First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 25-0151.01 Christopher McMichael x4775
SENATE BILL 25-008
Senate Committees House Committees
Health & Human Services
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT PROGRAM101
ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY IN THE102
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT .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
.)
Beginning on July 1, 2027, the bill adjusts aspects of the necessary
document program (program) administered by the office of health equity
in the department of public health and environment, which program
assists certain populations of Colorado residents with paying the fees to
acquire necessary documents. The bill clarifies that an individual who is
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 21, 2025
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
April 17, 2025
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Hinrichsen and Kipp, Cutter, Exum, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica,
Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Winter F.
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Froelich,
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. eligible under the program may obtain necessary documents without
charge at participating division of motor vehicles locations, participating
vital statistics offices, or participating mobile units or from authorized
representatives that offer driver's licenses, identification card services, or
vital statistics certificates and reports.
The bill establishes that an individual may self-attest to the
individual's eligibility under the program. The bill does not change the
identity verification requirements that may be required to obtain a
necessary document.
The bill also specifies that an individual who is eligible for the
program is not subject to the fees charged by the department of revenue
for driver's licenses or identification cards.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) The cost of identification documents can be prohibitive for4
some individuals, particularly individuals experiencing homelessness,5
individuals fleeing domestic violence, and individuals who have been6
displaced by a natural disaster;7
(b) Without necessary identification documents, individuals8
cannot access financial services, drive legally, comply with certain law9
enforcement requests, or access health care, housing, employment, or10
public services and benefits;11
(c) Since 2016, the necessary document program has provided a12
critical service to eligible individuals who are unable to pay for essential13
identification documents;14
(d) Certain demographic groups, such as residents of rural15
Colorado; unaccompanied youth; individuals who are lesbian, gay,16
bisexual, or transgender; and Black people, Indigenous people, and other17
people of color, have been overrepresented in their participation in the18
necessary document program and may face additional barriers to19
008-2- accessing the identification documents necessary to meet basic life needs;1
(e) Because of the program's complicated structure, geographic2
inconsistencies, and low level of funding, which has remained stagnant3
since the program's creation, the necessary document program currently4
falls short of meeting statewide need by as much as 90%; and5
(f) This has resulted in social service providers running out of6
vouchers to distribute to individuals in need, and, in some cases, the7
providers are covering costs out of their own pocket, which has resulted8
in social service providers having less money for other critical9
organizational functions.10
(2) Therefore, the general assembly further declares that it is11
necessary to adjust the necessary document program to better meet the12
needs of Colorado by allowing eligible individuals access to identification13
documents available through the program at the point of service.14
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-4-2205, amend15
(2)(l) and (2)(m); and add (2)(n) as follows:16
25-4-2205. Powers and duties of the office of health equity -17
rules - working group. (2) The office has the following powers, duties,18
and functions:19
(l) Building collaborative partnerships with communities to20
identify and promote health equity strategies; and21
(m) Developing communications strategies regarding health22
equity;
AND
23
(n) S
EEKING, ACCEPTING, AND EXPENDING GIFTS, GRANTS, OR
24
DONATIONS FROM PRIVATE OR PUBLIC SOURCES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE25
NECESSARY DOCUMENT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-4-2208.26
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-4-2208, amend27
008
-3- (2) and (3); and add (5) as follows:1
25-4-2208. Necessary document program - report -2
appropriation - definition. (2) (a) The office shall administer a3
necessary document program The office shall make one or more grants4
per fiscal year to, enter into one or more vendor contracts with, or both,5
a nonprofit entity or collection of nonprofit entities that conduct a6
collaborative identification project to assist Colorado residents who are7
victims of domestic violence,
ARE impacted by a natural disaster,8
low-income, disabled, homeless, or elderly
EARN LOW INCOMES, HAVE9
DISABILITIES, ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS , OR ARE ELDERLY and10
who are seeking documentation of their identity, status, or citizenship by11
paying the fees to acquire a necessary document.12
(b) (I) O
N AND AFTER JULY 1, 2027, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT13
MONEY APPROPRIATED TO THE OFFICE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF14
THIS SECTION IS AVAILABLE, AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTION15
(2)(a)
OF THIS SECTION WHO NEEDS TO OBTAIN ANY NECESSARY16
DOCUMENTS MAY OBTAIN THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS WITHOUT COST TO17
THE INDIVIDUAL AND WITHOUT A PHYSICAL VOUCHER AT :18
(A) P
ARTICIPATING DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES LOCATIONS ;19
(B) P
ARTICIPATING MOBILE UNITS OR FROM AUTHORIZED20
REPRESENTATIVES THAT OFFER DRIVER'S LICENSES, IDENTIFICATION CARD21
SERVICES, VITAL STATISTICS CERTIFICATES, VITAL STATISTICS REPORTS, OR22
RELATED DOCUMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (1)(c) OF THIS23
SECTION; OR24
(C) P
ARTICIPATING VITAL STATISTICS OFFICES.25
(II) A
N INDIVIDUAL MAY SELF-ATTEST TO THE INDIVIDUAL 'S26
ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT27
008
-4- PROGRAM.1
2
(c) N
OTHING IN THIS SUBSECTION (2) CHANGES THE IDENTITY3
VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A4
NECESSARY DOCUMENT .5
(3) (a) The general assembly shall annually appropriate to the6
office up to three hundred thousand dollars from the general fund. The7
office shall expend the money for the purposes specified in this section.8
including up to fifteen thousand dollars for the office's direct and indirect
9
costs in administering the necessary document program.10
(b) T
HE OFFICE SHALL USE THE MONEY APPROPRIATED PURSUANT11
TO SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF THIS SECTION FOR THE FOLLOWING:12
(I) U
P TO FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE OFFICE 'S DIRECT13
AND INDIRECT COSTS OF ADMINISTERING THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT14
PROGRAM;15
(II) T
O REIMBURSE THE DEPARTMENT FOR FEES FOR THE ISSUANCE16
OF VITAL STATISTICS CERTIFICATES , VITAL STATISTICS REPORTS, OR17
RELATED DOCUMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTIONS (1)(b)(III) AND18
(1)(c)
OF THIS SECTION; AND19
(III) T
O REIMBURSE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR THE20
ISSUANCE OF DRIVER'S LICENSES, IDENTIFICATION CARDS, OR RELATED21
DOCUMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTIONS (1)(b)(I), (1)(b)(II), AND22
(1)(c)
OF THIS SECTION.23
(c) (I) T
HE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE24
SHALL EACH SUBMIT REQUESTS TO THE OFFICE FOR REIMBURSEMENT25
BASED ON THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF NECESSARY DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY26
THE DEPARTMENT OR THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND IN THE MANNER27
008
-5- DETERMINED BY THE OFFICE.1
(II) T
HE OFFICE SHALL PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE2
DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN A M ANNER3
DETERMINED APPROPRIATE BY THE DEPARTMENT UNTIL THE MONEY4
APPROPRIATED TO THE OFFICE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(a) OF THIS5
SECTION IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.6
(5) T
HE OFFICE MAY USE THE GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS
7
ACCEPTED BY THE OFFICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-2205 (2)(n) FOR8
THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION.9
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 42-2-114.5, add (8)10
as follows:11
42-2-114.5. Fees for driver's licenses, identification cards, and12
related services - crediting to DRIVES account - fee setting13
procedures - rules. (8) I
F THERE IS MONEY AVAILABLE FROM THE14
APPROPRIATION MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-2208 (3) OR THE GIFTS,
15
GRANTS, OR DONATIONS ACCEPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-220516
(2)(n), THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT CHARGE OR COLLECT THE FEES17
ESTABLISHED IN THIS SECTION FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO DEMONSTRATES18
ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UNDER THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT19
PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-4-2208 AND ADMINISTERED BY THE20
OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND21
ENVIRONMENT.22
SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 42-2-306, add (3) as23
follows:24
42-2-306. Fees - disposition. (3) I
F THERE IS MONEY AVAILABLE25
FROM THE APPROPRIATION MADE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25-4-2208 (3) OR
26
THE GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS ACCEPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION27
008
-6- 25-4-2205 (2)(n), THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT CHARGE OR COLLECT THE1
FEES ESTABLISHED IN THIS SECTION FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO2
DEMONSTRATES ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UNDER THE3
NECESSARY DOCUMENT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 25-4-22084
AND ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY IN THE5
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT .6
SECTION 6. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act7
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the8
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except9
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V10
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this11
act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take12
effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in13
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the14
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.15
008
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