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Senate narrowly advances change to delivery‑worker classification aimed at small newspapers
Summary
Senate Bill 91, backed by sponsors as a narrow statutory clarification for newspaper delivery people, passed after floor debate pitting advocates for independent local press against labor groups who said the change risks worker misclassification; the measure passed on a voice vote.
Senate Bill 91, intended to narrow how certain printed‑news delivery workers are classified under Colorado employment law, was adopted by the Senate after extended debate on April 28, 2026.
Sponsors told the chamber they drafted a strike‑below amendment to codify criteria courts and administrative law judges have used to determine independent‑contractor status for paper delivery work, and said the bill targets small and local papers whose delivery models differ from large metro operations. "We looked at the rulings of the administrative law judge...and put those criteria into the bill so that would be in statute," a sponsor explained during floor remarks.
Opponents, including labor advocates, said the change could preserve misclassification and reduce pay and protections for delivery workers. One senator cited opposition from the AFL‑CIO and argued the proposal would benefit large corporate owners while harming workers. Sponsors responded that they consulted stakeholders, including some Teamsters representatives, and said the bill does not apply to arrangements where large publishers use third‑party models that the courts have already questioned.
After debate the Senate adopted the measure on a voice vote; the clerk recorded adoption and ordered the bill to third reading and final passage procedures.
