A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the establishment of a workforce advisory
Page 1, Line 102council to consider air quality control rules that
Page 1, Line 103impact workforce issues in affected industries.
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.)
The bill requires the executive director of the department of public health and environment (department) to establish a workforce advisory council (council) on or before August 1, 2025, for the purposes of:
- Discussing recommendations concerning the incorporation of workforce impact analyses into the rule-making procedures for rules that impact air quality;
- Recommending standard procedures for the department and the air quality control commission (commission) to follow when conducting workforce impact analyses for inclusion in rule-making procedures; and
- Determining if the establishment of a full-time workforce advocate position would add value to the air quality control rule-making process.
- Meet at least 4 times per year;
- Continue to advise the department on the impact of proposed air quality control rules on matters related to employment; and
- Make ongoing recommendations to the governor, the department, and the commission on legislative and regulatory air quality control policies that impact employment matters.
The bill requires the department to report the council's recommendations to the general assembly on or before January 15, 2026.
After January 15, 2026, the council is required to:
This Unofficial Version Includes Committee
Amendments Not Yet Adopted on Second Reading
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25-7-110.9 as
Page 2, Line 3follows:
Page 2, Line 425-7-110.9. Air quality control rule-making - economic impact
Page 2, Line 5analysis procedures - cost-benefit analyses - report - definitions -
Page 2, Line 6repeal. (1) As used in this section:
Page 2, Line 7(a) "Department" means the department of public health
Page 2, Line 8and environment.
Page 2, Line 9(b) "Disproportionately impacted community" has the
Page 2, Line 10meaning set forth in section 24-4-109 (2)(b)(II).
Page 2, Line 11(c) "Executive director" means the executive director of
Page 2, Line 12the department.
Page 2, Line 13(d) "Workforce impact" means the impact of air quality
Page 2, Line 14control rules proposed by the department, commission, or air
Page 3, Line 1pollution control division on employment that may result in job
Page 3, Line 2loss or gain, worker displacement, workforce transitions,
Page 3, Line 3expansion or downsizing of businesses, major industry-wide
Page 3, Line 4workforce change, disruption in operations, changes in
Page 3, Line 5workplace safety, an impact on the overall health of the
Page 3, Line 6workforce, or an economic impact to the state.
Page 3, Line 7(2) The executive director shall conduct an internal
Page 3, Line 8review of:
Page 3, Line 9(a) The economic impact analysis procedures used by the
Page 3, Line 10commission in the adoption of air quality control rules; and
Page 3, Line 11(b) The cost-benefit analyses conducted during the air
Page 3, Line 12quality control rule-making process pursuant to section
Page 3, Line 1324-4-103 (2.5).
Page 3, Line 14(3) The internal review required by subsection (2) of this
Page 3, Line 15section must include:
Page 3, Line 16(a) A review of the commission's air quality control
Page 3, Line 17rule-making process in order to assess how it is currently
Page 3, Line 18working and may be improved;
Page 3, Line 19(b) A report on the economic factors that the commission
Page 3, Line 20considers and uses in an economic impact analysis or a
Page 3, Line 21cost-benefit analysis and how the information regarding
Page 3, Line 22workforce impacts is typically considered when conducting the
Page 3, Line 23analysis;
Page 3, Line 24(c) An explanation of how analyses that include
Page 3, Line 25information on workforce impacts are used by the commission
Page 3, Line 26during the adoption of air quality control rules;
Page 3, Line 27(d) A report on the extent to which workforce impacts are
Page 4, Line 1considered during the current air quality control rule-making
Page 4, Line 2process and how consideration of workforce impacts are
Page 4, Line 3incorporated into existing economic analysis or cost-benefit
Page 4, Line 4analysis procedures;
Page 4, Line 5(e) An explanation of the parameters and limitations that
Page 4, Line 6exist in current state and federal law;
Page 4, Line 7(f) Considerations or recommendations from the
Page 4, Line 8department as to whether having a standing workforce
Page 4, Line 9advisory council in the department would improve and support
Page 4, Line 10the economic impact analysis and related procedures and
Page 4, Line 11whether the department has any recommendations as to how
Page 4, Line 12such a workforce advisory council would be configured and
Page 4, Line 13what would be included in its overall mission;
Page 4, Line 14(g) Specific examples of completed economic impact
Page 4, Line 15analyses where workforce impacts were considered or not
Page 4, Line 16considered in the air quality control rule-making process and
Page 4, Line 17the reasons each economic impact analysis did or did not include
Page 4, Line 18consideration of workforce impacts; and
Page 4, Line 19(h) Legal and procedural considerations and
Page 4, Line 20recommendations concerning how more qualitative and
Page 4, Line 21quantitative data related to workforce impacts could be added
Page 4, Line 22to the economic impact analysis and cost-benefit analysis
Page 4, Line 23procedures in a manner that would not conflict with state or
Page 4, Line 24federal law or undermine the process of regulating air
Page 4, Line 25pollution or reducing greenhouse gas emissions in this state.
Page 4, Line 26(4) The executive director shall prepare a draft report of
Page 4, Line 27the review containing the elements described in subsection (3) of
Page 5, Line 1this section and, upon completion of the draft report, engage
Page 5, Line 2stakeholders to review the report and provide input for the
Page 5, Line 3final report that the executive director shall submit to the
Page 5, Line 4general assembly. The department shall solicit input from
Page 5, Line 5regulated businesses, businesses and professional associations,
Page 5, Line 6environmental organizations, labor organizations,
Page 5, Line 7organizations that represent disproportionately impacted
Page 5, Line 8communities, other executive departments, and other
Page 5, Line 9organizations that express interest in providing input. The
Page 5, Line 10executive director may include in their solicitation of input
Page 5, Line 11specific recommendations from stakeholders concerning policies
Page 5, Line 12and procedures to expand the economic impact analyses and the
Page 5, Line 13cost-benefit analyses.
Page 5, Line 14(5) On or before January 1, 2026, the executive director
Page 5, Line 15shall submit the final report described in subsection (4) of this
Page 5, Line 16section to the house of representatives energy and environment
Page 5, Line 17committee or its successor committee specifying how the
Page 5, Line 18department intends to improve the economic impact analyses and
Page 5, Line 19the cost-benefit analyses for the air quality control
Page 5, Line 20rule-making procedures and including any additional resources
Page 5, Line 21necessary to effect change, staffing challenges that need to be
Page 5, Line 22addressed, and other recommendations that may require a
Page 5, Line 23clarification or change in state law.
Page 5, Line 24(6) This section is repealed, effective June 30, 2026.
Page 5, Line 25SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 5, Line 26determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 5, Line 27preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 6, Line 1the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state
Page 6, Line 2institutions.