A federal judge has declined to halt a new Colorado law that requires health warnings on gas-fueled stoves, instead urging the state to consider pausing enforcement while the legal challenge plays out.
Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 1161 into law in June. The measure requires retailers to place a yellow adhesive label on new gas stoves reading, “UNDERSTAND THE AIR QUALITY IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING AN INDOOR GAS STOVE,” along with a URL or QR code linking to a state health department webpage with “credible, evidence-based information on the health impacts of gas-fueled stoves.”
The law took effect Aug. 6, but the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers filed a lawsuit the day before, claiming the label violates the First Amendment by forcing retailers to promote a disputed message. The group argued there is “no scientific consensus” that gas stoves cause health problems, and the law compels them to make a statement they do not agree with.
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office urged U.S. District Court Judge S. Kato Crews to reject the association’s emergency request for a temporary restraining order, noting the motion was three times longer than Crews’ page limit and exceeded the limits of nearly every other federal judge in Colorado. The state asked for more time and pages to respond — a request the trade group did not oppose as long as enforcement was paused.
In an Aug. 11 order, Crews denied the restraining order. He noted that because he was assigned to the case after the motion was filed, the plaintiffs could not have known about his page restrictions. Still, he agreed the filing “greatly exceeds” page limits across multiple courts.
While refusing to block the law, Crews encouraged the state to consider a voluntary pause. “The Court strongly encourages Defendants to consider the propriety of a stay of enforcement of HB25-1161 pending a resolution of Plaintiff’s anticipated re-filed motion for injunctive relief,” he wrote.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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