HB 1320 CO Became Law
Accessible Language Statutory Ballot Title Requirements
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Summary
This bill requires Colorado's title board to write ballot titles for initiative petitions using accessible language that can be understood by the widest possible audience. The bill defines accessible language as plain language that avoids unnecessary legal, technical, and specialized terminology, clearly identifies the principal change in law, avoids complex phrasing, and presents information in a logical and readable order. The bill also modifies requirements for ballot titles of initiatives that change tax revenue, allowing required statutory language to be substantially similar to the original text instead of exact matches, and permitting that language to appear anywhere in the title rather than in a specific location. These changes apply to initiative petitions submitted for ballot title setting on or after the bill's effective date.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.
Official abstract
Under current law, the title board must set a ballot title for an initiative petition that is brief, does not conflict with another title for an initiative petition filed for the same election, and is in the form of a question that may be answered 'yes/for' or 'no/against' and that unambiguously states the principle of the provision sought to be added, amended, or repealed by the initiative. The act adds a requirement that the title board write a ballot title using accessible language, which means plain language that is understood by the widest possible audience. In determining whether a ballot title is written using accessible language, the title board may consider whether the title:Avoids using legal, technical, or specialized terminology when possible;Clearly identifies the principal change in law or policy proposed by the proposed statutory or constitutional amendment;Avoids unnecessary qualifiers, double negatives, and overly complex phrasing;Organizes clauses so that the effect of a 'yes/for' or 'no/against' vote is readily understood; andPresents necessary information within the ballot title in a logical and readable order. In addition, current law requires that specific language appear in the ballot title for certain initiatives that increase or reduce tax revenue. For initiatives that reduce state tax revenue or local district property tax revenue through a tax change, this required language must appear at the beginning of the ballot title. For initiatives that increase tax revenue for any district through a tax change, this required language must appear directly after language required by the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. The act modifies these statutory provisions so that the required ballot title language must only be substantially similar to the specific statutory language and may appear anywhere in the ballot title. The act applies to initiative petitions submitted to the secretary of state for title setting on or after the effective date of the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Sponsors (3)
- L. García Democratic · sponsor
- K. Nguyen Democratic · sponsor
- A. Benavidez Democratic · sponsor
30 coauthors / cosponsors
- J. Bacon Democratic · cosponsor
- A. Boesenecker Democratic · cosponsor
- K. Brown Democratic · cosponsor
- C. Clifford Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Duran Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Froelich Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Jackson Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Joseph Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Lindsay Democratic · cosponsor
- J. McCluskie Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Rutinel Democratic · cosponsor
- E. Sirota Democratic · cosponsor
- R. Stewart Democratic · cosponsor
- T. Story Democratic · cosponsor
- B. Titone Democratic · cosponsor
- E. Velasco Democratic · cosponsor
- Y. Zokaie Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Coleman Democratic · cosponsor
- L. Cutter Democratic · cosponsor
- T. Exum Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Gonzales Democratic · cosponsor
- N. Hinrichsen Democratic · cosponsor
- I. Jodeh Democratic · cosponsor
- C. Kipp Democratic · cosponsor
- C. Kolker Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Marchman Democratic · cosponsor
- R. Rodriguez Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Snyder Democratic · cosponsor
- T. Sullivan Democratic · cosponsor
- K. Wallace Democratic · cosponsor
Action history (15)
- May 29, 2026 Governor Signed · executive
- May 21, 2026 Sent to the Governor · executive
- May 21, 2026 Signed by the President of the Senate · upper
- May 21, 2026 Signed by the Speaker of the House · lower
- May 4, 2026 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass · lower
- Apr 28, 2026 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily · lower
- Apr 27, 2026 Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
- Apr 24, 2026 Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee · upper
- Apr 21, 2026 Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole · upper
- Mar 31, 2026 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs · upper
- Mar 27, 2026 House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · lower
- Mar 26, 2026 House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments · lower
- Mar 25, 2026 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee · lower
- Mar 23, 2026 House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole · lower
- Mar 4, 2026 Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs · lower
Full text
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