HB26-1334:YOUR SUPPORT IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED

WHAT DOES THE BILL DO?

House Bill 26-1334, Concerning Modifications to the Standards of the Wildfire Resiliency Code Board, gives a reasonable amount of the time for local governments to adopt and implement Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code. Currently, jurisdictions must adopt the code by April 1, 2026. Under this bill the deadline would be April 1, 2027. The bill also requires an immediate review of the code (by July 1, 2026) to provide adequate transparency and stakeholder engagement and then at least every three years, or more as needed.

WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE YES

Municipalities need more time to implement the hastily adopted Wildfire Resiliency Code, which was released on July 1, 2025, just a few weeks after it was proposed and a cursory hearing. Then many of the tools and processes were not provided until mid-February. With a 30-day turnaround for approval, municipalities can’t get their map and code approved by the board and adopted before the April 1, 2026, deadline.

There have been administrative failures throughout the entire process, creating confusion, a lack of transparency, and delays. Local government representatives were not appointed to the Wildfire Resiliency Code Board when the code was adopted. Municipalities have been asking for assistance in understanding and reviewing the new code, but these requests have gone unanswered until very recently.

Without the proper resources, local governments can’t thoughtfully adopt and implement the code. Rushing to implementation can lead to unintended consequences, interruptions to new home builds, and increases in costs. To effectively combat wildfire risk, local governments need the General Assembly to intervene and to extend the timeline and require meaningful engagement with the public entities that will implement the code.

YOUR SUPPORT IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED

HB26-1334 provides local governments the time they need to properly adopt and implement the Wildfire Resiliency Code.

CONTACT

Emma Donahue | CML legislative & policy advocate | HB26-1334