SB 25-149
Fiscal Note
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
SB 25-149: LOCAL GOVERNMENT DUTIES EQUESTRIAN PROTECTIONS
Prime Sponsors:
Sen. Daugherty
Rep. Feret
Published for: Senate Local Govt. & Housing
Drafting number: LLS 25-0427
Fiscal Analyst:
Alexa Kelly, 303-866-3469
alexa.kelly@coleg.gov
Version: Initial Fiscal Note
Date: February 19, 2025
Fiscal note status: This fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Summary Information
Overview. The bill requires counties and municipalities to incorporate a variety of elements to city
planning to accommodate equestrians and establishes requirements for motor vehicle operators driving
in an equestrian zone.
Types of impacts. The bill is projected to affect the following areas on an ongoing basis:
Minimal State Workload Local Government
Appropriations. No appropriation is required.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts
Type of Impact
Budget Year
FY 2025-26
Out Year
FY 2026-27
State Revenue $0 $0
State Expenditures $0 $0
Transferred Funds $0 $0
Change in TABOR Refunds $0 $0
Change in State FTE 0.0 FTE 0.0 FTE
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February 19, 2025 SB 25-149
Summary of Legislation
The bill requires counties and municipalities to incorporate a variety of elements to city planning
to accommodate equestrians, including:
identifying locations for and maintaining equestrian road crossings;
installing signs notifying the public of the equestrian crossings and equestrian zones;
educating the public on the equestrian use of recreational trails and roads; and
showing existing or proposed equestrian infrastructure in any master plan and publishing a
map of the locations.
Counties and municipalities may also organize public events to educate residents about the
equestrian use of roads and recreational trails.
Requirements for Roadways in Equestrian Zones
The bill establishes requirements for drivers and riders utilizing roads within an equestrian zone.
The Department of Revenue is required to adopt rules to add road provisions to driver’s
education curriculum.
Education by the Department of Local Affairs
The Division of Local Government in the Department of Local Affairs must educate county
sheriffs and other law enforcement agencies about equestrian zones and motor vehicle driver
requirements.
Comparable Crime Analysis
Legislative Council Staff is required to include certain information in the fiscal note for any bill
that creates a new crime, changes the classification of an existing crime, or creates a new factual
basis for an existing crime. The following section outlines crimes that are comparable to the
offense in this bill and discusses assumptions on future rates of criminal convictions resulting
from the bill.
Prior Conviction Data and Assumptions
This bill creates a new factual basis for the existing offense of a pedestrian improperly using a
highway, a class B traffic infraction, by permitting an individual riding or leading a horse to travel
with the direction of traffic. From FY 2021-22 to FY 2023-24, 11 individuals have been convicted
and sentenced for this offense. Of the persons convicted, 8 were male and 3 were female.
Demographically, 6 were White, 3 were Black/African American, 1 was American Indian, and 1
did not have a race identified.
The fiscal note assumes that there will be minimal or no fewer criminal case filings or convictions
for this offense under the bill. Because the bill is not expected to have a tangible impact on
criminal justice related revenue or expenditures at the state or local levels, these potential
impacts are not discussed further in this fiscal note. Visit leg.colorado.gov/fiscalnotes for more
information about criminal justice costs in fiscal notes. Page 3
February 19, 2025 SB 25-149
State Expenditures
Overall, the impact on state expenditures is expected to be minimal to affected departments, as
discussed below.
Department of Local Affairs
The Division of Local Government in the Department of Local Affairs will have a minimal increase
in workload to educate law enforcement on equestrian trail and road provisions. This is
anticipated to be a one-time function that can be done using existing resources. If ongoing
education for law enforcement becomes necessary, then additional appropriations may be
required.
Department of Transportation
Expenditures in the Department of Transportation will increase minimally to post additional
signage on state highways to notify highway users of equestrian zones. Each sign costs
approximately $2,500, and the extent expenditures will increase will depend on the number of
areas that are designated as equestrian zones and how may signs need to be posted.
Department of Revenue
The Department of Revenue will see a minimal increase in workload to add equestrian zone
provisions to driver’s education guidelines.
Local Government
Counties and municipalities will have increased costs to designate and manage equestrian
zones. The exact cost will depend on the number of equestrian zones that are established.
Expenditures will increase to implement the bill’s signage and infrastructure requirements and to
enforce compliance on an ongoing basis. If a county or municipality is required to update its
master plan prior to its next scheduled update, then additional costs will be incurred to meet the
January 1, 2032, deadline. Local governments may need to increase fees or shift funding from
other uses to cover the costs of implementation.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect 90 days following adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, assuming
no referendum petition is filed, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
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February 19, 2025 SB 25-149
State and Local Government Contacts
Counties
Local Affairs
Municipalities
Police Chiefs
Revenue
Sheriffs
Transportation
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit the General Assembly website.