Say Goodbye to Rat Poison and Glue Traps in Colorado

What This Bill Actually Does

Let's start with the problem this legislation is trying to solve. According to the state's data, standard rodent poisons and glue traps are causing unacceptable harm to kids under five, household pets, and Colorado wildlife like mountain lions, birds of prey, and foxes. Senate Bill 26-062 is designed to pull these products off the shelves and out of our normal pest control routines entirely.

Specifically, the bill bans the sale, distribution, and use of rodent glue traps and a long list of specific, highly toxic poisons: first- and second-generation anticoagulants (which cause internal bleeding), bromethalin (a neurotoxin with no known antidote), and zinc phosphide. You won't be able to buy these at the local hardware store or order them online if you live in Colorado.

So, what happens when you actually get mice or rats? The bill forces a legal shift to Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This means prioritizing non-chemical solutions like sealing up holes (exclusion), cleaning up food sources (sanitation), and using mechanical or electronic traps. You won't be able to just hire a pest control company to maintain permanent poison bait stations around a property's perimeter anymore.

The only time these poisons can be used is during a public health emergency explicitly declared by the state or a local health board. Even then, the rules are incredibly strict. A licensed professional must keep a written rationale proving they tried everything else first. They can only use the poison indoors, it can't be for routine maintenance, and the baiting can only last a maximum of 42 consecutive days. Plus, property owners will have to post visible signs stating, "Rodenticides in Use for Public Health Emergency."

What It Means for You

If you are a homeowner, renter, or parent, this bill changes how you will handle that inevitable winter mouse in the garage or basement. First, the good news: if you have young kids or pets, your house and neighborhood are about to get a lot safer. The bill notes that between 2020 and 2024, Colorado reported over 2,000 poison exposures in dogs and cats. Nationally, kids under five account for 70% of accidental rodenticide poisonings. By pulling these poisons off retail shelves, the risk of your dog eating a poisoned mouse—or a toddler finding a toxic bait block—drops significantly.

The flip side is that you are going to lose the easy, cheap, chemical fix for rodent problems. If you currently rely on buying rat poison or glue boards, you will need to learn how to use snap traps, electronic zappers, or catch-and-release traps. If you hire a pest control company for your home, expect their services to look different. They will likely spend more time (and potentially charge more money) inspecting your home, sealing up entry points, and monitoring electronic traps rather than just quickly refilling black plastic bait boxes around your foundation.

Here is what you should do right now to prepare:

• Audit your home's exterior: Walk around your house and seal any gaps larger than a quarter-inch with steel wool and caulk. Physical exclusion is about to become your absolute best defense against rodents.
• Talk to your pest control provider: If you have an ongoing quarterly residential service plan, ask them how they are transitioning to Integrated Pest Management and what it means for your monthly bill.
• Have your say: The bill is currently in the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee. Reach out to your state senator to share your thoughts on whether this ban goes too far or is exactly what Colorado needs.

What It Means for Your Business

This bill is a massive operational shift for certain Colorado industries, especially pest control operators, property management companies, restaurants, and agriculture. If your business relies on permanent rodenticide baiting to meet health codes, protect inventory, or keep apartment perimeters clear, that strategy is effectively outlawed. Because zinc phosphide (heavily used in agriculture) is included in the ban, farmers and ranchers will also need to find alternative ways to protect their fields and grain storage from rodent damage.

For professional exterminators, the compliance burden is heavy. The bill classifies the unauthorized use or sale of these poisons as a deceptive trade practice, meaning a violation could result in civil penalties of up to $20,000 per incident. Even if a public health emergency is declared, your technicians will need to maintain meticulous written records, deploy non-toxic electronic monitoring devices, wait 60 days between chemical treatments, and ensure clients post visible public warning signs. You won't be able to just spray and pray; you have to prove, on paper, that non-chemical methods failed before you can open a bait bucket.

Here is what business owners should do this week:

• Review your pest control contracts: If you manage a restaurant, warehouse, or apartment complex, call your vendor immediately. Ask them for a specific transition plan to electronic monitoring and physical exclusion.
• Budget for structural repairs: Chemical deterrence is cheap; physical exclusion is not. Start budgeting now for door sweeps, structural sealing, and upgraded sanitation protocols to keep rodents out in the first place.
• Prepare for higher registration fees: If your business manufactures or registers pesticide products in Colorado, expect your registration fees to jump by about $27 per product to cover the state's lost rodenticide revenue.

Follow the Money

Enforcing a statewide ban on common chemicals isn't cheap. The Department of Agriculture (CDA) will need an additional $289,429 in its first year (and about $364,000 annually after that) to hire three new full-time employees. These compliance specialists will investigate complaints, audit pest control companies, and monitor the market to ensure these products aren't being sold online or under the table.

So, who is footing the bill? The pesticide industry. Because the state expects an 80% drop in rodenticide registrations (losing that fee revenue), the CDA plans to raise the registration fee on all other pesticide products by $27 per product (from $205 to $232). Additionally, the state government itself will have to spend more money. The Department of Personnel and Administration currently spends about $29,000 a year on rodenticides for state buildings and parks. They will transition to carbon monoxide treatments, which will cost taxpayers an estimated $45,000 annually.

Where This Bill Stands

Senate Bill 26-062 was officially introduced in the Senate on January 28, 2026, and assigned to the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee. It is sponsored by Senators Lisa Cutter and Cathy Kipp, and Representative Elizabeth Velasco.

This is a highly consequential bill that pits environmental and public health advocates against the pest control and agricultural industries. Because it fundamentally changes how restaurants, apartments, and farms manage public health pests, expect heavy lobbying and intense committee hearings. If it passes, the Department of Agriculture has a deadline of January 1, 2027, to adopt the new rules, meaning businesses and homeowners have a little under a year to completely overhaul their pest management strategies.