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Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0366.01 Chelsea Princell x4335 HOUSE BILL 26-1214
House Committees Senate Committees
Health & Human Services
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE CONTINUATION OF THE COLORADO LICENSING OF101
CONTROLLED SU BSTANCES ACT , AND , IN CONNECTION102
THEREWITH , IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS103
CONTAINED IN THE 2025 SUNSET REPORT BY THE DEPARTMENT104
OF REGULATORY AGENCIES.105
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov/.)
Sunset Process - House Health and Human Services
Committee. The Colorado licensing of controlled substances act (act) is
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 25, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 24, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
English and Jackson, Bacon, Brown, Clifford, Lindsay, Nguyen
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Amabile,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
set to repeal September 1, 2026.
The bill implements the department of regulatory agencies'
recommendations to:
! Continue the act until September 1, 2041;
! Modernize the definition of "substance use disorder" in the
act to more accurately reflect the type of conditions being
treated by behavioral-health-administration-licensed
facilities and the practitioners who may diagnose these
conditions;
! Adopt a new definition of "withdrawal management" that
considers the full spectrum of treatment concepts, and
replace the definitions of and references to "detoxification
treatment", "maintenance treatment", and "withdrawal
treatment" in the act with the term "withdrawal
management";
! Replace the terms "substance use disorder treatment
program" and "substance use disorder" with "opioid
treatment program" and "opioid use disorder", respectively,
as the terms pertain to identity verification for individuals
taking part in withdrawal management; and
! Remove defined terms that are no longer referenced in the
act.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-34-104, repeal2
(27)(a)(XI); and add (39) as follows:3
24-34-104. General assembly review of regulatory agencies4
and functions for repeal, continuation, or reestablishment - legislative5
declaration - repeal.6
(27) (a) The following agencies, functions, or both, are scheduled7
for repeal on September 1, 2026:8
(XI) The record-keeping, licensing, and central registry functions9
of the behavioral health administration in the department of human10
services relating to substance use disorder treatment programs under11
which controlled substances are compounded, administered, or dispensed12
in accordance with part 2 of article 80 of title 27;13
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(39) (a) T HE FOLLOWING AGENCIES , FUNCTIONS, OR BOTH , ARE1
SCHEDULED FOR REPEAL ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2041:2
(I) T HE RECORD -KEEPING, LICENSING, AND CENTRAL REGISTRY3
FUNCTIONS OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION IN THE4
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES RELATING TO SUBSTANCE USE5
DISORDER TREATMENT PROGRAMS UNDER WHICH CONTROLLED6
SUBSTANCES ARE COMPOUNDED , ADMINISTERED , OR DISPENSED IN7
ACCORDANCE WITH PART 2 OF ARTICLE 80 OF TITLE 27;8
(b) THIS SUBSECTION (42) IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1,9
2043.10
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 27-80-203, amend11
(23.3) and (23.5); repeal (9), (14), (15), (16), (22), (24), and (25); and12
add (16.3) as follows:13
27-80-203. Definitions.14
As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires:15
(9) "Detoxification treatment" means a program for a short term16
of not more than three weeks for the administering or dispensing, in17
decreasing doses, of a controlled substance to a person with a substance18
use disorder while he or she is receiving appropriate supportive medical19
treatment, with the immediate goal being to render the person no longer20
dependent on the intake of any amount of a controlled substance.21
(14) "Maintenance treatment" means a program of more than six22
months' duration for the administering or dispensing of a controlled23
substance, approved for such use by federal law or regulation, to a person24
with a substance use disorder for the purpose of continuing his or her25
dependence upon a controlled substance in the course of conducting an26
authorized rehabilitation program for persons with substance use27
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disorders, with a long-term goal of decreasing the person's controlled1
substance dependency and leading to his or her possible withdrawal.2
(15) "Marijuana" means all parts of the plant cannabis sativa L.,3
whether growing or not, the seeds thereof, the resin extracted from any4
part of the plant, and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative,5
mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds, or its resin. It does not6
include fiber produced from the stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds7
of the plant, or sterilized seed of the plant that is incapable of8
germination, if these items exist apart from any other item defined as9
"marijuana" in this subsection (15). "Marijuana" does not include10
marijuana concentrate as defined in subsection (16) of this section.11
(16) "Marijuana concentrate" means hashish,12
tetrahydrocannabinols, or any alkaloid, salt, derivative, preparation,13
compound, or mixture, whether natural or synthesized, of14
tetrahydrocannabinols. 15
(16.3) "MEDICALLY MANAGED TREATMENT" MEANS A PROGRAM16
OF CARE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THE MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC17
STABILITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER BY18
ADDRESSING ACUTE PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SUBSTANCE19
WITHDRAWAL OR THE ONGOING MANAGEMENT OF ADDICTION -RELATED20
SYMPTOMS AND MAY INCLUDE THE ADMINISTRATION OR DISPENSING OF A21
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE MEDICATION APPROVED UNDER FEDERAL LAW22
OR REGULATION AS PART OF TREATMENT FOR A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER,23
WHICH MAY RANGE FROM SHORT-TERM INTOXICATION OR TREATMENT24
FOCUSING ON STABILIZING AND REDUCING IMMEDIATE PHYSIOLOGICAL25
SYMPTOMS TO LONG-TERM MEDICATION MANAGEMENT INTENDED TO26
DECREASE ILLICIT SUBSTANCE USE AND SUPPORT SUSTAINED RECOVERY.27
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SERVICES PROVIDED AS PART OF MEDICALLY MANAGED TREATMENT ARE1
INTENDED TO BE INTEGRATED WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS2
THAT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE3
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.4
(22) "Production" or "produces" means the manufacturing,5
planting, cultivating, growing, or harvesting of a controlled substance.6
(23.3) "Substance use disorder" means a physical or psychological7
dependence on a controlled substance that develops following the use of8
the controlled substance on a periodic or continuing basis and is9
demonstrated by appropriate observation and tests by a person licensed10
to practice medicine pursuant to article 240 of title 12 CHRONIC11
RELAPSING BRAIN DISEASE THAT IS DIAGNOSED BY A LICENSED12
PRACTITIONER QUALIFIED TO DIAGNOSE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS .13
"SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER" IS CHARACTERIZED BY RECURRENT USE OF14
ALCOHOL, DRUGS , OR BOTH , CAUSING CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT15
IMPAIRMENT, INCLUDING HEALTH PROBLEMS, DISABILITY, AND FAILURE TO16
MEET MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AT WORK, SCHOOL, OR HOME.17
(23.5) "Substance use disorder treatment program" means a18
program licensed pursuant to this part 2 for the detoxification,19
withdrawal, or maintenance treatment MEDICALLY MANAGED TREATMENT20
of a person with a substance use disorder. "Substance use disorder21
treatment program" includes an opioid treatment program.22
(24) (a) "Tetrahydrocannabinols" means synthetic equivalents of23
the substances contained in the plant, or in the resinous extractives of,24
cannabis, sp., or synthetic substances, derivatives, and their isomers with25
similar chemical structure and pharmacological activity, such as the26
following:27
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(I) 1cis or trans tetrahydrocannabinol, and their optical isomers;1
(II) 6cis or trans tetrahydrocannabinol, and their optical isomers;2
(III) 3,4cis or trans tetrahydrocannabinol, and their optical isomers.3
(b) Since the nomenclature of the substances listed in paragraph4
(a) of this subsection (24) is not internationally standardized, compounds5
of these structures, regardless of the numerical designation of atomic6
positions, are included in this definition.7
(25) "Withdrawal treatment" means a program for an intermediate8
term, of more than three weeks but less than six months, for the9
administering or dispensing, in decreasing doses, of a controlled10
substance, approved for such use by federal law or regulation, to a person11
with a substance use disorder while receiving rehabilitative measures as12
indicated, with the immediate goal being to render the person with the13
substance use disorder no longer dependent on the intake of any amount14
of a controlled substance.15
16
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 27-80-204, amend17
(1)(b)(I) as follows:18
27-80-204. License required - controlled substances - repeal.19
(1) (b) (I) This subsection (1) is repealed, effective September 1,20
2026 SEPTEMBER 1, 2041.21
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 27-80-213, amend22
(2) as follows:23
27-80-213. Rules - policies.24
(2) The BHA shall promulgate ADOPT rules, in accordance with25
article 4 of title 24, for the conduct of detoxification treatment,26
maintenance treatment, and withdrawal treatment programs for substance27
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use disorders related to controlled substances MEDICALLY MANAGED1
TREATMENT.2
SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 27-80-215, amend3
(1)(a) and (3)(a) as follows:4
27-80-215. Central registry - registration required - notice -5
repeal. 6
(1) (a) On or before July 1, 2020, the BHA shall develop or7
procure a secure online central registry, referred to in this section as the8
"registry", to register patients treated in a substance use disorder OPIOID9
treatment program.10
(3) (a) This section is repealed, effective September 1, 202611
SEPTEMBER 1, 2041.12
SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 27-80-216 as13
follows:14
27-80-216. Policy verifying identity.15
The BHA shall establish a policy on how a substance use disorder16
AN OPIOID treatment program must verify the identity of individuals17
initiating into detoxification, withdrawal, or maintenance treatment18
MEDICALLY MANAGED TREATMENT" for a substance use disorder. The19
BHA policy must include verification requirements for individuals20
without identification and individuals experiencing homelessness.21
SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-280-119, amend22
(14) as follows:23
12-280-119. Registration of facilities - rules.24
(14) The board shall not issue a registration under this section to25
a manufacturer or distributor of marijuana or marijuana concentrate, as26
those terms are defined in section 27-80-203 (15) and (16), respectively27
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SECTION 18-18-102.1
SECTION 8. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 18-8-204, amend (2)2
introductory portion and (2)(q) as follows:3
18-8-204. Introducing contraband in the second degree -4
definition.5
(2) As used in this section, "contraband" means any of the6
following, but does not include any AN article or thing referred to in7
section 18-8-203:8
(q) Marijuana or marijuana concentrate, as those terms are defined9
in section 27-80-203 (15) and (16) SECTION 18-18-102, EXCEPT THAT, FOR10
THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRODUCTS APPROVED11
BY THE FEDERAL FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND DISPENSED BY A12
PHARMACY OR PRESCRIPTION DRUG OUTLET REGISTERED BY THE STATE OF13
COLORADO ARE "MARIJUANA".14
SECTION 9. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-61-101, amend15
(5) as follows:16
35-61-101. Definitions.17
As used in this article 61, unless the context otherwise requires:18
(5) "Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinols" or "delta-9 THC" has the19
same meaning as "tetrahydrocannabinols" as set forth in section20
27-80-203 (24) SECTION 18-18-102. Delta-9 THC is the primary21
psychoactive component of cannabis. For purposes of AS USED IN this22
article 61, the terms "delta-9 THC" and "THC" are interchangeable.23
SECTION 10. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act24
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the25
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August26
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a27
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referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the1
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act2
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect3
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in4
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the5
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.6
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