Colorado 2025 Regular Session

Colorado Senate Bill SB068 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
	1	+	First Regular Session
	2	+	Seventy-fifth General Assembly
	3	+	STATE OF COLORADO
	4	+	REREVISED
	5	+	This Version Includes All Amendments
	6	+	Adopted in the Second House
	7	+	LLS NO. 25-0583.01 Jennifer Berman x3286
1	8		SENATE BILL 25-068
2		-	~~BY SENATOR(S) Snyder and Lundeen, Exum, Liston, Weissman;~~
3		-	~~also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Pugliese and Paschal,~~ ~~Bradfield, Caldwell,~~
4		-	~~English, Richardson,~~ ~~Bird, Duran,~~ ~~Johnson, Keltie, Valdez.~~
	9	+	Senate Committees House Committees
	10	+	Transportation & Energy Energy & Environment
	11	+	A BILL FOR AN ACT
5	12		C
6		-	ONCERNING A MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY 'S VOLUNTARY ELECTION TO
7		-	PARTICIPATE IN THE UNCLAIMED UTILITY DEPOSITS PROGRAM
8		-	.
9		-
10		-	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
11		-	SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 40-8.5-102 as
12		-	follows:
13		-	40-8.5-102. Applicability. (1) This article shall apply
14		-	ARTICLE 8.5
15		-	APPLIES to any electric or gas utility, as defined by section 40-8.5-103;
16		-	except that this article shall apply ARTICLE 8.5 APPLIES only to those
17		-	cooperative electric associations, as defined by section 40-9.5-102, which
18		-	THAT notify the commission that they elect to come under this article
19		-	ARTICLE 8.5.
20		-	(2) E
21		-	XCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 40-8.5-106, THIS ARTICLE 8.5
22		-	DOES NOT APPLY TO MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES .
23		-	NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative
24		-	officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
25		-	or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
26		-	history, or the Session Laws.
27		-	________
28		-	Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
29		-	through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
30		-	the act. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 40-8.5-103, amend (3)
31		-	and (4) as follows:
32		-	40-8.5-103. Definitions. As used in this article 8.5, unless the
33		-	context otherwise requires:
34		-	(3) (a) "Electric utility" means every electrical corporation operating
35		-	for the purpose of supplying electricity to the public for domestic,
36		-	mechanical, or public uses and includes every public utility supplying
37		-	electricity; except that this definition includes only those cooperative
38		-	electric associations which
39		-	THAT notify the commission that they elect to
40		-	come under this article ARTICLE 8.5.
41		-	(b) "E
42		-	LECTRIC UTILITY" DOES NOT INCLUDE A MUNICIPALLY OWNED
43		-	UTILITY
44		-	.
45		-	(4) "Gas utility" means every gas corporation operating for the
46		-	purpose of supplying gas to the public for domestic, mechanical, or public
47		-	uses and includes every public utility supplying gas;
48		-	EXCEPT THAT THIS
49		-	DEFINITION EXCLUDES MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES
50		-	.
51		-	SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 40-8.5-106 as
52		-	follows:
53		-	40-8.5-106. Unclaimed deposits. (1) Unclaimed deposits shall be
54		-	paid by the electric and gas utilities into the fund designated by the
55		-	commission pursuant to section 40-8.5-104.
56		-	(2) A
57		-	MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY:
58		-	(a) M
59		-	AY ELECT TO PAY UNCLAIMED DEPOSITS INTO EITHER THE FUND
60		-	DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO SECTION
61		-	40-8.5-104 OR
62		-	INTO A FUND DESIGNATED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE MUNICIPALLY
63		-	OWNED UTILITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS SET FORTH IN THIS ARTICLE
64		-	8.5;
65		-	AND
66		-	(b) SHALL DEFINE UNCLAIMED DEPOSITS IN A MANNER CONSISTENT
67		-	WITH THE DEFINITION OF
68		-	"UNCLAIMED MONEYS " SET FORTH IN SECTION
69		-	40-8.5-103 (5).
70		-	PAGE 2-SENATE BILL 25-068 SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
71		-	takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
72		-	ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
73		-	that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
74		-	of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act
75		-	within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect
76		-	unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
77		-	November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official
78		-	declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
79		-	____________________________ ____________________________
80		-	James Rashad Coleman, Sr. Julie McCluskie
81		-	PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
82		-	THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
83		-	____________________________ ____________________________
84		-	Esther van Mourik Vanessa Reilly
85		-	SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
86		-	THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
87		-	APPROVED________________________________________
88		-	(Date and Time)
89		-	_________________________________________
90		-	Jared S. Polis
91		-	GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
92		-	PAGE 3-SENATE BILL 25-068
	13	+	ONCERNING A MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY 'S VOLUNTARY101
	14	+	ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UNCLAIMED UTILITY102
	15	+	DEPOSITS PROGRAM.103
	16	+	Bill Summary
	17	+	(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
	18	+	not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
	19	+	passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
	20	+	applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
	21	+	http://leg.colorado.gov
	22	+	.)
	23	+	The unclaimed utility deposits program (program) helps finance
	24	+	electric and gas utility bill payment assistance for income-qualified
	25	+	households. The program is partially funded by electric and gas utilities'
	26	+	contributions of money that are owed to utility ratepayers but that has
	27	+	remained unclaimed by the ratepayers for more than 2 years. The bill
	28	+	HOUSE
	29	+	3rd Reading Unamended
	30	+	March 19, 2025
	31	+	HOUSE
	32	+	Amended 2nd Reading
	33	+	March 18, 2025
	34	+	SENATE
	35	+	3rd Reading Unamended
	36	+	February 19, 2025
	37	+	SENATE
	38	+	2nd Reading Unamended
	39	+	February 18, 2025
	40	+	SENATE SPONSORSHIP
	41	+	Snyder and Lundeen, Exum, Liston
	42	+	HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
	43	+	Pugliese and Paschal, Bradfield, Caldwell, English, Richardson, Bird, Duran, Johnson,
	44	+	Keltie, Valdez
	45	+	Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
	46	+	Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
	47	+	Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. clarifies that a municipally owned electric or gas utility may elect to
	48	+	participate in the program.
	49	+	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
	50	+	SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 40-8.5-1022
	51	+	as follows:3
	52	+	40-8.5-102. Applicability. (1) This article shall apply ARTICLE4
	53	+	8.5
	54	+	APPLIES to any electric or gas utility, as defined by section 40-8.5-103;5
	55	+	except that this article shall apply
	56	+	ARTICLE 8.5 APPLIES only to those6
	57	+	cooperative electric associations, as defined by section 40-9.5-102, which7
	58	+	THAT notify the commission that they elect to come under this article8
	59	+	ARTICLE 8.5.9
	60	+	(2) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 40-8.5-106, THIS ARTICLE 8.510
	61	+	DOES NOT APPLY TO MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES .11
	62	+	SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 40-8.5-103, amend12
	63	+	(3) and (4) as follows:13
	64	+	40-8.5-103. Definitions. As used in this article 8.5, unless the14
	65	+	context otherwise requires:15
	66	+	(3) (a) "Electric utility" means every electrical corporation16
	67	+	operating for the purpose of supplying electricity to the public for17
	68	+	domestic, mechanical, or public uses and includes every public utility18
	69	+	supplying electricity; except that this definition includes only those19
	70	+	cooperative electric associations which THAT notify the commission20
	71	+	that they elect to come under this article ARTICLE 8.5.21
	72	+	(b) "ELECTRIC UTILITY" DOES NOT INCLUDE A MUNICIPALLY22
	73	+	OWNED UTILITY.23
	74	+	(4) "Gas utility" means every gas corporation operating for the24
	75	+	purpose of supplying gas to the public for domestic, mechanical, or public25
	76	+	068-2- uses and includes every public utility supplying gas; EXCEPT THAT THIS1
	77	+	DEFINITION EXCLUDES MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES .2
	78	+	SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 40-8.5-106 as3
	79	+	follows:4
	80	+	40-8.5-106. Unclaimed deposits. (1) Unclaimed deposits shall5
	81	+	be paid by the electric and gas utilities into the fund designated by the6
	82	+	commission pursuant to section 40-8.5-104.7
	83	+	(2) A MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY:8
	84	+	(a) MAY ELECT TO PAY UNCLAIMED DEPOSITS INTO EITHER THE9
	85	+	FUND DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 40-8.5-10410
	86	+	OR INTO A FUND DESIGNATED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE11
	87	+	MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS SET FORTH IN12
	88	+	THIS ARTICLE 8.5; AND13
	89	+	(b) SHALL DEFINE UNCLAIMED DEPOSITS IN A MANNER CONSISTENT14
	90	+	WITH THE DEFINITION OF "UNCLAIMED MONEYS" SET FORTH IN SECTION15
	91	+	40-8.5-103 (5).16
	92	+	SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act17
	93	+	takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the18
	94	+	ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except19
	95	+	that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V20
	96	+	of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this21
	97	+	act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take22
	98	+	effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in23
	99	+	November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the24
	100	+	official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.25
	101	+	068
	102	+	-3-