HB 26-1183

HB 26-1183, also known as the Sunset Pet Animal Care & Facilities Act, is a Colorado bill that extends and updates regulations for pet animal facilities in the state. It continues licensing requirements until 2041, changes how advisory committee members are appointed starting in 2027, and increases fees and penalties related to violations of these rules. The bill also tightens importation rules by requiring health certificates for pets entering Colorado from other states. Signed into law, this means the new regulations will now be enforced, affecting pet facility operators, veterinarians, and anyone importing pets into Colorado.

Official Summary

Sunset Process - House Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies in its 2025 sunset review of the 'Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act' (PACFA) as follows: Sections 1 and 2 of the bill continue the commissioner of agriculture's (commissioner) function of licensing pet animal facilities in accordance with the PACFA for 15 years, until 2041; 8 years, until 2034; Section 3 amends the PACFA's pet animal advisory committee (committee) membership structure by requiring the commissioner, on and after January 1, 2027, to appoint 15 members with certain specifications. Section 3 also specifies that members appointed to the committee on and after January 1, 2027, may serve no more than 2 consecutive terms of 4 years. Section 4 prohibits the importation of certain pet animals into the state without a valid certificate of veterinary inspection issued by an accredited veterinarian in the state of origin within 10 days prior to the pet animal's arrival in Colorado; Section 5 clarifies that the commissioner is authorized to adopt rules extending the required minimum holding periods for pet animals held by or in the custody of a licensed animal shelter; Section 6 removes Section 5 increases the current maximum fee amount of $700 for pet animal facility license application fees and permits the commissioner to establish the fee amount by rule, which amount must be based on the direct and indirect costs of processing license applications; to $1,500; Section 7 Section 6 raises the maximum civil penalty amount for a violation of the PACFA or of a rule adopted pursuant to the PACFA from $1,000 per violation to $2,500 per violation; Section 8 Section 7 states that a person that chooses to request a hearing in response to a cease-and-desist order issued by the commissioner for a violation of the PACFA or of a rule adopted pursuant to the PACFA must do so within 30 days after the issuance of the cease-and-desist order; and Section 8 requires the commissioner to develop an administrative process for an interested person to petition for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a rule adopted by the commissioner; and Section 9 relocates the statute that establishes the pet overpopulation authority (authority) so the authority is no longer subject to sunset review as part of the PACFA.      Sections 10 through 13 make conforming amendments.(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.)

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