Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws
Commission Activity
The next Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws meeting will be at 9 a.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023 in House Committee Room 0112 in the State Capitol. If you would like to receive notification of upcoming meetings, please subscribe to the CCUSL Mailing List or watch for meeting information on General Assembly’s schedule page.
About the CCUSL and ULC
The Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws (CCUSL) is created in § 2-3-601, C.R.S., and is charged with working with the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) to promote uniformity in state laws where uniformity may be deemed desirable and practicable. This is achieved by developing proposed uniform legislation through the ULC that can be adopted by the various state legislatures.
Uniform laws are developed after formation of a study committee and, if the results of the study are positive, a drafting committee. Draft acts are submitted to ULC at its annual meeting. Each act must be considered section by section at no less than two annual meetings by all commissioners sitting as a Committee of the Whole.
At its 132nd Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii the ULC approved five new uniform or model acts for consideration and possible adoption by the states:
- Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act
- Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act (2023)
- Uniform Special Deposits Act
- Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act
- Model Public Health Emergency Authority Act
In addition, one new study and two new drafting committees were approved:
- Study Committee on Use of Artificial Intelligence by State Government
- Drafting Committee on Cybercrime
- Drafting Committee on Redaction of Personal Information from Public Records
Here are links to ULC’s currently operating study committees and drafting committees.
Videos concerning the ULC are available here.
Uniform Laws Adopted in Colorado
Under Joint Rule 24 (b)(1)(D), CCUSL may recommend bills for introduction during a legislative session of the Colorado General Assembly. CCUSL meets at the annual summer ULC conference to adopt a preliminary legislative agenda for the upcoming regular session. It then typically meets at least once prior to the next regular session to finalize the agenda.
Uniform acts adopted by the Colorado General Assembly are available here. Uniform acts that became law in Colorado in 2023:
- Uniform Community Property Disposition at Death Act - Senate Bill 23-100
- 2022 Amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) - Senate Bill 23-090
- Uniform Unregulated Child Custody Transfer Act - House Bill 23-1157
Uniform Acts Approved For Introduction In 2023:
- Uniform Community Property Disposition at Death Act - Senate Bill 23-100
- Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act - Senate Bill 23-089
- 2022 Amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) - Senate Bill 23-090
- Uniform Unregulated Child Custody Transfer Act - House Bill 23-1157
CCUSL Membership
Colorado's commissioners are required to be attorneys admitted to practice law in Colorado. Six members are appointed or reappointed by joint resolution of the General Assembly and serve terms of two years. Serving as commissioners for 2023-2024 are Ms. Anne McGihon, Chair; Ms. Claire Levy, Vice Chair; Senator Robert Gardner; Representative Marc Snyder; Ms. Kerry Tipper; and Mr. Joseph Whitfield.
In addition, any Colorado citizen who is elected as a life member of the ULC (after twenty years of membership) is a member of the Colorado Commission. The currently active life members are Donald Mielke and Charles Pike.
The Director of the Office of Legislative Legal Services, or the Director's designee, has the same status as appointed members of the commission and also serves as the ex officio secretary of the Colorado Commission. Yelana Love was appointed as the Director's designee to the Commission on August 19, 2021. The Office of Legislative Legal Services also provides assistance to the legislative members of the Colorado Commission in their efforts to enact legislation regarding uniform acts. The Committee on Legal Services is statutorily charged with filling vacancies on the Colorado Commission.
Here is a list of former and current members of CCUSL organized chronologically and alphabetically.