Effective Date: June 18th, 2025
Key points:
- Civil Liability Protection:
- Landowners are not liable for injury, death, or property damage resulting from emergency access across their property, provided the access is granted voluntarily, in good faith, and without compensation. Immunity does not apply in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
- No Duty of Maintenance or Suitability:
- Landowners are not required to ensure that their property is suitable, maintained, or safe for emergency access. Simply granting access does not impose any additional legal obligations.
- Voluntary Access Only:
- The bill does not compel landowners to allow access, nor does it grant emergency personnel the right to trespass. Any access must be consensual.
- Sovereign Immunity Not Affected:
- The legislation does not alter or waive any protections under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act for public entities.
- This legislation encourages property owners—especially in rural or wildfire-prone areas—to cooperate with emergency services by reducing the risk of lawsuits, potentially improving emergency response outcomes.
