A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning paratransit services.
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/.)
Transportation Legislation Review Committee. Beginning on January 1, 2026, the bill imposes the following duties on any political subdivision of the state, public entity, or nonprofit corporation that provides paratransit services in the state, in addition to those duties otherwise provided by law:
- To establish, in coordination with local public entities providing emergency services, a plan to communicate information and provide paratransit services during emergencies;
- To ensure that fare collection technology for paratransit services is comparable to that offered for regular or fixed route services; and
- Before reducing the service area for paratransit services, to consult with affected community members and conduct an impact analysis.
- 3 legislative members, jointly appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, with 2 members of the majority party and one member of the minority party;
- 4 members representing disability advocacy organizations, with one member appointed by and from each of the following organizations:
- Atlantis Community, Inc.;
- American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today;
- The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition; and
- The National Federation of the Blind;
- 5 members representing transit organizations, with one member appointed by and from each of the following organizations:
- The department of transportation;
- The Colorado Association of Transit Agencies;
- The regional transportation district;
- AARP; and
- The Denver regional council of governments;
- One member representing a private company that partners with a transit agency to provide paratransit services, appointed by the governor;
- One member representing the Colorado disability opportunity office, appointed by the governor;
- One member determined by the governor to enhance and expand the expertise of the task force, appointed by the governor; and
- The lieutenant governor or the lieutenant governor's designee.
The bill also creates the paratransit task force (task force) in the department of transportation. The purpose of the task force is to study and make recommendations regarding the standardization of and best practices for paratransit services in the state. The task force consists of 16 members as follows:
The task force is required to meet at least 3 times in 2025 to study and make recommendations on the standardization of and best practices for paratransit services in the state. On or before October 15, 2025, the task force must submit a report to the transportation legislation review committee that includes a summary of the work accomplished by the task force and any recommendations to the general assembly concerning matters studied by the task force. The department of transportation must include a summary of the report and the recommendations of the task force in its annual presentation to the general assembly in January 2026.
Page 3, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 3, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 43-1-604 and
Page 3, Line 343-1-605 as follows:
Page 3, Line 443-1-604. Paratransit services - duties - definitions. (1) As
Page 3, Line 5used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 3, Line 6(a) "Emergency" means:
Page 3, Line 7(I) A fire, rescue call, or hazardous materials incident;
Page 3, Line 8(II) A natural or human-caused disaster such as an
Page 3, Line 9earthquake, wildfire, flood, or severe weather event; or
Page 3, Line 10(III) An incident reasonably determined to be an
Page 3, Line 11emergency by a public entity providing emergency services.
Page 3, Line 12(b) "Paratransit services" means complementary parallel
Page 3, Line 13transit services for individuals with disabilities who are unable
Page 3, Line 14to utilize regular or fixed route transit services for some or all
Page 3, Line 15of their transit needs.
Page 3, Line 16(c) "Public entity providing emergency services" means
Page 3, Line 17any political subdivision of the state or agency of a political
Page 3, Line 18subdivision of the state that responds in a professional capacity
Page 3, Line 19to an emergency, including a law enforcement agency, fire
Page 3, Line 20department, or fire protection district.
Page 3, Line 21(d) "Transit agency" means any political subdivision of the
Page 3, Line 22state, public entity, or nonprofit corporation that provides
Page 3, Line 23paratransit services in the state.
Page 4, Line 1(2) (a) Each transit agency has the following duties
Page 4, Line 2related to accessibility and paratransit services, in addition to
Page 4, Line 3those duties otherwise provided by law:
Page 4, Line 4(I) On and after January 1, 2026, in coordination with
Page 4, Line 5local public entities providing emergency services, establish a
Page 4, Line 6plan to communicate information and provide paratransit
Page 4, Line 7services during emergencies;
Page 4, Line 8(II) On and after January 1, 2026, ensure that fare
Page 4, Line 9collection technology for paratransit services is comparable
Page 4, Line 10to that offered for regular or fixed route services; and
Page 4, Line 11(III) On and after January 1, 2026, before reducing the
Page 4, Line 12service area for paratransit services, consult with affected
Page 4, Line 13community members and conduct an impact analysis that:
Page 4, Line 14(A) Identifies the number of existing paratransit service
Page 4, Line 15users who will be impacted by the proposed reduction;
Page 4, Line 16(B) Estimates the total number of individuals residing in
Page 4, Line 17the area impacted by the proposed reduction;
Page 4, Line 18(C) Assesses alternative transit options in the area
Page 4, Line 19impacted by the proposed reduction;
Page 4, Line 20(D) Assesses the sustainability of paratransit funding and
Page 4, Line 21the potential for increased funding; and
Page 4, Line 22(E) Evaluates the use of different vehicles for different
Page 4, Line 23passenger and transit needs.
Page 4, Line 24(b) Each transit agency shall monitor compliance with
Page 4, Line 25the duties set forth in subsection (2)(a) of this section.
Page 4, Line 2643-1-605. Paratransit task force - creation - membership -
Page 4, Line 27meetings - report - definitions - repeal. (1) Definitions.As used in
Page 5, Line 1this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 5, Line 2(a) "Paratransit services" means complementary parallel
Page 5, Line 3transit services for individuals with disabilities who are unable
Page 5, Line 4to utilize regular or fixed route transit services for some or all
Page 5, Line 5of their transit needs.
Page 5, Line 6(b) "Study" means the study on the standardization of and
Page 5, Line 7best practices for paratransit services conducted pursuant to
Page 5, Line 8subsection (3) of this section.
Page 5, Line 9(c) "Task force" means the paratransit task force created
Page 5, Line 10in this section.
Page 5, Line 11(2) Membership and meetings. (a) There is created in the
Page 5, Line 12department the paratransit task force. The purpose of the task
Page 5, Line 13force is to study and make recommendations on the
Page 5, Line 14standardization of and best practices for paratransit services
Page 5, Line 15in the state.
Page 5, Line 16(b) The task force consists of sixteen members as follows:
Page 5, Line 17(I) Three legislative members, jointly appointed by the
Page 5, Line 18president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
Page 5, Line 19representatives, with two members of the majority party and one
Page 5, Line 20member of the minority party;
Page 5, Line 21(II) Four members representing disability advocacy
Page 5, Line 22organizations, with one member appointed by and from each of
Page 5, Line 23the following organizations:
Page 5, Line 24(A) Atlantis Community, Inc.;
Page 5, Line 25(B) American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today;
Page 5, Line 26(C) The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition; and
Page 5, Line 27(D) The National Federation of the Blind;
Page 6, Line 1(III) Five members representing transit organizations,
Page 6, Line 2with one member appointed by and from each of the following
Page 6, Line 3organizations:
Page 6, Line 4(A) The department;
Page 6, Line 5(B) The Colorado Association of Transit Agencies;
Page 6, Line 6(C) The regional transportation district established in
Page 6, Line 7article 9 of title 32;
Page 6, Line 8(D) AARP; and
Page 6, Line 9(E) The Denver regional council of governments;
Page 6, Line 10(IV) One member representing a private company that
Page 6, Line 11partners with a transit agency to provide paratransit services,
Page 6, Line 12appointed by the governor;
Page 6, Line 13(V) One member representing the Colorado disability
Page 6, Line 14opportunity office created in part 1 of article 88 of title 8,
Page 6, Line 15appointed by the governor;
Page 6, Line 16(VI) One member determined by the governor to enhance
Page 6, Line 17and expand the expertise of the task force, appointed by the
Page 6, Line 18governor; and
Page 6, Line 19(VII) The lieutenant governor or the lieutenant
Page 6, Line 20governor's designee.
Page 6, Line 21(c) (I) The appointing authorities shall make the
Page 6, Line 22appointments described in subsection (2)(b) of this section no
Page 6, Line 23later than June 15, 2025.
Page 6, Line 24(II) The lieutenant governor, or the lieutenant
Page 6, Line 25governor's designee, shall serve as the chair of the task force
Page 6, Line 26and the member representing the Colorado disability
Page 6, Line 27opportunity office shall serve as the vice-chair of the task
Page 7, Line 1force.
Page 7, Line 2(III) Each member of the task force serves at the pleasure
Page 7, Line 3of the appointing authority. The term of appointment is for the
Page 7, Line 4duration of the task force's existence.
Page 7, Line 5(IV) If a vacancy occurs on the task force for any reason,
Page 7, Line 6the original appointing authority shall appoint an individual
Page 7, Line 7who meets the requirements of the vacant position to fill the
Page 7, Line 8vacancy as soon as possible after the vacancy occurs.
Page 7, Line 9(d) (I) Each legislative member of the task force is
Page 7, Line 10entitled to receive payment of per diem and reimbursement for
Page 7, Line 11actual and necessary expenses as authorized in section 2-2-326.
Page 7, Line 12(II) Each nonlegislative member of the task force serves
Page 7, Line 13without compensation but is entitled to receive reimbursement
Page 7, Line 14for actual and necessary travel expenses incurred in the
Page 7, Line 15performance of the member's duties on the task force.
Page 7, Line 16(e) Members of the task force may participate remotely in
Page 7, Line 17task force meetings and other activities.
Page 7, Line 18(f) The chair and vice-chair of the task force shall
Page 7, Line 19convene the first meeting of the task force no later than
Page 7, Line 20September 1, 2025. The task force shall meet at least three times
Page 7, Line 21in 2025 to complete the duties specified in subsection (3) of this
Page 7, Line 22section. The chair may call additional meetings as necessary for
Page 7, Line 23the task force to complete its duties.
Page 7, Line 24(g) The department shall be available to assist the task
Page 7, Line 25force in carrying out its duties.
Page 7, Line 26(3) Study and report. (a) The purpose of the task force is to
Page 7, Line 27study and make recommendations on the standardization of and
Page 8, Line 1best practices for paratransit services in the state.
Page 8, Line 2(b) In completing the study required by this subsection (3),
Page 8, Line 3the task force shall, at a minimum:
Page 8, Line 4(I) Identify best practices for paratransit services in the
Page 8, Line 5state;
Page 8, Line 6(II) Examine solutions to increase continuity in
Page 8, Line 7paratransit services offered across service areas;
Page 8, Line 8(III) Assess the sustainability of paratransit funding and
Page 8, Line 9the potential for increased funding; and
Page 8, Line 10(IV) Evaluate the use of different vehicles for different
Page 8, Line 11passenger and transit needs.
Page 8, Line 12(c) (I) On or before October 15, 2025, the task force shall
Page 8, Line 13submit a report to the transportation legislation review
Page 8, Line 14committee that includes a summary of the work accomplished by
Page 8, Line 15the task force, the findings of the study, and any
Page 8, Line 16recommendations to the general assembly concerning matters
Page 8, Line 17studied by the task force.
Page 8, Line 18(II) The department shall include a summary of the report
Page 8, Line 19and recommendations in its annual presentation to the general
Page 8, Line 20assembly in January 2026.
Page 8, Line 21(4) Repeal.This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
Page 8, Line 22SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 8, Line 23takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 8, Line 24ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 8, Line 25that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 8, Line 26of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 8, Line 27act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 9, Line 1effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 9, Line 2November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the
Page 9, Line 3official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.