Colorado gas stations would have to post climate change warnings under bill passed by House

Gas stations across Colorado would have to post a sticker warning drivers that their fuel use contributes to climate change under legislation that narrowly passed the state House on Wednesday.

House Bill 1277 squeaked out of the chamber with 33 votes, the minimum needed to clear the chamber; 30 representatives voted no, with some Democrats joining Republicans. The measure will now advance to the state Senate.

If passed, it would essentially establish a prominent warning requirement similar to the labels affixed to cigarette packages for decades. By July 1, 2026, gas stations and other fuel retailers would have to display a sticker that states: “Warning: Use of this product releases air pollutants and greenhouse gases, known by the state of Colorado to be linked to significant health impacts and global heating.”

At gas stations, the sticker would be placed on the pump. The warning must also be displayed conspicuously in black letters on a white background.

The bill’s sponsors said the labels were intended to inform Coloradans about the sources of climate change, and they wrote in the bill that the warnings “may encourage consumers to reduce their consumption” of fossil fuels and “to use alternative produces when appropriate.”

“The purpose of this bill is to equip our neighbors with knowledge so they make decisions accordingly,” said Denver Democratic Rep. Jennifer Bacon, the House’s assistant majority leader and the bill’s sponsor. Rep. Junie Joseph, a Boulder Democrat, is also sponsoring it.