HB26-1330 • 2026

Alcohol Beverages Entertainment Districts

Current law allows the governing body of a local licensing authority to create an entertainment district for the purpose of the service and consumption of alcohol beverages. The bill amends the laws g

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Rep. M. Soper, Rep. S. Woodrow, Sen. M. Ball, Sen. S. Bright
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: House Third Reading Lost - No Amendments
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's final status is unclear as it did not pass third reading and was lost without amendments.

Alcohol Beverage Entertainment Districts

This bill changes Colorado's laws about entertainment districts, specifying that they can exist only within a single municipality or city and county, removing the size limit of 100 acres, reducing the minimum square footage requirement for licensed premises to 5,000 square feet, allowing local licensing authorities to set days and hours of operation, and restricting alcohol sales in common consumption areas.

What This Bill Does

Specifies that an entertainment district may exist only within a single municipality or city and county or the unincorporated portion of a single county.
Removes the requirement that an entertainment district be no larger than 100 acres.
Reduces the minimum square footage required for licensed premises from 20,000 to 5,000 square feet.
Allows local licensing authorities to establish days and hours of operation for entertainment districts and licensees within them.
Specifies that only licensed premises authorized by a local authority can sell or serve alcohol in common consumption areas.

Who It Names or Affects

Local governments creating entertainment districts
Businesses operating within entertainment districts

Terms To Know

Entertainment district: An area designated by local authorities for the service and consumption of alcohol beverages.
Common consumption area: A shared space within an entertainment district where customers can consume alcohol purchased from licensed premises.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill's effectiveness is contingent upon no referendum petition being filed against it within 90 days of the general assembly's final adjournment.
Details about specific implementation and enforcement are not provided in the summary.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

L.001

HOU Transportation, Housing & Local Government

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment requires city councils or county commissioners to consult with local law enforcement before approving an ordinance or resolution to create an entertainment district for alcohol service and consumption.

Adds a new requirement that the city council or board of county commissioners must talk to the sheriff and any municipal police department about creating an entertainment district.

The amendment does not specify what information or input is expected from law enforcement during these consultations.

L.007

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: The amendment adds the phrase 'the governing body of' before certain words in the bill to clarify that local licensing authorities must be involved in creating entertainment districts for alcohol service and consumption.

Adds 'THE GOVERNING BODY OF' before 'a' on page 3, line 15.
Adds 'THE GOVERNING BODY OF' before 'A' on page 3, line 24.

L.008

Second Reading

Lost [**]

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement that entertainment districts for alcohol consumption expire after three years unless the local government renews them with public notice and a hearing.

Adds a new rule stating that an entertainment district expires after three years if not renewed by the local licensing authority.

The amendment does not specify what happens to existing districts before this change is implemented, or how exactly renewal processes will work beyond requiring public notice and a hearing.

L.009

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes the rules for alcohol entertainment districts by adding limits on how restrictive local licensing authorities can be about days and hours when alcohol can be served.

Adds a new rule that says local areas cannot make stricter rules than what is already allowed in another part of the law (Section 44-3-901) for when and how long places can serve alcohol.

The amendment text does not explain what specific days and hours are currently allowed under Section 44-3-901, so we cannot provide exact details about the times that would be affected.
It is unclear from this amendment alone how many local areas will be impacted or if there were previous restrictions that this change removes.

Bill History

2026-04-02 House
House Third Reading Lost - No Amendments
2026-03-31 House
House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-03-30 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
2026-03-25 House
House Committee on Transportation, Housing & Local Government Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-03-11 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Transportation, Housing & Local Government

Official Summary Text

Current law allows the governing body of a local licensing authority to create an entertainment district for the purpose of the service and consumption of alcohol beverages. The bill amends the laws governing entertainment districts by:
Specifying that an entertainment district may exist only within a single municipality or city and county or the unincorporated portion of a single county;
Removing the requirement that an entertainment district be no larger than 100 acres;
Reducing the minimum square footage that licensed premises are required to contain from 20,000 square feet of premises to 5,000 square feet;
Allowing a local licensing authority to establish the days and hours of operation for the entertainment district and licensees within the entertainment district; and
Specifying that only licensed premises authorized to attach to a common consumption area may sell or serve alcohol beverages for consumption within the common consumption area.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0735.01 Yelana Love x2295 HOUSE BILL 26-1330
House Committees Senate Committees
Transportation, Housing & Local Government
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS OF ENTERTAINMENT101
DISTRICTS.102
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.)
Current law allows the governing body of a local licensing
authority to create an entertainment district for the purpose of the service
and consumption of alcohol beverages. The bill amends the laws
governing entertainment districts by:
! Specifying that an entertainment district may exist only
within a single municipality or city and county or the
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 30, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Woodrow and Soper,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Ball and Bright,
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.
unincorporated portion of a single county;
! Removing the requirement that an entertainment district be
no larger than 100 acres;
! Reducing the minimum square footage that licensed
premises are required to contain from 20,000 square feet of
premises to 5,000 square feet;
! Allowing a local licensing authority to establish the days
and hours of operation for the entertainment district and
licensees within the entertainment district; and
! Specifying that only licensed premises authorized to attach
to a common consumption area may sell or serve alcohol
beverages for consumption within the common
consumption area.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 44-3-103, amend2
(15)(a) and (15)(c) introductory portion; and repeal (15)(b) as follows:3
44-3-103. Definitions.4
As used in this article 3 and article 4 of this title 44, unless the5
context otherwise requires:6
(15) "Entertainment district" means an area that:7
(a) Is located within a SINGLE municipality a OR city and county8
or the unincorporated area of a SINGLE county and is designated in9
accordance with section 44-3-301 (11)(b) as an entertainment district;10
AND11
(b) Comprises no more than one hundred acres; and12
(c) Contains, at least twenty thousand square feet of premises that,13
at the time the district is created, is A COMBINED TOTAL LICENSED14
PREMISES OF AT LEAST FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET FOR TWO OR MORE15
LICENSEES THAT ARE licensed pursuant to this article 3 as:16
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 44-3-301, amend17
(11)(b) and (11)(f) as follows:18
1330-2-
44-3-301. Licensing in general - rules - tastings -1
entertainment district - promotional association - educational classes.2
(11) (b) A governing body of a local licensing authority may3
create an entertainment district by adopting an ordinance or resolution.4
An entertainment district shall not exceed one hundred acres. The5
ordinance or resolution may impose stricter limits than required by this6
subsection (11) on the size, security or hours of operation of any common7
consumption area created within the entertainment district.8
(f) (I) A local licensing authority may establish application9
procedures and a fee for certifying a promotional authority or authorizing10
attachment to a common consumption area. The authority shall establish11
the fee in an amount designed to reasonably offset the cost of12
implementing this subsection (11).13
(II) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article 3 TO THE14
CONTRARY, THE GOVERNING BODY OF a local LICENSING authority may set15
the DAYS AND hours during which a common consumption area and16
attached licensed premises IN OR ON THE PERIMETER OF A COMMON17
CONSUMPTION AREA AND AUTHORIZED TO BE ATTACHED TO A COMMON18
CONSUMPTION AREA may SELL OR serve alcohol BEVERAGES and the19
DURING WHICH THEIR customers may consume alcohol BEVERAGES EITHER20
IN THE COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA WHEN THE COMMON CONSUMPTION21
AREA IS IN OPERATION OR ON THEIR LICENSED PREMISES; EXCEPT THAT THE22
DAYS AND HOURS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (11)(f)(II)23
MUST NOT BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THE DAYS AND HOURS ALLOWED24
IN SECTION 44-3-901 (6)(b)(I).25
(III) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE26
3 TO THE CONTRARY , THE GOVERNING B ODY OF A LOCAL LICENSING27
1330-3-
AUTHORITY MAY ESTABLISH THE DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THE1
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND , WHEN IN OPERATION , THE DAYS AND2
HOURS DURING WHICH LICENSEES IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT3
ARE LISTED IN SECTION 44-3-103 (15)(c) MAY SELL OR SERVE ALCOHOL4
BEVERAGES IN THEIR LICENSED PREMISES; EXCEPT THAT THE DAYS AND5
HOURS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (11)(f)(III) MUST6
NOT BE MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THE DAYS AND HOURS ALLOWED IN7
SECTION 44-3-901 (6)(b)(I).8
(IV) Before certifying a promotional association, the local9
licensing authority shall consider the reasonable requirements of the10
neighborhood, the desires of the adult inhabitants as evidenced by11
petitions, remonstrances, or otherwise, and all other reasonable12
restrictions that are or may be placed upon the neighborhood by the local13
licensing authority.14
(V) PRIOR TO THE HEARING TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO APPROVE15
THE ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION THAT WOULD CREATE THE16
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, THE CITY COUNCIL OR BOARD OF COUNTY17
COMMISSIONERS SHALL CONSULT THE COUNTY SHERIFF AND ANY18
MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS JURISDICTION OVER THE AREA19
WHERE THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT IS TO BE LOCATED.20
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 44-3-910, amend21
(1)(b) and (1)(f); repeal (1)(c) and (1)(d); and add (5) and (6) as follows:22
44-3-910. Common consumption areas - rules.23
(1) A promotional association or attached licensed premises shall24
not:25
(b) Sell or provide an alcohol beverage to a customer for26
consumption within the common consumption area but not within the27
1330-4-
licensed premises in a container that is larger than sixteen ounces PERMIT1
INDIVIDUALS TO ENTER AN ATTACHED LICENSED PREMISES FROM THE2
COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA WITH AN ALCOHOL BEVERAGE PURCHASED3
FROM A DIFFERENT ATTACHED LICENSED PREMISES;4
(c) Sell or provide an alcohol beverage to a customer for5
consumption within the common consumption area but not within the6
licensed premises unless the container is disposable and contains the7
name of the vendor in at least twenty-four-point font;8
(d) Permit customers to leave the licensed premises with an9
alcohol beverage unless the beverage container complies with subsections10
(1)(b) and (1)(c) of this section;11
(f) Operate the common consumption area in an area that exceeds12
the maximum SIZE authorized by this article 3 or by the local licensing13
authority;14
(5) T HE STATE LICENSING AUTHORITY MAY ADOPT RULES TO15
PRESERVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PROPER REGULATION AND CONTROL OF16
THE SALE AND SERVICE OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGES UNDER THIS SECTION .17
THE STATE LICENSING AUTHORITY MAY, BY RULE, ESTABLISH DIFFERENT18
REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSED PREMISES WITHIN AN ENTERTAINMENT19
DISTRICT THAT ARE NOT ATTACHED TO A COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA20
AND LICENSED PREMISES WITHIN AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT ARE21
ATTACHED TO A COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA.22
(6) O NLY LICENSED PREMISES AUTHORIZED TO ATTACH TO A23
COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA BY THE LOCAL LICENSING AUTHORITY24
UNDER SECTION 44-3-301 (11)(e) AND (11)(f) MAY SELL OR SERVE25
ALCOHOL BEVERAGES FOR CONSUMPTION WITHIN THE COMMON26
CONSUMPTION AREA.27
1330-5-
SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act1
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the2
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August3
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a4
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the5
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act6
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect7
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in8
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the9
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.10
1330-6-