Beginning January 1, 2026, the bill requires a local government that adopts or substantially amends a building code to ensure that the building code meets or exceeds the accessibility standards in international building codes. The bill clarifies that adoption of the energy-efficient building codes does not constitute a substantial amendment to the building codes for purposes of the bill and that the accessibility standards adopted by a board of county commissioners cannot provide less protection than what is required by the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990". The bill exempts the accessibility standard requirements for one- and 2-family dwellings and townhomes that comply with the International Residential Code, as adopted by the International Code Council, or that comply with a local building code, which code's accessibility standards are equivalent to the accessibility standards in the International Residential Code.

The bill also requires the division of fire prevention and control within the department of public safety to ensure that, when certain building codes pertaining to public school and heath facilities are substantially amended, the codes meet or exceed accessibility standards in international building codes.

The bill requires the state housing board to ensure that, when the uniform construction and maintenance standards for hotels, motels, and multiple dwellings in jurisdictions with no local building code are substantially updated, the standards meet or exceed the accessibility standards in international building codes. The bill also requires the state housing board to ensure that, when the recommendations for uniform housing standards and building codes to the general assembly and local governments are substantially updated, the codes meet or exceed the accessibility standards in international building codes.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Fiscal Note

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. The bill provides immunity from civil liability for damage or injury to persons or property, other than that which arises from gross negligence or willful misconduct, to a landowner who allows access to the landowner's property for entry and exit in connection with an emergency.
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Fiscal Note

Current law preempts any local governmental entity housing growth restriction (anti-growth law) that explicitly limits the growth of the population in the local governmental entity's jurisdiction or the number of development permits or building permit applications for residential development unless it is a temporary, nonrenewable anti-growth law following a declared disaster emergency.

The bill clarifies that an anti-growth law also includes any restriction that explicitly seeks to impose additional restrictions or limitations on a particular housing type that exceed a governmental entity's zoning or building codes a generally applicable land use law that, in census urban areas as defined by the United States census bureau, explicitly decreases the permitted residential density or uses of land to less density or fewer uses than were allowed under its previous usage without ensuring a corresponding increase of residential density or uses elsewhere in the jurisdiction. The bill also clarifies when a local government must provide the option of paying a fee in lieu of land dedication for a private property owner whose property does not meet the local government's standards for dedication. The bill also permits a municipality to seek a judicial determination as to the legality of a proposed municipal initiative for a land use ordinance that restricts or limits the development or use of land that is submitted to the legislative body of the municipality, allows the owners of a property that is specifically subject to the proposed ordinance and persons designated as representing the petition proponents to intervene in the proceeding, and tolls the period within which the municipality is required to adopt the proposed initiated ordinance or call an election during the pendency of the judicial determination.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Fiscal Note

The bill requires that, for protests to the county assessor and at hearings for property tax appeals concerning nonresidential real property that is not agricultural property, the requested valuation that is set forth by a petitioner or a petitioner's agent or representative for that property be made in compliance with the uniform standards of professional appraisal practice.

Current law requires that any petitioner appealing either a valuation of rent-producing commercial real property to the board of assessment appeals or a denial of an abatement of taxes provide certain documentation and data regarding the property. The bill requires that, in addition to these existing requirements, the petitioner also provide full copies of all leases that are in place as of the date of valuation and any market data that the petitioner has relied on in determining the valuation that the petitioner is requesting in their appeal.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Fiscal Note

For property tax years commencing during property tax reassessment cycles (cycles) that begin on or after January 1, 2025, the bill changes the amount of the exemptions for the owner-occupied primary residence (residence) of a qualifying senior, a veteran with a disability, or the surviving spouse of a United States armed forces service member who died in the line of duty or veteran whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease (exemptions) from 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value of the residence to 50% of an amount of actual value of the residence equal to 50% of the estimated state median home value (median home value) for the state; except that, if the median home value declines, the exemption amount continues to be calculated based on the median home value used to calculate the exemption amount for the property tax years included in the prior cycle.

The state constitution currently only allows a senior who has owned and occupied the senior's residence for 10 years, or the surviving spouse of such a senior (surviving spouse), to claim the exemption. If at the 2026 general election the voters of the state approve a referred constitutional amendment to allow a senior or a surviving spouse who has previously qualified for the exemption for 2016 or any later year for a prior residence to claim the exemption for the senior's or surviving spouse's current residence regardless of how long the senior or surviving spouse has owned and occupied that residence, the bill makes the statutory changes needed to conform to the constitutional amendment.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Fiscal Note

For income tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, the bill allows a veteran who is honorably discharged, possesses a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%, and owns and occupies a primary residence in the state (eligible veteran) to claim a refundable income tax credit (tax credit) in an amount equal to a percentage, based on the eligible veteran's service-connected disability rating, of the amount of property tax that the eligible veteran paid on their primary residence during the income tax year.

To claim a tax credit, a taxpayer must apply to the county assessor for the county in which the taxpayer's primary residence is located and submit a decision letter from the U.S. department of veterans affairs that sets forth their service-connected disability rating. The county assessor is required to determine whether the taxpayer is an eligible veteran and if so, the amount of the income tax credit the eligible veteran may claim, based on the property tax paid by the eligible veteran and the eligible veteran's service-connected disability rating. The county assessor is required to issue a tax credit certificate to an eligible veteran in an amount equal to the amount of the tax credit that may be claimed.

Upon the death of an eligible veteran, the eligible veteran's surviving spouse or legal dependents are eligible to claim the tax credit until specified events have occurred.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Fiscal Note

Under current law, property taxes must be paid either in full on or before April 30 or in 2 equal installments, the first due on or before the last day of February and the second due on or before June 15. For property tax payments made for property tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2025, the bill creates a 4-installment-payment option for taxpayers that owe real property taxes in an amount greater than $25 on residential real property or real property that is listed by the assessor under any improved commercial subclass codes and that do not have such taxes paid out of an escrow account by a mortgage company (allowed taxpayers).

Under the 4-installment-payment option, allowed taxpayers may pay their real property taxes owed on residential real property or real property that is listed by the assessor under any improved commercial subclass codes in 4 equal installments, the first due on or before the last day of February, the second due on or before April 30, the third due on or before July 15, and the fourth due on or before September 15. An allowed taxpayer must pay at least half of their real property taxes owed on or before April 30 to be permitted to make installment payments pursuant to the 4-installment-payment option in that year, however, an allowed taxpayer can pay in full the real property taxes owed at any time after April 30 and up to the day before the date of the sale of a tax lien on the allowed taxpayer's property, including delinquent interest, if any. County treasurers are required to provide information about the 4-installment-payment option with tax statements.

An allowed taxpayer that does not pay the third installment of real property taxes owed on or before July 15 owes delinquent interest on the unpaid third installment at a rate of 1% per month that the installment is unpaid accruing from July 16, and if an allowed taxpayer does not pay the fourth installment of real property taxes owed on or before September 15, the allowed taxpayer owes delinquent interest on the unpaid fourth installment at a rate of 1% per month that the installment is unpaid accruing from September 16.

Current law requires the county treasurer to provide notice to taxpayers that have unpaid property taxes that, if remaining unpaid, may be subject to a tax lien sale by no later than September 1. Under the bill, allowable taxpayers paying pursuant to the 4-installment-payment option have until September 15 to make their fourth installment payment of real property taxes. Accordingly, the bill extends the September 1 notice deadline to October 15.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Fiscal Note

The bill authorizes a fire station, hospital, or community clinic emergency center (authorized facility) to install a newborn safety device on its premises for parents who voluntarily relinquish their child who is 60 days old or younger. A newborn safety device must be installed in a conspicuous location at the authorized facility and be equipped with a dual alarm system.

An authorized facility that installs a newborn safety device is responsible for the cost of the installation and maintenance, shall ensure the dual alarm system is functioning, and shall make information available to the relinquishing parent.

Under current law, parents can voluntarily relinquish their child if the child is less than 72 hours old. The bill allows voluntary relinquishment up to 60 days.

The bill makes conforming amendments.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Fiscal Note

The state constitution currently only allows a senior who has owned and occupied the senior's primary residence for 10 years, or the surviving spouse of such a senior, to claim a property tax exemption for 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value of the primary residence (exemption). If approved by the voters of the state at the 2026 general election, the concurrent resolution will allow a senior, or the surviving spouse of such a senior, who has previously qualified for the exemption for 2016 or any later year for a prior primary residence to claim the exemption for the senior's current owner-occupied primary residence regardless of how long the senior has owned and occupied that residence.

(Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as introduced.)

Fiscal Note

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. The bill requires the general assembly to appropriate $7,500,000 to the division of fire prevention and control (division) for state fiscal year 2024-25 and allows any unexpended portion of the appropriation to also be expended in state fiscal year 2025-26. The division is required to use the money to study and develop applications of artificial intelligence that predict, mitigate, or assist in fighting wildfires, including, at a minimum, applications of artificial intelligence which produce data that can be incorporated into maps displaying the following:

• Classification of vegetation and wildfire fuel;
• Predictions regarding the likelihood of wildfire ignition potential in a particular area following observed lightning events;
• The perimeter of an ongoing wildfire; and
• Predictions regarding the locations and area to which an ongoing wildfire may spread.

The division may contract with a third party that has developed artificial intelligence tools to predict, mitigate, or assist in fighting wildfires. The division is also authorized to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of the bill.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Fiscal Note

Cell Phone Connectivity Interim Study Committee. The bill requires the division of homeland security and emergency management in the department of public safety (division) to develop a single point of contact within the division to:

• Help ensure statewide coverage of the integrated public alert and warning system for wireless emergency alerts and the emergency alert system;
• Provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions on becoming integrated public alert and warning system certified;
• Provide technical assistance, consistent with the language access in emergency communications study, to implement best practices for inclusive alerting; and
• Offer recommendations to improve current wireless alert systems in Colorado that address language and access needs.

Under current law, the Colorado broadband office (office) has certain duties related to broadband in Colorado. The bill requires the office to also perform those duties for wireless services. Under current law, the Colorado broadband office provides technical assistance to grant applicants related to grants to deploy broadband services. The bill expands the technical assistance to grant applicants to include assistance related to grants to deploy wireless service. The bill requires an emergency alert sent by the state or a county, municipality, or alerting authority to be sent in a predominant minority language if the county has at least 2,000 citizens who are 18 years of age or older and who speak the predominant minority language and speak English less than very well, as defined by the United States bureau of the census American community survey or comparable census data.

The state, counties, municipalities, and alerting authorities are encouraged to use available technology to issue emergency alerts in as many languages as possible in the same method as an English alert.

Each alerting authority that is required to send emergency alerts in a predominant minority language is encouraged to conduct community outreach to inform people with limited English proficiency of the availability of language interpretation and translation options for emergency alerts. Alerts must comply with the bill by July 1, 2027.

The bill allows the 911 services enterprise to distribute grants to local alerting authorities to implement language and accessibility services for emergency alerts.

The bill redefines "prepaid wireless telecommunications services" as a service that is paid in advance, is sold in predetermined units of time or dollars that decline with use in a known amount or provides unlimited use of the service for a fixed period of time, and allows a service user to access 911 emergency service. The bill imposes the 911 prepaid wireless charge and 988 surcharge to prepaid wireless telecommunication services.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Fiscal Note

The bill creates the "Model Rebate Reform Act" to modernize the law concerning insurance rebates by recognizing new insurance products while maintaining necessary consumer protections. The bill allows an insurer or insurance producer to give a gift valued under $250 in connection with the marketing, purchase, or retention of an insurance contract and to conduct a free raffle or drawing with prizes valued up to $500. Additionally, the bill provides that an insurer or insurance producer may give a free or discounted product or service in conjunction with or related to an insurance contract if the product or service:

• Is intended to educate about, assess, monitor, control, mitigate, or protect an individual against loss of life, health, or property; or
• Has a nexus to or enhances the value of the insurance benefits.

Next, the bill provides that an insurer or insurance producer may provide an additional free or discounted service if the service is at least tangentially related to an insurance contract or the administration of an insurance contract, the receipt of the service is not contingent on the purchase of insurance, and the service is offered on the same terms to all potential insurance customers. Before the purchase of insurance, receipt of a quote for insurance, or designation of an agent of record, the insurer or insurance producer providing the service shall disclose in writing to the recipient that receipt of the service is not contingent on the purchase of insurance. Lastly, the bill permits the commissioner of insurance to adopt rules as necessary to effectuate the provisions of the bill, including adjusting the financial limitations on gifts and prizes as necessary for inflation. The bill creates additional framework for insurance rebate law to allow usage of insurance rebates and related practices in a manner that meets specified criteria to maintain consumer protections.

In provisions regarding unfair and deceptive trade practices in insurance, the bill identifies, as an additional practice that shall not be construed as falling within the definition of discrimination or rebates, the practice of offering or providing a value-added product or service, not specified in the insurance policy, at no cost or at a reduced cost, if the product or service:

• Relates to the insurance coverage; and
• Is primarily aimed to:
• Provide loss mitigation or loss control;
• Reduce claim costs or claim settlement costs;
• Provide education about liability risk or risk of loss to individuals or property;
• Monitor or assess risk, identify sources of risk, or develop strategies for eliminating or reducing risk;
• Enhance health;
• Promote financial wellness through items such as educational or financial planning services;
• Provide post-loss services;
• Encourage behavioral changes to improve the health or reduce the risk of death or disability of a customer; or
• Assist in the administration of employee or retiree benefit insurance coverage.

The bill implements additional provisions governing the usage of insurance rebates, including requirements to offer such rebates at a reasonable cost and in a manner that is not unfairly discriminatory and that provides certain other customer protections.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Fiscal Note

The bill clarifies that a special district may cancel an election in a director district if the only matter to be decided at the election is who will be director of the director district, there are not more candidates than positions for director, and the only individuals who may vote are the eligible electors within the director's district.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Fiscal Note