House Committee of Reference Report

Committee on Finance

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February 19, 2026

After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the following:

HB26-1046   be amended as follows, and as so amended, be referred to the Committee on Appropriations with favorable recommendation:

Page 1, Line 1Amend printed bill, page 6, after line 15 insert:

Page 1, Line 2"(8)  "Fund" means the earned-wage access fund created in

Page 1, Line 3section 5-22-115.".

Page 1, Line 4Renumber succeeding subsections accordingly.

Page 1, Line 5Page 7, line 22, strike "January 1, 2027," and substitute "ninety-one

Page 1, Line 6days after the effective date of this article 22,".

Page 1, Line 7Page 7, line 27, strike "January 1, 2027," and substitute "ninety-one

Page 1, Line 8days after the effective date of this article 22".

Page 1, Line 9Page 20, strike lines 17 through 19 and substitute "proceeds for a

Page 1, Line 10service fee:

Page 1, Line 11(I)  Offer to the consumer at least one reasonable option

Page 1, Line 12to obtain proceeds at no cost to the consumer;

Page 1, Line 13(II)  Clearly explain how to elect the no-cost option; and

Page 1, Line 14(III)  Request initiation of the transfer of approved

Page 1, Line 15proceeds to the consumer within one business day after the

Page 1, Line 16consumer's election of the no-cost option;".

Page 1, Line 17Page 21, line 8, strike "provider; and" and substitute "provider;".

Page 1, Line 18Page 21, line 23, strike "consumer." and substitute "consumer; and

Page 1, Line 19(i)  If a provider seeks payment, including via electronic

Page 1, Line 20funds transfer, of outstanding proceeds or service fees from a

Page 1, Line 21consumer's account at a depository institution, comply with 12

Page 2, Line 1CFR 1005.10 (c)(1), as it existed on January 1, 2026, without the

Page 2, Line 2consumer incurring an additional charge.".

Page 2, Line 3Page 22, line 6, after "consumer's" insert "credit report or".

Page 2, Line 4Page 22, line 18, strike "(12)(a)" and substitute "(13)(a)".

Page 2, Line 5Page 22, strike lines 19 and 20.

Page 2, Line 6Page 22, line 21, strike "(A)" and substitute "(I)".

Page 2, Line 7Page 22, line 23, strike "(B)" and substitute "(II)".

Page 2, Line 8Page 22, line 24, strike "or".

Page 2, Line 9Page 22, strike lines 25 through 27.

Page 2, Line 10Page 23, strike lines 1 through 5.

Page 2, Line 11Page 23, line 25, strike "provider." and substitute "provider; or".

Page 2, Line 12Page 23, strike lines 26 and 27 and substitute:

Page 2, Line 13"(i)  Solicit or receive a tip, gratuity, or donation.".

Page 2, Line 14Page 24 strike lines 1 through 4.

Page 2, Line 15Page 28, after line 7 insert:

Page 2, Line 16"5-22-115.  Earned-wage access fund - creation - gifts, grants,

Page 2, Line 17and donations - notice to revisor of statutes - article to become

Page 2, Line 18effective upon being funded.

Page 2, Line 19(1) (a)  The earned-wage access fund is created in the state

Page 2, Line 20treasury. The fund consists of fees collected by the

Page 2, Line 21administrator pursuant to this article 22, gifts, grants, and

Page 2, Line 22donations credited to the fund pursuant to this section, and any

Page 2, Line 23other money that the general assembly may appropriate or

Page 2, Line 24transfer to the fund.

Page 2, Line 25(b)  The state treasurer shall credit all interest and

Page 2, Line 26income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the

Page 2, Line 27fund to the fund.

Page 2, Line 28(c)  Subject to annual appropriation by the general

Page 2, Line 29assembly, the administrator may expend money from the fund to

Page 2, Line 30implement this article 22.

Page 3, Line 1(2)  The administrator may seek, accept, and expend gifts,

Page 3, Line 2grants, or donations from private or public sources for the

Page 3, Line 3purposes of implementing this article 22. The state treasurer,

Page 3, Line 4shall credit the money to the fund.

Page 3, Line 5(3) (a)  This article 22 will take effect if the fund receives

Page 3, Line 6enough money to implement this article 22 for three years. The

Page 3, Line 7administrator shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing of

Page 3, Line 8the date when the condition specified in this subsection (3) has

Page 3, Line 9occurred by emailing the notice to

Page 3, Line 10revisorofstatutes.ga@coleg.gov. This article 22 takes effect

Page 3, Line 11twenty-eight days after the date identified in the notice that

Page 3, Line 12the fund received enough money to implement this article 22 for

Page 3, Line 13three years or, if the notice does not specify that date, upon the

Page 3, Line 14date of the notice to the revisor of statutes.

Page 3, Line 15(b)  Within twenty-eight days after sending the notice

Page 3, Line 16described in subsection (3)(a) of this section to the revisor of

Page 3, Line 17statutes, the administrator shall notify providers that this

Page 3, Line 18article 22 will become effective. The notice must include the

Page 3, Line 19date the providers are required to be licensed in accordance

Page 3, Line 20with section 5-22-103.

Page 3, Line 215-22-116.  Repeal of article.

Page 3, Line 22This article 22 is repealed, effective three years after the

Page 3, Line 23effective date of this article 22.".

Page 3, Line 24Page 28, after line 20 insert:

Page 3, Line 25"SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-75-402, add

Page 3, Line 26(5)(ooo) as follows:

Page 3, Line 2724-75-402.  Cash funds - limit on uncommitted reserves -

Page 3, Line 28reduction in the amount of fees - exclusions - definitions.

Page 3, Line 29(5)  Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary,

Page 3, Line 30the following cash funds are excluded from the limitations specified in

Page 3, Line 31this section:

Page 3, Line 32(ooo)  The earned-wage access fund created in section

Page 3, Line 335-22-115.".

Page 3, Line 34Renumber succeeding section accordingly.