Republicans in the Colorado legislature lost influence in more than half of the General Assembly’s committees for the upcoming legislative session after Democrats dominated in the November election.

Democrats flipped seven seats from red to blue in November – two in the Senate and five in the House – creating a 69-31 Democrat-Republican split in the state legislature. That resulted in Republicans losing their percentage of seats in 11 out of the 21 committees of reference, according to new GOP committee assignments released on Tuesday.

Most of the change came from the House, where eight out of the 11 committees will see a smaller ratio of Republicans to Democrats compared to last year. The Senate decreased Republican representation in three of 10 committees.

This will be significant in the upcoming session because, with a Democratic majority in both chambers, committees can be the easiest place for Republicans to defeat Democrat-backed bills.

Last year, all 10 of the Senate committees had only a one-member difference between Republicans and Democrats, meaning Republicans only had to convince one Democrat to vote “no” on a bill to prevent it from advancing to the full chamber. Now, Democrats have a three-member advantage in the Senate Transportation and Energy, Health and Human Services, and Business, Labor and Technology Committees.

In the House, Democrats had a three-member advantage in all 11 committees last year. Democrats now have a three-member advantage in three committees and a whopping five-member advantage in the other eight committees.

Republicans are also experiencing high turnover in committee assignments. In 10 of the 21 committees, no Republicans who served in the committee last year are returning this year. Only two committees will have more than one returning Republican member from last year: Rep. Marc Catlin and Rep. Richard Holtorf in the House Committee on Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources, and Holtorf and Rep. Mary Bradfield in the House Committee on Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services. 

Catlin is the only Republican in the state legislature to be assigned a leadership position in a committee for the upcoming session, serving as vice chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources.

House Republican committee assignments: 

• Education: Rep. Mary Bradfield, Rep.-elect Rose Pugliese, Rep.-elect Anthony Hartsook, Rep.-elect Don Wilson
• Judiciary: Rep. Matt Soper, Rep. Stephanie Luck, Rep.-elect Ryan Armagost, Rep.-elect Gabe Evans
• Transportation, Housing and Local Government: Rep. Marc Catlin, Rep.-elect Rick Taggart, Rep.-elect Don Wilson, Rep.-elect Ty Winter
• Health and Insurance: Rep. Matt Soper, Rep.-elect Anthony Hartsook, Rep.-elect Ron Weinberg
• State, Civic, Veterans and Military Affairs: Rep.-elect Ken DeGraaf, Rep.-elect Ryan Armagost, Rep.-elect Scott Bottoms
• Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources: Rep. Marc Catlin, Rep. Richard Holtorf, Rep. Stephanie Luck, Rep.-elect Ty Winter
• Finance: Rep.-elect Lisa Frizell, Rep.-elect Anthony Hartsook, Rep.-elect Rick Taggart
• Business Affairs and Labor: Rep.-elect Rick Taggart, Rep.-elect Ryan Armagost, Rep.-elect Lisa Frizell, Rep.-elect Ron Weinberg
• Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services: Rep. Richard Holtorf, Rep. Mary Bradfield, Rep.-elect Brandi Bradley
• Energy and Environment: Rep.-elect Gabe Evans, Rep.-elect Ken DeGraaf, Rep.-elect Ty Winter
• Appropriations: Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, Rep.-elect Scott Bottoms, Rep.-elect Brandi Bradley, Rep.-elect Lisa Frizell

Senate Republican committee assignments: 

• Education: Sen. Paul Lundeen, Sen.-elect Mark Baisley, Sen.-elect Janice Rich
• Judiciary: Sen. Bob Gardner, Sen. Kevin Van Winkle
• Transportation and Energy: Sen. Cleave Simpson, Sen.-elect Byron Pelton
• Health and Human Services: Sen. Jim Smallwood, Sen.-elect Janice Rich, senator to be chosen by Senate District 5 vacancy committee
• State, Veteran and Military Affairs: Sen.-elect Mark Baisley, Sen. Larry Liston
• Agriculture and Natural Resources: Sen. Cleave Simpson, Sen.-elect Rod Pelton, Sen.-elect Byron Pelton
• Finance: Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, Sen. Cleave Simpson, Sen. Jim Smallwood
• Business, Labor and Technology: Sen. Larry Liston, Sen. Mark Baisley, senator to be chosen by Senate District 5 vacancy committee
• Local Government and Housing: Sen.-Elect Janice Rich, Sen.-elect Byron Pelton, Sen.-elect Rod Pelton
• Appropriations: Sen. Barbra Kirkmeyer, Sen. Bob Gardner, Sen. Larry Liston