All Roll Calls
Yes: 109 • No: 7
ColoradoSB25-3052025 Regular SessionSenate
Water Quality Permitting Efficiency
Sponsored By: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Rick Taggart (Republican), Shannon Bird
Signed by Governor
WaterPublic Health
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Clearer deadlines and narrower permit reviews
Colorado’s water quality division must limit permit-change reviews and decisions to the changes the applicant requests. The division must begin developing permit time frames by August 1, 2025, and propose rules by December 31, 2027. The commission must adopt those rules by June 30, 2028. They must cover new individual and general permits, renewals, changes, and preliminary pollution limits. The law does not set actual processing lengths. Annual reports are required; the 2026 report must address backlogs, efficiency recommendations, drinking-water inspections, and permit timing.
Local water upgrades get financial flexibility
The division must consider local governments’ existing debt payments and ability to pay when scheduling compliance with new pollution limits. This includes their ability to repay water infrastructure debt or fund upgrades before new upgrades are required. Compliance schedules can exceed 20 years only where federal law allows, and must follow state and federal law. This can spread out local infrastructure costs, but the law sets no household water-bill reduction.
More permit records, limited early review
Permit holders can request the records used to develop their permit or permit change, including models, worksheets, and calculations. Privileged records and materials covered by legal disclosure exceptions remain excluded. By December 31, 2026, the commission must adopt procedures for reviewing preliminary drafts before the regular public notice. Early review happens only when commission rules require it, lasts no more than 14 days, and only identifies errors. The division must post the documents provided during that review on its public website.
Applicants can buy extra permit help
Beginning May 1, 2026, applicants and the division can agree to use qualified, independent nongovernment contractors for permit work. Eligible cases include renewals or changes pending for 60 days, applications already pending May 1, 2026, or preliminary pollution-limit applications the division declines to process. Applicants pay contractor costs, plus any division fee of up to 10% of the contract amount. That fee goes to the Clean Water Cash Fund; the division can require full contractor payment before final action. Contractors can prepare permit actions, answer public comments, and help defend permits, but must meet expertise and conflict-of-interest standards. The division must maintain a list of at least three qualified contractors, oversee their work, and remain legally responsible for permits. Contractors are exempt from the state Procurement Code.
State money moves into water funds
The law creates the Clean Water Cash Fund and directs transfers into clean-water and drinking-water funds. On July 1, 2025, it requires $111,000 from the Water Quality Improvement Fund to the Drinking Water Cash Fund. From the PFAS cash fund, it requires $3.518564 million for clean water on July 1, 2025. On July 1, 2026, it requires another $3.002435 million for clean water and $516,129 for drinking water from that fund. The law also specifies a temporary environmental-response surcharge transfer mechanism for the same three amounts, ending July 1, 2028. The PFAS transfer provisions end July 1, 2028; the $111,000 transfer provision ends August 1, 2026. These transfers move state money, not direct payments to households.
Water programs gain staff funding
For 2025–26, the law provides $2.904599 million for state water programs: $2.458284 million from clean-water funds and $446,315 from drinking-water funds. This includes $2.035705 million for clean-water operations, assuming 18 full-time staff, and $385,345 for drinking-water personnel, assuming four staff. It also provides $322,938 for indirect costs: $261,968 from clean water and $60,970 from drinking water. Another $160,611 within the total pays for legal services and is passed to the Department of Law, assuming 0.7 full-time staff. Separately, $314,008 in existing benefit and liability costs moves from the general fund to water cash funds. That shift covers $171,630 for health, life, and dental benefits, $2,140 for short-term disability, and $140,238 for unfunded pension liabilities. It changes the funding source, not the total for those existing costs or stated benefit levels.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Barbara Kirkmeyer
Republican • Senate
Jeff Bridges
Democratic • Senate
Rick Taggart
Republican • House
Shannon Bird
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
Andrew Boesenecker
Democratic • House
Alex Valdez
Democratic • House
Brianna Titone
Democratic • House
Chad Clifford
Democratic • House
Chris Richardson
Republican • House
Dusty Johnson
Republican • House
Eliza Hamrick
Democratic • House
Elizabeth Velasco
Democratic • House
Jarvis Caldwell
Republican • House
Junie Joseph
Democratic • House
Julie McCluskie
Democratic • House
Jenny Willford
Democratic • House
Karen McCormick
Democratic • House
Katie Stewart
Democratic • House
Lori Garcia Sander
Republican • House
Lesley Smith
Democratic • House
Monica Duran
Democratic • House
Meg Froelich
Democratic • House
Meghan Lukens
Democratic • House
Matthew Martinez
Democratic • House
Manny Rutinel
Democratic • House
Sheila Lieder
Democratic • House
Tisha Mauro
Democratic • House
Ty Winter
Republican • House
Byron Pelton
Republican • Senate
Cleave Simpson
Republican • Senate
Dylan Roberts
Democratic • Senate
Iman Jodeh
Democratic • Senate
Janice Marchman
Democratic • Senate
Lisa Frizell
Republican • Senate
Larry Liston
Republican • Senate
Marc Catlin
Republican • Senate
Rod Pelton
Republican • Senate
Scott Bright
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/1/2025
Third reading: Bill
Yes: 59 • No: 5
House vote • 4/30/2025
Refer Senate Bill 25-305 to the Committee of the Whole.
Yes: 9 • No: 2
Senate vote • 4/28/2025
Third reading: Bill
Yes: 34 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/25/2025
Refer Senate Bill 25-305, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
6/4/2025HouseSent to the Governor
5/13/2025HouseSigned by the President of the Senate
5/13/2025SenateSigned by the Speaker of the House
5/13/2025HouseHouse Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
5/1/2025HouseHouse Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
4/30/2025HouseHouse Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
4/30/2025HouseSenate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
4/28/2025SenateIntroduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations
4/28/2025HouseSenate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
4/25/2025SenateSenate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee
4/25/2025SenateIntroduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations
4/23/2025Senate
Bill Text
Engrossed
Final Act
Introduced
Reengrossed
Rerevised
Revised
Senate Appropriations Preamend
Signed Act