Colo. Rev. Stat. » Title 24
Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026
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As used in this article 10, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Controlled agricultural burn" means a technique used in farming to clear the land of any existing crop residue, kill weeds and weed seeds, or to reduce fuel buildup and decrease the likelihood of a future fire. (1.3) "Dangerous condition" means either a physical condition of a facility or the use thereof that constitutes an unreasonable risk to the health or safety of the public, which is known to exist or which in the exercise of reasonable care should have been known to exist and which condition is proximately caused by the negligent act or omission of the public entity or public employee in constructing or maintaining such facility. For the purposes of this subsection (1.3), a dangerous condition should have been known to exist if it is established that the condition had existed for such a period and was of such a nature that, in the exercise of reasonable care, such condition and its dangerous character should have been discovered. A dangerous condition shall not exist solely because the design of any facility is inadequate. The mere existence of wind, water, snow, ice, or temperature shall not, by itself, constitute a dangerous condition. (1.5) "Health-care practitioner" means a physician, dentist, clinical psychologist, or any other person acting at the direction or under the supervision or control of any such persons. (2) "Injury" means death, injury to a person, damage to or loss of property, of whatsoever kind, which, if inflicted by a private person, would lie in tort or could lie in tort regardless of whether that may be the type of action or the form of relief chosen by a claimant. (2.5) "Maintenance" means the act or omission of a public entity or public employee in keeping a facility in the same general state of repair or efficiency as initially constructed or in preserving a facility from decline or failure. "Maintenance" does not include any duty to upgrade, modernize, modify, or improve the design or construction of a facility. (2.7) "Motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle as defined in section 42-1-102, C.R.S., and a light rail car or engine owned or leased by a public entity. (3) (a) "Operation" means the act or omission of a public entity or public employee in the exercise and performance of the powers, duties, and functions vested in them by law with respect to the purposes of any public hospital, jail, or public water, gas, sanitation, power, or swimming facility. "Operation" does not include any duty to upgrade, modernize, modify, or improve the design or construction of a facility. (b) The term "operation" shall not be construed to include: (I) A failure to exercise or perform any powers, duties, or functions not vested by law in a public entity or employee with respect to the purposes of any public facility set forth in paragraph (a) of this subsection (3); (II) A negligent or inadequate inspection or a failure to make an inspection of any property, except property owned or leased by the public entity, to determine whether such property constitutes a hazard to the health or safety of the public. (3.5) "Prescribed fire" means the application of fire in accordance with a written prescription for vegetative fuels and excludes a controlled agricultural burn. (4) (a) "Public employee" means an officer, employee, servant, or authorized volunteer of the public entity, whether or not compensated, elected, or appointed, but does not include an independent contractor or any person who is sentenced to participate in any type of useful public service. For the purposes of this subsection (4), "authorized volunteer" means a person who performs an act for the benefit of a public entity at the request of and subject to the control of such public entity and includes a qualified volunteer as defined in section 24-33.5-802 (9). (b) "Public employee" includes any of the following: (I) Any health-care practitioner employed by a public entity, except for any health-care practitioner who is employed on less than a full-time basis by a public entity and who additionally has an independent or other health-care practice. Any such person employed on less than a full-time basis by a county or a district public health agency and who additionally has an independent or other health-care practice shall maintain the status of a public employee only when such person engages in activities at or for the county or the district public health agency that are within the course and scope of such person's responsibilities as an employee of the county or the district public health agency. For purposes of this subparagraph (I), work performed as an employee of another public entity or of an entity of the United States government shall not be considered to be an independent or other health-care practice. (II) Any health-care practitioner employed part-time by and holding a clinical faculty appointment at a public entity as to any injury caused by a health-care practitioner-in-training under such health-care practitioner's supervision. Any such person shall maintain the status of a public employee when such person engages in supervisory and educational activities over a health-care practitioner-in-training at a nonpublic entity if said activities are within the course and scope of such person's responsibilities as an employee of a public entity. (III) Any health-care practitioner-in-training who is duly enrolled and matriculated in an educational program of a public entity and who is working at either a public entity or a nonpublic entity. Any such person shall maintain the status of a public employee when such person engages in professional or educational activities at a nonpublic entity if said activities are within the course and scope of such person's responsibilities as a student or employee of a public entity. (IV) Any health-care practitioner who is a nurse licensed under part 1 of article 255 of title 12 employed by a public entity. Any such person shall maintain the status of a public employee only when such person engages in activities at or for the public entity that are within the course and scope of such person's responsibilities as an employee of the public entity. (V) Any health-care practitioner who volunteers services at or on behalf of a public entity, or who volunteers services as a participant in the community maternity services program; (VI) Any release hearing officer utilized by the department of corrections and the state board of parole pursuant to section 17-2-217 (1), C.R.S. A release hearing officer shall maintain the status of a public employee only when the release hearing officer engages in activities that are within the course and scope of his or her responsibilities as a release hearing officer. (VII) Any administrative hearing officer utilized by the department of corrections and the state board of parole pursuant to section 17-2-201 (3)(h)(I). An administrative hearing officer shall maintain the status of a public employee only when the administrative hearing officer engages in activities that are within the course and scope of his or her responsibilities as an administrative hearing officer. (c) Except for persons identified in subsections (4)(b)(II), (4)(b)(III), and (4)(b)(V) of this section, "public employee" shall not include any health-care practitioner or any health-care professional as defined in section 13-64-202 (4) who is employed by the university of Colorado hospital authority unless the practitioner or professional is providing services within the course and scope of the person's responsibilities as an employee or volunteer of the university of Colorado hospital authority in a facility that is either located on the Anschutz medical campus or that is operating under the hospital license issued to the university hospital pursuant to part 1 of article 3 of title 25, including off-campus locations. The "Health Care Availability Act", article 64 of title 13, is applicable to health-care practitioners and health-care professionals employed by the university of Colorado hospital authority that are not immune from liability under section 24-10-118 because of the definition of "public employee" specified in this subsection (4)(c). (5) "Public entity" means the state, the judicial department of the state, any county, city and county, municipality, school district, special improvement district, and every other kind of district, agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision thereof organized pursuant to law and any separate entity created by intergovernmental contract or cooperation only between or among the state, county, city and county, municipality, school district, special improvement district, and every other kind of district, agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision thereof. (5.5) "Public sanitation facility" means structures and related apparatus used in the collection, treatment, or disposition of sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature that is operated and maintained by a public entity. "Public sanitation facility" does not include: A public water facility; a natural watercourse even if dammed, channelized, or containing storm water runoff, discharge from a storm sewer, or discharge from a sewage treatment plant outfall; a drainage, borrow, or irrigation ditch even if the ditch contains storm water runoff or discharge from storm sewers; a curb and gutter system; or other drainage, flood control, and storm water facilities. (5.7) "Public water facility" means structures and related apparatus used in the collection, treatment, or distribution of water for domestic and other legal uses that is operated and maintained by a public entity. "Public water facility" does not include: A public sanitation facility; a natural watercourse even if dammed, channelized, or used for transporting domestic water supplies; a drainage, borrow, or irrigation ditch even if dammed, channelized, or containing storm water runoff or discharge; or a curb and gutter system. (6) "Sidewalk" means that portion of a public roadway between the curb lines or the lateral lines of the traveled portion and the adjacent property lines which is constructed, designed, maintained, and intended for the use of pedestrians. (7) "State" means the government of the state; every executive department, board, commission, committee, bureau, and office; and every state institution of higher education, whether established by the state constitution or by law, and every governing board thereof. "State" does not include the judicial department, a county, municipality, city and county, school district, special district, or any other kind of district, instrumentality, political subdivision, or public corporation organized pursuant to law.

Source: L. 71: p. 1205, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 130-11-3. L. 82: (4) amended, p. 604, § 6, effective July 1. L. 86: (1), (2), and (4) amended, p. 874, § 2, effective July 1. L. 87: (4) amended and (1.5) added, p. 929, § 1, effective June 20. L. 88: (4)(b)(I) amended and (4)(b)(IV) and (4)(b)(V) added, p. 893, § 1, effective March 20. L. 92: (1) and (5) amended and (6) added, p. 1115, § 1, effective July 1. L. 93: (4) amended, p. 571, § 1, effective April 30. L. 2002: (4)(b)(VI) added, p. 490, § 1, effective May 24. L. 2003: (1) and (3)(a) amended and (2.5), (5.5), and (5.7) added, p. 1343, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2004: (4)(b)(V) amended, p. 1200, § 61, effective August 4. L. 2007: (2.7) added, p. 1025, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2008: (4)(b)(VII) added, p. 32, § 1, effective March 13; (4)(b)(I) amended, p. 2051, § 2, effective July 1; (4)(a) amended, p. 610, § 2, effective August 5. L. 2012: (1) amended and (1.3), (3.5), and (7) added, (HB 12-1361), ch. 242, p. 1144, § 1, effective June 4. L. 2013: (5) amended, (HB 13-1294), ch. 313, p. 1644, § 1, effective May 28; (4)(a) amended, (HB 13-1300), ch. 316, p. 1681, § 51, effective August 7. L. 2018: (4)(b)(VII) amended, (HB 18-1375), ch. 274, p. 1705, § 35, effective May 29. L. 2019: IP and (4)(b)(IV) amended, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1687, § 125, effective October 1. L. 2020: (4)(b)(IV) amended, (HB 20-1183), ch. 157, p. 701, § 55, effective July 1; (4)(c) added, (HB 20-1330), ch. 230, p. 1118, § 1, effective September 14.

Editor's note: Section 3(2) of chapter 230 (HB 20-1330), Session Laws of Colorado 2020, provides that the act changing this section applies to acts or omissions occuring on or after January 1, 2021. Cross references: (1) For the exclusion of children ordered to participate in a work or community service program from the definition of "public employee", see § 19-2-308 (8). (2) For the legislative declaration contained in the 2003 act amending subsections (1) and (3)(a) and enacting subsections (2.5), (5.5), and (5.7), see section 1 of chapter 182, Session Laws of Colorado 2003.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 187 cases (27 in the last 5 years), 1979–2026 · leading case: Swieckowski Ex Rel. Swieckowski v. City of Fort Collins, 934 P.2d 1380 (Colo. 1997).
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Swieckowski Ex Rel. Swieckowski v. City of Fort Collins, 934 P.2d 1380 (Colo. 1997). · cites it 44× “Swieckowski also argues that the roadway constituted a "dangerous condition" because the existence of the condition was not solely due to inadequate design of the roadway and therefore, under the GIA, governmental immunity is waived. Again, we disagree. The GIA expressly…”
State v. Moldovan, 842 P.2d 220 (Colo. 1992). · cites it 24× “The effect of section 24-10-103 is to require a claimant suing a public entity for injuries caused by a dangerous condition on a public highway to prove, as an element of a negligence claim, that the public entity reasonably knew or should have known of the dangerous condition.”
Padilla Ex Rel. Padilla v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver, 25 P.3d 1176 (Colo. 2001). · cites it 18× “ondition" as a physical condition of a facility or the use thereof which constitutes an unreasonable risk to the health or safety of the public, which is known to exist or which in the exercise of reasonable care should have been known to exist and which condition is proximately…”
State Pers. Bd. v. Lloyd, 752 P.2d 559 (Colo. 1988). · cites it 30× “We also disagree with the court of appeals interpretation of section 24-10-103. Section 24-10-103(2), 10 C.”
Henisse v. First Transit, Inc., 247 P.3d 577 (Colo. 2011). · cites it 11× “"Public Employee" Under Section 24-10-103(4) The outcome of this case rests on the question of whether Cotton was a "public employee" under section 24-10-108(4)(a).”
sh Found., Katherine Tudor, & Donald Herbert Goede, III v. City of Colorado Springs, 2018 CO 10 (Colo. 2018). · cites it 13× “§ 24-10-103(1.3), C.R.S. (2017). Because the complete and permanent demolition of a building does not come within the plain meaning of the terms "constructing" or "maintaining" a facility, the dangerous condition of a public building exception does not apply.”
Medina v. State, 35 P.3d 443 (Colo. 2001). · cites it 7× “Waiver of Immunity for the State's Failure to Maintain a Public Highway Section 24-10-106(1)(d)(I), when read in conjunction with section 24-10-103(1), waives the state's governmental immunity in an action for injuries resulting from a breach of the state's duty to maintain a…”
Longbottom v. State Bd. of Cmty. Colleges & Occupational Educ., 872 P.2d 1253 (Colo. Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 20× “Finally, it asserted that the claim for unsafe maintenance of the premises based on the machine's lack of safety guards did not fall within the statutory waiver for a "dangerous condition of a public building" in § 24-10-106(1)(c) and § 24-10-103(1), C.R.S. (1988 Repl.Vol. 10A).”
Trinity Broad. of Denver, Inc. v. City of Westminster, 848 P.2d 916 (Colo. 1993). · cites it 6× “§ 24-10-103(2), 10A C.R.S. (1988). Here, Trinity mailed notice to Westminster on August 31, 1989.”
Walton v. State, 968 P.2d 636 (Colo. 1998). · cites it 8× “See § 24-10-103(1), 7 C.R.S. (1998). As a threshold matter, Walton asserts that we lack jurisdiction over this case because (1) the State did not take an interlocutory appeal from the trial court’s initial order denying its CGIA motion to dismiss on the pleadings and (2) the…”
Springer v. City & Cnty. of Denver, 13 P.3d 794 (Colo. 2000). · cites it 6× “Section 24-10-103(1) defines "dangerous condition" as: [A] physical condition of a facility or the use thereof which constitutes an unreasonable risk to the health or safety of the public, which is known to exist or which in the exercise of reasonable care should have been known…”
Joy Maphis v. City of Boulder, Colorado, 2022 CO 10 (Colo. 2022). · cites it 3× “" § 24-10-103 (1.3) , C.R.S. ( 2021 ) ( emphasis added ) .”
Show all 187 citing cases →
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(1) — 54 cases
Swieckowski Ex Rel. Swieckowski v. City of Fort Collins, 934 P.2d 1380 (Colo. 1997). “Swieckowski also argues that the roadway constituted a "dangerous condition" because the existence of the condition was not solely due to inadequate design of the roadway and therefore, under the GIA, governmental immunity is waived. Again, we disagree. The GIA expressly…”
Padilla Ex Rel. Padilla v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver, 25 P.3d 1176 (Colo. 2001). “ondition" as a physical condition of a facility or the use thereof which constitutes an unreasonable risk to the health or safety of the public, which is known to exist or which in the exercise of reasonable care should have been known to exist and which condition is proximately…”
State v. Moldovan, 842 P.2d 220 (Colo. 1992). “The effect of section 24-10-103 is to require a claimant suing a public entity for injuries caused by a dangerous condition on a public highway to prove, as an element of a negligence claim, that the public entity reasonably knew or should have known of the dangerous condition.”
Medina v. State, 35 P.3d 443 (Colo. 2001). “Waiver of Immunity for the State's Failure to Maintain a Public Highway Section 24-10-106(1)(d)(I), when read in conjunction with section 24-10-103(1), waives the state's governmental immunity in an action for injuries resulting from a breach of the state's duty to maintain a…”
Longbottom v. State Bd. of Cmty. Colleges & Occupational Educ., 872 P.2d 1253 (Colo. Ct. App. 1993). “Finally, it asserted that the claim for unsafe maintenance of the premises based on the machine's lack of safety guards did not fall within the statutory waiver for a "dangerous condition of a public building" in § 24-10-106(1)(c) and § 24-10-103(1), C.R.S. (1988 Repl.Vol. 10A).”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(2) — 25 cases
State Pers. Bd. v. Lloyd, 752 P.2d 559 (Colo. 1988). “We also disagree with the court of appeals interpretation of section 24-10-103. Section 24-10-103(2), 10 C.”
Trinity Broad. of Denver, Inc. v. City of Westminster, 848 P.2d 916 (Colo. 1993). “§ 24-10-103(2), 10A C.R.S. (1988). Here, Trinity mailed notice to Westminster on August 31, 1989.”
Lee v. Colorado Dep't of Health, 718 P.2d 221 (Colo. 1986).
Steedle v. Sereff, 167 P.3d 135 (Colo. 2007).
City & Cnty. of Denver v. Crandall, 161 P.3d 627 (Colo. 2007).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(3) — 4 cases
Johnson v. Reg'l Transp. Dist., 916 P.2d 619 (Colo. Ct. App. 1995).
sh Found., Katherine Tudor, & Donald Herbert Goede, III v. City of Colorado Springs, 2018 CO 10 (Colo. 2018). “§ 24-10-103(1.3), C.R.S. (2017). Because the complete and permanent demolition of a building does not come within the plain meaning of the terms "constructing" or "maintaining" a facility, the dangerous condition of a public building exception does not apply.”
Stockwell v. Reg'l Transp. Dist. of Denver, 946 P.2d 542 (Colo. Ct. App. 1997).
Larry H. Miller Corp.-Denver v. Urban Drainage & Flood Control Dist., 64 P.3d 941 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(3)(a) — 15 cases
City & Cnty. of Denver Ex Rel. Bd. of Water Commissioners v. Gallegos, 916 P.2d 509 (Colo. 1996).
Pack v. Arkansas Valley Corr. Facility, 894 P.2d 34 (Colo. Ct. App. 1995).
State v. Nieto, 993 P.2d 493 (Colo. 2000).
Ulibarri v. City & Cnty. of Denver, 742 F. Supp. 2d 1192 (D. Colo. 2010).
Awad v. Breeze, 129 P.3d 1039 (Colo. Ct. App. 2005).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(3)(b) — 1 case
Neiberger v. Hawkins, 70 F. Supp. 2d 1177 (D. Colo. 1999).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(3)(b)(I) — 1 case
Larry H. Miller Corp.-Denver v. Urban Drainage & Flood Control Dist., 64 P.3d 941 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(4) — 4 cases
Henisse v. First Transit, Inc., 247 P.3d 577 (Colo. 2011). “"Public Employee" Under Section 24-10-103(4) The outcome of this case rests on the question of whether Cotton was a "public employee" under section 24-10-108(4)(a).”
Springer v. City & Cnty. of Denver, 13 P.3d 794 (Colo. 2000). “Section 24-10-103(1) defines "dangerous condition" as: [A] physical condition of a facility or the use thereof which constitutes an unreasonable risk to the health or safety of the public, which is known to exist or which in the exercise of reasonable care should have been known…”
Yonker by & Through Helstrom v. Thompson, 939 P.2d 530 (Colo. Ct. App. 1997).
Springer v. City & Cnty. of Denver, 990 P.2d 1092 (Colo. Ct. App. 1999).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(4)(a) — 21 cases
Henisse v. First Transit, Inc., 247 P.3d 577 (Colo. 2011). “"Public Employee" Under Section 24-10-103(4) The outcome of this case rests on the question of whether Cotton was a "public employee" under section 24-10-108(4)(a).”
Wilson v. Meyer, 126 P.3d 276 (Colo. Ct. App. 2005).
Castaldo v. Stone, 192 F. Supp. 2d 1124 (D. Colo. 2001).
People v. Veloz, 946 P.2d 525 (Colo. Ct. App. 1997).
Podboy v. Fraternal Order of Police, 94 P.3d 1226 (Colo. Ct. App. 2004).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(4)(b) — 2 cases
Henisse v. First Transit, Inc., 247 P.3d 577 (Colo. 2011). “"Public Employee" Under Section 24-10-103(4) The outcome of this case rests on the question of whether Cotton was a "public employee" under section 24-10-108(4)(a).”
Plummer v. Little, 987 P.2d 871 (Colo. Ct. App. 1999).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(4)(b)(I) — 1 case
Muniz v. Garner, 921 F. Supp. 700 (D. Colo. 1996).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(4)(b)(II) — 1 case
Sereff v. Steedle, 148 P.3d 192 (Colo. Ct. App. 2006).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(4)(b)(V) — 1 case
Plummer v. Little, 987 P.2d 871 (Colo. Ct. App. 1999).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(5) — 46 cases
Podboy v. Fraternal Order of Police, 94 P.3d 1226 (Colo. Ct. App. 2004).
Colorado Special Districts Prop. & Liab. Pool v. Lyons, 277 P.3d 874 (Colo. Ct. App. 2012).
Young v. Brighton Sch. Dist. 27J, 325 P.3d 571 (Colo. 2014).
St. Vrain Valley Sch. Dist. RE-1J v. A.R.L. ex rel. Loveland, 325 P.3d 1014 (Colo. 2014).
Bloomer v. Bd. of Cnty. Commissioners, 799 P.2d 942 (Colo. 1990).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(6) — 4 cases
Colucci v. Town of Vail, 232 P.3d 218 (Colo. Ct. App. 2009).
Stanley v. Adams Cnty. Sch. Dist. 27J, 942 P.2d 1322 (Colo. Ct. App. 1997).
Booth v. Univ. of Colorado, 64 P.3d 926 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003).
Trujillo v. Reg'l Transp. Dist., 434 P.3d 782 (Colo. Ct. App. 2018).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(7) — 1 case
Elder v. Williams, 2020 CO 88 (Colo. 2020).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(8) — 1 case
Harris v. Reg'l Transp. Dist., 15 P.3d 782 (Colo. Ct. App. 2000).
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-103(8)(a) — 1 case
City of Colorado Springs v. Powell, 48 P.3d 561 (Colo. 2002).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.