Colorado has strengthened penalties for knowingly attracting bears through unsecured trash and food waste after Governor Jared Polis signed HB26-1342 into law. State officials say the changes will help reduce growing human-bear conflicts and improve wildlife safety across Colorado.
Colorado officials are strengthening enforcement tools aimed at reducing dangerous human-bear conflicts after Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 26-1342 into law Wednesday in Winter Park.
The new legislation updates Colorado’s existing “luring bears” statute by lowering the legal burden required to cite individuals who improperly leave out food or trash that attracts bears. The bill changes the standard from proving someone “intentionally” lured bears to proving they “knowingly” created conditions likely to attract them. It also removes a previous requirement that first-time offenders receive a warning before enforcement action could be taken.
State officials say the changes are designed to address growing bear conflicts across Colorado, including many incidents tied to unsecured trash and food waste.
“It is not always what is in the picnic basket that lures a bear, it can also be the common food waste we dispose of,” Governor Polis said during the signing. “Reducing human-animal conflicts starts by doing our part to properly store our trash and lock away food waste so we can safely share our communities with our furry friends coming out of hibernation.”
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the agency received 5,299 reports of bear sightings and conflicts in 2025, a 15 percent increase compared to the previous six-year average. More than half of those incidents involved unsecured trash.
Of those reports:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Laura Clellan said the updated law gives officers more practical tools to intervene earlier.
“Human-bear conflicts continue to be a major safety issue for both the public and our wildlife,” Clellan said. “This bill strengthens our ability to address these conflicts by updating the culpable mental state tied to this offense and increasing enforcement measures for individuals who knowingly leave out attractants and trash.”
Under Colorado law, knowingly leaving food or edible waste in conditions likely to attract bears is considered a misdemeanor offense.
The new legislation increases penalties for repeat violations. Third or subsequent offenses can now carry fines up to $5,000, up from the previous $2,000 maximum.
The law does not apply to agricultural activities, and it excludes live animals and crops grown outdoors before harvest.
Lawmakers from mountain and rural communities said the bill responds to increasing bear encounters affecting neighborhoods across Colorado.
Rep. Katie Stewart of Durango said La Plata County alone accounted for more than 12 percent of statewide bear conflict reports.
“House Bill 1342 will help to keep bears and residents in the southwest corner of the state safe,” Stewart said.
Rep. Meghan Lukens of Steamboat Springs said the legislation is intended to reduce preventable bear habituation before it escalates into larger safety problems.
“Once a bear has learned how and where to obtain human food, it’s really difficult to unteach this behavior,” Lukens said. “We are reducing barriers for CPW to minimize human-bear interactions to keep everyone safe, including Colorado’s bear population.”
Wildlife advocates and local governments also supported the bill, saying it helps address gaps between local ordinances and statewide enforcement.
Lara Xaiz, Wildlife Coordinator for the City of Aspen, said communities across Colorado still have inconsistent trash and wildlife management rules.
“This statewide language will be a valuable tool to use in the interim,” Xaiz said.
Colorado Bear Coalition Executive Director Brenda Lee described the issue as primarily driven by human behavior rather than the animals themselves.
“Human-bear conflict is a human problem, not a bear problem,” Lee said. “This law focuses directly on careless human behavior.”
Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimates the state is home to between 17,000 and 20,000 black bears. Officials say that as Colorado’s population and tourism continue to grow, preventing access to trash and food attractants remains one of the most effective ways to reduce dangerous encounters between bears and people.
