massage therapists and even veterinarians — to qualify as Level I accredited providers. Opponents argue that many of these practitioners lack the training or authority to oversee primary care, diagnostics and return-to-work programs, potentially confusing injured workers and delaying recovery. Gov. Jared Polis signed HB25-1300 with a statement emphasizing that successful implementation will depend on DOWC rulemaking that balances expanded worker choice with timely, coordinated care. Employer groups and insurers are urging regulators to clarify that employers may still recommend accredited physicians from within the state directory and to codify clear timelines for physician selection and change. Without those guardrails, critics warn, the reform could create new administrative burdens, invite “doctor shopping” and erode the efficiency of a system that has historically served both workers and employers well. A Vetoed Attempt to Make Colorado a Union Shop State: SB25-005 SB25-005 sought to repeal key provisions of the Colorado Labor Peace Act (CLPA) — the 1943 state law that balances employee organizing rights with employer and worker choice. The bill, sponsored by the Senate majority leader, would have eliminated the CLPA’s “second election” requirement, which currently mandates a separate 75% approval vote before a union may require all employees to pay dues or fees through payroll deductions. The measure passed both chambers but was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Polis. Had this bill become law, Colorado would have become a union shop state, like California. Under current law, employees first vote on whether to form a union and then, if approved, hold a second election to decide whether to authorize a “union shop.” The 75% threshold ensures that a union can only collect mandatory dues or fees when an overwhelming majority of workers support union membership. This two-step process has long distinguished Colorado as a modified right-to-work state, balancing the rights of union and non-union employees. ABC Rocky Mountain opposed SB25-005, arguing that eliminating the second election would undermine worker choice and increase costs for Colorado employers. Without the 75% requirement, a slim majority could impose union membership or dues obligations on all employees, eroding individual freedom in pay and benefit negotiations. ABC warned that such a law could make Colorado less competitive by driving up compliance costs, limiting flexibility and reducing productivity — burdens that are especially hard on small and mid-sized contractors. Ultimately, Gov. Polis vetoed SB 25-005, saying it would have disrupted Colorado’s long-standing balance between business, workers and labor organizations. He argued that repealing the Act’s second-election safeguard would eliminate a system that has ensured both worker choice and labor stability for more than 80 years. While reaffirming his support for collective bargaining, the Governor said reforms should preserve the consensus-based framework that has kept Colorado’s labor environment fair and predictable. Just Around the Corner: 2026 With the 2026 session just a few months away, ABC Rocky Mountain is already preparing to make sure our contractors and those construction advocates supporting free enterprise continue to have a strong voice under the gold dome. For example, Colorado should consider reversing course and proposing a Fair and Open Competition Act, prohibiting state, county, municipal, school district and public authority contracts (or grants involving construction, renovation or facility work) from including any clause that mandates, prefers, prohibits or discriminates on the basis of a labor-organization agreement. Such a bill would require that all bid solicitations, controlling documents and specifications remain neutral with respect to union affiliation. Contractors or subcontractors may voluntarily enter into agreements, but government entities may not force or condition awards on such agreements. This approach aligns with ABC’s mission to ensure all construction firms have full access to publicly funded projects without union-mandated restrictions. 34
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