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HB26-1220 • 2026

Update Behavioral Health License Terminology

Statutory Revision Committee. In House Bill 19-1237, multiple behavioral health facility licenses were condensed into one license type for facilities referred to as 'behavioral health entities'. In Ho

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rep. B. Bradley, Rep. M. Carter, Sen. T. Exum, Sen. J. Rich, Rep. C. Espenoza, Rep. S. Luck, Rep. K. DeGraaf, Rep. M. Duran, Rep. J. Phillips, Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. L. Liston, Sen. K. Mullica
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 04/02/2026 - No Amendments
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the bill's impact on the Department of Human Services or its Behavioral Health Administration beyond the transfer mentioned in a prior bill (HB22-1278).

Update Behavioral Health License Terminology

This bill updates outdated terminology in Colorado's laws related to behavioral health licenses, changing references from 'acute treatment unit' to 'behavioral health entity'.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the term 'acute treatment unit' to 'behavioral health entity' in existing laws.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Behavioral health facilities and their staff

Terms To Know

behavioral health entity
A facility that provides behavioral health services under a single license type.
acute treatment unit
An outdated term for a specific type of behavioral health facility, now referred to as a 'behavioral health entity'.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not change the actual licensing requirements or operations of facilities.
  • It is unclear if there will be any public referendum on this legislation.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Senate

    Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  2. 2026-04-06 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 04/02/2026 - No Amendments

  3. 2026-04-06 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments

  4. 2026-03-31 Senate

    Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole

  5. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs

  6. 2026-03-09 House

    House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  7. 2026-03-06 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

  8. 2026-03-05 House

    House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole

  9. 2026-02-17 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Official Summary Text

Statutory Revision Committee.
In House Bill 19-1237, multiple behavioral health facility licenses were condensed into one license type for facilities referred to as 'behavioral health entities'. In House Bill 22-1278, the licensing authority for behavioral health entities was transferred from the department of public health and environment to the behavioral health administration in the department of human services. Current law includes an incorrect reference to an 'acute treatment unit', which license type was condensed into the license for behavioral health entities in 2019. The bill updates the terminology from 'acute treatment unit' to 'behavioral health entity' to conform with existing license types.
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REREVISED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the Second House
LLS NO. 26-0089.01 Shelby Ross x4510 HOUSE BILL 26-1220
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING UPDATING TERMINOLOGY FROM "ACUTE TREATMENT101
UNIT" TO "BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ENTITY" TO CONFORM WITH102
EXISTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LICENSES.103
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/.)
Statutory Revision Committee. In House Bill 19-1237, multiple
behavioral health facility licenses were condensed into one license type
for facilities referred to as "behavioral health entities". In House Bill
22-1278, the licensing authority for behavioral health entities was
transferred from the department of public health and environment to the
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 7, 2026
SENATE
2nd Reading Unamended
April 6, 2026
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 9, 2026
HOUSE
2nd Reading Unamended
March 6, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Carter and Bradley, Espenoza, Luck, DeGraaf, Duran, Phillips
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Exum and Rich, Coleman, Liston, Mullica
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.
behavioral health administration in the department of human services.
Current law includes an incorrect reference to an "acute treatment unit",
which license type was condensed into the license for behavioral health
entities in 2019. The bill updates the terminology from "acute treatment
unit" to "behavioral health entity" to conform with existing license types.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-280-120, amend2
(5)(a)(III)(D) as follows:3
12-280-120. Compounding - dispensing - sale of drugs and4
devices - rules - definition.5
(5) (a) A registered prescription drug outlet or other outlet may:6
(III) Supply an emergency kit or starter dose, as defined by the7
board by rule, to:8
(D) Any acute treatment unit licensed by the department of public9
health and environment A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ENTITY LICENSED BY THE10
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION and approved by the board for11
receipt of an emergency kit.12
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act13
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the14
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August15
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a16
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the17
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act18
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect19
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in20
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the21
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.22
1220-2-