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SB 157 CO
Became Law

Determination of Town Abandonment

CO · session 2026A · Senate · bill

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Introduced Apr 8, 2026

Latest action (May 26, 2026) Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Local Government & Housing

Summary

The bill establishes a process for determining whether a town is abandoned by allowing counties, landowners, or residents to petition the Secretary of State. A town may be declared abandoned if it has no board of trustees or town clerk, cannot hold elections, and owns or operates critical water infrastructure. The bill also authorizes up to $100,000 in funding to be transferred to maintain water systems in towns with pending abandonment applications if the systems are failing or at risk of failure.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.

Official abstract

The act allows for a county, a landowner in the town, or a registered elector in the town to apply to the secretary of state (secretary) to determine a town is abandoned when a town:Has no board of trustees or town clerk;Is unable to hold an election; andOwns or operates infrastructure critical for the treatment or delivery of water to residents.      The act authorizes the department of public health and environment to transfer up to $100,000 from the small communities water and wastewater grant fund to the department of public safety to cover the cost of operation and maintenance of a town's water system if an application for abandonment of the town has been filed with the secretary and the town has a water system that is failing or is likely to fail.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Sponsors (4)
25 coauthors / cosponsors

Action history (15)
  1. May 26, 2026 Governor Signed · executive
  2. May 21, 2026 Sent to the Governor · executive
  3. May 21, 2026 Signed by the Speaker of the House · lower
  4. May 21, 2026 Signed by the President of the Senate · upper
  5. May 9, 2026 House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · lower
  6. May 8, 2026 House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments · lower
  7. May 7, 2026 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments · lower
  8. May 7, 2026 House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole · lower
  9. May 5, 2026 House Committee on Transportation, Housing & Local Government Refer Unamended to Appropriations · lower
  10. Apr 29, 2026 Introduced In House - Assigned to Transportation, Housing & Local Government · lower
  11. Apr 29, 2026 Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
  12. Apr 28, 2026 Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee · upper
  13. Apr 28, 2026 Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole · upper
  14. Apr 22, 2026 Senate Committee on Local Government & Housing Refer Amended to Appropriations · upper
  15. Apr 8, 2026 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Local Government & Housing · upper
Subjects
Local GovernmentState Government

Full text

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