Leg team Update

Leg Team update 4/26/2026

4/4/26

Today is day 81 of the legislative session and here are the numbers: S-154/17/10/4 and H-409/42/26/15. A quick update on a couple bills of direct concern to motorcyclists.:

HB26-1079 (Concerning a requirement that a minor has written permission to obtain an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle) unanimously passed a hearing in the S-T&E Committee on Wed., 4/1 and is scheduled for a 2nd reading in the Senate on Monday, 4/6.

HB26-1329 (Concerning criminalizing certain motor vehicle activities, and, in connection therewith, criminalizing and creating penalties for motor vehicle racing, street takeovers, and stunt driving) was PI by the H-JUD Committee on Wednesday, 4/1 with a vote of 5-6.

As you probably know, the Joint Budget Committee has the task of drafting the Long Bill and balancing the State’s Budget and with Federal cuts this a quite a daunting job. In February the Legislature rushed through 29 bills appropriating funds to various state departments and agencies. This obviously wasn’t sufficient to balance the budget. On Thursday, 4/2, the House introduced 61 more bills drafted by the Joint Budget Committee. These bills are written to gather money for the state budget and you guessed it – HB26-1394 (Concerning the conversion of the motorcycle operator safety training fund to a cash fund subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation) is taking away our MOST money. You can read the bill at: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1394, be sure to read the fiscal note too. They’re not taking all the money, but the bill allows for the possibility of them taking our money year after year, not just this year. I’ve reached out to the Board for advice on where we stand on this bill and what options we might have concerning this issue. I also reached out to a couple sponsors of the bill requesting a meeting to discuss the bill. Feel free to send me your ideas and concerns also, as ABATE is a membership driven organization and all members’ opinions are valued. More on this later….

HB26-1394, along with 46 other bills, is scheduled for a hearing in the H-APP committee on Monday, 4/6. These too will probably be rushed through the process with little discussion on each particular bill. I’ll see what I can do to give ABATE’s input.

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leg team update 3/27/26

By 646405d1271c9b0008da1172 • March 28, 2026

Leg Team Update 3/28/2026

Leg team Update

By 646405d1271c9b0008da1172 • March 27, 2026

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Leg team Update 3/7/26

By 646405d1271c9b0008da1172 • March 7, 2026

Leg team Update 3/7/2026 Today is day 53 of the Colorado Legislative Session. The numbers are: S-135/12/7/2 and H-325/40/23/6. In case you didn’t notice, there wasn’t a LegTeam Update last week as Val and I were on vacation. As an update on previously mentioned bills: Rep. Bradley’s bill, HB26-1079 (Concerning a requirement that a minor have written permission to obtain an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle) passed the H-THL Committee hearing last week with a unanimous vote. It’s scheduled for 2nd reading on the House floor on Monday, 3/9. SB26-035 (Concerning an increase of traffic violation penalties) can be read at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-035 . It passed the S-T&E Committee Hearing last week and was sent to the S-APP committee. The bill increases the penalties for illegally overtaking a vehicle on the left in a no-passing zone and increases the penalties for multiple speeding violations within a one-year, 2-year, or 5-year period. SB26-003 (Concerning expanding the scope of the "Battery Stewardship Act" to cover the end-of-life management of electric vehicle batteries) can be read at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-003 . It also passed the S-T&E Committee Hearing last week and sent to the S-APP committee. The bill expands the scope of the "Battery Stewardship Act" to cover the end-of-life management of propulsion batteries, which are batteries that are primarily used to supply power to an electric or hybrid vehicle, and establishes requirements concerning propulsion batteries that differ from the requirements for the batteries currently contemplated by the "Battery Stewardship Act". SB26-072 (Concerning increasing criminal penalties related to assaultive conduct with a motor vehicle, and, in connection therewith, adding the conduct of causing the death of another person with a motor vehicle to the crime of criminally negligent homicide) can be read at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-072 . The bill has 2 Senate sponsors and no House sponsors. It was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee but hasn’t been scheduled yet. Another bill of interest is HB26-1286 (Concerning a requirement that a commercial motor vehicle have a human present when the commercial motor vehicle is being driven by an automated driving system). It can be read at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1286 . The bill prohibits using an automated driving system to drive a commercial motor vehicle unless an individual who holds a commercial driver's license is in the vehicle, monitors the vehicle's driving, and intervenes, if necessary, to avoid illegal or unsafe driving. It’s scheduled for a H-THL Committee Hearing on Wednesday, 3/18, in room LSB-A at 1:30 pm.