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SB 25-031

Single Point of Contact Wireless Services

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jennifer Bacon and 8 co-sponsors

Creates a single point of contact to coordinate wireless emergency alerts and requires multilingual alerts in certain areas starting July 1, 2027.

Governor Signed
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Bill Summary · SB 25-031

SB 25-031 — Single Point of Contact Wireless Services

Status: Governor signed (Apr 30, 2025). Effective: Aug 6, 2025. Language-requirement compliance begins July 1, 2027.

Purpose / Intent

To strengthen Colorado’s emergency alerting and wireless communications support by:
- Creating a single point of contact in the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to coordinate wireless emergency alerting and offer technical assistance; and
- Expanding state broadband program responsibilities to include wireless service support, while requiring multilingual emergency alerts where local demographic thresholds are met.

Key provisions

  • Single point of contact (Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management)
    • Establish a designated contact to: ensure statewide coverage of the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) and Emergency Alert System (EAS) for wireless emergency alerts; provide IPAWS certification assistance; offer technical assistance for inclusive/accessible alerting (per prior language-access study); and recommend improvements to wireless alerting.
  • Multilingual emergency alerts (new statutory section 24-33.5-719)
    • Beginning July 1, 2027, an “alerting authority” must disseminate emergency alerts in English and in any “predominant minority language” when, within the covered county/city, at least 2,000 residents or 2.5% of residents age 18+ speak that language and report speaking English “less than very well” (per ACS or comparable validated census data).
    • Alerts must be: issued in the timeliest manner possible, in plain language, and comply with federal disability law (42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.). Alerting authorities may use preloaded resident data, voluntary registrations, employees, vendors, or technology to meet requirements.
    • The state is authorized and encouraged to provide implementation assistance and outreach to limited-English-proficient communities.
  • Grants and funding
    • The 911 Services Enterprise may award grants (from enterprise funds) to municipal or county alerting authorities to implement language and accessibility services; the enterprise board determines grant amounts and distribution.
    • Adds explicit authority for the 911 Services Enterprise to award such grants in 29-11-108.
  • Colorado Broadband Office (24-37.5-903)
    • Expands the office’s duties to include technical assistance, planning, grant support, and coordination for wireless service (in addition to broadband).
  • Definitions and technical clarifications
    • Adds statutory definitions for “alerting authority,” “broadcast emergency alert,” “emergency messaging system,” “emergency notification system,” and “predominant minority language.”
  • Prepaid wireless definitions/clarifications
    • Adjusts applicability/definitions related to prepaid wireless telecommunications service in 29-11-102.5 and 40-17.5-101 (aligning statutory language).

Implementation & timeline

  • Governor signed: Apr 30, 2025. Act effective per statute process Aug 6, 2025 (per fiscal note).
  • Multilingual alerting compliance required beginning July 1, 2027.
  • 911 Services Enterprise board decides grant program structure and amounts; Division creates single point of contact and begins assistance and recommendations after effective date.

Fiscal impact

  • Final fiscal note: no appropriation required. Minimal ongoing increases in state workload beginning FY 2027‑28 (Department of Regulatory Agencies / 911 Services Enterprise; Office of Information Technology) — work can be absorbed within existing resources.
  • Local governments: increased costs to implement multilingual alerting and accessibility features; these costs may be offset for jurisdictions receiving grants from the 911 Services Enterprise.

Who is affected

  • State: Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management; Colorado Broadband Office (OIT); 911 Services Enterprise; OIT/DORA (technical assistance).
  • Local: counties, municipalities, local alerting authorities, PSAPs.
  • Public: residents (especially limited-English-proficient populations) who will receive emergency alerts in additional languages where thresholds are met.
  • Industry: wireless and emergency notification system vendors (interaction for technical support/features).

Legislative history & sponsors (select)

  • Introduced: Jan 8, 2025 (Sen. Roberts; Reps. Soper, Velasco primary sponsors).
  • Passed both chambers with amendments; concurred Apr 16, 2025; sent to Governor Apr 25; signed Apr 30, 2025.
  • Co-sponsors include Marchman, Michaelson Jenet, Jodeh, Cutter, Weissman, Bacon.

For questions about fiscal assumptions, see the Legislative Council Staff final fiscal note (dated Aug 11, 2025).

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

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