With the 2025 session underway, Colorado Politics caught up with Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen on his priorities and expectations. The answers have been slightly edited.

Colorado Politics: What is your top priority for this session?

Reducing fees that are not producing the promised results. Cutting regulations that are pushing businesses out of business or out of Colorado. Connecting the dots so the people of Colorado understand how personally expensive government has become in their lives.

CP: What is your caucus’s top priority for this session?

Paul Lundeen: Our priority is the families of Colorado. Our legislative agenda, which we unveiled yesterday, will save families $4,500 per year once passed. We deliver this relief by eliminating the idiotic and onerous fees that have been piled on Colorado families over the years, and we rollback the crushing regulation that has suffocated Colorado’s economic prosperity.

CP: Given the state’s budgetary constraints, how will you manage your caucus’s expectations and the governor’s expectations?

Lundeen: We will fight to fully fund K-12 education… Beyond that, it is fortunate that our caucus is not interested in growing government, we are interested in shrinking it. The Senate GOP will take a stand against any policy proposal, be it from the Democrats in the legislature or the governor’s office, that will stretch the budget any thinner. This legislature must prioritize funding in areas where it matters most— like schools.

CP: How would you characterize your relationship with lawmakers on the other side of the aisle?

Lundeen: President Coleman is a personal friend of mine. We always welcome collaboration, and we encourage common sense legislators from across the aisle to join us in reigning in regulation, cutting fees, and giving Coloradans the relief they are owed.