If the legislative session opening day speeches made by leaders in the state Senate Wednesday are any indication, the chamber is prepping for battle.

Senate President Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, opened with solemn reference to members’ sworn duty to uphold the Colorado Constitution and he included meaty reference to the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest clash of the U.S. Civil War. Cadman talked about what the battle means to him today, making reference to it in at least seven paragraphs of his speech, which some observers noted is about four more paragraphs, depending on how you’re counting, than Abraham Lincoln delivered on the battlefield itself in the entirety of his wartime Gettysburg Address.

“The soldiers who died there were not fighting for kings, or land or personal possessions,” Cadman said. “They were fighting for each other, they were fighting for freedom. They were fighting for a place where no man had to bow. A place where a man could stand up free of the past, free of tradition and blood ties and the curse of royalty, and become what he wished to become. They were fighting for the first place on Earth where the man mattered more than the state.”

Cadman tied the sacrifice of Gettysburg to the responsibility to protect the Constitution. For those in the chamber, it was not a subtle message, and it wasn’t meant to be.

State Sen. Laura Woods, R-Arvada, didn’t hesitate to share her interpretation. She said the speech was inspired by the plan being pushed by Gov. John Hickenlooper and Democratic legislative leaders to reclassify the state’s hospital provider fee to free up hundreds of millions of dollars from spending caps established by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, a state constitutional amendment.

“We are to uphold and defend that document (the Constitution),” Woods told The Colorado Statesman. “To pass something unconstitutional would be against our oath.”

Woods represents a major swing district, winning her District 19 by just 663 votes in 2014 over then-Democratic-incumbent Rachel Zenzinger.

The Legislature is divided on whether reclassifying the hospital fee is constitutional.

The conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity has been working hard behind the scenes to line up lawmakers against any change to the fee. It is circulating a petition for lawmakers to sign pledging to protect the Colorado Constitution.

The passion and conviction Cadman displayed in his speech drew a deep line in the sand over the issue and outlined territory he made a point of staking out last week. In a news conference Wednesday, Jan. 6, he highlighted research done by Legislative Legal Services that argued that the proposed hospital fee reclassification would be unconstitutional.

“The oath (to uphold the Colorado Constitution) means a lot to me,” Cadman said. “It has meant something special every time I have taken it.”

The speech and the response given by Senate Minority Leader Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, signaled that the fight in the Senate over the hospital fee may be bigger than anybody has so far expected.

Guzman said government has an obligation to find ways to help residents of the state help themselves.

“Wanting everyone to have a fair opportunity to build a foundation for their dreams to come is hardly a handout,” she said.

Americans for Prosperity showed up to opening day ready for the fight, too. AFP flyers presented the group’s legislative agenda, and at the top of the list was a commitment to protect the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

“TABOR is the crown jewel of Colorado public policy, and protecting it is absolutely crucial to preserving economic freedom in Colorado,” the handout said.

But lawmakers weren’t stuck in battle mode. They were also enjoying opening day.

Guzman broke out a demonic mask she said she would don this session to signal to Senate Majority Leader Mark Scheffel, R-Castle Rock, that she was less than pleased about a proposal.

“I’ve had a lot of colleagues and friends that have said ‘You can’t be the Minority Leader, you’ve got to be mean and you’ve got to get mad at times and be forceful,” Guzman said.

She handed Scheffel a matching mask. “You need one of these, too,” she said.

Guzman said Democrats would prioritize increasing economic development among rural communities, including introducing a bill that would increase access to broadband in areas that don’t already have reliable Internet.

“Creating an economy that works for those who work hard, regardless of their background, means making sure everyone has access to the same tools, such as sufficient high-speed broadband services,” Guzman said.

It’s an issue that will more-than-likely will have bipartisan support.

“I would hope it would have support on both sides,” Woods told The Statesman.