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HB 25-1290

Transit Worker Assault & Funding for Training

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

Expands transit-worker protections and lets RTD access the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund for training, equipment, and safety, with a $350 million appropriation.

Governor Signed
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Bill Summary · HB 25-1290

HB 25‑1290 — Transit Worker Assault & Funding for Training

Status: Governor signed (June 2, 2025). Effective date: 12:01 a.m. the day after the 90‑day period following final adjournment of the General Assembly (fiscal note indicates August 6, 2025), unless a referendum is filed.

Purpose

To increase legal protections for transit workers and to make the Regional Transportation District (RTD) eligible to receive training and support funds created under Proposition 130 (the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund).

Key provisions

  • Adds a definition of “transit worker” (Colorado Revised Statutes 18‑9‑101) that includes bus/train operators, ticket inspectors, conductors, station customer assistants, and employees who maintain, repair, inspect, test, or clean transit vehicles/facilities for mass transit or commuter rail — public or private employers.
  • Expands the harassment statute (18‑9‑111, “Kiana Arellano’s Law”) to include wrongfully interfering with a transit worker performing a lawful duty. Harassment remains governed by existing intent language (intent to harass, annoy, or alarm); certain violations can be prosecuted as a class 1 misdemeanor when motivated by protected characteristics.
  • Adds harassment of a transit worker to the Victims’ Rights Act (24‑4.1‑302) so victims of the new harassment offense are covered by victim‑rights provisions.
  • Preserves existing RTD‑related misdemeanor language (32‑9‑160) and adds an express authorization that law enforcement agencies may grant money received from the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund to the RTD for training, equipment, and other safety purposes.
  • Clarifies the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund appropriation language (24‑33.5‑538) — the General Assembly shall appropriate $350 million (from Proposition 130) and explicitly includes RTD transit police officers among eligible law enforcement officials and recipients of certain fund uses (pay, bonuses, hiring, training). An eligible law enforcement agency may pass along fund monies to the RTD.

Fiscal and operational impact

  • Fiscal note (final): minimal ongoing state revenue and workload impact; no appropriation required. Criminal case filings/convictions are expected to rise minimally (some conduct may already be charged under existing law).
  • If RTD receives Peace Officer Training and Support Fund grants, its revenues and expenditures would increase proportionally.
  • Local impacts (district attorneys, county jails) are expected to be minimal.

Sponsors & legislative action

Primary sponsors: Reps. William Lindstedt and Alex Valdez; Sens. Kyle Mullica and Barbara Kirkmeyer. Introduced Feb 28, 2025; passed both chambers with amendments; Governor signed June 2, 2025.

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

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