2026 27 State Budget
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Colorado House opens debate on $46.8B budget already showing strain
With rising Medicaid costs, no dollars set aside for new legislation and dozens of bills still seeking funding, Colorado lawmakers on Wednesday began debating the proposed $46.8 billion budget that is already proving difficult to keep on track. By the time the main budget measure and its 64 accompanying “orbital” bills — which rely on…
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Colorado House Democrats focus on prison costs in budget discussions
Colorado’s House Democrats pressed budget writers Tuesday over a nearly $70 million increase for the Department of Corrections, questioning why the state plans to add 941 prison beds and explore new prison capacity at a time when, they said, crime rates are falling and hundreds of inmates are eligible for parole. The majority of the…
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Inside the GOP caucus: Colorado legislator explains why a bigger budget still means cuts
Tasked with explaining a budget driven by rising caseloads, shifting federal dollars and a $1.5 billion shortfall, Joint Budget Committee member Rep. Rick Taggart spent Tuesday’s Republican caucus meeting detailing why the 2026–27 spending plan appears larger on paper, even as many state programs face cuts. “If I look a little tired, I am,” Taggart…
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Colorado lawmakers propose deep cuts to close $1.2B budget gap
The panel of Colorado legislators in charge of crafting next year’s budget has finalized the 2026–27 spending plan built on deep cuts and one‑time cash transfers in an attempt to close a shortfall of more than $1.2 billion. The plan is leaving lawmakers frustrated with the reductions to core services. Some cited cuts to health…
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Pinnacol separation bill delayed as Colorado budget remains in flux due to $1.5B deficit
A bill that would allow Pinnacol Assurance to formally sever its remaining ties with the state appears unlikely to emerge anytime soon, as House leaders juggle a massive budget shortfall, unresolved negotiations with key stakeholders, and growing doubts about whether the insurer’s proposed $400 million payment could be counted on to help balance next year’s…
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Costs explode for Colorado program covering pregnant women and children living in the U.S. illegally
A state program providing health care to pregnant women and children living in the country illegally is costing far more than lawmakers expected, with expenses nearly tripling in just a year and threatening to squeeze Colorado’s budget amid a nearly $1 billion shortfall. The program, launched in 2024, now enrolls more than 30,000 people and…
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Costs explode for Colorado program covering pregnant women and children living in the U.S. illegally
A state program providing health care to pregnant women and children living in the country illegally is costing far more than lawmakers expected, with expenses nearly tripling in just a year and threatening to squeeze Colorado’s budget amid a $1 billion shortfall. Cover All Coloradans, launched in 2024, now enrolls more than 30,000 people and…