CO HB1301

Referred measure for the November 2026 ballot would increase excise taxes on alcohol ($0.0733/gallon on malt liquors and hard cider, $0.08/liter on wine, $0.6026/liter on spirits) and raise state retail marijuana sales and excise taxes by 0.42 percentage points each, generating an estimated $44 million annually

Creates the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Aurora as a state facility for treating individuals with mental health, behavioral health, or substance use disorders, with capacity of 50-70 beds

Establishes the Hospital Support Account in the capital construction fund to receive all new tax revenue, with spending prioritized for: construction of the Aurora institute, operational expenses of the institute, and operational expenses of long-term civil commitment facilities in Mesa County

Institute operates under Department of Human Services supervision, with authority to contract with University of Colorado Health Sciences Center or other state institutions for medical services, and may contract with federal agencies to treat federal patients

Admission criteria must ensure patients are evaluated for least restrictive care and prohibit geographic location, current health-care provider, or payer type as primary determining factors for civil inpatient bed access