The Colorado General Assembly adjourns tonight, Wednesday, May 7, at midnight. Throughout the challenging 120-day session, CBSA’s Policy + Advocacy team worked tirelessly to advocate for policies that support life sciences growth and create a business-friendly and patient-friendly climate in Colorado.  

Of the 657 bills introduced by the General Assembly, CBSA took positions on 26 bills aligned to CBSA’s Policy Priorities. CBSA ultimately supported seven bills and opposed three bills, while also taking an “amend” position on seven bills and monitoring nine bills. As of Tuesday night, May 6, here’s where some key issues stand. 

Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program: CBSA worked closely with our partners at Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), and key legislators to protect the Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant and Tax Credit Programs amid Colorado’s widening budget shortfall. Despite our strong advocacy and widespread recognition of the grant program’s return on investment to the state, SB25-264 will divert $18.7M from the grant program to the General Fund over two years and SB25-225 will reduce the transfer from the limited gaming fund to the advanced industries acceleration cash fund for state fiscal year 2025-26 from $5.5M to $1.84M.  

Status: SB25-264 and SB25-225 were signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on April 25.  

Advanced Industries Accelerator Investment Tax Credit: This important program was reauthorized and extended with a $2.5M cap. CBSA advocated with our partners at OEDIT to stair-step this program from $2.5M back up to $4M over three years. That effort was not successful due to the difficult fiscal environment, but CBSA was able to prevent an eligibility expansion that would have watered down the tax credit for advanced industries.  

Status: HB25-1157 passed the General Assembly on May 5 and will be sent to Governor Polis for his signature. 

Biotechnology Sales & Use Tax Refund: The Biotechnology Sales and Use Tax Refund (Biotech Refund), which allows qualified biotechnology taxpayers to claim a refund for state sales and use taxes paid on the sale, storage, use, or consumption of tangible personal property to be used in Colorado directly and predominately in research and development of certain biotechnology applications, was extended until January 1, 2027, due to an amendment CBSA was able to add to SB25-026.  

Status: SB25-026 passed the General Assembly on May 6 and will be sent to Governor Polis for his signature.  

340B Legislation: CBSA worked to educate legislators and other stakeholders about the federal 340B program, originally intended to help low-income and uninsured patients access affordable medications by requiring drug manufacturers to provide discounts to safety-net providers. However, misuse and abuse of this well-intentioned but ballooning program is driving up costs for patients, taxpayers, employers, and everyone who pays for healthcare. After originally opposing SB25-071 and supporting SB25-124, CBSA ultimately opposed both bills due to revisions to SB25-124 that don’t align with our priorities.  

Status: SB25-071 passed the General Assembly on May 6 and will be sent to Governor Polis for his signature. We expect SB25-124 to go back to the Senate today for consideration of House amendments. Update: On May 7, the Senate voted to adhere to its position on SB25-124, and the bill died on the calendar. 

Artificial Intelligence: SB25-318, an attempt to revise the state’s first-in-the-nation artificial intelligence law, would have eliminated important exemptions that CBSA fought to get included in the 2024 law, SB24-205. CBSA and many other stakeholders spoke out about needed amendments, and SB25-318 was tabled after stakeholder consensus could not be reached.  

Status: Since SB25-318 was killed on May 5, SB24-205 (with the exemptions CBSA fought for) is set to go into effect February 1, 2026. Despite pressure from Governor Polis, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and members of Colorado’s Congressional Delegation, a last-ditch effort to delay implementation of the 2024 law through an amendment to another bill, SB25-322, was unsuccessful. 

Patient Access Legislation: Additionally, two bills that support increased patient access to innovative treatments and cures will be signed into law, including legislation that prohibits prior authorizations for adjustments to chronic maintenance drugs and legislation that will increase access to medically necessary diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging by eliminating burdensome patient cost sharing.  

Status: SB25-301 and SB25-296 passed the General Assembly and will be sent to Governor Polis for his signature. 

As in past years, a more detailed wrap-up of the 2025 legislative session will follow.