NEARING TESTIMONY
Testimony is still on the schedule today. They appear to be on the last item in the House Floor.
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ACTION NEEDED!
Please sign up to testify against HB25-1249, Tenant Security Deposit Protections
Please join the CHC in testifying against the security deposit bill, HB25-1249, tomorrow in the House Business Affairs and Labor committee hearing, starting at 1:30 PM.
The CHC had previously stood down our testimony position due to a proposed amendment, L001, which removed the most contentious parts of the bill as introduced, including: the 1x security deposit cap; lowered deposit limits for subsidy tenants; deposit payment plans; mandatory walkthroughs at tenant request; the new definition of “bad faith” withholding of a deposit by a landlord; the clauses covering carpet and paint replacement and lifespan; and the additional requirements around refunding deposits due to a habitability issue.
The CHC was given a second amendment, L002, on 3/26, that would replace the original amendment, L001, that only removes from the bill: the 1x security deposit cap; lowered deposit limits for subsidy tenants; deposit payment plans; and the additional requirements around refunding deposits due to a habitability issue.
While L002 is not, in and of itself a bad amendment, it is a major step backwards when compared to L001. We feel that the bill sponsor is not acting in good faith by not allowing us enough time to fully analyze and review this second amendment and what it means for our members prior to tomorrow’s hearing. Additionally, this second amendment feels like a “bait and switch”: we were promised L001, and the day before the hearing, we were given L002 instead.
If you can make testimony tomorrow, please focus on the points remaining in the bill after L002 is applied: mandatory walkthroughs with residents; your inability to begin make-ready work for 10 business days after a resident vacates; your inability to charge for any damage not noted during the walkthrough; the new requirement to send a deposit refund out via certified funds if a resident does not provide bank account information; the additional burden of providing ALL backup documentation out with your deposit accounting – including all invoices, photos, move in/out reports, etc. – by both mail and email; the reduced lifespan of carpet from 8-10 years to 5; etc. There is still plenty in this bill that is bad without the security deposit cap.
PLEASE JOIN THE CHC IN OPPOSING THIS BILL BY JOINING US IN TESTIMONY ON WEDNESDAY 3/27/2025
Sponsor: Naquetta Ricks
Committee: Business Affairs & Labor
Link to Bill: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1249
In Person Testimony; Go to designated committee room in the capitol. House is typically in the basement and Senate is typically on the 3rd floor. There is a visual screen in each committee corridor area, showing the bill # and the room #, by Committee, along with the hearing progress for the day (where each Committee is on their hearing schedule of bills).
Virtual Testimony: Once registered you will get an email with confirmation and a link to the online meeting room as well as any needed codes.
Upon Adjourment Schedule: Hearings may be delayed or rescheduled. Please check the House and Senate calendars posted on the General Assembly’s website for updates. You can track committee and floor action through this link https://www.leg.state.co.us/public/display.nsf/index.html
