HB 19-1025: Colorado Chance to Compete Act

• Prohibits employers with 11+ employees (effective September 1, 2019) and all employers (effective September 1, 2021) from asking about criminal history on job applications, advertisements, or initial application forms, though employers may obtain publicly available background reports at any time.

• Creates exceptions for positions where federal, state, or local law prohibits employing someone with a specific criminal history, positions in government programs encouraging employment of people with criminal histories, or positions requiring criminal background checks by law.

• Establishes enforcement through the Department of Labor and Employment with penalties: first violation receives warning and 30-day compliance order; second violation includes up to $1,000 civil penalty; third or subsequent violation includes up to $2,500 civil penalty.

• Allows individuals to file complaints with the Department within 12 months of alleged violations; does not create private right of action or establish protected class status.

• Appropriates $38,113 to the Department of Labor and Employment for fiscal year 2019-20 to implement the act, assuming 0.6 FTE requirement.