As the 2025 legislative session approaches its midway point, the Colorado Chamber has taken positions on more than 40 bills so far. One bill we’re watching this week is House Bill 1277, which is set to get its first hearing today in the House Energy & Environment Committee. The Colorado Chamber took an “opposed” position on the bill this week.
HB 1277 would require any business across the state that sells fuel, such as gas stations, to label those products as being linked to “global heating and significant health impacts.” The label must be directly affixed on fuel dispensing equipment or fuel containers and be replaced when not in “excellent condition.” A violation of this statute could lead to harsh civil penalties of up to $20,000 and costly litigation.
After getting feedback from the business community on the proposal, the Colorado Chamber believes that HB 1277 is exceedingly burdensome, creating more liability and costs for employers statewide. The Chamber also does not believe that this approach will do anything to meaningfully reduce emissions or address climate change.
The Colorado Chamber and our partner members are highly invested in a clean environment and reducing emissions. In 2023, the Chamber established a Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action Task Force to lead a joint effort between industry, government, and environmental groups. A key outcome from this task force has been the creation of the Roundtable for Environmental Sustainability and Climate Urgency (RESCU), which is currently examining policy changes to identify actions to help the state meet emissions targets. These are the types of collaborative efforts that will be effective at finding innovative and balanced solutions to addressing these challenges in Colorado.
HB 1277 and similar proposals will only create more costly litigation and regulations on the business community without making any significant progress towards cleaning our environment.