AGC Legislative Committee to Met April 15 to Review More 2025 Legislative Session Bills

The AGC Legislative Committee met on April 15 to review more 2025 legislative session bills and review status on previously reviewed bills. AGC took the following positions at the meeting:

HB25-1278 Educational Accountability System Support

SB25-280 Data Center Development & Grid Modernization Act Monitor

There are 50 members of the AGC Legislative Committee and all member firms are eligible to have a representative on the committee. The next meeting is April 15. To check it out or join the committee email Nicole at the AGC office at nicole@agccolorado.org

AGC Takes an Active Monitor Position on SB25-280 Data Center Development & Grid Modernization Act

The AGC Legislative Committee met on April 15 and took an active Monitor position on HB25-280 Data Center Development & Grid Modernization Act. While AGC supports Data Center Development, the bill had a number of rumored amendments in it’s first committee on April 16, so AGC took a wait and see approach. Just before the hearing AGC was able to verify that a permission to use a Project Labor Agreement in-lieu of apprenticeship utilization and prevailing wage was not included in the bill. The bill did pass out of the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee on a 6-3 bi-partisan vote, and advances to the Appropriations committee for further action. AGC is now polling the legislative committee to see if we will change to a support position on the bill moving forward.

AGC Takes Support Position on SB25-1278 Education Accountability System

The AGC Legislative Committee met on April 15 and took a Support position on HB25-1278 Education Accountability System. The bill has significant new requirements for high schools to provide students with work-based learning and industry approved certificate opportunities as part of the high school curriculum. AGC has long supported working with high schools to offer real-world education opportunities like AGC’s Careers in Construction Colorado program - now in 83 high schools with 3,900 participants. Stay tuned as this bill winds it way through the state legislative session.

AGC Provides Key Input to Draft CDE Bill on the “Big Three”

In action related to HB25-1278 Education Accountability System, this week AGC continued to provide significant input to how Career Technical Education (CTE) is funded and delivered by Colorado high schools. Based on our success working with Careers in Construction Colorado (CICC) to preserve FY25-26 CDIP funding of $9.5M for programs like our construction trades program in 83 high schools with 3,900 student participants, AGC and CICC have been providing key input into CDE’s draft bill for further CTE program consolidation and improvement. CDE is proposing to consolidate into just 3 programs (concurrent enrollment, industry recognized certificates, and work-based learning). CICC programs can fit into both industry recognized certificates (we use the HBI curriculum with is a nationally recognized pre-apprenticeship curriculum) and work-based learning as (students build real structures like a house or tiny home plus do internships and other OTJ training). AGC and CICC will continue to work with CDE to help shape high school CTE programs that are both well-funded and focused on employer and student needs and measurable outcomes. Stay tuned as this draft likely gets introduced later in the legislative session.

AGC & Coalition Continue Fight Against HB25-1300 Work Comp Doctors Choice

Opposition coalition secures some amendments to the bill but is still in oppose position

AGC Members have been involved for decades in the Workers Comp System of the state as employee safety & health, work comp costs and MOD rates are a big part of managing our construction businesses. HB25-1300 Workers’ Compensation Benefits Proof of Entitlement would significantly alter the work comp system by removing the 4-doctor designation and allow injured employees choose a doctor from the list of all Level I and II doctors (1,000+ doctors across the state) and shift the burden of proof from the employee to the employer on disputed medical procedures. Based on significant member requests to oppose this bill, AGC has led the development of a coalition of groups to oppose the bill. Click here for the coalition Opposition Sheet and 2-page Fact Sheet from Pinnacol Assurance.

AGC and the coalition were able to secure several amendments to the bill, removing the burden of proof section, and limiting doctor choice to geographic areas versus the entire state, but were not able to preserve the current 4-doctor designation system. The bill was approved with the amendments in it’s first hearing by the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee, and was also approved by the full House on 2^nd reading. The bill was also approved on 3^rd reading and now has to go to the Senate for action. Thank you to AGC members who sent 1,400 opposition emails into House Committee members, and to several members who came to the capitol to testify against the bill. AGC will continue to oppose the bill as it now heads to the Senate. Stay tuned as the bill moves through the rest of the process.

Labor advocates seek to scrap workers' compensation doctor-choice limits | The Sum and Substance

HB25-1272 Construction Defects

AGC continues to stay engaged in discussions on HB25-1272 Construction Defects & Middle Market Housing. AGC is in an Amend position and collaborated with the Colorado Assn of Homebuilders and Housing Opportunities Now coalition (AGC is a board member of the coalition) to develop several key amendments that would improve the bill for developers and construction firms. Amendments focus on the warranty provision in the Multifamily Construction Incentive Program, and a requirement for the state to keep and report data on how many developers/contractors use the incentive program and how many condos are produced as a result of the bill. The bill was approved in the Senate Local Government & Housing Committee on April 10^th and was approved by the full Senate on 3^rd reading on April 17. The bill now goes back to the House for concurrence with Senate Amendments to the bill. AGC is still in an Amend position but we do not anticipate any more amendments at this point. AGC and Housing Opportunity Now coalition partners will produce a bill summary for the industry after the session ends. One of the best features of the bill is increasing the percentage vote required by an HOA to file a claim, from 50% to 65% of units in the HOA.

Earlier this session AGC worked with others to kill HB25-1261 Consumers Construction Defects Action which was a bad for contractors Construction Defects bill.