Senate Transportation & Energy

Monday, April 6, 2026·1h 36m·▶ Watch / Listen

Key Actions

·HB 26-1242 – Interlock Device for Impaired DriversPassed

+ 2 more actions

Controversies

Whether HB 26-1268 adequately protects frontline communities' access to public participation

Jamie Valdez, testifying from Pueblo on behalf of Green Latinos, argued the bill 'currently lacks robust procedural safeguards necessary to ensure that frontline communities like those in Pueblo have meaningful seat at the table' and requested amendments mandating multimodal engagement, 30-day advance notice, and plain language summaries. Duncan Gilchrist responded by referencing existing disproportionately impacted community engagement requirements in statute and EPA brownfield redevelopment engagement requirements.

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“The CDC has documented that the average drunk driver drives impaired 80 times before their first arrest. 80 times. The families that I know do not want to hear the technology that gave someone 80 undetected chances on the road before taking a life. Technology in a vehicle changes that equation in a way that a revoked license simply cannot.”
Jacqueline Claudia, Executive Director, White Line — Testifying in support of HB 26-1242, arguing that ignition interlocks are more effective than license suspension at preventing impaired driving.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Move HB 26-1242 to the Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendationPassed

Yes (8)Marc Catlin, Tony Exum, William Lindstedt, Kyle Mullica, Byron Pelton, Tom Sullivan, Matt Ball, Lisa Cutter

No (1)Mark Baisley

Amendment L003 to HB 26-1268 (add second public hearing requirement; remove administrative approval mandate)Failed

Yes (4)Mark Baisley, Marc Catlin, Rod Pelton, Matt Ball

No (5)Tony Exum, William Lindstedt, Kyle Mullica, Tom Sullivan, Madam Chair

Move HB 26-1268 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendationPassed

Yes (6)Tony Exum, William Lindstedt, Kyle Mullica, Tom Sullivan, Matt Ball, Lisa Cutter

No (3)Mark Baisley, Marc Catlin, Byron Pelton

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TranscriptPreview

And Energy Committee will now come to order. Ms. Forbes, can you please call the roll? Senators Basley. Excused. Catlin. Here. Exum. Good afternoon. Linstedt. Present. Malica. Excused. Helton. Present. Sullivan. Here. Ball. Here. And Madam Chair? Present. Okay. Good afternoon. Senator Roberts here to present House Bill 1242. Please begin when you are ready. Welcome. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you committee for having me back again. Good to be here to present House Bill 1242. This bill is about increasing the use of interlock devices in the state of Colorado. Interlock devices, for those that don't know, are devices that are installed in somebody's car that are kind of like a mini breathalyzer that somebody performs in order to start their vehicle. And when you have one installed, you cannot start your vehicle unless you blow a breath test that doesn't contain any level of alcohol over a certain limit. These have been proven to be very effective across the country and in Colorado at reducing the amount of impaired driving that happens in our state, which is becoming and continues to be a problem here. Colorado just last year lost 236 people to suspected impaired driving. That's…

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