Committee advances HB12-68 to finance after adopting on‑bill financing amendments and triggering debate over Unclaimed Property Trust Fund

House Bill 12-68, a proposal to establish a statewide on‑bill repayment program to finance home and building energy efficiency and electrification upgrades, advanced from the Colorado House Energy and Environment Committee to the Committee on Finance with an 8–4 roll call after the committee adopted a strike‑below and two additional amendments to address program design, consumer protections and administrative structure.

Sponsors and bill summary Representative Froelich and Representative Joseph presented the bill to the committee, describing it as a program to create a revolving loan fund to expand existing utility on‑bill finance programs. Representative Froelich said the bill would create a fund that “offers over 20 year span [to] fund the utility on bill programs,” allowing customers to borrow through their utility bills for upgrades — such as windows, insulation, heat pumps and heat‑pump water heaters — and repay the cost on a small monthly addition to the utility bill. Representative Joseph summarized the intent as requiring the Colorado Energy Office to establish a statewide on‑bill repayment program and noted that the program ties repayment to the property’s utility meter rather than to personal credit, aiming to increase accessibility.

Program design and amendments The committee considered a strike‑below (L1), a draft that L2 further amended to tie the…