House Bill 25-1030 Rerevised

A Bill for an Act

• Page 1, Line 101Concerning the requirement that certain building codes

• Page 1, Line 102have accessibility standards that are at least as

• Page 1, Line 103stringent as international building codes.

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.)

Beginning January 1, 2026, the bill requires a local government that adopts or substantially amends a building code to ensure that the building code meets or exceeds the accessibility standards in international building codes.

The bill also requires the division of fire prevention and control within the department of public safety to ensure that, when certain building codes pertaining to public school and heath facilities are substantially amended, the codes meet or exceed accessibility standards in international building codes.

The bill requires the state housing board to ensure that, when the uniform construction and maintenance standards for hotels, motels, and multiple dwellings in jurisdictions with no local building code are substantially updated, the standards meet or exceed the accessibility standards in international building codes. The bill also requires the state housing board to ensure that, when the recommendations for uniform housing standards and building codes to the general assembly and local governments are substantially updated, the codes meet or exceed the accessibility standards in international building codes.

• 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

• Page 2, Line 3finds and declares that:

• Page 2, Line 4(a)  Accessibility in building design is a fundamental right that

• Page 2, Line 5fosters inclusivity and equal opportunity for all individuals, particularly

• Page 2, Line 6those with disabilities. In alignment with article 9 of the United Nations

• Page 2, Line 7Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which emphasizes

• Page 2, Line 8the need for persons with disabilities to live independently and participate

• Page 2, Line 9fully in all aspects of life, Colorado recognizes the importance of creating

• Page 2, Line 10an accessible built environment.

• Page 2, Line 11(b)  It is crucial that Colorado's building codes incorporate

• Page 2, Line 12"Americans with Disabilities Act" and "Architectural Barriers Act"

• Page 2, Line 13standards, which require that buildings and facilities be accessible to

• Page 2, Line 14persons with disabilities;

• Page 2, Line 15(c)  Aligning local building codes with the internationally

• Page 2, Line 16recognized standards set forth by the International Building Code and

• Page 2, Line 17existing federal laws is crucial to ensure that all new constructions,

• Page 2, Line 18renovations, and alterations adhere to minimum accessibility

• Page 3, Line 1requirements;

• Page 3, Line 2(d)  This House Bill 25-1030 requires local governments to adopt

• Page 3, Line 3or amend local building codes to meet or exceed these necessary

• Page 3, Line 4international building code accessibility standards;

• Page 3, Line 5(e)  By identifying and eliminating obstacles to accessibility, the

• Page 3, Line 6general assembly can create a built environment that is welcoming and

• Page 3, Line 7accessible to everyone; and

• Page 3, Line 8(f)  By prioritizing accessibility in Colorado building codes, state

• Page 3, Line 9and local governments can promote the participation of persons with

• Page 3, Line 10disabilities in all aspects of community life, thereby enhancing the quality

• Page 3, Line 11of life for all Colorado residents.

• Page 3, Line 12(2)  Therefore, the general assembly declares that establishing

• Page 3, Line 13uniform accessibility standards in building codes is of mixed local and

• Page 3, Line 14statewide concern to ensure that all individuals may access the physical

• Page 3, Line 15environment, transportation, information, and communications on an

• Page 3, Line 16equal basis.

• Page 3, Line 17SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 30-28-204 as

• Page 3, Line 18follows:

• Page 3, Line 1930-28-204.  Amendment of building code. (1)  The board of

• Page 3, Line 20county commissioners from time to time by resolution may alter and

• Page 3, Line 21amend any county building code after public hearing, notice of which

• Page 3, Line 22hearing shall be given by at least one publication in a newspaper of

• Page 3, Line 23general circulation in the county at least fourteen days prior to said

• Page 3, Line 24hearing. In no case shall the area covered by the building code be

• Page 3, Line 25extended or changed unless the same has been proposed by or is first

• Page 3, Line 26submitted for the approval, disapproval, or suggestions of the county

• Page 3, Line 27planning commission. Unless the county planning commission acts within

• Page 4, Line 1thirty days, approval shall be assumed. The opinion of the county

• Page 4, Line 2planning commission shall be advisory only and not binding upon the

• Page 4, Line 3board of county commissioners.

• Page 4, Line 4(2)  When a board of county commissionersor a regional

• Page 4, Line 5building department operating through an intergovernmental

• Page 4, Line 6agreement with a board of county commissioners adopts or

• Page 4, Line 7substantially amends any county building code, or updatesan

• Page 4, Line 8already adopted building code witha succeeding version ofthe

• Page 4, Line 9international building code, the board or regional building

• Page 4, Line 10department shall ensure that the building code meets or

• Page 4, Line 11exceeds the accessibility standards adopted in one of the two

• Page 4, Line 12most recent versions of the international building code, as

• Page 4, Line 13adopted by the International Code Council or a successor

• Page 4, Line 14organization. Adoption of the energy-efficient building codes in

• Page 4, Line 15accordance with section30-28-211does not constitute a

• Page 4, Line 16substantial amendmentor updateto the building codes for

• Page 4, Line 17purposes of this subsection (2). The accessibility standards

• Page 4, Line 18adopted by a board of county commissionersor regional

• Page 4, Line 19building departmentin accordance with this subsection (2)

• Page 4, Line 20cannot provide less protection than what is required by the

• Page 4, Line 21federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990", 42 U.S.C. sec.

• Page 4, Line 2212101 et seq.

• Page 4, Line 23(3)  Therequirements for ensuring accessibility standards

• Page 4, Line 24in accordance with subsection (2) of this section do not apply to

• Page 4, Line 25one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes that comply with

• Page 4, Line 26the International Residential Code, as adopted by the

• Page 4, Line 27International Code Council or a successor organization, or

• Page 5, Line 1that comply with a local building code whose accessibility

• Page 5, Line 2standards are equivalent to the accessibility standards in the

• Page 5, Line 3International Residential Code.

• Page 5, Line 4SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 31-15-604 as

• Page 5, Line 5follows:

• Page 5, Line 631-15-604.  Building codes - minimum accessibility standards

• Page 5, Line 7required - international building codes.When a governing body of

• Page 5, Line 8a municipality or a regional building department operating

• Page 5, Line 9through an intergovernmental agreement with a governing

• Page 5, Line 10body of a municipality adopts or substantially amends any

• Page 5, Line 11municipal building code, or updatesan already adopted building

• Page 5, Line 12code witha succeeding version ofthe international building

• Page 5, Line 13code, the governing body or regional building department

• Page 5, Line 14shall ensure that the building code meets or exceeds the

• Page 5, Line 15accessibility standards adopted in one of the two most recent

• Page 5, Line 16versions of the international building code, as adopted by the

• Page 5, Line 17International Code Council or a successor organization.

• Page 5, Line 18Adoption of the energy-efficient building codes in accordance

• Page 5, Line 19with section31-15-602does not constitute a substantial

• Page 5, Line 20amendmentor updateto the building codes for purposes of this

• Page 5, Line 21section. Therequirements for ensuring accessibility standards

• Page 5, Line 22in accordance with this sectiondo not apply to one- and

• Page 5, Line 23two-family dwellings and townhomes that comply with the

• Page 5, Line 24International Residential Code, as adopted by the International

• Page 5, Line 25Code Council or a successor organization, or that comply with

• Page 5, Line 26a local building code whose accessibility standards are

• Page 5, Line 27equivalent to the accessibility standards in the International

• Page 6, Line 1Residential Code. The accessibility standards adopted by a

• Page 6, Line 2governing body of a municipalityor a regional building

• Page 6, Line 3departmentcannot provide less protection than what is

• Page 6, Line 4required by the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of

• Page 6, Line 51990", 42 U.S.C. sec. 12101 et seq.

• Page 6, Line 6SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33.5-1203,

• Page 6, Line 7amend (1)(p) and (1)(p.5) as follows:

• Page 6, Line 824-33.5-1203.  Duties of division. (1)  The division shall perform

• Page 6, Line 9the following duties:

• Page 6, Line 10(p)  Conduct construction plan reviews and inspect public school

• Page 6, Line 11and local district college buildings and structures and enforce the codes

• Page 6, Line 12adopted in accordance with sections 22-32-124 (2), and 23-71-122 (1)(v),

• Page 6, Line 13C.R.S., and sections 24-33.5-1213, and 24-33.5-1213.3. The division

• Page 6, Line 14shall ensure that when the codes adopted in accordance with

• Page 6, Line 15sections 22-32-124 (2), 23-71-122 (1)(v), 24-33.5-1213, and

• Page 6, Line 1624-33.5-1213.3 are substantially amended, the codes meet or

• Page 6, Line 17exceed the accessibility standards adopted by one of the two

• Page 6, Line 18most recent versions of the international building code, as

• Page 6, Line 19adopted by the International Code Council or a successor

• Page 6, Line 20organization.

• Page 6, Line 21(p.5)  When there is no local building department or fire

• Page 6, Line 22department, or for facilities certified or potentially eligible for

• Page 6, Line 23certification by the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services,

• Page 6, Line 24conduct construction plan reviews and inspections of health facility

• Page 6, Line 25buildings and structures, enforce the codes in accordance with sections

• Page 6, Line 2624-33.5-1212.5 and 24-33.5-1213, and issue certificates of compliance

• Page 6, Line 27for such buildings and structures. The division shall ensure that

• Page 7, Line 1when the codes adopted in accordance with sections

• Page 7, Line 224-33.5-1212.5 and 24-33.5-1213 are substantially amended, the

• Page 7, Line 3codes meet or exceed the accessibility standards adopted by one

• Page 7, Line 4of the two most recent versions of the international building

• Page 7, Line 5code, as adopted by the International Code Council or a

• Page 7, Line 6successor organization.

• Page 7, Line 7SECTION 5.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-32-707, add (1.5)

• Page 7, Line 8as follows:

• Page 7, Line 924-32-707.  Powers of board. (1.5)  The board shall ensure

• Page 7, Line 10that when the standards and codes prescribed in subsections

• Page 7, Line 11(1)(b) and (1)(c) of this section are substantially amended,the

• Page 7, Line 12standards and codes meet or exceed the accessibility

• Page 7, Line 13requirements in one of the two most recent versions of the

• Page 7, Line 14international building code, as adopted by the International

• Page 7, Line 15Code Council or a successor organization.

• Page 7, Line 16SECTION 6.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act

• Page 7, Line 17takes effect January 1, 2026; except that, if a referendum petition is filed

• Page 7, Line 18pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this

• Page 7, Line 19act or an item, section, or part of this act within the ninety-day period

• Page 7, Line 20after final adjournment of the general assembly, then the act, item,

• Page 7, Line 21section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the

• Page 7, Line 22general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take

• Page 7, Line 23effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the

• Page 7, Line 24governor.