HB 22-1097

House Bill 22-1097, which has been signed into law, allows county commissioners in Colorado to apply for the dissolution of special districts located entirely within their boundaries. This means that if a special district is mostly (more than 85%) inside one or more cities, those city governments must agree before any action can be taken. The bill also permits counties and special districts within their borders to mutually decide to dissolve without needing a public vote, as long as all affected municipalities consent. This change affects how local government entities can dissolve special districts that provide specific services like water management or parks. Since the bill is signed, it's now law and county commissioners can start using these new procedures.

Official Summary

Under current law, municipalities and regional service authorities are authorized to file an application for dissolution of a special district with the board of directors of the special district. The act expands current law to authorize a board of county commissioners to file such an application if the special district is wholly located in the boundaries of the county and to file jointly with another board of county commissioners such an application if the special district is located in 2 or more counties. If more than 85% of the special district's territory is located within the boundaries of one or more municipalities, the board of directors of the special district shall not take any action on the application unless the governing bodies of all such municipalities have consented to or joined the application. Current law also allows the governing body of a municipality and a special district wholly within the corporate limits of the municipality that has no financial obligations or outstanding debt to mutually consent to dissolution of the special district via a court order dissolving the special district without an election. The act expands current law to allow a board of county commissioners and a special district that is wholly within the county's boundaries to mutually consent to dissolution of the special district in the same manner via a court order dissolving the special district without an election; except that, if more than 85% of the special district lies within one or more municipalities, the governing bodies of all such municipalities also must consent to dissolution via court order without an election. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes