A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning an exemption for certain municipalities from the
Page 1, Line 102requirement to adopt an energy code for residential
Page 1, Line 103buildings.
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.)
Under current law, every governing body of a municipality that has adopted and enforced a building code after July 1, 2023, is required to adopt and begin enforcing an energy code for residential buildings. The bill creates an exemption for municipalities with a population of less than 2,500 residents from having to adopt and enforce an energy code for residential buildings.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 3(a) Rural and frontier communities are the most remote and sparsely populated communities in Colorado;
Page 2, Line 4(b) These communities have low population density and are isolated from population centers and services;
Page 2, Line 5(c) As such, rural and frontier communities have difficulties
Page 2, Line 6building housing at an affordable cost for their residents because of the
Page 2, Line 7cost of providing materials, infrastructure, and labor to the most isolated areas of the state;
Page 2, Line 8(d) Rural and frontier communities are also typically located in
Page 2, Line 9depressed or even inverted housing markets, making the cost of building homes in these communities financially unfeasible;
Page 2, Line 10(e) Increased building code and energy code regulations create
Page 2, Line 11burdens for rural and frontier communities, such as additional
Page 2, Line 12construction requirements and specific certifications, which increase the cost of housing in rural and frontier communities; and
Page 2, Line 13(f) Established state building, plumbing, and electrical codes are
Page 2, Line 14more than sufficient at protecting the health, safety, and welfare of
Page 2, Line 15Coloradans who live in rural and frontier communities, and using the
Page 2, Line 16established codes will reduce the cost of housing for people in those communities.
Page 2, Line 17(2) Therefore, the general assembly further declares that it is in
Page 2, Line 18the best interest of the state to exempt rural and frontier communities
Page 3, Line 1from additional energy code requirements in order to promote the
Page 3, Line 2building of homes and reduce the cost of housing in rural and frontier communities.
Page 3, Line 3SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 31-15-602, add (3.7) as follows:
Page 3, Line 431-15-602. Energy efficient building codes - legislative
Page 3, Line 5declaration - exemption for certain municipalities - definitions -
Page 3, Line 6repeal. (3.7) Notwithstanding subsections (3) and (3.5) of this
Page 3, Line 7section, a municipality with a population of less than two
Page 3, Line 8thousand five hundred residents, according to the most recent
Page 3, Line 9federal decennial census, is not required to adopt an energy code in accordance with this section.
Page 3, Line 10SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 3, Line 11takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 3, Line 12ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 3, Line 13that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 3, Line 14of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 3, Line 15act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 3, Line 16effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 3, Line 17November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.