A few weeks into Colorado’s 120-day legislative session, several bills are up for debate that may impact how residents and tourists recreate in the High Country. 

While the biggest fights for mountain tourism this session likely will be centered around taxes for short-term rentals, other debates impacting the industry are brewing as well.

The bills introduced so far impacting how tourists and residents play in the mountains range from what rules truckers on Interstate 70 must follow, to liability protections for private landowners allowing recreation on their property. Here’s a look at what some of the bills would do.

Rules for truckers on I-70

Senate Bill 100 would impose new rules for commercial vehicles such as semitrailers in Colorado, including making it a traffic offense for them to use the left lane on I-70 between Glenwood Springs and Morrison. 

There would be an exception for trucks passing vehicles driving below the speed limit.

The bill, which is intended to improve highway safety, has drawn fire from the trucking industry, with opponents saying the new rules could have unintended consequences like increasing delivery times and costs.

The bill would also make Glenwood Canyon a “heightened speed limit enforcement zone,” which means commercial vehicles would be subject to double the fees for speeding in the area. 

If passed, the measure would also require commercial vehicles to carry chains on Interstate 25 and any state or U.S. highway west of Interstate 25 from Sept. 1 through May 25, instead of only those traveling on I-70 between Morrison and Dotsero. 

It would also require the Colorado Department of Transportation to study where there could be additional chain-up stations. 

The bill has bipartisan support with Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, Sen. Perry Will, R- New Castle, Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs and Rep. Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, as sponsors. It was assigned to the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee.

Added protections for landowners who allow recreation on their land

Senate Bill 58 would alter the Colorado Recreational Use Statutes to limit landowner liability when people recreate on private land as long as a warning sign is posted by the landowner. 

Landowners would be required to post a warning sign describing dangerous conditions that could lead to injury or death in a prominently displayed location and have evidence of the sign — such as a photo. The bill would also mandate that people stay on designated trails and areas under threat of trespassing charges. 

The bill comes as an attempt to address liability concerns from private landowners in recent years. Some landowners have closed their land to the public after a federal appeals court ruled in 2019 in favor of a mountain biker injured on a trail in the U.S. Air Force Academy campus. The biker received a $7.3 million settlement. 

The bill could impact all kinds of recreation on private lands from hiking and backcountry skiing to kayaking and horseback riding. 

It is sponsored by Roberts, Sen. Mark Baisley, R-Woodland Park, Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada and Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. It was approved by the Senate and will now be considered by the House. 

Fees for out-of-state snowmobilers 

Senate Bill 56 would codify fees charged by Colorado Parks and Wildlife for out-of-state snowmobilers using public lands. The fees, which would be determined by CPW, would mostly go toward trail maintenance. Currently, the agency charges $30.25.

While the practice has already been in place, enforcement has been spotty and the bill would clarify it in statute, said Sen. Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, a sponsor of the bill. Fines for not displaying an out-of-state permit would be $100 under the bill.

“It will be a fundraiser, especially for trail maintenance, and that helps a lot of our local snowmobile clubs with equipment,” Sen. Perry Will, R-New Castle, said during a Senate hearing on the bill. “There’s a lot of out-of-state snowmobiles being used on our public lands in Colorado — this way at least they will pay a fee.”

The bill would also exempt snowmobilers using private land from needing permits. Other sponsors are Will, Rep. Mark Snyder, D-Manitou Springs and Rep. Ron Weinberg, R-Loveland. 

It is being considered by the Senate and if approved there, will then go to the House for debate.