A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning increasing stakeholder participation in the
Page 1, Line 102lawmaking process through the early publishing of
Page 1, Line 103bills.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill creates a process and establishes a public online forum for a member of the general assembly to publish drafts or titles of the bills that the member is considering introducing during the next legislative session. The bill allows each member to post multiple bill titles, drafts, or a combination of titles and drafts on the online forum and establishes a timeline for a member to publish up to 3 versions of each bill title or draft. The bill also requires each bill title or draft published to include a disclaimer stating that the bill is subject to change and may or may not be introduced based on the discretion of the prime sponsor. The web page on which the bill titles and drafts are published must be taken down on the day before the first day of the legislative session.
This Unofficial Version Includes Committee
Amendments Not Yet Adopted on Second Reading
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 2-2-328 as
Page 2, Line 3follows:
Page 2, Line 42-2-328. Members may publish bill drafts prior to the
Page 2, Line 5legislative session. (1) Starting on July 1, 2028, during the interim
Page 2, Line 6between two regular legislative sessions, the general assembly
Page 2, Line 7shall provide a process by which, subject to the requirements of
Page 2, Line 8subsections (2) and (3) of this section, any member of the house
Page 2, Line 9of representatives or the senate may publish a title or draft of
Page 2, Line 10a bill that the member is considering introducing during the
Page 2, Line 11next regular legislative session. The bill titles and drafts must
Page 2, Line 12be published on a publicly accessible web page on the website of
Page 2, Line 13the general assembly. On the day before the first day of the
Page 2, Line 14regular legislative session following the interim during which
Page 2, Line 15the bill titles and drafts were posted, the titles and drafts must
Page 2, Line 16be removed and no longer publicly available on the website of
Page 2, Line 17the general assembly.
Page 2, Line 18(2) During the interim period between two regular
Page 2, Line 19legislative sessions, a member of the general assembly who
Page 2, Line 20wishes to publish any and all bill titles, bill drafts, or a
Page 2, Line 21combination of bill titles and drafts that the member is
Page 2, Line 22considering introducing during the next legislative session may:
Page 3, Line 1(a) Submit up to three different versions of each bill title
Page 3, Line 2or draft for publication on the website of the general assembly.
Page 3, Line 3Bill titles, bill drafts, or any subsequent versions designated
Page 3, Line 4for publication may only be published or removed on the
Page 3, Line 5ninetieth day before the first day of the next regular
Page 3, Line 6legislative session, the sixtieth day before the first day of the
Page 3, Line 7next regular legislative session, or the thirtieth day before the
Page 3, Line 8first day of the next regular legislative session.
Page 3, Line 9(b) Only post one version of each bill title or draft in a
Page 3, Line 10single day. Any published bill title or draft must remain
Page 3, Line 11publicly available on the website of the general assembly
Page 3, Line 12unless the member who posted it requests that it be removed,
Page 3, Line 13until a subsequent version is published, or until the day before
Page 3, Line 14the first day of the regular legislative session. Any changes
Page 3, Line 15made to the most recently published version of a bill draft must
Page 3, Line 16be marked by double underline.
Page 3, Line 17(3) Each bill title or draft that is published pursuant to
Page 3, Line 18subsection (1) of this section must include, at a minimum, the
Page 3, Line 19following disclaimer: "This is a draft of a bill that may or may
Page 3, Line 20not be introduced in the House of Representatives or the Senate
Page 3, Line 21of the Colorado General Assembly during the upcoming regular
Page 3, Line 22legislative session. The final decision-making authority
Page 3, Line 23regarding introduction of the bill rests exclusively with its
Page 3, Line 24legislative prime sponsor in the chamber in which the bill will
Page 3, Line 25first be introduced if it is introduced. This draft is not final and
Page 3, Line 26is subject to change both before and after introduction in the
Page 3, Line 27first chamber.".
Page 4, Line 1(4) Upon passage of this House Bill 25-1069, enacted in
Page 4, Line 22025, legislative council staff shall begin to implement the
Page 4, Line 3changes required by this section so that a member may publish
Page 4, Line 4bill titles and bill drafts on a publicly available web page on
Page 4, Line 5the website of the general assembly by July 1, 2028.
Page 4, Line 6SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 4, Line 7takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 4, Line 8ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 4, Line 9that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 4, Line 10of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 4, Line 11act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 4, Line 12effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 4, Line 13November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the
Page 4, Line 14official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.