Colorado § 24-74-102 - Definitions.

§ 24-74-102. Definitions.

As used in this article 74, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Personal identifying information" means information that may be used, along or in conjunction with any other information, to identify a specific individual, including but not limited to a name; a date of birth; a place of birth; a social security number or tax identification number; a password or pass code; an official government-issued driver's license or identification card number; information contained in an employment authorization document; information contained in a permanent resident card; vehicle registration information; a license plate number; a photograph, electronically stored photograph, or digitized image; a fingerprint; a record of a physical feature, a physical characteristic, a behavioral characteristic, or handwriting; a government passport number; a health insurance identification number; an employer, student, or military identification number; a financial transaction device; a school or educational institution attended; a source of income; medical information; biometric data; financial and tax records; home or work addresses or other contact information; family or emergency contact information; status as a recipient of public assistance or as a crime victim; race; ethnicity; national origin; immigration or citizenship status; sexual orientation; gender identity; physical disability; intellectual and developmental disability; or religion.

(1.5) "Political subdivision" means a governing subdivision of the state, including a county or municipality, or a board, commission, institution, department, or agency of the political subdivision. "County" includes a home rule county. "Municipality" includes a home rule municipality. "Political subdivision" does not include a hospital or medical facility created by, and operated under, the Denver health and hospital authority created pursuant to section 25-29-103; the university of Colorado hospital authority created pursuant to section 23-21-503; a county hospital established pursuant to section 25-3-301; or a special district hospital pursuant to title 32.

(1.6) "Political subdivision employee" means a person in the service of a political subdivision while acting in the person's employment capacity. "Political subdivision employee" includes an officer or employee, whether elected or appointed and whether full-time, part-time, or temporary. "Political subdivision employee" also includes an agent of a political subdivision when acting on behalf of, or at the direction of, a political subdivision in their capacity as an agent of a political subdivision.

(1.8) "Public institution of higher education" means a state institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102, local district college, or area technical college.

(2) "Publicly available information" means information that is available to the public online, in person, or through a request for records under part 2 or part 3 of article 72 of this title 24.

(3) "State agency" means a department of the legislative, judicial, or executive branch of state government, including a division, office, agency, or other unit created within a department of the legislative, judicial, or executive branch; a board, commission, or public institution of higher education; or the Colorado commission on higher education.

(4) "State agency employee" means a person in the service of a state agency while acting in the person's employment capacity. "State agency employee" includes an officer or employee, whether elected or appointed; full-time, part-time, or temporary; and classified in or exempt from the state personnel system. "State agency employee" also includes an agent of a state agency when acting on behalf of, or at the direction of, a state agency in their capacity as an agent of a state agency.

(5) "Third party" means a person or entity, including a law enforcement officer or agency, that is not a state agency, a state agency employee, a political subdivision, a political subdivision employee, or otherwise part of the state government or a political subdivision. "Third party" includes a private entity that contracts with, and collects or manages data on behalf of, a state agency or political subdivision.

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added, (SB 21-131), ch. 353, p. 2294, § 1, effective June 25. L. 2025: (1.5), (1.6), and (1.8) added and (3), (4), and (5) amended, (SB 25-276), ch. 240, p. 1212, § 7, effective May 23.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 25-276, see section 1 of chapter 240, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.