When you wake up on Wednesday, the year 2025 will bring new laws to Colorado that could affect you.
Here are five of the most notable changes to Colorado law that take effect Jan. 1:
Using your phone without a hands-free system while driving will be illegal
This law means it will be illegal to use your phone while driving unless you are using hands-free technology.
Current law bans texting while driving. The new law makes it illegal to make calls while holding the phone.
Emergencies and some other situations are exempted.
The fine is $75 for the first offense, along with having two points deducted from your license. Penalties increase for subsequent offenses.
The rules for children in car seats are changing
This flow chart illustrates Colorado’s rules about child restraint as of Jan. 1, 2025.
The easiest way to understand the changes is to consult the flow chart above.
But here’s a summary:
For starters, children under age 2 who are less than 40 pounds must be restrained in rear-facing car seats. This is more strict than current rules.
Next, children who are under 2 years old must weigh over 40 pounds to be in a forward-facing seat. Otherwise, all children who are 2 to 4 years old and at least 20 pounds can be in a forward-facing seat. The seat must be in the back, if available.
The changes also mandate that children must be at least 4 years old and at least 40 pounds to sit in booster seats. The booster seat must be in the back, if available. Children can begin using seat belts without a booster seat at age 9 under the new law.
The new rules also require drivers to make sure older children are wearing seat belts until they’re 18. The current rules require drivers to do so for older children under the age of 16.
Gun storage within vehicles is getting stricter
Any handgun stored inside an unoccupied vehicle must be in a locked, hard-sided container that is out of plain view, and the vehicle also must be locked. This includes RVs.
Firearms that are not handguns also must be similarly stored, but they can be put in soft-sided containers as long as a locking device is on the firearm.
There are some exceptions related to farm and ranch work environments, people with disabilities, antique firearms, people who live in RVs, peace officers, members of the armed forces and hunting.
Anyone getting paid minimum wage will get a raise
The new minimum wage, which increases based on the consumer price index, will be $14.81 per hour, up from $14.42 in 2024.
That’s a 2.7% increase.
Minimum wage for tipped workers can be $3.02 less than the regular minimum wage. In 2025, it will increase to $11.79 per hour, up from $11.40.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour and hasn’t changed since 2009. Colorado’s minimum wage was the same as the federal minimum wage until 2007.
Annual changes to minimum wage are linked to the consumer price index.
The eggs you buy in stores will have to be cage-free
This law requires all eggs sold in Colorado to come from a cage-free facility.
Legislation requiring this was passed back in 2020. When the legislature passed it, it was under threat from an animal advocacy group that promised to introduce a ballot measure if lawmakers didn’t do so.
The law also requires Colorado egg producers with more than 3,000 hens to provide a cage-free environment.
What exactly does cage-free mean, though? According to the bill, that means hens are not housed in cages and must have 1 to 1.5 square feet of floor space for each egg-laying hen, depending on their access to vertical space.
Cage-free eggs cost 16% to 18% more to produce, according to the Colorado Egg Producers. But those costs have likely already been passed onto consumers, according to one expert.
Coloradoan reporters Erin Udell and Miles Blumhardt contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: 5 new Colorado laws going into effect Jan. 1