Colorado 2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 4 D · 3 R cosponsors

HB 1220 — Update Behavioral Health License Terminology

Last action — Governor Signed

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 17, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Jared Polis (Democratic) on May 05, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    6 primary, 6 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 D · 3 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Current law includes an incorrect reference to an 'acute treatment unit', which license type was condensed into the license for behavioral health entities in 2019. The act updates the terminology from 'acute treatment unit' to 'behavioral health entity' to conform with existing license types.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

18 added · 28 removed

Plain-language change summary

The bill HB 1220 changes the term "acute treatment unit" to "behavioral health entity" to align with existing terminology used in behavioral health licensing. This update is important because it ensures consistency in how mental health facilities are referred to in legislation, which can help clarify regulations and improve understanding among providers and patients alike. Overall, this change aims to enhance the effectiveness of mental health services by making sure that the language in the law accurately reflects current practices in the field.

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NOTE:
HOUSE BILL 26-1220 BYREPRESENTATIVE(S)Carterand Bradley, Espenoza, Luck, DeGraaf, Duran, Phillips;
This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative officers and the Governor.
To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative history, or the Session Laws.
HOUSE BILL 26-1220 BYREPRESENTATIVE(S)CarterandBradley,Espenoza,Luck,DeGraaf, Duran, Phillips;
C ONCERNINGUPDATINGTERMINOLOGYFROM "ACUTETREATMENTUNIT " TO "BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ENTITY " TO CONFORM WITH EXISTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LICENSES .
CONCERNING UPDATINGTERMINOLOGY FROM"ACUTETREATMENT UNIT" TO "BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ENTITY" TO CONFORM WITH EXISTING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LICENSES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Be it enacted by the General Assembly ofthe State ofColorado:
In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-280-120, amend (5)(a)(III)(D) as follows:
In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-280-120, amend (5)(a)(IIl)(D) as follows:
(III) Supplyanemergencykitorstarterdose,asdefinedbytheboard by rule, to:
(III) Supply anemergencykit orstarterdose, as definedbythe board by rule, to:
(D) Any acute treatment unit licensed by the department of public ________ Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law;
(D) Any acute treatment unit licensed by the department ofpublic Capital letters or&bitalic numbers indicate new material added to existing law;
dashes through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of the act.
dashes through words or numbers indicate deletionsfrom existing law andsuch material is not part of the act.
health and environment A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ENTITY LICENSED BY THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION and approved by the board for receipt of an emergency kit.
health and environment A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ENTITY LICENSED BY THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION and approved by the board for receipt ofan emergency kit.
on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly(August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026);
on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment ofthe general assembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026);
except that, if a referendumpetitionisfiledpursuanttosection1(3)ofarticleVofthestate constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approvedbythepeopleatthegeneralelectiontobeheldinNovember2026 PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1220 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
except that, if a referendumpetition is filed pursuantto section 1(3) ofarticle V ofthe state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved bythe people atthe general electionto be held inNovember2026 PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1220 and, in such case, will take effect on the date ofthe official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.
____________________________ ____________________________ Julie McCluskie James Rashad Coleman, Sr.
J ~ James Rashad Coleman, Sr.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Vanessa Reilly Esther van Mourik CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________ (Date and Time) _________________________________________ Jared S.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ¼ J~ Vanessa Reilly Esther van Mourik CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE STATE OF COLORADO PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1220
Polis GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1220
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Action History

  1. Governor Signed

  2. Signed by the Speaker of the House

  3. Signed by the President of the Senate

  4. Sent to the Governor

  5. Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  6. Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments

  7. Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 04/02/2026 - No Amendments

  8. Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole

  9. Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs

  10. House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  11. House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

  12. House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole

  13. Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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6 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 89 not signed on

Sponsors (6)

Co-sponsors (6)

Not signed on (89)

89 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 89 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

BILL

Passed 35 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 4001
Democrat 21000
Republican 10000
Total 35001
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (36)
Member Party Vote
Gonzales J. — Not Voting
Pelton B. — Yea
Pelton R. — Yea
President — Yea
Adrienne Benavidez — Yea
Cathy Kipp Democrat Yea
Chris Kolker Democrat Yea
Dylan Roberts Democrat Yea
Iman Jodeh Democrat Yea
James Coleman Democrat Yea
Janice Marchman Democrat Yea
Jeff Bridges Democrat Yea
Jessie Danielson Democrat Yea
Judy Amabile Democrat Yea
Katie Wallace Democrat Yea
Kyle Mullica Democrat Yea
Lindsey Daugherty Democrat Yea
Lisa Cutter Democrat Yea
Marc Snyder Democrat Yea
Matt Ball Democrat Yea
Mike Weissman Democrat Yea
Nick Hinrichsen Democrat Yea
Robert Rodriguez Democrat Yea
Tom Sullivan Democrat Yea
Tony Exum Democrat Yea
William Lindstedt Democrat Yea
Barbara Kirkmeyer Republican Yea
Cleave Simpson Republican Yea
Janice Rich Republican Yea
John Carson Republican Yea
Larry Liston Republican Yea
Lisa Frizell Republican Yea
Lynda Zamora Wilson Republican Yea
Marc Catlin Republican Yea
Mark Baisley Republican Yea
Scott Bright Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Refer House Bill 26-1220 to the Committee of the Whole.

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 3000
Democrat 8000
Total 11000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Cecelia Espenoza Democrat Yea
Chad Clifford Democrat Yea
Jenny Willford Democrat Yea
Kenny Nguyen Democrat Yea
Lisa Feret Democrat Yea
Meg Froelich Democrat Yea
Michael Carter Democrat Yea
Naquetta Ricks Democrat Yea
Brandi Bradley Republican Yea
Scott Bottoms Republican Yea
Stephanie Luck Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 1220 do?
Current law includes an incorrect reference to an 'acute treatment unit', which license type was condensed into the license for behavioral health entities in 2019. The act updates the terminology from 'acute treatment unit' to 'behavioral health entity' to conform with existing license types.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Who sponsors HB 1220?
HB 1220 is sponsored by K. Mullica, L. Liston, J. Coleman, J. Rich, T. Exum, Michael Carter (Democrat), Cecelia Espenoza (Democrat), Stephanie Luck (Republican), Ken DeGraaf (Republican), Monica Duran (Democrat), Brandi Bradley (Republican), and Jacque Phillips (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 1220?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 17, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 1220?
Track HB 1220 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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