SB 25-157

Senate Bill 25-157, now signed into law in Colorado, clarifies that certain actions by businesses, such as making false claims or hiding important information from consumers, can be considered significant harm to the public. The bill also specifies that lawsuits against businesses for unfair practices cannot solely rely on allegations of contract breaches or negligence; they must include evidence of material misrepresentations or failures to disclose key facts. This affects how consumer protection cases are handled in Colorado and strengthens the criteria for what constitutes a deceptive trade practice.

Official Summary

The bill establishes that certain evidence that a person has engaged in an unfair or deceptive trade practice constitutes a significant impact to the public. The bill also clarifies that a deceptive trade practice claim cannot be based solely on a claim that a person breached a contract or engaged in negligence or on a claim for damages based on the rendering of professional services, unless the claim for damages involves an allegation of a material misrepresentation of fact, a failure to disclose material information, or an action that cannot be characterized as providing advice, judgment, or opinion.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Votes