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Senate passes bill requiring state licensing and oversight of recovery residences
Summary
Senate Bill 113, which requires recovery residences to obtain a state license from the Behavioral Health Administration and imposes fingerprint-based background checks, inspections, incident reporting, and notice to local governments, passed the Colorado Senate 30-5 on March 25, 2026.
The Colorado Senate on March 25, 2026, passed Senate Bill 113, a measure to require recovery residences to obtain a license from the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) and to strengthen state oversight of these facilities.
Senator Ball, speaking as sponsor, urged colleagues to support the bill and “encourage an I vote on senate bill 113.” Senator Marchman described constituent complaints in Larimer County about an operator who ran multiple residences with no on-site staff and said the bill “will require a state license from the BHA, not just the third party certification,” adding that the measure “mandates the fingerprint based criminal history background checks on every owner and manager” and “requires BHA inspections and written correction plans when violations are found.”
Supporters emphasized the bill’s accountability measures and noted it is funded by operator fees. Senator Marchman said the bill “does nothing to shut down or slow down recovery residences, but... it does raise the floor” for oversight.
Senator Wallace echoed constituents’ experience that third-party certification bodies had insufficient oversight and thanked BHA staff who engaged with districts during the outreach process.
Senator Ball moved final passage. The clerk announced the vote as 30 ayes and 5 noes; the bill was declared passed. Cosponsors and additional procedural details were entered on the record.
The law is scheduled to take effect July 1 (sponsor statement on the floor); it requires BHA licensure, fingerprint-based background checks for owners and managers, routine inspections, incident reporting, and local government notice upon license approval.
Next steps: The bill, having passed the Senate, will continue through the legislative process (enrollment and transmittal to the enrolling authority and Governor as applicable).
