Denver — The Colorado House has approved an amended bill that would maintain the state’s workplace safety and health standards even if federal OSHA standards are “repealed or revoked.”
Advanced on May 5, H.B. 26-1054 would authorize the state’s attorney general to replace any requirement from the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 if the federal government deregulates. This would include the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause as of Sept. 1, 2025.
The original bill also included the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, but that provision was removed during the legislative process.
Additionally, the bill originally sought to authorize the state’s Division of Labor Standards and Statistics – instead of the attorney general – to ensure safety and health regulations wouldn’t become less stringent.
The bill, sponsored by Reps. Manny Rutinel (D-Commerce City) and Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs), is now before the Senate Committee of the Whole.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a similar bill in August.
