HB26-1080: Bipartisan Mail Ballot Signature Verification
Colorado mail ballot elections currently rely on a single election judge to verify voter signatures — one person making the call on whether a ballot is accepted or rejected. HB26-1080 ends that. The bill requires a team of bipartisan election judges, drawn from different political parties, to conduct signature review. The Secretary of State must adopt rules governing how those teams operate. Representative Richardson and Representative Paschal sponsor the bill.
SB26-059: Ban on Legislators Holding Multiple Elected Offices
A Colorado state legislator may not simultaneously hold another elected office under SB26-059. The bill closes an accountability gap that allowed elected officials to hold concurrent positions in multiple levels of government. Senators Cutter and Ball sponsor the measure.
SB26-105: Coroner Financial Disclosure
County coroners must disclose their financial interests in businesses regulated by the office under SB26-105. Colorado coroners certify causes of death and have authority over funeral homes, crematoria, and related businesses — a direct conflict if a coroner holds a financial stake in those industries. The bill requires formal disclosure of those interests. Senator Hinrichsen sponsors the measure.
HB26-1290: Stronger Assault Penalties for Attacks on Public Servants and Medical Providers
Colorado tightens what a prosecutor must prove to charge assault against a public servant or medical care provider. The bill aligns the mental state required for conviction and clarifies sentencing for those offenses. It passed the House Judiciary Committee 11-0. Representatives Hartsook and Duran sponsor the bill.
HB26-1245: Contractor Theft Enforcement
The bill reinforces Colorado’s contractor theft statute, strengthening the tools available to property owners when a contractor takes payment and fails to deliver. Representative Keltie sponsors the bill.
HB26-1084: Voter Transparency on Ballot Measure Funding
Voters considering initiated statewide ballot measures will see the main areas of state spending that would be affected by the measure, disclosed directly on the ballot title and abstract. The bill expands funding transparency for ballot measures that would redirect significant state expenditure. Representatives Espenoza and Camacho sponsor the bill.
SB26-134: Credit Card Swipe Fee Reform
Colorado businesses collect sales tax on behalf of the state but pay a percentage of the full transaction amount — including the tax — to credit card networks as interchange fees. SB26-134 prohibits payment card networks from charging swipe fees on the sales tax portion of a transaction. The restriction applies only to large banks, those with more than $60 billion in consolidated assets, which control roughly 80 percent of all credit cards. Colorado restaurants pay on average $167,500 per year in swipe fees. Removing the sales tax portion would save a typical restaurant $26,000 annually. Senators Lindstedt and Jodeh sponsor the bill.
SB26-072: Vehicular Homicide and Assault Penalties
The bill increases criminal penalties for vehicular homicide and assault. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard it April 6. Senator Carson sponsors the measure.
HB26-1242: Interlock Devices for Impaired Drivers
Colorado expands interlock device requirements for drivers convicted of impaired driving offenses. The Senate Transportation and Energy Committee heard it April 6. Representatives Paschal and Jackson sponsor the bill.
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