Senate Bill 25-144

BY SENATOR(S) Winter F. and Bridges, Amabile, Cutter, Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Michaelson Jenet, Snyder, Sullivan, Weissman, Coleman;

also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Willford and Zokaie, Bacon, Bird, Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Duran, Froelich, Garcia, Hamrick, Jackson, Joseph, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens, Ricks, Rutinel, Sirota, Smith, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story.

Concerning changes to the "Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act".

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-13.3-505, amend (1) as follows:

8-13.3-505.  Duration. (1)  The maximum number of weeks for which a covered individual may take paid family and medical leave and for which family and medical leave insurance benefits are payable for any purpose, or purposes in aggregate, under section 8-13.3-504 (2) in an application year is 12twelve weeks; except that benefits are payable up to:

(a)  An additional four weeks to a covered individual with a serious health condition related to pregnancy complications or childbirth complications; and

(b)  For claims arising on or after January 1, 2026, an additional twelve weeks to a covered individual who has a child receiving inpatient care in a neonatal intensive care unit for the duration that the child is receiving care in the neonatal intensive care unit.

SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-13.3-507, amend (3) as follows:

8-13.3-507.  Premiums - rules. (3) (a)  From January 1, 2023, through December 31, 20242025, the premium amount is nine-tenths of one percent of wages per employee.

(b)  For the 2025 calendar year, and each calendar year thereafter, the director shall set the premium based on a percent of employee wages and at the rate necessary to obtain a total amount of premium contributions equal to one hundred thirty-five percent of the benefits paid during the immediately preceding calendar year plus an amount equal to one hundred percent of the cost of administration of the payment of those benefits during the immediately preceding calendar year, less the amount of net assets remaining in the fund as of December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar yearFrom January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, the premium amount is eighty-eight hundredths of one percent of wages per employee.

(c)  For the 2027 calendar year and for each calendar year thereafter, on or before September 1 of the preceding year, the director shall adopt by rule the premium rate for the following calendar year. The director shall set the rate in a manner such that:

(I)  At the end of the calendar year during which the premium rate is effective, the balance of the fund is an amount not less than six months' worth of projected expenditures from the fund required for the performance of the functions and duties of the director;

(II)  The volatility of the premium rate is minimized; and

(III)  The premium shallamount does not exceed one and two tenths of a percent of wages per employee.

(d)  The division shall provide public notice in advance of January first1 of any changes to the premium.

SECTION 3.  Act subject to petition - effective date - applicability. (1)  This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.

(2)  This act applies to paid family and medical leave claimed on or after the applicable effective date of this act.