House Bill 25-1290

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Lindstedt and Valdez, Bird, Boesenecker, Lieder, Phillips, McCluskie, Duran;

also SENATOR(S) Mullica and Kirkmeyer, Amabile, Ball, Bridges, Cutter, Daugherty, Exum, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Kipp, Marchman, Michaelson Jenet, Roberts, Wallace, Weissman, Coleman.

Concerning transit worker safety.

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

SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-9-101, add (3) as follows:

18-9-101.  Definitions. As used in this part 1, unless the context otherwise requires:

(3)  "Transit worker" means a bus operator, train operator, ticket inspector, conductor, station customer assistant, or a person whose official duties include the maintenance, repair, inspection, troubleshooting, testing, or cleaning of buses, trains, or facilities of a mass transportation system, as defined in section 32-9-103, or a commuter rail agency, authority, or company, public or private, whose operation is authorized by the state, whether the person is employed by a political subdivision or a private entity.

SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-9-111, amend (1) introductory portion, (1)(h), and (2)(a); and add (1)(i) as follows:

18-9-111.  Harassment - Kiana Arellano's Law. (1)  A person commits harassment if, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another person, he or shethe person:

(h)  Repeatedly insults, taunts, challenges, or makes communications in offensively coarse language to another in a manner likely to provoke a violent or disorderly response; or

(i)  Wrongfully interferes with a transit worker performing a lawful duty.

(2) (a)  A person who violates subsection (1)(a), or (1)(c), or (1)(i) of this section or violates any provision of subsection (1) of this section with the intent to intimidate or harass another person, in whole or in part, because of that person's actual or perceived race; color; religion; ancestry; national origin; physical or mental disability, as defined in section 18-9-121; sexual orientation, as defined in section 18-9-121; or transgender identity commits a class 1 misdemeanor.

SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-4.1-302, add (1)(cc.2) as follows:

24-4.1-302.  Definitions. As used in this part 3, and for no other purpose, including the expansion of the rights of any defendant:

(1)  "Crime" means any of the following offenses, acts, and violations as defined by the statutes of the state of Colorado, whether committed by an adult or a juvenile:

(cc.2)  Harassment in violation of section 18-9-111 (1)(i);

SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-9-160, amend (1); and add (3) as follows:

32-9-160.  Misdemeanors - funding. (1)  Any person who wrongfully damages, injures, or destroys, or in any manner impairs the usefulness of any facility, property, structure, improvement, equipment, or other property of the district acquired under the provisions of this article 9, or who wrongfully interferes with any officer, agent, or employee of the district in the proper discharge of the officer's, agent's, or employee's duties, commits a class 2 misdemeanor.

(3)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a law enforcement agency may grant money received from the peace officer training and support fund to the regional transportation district, as described in this article 9, for training, equipment, and other purposes deemed necessary to ensure the safety of employees and patrons of the district.

SECTION 5.  Act subject to petition - effective date. 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.