BY SENATOR(S) Winter F. and Jodeh, Cutter, Danielson, Exum, Hinrichsen, Kipp, Michaelson Jenet, Sullivan, Wallace;
also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Lindstedt and Froelich, Bird, Boesenecker, Brown, Clifford, Jackson, Lindsay, Mabrey, Rutinel, Sirota, Valdez, Duran, Espenoza, Lieder, McCormick, Phillips, Woodrow.
Concerning transit reform, and, in connection therewith, creating study, planning, and reporting requirements; increasing coordination among transit agencies, government, and planning organizations; authorizing the regional transportation district to enter into service partnership agreements; creating a regional transportation district accountability committee; requiring the regional transportation district to emphasize ridership growth, worker retention, safety, and statewide climate goals; and making an appropriation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-9-102, add (2) as follows:
32-9-102. Legislative declaration. (2) The general assembly further finds and declares that:
(a) Transportation is critical to daily life and commerce, yet our methods contribute to several challenges facing the region, including air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, affordability, public health, safety, accessibility, and equity;
(b) Expanding mass transportation presents a vital opportunity to reduce household transportation costs, decrease pollution, reduce congestion, minimize fatalities and serious injuries while improving access to key destinations, particularly for transit-reliant populations, and stimulate regional economic development; and
(c) Therefore, the regional transportation district shall prioritize providing fast, frequent, reliable, and safe service to maximize ridership levels across the region.
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-9-119, amend (1) introductory portion and (1)(y); and add (1)(z) as follows:
32-9-119. Additional powers of district. (1) In addition to any other powers granted to the district in this articlearticle 9, the district has the following powers:
(y) To exercise all or any part or combination of the powers granted in this articlearticle 9; and
(z) To enter into a service partnership agreement with a local government, institution of higher education, business or housing entity, or special district to expand services within the district's service territory, or beyond the boundaries of the district as authorized by law, by:
(I) Sharing resources and the means of providing transportation system projects or services; or
(II) Cooperating on the research, development, or implementation of transportation system projects or services.
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-9-119.7, amend (8); repeal (1); and add (10), (11), (12), and (13) as follows:
32-9-119.7. Cost efficiency of transit services - climate goals - employee retention goals - reporting - plans - repeal. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that surface transportation in the Denver metropolitan area is a major problem confronting not only the citizens of the metropolitan area but also the citizens of the entire state of Colorado. The general assembly further finds that, although mass transportation is one component of an effective surface transportation system, the allocation of resources to mass transportation must be made in light of all surface transportation needs. The general assembly further finds that the district should be organized efficiently, economically, and on a demand-responsive basis and that the district should consider least-cost alternatives in discharging its responsibilities.
(8) (a) The district shall prioritize completion of the northwest rail line to Longmont and the north lines of the transportation expansion plan, adopted by the board and approved by the voters on November 2, 2004, which shallmust include cooperating and actively partnering with the state and the front range passenger rail district and recognizing the state's plan to fund and execute the northwest rail line in order to take advantage of any available federal funding opportunities.
(b) On or before July 1, 2025December 1, 2025, the district shall submit a report to the governor and the general assembly that demonstrates how the district will fulfill the district's commitment in the transportation expansion plan, adopted by the board and approved by the voters on November 2, 2004, to complete the transportation expansion routes proposed in the transportation expansion plan by December 31, 2034. On or before December 15, 2025, the district shall present the report both to the transportation legislation review committee and at a meeting of the board that is open to the public. The report must include:
(I) An explanation of how the district is optimizing available funding to complete the transportation expansion plan to deliver service on the fixed guideway mass transit system described in section 32-9-107.5 (1)(e)(I) by January 1, 2029; and
(II) An analysis of:
(A) The available debt service that was authorized by the voters;
(B) The potential use of certificates of participation;
(C) New partnership with the state on a collaborative approach to funding service on the fixed guideway mass transit system described in section 32-9-107.5 (1)(e)(I); and
(D) Opportunities to pursue funding from the clean fleet enterprise created in section 25-7.5-103 that may offset planned expenses.
(c) On or before September 30, 2025, the district shall convene local and regional stakeholders and conduct formal, comprehensive, and verifiable community outreach to inform the report required by subsection (8)(b) of this section. Stakeholders must include local government officials and environmental community justice organizations, transit-dependent residents, employers, and residents at large.
(d) If the district has not completed the fixed guideway mass transit system described in section 32-9-107 (1)(e)(I), as proposed in the transportation expansion plan, and begun service by January 1, 2029, the district shall report to the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees, and the governor on the reasons why such service has not begun and shall provide a detailed plan for providing service. If such report and plan are required by this subsection (8)(d), the district shall provide the first report and plan no later than January 1, 2029, and shall provide an updated report and plan each six months thereafter until service is initiated.
(10) In discharging its responsibilities, the district shall align with the greenhouse gas reduction targets set forth in section 25-7-102 (2)(g); the goals set forth in the governor's "Transportation Vision 2035", which includes an eighty-three percent increase in transit service by 2035; and the mode choice targets developed pursuant to section 43-1-138, as added by Senate Bill 25-030, enacted in 2025. The district shall develop performance measures to evaluate its progress in aligning with these state climate goals. In assessing climate impact, the district shall consider the extent to which its services reduce vehicle miles traveled by increasing transit ridership and encouraging the development of dense, walkable, and less car-dependent communities near transit stations and corridors throughout the district's geographic service area.
(11) The district shall establish goals for employee retention. The district shall develop performance measures to evaluate its progress toward its employee retention goals.
(12) The district shall adhere to the requirements of "General Directive 24-1: Required Actions Regarding Assaults on Transit Workers", issued on September 25, 2024, by the federal transit administration of the United States department of transportation.
(13) (a) On or before December 15, 2025, the district shall report to the transportation legislation review committee created in section 43-2-145 (1)(a) on the district's five-year financial forecast, debt capacity, and use of agency reserve accounts. The report must include a comparison of comparable transit agencies in other states.
(b) This subsection (13) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 32-9-165, 32-9-166, 32-9-167, and 32-9-168 as follows:
32-9-165. Planning - ten-year plan - comprehensive operational analysis - reporting - funding study - transit-oriented community infrastructure. (1) Ten-year strategic plan. (a) No later than September 30, 2026, the district shall create a ten-year strategic plan. The plan must:
(I) In collaboration with local governments and the district subregional service councils, identify performance measures and targets for service, ridership, enrollment in the district's EcoPass program and income-based fare discount program, and the percentages of residences and jobs within one-quarter mile of a frequent transit route. The performance measures and targets must align with state and regional goals for mode choice, land use, climate, equity, and safety;
(II) Identify transportation facilities and services, including the expansion or improvement of existing facilities and services, required to meet service and ridership goals throughout the district's geographic service area over the ten-year period;
(III) Include a fiscally constrained plan outlining the transit projects and services that are expected to be funded with the current budget, which must be updated periodically if the funding picture changes substantially;
(IV) Include a fiscally unconstrained option that describes service and investments needed to meet the district's identified performance measures and targets for service, ridership, and the percentages of residences and jobs within one-quarter mile of a frequent transit route; and
(V) Identify expected environmental, social, and economic impacts of the recommendations contained in the transportation plan.
(b) For each service, facility, or capital project identified in the ten-year plan, the plan must specify and regularly update as circumstances change:
(I) The time frame during which the project is expected to be completed;
(II) The total estimated amount of funding required to complete the project; and
(III) Funding opportunities that account for the total estimated amount of funding for the project, including the amount of funding from each funding source that has been allocated for the project or is anticipated to be allocated for the project.
(c) The district shall update the ten-year strategic plan in conjunction with each major update to the Denver regional council of governments regional transportation plan.
(d) In creating the ten-year strategic plan, the district shall coordinate with the department of transportation, the Denver regional council of governments, and local governments within the district's service territory.
(e) In conjunction with the creation of its ten-year strategic plan, the district shall study and identify or contract with a third party to study and identify opportunities to increase the district's funding to achieve the goals, measures, and targets identified in the ten-year strategic plan.
(2) Comprehensive operational analysis.No later than April 10, 2026, and no less frequently than every five years thereafter, the district shall create a comprehensive operational analysis. The analysis must:
(a) Assess existing services and travel patterns;
(b) Evaluate the district's financial capacity and funding opportunities;
(c) Identify specific transit routes or services for implementation as identified in the fiscally constrained projects list of the applicable ten-year plan required by subsection (1) of this section; and
(d) Make recommendations on achieving the goals identified in the applicable ten-year plan required by subsection (1) of this section.
(3) Reports. (a) (I) During each legislative interim, the district shall present a report on its progress in delivering the projects identified in the ten-year strategic plan described in subsection (1) of this section and the comprehensive operational analysis described in subsection (2) of this section to the transportation legislation review committee created in section 43-2-145 (1)(a). As part of the report, the district shall provide guidance to the committee as to how to access and understand the plan and analysis, and the committee may, if it determines that the plan or analysis does not include all the information required by subsection (1) or (2) of this section, instruct the district to ensure that any missing information is promptly added.
(II) Notwithstanding the requirement in section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the requirement to submit the report required in this subsection (3) continues indefinitely.
(b) The district shall report quarterly to its board of directors on its progress in developing and delivering the ten-year strategic plan described in subsection (1) of this section and the comprehensive operational analysis described in subsection (2) of this section.
(4) Transit-oriented community infrastructure.The district shall periodically notify the Denver regional council of governments and the department of local affairs of any known infrastructure gaps that exist within a transit center, as defined in section 29-35-202 (9), within the district's service territory.
32-9-166. Information dashboards. (1) The district shall create, maintain, and publish on its public website:
(a) A public accountability dashboard that shows:
(I) By transit route:
(A) Data on ridership, including total ridership and weekend and weekday ridership;
(B) On-time performance, including a clear definition of what constitutes on-time performance;
(C) Farebox recovery ratio;
(D) Boardings per hour; and
(E) Reliability of service; and
(II) Progress toward meeting performance targets relating to ridership growth and service provision;
(b) A public accountability dashboard that shows the district's workforce statistics regarding employee retention, recruitment, and vacancies;
(c) A public accountability dashboard on transit safety, including data on passenger safety and driver safety;
(d) A public accountability dashboard that provides, at a minimum, accessible and transparent summary information regarding each of the district's in-progress capital projects that exceeds ten million dollars; the funding status of each project, including the project's total funding and expenditures to date; and the district's progress toward the completion of each project;
(e) A summary page for planned service changes that includes detailed timing changes; the reasons for any planned changes; and the impacts of the planned changes, including effects on local transfers; and
(f) The district's progress toward meeting the performance measures and targets identified in its ten-year strategic plan pursuant to section 32-5-165 (1). The district shall update this progress on a quarterly basis.
(2) The district shall first create and publish the information required by subsection (1) of this section no later than December 1, 2025.
(3) The district shall review and update the dashboards at least quarterly.
32-9-167. Required policy updates - service policies and standards - equitable transit-oriented development policy - service buy-up policy - communication protocols - parking policies and strategies. (1) On or before December 31, 2025, and every two years thereafter, the district shall update its service policies and standards to:
(a) Define and map transit propensity based on population density, income, diversity, motor vehicle ownership, and other characteristics that influence transit ridership;
(b) Establish a clear and transparent process for service changes, under which proposed changes include publicly accessible information outlining the reasons for the changes and how they align with identified performance measures and the comprehensive operational analysis;
(c) Work with entities hosting special events to facilitate increased ridership to and from the events, so long as the facilitation of increased ridership is additive to existing service; and
(d) Evaluate and set clear and objective standards for the productivity of existing routes and services, including providing for service adjustments on those routes if they do not meet the identified standards.
(2) On or before April 10, 2026, the district shall update its equitable transit-oriented development policy to:
(a) Align with applicable transit-oriented policies and housing opportunity goals as described in part 2 of article 35 of title 29;
(b) Align with applicable local government parking requirements as described in part 3 of article 35 of title 29; and
(c) Enable the development of affordable housing and dense, walkable, mixed-used communities near transit stations and routes.
(3) (a) On or before December 31, 2025, the district shall update its service buy-up policy in consultation with stakeholders, including local governments, to outline a process for local governments and business partners to propose to purchase additional services from the district.
(b) The district shall evaluate these additional service proposals and, where feasible, create plans to accommodate the proposals.
(4) On or before December 31, 2025, the district shall create and periodically update, as necessary, a policy outlining communication protocols for:
(a) Planned and unplanned service disruptions;
(b) Service substitutions; and
(c) Contingency plans for service disruptions and substitutions.
(5) The district shall work with local governments within its service territory to implement parking and transportation demand management strategies and policies to optimize the use of new and existing parking supply, as identified in the best practices and technical assistance materials developed pursuant to section 29-35-305.
32-9-168. EcoPass program - bulk purchasers - apartment building survey - report - definitions - repeal. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Bulk purchaser" means an entity that has a legal relationship with and that provides goods or services to a group of employees, residents, or members. "Bulk purchaser" includes, without limitation, an employer, a building owner or manager, a local government, a business improvement district, a business or trade association, a homeowners' association, a neighborhood association, a nonprofit organization, or any combination of such entities.
(b) "Covered development" means a development that contains or is intended to contain fifty units or more, that is in an area covered by the requirements of part 3 of article 35 of title 29, and that has received land use approval for a multifamily residential development; adaptive re-use for residential purposes; or adaptive re-use mixed-use purposes that include at least fifty percent of use for residential purposes.
(c) "EcoPass program" means a program operated by the district that provides annual prepaid transit passes for unlimited usage of the district's transit services. "EcoPass program" includes the EcoPass and Neighborhood EcoPass programs, or their successor programs.
(2) (a) The district shall administer an outreach program to promote the EcoPass program to bulk purchasers. In conducting outreach, the district shall present the following information to the bulk purchaser:
(I) Succinct information on current and planned transit service within the area relevant to the bulk purchaser, including information on the proximity, frequency, and popularity of applicable transit routes; and
(II) The estimated per-user cost expressed in per-year and per-month terms. If the bulk purchaser is an employer, the per-user cost must include the amount of the alternative transportation options tax credit allowed pursuant to section 39-22-509.
(b) The outreach program must include periodic proactive outreach to bulk purchasers. In conducting proactive outreach, the district shall prioritize bulk purchasers in and near transit centers, as defined in section 29-35-202 (9), neighborhood centers, as defined in section 29-35-202 (5), and applicable transit service areas, as defined in section 29-35-302 (3).
(c) The district shall conduct the outreach program in coordination with the Denver regional council of governments and with transportation management associations that partner with the Denver regional council of government's "Way to Go" program.
(d) The district shall provide transparent and accessible pricing information for the EcoPass program on its public-facing website, which must include any geographic price differentiation.
(3) (a) The district shall, to the greatest extent feasible, minimize the administrative workload for bulk purchasers and the recipients of bulk-purchased EcoPasses, including the bulk purchaser's employees, residents, or members.
(b) The district shall, to the greatest extent feasible, enroll all recipients of bulk-purchased EcoPasses at one time, rather than enrolling a bulk purchaser's employees, residents, or members on an individual basis.
(c) The district shall, to the greatest extent feasible, allow a group of related bulk purchasers that seeks to provide bulk-purchased EcoPasses to employees, residents, or members of each related bulk purchaser to apply with one application for enrollment in the EcoPass Program.
(d) (I) The district shall update the neighborhood EcoPass program pricing strategy by July 1, 2026.
(II) This subsection (3)(d) is repealed, effective January 1, 2027.
(e) The district shall compensate a bulk purchaser of a neighborhood EcoPass to defray administrative costs at a reasonable amount and through a method determined by the district.
(f) The district shall, to the greatest extent feasible, minimize the administrative workload for bulk purchasers and the recipients of bulk-purchased EcoPasses, as well as take steps to improve utilization by EcoPass holders, by including guaranteed ride home services along with each bulk EcoPass.
(4) (a) No later than June 30, 2026, or one year after the date that the first resident moves into a covered development, whichever is later, the covered development shall survey its residents about the residents' interest in having the covered development provide bulk-purchased EcoPasses to its residents; except that a covered development is not required to survey its residents if the covered development already provides bulk-purchased EcoPasses to its residents by the date that the survey would have been required by this subsection (4)(a). The survey must include the per-user cost of the bulk-purchased EcoPasses, as provided by the district.
(b) If a majority of respondents respond to the survey that they would like the covered development to provide bulk-purchased EcoPasses, the covered development shall enroll in the EcoPass program for its residents. The owner or manager of the covered development is the centralized payer of the costs and fees associated with the EcoPass program, which it may recoup from its residents.
(c) On or before January 1, 2026, the district shall create and publish an online survey tool that covered developments may use to conduct the survey required by this subsection (4).
(5) (a) On or before January 31, 2026, and on or before each January 31 thereafter, the district shall report on the EcoPass program to a joint session of the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees. The report must include information concerning:
(I) The district's outreach efforts, as described in subsection (2) of this section, including quantitative details on the district's proactive outreach;
(II) The district's administrative efforts, as described in subsection (3) of this section; and
(III) The survey required for covered developments, as described in subsection (4) of this section, including the number and results of the surveys conducted.
(b) Notwithstanding the requirement in section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the requirement to submit the report required in this subsection (5)(a) continues indefinitely.
SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 43-1-106, amend (15) introductory portion; and add (15)(f) as follows:
43-1-106. Transportation commission - efficiency and accountability committee - powers and duties - report - rules - definitions. (15) In addition to any other duties required by law, the commission shall havehas the following charges:
(f) On or before March 31, 2026, to develop and publish best practices and technical assistance materials concerning the creation of regional transportation authorities pursuant to the "Regional Transportation Authority Law", part 6 of article 4 of this title 43, to increase funding for transit and to provide additional transit services within the state.
SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-9-109.5, amend (4) as follows:
32-9-109.5. Board of directors - membership - powers. (4) All powers, duties, functions, rights, and privileges vested in the district shall be exercised and performed by the board; except that the exercise of any executive, administrative, or ministerial powers may be delegated by the board to officers and employees of the district. These powers, duties, functions, rights, and privileges include, in addition to any other powers and duties specified in this article 9:
(a) Setting policy objectives to be implemented by employees of the district;
(b) Hiring and managing the district's general manager and chief executive officer;
(c) Overseeing the district's general counsel;
(d) Developing, adopting, and overseeing the district's budget, including an annual capital budget with project costs and financing mechanisms;
(e) Developing and approving the district's ten-year strategic plan and comprehensive operational analysis;
(f) Engaging with constituents, local governments, the department of transportation, the Denver regional council of governments, transit agencies, and community partners to obtain input and feedback on the district's decisions and operations;
(g) Pursuing opportunities to grow transit ridership and make transit services competitive with driving;
(h) Developing and promoting strategies and legislation to ensure that the district has the resources it needs to implement its strategic ten-year plan;
(i) Meeting quarterly with the department of transportation and with the Denver regional council of governments and meeting biannually with any labor organization, as defined in 24-34-401 (6), that represents some or all district employees;
(j) Performing an annual review of the district's chief financial officer, in the district's discretion; and
(k) Conducting an annual financial audit of the district.
SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 32-9-111, add (5)(g) as follows:
32-9-111. Election of directors - dates - terms. (5) (g) (I) A candidate for elected director is not eligible for election as a write-in candidate.
(II) (A) If, for any district election, there is not a candidate for director who is nominated for election pursuant to this section, a director is appointed in lieu of the director being elected by the eligible electors of the district. In such case, a director is appointed by the board of county commissioners of the county in which the director district is located or, in the case of a director district in a city and county, the director is appointed by the mayor of the city and county with the approval of the city council. In the case of a director district that contains territory in two or more counties, or in a city and county and in one or more counties, a director is appointed by the board of county commissioners of the county in which the largest number of eligible electors of the director district reside; except that, if the largest number of eligible electors of the director district reside in the city and county, the director is appointed by the mayor of the city and county with the approval of the city council.
(B) A director appointed pursuant to this subsection (5)(g)(II) serves until the next regular November election, at which the director position is filled by election pursuant to this section.
SECTION 8. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-38.5-124 as follows:
24-38.5-124. Regional transportation district accountability committee - creation - membership - report - definitions - repeal. (1) Definitions.As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Colorado energy office" or "office" means the Colorado energy office created in section 24-38.5-101.
(b) "District" means the regional transportation district created in article 9 of title 32.
(c) "RTD accountability committee" or "committee" means the regional transportation district accountability committee created in subsection (2) of this section.
(2) Membership. (a) There is created in the Colorado energy office the regional transportation district accountability committee. The purpose of the committee is to evaluate and make recommendations concerning the district as described in subsection (3) of this section.
(b) The committee consists of fourteen voting members and one ex officio nonvoting member as follows:
(I) Six voting members appointed by the governor, including one member who is a former member of the board of directors of the district, one member who is a current member of the board of directors of the district, and four members who collectively have expertise in the following areas:
(A) Local government within the district's service area;
(B) Financial planning and management;
(C) Multimodal transportation; and
(D) Environmental organization;
(II) Three voting members appointed by the president of the senate, including one member who is twenty-two years of age or younger and who uses district services, and two members who collectively have expertise in the following areas:
(A) Workforce development; and
(B) Transportation equity;
(III) One voting member who has expertise in economic development, appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(IV) Three voting members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, including:
(A) One member who represents transit riders with disabilities;
(B) One member who represents the labor organization that represents a plurality of transit workers of the district; and
(C) One member who has expertise in urban planning;
(V) One voting member who has expertise in safety for the public and transit workers, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; and
(VI) One ex officio nonvoting member who is a current member of the board of directors of the district, appointed by the board of directors of the district.
(c) The committee shall select one of its members to serve as chair of the committee.
(d) (I) The appointing authorities shall make the appointments described in subsection (2) of this section no later than August 1, 2025.
(II) Each member of the committee serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority. The term of appointment is for the duration of the committee's existence.
(III) If a vacancy occurs on the committee for any reason, the original appointing authority shall appoint an individual to fill the vacancy as soon as possible after the vacancy occurs. In making the vacancy appointment, the appointing authority shall ensure that the committee maintains the expertise required by subsection (2)(b)(II) of this section.
(e) Each member of the committee serves without compensation.
(f) Members of the committee may participate remotely in committee meetings and other activities.
(g) The office shall be available to assist the committee in carrying out its duties. The office may adopt internal procedures to ensure that the committee's work is conducted in an orderly, timely, and goal-oriented manner aligned with its statutory purpose.
(3) Evaluation and recommendations. (a) The purpose of the committee is to evaluate and make recommendations on:
(I) The governance structure of the board of directors and executive leadership of the district;
(II) Compensation for the board of directors and executive leadership of the district;
(III) The paratransit services provided within the district's geographic service area. As used in this subsection (3)(a)(III), "paratransit services" means complementary parallel transit services for individuals with disabilities who are unable to utilize regular or fixed-route transit services for some or all of their transit needs.
(IV) How transit services within the district can be expanded while ensuring good-paying jobs with benefits for transit service and maintenance providers, given state investments to expand transit in the state;
(V) How transit services within the district may be served by implementing employer harmony agreements that protect against labor disputes and other disruptions that can lead to workforce retention challenges and service reliability and safety concerns;
(VI) The representation of local governments and state agencies within the district; and
(VII) The district's workforce retention.
(b) The committee's work is intended to build on the work of the previous RTD accountability committee created in 2020. The committee should begin its evaluation pursuant to this subsection (3) with an assessment of the status of each recommendation included in the previous RTD accountability committee's July 2021 final report, including assessment of existing district subregional service councils and identification of opportunities to improve the scope and effectiveness of the service councils.
(c) On or before January 30, 2026, the committee shall submit a report to the governor, the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee, and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees, that includes a summary of the work accomplished by the RTD accountability committee, the findings of its evaluation, and any recommendations to the general assembly concerning matters evaluated by the committee.
(4) Repeal.This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 9. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 43-4-1204, amend (3)(c)(I), (3)(d) introductory portion, (3)(d)(II)(A), (3)(d)(II)(B), and (3)(d)(II)(C); and add (3)(e) as follows:
43-4-1204. Production fee for clean transit imposed by the enterprise - local transit operations program - local transit grant program - rail funding program - cash funds - report. (3) (c) Pursuant to the purposes of the local transit operations program, the enterprise shall allocate money from the local transit operations cash fund to eligible entities using a formula developed by the board, which shall be based on population, population density, local zoning, transit ridership, vehicle revenue miles, share of disproportionately impacted community population, and other transit-related criteria. An eligible entity that is awarded money from the local transit operations cash fund shall:
(I) Prior to receiving any money, submit the eligible entity's most recent service improvement plan or system optimization plancomprehensive operational analysis to the board and describe how the money would be used to expand transit service, increase transit frequency, improve system-wide transit connectivity, and meet the other purposes described in subsection (3)(b) of this section;
(d) An eligible entity, except for a nonprofit organization, awarded money pursuant to subsection (3)(c) of this section that provides service to areas with a population of one million individuals or more shall:
(II) Create, maintain, and regularly update the following on the eligible entity's website:
(A) An annual update regarding the eligible entity's financial plan that includes a detailed report of all the eligible entity's capital projects that are in progress and that exceed ten million dollars;
(B) A quarterly update regarding all of the eligible entity's capital projects that are in progress and that exceed ten million dollars, including a project schedule and project expenditure information for each project;
(C) A public accountability dashboard that provides, at a minimum, accessible and transparent summary information regarding each of the eligible entity's capital projects that is in progress and that exceeds ten million dollars; the funding status of each project, including the project's total funding and expenditures to date; and the eligible entity's progress toward the completion of each project;
(e) For money awarded pursuant to subsection (3)(c) of this section that is awarded no later than the state fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2025, an eligible entity may be exempt from the reporting requirements of subsections (3)(c)(I) and (3)(d) of this section, in the enterprise's discretion, if the eligible entity submits to the enterprise by July 1, 2025, a plan outlining how it will meet the reporting requirements.
SECTION 10. Appropriation. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, $146,720 is appropriated to the office of the governor for use by the Colorado energy office. This appropriation is from the general fund and is based on an assumption that the office will require an additional 0.1 FTE. To implement this act, the office may use this appropriation for program administration.
SECTION 11. Safety clause. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.
Signed By: James Rashad Coleman, Sr., President of the Senate
Signed By: Julie McCluskie, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Signed By: Esther van Mourik, Secretary of the Senate
Signed By: Vanessa Reilly, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives
Signed By: Jared S. Polis, Governor of the State of Colorado