Denver City Council introduced a charter amendment Monday to rename the Department of Excise and Licenses as the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection and filed conforming code changes.

Council Bill 25-1002 was read for introduction; the bill would submit a proposed charter amendment to the qualified and registered electors of the City and County of Denver at the special municipal election on Nov. 4, 2025. A companion bill (25-1003) would amend the municipal code to reflect the charter change.

Councilmember Gilmore, who spoke on the item, said the city "will still, of course, have our licensing division" and described the change as an update to make the agency's name more explanatory of its work. Gilmore also acknowledged staff who advanced the proposals, naming Molly DuPlichesne and Erica Rogers for their work around safety and licensing.

Actions and schedule
- Council Bill 25-1002 (charter amendment renaming department) introduced for publication and scheduled for the special municipal election ballot on Nov. 4, 2025.
- Council Bill 25-1003 (code changes to conform to the charter amendment) introduced for publication.

Discussion vs. decision: the meeting record shows introduction and publication of the bills; no final adoption or ballot certification occurred on July 21. The bills will proceed through the legislative process and the charter amendment will be decided by registered voters at the Nov. 4, 2025 election.

What to expect: councilmembers framed the renaming as an explanatory update to clarify the department's functions. Specific operational or staffing changes tied to the renaming were not discussed in the July 21 session.