[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6277126,"mediaKeyId","2657322-62d9ab12991f980d3338f493d65bacd6","parentId",2657322,"title","Committee advances bill to adjust tip offset, requires localities to reach 75% tipped minimum over time","audioSeconds",21277,"startMs",260000,"endMs",21537000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2657322-62d9ab12991f980d3338f493d65bacd6&start=260&end=21537","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2657322-62d9ab12991f980d3338f493d65bacd6/thumbnail_260000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6277126/Colorado/Committee-advances-bill-to-adjust-tip-offset-requires-localities-to-reach-75-tipped-minimum-over-time","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277126-e02539f15098aefb06809ddb2f7156db/orig.mp4?Expires=1775274969&Signature=D3jRHReyd5cAEDsUHR~P84twOgbfZg~molFfcCU8jLDmdtBhzJzhAaMaV-wJPSt0WSUwVXJz~jY7lc1GeJbpHulHNa0Ol9N-XtsZX7JsHD5CEt~JaruTfvegVTbMfYaX27cjtftMWwfrZXyY7dEMp8cRxQugzPwhCPywXDYxDePRuVKWBJ4CbfhTnpJbOZWUq3j5mfds8XfiT-Per8n71dNXs~HdZYZH9mXmI85Yyyz9-yl0i5QrXSsl8SX3sBiqODVJbY3-RO-L331eDiUE-8NmEvnPTHY8d6F0n~dgs2gAZjeAfqVB-NKDIXwDS7n~lOBIvMqt71u1QaDundcoGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Colorado State Legislature","date","2025-03-14T00:00:00Z","article","A revised amendment to House Bill 1208 cleared the House Finance Committee and the bill was advanced to the Committee of the Whole after a contentious hearing focused on how to handle the state’s tipped minimum wage and a long debate over language, local control and constitutional limits.

Sponsors Representative Valdez and Representative Woodrow presented an amendment (referred to as L018 in committee) offered after stakeholder conversations. The amendment would update the state’s tipped wage offset framework: it retains the existing statewide floor tied to the $3.02 tip offset while creating a phased path for localities that have adopted higher minimum wages to bring their tipped minimum wage to be 75% of the local minimum wage within a multi‑year schedule. The amendment also includes an inflation adjustment for the statutory tipped offset beginning in 2026 (the amendment cites $3.52 for 2026 and annual CPI indexing thereafter in sponsor discussion).

Sponsors said the change is intended to rebalance a system created in 2019 that left a static tip offset ($3.02) while some new local minimum wages rose by CPI, shrinking the offset’s relative share of the wage and creating steep costs for some restaurants in high‑wage cities. Representative Valdez said the 75% target emerged from stakeholder negotiations as a compromise balancing restaurateurs’ ability to remain open and tipped workers’ earnings protections.

Committee discussion centered on statutory language about who “earns” wages for tipped workers, whether references to the state minimum wage versus a local minimum wage create legal ambiguity, and whether the change would run afoul of the constitutional sentence that has been cited by members limiting the tip offset to no more than $3.02 per hour. Representative Zocai and other questioners pressed sponsors to commit to clarifying text to ensure the amendment cannot be read to permit payment below the applicable minimum wage in practice; sponsors said they would accept further clarifying language if needed.

Sponsors and the fiscal analyst also discussed the revised fiscal note: the amendment phases implementation to push additional fiscal impacts later and sponsors said they are working with the fiscal office to minimize or eliminate near‑term state fiscal impacts. Representative Woodrow described a conceptual amendment to reduce the near‑term fiscal effect and to align phasing so localities have time to adjust.

Multiple members expressed concern that the change would freeze increases for some localities for several years (citations in the hearing indicated Denver’s tipped minimum would be held constant under the sponsors’ formula) and that the amendment removes some immediate local control. Sponsors responded that the pause is intended to let other municipalities increase local minimums in smaller steps so the tipped offset doesn’t collapse the front‑of‑house job market.

Committee action: Amendment L018 was adopted (roll call 11–2) and the full bill as amended was advanced to the Committee of the Whole (11–2). Sponsors said they will continue to work on clarifying drafting language and with stakeholders ahead of the next stage.

What this means: If enacted in the current form, local governments that have a local minimum wage above the state level would be required to bring their tipped minimum up to 75% of the local minimum over a phased schedule, while the statutory tip offset is adjusted for inflation beginning in 2026. Supporters characterize the change as restoring balance for restaurants while protecting tipped workers; opponents and some municipal leaders warned the plan could still reduce near‑term earnings in higher‑wage cities and raised constitutional concerns about the limit on the tip offset.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 1208 (tipped wage amendment L018 adopted): Committee vote to advance to Committee of the Whole 11–2 (mover: Representative Camacho; second: Representative Gonzalez).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Finance [Mar 14, 2025]","oneSentenceSummary","The House Finance Committee adopted an amendment to House Bill 1208 and voted 11–2 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole after sponsors presented a phased plan to adjust the state’s tipped minimum framework, including directing localities to move tipped minimum wages to 75% of local minimum wages over time.","taxTitle","Finance, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Colorado","taxId",43286,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6277129,"House Finance committee advances permit-to-purchase bill, debate centers on costs and use of CPW funds",15887,3243000,19130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2657322-62d9ab12991f980d3338f493d65bacd6&start=3243&end=19130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2657322-62d9ab12991f980d3338f493d65bacd6/thumbnail_3243000.jpg","/articles/6277129/Colorado/House-Finance-committee-advances-permit-to-purchase-bill-debate-centers-on-costs-and-use-of-CPW-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277129-fc0a88332f2ad90526e28b21dca04de9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775274969&Signature=iSUysp0SLQBHT4fTCATo~2ViSBxGHOfLcTe9CRg4Ew6qCiGZBUVdjo-9SLQ6Kt-g8HTuGdm37N3Kv-0gbvsVI98q8KRgRy3yNELV9XFbnC77~~8fptVuPBk1k1zR6XVURYO4yahGDbCFLepf2~SD8rLEsLpNj4rzmbbhxECQ2PsJ6lAEbX0w0tMML8CwginhDioJaS5v7sJMV9ILjQHXfUIcpHB0TX3aOEZmC7eDSItjLl1YDejACQvQ9JkNrst0hLngzV-cZz-n7ixW3QfsU0ZSOjAGv85fgxjwcBUrShFfHYoPChTdDAGKw2w-82qsdP-FBQzqXgDdGj6oEThF2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Finance Committee voted to send Senate Bill 3 to the Committee on Appropriations after a finance-focused hearing that stretched through panels of witnesses for and against the bill.

Supporters said the bill creates a self‑funding “permit to purchase” pathway for specified semi‑automatic firearms, with CPW running the training program and sheriffs processing eligibility, and that start‑up costs would be repaid through fees. Opponents across the hearing — including gun dealers, hunting businesses, sheriffs and outdoor stakeholders — warned it will cost tens of millions to build the IT, administrative and county‑level infrastructure and risks diverting funds that support wildlife conservation.

The bill would require purchasers of specified semi‑automatic firearms to complete a certified safety course and obtain an eligibility card before buying those firearms. Sponsors Representative Julie Froelich and Representative Tony Basenacker told the committee the fiscal approach was designed to be self‑sustaining: CPW would front the start‑up costs using an internal cash fund and be reimbursed by the new program’s fees, and sheriffs could set fees to cover local processing costs.

Opposition focused on four fiscal risks: 1) implementation costs and IT complexity for a statewide permit database and card issuance; 2) sheriff offices’ need for additional staff and interfaces with county systems; 3) the possibility of reduced hunting and parks revenue if hunters buy permits or firearms out‑of‑state; and 4) whether using CPW cash funds could jeopardize federal Pittman–Robertson wildlife grants if any diversion is found.

CPW officials including Justin Reeder, assistant director for financial and capital services, and a CPW finance representative (referred to in testimony as “Mr. Rudder”) described the parks and recreation cash fund and said the department sees a path to cover start‑up costs and be made whole via fees. CPW told the committee it has approximately $70 million in balances across funds but noted most of that is already committed to capital projects; CPW said a draft fee structure around $40 per permit was used in modeling and that fee levels would vary with actual applicant numbers. CPW staff said at roughly 50,000 applicants the fee model could repay start‑up costs in about a year; at lower applicant volumes repayment takes longer.

Witnesses for the bill included public‑health and gun‑violence prevention groups, who argued the program will save public costs from shootings over time and that other states have permit‑to‑purchase programs. Witnesses opposed included a broad coalition of gun dealers, shooting ranges, hunters’ groups, sheriffs and small businesses who said the fiscal note underestimates call volumes, legal exposure and IT needs, and who warned that fees and delays will disproportionately hit lower‑income residents and rural counties.

Multiple witnesses pointed to the Illinois FOID experience and other states when debating likely volumes and litigation risk. The committee also heard from a state fiscal analyst who said the current fiscal note reflects recent judiciary committee amendments and that the implementation estimates err on the high side in some places to avoid understating costs.

After questions, debate and several roll‑call votes on floor amendments earlier in the hearing, the committee voted 7–6 to advance SB 3 to appropriations with a favorable recommendation; the motion was offered by Vice Chair Titone and seconded by Representative Joseph.

Supporters said the bill balances safety and access with a pathway for lawful hunters and sportsmen, and that fees will be set to cover actual costs rather than produce revenue. Opponents warned of litigation risk, the potential loss of conservation federal funds if CPW cash is misapplied, and heavy administrative costs at county sheriff offices that they called effectively an unfunded mandate.

What’s next: the bill moves to appropriations, where members will examine fiscal detail and any requests for state appropriations or statutory fee language.","The House Finance Committee advanced Senate Bill 3 to appropriations after a daylong fiscal hearing that centered on implementation costs, which agency should run the permit-to-purchase program, and whether using Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) cash funds risks federal Pittman–Robertson funding.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee advances bill to adjust tip offset, requires localities to reach 75% tipped minimum over time

House Finance committee advances permit-to-purchase bill, debate centers on costs and use of CPW funds