The Colorado General Assembly is the state legislature of the State of Colorado. It is a bicameral legislature that was created by the 1876 state constitution. Its statutes are codified in the Colorado Revised Statutes. The session laws are published in the Session Laws of Colorado. Regular sessions are held annually and begin no later than the second Wednesday in January. Regular sessions last no more than 120 days.
HB23-202 Wearing Of Native American Traditional Regalia: Signed into law May 4, 2023
The act requires a public school or school district to allow a qualified student to wear and display traditional Native American regalia at a school graduation ceremony and applies to pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, primary school, and secondary school graduation ceremonies.
The act requires public colleges and universities to allow a qualified student to wear and display traditional Native American regalia at a college graduation ceremony.
SB23-054 Missing And Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office: Signed into law June 2, 2023
The act requires the office of liaison for missing and murdered Indigenous relatives (office) in the department of public safety (department) to:
- Conduct case reviews of violent or exploitative crimes against an Indigenous person and publish a report about the case reviews annually;
- Communicate with relevant department divisions regarding investigations in cases involving missing or murdered Indigenous relatives;
- Seek a position for a representative of the Indigenous community on the sentencing reform task force of the Colorado commission on criminal and juvenile justice;
- Collaborate with Indigenous-led organizations and the Colorado district attorneys' council (CDAC) to assist CDAC in developing and providing training for victim advocates who work on missing or murdered Indigenous relatives cases; and
- Designate one employee of the office to serve as a point of contact for families in need of support regarding ongoing or completed missing or murdered Indigenous relatives cases.
SB23-211 Federal Indian Child Welfare Act Of 1978: Signed into law May 4, 2023
The act adopts federal regulations concerning the "Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978" as state law so that Colorado will continue to ensure that Indian children are protected in cases of guardianship and adoption.
HJR23-1011 Native American Veterans: Signed by Speaker of the House and President of the Senate February 23, 2023
Concerning honoring and recognizing the military service and contributions of Native American veterans and communities.
HB22-1190 Supplemental State Payment to Urban Indian Organizations: Signed into law March 7, 2022
The act makes an appropriation and requires the department of health care policy and financing to distribute the money appropriated for supplemental, state-only payments to urban Indian organizations to address health-care disparities among the urban Indian community.
HB22-1327 Native American Boarding Schools: Signed into law May 24, 2022
The act establishes the federal Indian boarding school research program in the state historical society, known as History Colorado, to research and make recommendations to promote Coloradans' understanding of the physical and emotional abuse and deaths that occurred at federal Indian boarding schools in Colorado, including the victimization of families of youth forced to attend the boarding schools and the intergenerational impacts of the abuse. In addition to consultation with the Southern Ute Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe described in the act, History Colorado shall consult with the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs and may consult with any other federally recognized Indian tribe.
SB22-104 Tribal Governments Included In State Programs: Signed into law May 24, 2022
The act requires new and amended state statutes that enumerate or define local government entities or agencies that are eligible for state grant or benefit programs to also designate tribal nations with jurisdiction in Colorado as eligible recipients if legal and appropriate. The legislative council staff is required to submit a report to the legislative council by December 1, 2022, identifying state grant programs in statute and whether those programs include tribal governments as eligible recipients.
SB22-105 Tribal Governments Annual Address To Joint Session: Signed into law April 11, 2022
The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate are required to invite representatives from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to give an address to a joint session of the general assembly on an annual basis. The date and time of the address is determined on an annual basis by the speaker, the president, and the designated representatives of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.
SB22-148 Colorado Land-based Tribe Behavioral Health Services Grant Program: Signed into law May 24, 2022
The act creates the Colorado land-based tribe behavioral health services grant program to provide funding to one or more Colorado land-based tribes to support capital expenditure for the renovation or building of a behavioral health facility to provide behavioral and mental health services. The grant program repeals on July 1, 2027.
SB22-150 Missing And Murdered Indigenous Relatives: Signed into law June 8, 2022
The act requires the department of public safety to improve the investigation of missing and murdered indigenous relative cases and address injustice in the criminal justice system's response to the cases of missing and murdered indigenous relative cases. The act lists specific duties for the department, including assisting with missing indigenous persons investigations and homicide cases involving indigenous victims; coordinating with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and with other states regarding missing or murdered indigenous persons cases; developing and facilitating training related to missing and murdered indigenous persons issues; and providing assistance to families of victims. The executive director of the department may assign the duties to the department's divisions and offices, including the office of liaison for missing and murdered indigenous relatives created in the act. The department must publish on a public website information regarding missing and murdered indigenous persons.
HB21-1151 Indian Tribes To Certify Own Foster Homes: Signed into law May 15, 2021
Current law allows only a county department of human or social services or a child placement agency to certify foster homes. The act updates statute to allow for a federally recognized Indian tribe pursuant to applicable federal law to certify its own foster homes.
SB21-029 Colorado American Indian Tribes In-state Tuition: Signed into law June 28, 2021
Beginning with the 2021-22 academic year, the act requires a state institution of higher education to adopt a policy to offer in-state tuition classification to students who would not otherwise qualify for in-state tuition if the student is a federally recognized member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe with historical ties to Colorado, as designated by the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs in partnership with History Colorado.
SB21-116 Prohibit American Indian Mascots: Signed into law June 28, 2021
The act prohibits the use of American Indian mascots by public schools, including charter and institute charter schools, and public institutions of higher education as of June 1, 2022. The act imposes a fine of $25,000 per month for each month that a public school continues to use a mascot after such date, payable to the state education fund.