A bill to fight what its sponsors call price gouging — particularly in “captive consumer” spaces such as sports arenas, airports and outdoor festivals — is becoming one of the most-talked-about pieces of legislation in the 2026 session. And in anticipation of its first committee hearing on March 3, this week’s episode of “Colorado Chamber Office Hours” talks to legislators on both sides of this contentious issue to understand the arguments for and against House Bill 1012.
Rep. Yara Zokaie, the Fort Collins Democrat who is one of the bill’s primary sponsors, lays out why she’s chosen to fight against “fun-flation” — the increasing prices at everything from ballgames to amusement parks that she says make them unaffordable for families. Zokaie explains how a proposed cap on the prices of goods at these locations would work and why the bill also requires more transparency on whether customers of food-delivery apps are paying more for goods online than they would in stores or restaurants.
With legislative Republicans prepared to fight HB 1012 strenuously, House GOP Caucus Chairman Anthony Hartsook discusses why his party — as well as business leaders — view this bill as an abrogation of the free market in the venues that it targets. Hartsook also expounds on why a provision of the bill could subject businesses to more lawsuits by making it easier for consumers to claim that excessive pricing in a targeted venue has significant public impact.
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