Colorado 2025 Bills

County Administration Public Assistance Programs

HB 26-1429 is a Colorado bill that aims to create a centralized system for managing public assistance programs like Medicaid and food stamps. It requires state departments to work with county agencies to prevent fraud and improve how these benefits are given out across the state. The bill also calls for regular reporting on how well this new system works, starting in 2027. Since it has been signed into law, the requirements outlined in the bill will now be implemented according to the set timeline.

Last action: 2026-05-01 · House

Establishing Commission on Medicaid

Senate Bill 26-187 establishes a new commission focused on Medicaid in Colorado. This group will consist of lawmakers who will meet at least six but no more than twelve times to discuss how Medicaid is spent and run, especially considering any changes from the federal government. They must submit their findings and recommendations by December 11, 2026. The bill has been signed into law, meaning the commission can start its work immediately. This affects anyone involved in or receiving benefits from Colorado's Medicaid program.

Last action: 2026-05-01 · Senate

Works Program Reserves & Cost of Living Adjustment

Senate Bill 26-181, which has been signed into law, allows counties in Colorado to extend assistance beyond a five-year limit for households that show they have good reasons. It also pauses the annual increase in cash assistance amounts due to cost of living changes for two years starting from 2026. Additionally, the bill removes requirements for minimum reserve balances and replenishment between different funds used to support these programs. This means counties will have more flexibility in providing aid but less automatic financial protection against shortages during those years.

Last action: 2026-04-27 · Senate

Repeal Behavioral Health Resources

HB 26-1378, a Colorado bill that has been signed into law,撤销了几项旨在支持农村和农业社区心理健康服务、帮助行为健康提供者成为安全网提供者的项目，以及两项关于药物滥用治疗和康复支持的补助金计划。该法案还将在2026年将“高风险家庭现金基金”的剩余资金转移到一般基金中，并减少对教育部门相关项目的拨款。这项法律影响到需要心理健康服务、药物滥用治疗及相关支持的所有农村和农业社区居民，以及依赖这些项目和资金的行为健康提供者和服务机构。

Last action: 2026-04-02 · House

Repeal County Administration Funding Model

House Bill 26-1375, which has been signed into law,撤销了之前要求州政府与外部机构合作制定和更新各县公共及医疗援助项目管理资金模型的规定。这个资金模型原本用于确定每个县在管理和资助这些项目的所需金额，并且每年需要向相关部门提交结果进行审查。该法案还减少了2026-27财年对人类服务部门和卫生保健政策融资部门的拨款。这项措施主要影响到负责公共援助和医疗补助管理的各县及州级机构，简化了资金管理和报告流程。

Last action: 2026-04-02 · House

Subsidy Limits in Assistance Programs for Children

House Bill 26-1373 sets limits on monthly subsidy payments for children who are part of either the adoption assistance program or the relative guardianship assistance program. These new rules will apply to contracts that start on July 1, 2026, or later. This bill affects families and relatives who care for children through these programs by setting a maximum amount they can receive in monthly subsidies. The bill has been signed into law, meaning these limits will be implemented as planned starting from the specified date.

Last action: 2026-04-02 · House

Health Disparities & Community Grant Evaluation

HB 26-1390 is a Colorado bill that changes how the state evaluates its health disparities and community grant program. Instead of having an outside organization assess the effectiveness of these grants, which aim to reduce health inequalities, the Department of Public Health and Environment will now handle this evaluation internally. This change affects how the state monitors and improves programs designed to help communities with significant health issues. Since the bill has been signed into law, it is now official policy and the department must start evaluating the program according to these new guidelines.

Last action: 2026-04-02 · House

Federal Adoption Money Cash Fund Updates

House Bill 26-1376 updates how Colorado manages extra federal money received for child welfare services. It changes the name of a fund and allows the state to use this money more flexibly to support children who might need foster care or related services. This bill affects children in the foster care system and those at risk of entering it, as well as the agencies that provide these services. Since the bill has been signed into law, Colorado can now allocate funds according to the new guidelines to better serve vulnerable children.

Last action: 2026-04-02 · House

Electronic Process in Competency & Administrative Hearings

House Bill 26-1343, which has been signed into law, updates Colorado's legal procedures by allowing electronic submission and delivery of competency evaluations for criminal defendants and notices for administrative hearings. This means that the Department of Human Services can now send court orders and evaluations electronically, and administrative agencies can serve hearing notices via email if requested or agreed to by those involved. The bill also allocates funding for technology upgrades in the judicial system to support these new electronic processes.

Last action: 2026-03-27 · House

Pathways for Individuals with Mental Health Disorder

Senate Bill 26-149, known as "Pathways for Individuals with Mental Health Disorder," aims to provide a pathway for defendants who are found incompetent due to mental health issues and pose a risk of serious harm. If the prosecution can prove by clear evidence that a defendant has a mental disability or developmental disorder and poses a danger, they can request civil commitment or enhanced protective placement instead of having charges dismissed. This bill affects individuals with mental disabilities involved in criminal cases who may be at risk to themselves or others. The bill is now signed into law, meaning its provisions are officially enacted and will guide how courts handle such cases moving forward. It ensures that defendants receive appropriate treatment while also protecting public safety by allowing for civil commitment when necessary.

Last action: 2026-03-26 · Senate

Medicaid Nonemergency Medical Transportation

HB 26-1328 is a Colorado bill that focuses on improving Medicaid Nonemergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) services. It establishes a transportation community advisory board and sets rules for the safety and oversight of NEMT services. The bill also ensures that transportation providers receive necessary support to facilitate these services, while requiring verification of eligibility and transparency in trip assignment rules. Signed into law, this means that the measures outlined in the bill are now enforceable and will impact Medicaid members needing nonemergency medical transportation across Colorado.

Last action: 2026-03-11 · House

Natural Medicine

HB 26-1325, also known as the Natural Medicine bill, establishes a research program to study how ibogaine can help treat mental health issues and substance use disorders. It sets up a committee to choose up to five pilot sites for this research and allows these sites to receive grants from a special fund. The bill also updates licensing rules for natural medicine providers and requires the state to seek federal funding for further ibogaine research. Since it has been signed, the bill is now law and its provisions are in effect.

Last action: 2026-03-06 · House

Admission to Mental Health Residential Facility

House Bill 26-1285 prohibits the Department of Human Services from admitting individuals who are required to register under Colorado’s Sex Offender Registration Act into mental health residential facilities that are within 1,000 feet of a school. This bill affects people who have been mandated to register as sex offenders and limits their access to certain mental health care facilities near schools. The bill has been signed into law, meaning the prohibition is now in effect.

Last action: 2026-02-20 · House

Supporting the Human-Animal Bond

House Bill 26-1229, also known as the "Supporting the Human-Animal Bond" act, recognizes the positive impact that pets have on human health and well-being. It allows for grants to be given to organizations that promote this bond between humans and animals, provided that additional funding is allocated by the state legislature. This bill has been signed into law, meaning it is now official policy in Colorado and can start benefiting those who support or participate in programs involving human-animal interaction.

Last action: 2026-02-18 · House

Access to Records of Child Abuse or Neglect

HB 26-1234, also known as the "Access to Records of Child Abuse or Neglect" bill, aims to protect the privacy of individuals involved in child abuse and neglect cases by restricting who can access specific records. The law clarifies what kind of personal information should be kept private and allows certain people, like attorneys representing a victim, to view these records under specific conditions. It also requires local human or social services departments to provide clear guidelines for former clients to request their case files if needed. Since the bill has been signed into law, it is now enforceable, meaning that penalties apply to those who violate its privacy protections.

Last action: 2026-02-18 · House

Sunset Substance Abuse Treatment Program Licensing

HB 26-1214 is a Colorado bill that extends until September 1, 2041, the licensing requirements for substance abuse treatment programs. It updates definitions related to substance use disorders and withdrawal management to better reflect current medical practices and terminology. The bill also narrows some terms specifically to focus on opioid-related treatments. Since it has been signed into law, these changes are now in effect and will impact how substance abuse treatment facilities and practitioners operate in Colorado.

Last action: 2026-02-17 · House

Revised Public Assistance Final Disposition Expense Terms

Senate Bill 26-110, which has been signed into law, updates terminology related to funeral and final disposition expenses for people who received public or medical assistance. It changes the term "death reimbursement" to "death benefit" and modifies other related terms to better describe how counties cover reasonable costs when a deceased person's estate can't pay and their family can't afford it. This affects individuals receiving public assistance, as well as county governments responsible for handling these expenses. Since the bill is signed, it has become law and is now in effect.

Last action: 2026-02-11 · Senate

Homeless Prevention Activities Program Restructure

House Bill 26-1192 restructures the Homeless Prevention Activities Program by removing an advisory committee and giving the Division of Housing within the Department of Local Affairs full control over managing the program. This includes setting standards for activities aimed at preventing homelessness and ensuring that funds are used appropriately. The bill has been signed into law, meaning it is now in effect and the changes have been implemented to help manage how resources are allocated to prevent homelessness in Colorado.

Last action: 2026-02-10 · House

Cradle to Career Grant Program Creation

Senate Bill 26-80, also known as the Cradle to Career Grant Program Creation, aims to establish a grant program within the Colorado Department of Human Services. This program will provide grants to local governments, schools, nonprofits, and other eligible entities to support high-quality educational programs and essential health services for families in poverty. The goal is to improve outcomes from early childhood through workforce readiness by connecting children with resources that help them succeed academically and economically. The bill has been signed into law, meaning the program can now be implemented once it receives an initial $900,000 funding allocation. This money will come from sources other than the state's general fund, such as gifts or grants, ensuring that the program does not rely on taxpayer dollars for its operations in the first year.

Last action: 2026-02-06 · Senate

Process for People with Behavioral Health Disorder

HB 26-1116 is a Colorado bill that aims to improve mental health care and support for individuals with behavioral health disorders. It aligns the emergency commitment process for substance abuse and mental health issues, allows courts to require defendants to participate in mental health treatment as part of their discharge plan, and extends the follow-up period after an individual's release from emergency mental health hold from 48 hours to 72 hours. Additionally, it updates licensing requirements for behavioral health entities by allowing certain exceptions for telehealth services and outpatient care facilities. The bill has been signed into law, meaning its provisions are now in effect and being implemented.

Last action: 2026-02-04 · House

Sign Language Consumer Protection Study

HB 26-1109 is a Colorado bill that requires the state's Department of Human Services to hire an outside researcher to study if more protections are needed for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind when they use sign language interpreters. The goal is to ensure these individuals have adequate support and rights when accessing services. This research will be completed by July 1, 2028, after which the findings will be reported back to相关部门。该法案已经签署成为法律，这意味着研究已经开始进行或即将开始，并将在规定的时间内完成和报告结果。 为了更通俗易懂： 这项法案要求科罗拉多州政府聘请外部专家研究是否需要为聋人、听力障碍者及全聋人士提供更多的保护措施，特别是在他们使用手语翻译服务时。该研究将于2028年7月1日前完成，并提交给相关部门。这意味着相关工作已经开始或即将开始，以确保这些群体在获取服务时得到适当的保障和支持。

Last action: 2026-02-03 · House

Child Welfare Prevention Services Funding

HB 26-1075 increases funding for child welfare prevention services and programs in Colorado by changing how money is allocated to a trust fund. Instead of using funds from all prevention services, it now uses money specifically identified by the federal Title IV-E clearinghouse and managed by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. This bill also extends the life of the trust fund and its governing board beyond 2027. Since the bill has been signed into law, these changes are now in effect, providing more support for child welfare programs across the state.

Last action: 2026-02-02 · House

Child Care Center Required Policy Disclosures

Senate Bill 26-50 requires child care centers in Colorado to inform parents about certain policies. Specifically, they must tell parents that staff are required by law to report any suspected child abuse or neglect. If the center uses video cameras, it also needs to explain where these cameras are and how footage is used and stored. This bill has been signed into law, so child care centers now have to follow these rules when communicating with parents.

Last action: 2026-01-27 · Senate

Mental Health Access

Senate Bill 26-8, titled "Mental Health Access," aims to improve mental health services for adults in Colorado by creating a program that reimburses providers for up to six mental health sessions and additional sessions based on available funds. The bill also establishes an online portal to help connect people with these services and provides grants to entities using the internet to facilitate mental health care. To fund this initiative, the bill introduces a surcharge on internet service accounts in Colorado. This bill has been signed into law, meaning it is now active and will start implementing these changes to enhance access to mental health support for adults across the state.

Last action: 2026-01-14 · Senate

Modification to Defense of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

Senate Bill 26-14 modifies Colorado’s laws regarding the defense of "Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity." It requires that mental health reports provided by a defendant's legal team must also be given to the court and then forwarded to the Department of Human Services. The bill allows for community-based treatment and rehabilitation options for defendants instead of just institutional placements. For crimes committed on or after July 1, 2026, it sets clearer criteria for releasing individuals from the department’s custody either unconditionally (if they are no longer a danger to themselves or others) or conditionally (with certain restrictions). The bill has been signed into law, meaning these changes will take effect as specified.

Last action: 2026-01-14 · Senate