Bill Commons

CO SB 138

enacted

Reducing Administrative Burdens on Health Care

Colorado · 2026 Regular Session · upper

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Quick answers

Did CO SB 138 pass?

Yes. CO SB 138 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-06-02): Governor Signed

What is CO SB 138 about?

Section 2 of the act repeals a requirement that health-care profession regulators adopt rules that require each licensed health-care provider, as a condition of renewing, reactivating, or reinstating a license, to complete up to 4 credit hours of training per licensing cycle in order to demonstrate competency regarding topics related to prescribing drugs and treatment.     Section 3 authorizes the Colorado dental board to adopt rules that require every dentist, dental therapist, and dental hygienist, as a condition of renewing, reactivating, or reinstating a license, to complete up to 4 credit hours of training per licensing cycle regarding topics related to prescribing drugs and treatment.     Section 4 requires a licensed veterinarian to complete at least 1 hour of training per renewal period regarding topics related to prescribing drugs and treatment.     Section 5 changes the frequency at which specific health-care facilities are required to apply for a license issued by the department of public health and environment from annually to every 2 years.     Under current law, a health-care facility is required to screen each uninsured patient for eligibility for public health insurance programs and discounted care (screening) utilizing a single uniform application developed by the department of health care policy and financing (state department). Sections 6 through 11 change this requirement by:Changing the method used to conduct the screening from a uniform application to use of a third-party resource, such as a major credit bureau, or use of a uniform screening questionnaire (questionnaire) developed by the state department;Allowing a health-care facility the option of screening a patient for eligibility for the health-care facility's financial assistance program;Requiring a health-care facility to provide specified notifications upon completion of the screening;Creating an application for discounted care (application) for use by a health-care facility upon completion of the screening through which additional information is requested from a patient to determine whether the patient qualifies or is likely to qualify for public health-care coverage or discounted care;Requiring a health-care facility to provide specified notice and appeal rights to a patient upon completion and review of the application; andRequiring the state department to adopt rules regarding the questionnaire and application.     Section 11 also narrows state department review requirements of health-care facilities' and licensed health-care professionals' billing for patients who are indigent. The act prohibits the state department from making changes to regulatory documents or imposing new requirements unless the changes or new requirements are adopted by rule by specified dates and are subject to stakeholder engagement.     Section 12 requires the state department to establish by rule the content and format of the information each hospital must provide to the state department for a hospital transparency report at least 30 days prior to the hospital's fiscal year. The act changes the deadline for a hospital to submit to the state department an annual audited financial statement from 120 days to 150 days after the end of the hospital's fiscal year. Current law requires that each hospital has a minimum of 15 days to review the hospital transparency report; the act specifies that the review period is 15 business days and requires that a statewide hospital association must also have a minimum of 15 business days to review the report.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Who sponsors CO SB 138?

K. Stewart, K. Mullica, L. Daugherty are the primary sponsors of CO SB 138, joined by 19 cosponsors.

Description

Section 2 of the act repeals a requirement that health-care profession regulators adopt rules that require each licensed health-care provider, as a condition of renewing, reactivating, or reinstating a license, to complete up to 4 credit hours of training per licensing cycle in order to demonstrate competency regarding topics related to prescribing drugs and treatment.     Section 3 authorizes the Colorado dental board to adopt rules that require every dentist, dental therapist, and dental hygienist, as a condition of renewing, reactivating, or reinstating a license, to complete up to 4 credit hours of training per licensing cycle regarding topics related to prescribing drugs and treatment.     Section 4 requires a licensed veterinarian to complete at least 1 hour of training per renewal period regarding topics related to prescribing drugs and treatment.     Section 5 changes the frequency at which specific health-care facilities are required to apply for a license issued by the department of public health and environment from annually to every 2 years.     Under current law, a health-care facility is required to screen each uninsured patient for eligibility for public health insurance programs and discounted care (screening) utilizing a single uniform application developed by the department of health care policy and financing (state department). Sections 6 through 11 change this requirement by:Changing the method used to conduct the screening from a uniform application to use of a third-party resource, such as a major credit bureau, or use of a uniform screening questionnaire (questionnaire) developed by the state department;Allowing a health-care facility the option of screening a patient for eligibility for the health-care facility's financial assistance program;Requiring a health-care facility to provide specified notifications upon completion of the screening;Creating an application for discounted care (application) for use by a health-care facility upon completion of the screening through which additional information is requested from a patient to determine whether the patient qualifies or is likely to qualify for public health-care coverage or discounted care;Requiring a health-care facility to provide specified notice and appeal rights to a patient upon completion and review of the application; andRequiring the state department to adopt rules regarding the questionnaire and application.     Section 11 also narrows state department review requirements of health-care facilities' and licensed health-care professionals' billing for patients who are indigent. The act prohibits the state department from making changes to regulatory documents or imposing new requirements unless the changes or new requirements are adopted by rule by specified dates and are subject to stakeholder engagement.     Section 12 requires the state department to establish by rule the content and format of the information each hospital must provide to the state department for a hospital transparency report at least 30 days prior to the hospital's fiscal year. The act changes the deadline for a hospital to submit to the state department an annual audited financial statement from 120 days to 150 days after the end of the hospital's fiscal year. Current law requires that each hospital has a minimum of 15 days to review the hospital transparency report; the act specifies that the review period is 15 business days and requires that a statewide hospital association must also have a minimum of 15 business days to review the report.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Introduced
2026-03-11
Latest action
2026-06-02 — Governor Signed
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • K. Stewartsponsor
  • K. Mullicasponsor
  • L. Daughertysponsor
  • M. Durancosponsor
  • A. Boeseneckercosponsor
  • J. Baconcosponsor
  • D. Robertscosponsor
  • J. Marchmancosponsor
  • C. Kolkercosponsor
  • C. Kippcosponsor
  • I. Jodehcosponsor
  • K. McCormickcosponsor
  • J. Danielsoncosponsor
  • L. Cuttercosponsor
  • J. Colemancosponsor
  • J. Carsoncosponsor
  • S. Brightcosponsor
  • J. Bridgescosponsor
  • M. Ballcosponsor
  • T. Exumcosponsor
  • J. McCluskiecosponsor
  • M. Lindsaycosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-06-02

    Governor Signed

    executive-signature

  2. 2026-05-21

    Signed by the President of the Senate

    passage

  3. 2026-05-21

    Signed by the Speaker of the House

    passage

  4. 2026-05-21

    Sent to the Governor

    executive-receipt

  5. 2026-05-08

    Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass

  6. 2026-05-07

    House Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor

    passage,reading-3

  7. 2026-05-06

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor

  8. 2026-05-05

    House Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole

    committee-passage,referral-committee

  9. 2026-05-01

    Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

    passage,reading-3

  10. 2026-05-01

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services

    introduction

  11. 2026-04-30

    Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to Senate Committee of the Whole

    committee-passage,referral-committee

  12. 2026-04-30

    Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor

  13. 2026-04-23

    Senate Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to Appropriations

    referral-committee

  14. 2026-03-11

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Health & Human Services

    introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment N).

    2026-04-23 · pass · 0-0

  • Adopt amendment L.005 (Attachment M).

    2026-04-23 · pass · 0-0

  • Adopt amendment L.008 (Attachment O).

    2026-04-23 · pass · 0-0

  • Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment L).

    2026-04-23 · pass · 0-0

  • Refer Senate Bill 26-138, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.

    2026-04-23 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Scott Bright: yes
    • Lisa Cutter: yes
    • Lindsey Daugherty: yes
    • Lisa Frizell: yes
    • Mike Weissman: yes
    • Iman Jodeh: yes
    • Kyle Mullica: yes

  • Reconsider

    2026-04-30 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Julie Gonzales: yes
    • Barbara Kirkmeyer: yes
    • Chris Kolker: yes
    • Larry Liston: yes
    • Byron Pelton: yes
    • Jeff Bridges: yes
    • Judy Amabile: yes

  • Refer Senate Bill 26-138 to the Committee of the Whole.

    2026-04-30 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Julie Gonzales: yes
    • Barbara Kirkmeyer: no
    • Chris Kolker: yes
    • Larry Liston: yes
    • Byron Pelton: yes
    • Jeff Bridges: yes
    • Judy Amabile: yes

  • BILL

    2026-05-01 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (36)
    • Amabile: yes
    • Baisley: no
    • Ball: yes
    • Benavidez: yes
    • Bridges: yes
    • Bright: yes
    • Carson: yes
    • Catlin: yes
    • Cutter: yes
    • Danielson: yes
    • Daugherty: yes
    • Exum: yes
    • Frizell: yes
    • Gonzales J.: yes
    • Hinrichsen: yes
    • Jodeh: yes
    • Kipp: yes
    • Kirkmeyer: yes
    • Kolker: yes
    • Lindstedt: yes
    • Liston: yes
    • Marchman: yes
    • Mullica: yes
    • Pelton B.: yes
    • Pelton R.: yes
    • Rich: no
    • Roberts: yes
    • Rodriguez: yes
    • Simpson: yes
    • Snyder: yes
    • Sullivan: yes
    • Wallace: yes
    • Weissman: yes
    • Zamora Wilson: no
    • Coleman: yes
    • President: yes

  • Adopt amendment L.013 (Attachment E).

    2026-05-05 · pass · 0-0

  • Refer Senate Bill 26-138, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.

    2026-05-05 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (13)
    • Carlos Barron: no
    • Mary Bradfield: yes
    • Brandi Bradley: no
    • Regina English: yes
    • Lisa Feret: yes
    • Eliza Hamrick: yes
    • Dusty Johnson: no
    • Karen McCormick: yes
    • Gretchen Rydin: yes
    • Katie Stewart: yes
    • Dan Woog: no
    • Sheila Lieder: yes
    • Lindsay Gilchrist: yes

  • Adopt amendment L.012 (Attachment D).

    2026-05-05 · pass · 0-0

  • CONCUR

    2026-05-08 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (36)
    • Amabile: yes
    • Baisley: yes
    • Ball: yes
    • Benavidez: yes
    • Bridges: yes
    • Bright: yes
    • Carson: yes
    • Catlin: yes
    • Cutter: yes
    • Danielson: yes
    • Daugherty: yes
    • Exum: yes
    • Frizell: yes
    • Gonzales J.: yes
    • Hinrichsen: yes
    • Jodeh: yes
    • Kipp: yes
    • Kirkmeyer: yes
    • Kolker: yes
    • Lindstedt: yes
    • Liston: excused
    • Marchman: yes
    • Mullica: yes
    • Pelton B.: yes
    • Pelton R.: yes
    • Rich: yes
    • Roberts: yes
    • Rodriguez: yes
    • Simpson: yes
    • Snyder: yes
    • Sullivan: yes
    • Wallace: yes
    • Weissman: yes
    • Zamora Wilson: yes
    • President: yes
    • Coleman: yes

  • REPASS

    2026-05-08 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (36)
    • Amabile: yes
    • Baisley: no
    • Ball: yes
    • Benavidez: yes
    • Bridges: yes
    • Bright: yes
    • Carson: no
    • Catlin: yes
    • Cutter: yes
    • Danielson: yes
    • Daugherty: yes
    • Exum: yes
    • Frizell: yes
    • Gonzales J.: yes
    • Hinrichsen: yes
    • Jodeh: yes
    • Kipp: yes
    • Kirkmeyer: yes
    • Kolker: yes
    • Lindstedt: yes
    • Liston: excused
    • Marchman: yes
    • Mullica: yes
    • Pelton B.: yes
    • Pelton R.: yes
    • Rich: no
    • Roberts: yes
    • Rodriguez: yes
    • Simpson: yes
    • Snyder: yes
    • Sullivan: yes
    • Wallace: yes
    • Weissman: yes
    • Zamora Wilson: no
    • Coleman: yes
    • President: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-138

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-10T11:06:31.532527Z

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