Today is May 8, 2023 and here is what you need to know:

Colorado lawmakers spent so much time debating two property tax proposals on Sunday that they are literally running out of time to tackle some of the biggest policy proposals this year.

The 2023 session ends no later than midnight on Monday, putting tremendous pressure on lawmakers to wrap up bills, with several major ones in jeopardy.

That includes least three House bills that have not yet received a Senate debate. Unless they receive preliminary approval by the Senate by midnight tonight, they will be considered dead for the 2023 session.

Colorado legislators advanced two proposals tied to providing property tax relief on the final Sunday of this year’s legislative session.

The House gave final approval to a bill to set aside a portion of TABOR refunds for property tax relief, as well as a last-minute measure that would equalize the refund amount each Coloradan would get.   

Senate Bill 303 would ask voters this November for permission to raise what’s called the Referendum C cap by 1% and keep that additional revenue for a 10-year period. That would generate about $167 million per year, which in turn would be funneled to local governments to hold them harmless from reductions in property tax revenue. 

Colorado is the No. 1 state in the nation for auto thefts. On Saturday, state lawmakers passed a bill they hope would help change that.

Currently, the severity of criminal offenses for auto thefts in Colorado depends on the value of the stolen vehicle – ranging from a class 1 misdemeanor for a car worth $2,000 or less, to a class 3 felony for a car worth $100,000 or more. If enacted, Senate Bill 97 would remove the value-based system and make all auto thefts felonies.

The bill cleared its last major legislative vote on Saturday, now only needing minor amendments to be approved before it will be sent to the governor for final consideration. 

Indecent exposure is the only child sex crime in Colorado classified as a misdemeanor, instead of a felony. But that will soon change if Gov. Jared Polis signs a new bill into law. 

House Bill 1135 would make it a felony crime if a person over the age of 18 exposes or touches their genitals for sexual gratification while they know they are in the view of a person under the age of 15. Under current law, an offender must commit indecent exposure three times before they are charged with a class 6 felony. 

The bill passed its last vote in the state legislature on Saturday. 

An effort to require mediation between landlords and tenants before landlords can file for eviction, if the tenant receives certain financial assistance, passed its last major legislative hurdle on Saturday. 

Under House Bill 1120, mediation would involve a landlord and tenant meeting together with a neutral third party to discuss a voluntary settlement in lieu of an eviction. If an eviction is ordered, the bill would give tenants 30 days to leave the property, instead of the current 10 days.

The Senate passed the bill on Saturday, following the House’s passage last month. The House next must approve changes made by the Senate. Then, the bill will go Gov. Jared Polis for final approval.