Petition rights in Colorado have been under increasing attack, and that trend continues with House Bill 25-1327 (HB 25-1327), recently introduced in the Colorado State legislature.

Among other things, HB 25-1327 would reduce the time available for citizen-led initiative efforts by moving the deadline for Title Board hearings up by two weeks. Under current law, Title Board hearings may be held through the third Wednesday in April. This bill shifts that deadline to the first Wednesday in April— a 14-day reduction in time that proponents would otherwise use to finalize their language before gathering nearly 200,000 signatures within a tight window to secure a spot on the ballot.

It’s worth noting Colorado voters recently rejected a similar proposal. In the November 2024 election, Amendment K — referred to the ballot by the legislature — was defeated by a 55% to 45% margin. That measure would have shortened the petition window by just one week. Now, lawmakers are ignoring that clear voter message and pushing a statutory change that reduces the window by twice as much.

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In addition to shortening the petition window, HB 25-1327 imposes new reporting mandates on petition representatives. Proponents must notify the Secretary of State when they reach 25%, 50% and 75% of the required signature threshold — and again when petition circulation ends. Failure to report may result in fines of up to $1,500, further discouraging citizen participation.

By contrast, the Colorado legislature is not held to the same standard. Lawmakers can draft and pass bills in as little as a week. Their communications — including negotiations regarding sponsorships or consultation with privileged stakeholders — are exempt from the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), often shielded under the vague and self-serving label of “legislative work product.”

Meanwhile, citizen initiatives face steep procedural hurdles. To qualify for the 2025 or 2026 ballot, a proposed initiative must collect at least 124,238 valid signatures. Because of signature rejections due to registration mismatches or illegibility, most campaigns must gather close to 200,000 signatures — all within a narrow window following Title Board approval. With volunteer and paid circulators operating across the state, tracking exact signature counts is challenging — and now HB 25-1327 threatens organizers with penalties through new obligations to report progress. The punitive section requiring this signature reporting — along with its associated fines — must be struck out entirely.

Colorado Constitution Article V, Section 1 explicitly affirms the people’s right to initiative and referendum, reserving that power independent of the General Assembly. This provision underscores that initiatives are not a legislative courtesy — they are a core constitutional right, deserving of protection and respect, not repeated legislative restriction.

I’ve signed up to testify to amend the bill. If the bill sponsors want to take away two weeks from the end of the Title Board process, then they must add those two weeks to the beginning — allowing petition representatives to submit their measures earlier. And to reiterate due to its importance, the provision imposing a $1,500 penalty on petition organizers must be eliminated. That is nothing less than a direct attack on our civil rights.

Natalie Menten, of Lakewood, is a former elected board director for the Regional Transportation District; a current board director with the TABOR Foundation and a transparency activist who led efforts to require governments to post their check registers online. Menten is the founder of Colorado Engaged, offering education and training to citizens to get involved.