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HB 25-1219

Requirements for Better Understanding Metropolitan Districts

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Amabile and 24 co-sponsors

The law expands district disclosure and transparency requirements for metropolitan districts, including notices, website information, service plan details, and seller disclosures t

Governor Signed
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Bill Summary · HB 25-1219

HB 25-1219 — Requirements for Better Understanding Metropolitan Districts

Status: Governor signed (May 29, 2025). Effective date: August 6, 2025 (assuming no referendum).

Purpose / Intent

To increase transparency and improve public access to information about metropolitan districts (special districts that provide public improvements and services), and to expand disclosure obligations for sellers of residential property located in certain metropolitan districts.

Key provisions

  • Annual meeting notice and access

    • Metropolitan districts must notify eligible electors of the district’s annual meeting by postcard (or lowest-cost mailing option) to addresses from the county assessor list (not older than 90 days) or by email to addresses electors have provided the district.
    • Notice must also be posted on the district website home page or accessible via a home‑page link.
    • At an in‑person annual meeting held in the year immediately preceding a year with a regular special district election, paper self‑nomination and acceptance forms (per §1-13.5-303) must be available and residents must be advised when/how to file them.

  • Website content and contactability (amendment to §32-1-104.5)

    • Districts required to maintain a public website must include (and annually update) specified information, including:
    • Date/time/location of regular board meetings and the annual meeting (by Jan 30 each year).
    • Plain-language explanation of what a metropolitan district is, services provided, how public improvements are financed, what revenues repay debt, and the maximum mill levy that may be assessed to repay debt.
    • Services the district provides and services provided by other entities (with those entities named).
    • Names/terms/contact info for board members and any manager.
    • A current boundary map.
    • Names of overlapping governmental entities and the county/municipality that receives the district’s annual report.
    • A system/process for contacting someone associated with the district during business hours and outside business hours (or when personnel are otherwise unavailable) to address emergent resident concerns.
    • Certain information (e.g., meeting dates, call for nominations, board/contact info) must appear on the website home page or be accessible by link.

  • Service plan disclosures (§32-1-202)

    • For service plans submitted on/after Jan 1, 2024: the maximum debt the county commissioners approve must be stated.
    • For service plans submitted on/after Jan 1, 2025: the plan must specify the maximum term for imposing a debt‑service mill levy on property developed for residential purposes after the first year the mill levy is imposed.

  • Seller disclosure expansion (§38-35.7-110)

    • Current seller disclosure requirements (previously limited to newly constructed residences) are expanded: the owner of any residential real property within a metropolitan district organized after Jan 1, 2000 must provide the buyer with the district disclosures (service plan access, tax/levy/debt authority, estimated taxes, etc.).
    • Sellers in such districts must also provide a hard copy of the plain‑language explanation required on the district website.

Who is affected

  • Metropolitan districts: increased workload and likely modest expenses to mail/postcard/email notices, update websites, provide paper forms at meetings, and establish after‑hours contact procedures.
  • Residents and property buyers inside affected districts: better access to information about district services, debt, mill levies, meetings, and contact procedures.
  • Sellers/owners of residential property in districts organized after Jan 1, 2000: new disclosure obligations when selling property.
  • County commissioners: service plans submitted on/after specified dates must include additional debt/millage-related terms to review/approve.

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Final fiscal note (Legislative Council Staff): no expected state revenue or expenditure impact; no state appropriation required. Local governments (metropolitan districts) may incur ongoing administrative and modest operational costs.
  • Enforcement link: the county or municipality that receives annual reports may request withholding of district funds under existing law (§32-1-209) if reporting requirements are unmet.

Sponsors and legislative action

Primary sponsors: Rep. Jacque Phillips and Rep. Carlos Barron; Sen. Kyle Mullica and Sen. Lisa Frizell (Senate primary). Bill enacted after House and Senate passage; Governor signed May 29, 2025.

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

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