makes clarifications, adjustments and improvements to ensure Colorado’s election system remains the gold standard. The bill will improve access to drop boxes and Voter Service and Polling Centers and streamline and expand access to Colorado’s voter registration system.. Specifically, the bill ensures that voters who are in dropbox lines at 7:00 PM are allowed to drop off their ballots, the same way voters who are in line by 7:00 PM at a voter service and polling center are able to cast a ballot. It also allows greater public input into the location of drop boxes. The bill modernizes the voter registration system to create a process for voters to register online with the last four digits of their Social Security numbers should they not have a driver’s license, requiring that information be matched and checked against the Social Security database in real time before proceeding to register the voter. The bill also requires institutions of higher education to provide information to enrolled students on their eligibility to vote and how to keep their voter registration up-to-date. “Last week’s revenue forecast showed us just how much state and federal stimulus efforts have helped Colorado recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, sponsor of SB21-291 and Chair of the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee . “The new law signed today will help us further leverage federal aid to attract new businesses to Colorado and continue our work to support workers and employers across the state. Now that this is law, I look forward to getting to work in the coming months to allocate the bulk of these funds and ensure that the Colorado Comeback creates lasting change and prosperity for small businesses and workers in our state.” SB21-291 , which is also sponsored by Representative Kevin Van Winkle, R-Highlands Ranch, creates the Economic Recovery and Relief Cash Fund to respond to the economic impacts of the pandemic. It allocates $848 million for economic stimulus and relief initiatives that will be recommended through an interim committee process. Additionally, it directs $40 million to the Strategic Fund in the Office of Economic Development and International Trade in order to incentivize companies to create jobs in Colorado and small businesses to relocate to rural Colorado. Previous Next

The House today passed gun violence prevention legislation that would raise the minimum age to purchase ammunition for rifle and shotgun ammunition to 21 years old and require ammunition to be stored behind the counter like nicotine, cold medicine, and other commonly misused or harmful products. HB25-1133, sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, passed by a vote of 38-27. < Back February 25, 2025 House Passes Bill to Create Safeguards on Ammunition Purchases DENVER, CO - The House today passed gun violence prevention legislation that would raise the minimum age to purchase ammunition for rifle and shotgun ammunition to 21 years old and require ammunition to be stored behind the counter like nicotine, cold medicine, and other commonly misused or harmful products. HB25-1133, sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, passed by a vote of 38-27. “As a survivor of domestic violence and gun intimidation, I am proud that our bill to reduce gun violence and save lives has passed the House,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “This bill increases the age to purchase long gun ammunition and strengthens display requirements, helping reduce theft and keeping ammunition out of the wrong hands. Our legislation is one of many steps that Colorado Democrats are taking to protect our communities from senseless gun violence and improve public safety.” “It takes a single bullet to take a life, which is why we’re passing this bill to bring down ammunition theft and raise the age of purchase so we can prevent senseless firearm deaths,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “From suicide to accidental firings, too many lives have been tragically taken from their loved ones. As a mother to young kids, I know that our communities will be safer by making it just a little harder for 18-21-year-old youth to acquire ammo that could be used in a violent crime.” Under current law, individuals must be 21 years old to purchase any firearm but only 18 years old to purchase ammunition. HB25-1133 would raise the minimum age to purchase rifle or shotgun ammunition to 21 years old with limited exceptions. Sellers would be required to verify that the buyer is at least 21 years old using a valid government-issued photo identification. The bill also requires sellers to display ammunition in a position where an employee must assist the buyer, like in an enclosed display case or behind a counter, to help prevent theft. Any person delivering ammunition would be required to verify that the person receiving the delivery is at least 21 years old and obtain written proof of receipt of the delivery from the recipient. The bill exempts an active member or veteran of the US military or Colorado National Guard as well as Coloradans with a valid hunter education certificate or an expired or unexpired hunting license. Coloradans between 18 and 21 years old would be allowed to purchase ammunition at a shooting range if they use it on-site. It would also exempt Coloradans under 21 years old if they were born on or before January 28, 2007. Unlawful sale of ammunition would be a civil infraction, while subsequent violations would classify as a class 1 misdemeanor. The bill would take effect July 1, 2026. According to Everytown for Gun Safety , firearms are the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S. ages 18 to 20, and the firearm suicide rate among this group has increased by a staggering 41 percent in the last decade. Majority Leader Duran passed a law in 2023 to raise the minimum age to purchase a long gun firearm to 21, which was already the minimum age to purchase a handgun. She also passed a safe storage law that promotes responsible gun ownership by requiring gun owners to properly store their firearms when they are not in use, especially when children are present. Previous Next