Amenities For All Genders In Public Buildings

Effective January 1, 2024, the bill requires each newly constructed public building and each public building in which with qualifying restroom renovations are estimated to cost $10,000 or more that is wholly or partly owned by the state, a county, or a local municipality a state department, state agency, state institution of higher education, county, a city and county, or a municipality to:

• Provide a non-gendered restroom facility or a multi-stall non-gendered facility on each floor where restrooms are available;
• Ensure that all single-stall restrooms are not designated for exclusive use by any specific gender;
• Allow for the use of multi-stall restrooms by any gender if certain facility features are met under the 2021 International Plumbing Code and the Colorado Fuel Gas Code;
• Provide at least one safe, sanitary, and convenient baby diaper changing station that is accessible to the public on each floor where there is a public restroom, in each gender-specific restroom if only gender-specific restrooms are available , and in each non-gendered single-stall or multi-stall restroom; and non-gendered single-stall restroom.
• Ensure that each baby diaper changing station is cleaned with the same frequency as the restroom in which it is located, or as the space it is located in if it is not within a restroom, and maintained, repaired, and replaced as necessary to ensure safety and ease of use.

The bill also requires each newly constructed public building and each public building in which restroom renovations are estimated to cost $10,000 or more that is wholly or partly owned by the state, a county, or a local municipality to Beginning July 1, 2024, but no later than July 1, 2026, a building that is wholly or partially owned or leased by a public entity must ensure that signage for the building or the portion of the building leased or owned by the public entity complies with the following signage requirements, subject to available appropriations:

• Include signage indicating the presence of a baby diaper changing station with a pictogram that is void of gender in all restrooms with baby diaper changing stations, include signage with a pictogram void of gender in all non-gendered restrooms, and include signage with a pictogram void of gender in all single-stalled restrooms; and

The bill also requires each newly constructed public building and each public building in which restroom renovations are estimated to cost $10,000 or more that is wholly or partly owned by the state, a county, or a local municipality to

• Indicate in the central building directory, if such a directory exists, the location of any baby diaper changing station and of any non-gendered restroom with a pictogram void of gender.

The bill requires the department of personnel to complete a survey that determines the number and locations of signs needed to comply with the bill signage requirements and requires the survey be provided to the general assembly and the capital development committee. The bill exempts the requirements of including a baby diaper changing station in any restroom and any construction necessary to comply with providing an accessible non-gendered restroom providing a non-gendered single-stall restroom or a non-gendered multi-stall restroom on each floor where a restroom is accessible to the public if the requirement would result in failure to comply with applicable building standards governing the right of access for individuals with disabilities. The bill exempts the requirements for projects that have already progressed through the design review process, budgeting, and final approval by the governing body that has final approval over capital construction project expenditures as of th effective date of the bill and also exempts a building designated as a certified historic structure.Beginning on July 1, 2025, the bill requires a building that is wholly or partially owned by a public entity that is a newly constructed building that is accessible to employees or enrolled students, or a building undergoing a qualified restroom renovation to:

• Provide a non-gendered single-stall restroom or a non-gendered multi-stall restroom;
• Ensure that any single-stall restroom is not a gender-specific restroom; and
• Allow for the use of a multi-stall restroom by any gender if certain facility features are met pursuant to the International Plumbing Code or the Colorado Fuel Gas Code as adopted by the state plumbing board.

The bill clarifies that an employee with a designated workplace in a public building may undertake the complaint process for alleged discriminatory or unfair practices including the failure to comply with providing the required amenities to all genders, as required, with the Colorado civil rights division charged with the enforcement of the Colorado anti-discrimination act.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)