House Bill 24-1344 made a number of changes to the Plumbing Practice Act. Most significantly, amendments added to HB24-1344 during the legislative process now permit only licensed plumbers to install, inspect, test, repair, and remove backflow prevention devices. This change was not included in the sunset report prepared by the Department of Regulatory Agencies.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) collaborate to ensure safe drinking water in Colorado. Previously, inspection, testing, and repair of backflow prevention devices did not require a licensed plumber, allowing the Plumbing Board's regulations and CDPHE's drinking water regulations to coexist. CDPHE requires certified cross-connection control technicians for this work, not licensed plumbers. The departments recognize that an immediate disruption to the previous alignment of the statutory/regulatory framework surrounding backflow prevention devices attached to public water utilities is not in the best interest of public health and water utility compliance. The departments are working together to determine how best to restore alignment in the statutory/regulatory framework as it relates to public water utilities in both the short-term and long-term. On July 10th at 10 a.m., the Colorado State Plumbing Board will hold an emergency meeting to consider to what extent backflow devices subject to CDPHE regulations and are not subject to changes to the Plumbing Practice Act. Information on joining this meeting is available on the board’s website and additional information on the board's decision will be sent to this group following the meeting. While those efforts proceed, we suggest that public water systems continue current business processes to protect public health with their backflow prevention programs under the Colorado Primary Drinking Water Regulations. 

Other changes in HB 24-1344 include:

• Authorizes the board to discipline plumbers who aid or abet a person in violating the Plumbing Practice Act or other statutes that apply to plumbers;
• Clarifies that the licensed categories of plumbers, plumbing apprentices, and registered plumbing contractors can work on water conditioning systems without being required to register with the board as a water conditioning contractor, principal, or installer;
• Modernizes the term "journeyman" by changing it to "journeyworker" throughout the Plumbing Practice Act, effective July 1, 2025;
• Modifies the license period for licenses issued or renewed on or after March 1, 2027, to be 3 years or as otherwise determined by the Director of the Division of Professions and Occupations in DORA (Director);
• Modifies the grounds for discipline of a licensee regarding habitual or excessive use or abuse of controlled substances or alcohol and removes "substance use disorder" as a ground for discipline;
• Requires a plumbing contractor to display the plumbing contractor's and attached master plumber's registration information on the plumbing contractor's vehicle or in other locations and makes a plumbing contractor's failure to display the required information grounds for discipline, effective July 1, 2025.