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<p><em>The 2026 legislative session commenced January 14 and concluded May 13.</em></p>



<p><em>Below you&#8217;ll find summaries and status information for proposed legislation that affects PERA and its members and retirees. We&#8217;ll update the status of each bill regularly and encourage you to <a href="https://www.copera.org/pera-on-the-issues/subscribe">subscribe to our biweekly newsletter</a> for regular updates.</em> <em>Note that bill summaries describe each bill as introduced and may not reflect all changes.</em></p>



<p>Last updated: June 2, 2026</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1026" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House Bill 1026</a></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Expanding Plan Options for PERA</h3>



<p><strong>Summary:</strong> Would make changes to PERA provisions related to purchasing service credit and PERA’s 401(k) and 457(b) plans. Under current law, PERA members can purchase service credit based on previous periods of employment; this bill would allow for limited purchases of service credit for periods of unemployment. The bill would also require all PERA-affiliated employers to offer the PERAPlus 401(k) and 457(b) plans, in both pre-tax and Roth options, to their employees.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong> <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/bob-marshall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Bob Marshall</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/eliza-hamrick" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Eliza Hamrick</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/chris-kolker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Chris Kolker</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position:</strong> Support</p>



<p><strong>Status: </strong>Passed; signed by Gov. Polis June 1</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1027" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House Bill 1027</a></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">BOCES Definition &amp; Executive Director</h3>



<p><strong>Summary:</strong> Under current state law, certain PERA retirees are allowed to return to work for a PERA-affiliated employer without facing a reduction in their PERA benefit. This bill would add executive directors of boards of cooperative services (BOCES) to the list of approved retirees.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong> <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/tammy-story" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Tammy Story</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/chris-kolker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Chris Kolker</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position:</strong> Monitor</p>



<p><strong>Status:</strong> Passed; signed by Gov. Polis March 12</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1062" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House Bill 1062</a></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Expand Deduction for Retirement Benefits</h3>



<p><strong>Summary: </strong>Under current state law, individuals can deduct a portion of their pension or other annuity income from their taxable income, up to the applicable limit. This bill would remove all caps on the deduction beginning with the 2027 tax year.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong> <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/ron-weinberg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Ron Weinberg</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position:</strong> Support</p>



<p><strong>Status:</strong> Postponed indefinitely</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1146" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House Bill 1146</a></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Allow Approved Facility Schools Participate in Public Employees&#8217; Retirement Association</h3>



<p><strong>Summary:</strong> Would allow approved facility schools—programs that serve students with behavioral issues and other special needs—to affiliate with PERA to provide retirement benefits to their employees.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong> <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/jacque-phillips" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Jacque Phillips</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/eliza-hamrick" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Eliza Hamrick</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/chris-kolker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Chris Kolker</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/cathy-kipp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Cathy Kipp</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position:</strong> Support</p>



<p><strong>Status: </strong>Passed; signed by Gov. Polis April 2</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color"><span style="text-decoration: underline; color:#000000;"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SJR26-016" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senate Joint Resolution 016</a></span></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Improve Retirement Readiness &amp; Financial Well-Being</h3>



<p><strong>Summary:</strong> Recognizes the importance of retirement security, encourages workers to seek out financial education to improve their retirement readiness, and highlights the importance of lifetime income options in the PERA Defined Contribution Plan and PERAPlus 401(k)/457 Plans.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors: </strong><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/william-lindstedt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. William Lindstedt</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/rebekah-stewart" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Rebekah Stewart</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position:</strong> Monitor</p>



<p><strong>Status:</strong> Adopted</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-151" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senate Bill 151</a></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Modify Public Employees Retirement Association Allowed Affiliation and Board of Trustees</h3>



<p><strong>Summary: </strong>Would expand PERA membership to include employees of DSST chartered under Denver Public Schools, which had previously been exempt from membership as part of the legislation authorizing the merger of Denver Public Schools Retirement System and PERA effective January 1, 2010, and would also make the ex officio Trustee from the Denver Public Schools Division a voting member of the PERA Board.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong> <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/chris-kolker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Chris Kolker</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/julie-gonzales" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Julie Gonzalez</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position: </strong>Support</p>



<p><strong>Status:</strong> Passed; signed by Gov. Polis May 28</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1400" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House Bill 1400</a></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Adjust Public Employees&#8217; Retirement Association&#8217;s Allocations to Trust Funds</h3>



<p><strong>Summary:</strong> Would give PERA flexibility to allocate the State’s annual $225 million direct distribution to whichever division trust funds would help minimize the likelihood of triggering the Automatic Adjustment Provision, as well as redirect a portion of employers’ health care trust fund contributions to instead help pay off pension liabilities.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong> <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/emily-sirota" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Emily Sirota</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/rick-taggart" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Rick Taggart</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/jeff-bridges" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Jeff Bridges</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/barbara-kirkmeyer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position: </strong>Support</p>



<p><strong>Status:</strong> Passed; signed by Gov. Polis June 1</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senate Bill 023</a></h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">School Finance Act</h3>



<p><strong>Summary: </strong>The primary purpose of this bill is to establish public school funding for the 2026-2027 budget. It also adds vice principals, assistant principals, and assistant superintendents to the list of positions eligible to work after retirement without limits under the &#8220;critical shortage&#8221; designation.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong> <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/chris-kolker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Chris Kolker</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/barbara-kirkmeyer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer</a>, <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/eliza-hamrick" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rep. Eliza Hamrick</a></p>



<p><strong>PERA position: </strong>Monitor</p>



<p><strong>Status:</strong> Passed; signed by Gov. Polis May 28</p>


The chambers of the Colorado House of Representatives

2026 Proposed PERA-Related Legislation Status