Senate committee advances bill reclassifying electric perimeter alarms amid local-control objections

The Senate Local Government & Housing Committee advanced House Bill 10 60 on a 4–3 vote after a day of testimony in which city and county officials urged preservation of local authority and a company representative defended the safety and crime‑deterrent value of electrified perimeter alarm systems.

The bill, presented by Senator Kirkmeyer, would add a statutory definition for “electronic fence detection systems” and say they shall be treated as alarm systems. Sponsors and the bill’s proponents say that change clarifies permitting and helps businesses protect outdoor assets; opponents from the Colorado Municipal League, the Colorado Counties, Inc. and several municipal planning officials said the statutory wording could constrain local governments’ ability to prohibit or impose stricter rules than those that apply to other alarm systems.

“The bill defines electronic fence detection systems in statute,” Heather Stauffer, advocacy manager for the Colorado Municipal…