Bill Commons

CO SB 178

enacted

Health Insurance Affordability Measures

Colorado · 2026 Regular Session · upper

Description

The act:Authorizes the health insurance affordability enterprise (enterprise), on or after January 1, 2027, to issue revenue bonds of up to $100 million to fund enterprise programs, secured by the enterprise's revenues, and require the enterprise to pay bond obligations before allocating revenues for enterprise programs;Allows the enterprise to invest specified money in the health insurance affordability cash fund (cash fund) without regard to otherwise applicable requirements for such investments and to contract with private professional fund managers to advise on investment strategies;Modifies the allocation of enterprise revenue among authorized purposes and allows the enterprise to reallocate unexpended amounts for specified purposes;Directs the enterprise to require qualified individuals who are enrolled in state-subsidized individual health coverage plans eligible for subsidies from the enterprise to pay premiums established in rules adopted by the commissioner, in consultation with the health insurance affordability board (board);Requires the enterprise to adjust the statewide average premium reduction under the reinsurance program to 18% and to reduce the amount of bonds issued to account for the reduced costs for the reinsurance program;Directs the board, in recommending parameters for implementing subsidies for state-subsidized individual health coverage plans, to recommend coverage that prioritizes enrollment stability and customer predictability; when seeking input on its recommendations regarding plans, coverage, and the number of eligible slots, to enable feedback in at least English and Spanish and in other languages upon request; and to indicate how it incorporated such feedback into its final recommendations;Directs the enterprise to conduct or contract a third party to conduct a study to evaluate the feasibility of restructuring the enterprise programs to increase health insurance affordability and maximize enrollment in health insurance plans;Requires the enterprise to submit 3 written reports and make one in-person presentation to the joint budget committee each year regarding the status of the cash fund and, as part of its in-person presentation in January 2027, to provide an analysis of the effects of changing the statewide average premium reduction under the reinsurance program to 15% and of creating a tiered, income-based, structure for premium assistance for individuals who purchase insurance on the Colorado health benefit exchange (exchange);Repeals the tax credit for contributions to the exchange and replaces it with a tax credit for contributions to the enterprise; andDirects the state treasurer to transfer $40 million from the marijuana tax cash fund to the cash fund by June 30, 2026, reduces to $60 million the designation of money in the marijuana tax cash fund as the state emergency reserve for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 state fiscal years, and increases by $40 million the value of the capitol annex building for purposes of the state emergency reserve for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 state fiscal years.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Introduced
2026-04-23
Status date
—
Latest action
2026-06-02 — Governor Signed
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • L. Gilchristsponsor
  • K. Brownsponsor
  • K. Mullicasponsor
  • I. Jodehsponsor
  • G. Rydincosponsor
  • M. Rutinelcosponsor
  • N. Rickscosponsor
  • A. Paschalcosponsor
  • K. Nguyencosponsor
  • K. McCormickcosponsor
  • J. McCluskiecosponsor
  • M. Lukenscosponsor
  • M. Lindsaycosponsor
  • J. Jacksoncosponsor
  • E. Hamrickcosponsor
  • M. Froelichcosponsor
  • Y. Zokaiecosponsor
  • S. Camachocosponsor
  • A. Boeseneckercosponsor
  • J. Baconcosponsor
  • D. Robertscosponsor
  • J. Marchmancosponsor
  • W. Lindstedtcosponsor
  • C. Kippcosponsor
  • J. Gonzalescosponsor
  • T. Exumcosponsor
  • L. Daughertycosponsor
  • J. Danielsoncosponsor
  • L. Cuttercosponsor
  • C. Cliffordcosponsor
  • K. Stewartcosponsor
  • L. Smithcosponsor
  • E. Sirotacosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-06-02

    Governor Signed

    executive-signature

  2. 2026-05-21

    Sent to the Governor

    executive-receipt

  3. 2026-05-21

    Signed by the Speaker of the House

    passage

  4. 2026-05-21

    Signed by the President of the Senate

    passage

  5. 2026-05-12

    House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

    passage,reading-3

  6. 2026-05-11

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

  7. 2026-05-09

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

    committee-passage,referral-committee

  8. 2026-05-08

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations

    introduction

  9. 2026-05-08

    Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor

    passage,reading-3

  10. 2026-05-07

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

  11. 2026-05-07

    Senate Second Reading Special Order - Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  12. 2026-05-07

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

    committee-passage,referral-committee

  13. 2026-04-30

    Senate Committee on Finance Refer Amended to Appropriations

    referral-committee

  14. 2026-04-23

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Finance

    introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Refer Senate Bill 26-178, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.

    2026-04-30 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (9)
    • Adrienne Benavidez: yes
    • Scott Bright: no
    • Lisa Frizell: no
    • Barbara Kirkmeyer: no
    • Chris Kolker: yes
    • Kyle Mullica: yes
    • Marc Snyder: yes
    • Janice Marchman: yes
    • Cathy Kipp: yes

  • Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment I)

    2026-04-30 · pass · 0-0

  • Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment H)

    2026-04-30 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (9)
    • Adrienne Benavidez: yes
    • Scott Bright: no
    • Lisa Frizell: no
    • Barbara Kirkmeyer: no
    • Chris Kolker: yes
    • Kyle Mullica: yes
    • Marc Snyder: yes
    • Janice Marchman: yes
    • Cathy Kipp: yes

  • Adopt amendment L.010

    2026-05-06 · pass · 0-0

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

  • Adopt amendment L.012

    2026-05-06 · pass · 0-0

  • Adopt amendment L.015

    2026-05-07 · pass · 0-0

  • Adopt amendment L.014

    2026-05-07 · pass · 0-0

  • Refer Senate Bill 26-178, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.

    2026-05-07 · pass · 0-0

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

  • Refer Senate Bill 26-178 to the Committee of the Whole.

    2026-05-09 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (11)
    • Andrew Boesenecker: yes
    • Junie Joseph: yes
    • Karen McCormick: yes
    • Chris Richardson: no
    • Matt Soper: no
    • Rick Taggart: yes
    • Brianna Titone: yes
    • Elizabeth Velasco: yes
    • Yara Zokaie: yes
    • Emily Sirota: yes
    • Kyle Brown: yes

  • BILL

    2026-05-12 · pass · 0-0

    Member-level votes (65)
    • Bacon: yes
    • Barron: no
    • Boesenecker: yes
    • Bottoms: no
    • Bradfield: no
    • Bradley: no
    • Brooks: no
    • Brown: yes
    • Caldwell: no
    • Camacho: yes
    • Carter: yes
    • Clifford: yes
    • DeGraaf: no
    • Duran: yes
    • English: yes
    • Espenoza: yes
    • Feret: yes
    • Flanell: no
    • Froelich: yes
    • Garcia: yes
    • Garcia Sander: no
    • Gilchrist: yes
    • Goldstein: yes
    • Gonzalez R.: no
    • Hamrick: yes
    • Hartsook: no
    • Jackson: yes
    • Johnson: no
    • Joseph: yes
    • Keltie: no
    • Lieder: yes
    • Lindsay: yes
    • Luck: no
    • Lukens: yes
    • Mabrey: yes
    • Marshall: no
    • Martinez: yes
    • Mauro: yes
    • McCormick: yes
    • Nguyen: yes
    • Paschal: yes
    • Phillips: yes
    • Richardson: no
    • Ricks: yes
    • Rutinel: yes
    • Rydin: yes
    • Sirota: yes
    • Slaugh: no
    • Smith: yes
    • Soper: no
    • Stewart K.: yes
    • Stewart R.: yes
    • Story: yes
    • Suckla: no
    • Taggart: yes
    • Titone: yes
    • Valdez: yes
    • Velasco: yes
    • Weinberg: no
    • Willford: yes
    • Winter T.: no
    • Woodrow: yes
    • Woog: no
    • Zokaie: yes
    • McCluskie: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-178

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T03:52:26.466301Z

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