HB26-1382 · Bill · 2026 Regular Session · Colorado

Support of Coloradans with Disabilities

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Concerning the support of Coloradans with disabilities, and, in connection therewith, creating the Colorado disability funding authority and making and reducing appropriations.

Official status: Became Law

Prime sponsors

• Kyle Brown (House) — Prime Sponsor
• Emily Sirota (House) — Prime Sponsor
• Judy Amabile (Senate) — Prime Sponsor
• Jeff Bridges (Senate) — Prime Sponsor

Progress (from the official record)

Official summary

Official text — shown in English exactly as published by the official source. The official text controls.

The act relocates in statute the disability support fund (fund), which finances the work of the Colorado disability opportunity office (office). The fund receives revenue from fees paid for license plates in a retired style and from the sale of unique vehicle registration numbers. The act makes the office responsible for administering the sale of these unique vehicle registration numbers, which was previously a duty of the Colorado disability funding committee (committee) housed within the office. The act repeals the committee on July 1, 2027. The fund is subject to annual appropriation to support the office and, for state fiscal year 2026-27 only, the fund is also subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the department of labor and employment (department) for vocational rehabilitation. Beginning on October 1, 2026, the $25 annual fee paid for license plates in a retired style is replaced by a one-time and annual fee of $2.50 credited to the fund and a one-time and annual donation of $22.50 remitted to the Colorado disability funding authority (authority), which is a newly created special purpose authority. The authority is governed by a board of 13 members appointed by the governor, the majority of whom are individuals with disabilities, individuals with immediate family members with disabilities, or individuals who are caregivers to a family member with a disability. In making the appointments, the governor must ensure that the authority board has members with experience in or knowledge of: Business and business management; Nonprofit entities and managing nonprofit entities; Advocacy for individuals with disabilities; The practice of medicine, with experience working with individuals with disabilities; and The practice of law, with experience working with individuals with disabilities. The authority is required to invite nonprofit entities, independent living centers, county departments of human services, county departments of social services, and other state and county agencies to submit proposals for programs to aid individuals with disabilities in accessing disability benefits. Beginning on July 1, 2027, the authority is required to award a contract or grant to one or more of the entities that submitted program proposals. When adequate funding is available, the authority may also: Accept and review proposals to fund projects or programs that study or pilot new and innovative ideas that will lead to an improved quality of life or increased independence for individuals with disabilities; and Make grants or develop, implement, or deliver education programs concerning reserved parking that is available to an individual with a disability affecting mobility. On or before December 1, 2027, and on or before each December 1 thereafter, the authority is required to prepare and submit a financial and performance report to the joint budget committee. In addition to this annual report, the state auditor may also be required to conduct or cause to be conducted postaudits of the authority. By October 1, 2026, the state treasurer is required to issue a warrant in the amount of $523,343 from the fund to the authority. On June 30, 2026, the state treasurer is required to transfer $21 million from the fund to the general fund. For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, the act decreases by $100,000 the appropriation from the disabled parking education and enforcement fund to the department for use by the office for operating expenses. For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, $1 million is appropriated from the fund to the department for use by the division of vocational rehabilitation and independent living services. For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, $27,000 is appropriated from the fund to the department of revenue for use by the division of motor vehicles for DRIVES maintenance and support. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Status timeline

Recorded votes

• 04/14/2026 — Senate Appropriations: “Refer House Bill 26-1382 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.” — the motion passed on a vote of 7–0.
• 04/07/2026 — House Appropriations: “Refer House Bill 26-1382 to the Committee of the Whole.” — the motion passed on a vote of 9–1.

Full text

• Signed Act version (official PDF), 06/03/2026
• Final Act version (official PDF), 06/01/2026
• Rerevised version (official PDF), 04/16/2026
• Revised version (official PDF), 04/15/2026
• Reengrossed version (official PDF), 04/11/2026
• Engrossed version (official PDF), 04/09/2026
• Introduced version (official PDF), 04/02/2026

Official record

View HB26-1382 on leg.colorado.gov

Source: Colorado General Assembly (leg.colorado.gov) · Data as of 2026-11-05