First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 25-0628.02 Caroline Martin x5902
HOUSE BILL 25-1266
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COLORADO AMERICAN INDIAN101
R
ECOGNITION DAY AS AN OBSERVED STATE HOLIDAY .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
.)
The bill designates Colorado American Indian Recognition Day as
an observed, but not a legal, state holiday.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 10, 2025
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 7, 2025
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Stewart K. and Garcia, Bacon, Bird, Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Carter, Clifford,
Duran, English, Espenoza, Feret, Froelich, Gilchrist, Hamrick, Jackson, Joseph, Lindsay,
Lindstedt, Lukens, Mabrey, Martinez, McCluskie, McCormick, Paschal, Phillips, Ricks,
Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Smith, Stewart R., Story, Taggart, Titone, Velasco, Willford, Zokaie
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Danielson,
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. SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly1
finds and declares that:2
(a) Colorado has the responsibility to cultivate a community that3
honors and respects the diverse history of the lands making up the state4
by recognizing the history and contributions of the Nuuchiu (Ute) people5
who have called this land home since time immemorial, as they have no6
migration story, and members of other federally recognized tribes whose7
ancestors have historical ties to this state;8
(b) Colorado is the ancestral homeland of the Southern Ute Indian9
Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, the two federally recognized tribes10
having reservations within the exterior boundaries of the state. In11
addition, it has historical ties to at least 46 other federally recognized12
tribal nations, including the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Apache, Comanche, and13
Kiowa. The state recognizes their history, cultural contributions, and14
sovereignty.15
(c) Colorado recognizes that at least 48 American Indian nations,16
including the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe,17
have demonstrated resilience and continue to thrive, making significant18
cultural, social, and economic contributions to the state. Their histories,19
traditions, and contemporary achievements are integral to Colorado's20
identity.21
(d) Colorado further understands that recognizing and celebrating22
the histories and contributions of American Indian nations with ancestral23
and, with respect to the Ute tribes, legal ties to Colorado is essential to24
fostering education, cultural awareness, and reconciliation;25
(e) In addition to celebrating the myriad ways in which American26
Indians have and continue to meaningfully contribute to the state,27
1266
-2- Colorado also acknowledges the history of genocide, forced removal, and1
systemic discrimination that American Indian nations have endured, in2
Colorado and throughout the United States, the forced placement onto3
reservations, broken treaties, and the loss of traditional lands and cultural4
practices;5
(f) Specifically, Colorado recognizes the Battle of Milk Creek, in6
which Major Thomas Thornburgh and his federal cavalry violated the Ute7
Treaty of 1868 by crossing the Ute reservation. The Ute Indians defended8
their sovereignty and held off the cavalry for 6 days, resulting in the death9
of 24 Utes. The unlawful attack by Major Thornburgh led to the10
relocation of the Ute tribes to their present reservations.11
(g) Colorado further recognizes the Beaver Creek Massacre of12
1885 in which Colorado residents killed 6 adults and children who were13
members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and wounded 2 others. They14
were seeking to hunt for food to feed their families. The Ute families15
were starving because the federal government had failed to provide16
rations in accordance with its treaty obligations.17
(h) Colorado also recognizes the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864,18
in which over 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho men, women, and children19
were brutally murdered by the 1st Colorado Infantry Regiment of20
Volunteers (US) and 3rd Regiment of Colorado Cavalry Volunteers (US); 21
(i) These acts of violence represent some of the darkest moments22
in the state's history, and their impact continues to be felt by American23
Indian communities today;24
(j) Finally, Colorado acknowledges other critical incidents in the25
state's history that have inflicted historical and ongoing trauma upon26
American Indian nations, including the removal of children to federal27
1266
-3- Indian boarding schools, the suppression of language and cultural1
practices, and other policies aimed at erasing American Indian identities;2
and3
(k) Therefore, the general assembly declares the designation of a4
state holiday to honor and celebrate the histories, cultures, and5
contributions of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute6
Tribe, and all American Indian nations with historic ties to Colorado. This7
holiday will serve as an opportunity for education, recognition,8
remembrance, celebration, and appreciation, ensuring that the stories,9
legacies, and sovereignty of these nations remain an integral part of10
Colorado's past, present, and future.11
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-11-119 as12
follows:13
24-11-119. Colorado American Indian Recognition Day. T
HE14
SECOND MONDAY OF OCTOBER IN EACH YEAR IS KNOWN AS "COLORADO15
A
MERICAN INDIAN RECOGNITION DAY". APPROPRIATE OBSERVANCE MAY16
BE HELD BY THE PUBLIC AND IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE STATE TO17
RECOGNIZE THE THRIVING CULTURE, ACKNOWLEDGE THE RESILIENCE AND18
PLIGHT, AND CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICAN INDIANS AND19
C
OLORADO'S LONGEST CONTINUOUS RESIDENTS , THE UTE PEOPLE, AND20
THEIR SOVEREIGN NATIONS, THE SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE AND UTE21
M
OUNTAIN UTE TRIBE.22
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act23
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the24
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except25
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V26
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this27
1266
-4- act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take1
effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in2
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the3
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.4
1266
-5-