HB 25-1239

HB 25-1239, also known as the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, updates and strengthens protections against discrimination for people with disabilities in public places. It allows victims of discrimination to seek compensation through the courts, including damages or a fine if businesses don’t comply within 30 days. The bill also makes it easier for individuals with disabilities to request testing accommodations by allowing medical recommendations as proof of need. This act is now signed into law and will be implemented with funding allocated for its enforcement.

Official Summary

The act consolidates damages provisions for individuals with disabilities who experience discrimination in places of public accommodation or a violation of their civil rights with the general protections under the "Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act" (CADA) for all protected classes. With the consolidation of these provisions, the allowable remedies under CADA are a court order requiring compliance with the applicable section of CADA, attorney fees and costs, and either actual monetary damages and damages for noneconomic loss or injury or a statutory fine of $5,000 that is payable to each plaintiff for each violation. An award of damages for noneconomic loss or injury is capped at $50,000, and a defendant is entitled to a 50% reduction of the cap on a noneconomic loss or injury award if the defendant corrects the violation within 30 days of the complaint being filed and did not knowingly or intentionally make or cause to be made the violation. A defendant that cannot correct the violation in 30 days but shows good faith effort to correct the violation may be allowed up to 3 additional 30-day periods to correct the violation and be entitled to the 50% reduction of the cap on a noneconomic loss or injury award. Additionally, for discriminatory advertising in violation of CADA and as an alternative to seeking redress from the Colorado civil rights commission, a person aggrieved by such violation may bring a civil action and, upon a finding of a violation, is entitled to a court order requiring compliance with the section of CADA prohibiting discriminatory advertising, attorney fees and costs, and either actual monetary damages and damages for noneconomic loss or injury or a statutory fine of $5,000 that is payable to each plaintiff for each violation. An award of damages for noneconomic loss or injury is capped at $50,000, and if a defendant is a small business, it is entitled to a 50% reduction of the cap on a noneconomic loss or injury award if it corrects the violation within 30 days of the complaint being filed and did not knowingly or intentionally make or cause to be made the violation. The act adds the provision of a recommendation letter signed by an individual's treating medical professional recommending testing accommodations as a method for an individual with a disability to demonstrate the need for a testing accommodation on a licensing exam. The act appropriates $100,305 from the legal services cash fund to the department of law to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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