Colorado bill adds hospital authorities to public health whistleblower protections

Original title: Public Health Employee Whistleblower Rights

Last action · April 30, 2026: Senate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology Postpone IndefinitelySponsor: Robert Rodriguez

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Would Do

Senate Bill 179 expands Colorado workplace whistleblower protections to include employees at the University of Colorado Hospital Authority and the Denver Health and Hospital Authority. The legislation specifies that whistleblower lawsuits and claims involving health and safety rights are exempt from the restrictions of the .

Why it matters

Hospital workers at two major public health authorities gain explicit statutory protection against retaliation when reporting safety violations, and their legal claims bypass standard state liability caps and procedural hurdles.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

University of Colorado Hospital Authority workers

Employees gain explicit whistleblower protections against workplace retaliation and the ability to pursue legal claims outside of governmental immunity restrictions.

Directly affected

Denver Health and Hospital Authority workers

Employees gain explicit whistleblower protections against workplace retaliation and the ability to pursue legal claims outside of governmental immunity restrictions.

Directly affected

University of Colorado Hospital Authority

The authority is newly classified as a principal under state whistleblower laws, exposing it to legal actions exempt from governmental immunity limits.

Directly affected

Denver Health and Hospital Authority

The authority is newly classified as a principal under state whistleblower laws, exposing it to legal actions exempt from governmental immunity limits.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which specific institutions are newly included under the whistleblower protections in this bill?

The bill adds the University of Colorado Hospital Authority and the Denver Health and Hospital Authority.

How does the bill affect the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act regarding these whistleblower claims?

It clarifies that any action or potential action arising under the health and safety worker rights law is exempt from the immunity act's limitations, notice requirements, procedural rules, and liability restrictions.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

2 actions

Apr 30, 2026Senate
Senate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology Postpone Indefinitely
Apr 23, 2026SenateIntroduced
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Business, Labor, & Technology

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →