House Bill 25-1030 Reengrossed

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 commissioners adopts or

• Page 4, Line 5substantially amends any county building code, or updates to

• Page 4, Line 6a succeeding version of an already adopted building code, the

• Page 4, Line 7board shall ensure that the building code meets or exceeds the

• Page 4, Line 8accessibility standards adopted in one of the two most recent

• Page 4, Line 9versions of the international building code, as adopted by the

• Page 4, Line 10International Code Council or a successor organization.

• Page 4, Line 11Adoption of the energy-efficient building codes in accordance

• Page 4, Line 12with section 24-38.5-401 (5) does not constitute a substantial

• Page 4, Line 13amendment to the building codes for purposes of this subsection

• Page 4, Line 14(2). The accessibility standards adopted by a board of county

• Page 4, Line 15commissioners in accordance with this subsection (2) cannot

• Page 4, Line 16provide less protection than what is required by the federal

• Page 4, Line 17"Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990", 42 U.S.C. sec. 12101 et

• Page 4, Line 18seq.

• Page 4, Line 19(3)  The accessibility standards requirements in

• Page 4, Line 20accordance with subsection (2) of this section do not apply to

• Page 4, Line 21one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes that comply with

• Page 4, Line 22the International Residential Code, as adopted by the

• Page 4, Line 23International Code Council or a successor organization, or

• Page 4, Line 24that comply with a local building code whose accessibility

• Page 4, Line 25standards are equivalent to the accessibility standards in the

• Page 4, Line 26International Residential Code.

• Page 4, Line 27SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 31-15-604 as

• Page 5, Line 1follows:

• Page 5, Line 231-15-604.  Building codes - minimum accessibility standards

• Page 5, Line 3required - international building codes.When a governing body of

• Page 5, Line 4a municipality adopts or substantially amends any municipal

• Page 5, Line 5building code, or updates to a succeeding version of an already

• Page 5, Line 6adopted building code, the governing body shall ensure that the

• Page 5, Line 7building code meets or exceeds the accessibility standards

• Page 5, Line 8adopted in one of the two most recent versions of the

• Page 5, Line 9international building code, as adopted by the International

• Page 5, Line 10Code Council or a successor organization.Adoption of the

• Page 5, Line 11energy-efficient building codes in accordance with section

• Page 5, Line 1224-38.5-401 (5) does not constitute a substantial amendment to

• Page 5, Line 13the building codes for purposes of this section. The accessibility

• Page 5, Line 14standards requirements do not apply to one- and two-family

• Page 5, Line 15dwellings and townhomes that comply with the International

• Page 5, Line 16Residential Code, as adopted by the International Code Council

• Page 5, Line 17or a successor organization, or that comply with a local

• Page 5, Line 18building code whose accessibility standards are equivalent to

• Page 5, Line 19the accessibility standards in the International Residential

• Page 5, Line 20Code. The accessibility standards adopted by a governing body

• Page 5, Line 21of a municipality cannot provide less protection than what is

• Page 5, Line 22required by the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of

• Page 5, Line 231990", 42 U.S.C. sec. 12101 et seq.

• Page 5, Line 24SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33.5-1203,

• Page 5, Line 25amend (1)(p) and (1)(p.5) as follows:

• Page 5, Line 2624-33.5-1203.  Duties of division. (1)  The division shall perform

• Page 5, Line 27the following duties:

• Page 6, Line 1(p)  Conduct construction plan reviews and inspect public school

• Page 6, Line 2and local district college buildings and structures and enforce the codes

• Page 6, Line 3adopted in accordance with sections 22-32-124 (2), and 23-71-122 (1)(v),

• Page 6, Line 4C.R.S., and sections 24-33.5-1213, and 24-33.5-1213.3. The division

• Page 6, Line 5shall ensure that when the codes adopted in accordance with

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

• Page 6, Line 724-33.5-1213.3 are substantially amended, the codes meet or

• Page 6, Line 8exceed the accessibility standards adopted by one of the two

• Page 6, Line 9most recent versions of the international building code, as

• Page 6, Line 10adopted by the International Code Council or a successor

• Page 6, Line 11organization.

• Page 6, Line 12(p.5)  When there is no local building department or fire

• Page 6, Line 13department, or for facilities certified or potentially eligible for

• Page 6, Line 14certification by the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services,

• Page 6, Line 15conduct construction plan reviews and inspections of health facility

• Page 6, Line 16buildings and structures, enforce the codes in accordance with sections

• Page 6, Line 1724-33.5-1212.5 and 24-33.5-1213, and issue certificates of compliance

• Page 6, Line 18for such buildings and structures. The division shall ensure that

• Page 6, Line 19when the codes adopted in accordance with sections

• Page 6, Line 2024-33.5-1212.5 and 24-33.5-1213 are substantially updated, the

• Page 6, Line 21codes meet or exceed the accessibility standards adopted by one

• Page 6, Line 22of the two most recent versions of the international building

• Page 6, Line 23code, as adopted by the International Code Council or a

• Page 6, Line 24successor organization.

• Page 6, Line 25SECTION 5.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-32-707, add (1.5)

• Page 6, Line 26as follows:

• Page 6, Line 2724-32-707.  Powers of board. (1.5)  The board shall ensure

• Page 7, Line 1that when the standards and codes prescribed in subsections

• Page 7, Line 2(1)(b) and (1)(c) of this section are substantially updated, the

• Page 7, Line 3standards and codes meet or exceed the accessibility

• Page 7, Line 4requirements in one of the two most recent versions of the

• Page 7, Line 5international building code, as adopted by the International

• Page 7, Line 6Code Council or a successor organization.

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

• Page 7, Line 8takes effect January 1, 2026; except that, if a referendum petition is filed

• Page 7, Line 9pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this

• Page 7, Line 10act or an item, section, or part of this act within the ninety-day period

• Page 7, Line 11after final adjournment of the general assembly, then the act, item,

• Page 7, Line 12section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the

• Page 7, Line 13general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take

• Page 7, Line 14effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the

• Page 7, Line 15governor.