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HB26-1343 • 2026

Electronic Process in Competency & Administrative Hearings

The act permits an administrative agency that is conducting an adjudicatory hearing (agency) to serve a person entitled to notice of that hearing using electronic means. The agency's use of electronic

Technology
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Rep. C. Clifford, Rep. T. Mauro, Sen. J. Marchman, Rep. J. Bacon, Rep. B. Bradley, Rep. M. Duran, Rep. E. Hamrick, Rep. R. Keltie, Rep. M. Lindsay, Rep. B. Marshall, Rep. J. McCluskie, Rep. K. Nguyen, Rep. J. Phillips, Rep. M. Rutinel, Rep. R. Weinberg, Sen. J. Coleman
Last action
2026-06-04
Official status
Governor Signed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the effective date logic but does not explicitly define what constitutes 'electronic means' beyond the context of delivery.

Electronic Notice for Administrative Hearings

This law allows state agencies to send hearing notices and decisions by electronic methods if the person agrees in writing.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows administrative agencies to serve hearing notices using electronic means instead of only mail or personal delivery.
  • Requires a documented request or written consent from the person before an agency can use electronic service for notices.
  • Permits agencies to send final decisions and initial rulings electronically with the same consent requirement.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Administrative agencies conducting adjudicatory hearings under Colorado law
  • People entitled to receive notice of administrative hearings

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not take effect immediately; it starts on August 12, 2026, unless a referendum petition is filed.
  • If voters challenge the bill via referendum, it will only become active if approved in the November 2026 election.

Amendments

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

J.001

HOU Appropriations

Passed [*]

Plain English: This amendment adds funding to help state courts buy the technology needed for electronic hearing notices.

  • It sets aside $26,296 from a specific information technology fund for use in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
  • The money is given to the judicial department's state courts administration.
  • State courts can spend this money on building or improving their computer systems and internet tools.
  • The amendment does not explain exactly which technology projects will be chosen with this money.
  • It only covers funding for one specific year, so it is unclear if more money will be needed later.
L.001

SEN Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: This amendment removes most of the original bill's text and changes its title to focus only on proceedings under the State Administrative Procedure Act.

  • Deletes nearly all pages of the original draft that described how agencies can send hearing notices electronically.
  • Changes the section heading at the top of page 1 to specify 'PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING THE STATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT'.
  • The amendment text only lists what lines and pages are deleted; it does not include any new rules or details about how electronic notices would work.
  • Because the specific content of the removed sections is missing from this document, we cannot explain exactly which parts of the original plan were taken out.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-04 Governor

    Governor Signed

  2. 2026-06-03 Governor

    Sent to the Governor

  3. 2026-06-03 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  4. 2026-06-03 House

    Signed by the Speaker of the House

  5. 2026-05-07 House

    House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass

  6. 2026-05-05 House

    House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily

  7. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  8. 2026-05-01 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee

  9. 2026-04-29 Senate

    Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole

  10. 2026-04-27 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary

  11. 2026-04-22 House

    House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  12. 2026-04-21 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee

  13. 2026-04-21 House

    House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole

  14. 2026-04-07 House

    House Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Unamended to Appropriations

  15. 2026-03-27 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services

Official Summary Text

The act permits an administrative agency that is conducting an adjudicatory hearing (agency) to serve a person entitled to notice of that hearing using electronic means. The agency's use of electronic service requires a documented request by or the documented consent of the person to be notified. The act similarly authorizes electronic service with respect to an agency's final decision or the initial decision by an administrative law judge or hearing officer.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 26-1343
BYREPRESENTATIVE(S) Mauro and Clifford, Bacon, Bradley, Hamrick,
Nguyen, Rutinel, Duran, Keltie, Lindsay, Marshall, Phillips, Weinberg,
McCluskie;
also SENA TOR(S) Marchman, Coleman.
CONCERNING EXPANDING THE USE OF ELECTRONIC PROCESSES IN
PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING THE "STATEADMINISTRA TIVE PROCEDU RE
ACT".
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SE CTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-4-105, amend
(2)(a), (2)(b), and (16)(a) as follows:
24-4-105. Hearings and determinations.
(2) (a) In any sueh proceeding in which an opportunity for agency
adjudicatory hearing is required under the state constitution or by this or any
other statute, the parties are entitled to a hearing and decision in conformity
with this section. Any person entitled to notice of a hearing shall be given
timely notice of the time, place, and nature thereof, the legal authority and
jurisdiction under which it is to be held, and the matters of fact and law
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
the act.
asserted. Unless otherwise provided by law, suehTHE notice shall be served
personally; BY ELECTRONIC MEANS, UPON THE DOCUMENTED REQUEST OR
CONSENT OF THE PERSON TO BE NOTIFIED; or by mailing by first-class mail
to the last address furnished TO the agency by the person to be notified at
least thirty days prior to the hearing. In fixing the time and place for a
hearing, due regard shall be had for the convenience and necessity of the
parties and their representatives.
(b) Any person given sueh notice PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)(a)
OF THIS SECTION shall file a written answer thirty days after the service,
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY, or mailing of sueh THE notice. If sueh THE person
fails to answer, any agency, administrative law judge, or hearing officer,
upon motion, may enter a default. For good cause shown, the entry of
default may be set aside within ten days after the date of sueh entry.
(16) (a) Each decision and initial decision shall be served on each
party by personal service; BY ELECTRONIC MEANS, UPON THE DOCUMENTED
REQUEST OR CONSENT OF THE PARTY TO BE SERVED; or by mailing by
first-class mail to the last address furnished TO the agency by sueh THE party
and, except as provided in paragraph (b) ofthis subsection ( 16) SUBSECTION
( 16)(b) OF THIS SECTION, shall be effective as to sueh THE party on the date
mailed, PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY, or sueh THE later date as is stated in
the decision.
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state
constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within
such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless
PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1343
approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026
and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of
the vote thereon by the governor.
Ju~~
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
v~ ~
Vanessa Reilly
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1343
James Rashad Coleman, Sr.
PRESIDENT OF
THE SENATE
Esther van Mourik
SECRETARY OF
THE SENATE
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