JOINT RELEASE: Bills to Increase Price Transparency, Protect Colorado Renters and Consumers Go Into Effect

DENVER, CO – On January 1, 2026, a slate of consumer protection legislation goes into effect to crack down on surprise junk fees and increase access to stable housing for renters.

HB25-1090, sponsored by Representatives Emily Sirota, D-Denver and Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora, and Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Senator Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, cracks down on ‘junk fees’ and requires price transparency.

“Unexpected, undisclosed fees cost consumers hundreds of dollars every month,” said Cutter. “These ‘junk fees’ can make informed budgeting decisions feel impossible for consumers. This law will increase transparency for consumers, helping them make informed purchase decisions and ultimately save more of their hard-earned money.”

“Hidden ‘junk fees’ often add up to hundreds of dollars in monthly expenses for Coloradans, and this new law cracks down on these surprise costs to save people money,” said Sirota. “Whatever the ‘junk fee’ is disguised as, the goal is to hike up prices and drain money out of the pockets of hardworking Coloradans to increase corporate profits. We’re putting an end to junk fees, so Coloradans know the upfront cost of products, goods and services.” 

“Opaque or dishonest fees cost Americans up to $90 billion per year, taking an average of $650 annually out of the pockets of working families that could be better spent on household essentials like health care and child care,” said Weissman. “Honest, upfront business owners deserve a fair playing field and consumers deserve price transparency in order to make informed financial decisions.”

“Junk fees are often not disclosed until a consumer is ready to check out or after they’ve paid a non-refundable security deposit, which means Coloradans end up paying higher prices than they are expecting,” said Ricks. “Addressing junk fees in our state has been one of my biggest priorities, and this law champions honest pricing so Coloradans can make buying decisions that fit their budget.” 

HB25-1090 standardizes transparent prices upfront, in many cases prohibiting pricing information from being advertised unless the final total price is disclosed. The law prohibits the misrepresentation of pricing information, requires the purpose of a fee that is not part of the total price to be disclosed, and restricts the fees landlords can charge for utilities and third-party services. To prevent excessive fee hikes, the law caps fee increases at 2 percent annually.

HB25-1236 is sponsored by Senators Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora, and Weissman, and Representatives Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora, and Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins. It specifies that a prospective renter who receives a housing subsidy cannot be required to include a credit history report, a credit score, or an adverse credit event in their tenant screening reports.

“This law is just another step to making Colorado a more affordable, accessible, and equitable place to live and rent,” said Jodeh. “It’s part of our commitment to supporting women, people of color, and low-income Coloradans who have a weak or nonexistent credit history as they secure safe housing for themselves and their families.”

“Our new law, going into effect in the new year, will make the process of home hunting more affordable for Colorado renters,” said Lindsay. “Colorado Democrats are committed to protecting renters and making Colorado a more affordable place to live. This law saves renters money on application fees and helps low-income renters find safe and stable housing.”

“Renters who are already struggling should not be forced to reveal irrelevant information to potential landlords and blow their budgets on application fees before they’re even approved,” said Weissman. “This legislation would make safe and stable housing for low-income renters more accessible and affordable by protecting their personal information and limiting duplicative fees.”

“This law supports Coloradans who have no credit score or a weakened credit history by helping them secure safe and affordable housing without paying duplicative fees,” said Zokaie. “Searching for housing shouldn't be expensive. With this new law, we’re allowing tenants to receive and share their screening reports and expanding protections for Coloradans on housing subsidies."

The law also removes a requirement that screening reports be given directly to landlords from reporting agencies, since reporting agencies are often unable to do so.

SB25-079, sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and Representative Jamie Jackson, D-Aurora, also goes into effect January 1, 2026. The law protects Coloradans from scams involving cryptocurrency kiosks which target the elderly and other vulnerable populations. The bill requires an owner or operator of a virtual currency kiosk to list certain disclosures, provide an electronic receipt, and fully refund a customer’s first transaction if it is international and determined by law enforcement to be fraudulent. The law also establishes a maximum transaction limit of $2,000 per day for new customers and $10,500 for existing customers.