Colorado § 32-9-119.7 - Cost efficiency of transit services - climate goals - employee retention goals - subregional service council coordination - reporting - plans - definition.

§ 32-9-119.7. Cost efficiency of transit services - climate goals - employee retention goals - subregional service council coordination - reporting - plans - definition.

(1) Repealed.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "operating costs" means all operating expenditures, excluding depreciation.

(3) The district shall include in its annual financial reporting information on annual operating costs, ridership numbers, and operating costs divided by ridership as measures of the cost efficiency of the services the district provides.

(4) The district shall submit copies of its annual budget to the transportation legislation review committee created in section 43-2-145.

(5) Repealed.

(6) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2002, p. 866, § 3, effective August 7, 2002.)

(7) The district shall submit to the transportation legislation review committee any information, data, testimony, audits, or other information the committee may request.

(8) (a) The district shall prioritize completion of the northwest rail line to Longmont and the north lines of the transportation expansion plan, adopted by the board and approved by the voters on November 2, 2004, which must include cooperating and actively partnering with the state and the front range passenger rail district and recognizing the state's plan to fund and execute the northwest rail line in order to take advantage of any available federal funding opportunities.

(b) On or before December 1, 2025, the district shall submit a report to the governor and the general assembly that demonstrates how the district will fulfill the district's commitment in the transportation expansion plan, adopted by the board and approved by the voters on November 2, 2004, to complete the transportation expansion routes proposed in the transportation expansion plan by December 31, 2034. On or before December 15, 2025, the district shall present the report both to the transportation legislation review committee and at a meeting of the board that is open to the public. The report must include:

(I) An explanation of how the district is optimizing available funding to complete the transportation expansion plan to deliver service on the fixed guideway mass transit system described in section 32-9-107.5 (1)(e)(I) by January 1, 2029; and

(II) An analysis of:

(A) The available debt service that was authorized by the voters;

(B) The potential use of certificates of participation;

(C) New partnership with the state on a collaborative approach to funding service on the fixed guideway mass transit system described in section 32-9-107.5 (1)(e)(I); and

(D) Opportunities to pursue funding from the clean fleet enterprise created in section 25-7.5-103 that may offset planned expenses.

(c) On or before September 30, 2025, the district shall convene local and regional stakeholders and conduct formal, comprehensive, and verifiable community outreach to inform the report required by subsection (8)(b) of this section. Stakeholders must include local government officials and environmental community justice organizations, transit-dependent residents, employers, and residents at large.

(d) If the district has not completed the fixed guideway mass transit system described in section 32-9-107 (1)(e)(I), as proposed in the transportation expansion plan, and begun service by January 1, 2029, the district shall report to the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees, and the governor on the reasons why such service has not begun and shall provide a detailed plan for providing service. If such report and plan are required by this subsection (8)(d), the district shall provide the first report and plan no later than January 1, 2029, and shall provide an updated report and plan each six months thereafter until service is initiated.

(9) In discharging its responsibilities, the district shall align with the greenhouse gas reduction targets set forth in section 25-7-102 (2)(g); the goals set forth in the governor's "Transportation Vision 2035", which includes an eighty-three percent increase in transit service by 2035; and the mode choice targets developed pursuant to section 43-1-138, as added by Senate Bill 25-030, enacted in 2025. The district shall develop performance measures to evaluate its progress in aligning with these state climate goals. In assessing climate impact, the district shall consider the extent to which its services reduce vehicle miles traveled by increasing transit ridership and encouraging the development of dense, walkable, and less car-dependent communities near transit stations and corridors throughout the district's geographic service area.

(10) The district shall establish goals for employee retention. The district shall develop performance measures to evaluate its progress toward its employee retention goals.

(11) The district shall adhere to the requirements of "General Directive 24-1: Required Actions Regarding Assaults on Transit Workers", issued on September 25, 2024, by the federal transit administration of the United States department of transportation.

(12) Repealed.

(13) (a) On and after January 1, 2027, to support the subregional service councils created by the district, the district shall:

(I) Provide dedicated staff to co-chair and support each subregional service council; and

(II) Work with subregional service council members to identify a local leader to co-chair each subregional service council.

(b) On and after July 1, 2028, the subregional service councils shall make recommendations to the board on:

(I) Aligning district transit services with local and regional plans;

(II) Implementing joint projects to address service gaps;

(III) Leveraging existing intergovernmental agreements and projects for expanded service delivery;

(IV) Identifying strategies to expand funding; and

(V) Considerations of equity, ridership, demand, and long-term regional growth.

(c) The board shall meet at least twice per year to receive recommendations from the subregional service councils as described in subsection (13)(b) of this section.

(d) Annually beginning in 2028, the district shall report to the transportation legislation review committee created in section 43-2-145 (1)(a) and to a joint meeting of the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees, on the subregional service council recommendations and the district's responses thereto.

Source: L. 89: Entire section added, p. 1318, § 1, effective June 5. L. 93: (2) amended, p. 352, § 1, effective April 12. L. 94: (4) and (7) amended, p. 622, § 3, effective April 14. L. 2002: (6) and (7) amended, p. 866, § 3, effective August 7. L. 2021: (1), (2), (3), and (4) amended and (5) repealed, (HB 21-1186), ch. 182, p. 981, § 2, effective September 7. L. 2024: (8) added, (SB 24-230), ch. 184, p. 1012, § 5, effective May 16. L. 2025: (1) repealed, (8) amended, and (10), (11), (12), and (13) added, (SB 25-161), ch. 186, p. 811, § 3, effective May 13; (2) amended, (SB 25-051), ch. 53, p. 229, § 1, effective August 6. L. 2026: (13) added, (SB 26-150), ch. 152, p. 852, § 13, effective August 12.

Editor's note: (1) Subsections (9), (10), (11), and (12) were numbered as subsections (10), (11), (12), and (13), respectively, in SB 25-161 but were renumbered on revision for ease of location.

(2) Subsection (12)(b) provided for the repeal of subsection (12), effective July 1, 2026. (See L. 2025, p. 811.)

Cross references: For the short title ("Modernizing the Regional Transportation District Act") in SB 26-150, see section 1 of chapter 152, Session Laws of Colorado 2026.