< 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

< Back March 29, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES BECKER-CARAVEO BILL TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF COLORADANS & GIVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES A VOICE (Mar. 29) – The House gave final approval to a bill that will update Colorado’s antiquated oil and gas laws to protect families and individuals from residential drilling by putting health and safety first, empowering local communities, and protecting our clean air and clean water. “For years, bill after bill to put reasonable oil and gas reforms on the books were blocked at the legislature and the voices of our communities were ignored. Today, we are listening to our communities and refusing to ignore the growing health and environmental impacts of oil and gas drilling near homes and schools,” Speaker KC Becker said. “Today, our state took a big step forward toward reforming our antiquated oil and gas laws. This bill offers simple changes around forced pooling, orphan wells, flow lines, local control and air quality.” “I thank Erin Martinez for lending her powerful voice to this fight. My colleagues and I share her belief that the industry can put health and safety first and continue to thrive at the same time. We, like many Coloradans, admire Erin Martinez’s strength, commitment, and courage,” Speaker Becker added. The landmark bill directs the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to regulate oil and gas development to protect public welfare, and clarifies that local governments have the same authority to regulate the oil and gas industry as they have with every other industry in Colorado – including the mining industry. The bill also removes the prohibition against local governments requiring oil and gas companies to cover the direct costs of regulating, monitoring and permitting the sites in their communities. “This bill will reform COGCC and ensure health and safety comes first,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton, the legislature’s only doctor and the co-prime sponsor of the bill. “I look forward to the day in clinic when I know an asthma exacerbation is simply the result of allergies. Local governments deserve a voice when it comes to residential drilling. It is time for our government to listen to science, not rhetoric from special interests looking to profit at the expense of our safety and health.” “I hope that we are able to protect the health, safety and welfare of communities through this bill. I thank my colleagues, my community and Speaker Becker for all of her efforts to put this commonsense bill on the books,” Rep. Caraveo added. The bill addresses emissions and air quality by requiring increased monitoring and implementing a rule-making process to reduce emissions to better meet federal regulations. A “brown cloud” returned to Denver earlier this month and reports showed that the air quality was worse than that of Beijing. SB19-181 would also ensure that taxpayers are not footing the bill for cleaning up orphan oil and gas wells that have been abandoned but not adequately plugged. Current bonding requirements are inadequate to cover the cost of clean-up when a company abandons a well. Clean-up costs for just one abandoned well costs an average of $82,000. Currently, there are nearly 400 known orphan wells in Colorado and a long list of wells that should be investigated. Finally, SB19-181 also provides increased protections for property owners with regard to forced pooling. Under current law, just one mineral rights owner can start the process of “forced pooling” other mineral interest owners and require development of those resources – against the will of the majority of the owners. This bill would raise the threshold and put more transparency and guardrails on the process. The arguments peddled by the oil and gas industry are misleading. The sponsors and proponents of the bill made clear during the hearing and floor debate that this bill is not a reiteration of Proposition 112, nor is it a moratorium or a ban on drilling. SB19-181 was approved on a vote of 36-28 and it now goes back to the Senate. Previous Next

SB23-303 is part of a legislative package to reduce property taxes and would send TABOR rebates of $661 for single filers or $1,322 for joint filers if Prop HH is approved by voters in November < Back May 8, 2023 House Passes Property Tax Reduction Bill SB23-303 is part of a legislative package to reduce property taxes and would send TABOR rebates of $661 for single filers or $1,322 for joint filers if Prop HH is approved by voters in November DENVER, CO - The House today passed part of a legislative package to lower property taxes for homeowners and businesses and create a flat TABOR refund mechanism that will increase refunds for Coloradans making under $100,000, while simultaneously protecting funding for critical community services. SB23-303 passed the House in a final vote of 39 to 7. “Coloradans are facing large increases in property taxes, which is why we’re bringing this legislation to help Colorado homeowners, businesses, and renters from rising costs,” said Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “We carefully crafted this bill to reduce property taxes without cutting the essential community services that they fund. If voters approve of Prop HH this November, Coloradans can expect to save over $1 billion over the next two years, making it easier to afford necessities while maintaining quality K-12 education, fire district funding, and many other services.” “When Coloradans received their property assessment in the last few weeks, we knew we needed to act quickly to help hardworking Coloradans and seniors afford their quickly escalating property taxes,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “This property tax proposal expands the Homestead Exemption so seniors, who often live off a fixed income, can better afford homes that fit their health needs without disqualifying them from significant property tax relief.” SB23-303 creates a long-term solution to prevent growing home values from raising property taxes, and creates limits that protect homeowners and businesses from steep unexpected increases in their property taxes. Coloradans will vote on this package in November, and if approved these measures will provide sustainable, long-term reductions to property tax rates while delivering immediate savings on property taxes this year. Combined with property tax reductions the legislature previously enacted via SB22-238 , this proposal will cut the average homeowner’s tax increase in half, saving $1,264 on average over the next two years. In total, this package would provide between $900 million and $1.6 billion annually in property tax reductions for homeowners and businesses in Colorado. Other property tax reductions and protections proposed in this plan include: Reducing the residential assessment rate from 7.15 percent to 6.7 percent in 2023 and 2024, and continuing this reduction for primary residences. Incrementally reducing the business property assessment rate from 29 percent to at least 26.9 percent by 2032. Reducing the taxable value of residences by $50,000 in 2023 and 2024, and continuing this reduction for primary residences in future years. Capping the growth in district property tax collections excluding school districts at inflation and allowing local governments to override the cap after giving notice to property owners. Protecting funding for public education and backfilling revenue to fire districts, water districts, ambulance and hospital districts in areas of the state that aren’t growing as fast by dedicating a portion of the state TABOR surplus to backfill. Providing seniors who currently receive the Homestead Exemption a larger reduction of $140,000 and allowing them to continue to receive this reduction if they move. ### Previous Next

< Back April 6, 2021 ACCESS TO VETERAN’S SPECIALTY COURT GETS UNANIMOUS COMMITTEE APPROVAL DENVER, CO– The House Judiciary Committee today passed Representative David Ortiz’s bipartisan bill to provide veterans in the justice system greater access to a veteran’s specialty court by a vote of 10-0. “Multiple combat deployments take their toll on all veterans, and while some are able to thrive when they come home, others have greater difficulty,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “Untreated and undiagnosed mental health struggles in veterans can lead to acting out and even legal struggles. Veteran’s courts are better equipped to support former service members who may be caught up in the justice system precisely because of struggles related to their service, but almost a third of our veterans live in parts of Colorado without access to one. This bill is a crucial step to ensuring that more veterans are aware of and able to access this lifeline.” Veteran’s specialty courts, also known as veterans treatment courts, are intended to serve current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have behavioral health issues like substance use disorder or trauma spectrum disorder. In certain instances, these courts can offer veterans the possibility of replacing jail time and strict punishments with supervision, treatment, and accountability programs to help them better reintegrate into society. The first veterans court program opened in 2009 in El Paso county, the 4th judicial district, and since then five more have been created. Under current law, courts are required to ask about a defendant’s veterans status and, in the event that they are in a jurisdiction with a veteran’s specialty court, inform them that they may be entitled to receive services from this court. HB21-1016 would allow veterans suffering from a mental health condition related to their military service, whose trial occurred in a jurisdiction without a specialty court, to petition to transfer to a jurisdiction with a specialty court to complete their sentence or probation supervision and receive their post-conviction treatment. The bill also stipulates that veterans in all jurisdictions must be informed of these new rights. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on rent algorithms that drive up housing prices. < Back March 25, 2025 Bill Advances to Crack Down on Rent Algorithms to Save Coloradans Money DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on rent algorithms that drive up housing prices. “Price fixing is wrong, anti-competitive, and costly for hardworking Coloradans who are already struggling to pay their bills,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “New price-setting rental algorithms have increased annual housing costs by $1,600 in Denver. Coloradans deserve better. With this legislation, Colorado Democrats are making Colorado a more affordable place to live by cracking down on this unjust practice and saving renters money on housing.” “The Biden Administration clearly stated that rent algorithm schemes violate anti-trust laws, so we’re taking action in Colorado to end these illegal practices to save Colorado renters money,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “For too long, corporate landlords have colluded together to drive up housing prices to pad their pockets, and we’re here to say enough is enough. This legislation stands up against bad actors to enforce our anti-trust laws, protecting hardworking Coloradans from predatory practices and saving them over $1,600 a year.” HB25-1004 would save Coloradans money on housing by restricting the sale or distribution of an algorithmic device with the intent that it be used by two or more landlords in the same or related market when setting a rent price. A recent report found that coordinated rents from algorithmic pricing increase rent prices by $136 per month for Denver renters, or close to $1,600 per year. In recent years, several lawsuits have been filed alleging that the use of algorithmic devices by landlords to set prices and other commercial terms in the residential housing market results in higher rents and a constrained housing supply for residential tenants. In January 2025, Colorado joined a federal lawsuit to sue six of the largest landlords in the US for participating in algorithmic pricing schemes that harm renters. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser also joined a federal lawsuit in August 2024 against RealPage, Inc. for allegedly using illegal agreements with landlords to carry out a price-fixing scheme that has cost Coloradans millions of dollars in rent payments. Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation to establish a framework for age attestation on digital platforms. SB26-051, sponsored by Representatives Amy Paschal and Naquetta Ricks, passed by a vote of 40-23. < Back April 30, 2026 Paschal, Ricks Bill to Protect Children Online Passes DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation to establish a framework for age attestation on digital platforms. SB26-051, sponsored by Representatives Amy Paschal and Naquetta Ricks, passed by a vote of 40-23. “In an era where children are given phone access at a young age, it is crucial that we strengthen online protections to keep children safe,” said Rep. Amy Paschal, D-Colorado Springs. “We have protections in place to prevent targeted advertising and profiling of minors online, but without accurate age attestation, it is difficult to deploy these protections. Our legislation would create guidelines around age data collection to apply age-appropriate protections for minor users while ensuring that third-party companies cannot get their hands on this information.” “From social media platforms to game apps, this bill helps create a safer online environment for Colorado children,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “In today’s world, it is nearly impossible to prevent children from accessing the internet. This bill helps online platforms accurately apply protections based on the age of the user, giving parents another tool to protect their children online.” SB26-051 would establish a framework for operating systems to send age bracket information to apps without requiring users to submit sensitive personal identification documents. The bill would require an operating system provider to collect an account holder’s age or birth date upon account set-up and translate that information into certain age brackets. These operating system providers would share the age bracket information with application developers to help them determine the age range of the user, including whether the user is a minor. These operating system providers and app developers would not be allowed to share this age data with third-party companies, or to collect any data not directly related to determining age range. The bill also establishes penalties for non-compliance, including up to $2,500 for negligent violations and $7,500 for intentional violations for each impacted minor. The Colorado Privacy Act was created in 2021 to improve data privacy protections. The law allows people to opt out of data collection on websites and requires companies to be transparent about the data they collect. It also enhanced these protections for minor users, requiring data controllers to be sensitive to data processing, targeted advertising and profiling of minors. SB26-051 mirrors California’s Digital Age Assurance Act , which was signed into law last year. Previous Next

SB26-023 will drive $194 million more to Colorado’s K-12 public schools for the 2026-27 school year < Back April 30, 2026 2026 School Finance Act Passes Committee DENVER, CO — The House Education Committee today passed the 2026 School Finance Act. “Colorado Democrats are deeply committed to investing in our K-12 public schools to improve outcomes for our students,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Colorado’s budgetary shortfall required painful decisions. However, despite nearly universal declining enrollment, the 2026 School Finance Act increases per pupil funding by $440 and ensures no district receives less funding than they did last year. We’ve made substantial progress and have invested record funding in our schools over the last few years. This year’s school finance act protects our investments in K-12 education and keeps the new, student-centered formula in place.” “As a teacher, I know how important it is for students to have the resources and tools they need for life after the classroom, and I’m proud to help deliver record funding to K-12 education with the 2026 School Finance Act,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Even as the state faces budgetary constraints, we protected K-12 education and increased per-pupil funding. While there is still more to do to make Colorado a leader in education, I’m extremely proud of this year’s School Finance Act because we safeguarded the important progress we’ve made investing in our students’ success.” SB26-023 sets statewide per-pupil funding at $12,316 for fiscal year 2026-2027, an increase of $440 compared to FY 2025-2026 funding levels, bringing total K-12 funding for the upcoming fiscal year to $10.2 billion and increasing total program funding by $194.8 million. The bill passed committee by a unanimous vote. The 2026 School Finance Act either holds funding flat or increases funding for every district; no school district will receive less funding than they did last year, even with statewide declining student enrollment and a significant state budget deficit. The General Fund contribution to K-12 education is increasing significantly thanks to the Kids Matter Fund created by Democrats last year, which is forecast to invest more than $216 million in Colorado’s schools next year. SB26-023 continues on the path established last year that implements the new school finance formula (HB24-1448) at 30 percent with a three-year averaging model to help stabilize school funding in a declining-enrollment environment. This follows requirements in last year’s School Finance Act that phased in the implementation of the new school funding formula at 15 percent per year for six years, and then 10 percent for the final seventh year of implementation. HB24-1448 created a more student-centered formula designed to drive more resources to rural and underserved districts, as well as students living with a disability, at-risk students and English Language Learners (ELLs). This year, Democrats also increased funding by $14 million to continue free preschool access for all Colorado kids and increased funding by $38 million to implement the voter-approved Proposition MM to preserve access to free school meals for students. Previous Next

On August 12, 2026, two laws to protect vulnerable Coloradans will go into effect. HB26-1017 prevents insurance companies from receiving victim restitution payments and HB26-1110 helps prevent older and vulnerable Coloradans from being scammed out of their hard-earned money. < Back July 23, 2026 Laws Go Into Effect to Strengthen Victim Protections, Protect Older Coloradans from Being Scammed DENVER, CO – On August 12, 2026, two laws to protect vulnerable Coloradans will go into effect. HB26-1017 prevents insurance companies from receiving victim restitution payments and HB26-1110 helps prevent older and vulnerable Coloradans from being scammed out of their hard-earned money. “We’re prioritizing people in Colorado law by removing insurance companies from the definition of victim in criminal restitution payments, said Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, D-Denver, sponsor of HB26-1017. “This law is now going into effect to clarify that unless an insurer is a direct victim, the method of seeking financial recovery is in civil courts.” “Restitution should be reserved for victims of crime so they can get their life back on track – not to further pad the pockets of insurance companies,” said Sen. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB26-1017. “Insurance companies that have paid out claims following a crime are not victims, they are financial institutions designed to balance risk and loss. This law creates clarity and consistency for restitution decisions going forward.” “Restitution often becomes an unpayable debt that traps families in cycles of poverty and makes successful reentry harder,” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of HB26-1017. “Insurance companies are sophisticated financial institutions that are structurally designed to absorb risk and loss, and granting them restitution serves no rehabilitative purpose. Our law makes insurance companies ineligible to receive restitution in criminal contexts.” Previously, Colorado statutes allowed insurers of a victim of a crime to receive restitution payments in criminal cases. HB26-1017 prohibits insurance companies from receiving these restitution payments by removing them from the definition of “victim”. Insurers are still able to recover losses through the civil court system. Last year, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that a defendant in a drunk driving car accident incident was not liable for paying a car insurance company for damages to the victim’s car, however multiple judges have questioned whether lawmakers intended to allow insurance companies to seek restitution payments when they passed a 2003 law to clarify when it is appropriate for an insurance company to pursue crime victim restitution or a civil lawsuit. HB26-1017 clarifies in Colorado statute that insurers could not receive criminal restitution payments. HB26-1110 , the Adults’ Security and Safeguards from Exploitations in Transactions Act (ASSET Act), helps prevent older Coloradans and other vulnerable people from being defrauded by scammers. “Rapidly changing technology has increased elder fraud by 46 percent, which has had devastating consequences on older Coloradans who have spent their whole lives building up their savings,” said Rep. Sean Camacho, D-Denver, sponsor of HB26-1110. “Banks, credit unions and other financial institutions are well-positioned to notice when a withdrawal or transfer looks suspicious, allowing them to step in when they think their client is being scammed. With our law going into effect, we are fighting back against financial exploitation, protecting Coloradans from being scammed out of their hard-earned money.” “Older Coloradans deserve to live with financial security – but years of hard work and saving can be ruined in an instant by a scammer,” said Sen. Jessie Danielson, D-Lakewood, sponsor of HB26-1110. “This law will allow bankers and credit unions to stop fraudulent transactions before they go through. It’s about putting safeguards in place to prevent scams and keep Coloradans’ hard-earned money in their bank accounts.” “Scams are more sophisticated than they have ever been before. Scammers specifically target seniors, who often live on a fixed income, costing them nearly $75 million in 2024 alone,” said Rep. Jamie Jackson, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB26-1110. “We believe that taking the extra time to examine suspicious banking activity could be the difference that protects Coloradans' money. This law will not only protect vulnerable Coloradans from fraud, but it will also help prevent fraud by improving education around scams.” Beginning August 12, 2026, the law requires bank and credit union professionals to notify authorities and pause transactions for additional review if they have reason to believe that their client is the victim of financial exploitation. Also sponsored by Sen. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, the law offers legal protection for these professionals if their action, or failure to act, was in good faith. In 2024, Coloradans aged 60 years old and older reported losing over $74 million to scams. They were also the age group that experienced the most scams. With 3,125 Coloradans experiencing fraud, the average amount lost per scam was almost $24,000 per person. In 2025, Colorado Democrats passed a law , also sponsored by Rep. Jackson, that protects Coloradans from scams involving cryptocurrency kiosks, which target the elderly and other vulnerable populations. The law established a transaction limit of $2,000 per day for new customers and $10,500 for existing customers to help limit the amount of money that scammers can steal. Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. The bill passed by a vote of 60-4. < Back February 6, 2024 Amabile Suicide Prevention Bill Passes DENVER, CO - The House today passed bipartisan legislation to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. The bill passed by a vote of 60-4. “Colorado is in a mental health crisis, and the growing frequency of suicide by sodium nitrite products indicates that these products are too easily accessible,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Some private online sellers are marketing concentrated sodium nitrite products as a way to complete suicide, profiting off of the mental health struggles of our loved ones and neighbors. This bill brings much needed regulation to these products so we can keep it out of the hands of people most susceptible to it and focus instead on getting them help.” Sodium nitrite “suicide kits” are easily accessible online and have been reported to be used by Colorado residents, especially youth, in recent years. Websites that sell these kits often have step-by-step instructions on how to use sodium nitrite to complete suicide. HB24-1081 , also sponsored by Representative Marc Catlin, would regulate the sale or transfer of products that contain 10 percent or greater of sodium nitrite. Sellers would be required to verify that commercial businesses require the product before a transaction could be made, and records of sales or transfers must be kept for three years. Violators could see $10,000 in civil penalties for a first violation, with up to $1 million for a second violation. Previous Next