A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning a requirement that a government form that
Page 1, Line 102requests disclosure of the race or ethnicity of the
Page 1, Line 103individual completing the form include a space to
Page 1, Line 104indicate that the individual's race or ethnicity is
Page 1, Line 105Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.
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 a form issued by the state or a local government that requests that the individual completing the form disclose the individual's race or ethnicity to include, in addition to spaces for any other racial or ethnic categories required by the federal office of management and budget, a space to indicate if the individual's race or ethnicity is Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.
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 article 18.2 to title 24 as follows:
Page 2, Line 3ARTICLE 18.2
Demographic Information
Page 2, Line 424-18.2-101. Collection of demographic information - required
Page 2, Line 5categories - definition. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 6(a) "Form" means a document that collects
Page 2, Line 7population-level demographic data that is not individually identifiable; and
Page 2, Line 8(b) "state" means the government of this state, and every
Page 2, Line 9state department, including the department of education,
Page 2, Line 10agency, board, commission, institution of higher education,
Page 2, Line 11special purpose authority, as defined in section 24-77-102 (15), or authorized agent of the state.
Page 2, Line 12(2) (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2)(b)(I)
Page 2, Line 13of this section,A form issued by the state or a state agency that
Page 2, Line 14requests that the individual completing the form disclose the
Page 2, Line 15individual's race or ethnicity must include, in addition to spaces
Page 2, Line 16for any other racial or ethnic categories required by the
Page 2, Line 17federal office of management and budget, a space to indicate
Page 2, Line 18that the individual's race or ethnicity is Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.
Page 3, Line 1(b) (I) The state is exempt from the requirements of subsection (2)(a) of this section if:
Page 3, Line 2(A) The demographic data collected in the form is reported by the state to the federal government; and
Page 3, Line 3(B) The federal government rejects or will reject the
Page 3, Line 4demographic data reported by the state because it includes
Page 3, Line 5Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian as a primary demographic category.
Page 3, Line 6(II) When exercising the exemption, the state shall
Page 3, Line 7include Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian as a
Page 3, Line 8demographic subcategory of the non-specific racial category on the form.
Page 3, Line 9SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add article 11.2 to title 29 as follows:
Page 3, Line 10ARTICLE 11.2
Demographic Information
Page 3, Line 1129-11.2-101. Collection of demographic information - required
Page 3, Line 12categories - definition. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 3, Line 13(a) "Form" means a document that collects
Page 3, Line 14population-level demographic data that is not individually identifiable; and
Page 3, Line 15(b) "local government" means:
Page 3, Line 16(I) A county, city and county, municipality, school
Page 3, Line 17district, special district, or other political subdivision of the
Page 3, Line 18state;
Page 4, Line 1(II) An agency, institution, authority, or authorized
Page 4, Line 2agent of such a county, city and county, municipality, school district, special district, or other political subdivision; and
Page 4, Line 3(III) An authorized agent of any entity listed in subsection(1)(b)(I) or (1)(b)(II)of this section.
Page 4, Line 4(2) (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2)(b)(I)
Page 4, Line 5of this section,A form issued by a local government that
Page 4, Line 6requests that the individual completing the form disclose the
Page 4, Line 7individual's race or ethnicity must include, in addition to spaces
Page 4, Line 8for any other racial or ethnic categories required by the
Page 4, Line 9federal office of management and budget, a space to indicate if
Page 4, Line 10the individual's race or ethnicity is Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.
Page 4, Line 11(b) (I) A local government is exempt from the requirements of subsection (2)(a) of this section if:
Page 4, Line 12(A) The demographic data collected in the form is
Page 4, Line 13reported by the local government to the federal government; and
Page 4, Line 14(B) The federal government rejects or will reject the
Page 4, Line 15demographic data reported by a local government because it
Page 4, Line 16includes Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian as a primary demographic category.
Page 4, Line 17(II) A local government exercising the exemption provided
Page 4, Line 18in subsection (2)(a) of this section shall include Middle Eastern,
Page 4, Line 19North African, or South Asian as a demographic subcategory of the non-specific racial category on the form.
Page 4, Line 20SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date -
Page 5, Line 1applicability. (1) This act takes effect September 1, 2026; except that,
Page 5, Line 2if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of
Page 5, Line 3the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act
Page 5, Line 4within the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general
Page 5, Line 5assembly, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless
Page 5, Line 6approved by the people at the general election to be held in November
Page 5, Line 72026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
Page 5, Line 8(2) This act applies to state and local government forms that
Page 5, Line 9request that the individual completing the form disclose the individual's
Page 5, Line 10race or ethnicity and that are provided to individuals for completion on or after the applicable effective date of this act.