# Colorado HB26-1326: Sunset Public Utilities Commission Colorado HB26-1326, Sunset Public Utilities Commission, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jenny Willford (Democratic), Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Monica Duran (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2026-05-29 (Governor Signed); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1326-2026A - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado HB26-1326 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Sunset Public Utilities Commission - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-03-09 - Last action: 2026-05-29, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Jenny Willford (Democratic), Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Monica Duran (Democratic), Robert Rodriguez (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 30 - Subjects: Energy, Transportation & Motor Vehicles - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 12 (345 yes, 97 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 23 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Possible price caps for correctional facility calls: benefit, medium. The Public Utilities Commission can cap prices and extra charges for in-state debit, prepaid, and collect correctional facility calls. Caps can begin January 1, 2027, and cannot exceed federal limits; the commission can adjust them yearly and enforce them. Facilities and providers must cooperate wi… - Small pipeline operators can get penalty relief: benefit, medium. The commission can reduce gas pipeline safety penalties using objective measures and factors set by its rules. The amount payable to the commission must generally be at least $5,000. Operators qualifying as small under commission rules are exempt from that minimum. The law sets no specific reductio… - Public voices gain support in utility cases: benefit, low. Starting September 1, 2026, decisions must summarize received public comments, including their volume, views, equity issues, community effects, and consideration. Comments do not become case evidence. An unopposed request to join a case is approved unless denied within 30 days after filing. Approve… - Passengers gain stronger paths to accountability: benefit, low. The law removes a rideshare company's liability shield tied to receiving a written report and failing to respond reasonably. People injured by a motor carrier's failure to follow laws or commission requirements can go directly to court. They no longer need to finish the commission's administrative… - Rideshare riders get clearer complaint access: benefit, low. Rideshare companies must show riders how to contact the Public Utilities Commission and file a complaint through their apps. The commission must set rules within 18 months after this requirement takes effect. Commission staff handling public complaints must receive training in trauma-informed pract… - Utility penalties support affordability and service standards: benefit, low. Intentional public utility violations can bring civil penalties up to $7,500, considering utility size, harm, and efforts to reduce harm. Electric and gas penalties go to the Fixed Utility Fund for affordability programs or outreach for income-qualified customers or disproportionately impacted comm… - Clean electricity taxpayers gain utility information access: benefit, low. Taxpayers claiming the federal clean electricity investment credit can send a written request to an investor-owned electric utility. The utility must provide reasonably needed compliance information or certifications within a reasonable time and in sufficient detail. Available information can inclu… - Colorado extends utility oversight and funds staff: benefit, low. The law moves the utility commission's scheduled repeal from September 1, 2026, to September 1, 2033. Effective August 12, 2026, it provides $328,958 for the regulatory department to implement the law in budget year 2026–27. That includes $75,000 from the Motor Carrier Fund for staff services and $… - Leftover funds can support emergency dispatch: benefit, low. After the listed yearly costs and charges are fully paid, remaining money can buy public safety radio equipment. The equipment must be outside 911 call centers and used to dispatch responders to 911 calls. The law permits this spending but sets no amount. - Passenger drivers need fingerprint background checks: benefit, low. People seeking to drive for contract carriers, charter buses, children's activity buses, limousines, and off-road scenic charters need fingerprint-based criminal checks. The requirement also covers large-market taxicab permit drivers and drivers for taxicab-service certificate holders. Local law en… - Rail riders get stronger safety oversight: benefit, low. The Public Utilities Commission must oversee covered rail transit systems through safety plans, monitoring, investigations, and fixes for hazardous conditions. Its safety program must follow the state standard developed to meet federal rail oversight rules. Certain tramways and automated people mov… - Rideshare drivers face new identity checks: benefit, low. Rideshare companies must frequently check driver identities using facial recognition or approved technology that works as well or better. An exception covers companies with at least 75% minor riders or at least 90% revenue from school or government contracts. Those companies must also have at least… - Approved energy plans ease utility requirements: benefit, low. Qualifying city-owned utilities following approved clean energy plans are exempt from implementing a similar renewable energy standard. Other qualifying city-owned utilities must meet that standard but have no further duties under that subsection. Qualifying cooperatives following commission-approv… - Higher no-call list fees for larger businesses: cost, low. Businesses making telephone solicitations or accessing Colorado's no-call database pay annual fees set on a sliding scale. The maximum rises from $500 to $1,000 and applies only to entities with more than 1,000 employees. Entities with fewer than five employees and nonprofit corporations pay no fee… - Faster energy plan approval excludes municipal utilities: cost, low. Only electric cooperatives that voted to leave commission regulation can use this deemed-approval process for voluntary clean energy plans. Their governing bodies must first approve the plans. The Division of Administration, consulting the commission, must verify at least an 80% emissions cut by 20… - Higher permit fee ceiling for rideshare companies: cost, low. Beginning September 1, 2026, the annual rideshare company permit fee ceiling rises from $111,000 to $161,250. The commission can set a lower fee; it does not have to charge the maximum. Fee setting requires approval from the regulatory department's executive director, in consultation with the commi… - New filing fees for communications providers: cost, low. The commission can set fees for applications, petitions, registrations, formal complaints, and similar communications or basic emergency-service filings. This includes filings about deregulated services and products. Members of the public filing complaints and utilities already paying the specified… - More storage qualifies within customer generation limits: mixed, low. Energy storage can qualify under utility resource standards even when it stores electricity from sources other than renewables. Customer-side generation must be on property the customer owns or leases within the utility's service area. It must connect on the customer's side of the meter and primari… - Electric bill cap calculation changes for customers: mixed, low. The annual retail rate-impact cap for electric resource standard compliance is 2% of a customer's total electric bill. The calculation no longer expressly subtracts costs of reasonably available new electricity supplies from noneligible resources. The cap concerns standard-compliance costs, not eve… - Energy developers can appeal local permit decisions: mixed, low. City-owned utilities, electric cooperatives, independent transmission developers, and independent power producers can appeal certain major electric or gas facility decisions. Appeals cover local denials or conditions that unreasonably impair safe, reliable, and economical service. The entity must h… - Utility applicants get deadlines and automatic approval: mixed, low. The commission can treat applications as incomplete only for failing requirements set by commission rules and decisions. It generally must decide complete applications within 120 days, with an extension of up to 130 days. A further extension of up to 90 days requires notice and a hearing establishi… - Utilities can opt out with generation minimums: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, qualifying retail utilities can opt out of electric resource standards or continue an opt-out. They need a commission-approved clean energy plan and state verification that they meet its targets. Opting-out utilities must still get at least 3% of retail electricity sales… - Passenger vehicle inspections follow commission rules: mixed, low. Carrier and large-market taxicab permit applicants must show that each vehicle has been inspected under commission rules. The law removes the carrier inspection's 20-day window and the large-market taxicab inspection's 12-month window. It also removes statutory requirements for a qualified mechanic… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jenny Willford (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Robert Rodriguez (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Alex Valdez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Bob Marshall (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jamie Jackson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Javier Mabrey (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kyle Brown (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Karen McCormick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kenny Nguyen (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Katie Stewart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lorena Garcia (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lindsay Gilchrist (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Naquetta Ricks (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Regina English (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tisha Mauro (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Cleave Simpson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Janice Marchman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Matt Ball (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Marc Snyder (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Exum (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tom Sullivan (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: William Lindstedt (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-13 | House | Senate amendments: Repass | pass | 43 | 22 | | | 2026-05-13 | House | Senate amendments: Concur | pass | 65 | 0 | | | 2026-05-12 | Senate | Third reading: Amend (l.106) | pass | 35 | 0 | | | 2026-05-12 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 25 | 10 | | | 2026-05-11 | Senate | Refer House Bill 26-1326, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 5 | 2 | | | 2026-05-11 | Senate | Refer House Bill 26-1326, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 8 | 1 | | | 2026-05-11 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 43 | 22 | | | 2026-05-11 | House | Third reading: Amd (l.045) | pass | 43 | 22 | | | 2026-05-11 | House | Third reading: Perm | pass | 55 | 8 | | | 2026-05-04 | House | Refer House Bill 26-1326, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 8 | 3 | | | 2026-04-30 | House | Refer House Bill 26-1326, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 6 | 3 | | | 2026-04-23 | House | Refer House Bill 26-1326, as amended, to the Committee on Finance. | pass | 9 | 4 | | ## Actions (17) - 2026-05-29: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-05-28: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-05-28: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-05-28: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-13: House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass (House) - 2026-05-12: Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor (Senate) - 2026-05-11: House Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor (House) - 2026-05-11: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Finance (Senate) - 2026-05-11: Senate Committee on Finance Refer Amended to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-05-11: Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-05-11: Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee (Senate) - 2026-05-09: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (House) - 2026-05-06: House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-04: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-04-30: House Committee on Finance Refer Amended to Appropriations (House) - 2026-04-23: House Committee on Energy & Environment Refer Amended to Finance (House) - 2026-03-09: Introduced In House - Assigned to Energy & Environment (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116258/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116854/download) - House Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115786/download) - House Energy & Environment Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115270/download) - House Finance Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115785/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113079/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116274/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116452/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116386/download) - Senate Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116380/download) - Senate Finance Preamend (4): [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116372/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116853/download) ## Related bills - HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture (signed) - HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements (signed) - HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests (signed) - SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise (signed) - HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs (signed) - HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116258/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116854/download) - [House Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115786/download) - [House Energy & Environment Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115270/download) - [House Finance Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115785/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113079/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116274/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116452/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116386/download) - [Senate Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116380/download) - [Senate Finance Preamend (4) (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116372/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116853/download) ## Related - [HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1250-2026A) - [HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1298-2026A) - [HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1414-2026A) - [SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-155-2026A) - [HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1429-2026A) - [HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1430-2026A) - [Colorado bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado/bills) - [Colorado state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1326-2026A (as of 2026-10-16).