After an election year, the New Year often ushers in new laws that cause notable changes for citizens. This year is no different, and the state of Colorado has a whopping 20 new laws.
Out of these new laws, nine of them, in particular, will bring about changes that directly affect residents of Colorado. Here are some important things to note.
Over half the country voted to raise the minimum wage, and Colorado’s wage was raised by more than a dollar. The new minimum wage is $13 to $13.85. The wage in Denver increased by 9%, and minimum wage workers there will make $17.29 per hour.
Tipped employees will make a minimum of $10.63, according to Colorado.gov. The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25.
House Bull 20-1343 now requires that egg farms in the state with more than 3,000 laying hens must have at least 1 square foot of space for each hen in order to legally sell their eggs. By 2025, farms will have to certify that the eggs they are selling are certifiably cage-free.
Three large farms that contribute 90% of the state’s egg supply will need to meet regulations, and stores will soon stop selling eggs from farms that don’t comply.
Farms with fewer than 3,000 hens are exempt from the law, along with farms that raise chickens for meat or other means.
This new law will undoubtedly cause a rise in egg prices.
“With different confinements – of course there’s a cost to that,” said Bill Scebbi, executive director of Colorado Egg Producers. “And raising hens in these other facilities, other environments, it’s more costly to raise the hens and produce the eggs. So that will equate to an increase in price. What that’s going to be, we can’t say.”
As egg prices begin to spike and grocery stores experience egg shortages because of aviary flu, local egg farmers are seeing the demand for their eggs increase.
Amy Reid, the owner of Jake’s Farm in Hesperus, said she has already seen an increase in people asking for their eggs.
Reid said caging chickens is an outdated means of raising chickens, and she doesn’t know of anyone who still uses these methods. She noted that most egg producers now have chickens that are either free-range or pasture-range.
“My personal opinion, and this is just my opinion, is that whoever wrote the law is wasting taxpayer money and doing it by enforcing a law that isn’t even an issue in our state and is a waste of taxpayer money,” she said.
Ultimately, taxpayers will end up paying the highest cost.
“I think it will affect consumers with a price raise because the bigger farms, even if they’re not caging, will use it as an excuse to raise prices,” Reid said.
The state is working toward its goal of banning all single-use plastic bags by charging 10 cents per plastic bag used at grocery stores such as Walmart, City Market and Safeway.
Patrons can choose to bring their own bags, pay 10 cents per bag or not use bags altogether. By 2024, single-use plastic bags won’t be available for purchase at all.
Fast food restaurants and small retail stores are exempt from the law. Also exempt are shoppers who can prove they are on a federal or state food assistance program, according to a news release from the city of Durango.
The money collected from the plastic bag fee will be divided between the stores (40%) and local governments (60%), according to the new law.
Colorado workers will now see 0.45% ($4.50 for every $1,000 of wages) of their paycheck earnings withheld for the new Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI), which will officially launch in 2024. Once the program begins, it will replace workers’ wages when they go on leave for childbirth, serious health conditions, or other life circumstances.
The payroll deductions begin this year, but the fund won’t be available for use until 2024. After that, those who qualify for the program can rely on the funds for up to 12 weeks while they are between jobs, dealing with a health crisis or working through some other unforeseen circumstance.
The new program also aims to lessen the burden of small business owners, who may lose out on potential employee applicants because of an inability to provide paid family and sick leave.
“Colorado small business owners and self-employed applicants are looking forward to the launch of the Colorado FAMLI program, which will allow employers to offer access to a benefit that is important to supporting their workforce,” said Colorado Director for Small Business Majority Lindsey Vigoda, in a news release. “We know that many small businesses want to offer paid family and medical leave but simply can't afford to do so on their own. The new FAMLI program will help close this gap for small businesses while providing access to critical financial support for Coloradans – a win-win for businesses and employees alike.”
A little monetary relief is coming for Colorado parents with infant children and those who use feminine hygiene products. There will no longer be a state sales tax for diapers or feminine hygiene products, all considered necessary items.
Termed the “Tampon Tax,” proponents of getting rid of state taxes on hygiene products argue they are not “luxury items,” as have been labeled in the past, and should fall under the medical and health supply category, which are also tax-exempt in several states, according to NPR.org.
“This new bipartisan law finally ends the sales tax on diapers and feminine hygiene products permanently and starts saving people money on these necessary products,” stated Colorado Gov. Jared Polis after signing the bill into law.
Twenty-two states still view feminine hygiene products as luxury items and still impose them with a state tax.
Now, when you register or renew the registration of your car in Colorado, an extra fee of $29 provides a state park pass that includes all parks in the state, including Mancos State Park in Southwest Colorado.
Those who do not wish to pay for a park pass, however, are able to opt out.
To combat the recent and concerning rise of fentanyl overdoses in the state and nation, it is now required by law for those convicted of fentanyl possession to be given a drug assessment and attend a fentanyl education program.
Qualified individuals will be required to go to treatment programs as a condition of probation as well.
Fentanyl is responsible for a 70% increase in accidental deaths since 2021.
To address the number of inmates who fall back into drug distribution or abuse upon their release, jails are now required to give qualifying inmates an opioid antagonist such as Narcan and other medications to reverse potential overdoses upon release from prison.
Jails must also publish their plans for drug treatment for inmates and those who will be released.
According to the Colorado Secretary of State's office, psychedelic mushrooms were officially legalized and were decriminalized in the state on January 4.
While these psychedelics are now legal, the exact amount of legality in terms of usage is still to be determined. The substances won’t officially be available for awhile while the state irons out their accepted usage and regulations under the law.
Search and rescue volunteers who sacrifice their time, efforts and safety in Colorado’s backcountry will have more financial support in 2023.
The new funding will provide more training for volunteers, as well rescue equipment. Control of search and rescue funding has been transferred from the Division of Local Affairs to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, using a surcharge increase on snowmobile and off-road vehicle licensing to help pay for the funds, according to Colorado.gov.
“In reality, this is just bringing us up on par with all the other emergency responders,” Jeff Sparhawk, executive director of the Colorado Search and Rescue Association, told lawmakers at an April hearing at the state Capitol, as reported by Colorado Public Radio. “We’re not asking for something special. We still are trying to make it so we run very cost-effective, very efficient, very safe operations.”
The new law stipulates that volunteers have immunity from any lawsuits that might be filed after an unsuccessful rescue mission, and if rescuers are disabled or killed on duty, their dependents have new access to free higher education classes at state colleges and universities.
A full list of Colorado’s 2023 laws can be found on the Session Laws section of Colorado.org.
