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HB 25-1074

Change Confinement Standards Egg-Laying Hens

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ryan Armagost and 30 co-sponsors

HB 25-1074 aimed to repeal cage-free standards for egg-laying hens, potentially lowering egg prices for consumers but raising animal welfare concerns.

House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Postpone Indefinitely
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Bill Summary · HB 25-1074

Summary of HB 25-1074: Change Confinement Standards for Egg-Laying Hens

Bill Overview

Bill Number: HB 25-1074
Introduced: January 8, 2025
Status: Postponed Indefinitely by the House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources on January 27, 2025.
Prime Sponsors: Rep. R. Gonzalez, Sen. Kirkmeyer

The purpose of HB 25-1074 was to repeal existing confinement standards for egg-laying hens whose eggs are sold in Colorado. These standards were established by House Bill 20-1343 and aimed to ensure humane treatment of hens by mandating cage-free housing.

Key Provisions

  • Repeal of Standards: The bill proposed to eliminate the current requirements that:

    • Hens must be kept in cage-free housing systems.
    • Each hen must have at least one square foot of floor space in a cage-free system that provides vertical space.
    • Each hen must have at least one and a half square feet of floor space in a cage-free system without vertical space.

  • Impact on Egg Sales: Businesses would no longer be restricted to selling eggs produced under these humane confinement standards.

Impact of the Bill

Economic Considerations

  • Cost of Production: The Colorado Egg Producers Association indicated that producing cage-free eggs costs approximately 16%-18% more than producing eggs in caged environments. This increase in production costs has contributed to rising egg prices, which saw a 39.6% increase from September 2023 to September 2024.

  • Consumer Prices: The bill's supporters argued that repealing the standards would help stabilize egg prices, making them more affordable for Colorado families, particularly low-income households that are disproportionately affected by rising food costs.

Fiscal Implications

  • State Revenue and Expenditures: The fiscal note indicated that the bill would have minimal impact on state workload and revenue. No appropriations were required, and the expected changes in civil penalties related to violations of cage-free laws were projected to be negligible.

Effective Date

If enacted, the bill would have taken effect 90 days after the adjournment of the General Assembly, unless a referendum petition was filed.

Conclusion

While HB 25-1074 aimed to alleviate economic pressures on consumers by repealing humane confinement standards for egg-laying hens, it was ultimately postponed indefinitely by the House Committee. The discussion surrounding this bill reflects ongoing tensions between animal welfare considerations and economic realities faced by consumers and producers in Colorado.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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