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House committee advances employer‑demographics disclosure bill after heated privacy debate
Summary
The committee passed HB 26‑12‑07, requiring large employers to submit EEO‑1 workforce demographic data to the Secretary of State; supporters said the move preserves transparency if federal reporting ends while opponents warned posting employer‑level data publicly risks misuse and privacy concerns. The measure moves to Appropriations 8–4.
The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee on Monday approved legislation that would require private employers with 100 or more employees to include EEO‑1 workforce demographic data — broken out by race, ethnicity, gender and job category — in periodic filings with the Colorado Secretary of State.
Rep. Jamie Jackson, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the measure merely aligns state reporting with the EEO‑1 data employers already file with the federal government, and that transparency helps policymakers, workers and businesses assess and improve workplace equity. "Transparency protects workers, transparency protects honest businesses," Jackson said in opening remarks.
Supporters included civil‑rights and equity advocates who told the committee that publicly available workforce breakdowns help identify disparities and design policy solutions. "You cannot fix what you refuse to measure," said Bobby L. Alexander.
Business groups objected to public posting of employer‑level EEO‑1 information. Parker White of the Colorado Competitive Council and Allison Morgan of the Colorado Bankers Association argued federal rules and precedent keep EEO‑1 filings from public release and that making employer‑level files searchable on the Secretary of State website could enable misuse or discriminatory targeting. "Making this data publicly available opens the door for it to be misused," White testified.
Sponsors offered amendment L001 clarifying that Colorado will continue collecting the EEO‑1 data if the federal government discontinues the requirement and specifying the exact EEO‑1 form version as of 03/01/2026. The committee adopted the amendment and then voted 8–4 to send the bill to the Committee on Appropriations.
What’s next: The bill will proceed to Appropriations for fiscal review and potential further changes to how the data are stored and displayed.
