2026 Legislative Agenda

Colorado 2026 State Legislation

Our Policy Council works with our Lobby Partners, Salazar and Associates to identify and prioritize bills for GBC endorsement and member engagement.

Click here for Full Legislative Agenda Bill Tracking Report

✅=Support ❌=Oppose ⚠️=Amend 🚨=Action

EQUITY

✅HB 26-1005 Worker Protection Act 2.0: HB26-1005 proposes to eliminate the requirement for a second election to approve union security agreements and strengthening expectations for good-faith collective bargaining between employers and workers. The bill aims to simplify the unionization process while clarifying negotiation standards and labor practices during contract discussions.

✅HB 26-1012 Consumer Protections to Promote Fair Market Pricing: Proposes to amend the Colorado Consumer Protection Act to address price gouging and improve pricing transparency for “captive consumers” in places with limited competition—such as airports, hospitals, and large event venues—while also requiring delivery platforms to show side-by-side comparisons of delivery and in-store prices.

during contract discussions.

✅HB 26-1210 Prohibit Surveillence Price & Wage Setting: This bill would ban companies from using AI and personal data, such as browsing history or location, to set individualized prices for consumers or wages for workers. The bill classifies violations as deceptive trade practices under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act, enabling enforcement by state authorities and private lawsuits.

CLIMATE

✅SB 26-102 Large-Load Data Centers: SB26-102 establishes new accountability requirements for large-load data centers, including mandates to use 100% renewable energy annually by 2031 and meet hourly clean energy matching standards set by regulators. It requires long-term contracts to cover infrastructure costs, ongoing reporting on energy and water use, and safeguards to ensure data centers don’t harm grid reliability, increase emissions, or shift costs to other customers. The bill also includes community protections—such as impact analyses, public engagement, and community benefit agreements—especially for projects in disproportionately impacted areas.

✅SB 26-016 Prohibit Discharge Preproduction Plastic Materials: This bill would prohibit facilities from discharging preproduction plastic materials, such as nurdles, pellets, and flakes, into Colorado waterways, stormwater systems, or land. The bill aims to reduce plastic pollution and protect aquatic ecosystems by preventing the state from issuing permits that allow these materials to be released.

HEALTHCARE

✅HB 26-1267 Limitations on Collection Actions for Medical Debt: Proposes to strengthen patient protections in medical debt collection would require creditors to verify that patients have been screened for public insurance and financial assistance before pursuing collections or selling debt. The bill would also require advance notice before debt transfers, mandate reasonable payment plans, and establish penalties for creditors that violate these protections.

HOUSING

✅HB 26-1001 Housing Developments on Qualified Properties: HB26-1001 aims to accelerate the development of affordable housing in Colorado by allowing schools, nonprofits, and transit agencies to build housing on underutilized parcels of five acres or less through a streamlined administrative process. By limiting certain local zoning, parking, and height restrictions, the bill seeks to reduce barriers and expand mixed-income and affordable housing options across the state.

ECONOMY

✅HB 26-1003 Small Business Recovery Modifications: This bill would expand and modernize Colorado’s small business loan support by transitioning a pandemic-era recovery program into a permanent resource for entrepreneurs facing financial hardship. The bill allocates $5 million to the Colorado Startup Loan Program Fund and aims to improve equitable statewide access to capital, including for rural and minority-owned businesses.

✅HB 26-1033 Expanding the Colorado Cottage Foods Act: HB26-1033, known as the “Tamale Act,” expands Colorado’s Cottage Foods Act to allow home-based producers to sell certain refrigerated and meat-containing foods directly to consumers. The bill removes the previous $10,000 revenue cap while requiring food safety training and granting local health agencies authority to inspect and enforce safety standards.

✅HB 26-1330 Alcohol Beverages Entertainment Districts: HB26-1330 updates Colorado’s rules for alcohol beverage entertainment districts by allowing them to exist within a single municipality or county and removing the 100-acre size limit. The bill lowers the minimum size requirement for participating licensed premises from 20,000 to 5,000 square feet and gives local authorities flexibility to set operating days and hours. It also clarifies that only licensed businesses connected to a common consumption area can sell alcohol for use within that shared space.

✅SB 26-134 Payment Card Networks' Fees: SB26-134 limits how payment card networks can charge interchange fees by prohibiting fees calculated on the total transaction amount if they include taxes, ensuring fees apply only to the non-tax portion. It also prevents networks from raising other fees to get around this restriction and provides exemptions for smaller financial institutions under $60 billion in assets. If violated, the bill allows merchants and consumers to take legal action and seek penalties against payment card networks.