With over 650 bills introduced, and a lot of focus on the state’s budget, the 2025 Colorado legislative session has concluded. The Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce’s Advocacy KAPS took positions on 22 bills that aligned with our 2025 Policy Pillars around business regulation, workforce and education, housing, and childcare. The conclusion of what has been deemed a (mostly) positive legislative session for businesses still sees opportunities for business-friendly decisions with strong calls for Governor vetoes post session. The Chamber will continue to monitor the progress of bills sent to the Governor through the Chamber Bill Tracker. Of the bills the Chamber tracked this session – what passed, what failed, and what does this mean for your business?
HB25-1090: Protections Against Deceptive Pricing Practices
This bill requires businesses and landlords to include all mandatory fees in advertised prices, eliminating hidden or “junk” fees. Enforcement is handled by the State Attorney General as individuals can not sue directly under this law. The bill aims to increase price transparency and protect consumers and tenants from deceptive pricing practices.
Chamber Position: Amend
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This new law requires businesses to be upfront and transparent about all mandatory fees, eliminating hidden charges and ensuring consumers see the true total price before making a purchase. This means businesses must adjust their pricing disclosures and marketing materials to comply with the new law.
HB25-1119: Require Disclosures of Climate Emissions
This bill required large companies (those with over $1 billion in annual revenue) to publicly report their greenhouse gas emissions, with independent third-party verification. Noncompliance could result in significant fines from the Attorney General or a District Attorney.
Chamber Position: Oppose
Session Outcome: Failed
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
Since this bill did not pass, large businesses in Colorado (earning over $1 billion in annual revenue) are not required to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. This means that there are no new broad disclosure mandates and no new penalties for large businesses that do not publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions.
HB25-1157: Reauthorize Advanced Industries Tax Credit
This bill extends the Advanced Industry Investment Tax Credit through 2031. In addition, it also seeks to lower the annual cap on credits to $2.5 million and expands eligibility to include scalable manufacturing businesses. This bill also aims to encourage investment in innovative and growing companies, especially in advanced industries and manufacturing.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill extended the Advanced Industry Investment Tax Credit through 2031 while also expanding eligibility to include scalable manufacturing businesses, and lowered the annual cap on credits. These efforts can help qualifying businesses attract investors and raise capital, though the total amount of credits available each year will be smaller.
SB25-069: Tire Chain Traction Control Device Permit
This bill creates a permit system allowing individuals or businesses, for a fee, to install or remove tire chains or alternate traction devices on motor vehicles at designated locations. The permit would be issued by the Colorado Department of Transportation and is intended to help drivers comply with traction requirements for winter driving conditions.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill creates a regulated framework for businesses to legally offer tire chain installation services, which can offer a new revenue stream, but still requires businesses to follow safety and permitting rules set by the Colorado Department of Transportation.
SB25-083: Limitations on Restrictive Employment Agreements
This bill bans non-compete and non-solicitation agreements employers use in contracts, primarily focusing on agreements for most healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, dentists, and physician assistants. Employers can no longer restrict these professionals from practicing elsewhere or from notifying patients about their new practice locations. This bill also eliminates employers’ ability to seek damages for providers who leave and join competitors. This law applies only to agreements made or renewed after August 6, 2025.
Chamber Position: Monitor
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
Throughout the session, business advocacy groups were increasingly split around positions and amendments to this bill. This legislation prevents Colorado businesses from using non-compete and non-solicitation agreements with healthcare providers. Employers can not stop providers from telling patients where they are practicing next, nor can they seek damages if a provider leaves. While healthcare businesses in Colorado will lose a key tool for retaining talent, there are still options to protect trade secrets and recoup some upfront costs. Restrictive covenants are still allowed in business sales, but under stricter guidelines. Businesses must update contracts for any agreements made or renewed after August 6, 2025; existing contracts remain valid.
SB25-005: Worker Protection Collective Bargaining
Under current law, after forming a union by a simple majority, workers needed a second vote with 75% approval to secure a union security agreement, which allows unions to required all covered employees pay union fees. This bill eliminates the requirement for a second, higher-threshold election to negotiate a union security agreement clause during collective bargaining through appeal of the Labor Peace Act. And as a result, makes it easier for workers to negotiate stronger union protections. This change does not apply to government workers, only workers in the private sector.
Chamber Position: Oppose
Session Outcome: Failed. Governor veto.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill makes it easier for unions to secure funding through union security agreements, likely strengthening union influence and potentially raising labor costs for Colorado businesses. Employers will have less time and fewer procedural hurdles to respond to employee unionization efforts. Additionally, existing protections for non-union workers who do not wish to pay union fees are reduced. Many business advocacy groups opposed the bill and called for a veto from the Governor, arguing it removes an important protection for workers who do not want to pay union fees and increases costs for employers. This bill was sent to the governor’s desk with the hope of a veto from the governor who had expressed hope for more compromise between bill sponsors and the business community in the session. Governor Polis did veto the bill and it has failed.
HB25-1001: Enforcement Wage Hour Laws
This bill would expand wage and hour law enforcement by increasing employer liability to owners with 25% or more control through prohibiting pay deductions below minimum wage, and increasing wage claim limits from $7,500 to $13,000. It enhances worker protections against retaliation and immigration-based discrimination, allows penalty waivers for timely wage payments, and removes employer attorney fee awards in wage disputes. This bill also introduces fines for employee misclassification and emperors the state to order employers to cover workers’ legal fees in such discrimination or retaliation cases.
Chamber Position: Amend
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill significantly impacts businesses by increasing employer liability by holding owners with 25% or more stake personally responsible for wage bilations. It raises claim limits, imposes tougher fines for misclassifying employees, and bans deductions that drop pay below the minimum wage. It also reduces employer’s ability to recover legal fees in wage disputes, and increases employers compliance and administrative burdens. Overall businesses face greater risks and costs as a result of this bill if they do not strictly follow wage and hour laws.
HB25-1010: Prohibiting Price Gouging in Sales of Necessities
This bill prohibits price gouging on goods and services deemed “necessities,” or those goods and services needed for public well-being, including groceries, diapers, toiletries, etc. A seller is presumed to be engaging in price gouging if they increase the prices of a necessity by 10% or more above its average price in the previous 90 days, unless the increase is directly attributable to higher costs caused by a disaster or emergency. The law applies during declared disasters or when there is an abnormal market disruption, and violations are considered unfair and unconscionable practices.
Chamber Position: Oppose
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill increases regulatory scrutiny and limits pricing flexibility for businesses selling essential goods and services in Colorado. Businesses must be proactive in monitoring and documenting their pricing decisions, especially during emergencies or supply disruptions to avoid accusations of price gouging. Businesses face increased responsibility to closely track their pricing histories, justify price increases, and ensure compliance with the new law to avoid penalties. With this new law, businesses will experience an increase in regulatory oversight and risk of potential legal action, penalties, and reputational risks if they are found in violation.
SB25-006: Investment Authority of State Treasurer for Affordable Housing
This bill authorizes the state treasurer to invest up to $50 million of state funds in bonds to be used to create or finance new, long term affordable for-sale housing for individuals earning up to 140% of the statewide area median income (AMI). The bonds can have terms up to 45 years and must carry at least two credit ratings of A- (or equivalent) or higher to ensure the affordable status of the housing must be maintained over the long term. The issuing entity is required to provide annual reports to the state treasurer and the legislature detailing the housing created with the bond proceeds.
Chamber Position: Monitor
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill is likely a benefit to all businesses by increasing the stock of affordable workforce housing options and easing workforce housing challenges. Currently, most affordable housing units are for-rent with limited for-purchase housing options for those earning 60-120% of the area median income, and increasing staff recruitment and retention challenges by businesses. By allowing an increase in for-purchase income-aligned housing options can ease the workforce housing challenges and create opportunities for those involved in housing development, while having minimal negative impact on most other businesses.
HB25-1186: Work Based Learning Experiences in Higher Education
This bill creates a three-year Work-Based Learning Consortium Pilot Program within the Department of HIgher Education. The program’s goal is to help colleges and universities better connect academic learning with real-world work experiences and meet Colorado’s workforce needs. The bill allows the use of certain state funds to cover costs for students who are required to complete credit-bearing work-based learning experiences to graduate, without needing a traditional student employment contract. This bill aims to expand and support work-based learning opportunities in higher education, making it easier for students to gain practical experience as part of their academic programs.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill creates a three-year pilot program to expand work-based learning in higher education, connecting students with real-world, industry-sponsored projects and internships. Businesses can partner with colleges and universities to offer project-based learning and internships, giving them early access to emerging talent and potential future hires. This program can help build a stronger, more skilled workforce by ensuring students graduate with practical experiences relevant to business needs. Participation by businesses is voluntary and does not impose any new regulatory requirements or costs to businesses. This bill gives businesses a chance to shape and benefit from Colorado’s future workforce by engaging directly with students and higher education.
HB25-1199: Property Tax Payment Schedule
This bill sought to create a new option for paying property taxes. Eligible taxpayers could choose to pay their property taxes in four equal installments, rather than the current option of paying in full or in two installments. The goal is to provide greater flexibility and ease the financial burden for personal and business property owners.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Failed
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
There is no change to property tax payment options for personal and business property owners. Payments must be made in full or in two installments for current property tax years.
HB25-1208: Local Governments Tip Offsets for Tipped Employees
This bill allows local governments that set a minimum wage higher than the state minimum wage to increase the tip offset for tipped employees (such as restaurant workers). Starting January 1, 2026, these local governments have the option to set a tip offset amount so that tipped employees can be paid as little as the local minimum age minus $3.02, matching the tip offset allowed under state law. This bill aims to help struggling businesses, like restaurants, adapt to higher local wage requirements and preserve jobs in the industry.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill offers significant financial relief to restaurants and similar businesses facing high local minimum wages to help them control labor costs and remain competitive, while still ensuring tipped workers receive at least the minimum wage guaranteed by law. This means that businesses, like restaurants, can pay tipped workers a lower base wage, relying more on tips to meet the minimum wage requirement. Arvada businesses will not have been directly affected by this law change, but many businesses located in the Denver-metro region will see its benefit.
HB25-1239: Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act
This bill expands and reorganizes damages for discrimination claims, especially benefiting people with disabilities. It extends the deadline to file complaints for public accommodation discrimination to one year, making it easier for victims to seek compensation and legal support. This bill does allow businesses a “right to cure” if they experience a complaint and have 30-180 days to repair and reduce penalties, depending on the business size.
Chamber Position: Amend
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill can increase potential damages and extends the time to file discrimination complaints against businesses to one year. This can result in increased litigation risk and financial risks to businesses. However, businesses can reduce these penalties through a right to repair under a timeline to quickly fix violations. Businesses should strengthen anti-discrimination policies and training to avoid costly claims.
SB25-144: Change Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance Prog
This bill makes several updates to Colorado’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Program. Most notably, this bill allows parents of a child receiving inpatient care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to take up to an additional 12 weeks for paid family and medical leave in addition to the 12 weeks allowed by FAMLI. It also updates how premiums are set and managed for Colorado’s FAMLI Program. Specifically, this bill requires the Department of Labor and Employment to issue full refunds to employers who were overcharged premiums before making any premium rate adjustments.
Chamber Position: Monitor
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill offers new short-term payroll tax relief and refund protections for businesses with FAMLI. However, it also expands leave obligations, especially for employees with infants in intensive care to up to 24 weeks. Employers should prepare for both lower premium rates and possible longer employee absences under the FAMLI program.
HB25-1174: Reimbursement Requirements for Health Insurers
This bill sought to sex maximum reimbursement rates that health insurers can pay certain hospitals for covered services under state employee and small group health plans, capping in-network rates at 165% of Medicare and out-of=network rates at 150% of Medicare. The bill prohibits affected providers from billing patients for any unpaid balance beyond standard cost-sharing (like deductibles or copays). These caps mostly applied to large, urban hospitals as most rural and essential hospitals are exempt. It would have also required insurers to share cost and quality with state officials and mandate annual reporting on savings generated by these limits.
Chamber Position: Oppose
Session Outcome: Failed
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill was primarily focused on reducing health care costs for state employees or those using the state small group health plans. Since this bill failed, there are no new caps to the reimbursement rates that health insurers can pay hospitals.
HB25:1264: Prohibit Surveillance Data to Set Prices and Wages
This bill sought to prohibit businesses in Colorado from using surveillance data and automated decision-making systems (like AI) to set personalized prices for consumers or wages for workers in a discriminatory way. It requires transparency about how data is used, allows individuals to correct their data, and imposes penalties for violations.
Chamber Position: Oppose
Session Outcome: Failed
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
Since this bill failed to pass, there will be no new legal restrictions or requirements on how Colorado businesses use surveillance data or automated decision systems to set individual prices or wages. Businesses may continue current practices regarding algorithmic pricing and wage-setting.
HB25-1286: Protecting Workers from Extreme Temperatures
This bill sought to require employers to implement protections for workers exposed to extreme hot (80°F or higher) and cold (wind-chill of 30°F or lower with wind gusts) temperatures at worksites. Businesses would have been at an increased litigation risk as workers would have gained the right to file civil lawsuits for violations with increased ability for compensation and punitive damages.
Chamber Position: Oppose
Session Outcome: Failed
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill would have required several significant new workplace protections for employees exposed to extreme temperatures and increased risk of litigation of employers due to vague protections and requirements. The bill failed in session due to concerns over feasibility and economic impact. Businesses do not have to implement additional protections for workers exposed to hot and cold temperatures at work.
HB25-1272: Construction Defects & Middle Market Housing
This bill aims to encourage the construction of for-sale, multifamily housing by streamlining local approvals and tightening rules for construction defect lawsuits. This bill creates the Multifamily Construction Incentive Program, a voluntary program for builders to support the construction of multifamily housing and reduce the risk of construction defect claims by participating in this program. The goal of this bill is to reduce legal barriers and promote more affordable homeownership options in Colorado.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill reduces legal risks and makes it easier for builders and developers to construct for-sale multifamily housing (like condos) by tightening rules for defect lawsuits and raising the threshold for HOA approval of such suits. Overall, it creates a more business-friendly environment for building middle-market housing in Colorado. The increased development of multifamily for-sale housing can help reduce the workforce housing challenge by increasing the stock of income-aligned options and building for-sale multifamily housing closer to employers and transit options.
HB25-1300: Workers’ Compensation Benefits Proof of Entitlement
This bill seeks to increase access to medical care for injured workers in workers’ compensation cases. Currently injured workers are offered an option to choose one of four treating physicians from a list provided by the employer or insurer. Under this new law, workers would be able to select any treating physician from the 1,200 available with expanded access to care. This bill also shifts the burden of proof in medical disputes to the employer, who must prove why treatment authorized by the physician must not be provided, rather than having the worker prove entitlement.
Chamber Position: Oppose
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill implements several key changes for businesses regarding workers’ compensation benefits. It gives the injured workers increased options for choosing their doctor and care, with the risk of delayed return to work and increased reliance on care. It also makes it more difficult for employers to deny recommended medical care by shifting the burden of proof from the worker to the employer. Additionally, these new requirements and expansion of care can increase worker’s compensation costs and administrative requirements for businesses. There is a request from the business community for the Governor to veto this bill.
HB25-1269: Building Decarbonization Measures
This bill updates energy benchmarking and performance standards for owners of large buildings in Colorado, allowing them additional time to meet new energy efficiency and emissions reduction targets by 2040 as set by the Air Quality Control Commissions. This bill also creates a Building Decarbonization Enterprise, funded by an annual fee to provide financial, technical, and programmatic assistance to help building owners implement decarbonization measures like energy efficiency upgrades and electrification. This bill pushes performance standards enforcement from 2026 to 2031, allowing building owners more time to meet standards, and increasing the amount of time to collect and submit benchmarking data.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
Business owners who own their building (or multiple buildings) will have new decarbonization requirements through energy efficiency and emissions standards. However, there are several business-friendly provisions in this bill that support building owners with increased time to meet regulation standards, and funding to support meeting decarbonization standards by 2031.
SB25-315: Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness Programs
This bill overhauls Colorado’s approach to postsecondary and workforce readiness for students by creating a new funding model with three components. This includes “start-up funding” to help local education providers develop and implement postsecondary and workforce readiness programs, “innovating grant funding” to target school with low performance or improvement plans to support new or improved readiness programs, and “sustain funding” to reimburse districts for students who earn postsecondary credits or complete work-based learning. This bill is unique because it primarily supports workforce readiness in high schools across the state, whereas traditional workforce development bills have focused on expanding access through higher education.
Chamber Position: Support
Session Outcome: Passed. Signed by the Governor into law.
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill aims to align education with workforce needs by funding programs that help students earn postsecondary credits, industry-recognized credentials, and complete work-based learning. Businesses may see increased partnerships with schools and districts for internships, apprenticeships, and other work-based learning. This bill is designed to produce more skilled, work-ready graduates and foster stronger connections between school and employers. This will support a skilled workforce and benefit Colorado businesses seeking qualified talent.
SB25-318: Artificial Intelligence Consumer Protections
This bill sought to ease Colorado’s AI regulations signed into law in 2024 (SB24-205) by exempting most small businesses, narrowing what counts as “high-risk AI” and reducing compliance requirements. This bill sought to delay encouragement to 2027, giving businesses more time to adjust. This bill was introduced to revise Colorado’s landmark 2024 AI law by narrowing its scope and easing compliance, especially for small businesses.
Chamber Position: Monitor
Session Outcome: Failed
What Does this Mean for Your Business?
This bill failed in the current session and would have softened Colorado’s AI regulations. The current law signed in 2024 remains unchanged. This bills failure means all businesses using or developing covered AI in Colorado face significant new compliance, administrative, and legal risks starting in 2026, with no phased-in relief or exemptions.
The Sum & Substance also provided a 2025 legislative review and insight into several key business bills and calls for veto through this legislative session.
To learn more about this legislative session, please join the Small Business Majority’s upcoming webinar on May 29, 2025: New 2025 Laws for Colorado Small Business Owners.
State legislatures are all adjourned, but with time left for the Governor to sign or veto key bills, the Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce will continue to report updates through the Chamber Bill Tracker. Join other business and community leaders in the Chamber’s Advocacy Network to stay informed of critical state and local advocacy updates, resources, and events. Stay tuned for a Chamber hosted end of session recap and 2026 legislation preview later this year.
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