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HB 25-1266

Colorado American Indian Recognition Day

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jennifer Bacon and 39 co-sponsors

Designates Colorado American Indian Recognition Day on second Monday in October, allowing public and schools to observe and educate about American Indian histories; no state cost.

Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
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Bill Summary · HB 25-1266

Summary — HB 25-1266: Colorado American Indian Recognition Day

Status: Postponed indefinitely by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs (4/29/2025)

Introduced: February 18, 2025
House passage: March 10, 2025 (third reading, no amendments)
Assigned to Senate committee: March 13, 2025

Main purpose

Establish an annual observed state holiday called "Colorado American Indian Recognition Day" on the second Monday in October to honor, recognize, and educate about the histories, cultures, contributions, resilience, and ongoing impacts of American Indian nations with ties to Colorado—with special reference to the Ute peoples and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new statute, Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-11-119, designating the second Monday in October each year as "Colorado American Indian Recognition Day."
  • Specifies that appropriate observances may be held by the public and in all public schools to recognize culture, resilience, and contributions of American Indians and the Ute nations.
  • Includes a legislative declaration that:
    • Recognizes Colorado as ancestral homeland of the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribes and notes ties to many other federally recognized tribes (the bill text references 46–48 nations).
    • Acknowledges historical injustices and violent events affecting American Indian communities in Colorado (including references to the Battle of Milk Creek, the Beaver Creek incident, the Sand Creek Massacre), and policies such as forced removals and boarding schools.
  • Specifies an effective date: 12:01 a.m. the day after the 90-day period following final adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, unless a referendum is filed. If a referendum is filed and voters approve, the act takes effect on the date of the governor’s official declaration of the election results (noted potential general election in November 2026).

Fiscal and operational impact

  • Legislative Council Staff fiscal note: no state fiscal impact (no change to state revenue or expenditures; observed holidays do not change state employee work hours). School districts may optionally adjust calendars if they choose to give the day off.

Sponsors and support

Primary House sponsors: Representatives Katie Stewart and Lorena García.
Senate sponsor (on engrossed version): Senator Jessie Danielson. The bill had numerous cosponsors from the House.

Legislative actions / timeline

  • 2025-02-18: Introduced in House (assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs)
  • 2025-03-06–03-07: Committee activity and House second reading (amended)
  • 2025-03-10: House third reading passed
  • 2025-03-13: Assigned to Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs committee
  • 2025-04-29: Committee recommendation — postponed indefinitely (bill did not advance)

Who would be affected

  • Public: symbolic recognition and encouragement of public observances.
  • Public schools: may hold observances; individual districts could choose to alter calendars (optional).
  • State agencies/employees: no mandated change to work schedules (observed, not a legal holiday), per fiscal note.

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

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