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SB 25-020

Tenant and Landlord Law Enforcement

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jennifer Bacon and 26 co-sponsors

SB 25-020 — Tenant and Landlord Law EnforcementStatus: Governor signed (May 28, 2025) | Introduced: Jan 8, 2025 | Effective: August 6, 2025 (unless referendum) PurposeSB 25-020 str

Governor Signed
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Bill Summary · SB 25-020

SB 25-020 — Tenant and Landlord Law Enforcement

Status: Governor signed (May 28, 2025) | Introduced: Jan 8, 2025 | Effective: August 6, 2025 (unless referendum)

Purpose

SB 25-020 strengthens enforcement tools for existing Colorado landlord–tenant law by (1) expanding the Attorney General’s authority to pursue certain housing-related violations, (2) authorizing local governments to bring independent enforcement actions, and (3) creating a receivership remedy for multifamily residential properties that are not maintained in compliance with law.

Key provisions

  • Attorney General enforcement

    • Adds specific parts of Article 12, Title 38 (Parts 4, 8, and 10) to the list of landlord–tenant laws the Attorney General may independently enforce beginning January 1, 2026.
    • Expands the Attorney General’s investigatory and enforcement powers (subpoenas, injunctions, assurances of discontinuance, and penalties) to these authorities.
    • Permits persons acting on behalf of the Attorney General to access court records that would otherwise be automatically suppressed for the purpose of investigating state-law violations.
    • Requires the Attorney General to conduct any enforcement under the act within existing appropriations.

  • Local government enforcement

    • Counties, cities, and municipalities may independently initiate civil (and criminal where applicable) enforcement actions to enforce various parts of Article 12, Title 38; some provisions take effect Jan 1, 2026.
    • The bill places limits on compensation terms when local governments retain private counsel for enforcement (text contains procedural limits).

  • Receivership for residential housing

    • Establishes a court-ordered receivership process for multifamily residential properties when owners violate state maintenance or safety laws.
    • Applicants who may seek appointment of a receiver include the Attorney General, the Department of Law (per fiscal note practice), a county, a city and county, or a municipality.
    • Sets procedural requirements: notice, hearing, an appointing order that specifies receiver duties and qualifications, and a process for terminating receiverships. A termination request may be filed no sooner than 180 days after appointment.

Who is affected

  • Tenants — particularly victims of unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, or domestic violence; tenants impacted by deficient maintenance (e.g., bed bugs) and documentation failures — stand to gain additional enforcement avenues.
  • Landlords and multifamily property owners — face greater risk of government enforcement actions and, in chronic cases, court-appointed receivership.
  • State agencies — Department of Law/Attorney General will have expanded duties but must operate within current appropriations.
  • Local governments — may use new enforcement authority subject to available local resources.
  • Judicial Branch — may see a minimal increase in civil litigation and receivership proceedings; impacts expected to be absorbable within existing resources.

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Legislative Council and JBC fiscal analyses: no appropriation required; projected minimal ongoing state revenue and workload beginning FY 2025–26. Some potential state revenue from civil penalties is possible but not estimable; penalties in AG cases are treated as damage awards and not subject to TABOR.
  • The act does not compel the Attorney General or local governments to pursue actions; enforcement is discretionary and constrained by available appropriations and resources.

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

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