Colorado § 40-17.5-101 - Definitions.

§ 40-17.5-101. Definitions.

As used in this article 17.5, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "988" means the three-digit abbreviated dialing code used to report a behavioral health crisis.

(2) "988 access connection" means any communications service including wireline, wireless cellular, interconnected voice over internet protocol, or satellite in which connections are enabled, configured, or capable of making 988 calls. "988 access connection" does not include facilities-based broadband services. The number of 988 access connections is determined by the configured capacity for simultaneous outbound calling. For example, for a Digital Signal-1 (DS-1) level service or equivalent that is channelized and split into separate channels for voice communications, the number of 988 access connections would be equal to the number of channels capable of making simultaneous calls.

(3) "988 crisis hotline enterprise" or "enterprise" means the 988 crisis hotline enterprise created in section 27-64-103.

(4) "988 surcharge" or "surcharge" means the 988 surcharge imposed by the 988 crisis hotline enterprise pursuant to section 27-64-103 (4)(a).

(5) "Commission" or "public utilities commission" means the public utilities commission of the state of Colorado created in section 40-2-101.

(6) "Consumer" means a person who purchases prepaid wireless telecommunications service in a retail transaction.

(7) "Department" means the department of revenue.

(8) "Person" means any individual; firm; partnership; copartnership; joint venture; association; cooperative organization; corporation, either municipal or private and organized for profit or not; governmental agency; state; county or city and county; political subdivision; state department; commission; board; bureau, fraternal organization, nonprofit organization, estate, trust, business or common law trust, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, trustee, or trustee in bankruptcy; or any other service user.

(9) "Prepaid wireless 988 charge" or "charge" means the charge imposed by the 988 crisis hotline enterprise pursuant to section 27-64-103 (4)(b).

(9.5) "Prepaid wireless telecommunications service", for the purposes of this section, has the same meaning as in section 29-11-101.

(9.7) "Provider" means a person that provides prepaid wireless telecommunications service.

(9.9) "Purchase" means exchanges of money and exchanges of nonmonetary consideration, such as consumer information required for reimbursement claims under federally supported services or programs.

(10) "Retail transaction" means the purchase of prepaid wireless telecommunications service from a seller or provider for any purpose other than resale.

(11) "Seller" means a person who sells prepaid wireless telecommunications services to another person.

(12) "Service supplier" means a person providing 988 access connections to any service user in the state, either directly or by resale.

(13) "Service user" means a person who is provided a 988 access connection in the state.

(14) "Telecommunications service" has the meaning set forth in section 40-15-102 (29).

Source: L. 2021: Entire article added, (SB 21-154), ch. 360, p. 2348, § 2, effective September 7. L. 2025: (9.5) added, (SB 25-031), ch. 147, p. 561, § 5, effective August 6. L. 2026: (9.7), (9.9), and (14) added and (10) amended, (HB 26-1115), ch. 17, p. 83, § 9, effective March 26.