Colorado 2025 2025 Regular Session

Colorado Senate Bill SB068 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/22/2025

                    First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
 
 
LLS NO. 25-0583.01 Jennifer Berman x3286
SENATE BILL 25-068
Senate Committees House Committees
Transportation & Energy
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING A MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY 'S VOLUNTARY101
ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UNCLAIMED UTILITY102
DEPOSITS PROGRAM.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
.)
The unclaimed utility deposits program (program) helps finance
electric and gas utility bill payment assistance for income-qualified
households. The program is partially funded by electric and gas utilities'
contributions of money that are owed to utility ratepayers but that has
remained unclaimed by the ratepayers for more than 2 years. The bill
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Snyder and Lundeen, Exum, Liston
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Pugliese and Paschal, Bradfield, Caldwell, English, Richardson
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. clarifies that a municipally owned electric or gas utility may elect to
participate in the program.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 40-8.5-1022
as follows:3
40-8.5-102.  Applicability. This article shall apply ARTICLE 8.54
APPLIES to any electric or gas utility, as defined by section 40-8.5-103;5
except that this article shall apply ARTICLE 8.5 APPLIES only to those6
cooperative electric associations, as defined by section 40-9.5-102, which7
OR MUNICIPALLY OWNED ELECTRIC OR GAS UTILITIES THAT notify the8
commission that they elect to come under this article ARTICLE 8.5.9
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 40-8.5-103, amend10
(3) and (4) as follows:11
40-8.5-103.  Definitions. As used in this article 8.5, unless the12
context otherwise requires:13
(3)  "Electric utility" means every electrical corporation operating14
for the purpose of supplying electricity to the public for domestic,15
mechanical, or public uses and includes every public utility supplying16
electricity; except that this definition includes only those cooperative17
electric associations which AND MUNICIPALLY OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITIES18
THAT notify the commission that they elect to come under this article19
ARTICLE 8.5.20
(4)  "Gas utility" means every gas corporation operating for the21
purpose of supplying gas to the public for domestic, mechanical, or public22
uses and includes every public utility supplying gas; 
EXCEPT THAT THIS23
DEFINITION INCLUDES ONLY THOSE MUNICIPALLY OWNED GAS UTILITIES24
THAT NOTIFY THE COMMISSION THAT THEY ELECT TO COME UNDER THIS25
SB25-068-2- ARTICLE 8.5.1
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act2
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the3
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except4
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V5
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this6
act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take7
effect 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
SB25-068
-3-