House Bill 1282, the so-called “Swipe Fee Fairness and Consumer Safeguards Act,” has been officially defeated after the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee voted on April 28, 2025, to postpone its consideration indefinitely. This marks a significant policy victory for the Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), which led efforts to expose the economic risks posed by the legislation.
Despite SPPI’s warnings, the bill advanced through the House Finance Committee and passed the full Colorado House on March 19, 2025, by a vote of 43–21. It appeared poised to become law—but thanks to strong opposition and strategic advocacy, the Senate Judiciary Committee halted its progress before it could do further harm.
SPPI had consistently argued that HB25-1282 would have imposed destructive price controls on interchange (swipe) fees, gutting credit card rewards programs, raising consumer banking costs, and squeezing small businesses already operating on thin margins. The bill’s defeat prevents a repeat of the Durbin Amendment’s costly fallout and protects Colorado’s payment ecosystem from regulatory disruption.
This outcome demonstrates the power of principled policy advocacy. SPPI remains steadfast in defending economic freedom and advancing market-based solutions across the American Southwest.