§ 2-4-401 — Definitions

Colorado § 2-4-401

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 02: Legislative
• Art.: Construction of Statutes

Text

The following definitions apply to every statute, unless
the context otherwise requires:

(1) Behavioral health refers to an individual's mental and emotional well-being and actions that affect an individual's overall wellness. Behavioral health
problems and disorders include substance use disorders, serious psychological
distress, suicide, and other mental health disorders. Problems ranging from
unhealthy stress or subclinical conditions to diagnosable and treatable diseases are
included in the term behavioral health. The term behavioral health is also used
to describe service systems that encompass prevention and promotion of emotional
health, prevention and treatment services for mental health and substance use
disorders, and recovery support.

(1.1) Child includes child by adoption.

(1.3) Civil union means a relationship established by two eligible persons
pursuant to the requirements of article 15 of title 14, C.R.S., that entitles them to
receive the benefits and protections and be subject to the responsibilities of
spouses.

(1.4) Civil union certificate means a document that certifies that the
persons named in the certificate have established a civil union in this state in
compliance with the provisions of article 15 of title 14, C.R.S.

(1.5) Contraceptive or contraception means a medically acceptable drug,
device, or procedure used to prevent pregnancy.

(2) Court means a court of record.

(2.5) Repealed.

(3) Executor includes administrator and administrator includes executor.

(3.2) Felony includes a drug felony described in article 18 of title 18.

(3.4) Gender expression means an individual's way of reflecting and
expressing the individual's gender to the outside world, typically demonstrated
through appearance, dress, and behavior.

(3.5) Gender identity means an individual's innate sense of the individual's
own gender, which may or may not correspond with the individual's sex assigned at
birth.

(3.6) Final disposition means the disposition of human remains by
entombment, burial, cremation, natural reduction, or removal from the state.

(3.7) Immediate family member means a person who is related by blood,
marriage, civil union, or adoption.

(4) Issue, as applied to the descent of estate, includes all the lawful, lineal
descendants of the ancestor.

(5) Land, lands, or real estate includes lands, tenements, and
hereditaments, and all rights thereto and all interests therein.

(6) Minor means any person who has not attained the age of twenty-one
years. No construction of this subsection (6) shall supersede the express language
of any statute.

(6.3) Misdemeanor includes a drug misdemeanor described in article 18 of
title 18, C.R.S.

(6.5) (a) Must means that a person or thing is required to meet a condition
for a consequence to apply. Must does not mean that a person has a duty.

(b) This subsection (6.5):

(I) Is not intended to alter the interpretation of a statute enacted before
August 7, 2013; and

(II) Applies to statutes enacted on or after August 7, 2013, but only with
regard to language that appears in small capital font in the session laws published
pursuant to section 24-70-223, C.R.S.

(6.9) Natural reduction or naturally reduce means the contained,
accelerated conversion of human remains to soil.

(7) Oath includes affirmation, and swear includes affirm.

(7.5) Partner in a civil union or party to a civil union means a person who
has entered into a civil union in accordance with the requirements of article 15 of
title 14, C.R.S.

(8) Person means any individual, corporation, government or governmental
subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, limited liability company,
partnership, association, or other legal entity.

(8.5) Repealed.

(9) Personal representative includes executor, administrator, conservator,
or guardian.

(9.5) Petty offense includes a drug petty offense described in article 18 of
title 18, C.R.S.

(10) Population means that shown by the most recent regular or special
federal census.

(11) Property means both real and personal property.

(12) Registered mail includes certified mail.

(13) Rule includes regulation.

(13.5) Sexual orientation means an individual's identity, or another
individual's perception thereof, in relation to the gender or genders to which the
individual is sexually or emotionally attracted and the behavior or social affiliation
that may result from the attraction.

(13.7) (a) Shall means that a person has a duty.

(b) This subsection (13.7):

(I) Is not intended to alter the interpretation of a statute enacted before
August 7, 2013; and

(II) Applies to statutes enacted on or after August 7, 2013, but only with
regard to language that appears in small capital font in the session laws published
pursuant to section 24-70-223, C.R.S.

(14) State, when applied to a part of the United States, includes any state,
district, commonwealth, territory, insular possession thereof, and any area subject
to the legislative authority of the United States of America.

(15) United States includes all states, the District of Columbia, and the
territories, commonwealths, and possessions of the United States.

(16) Will includes a codicil.

(17) Written or in writing includes any representation of words, letters,
symbols, or figures; but this provision does not affect any law relating to signatures.

Legislative History

Source: L. 73: R&RE, p. 1426, � 1. C.R.S. 1963: � 135-1-401. L. 80: (2.5) added, p. 751, � 1. L. 90: (8) amended, p. 444, � 2, effective April 18. L. 2008: (13.5) added, p. 1598, � 9, effective May 29. L. 2009: (1.5) added, (SB 09-225), ch. 126, p. 546, � 1, effective August 5. L. 2013: (1.3), (1.4), (3.7), and (7.5) added, (SB 13-011), ch. 49, p. 157, � 5, effective May 1; (6.5) and (13.7) added, (HB 13-1029), ch. 8, p. 21, � 2, effective August 7; (3.5) added, (SB 13-250), ch. 333, p. 1942, � 65, effective October 1. L. 2014: (6.7) and (8.5) added, (SB 14-163), ch. 391, p. 1968, � 1, effective June 6. L. 2015: (8.5) repealed and (9.5) added, (SB 15-264), ch. 259, p. 940, � 3, effective August 5. L. 2017: (1) amended and (1.1) added, (SB 17-242), ch. 263, p. 1250, � 2, effective May 25. L. 2021: (3.6) and (6.9) added, (SB 21-006), ch. 123, p. 488, � 1, effective September 7; (3.2) and (3.4) added and (3.5) and (13.5) amended, (HB 21-1108), ch. 156, p. 889, � 9, effective September 7.