colorado general assembly
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Colorado House ethics committee delays hearing to allow Democratic leader to seek legal counsel
The Colorado House ethics committee voted Monday to pause the ethics complaint against Rep. Mandy Lindsay while she seeks legal counsel. The hearing was scheduled to begin with two days of testimony, during which Lindsay could present evidence and call witnesses and when others — including Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder — were expected to testify.…
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Colorado legislature braces for high turnover: 21 Senate seats, 15 House positions
This year’s general election will feature an unusually high number of state Senate races — 21 seats, the most in at least three decades. The surge stems from the number of new senators appointed to fill vacancies during the 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions, which triggered additional seats to go before voters. That group of…
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Gov. Jared Polis vetoes bill requiring disclosure from administration lobbyists
Gov. Jared Polis on Friday vetoed a bill that would have required executive branch lobbyists to follow much of the same disclosure rules that already govern other Capitol lobbyists. Lobbyists for organizations are required to state their clients’ position on bills, either as “amend,” “monitor,” “oppose,” or “support.” The executive branch’s lobbyists, on the other…
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Colorado Democrats tout 2026 session wins; Republicans criticize budget choices
Colorado lawmakers wrapped up the 2026 legislative session on Wednesday with Democrats highlighting what they described as policy wins in affordability, health care and public safety issues, while Republicans argued that the majority’s budget decisions worsened the state’s financial and business climate. Lawmakers passed about 120 bills this legislative session amid federal funding cuts and…
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Colorado legislature wraps up tough budget year
Colorado lawmakers are wrapping up their work on Wednesday, closing out a year defined by the lack of fiscal flexibility, woes over Medicaid spending and a staccato of action on a host of issues, ranging from artificial regulation to a failed attempt to decriminalize prostitution. For the second consecutive year, the Democratic‑controlled legislature confronted a…
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Colorado lawmakers kill both major data center bills
Colorado lawmakers killed competing bills aimed at regulating large data centers, meaning regulation of the facilities is left in the hands of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission for now. The action leaves the state without new statewide rules even as those opposed to data centers warn the facilities could drive soaring electricity demand, higher utility…
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Colorado Gov. Polis faces intense lobbying blitz from DC-based groups over credit card ‘swipe-fee’ bill
Colorado’s long‑running fight over credit‑card swipe fees entered its final round Tuesday, when lawmakers sent a proposal to Gov. Jared Polis and rival industry coalitions immediately launched competing campaigns to sway his decision. The clash pits groups urging Polis to sign the bill — restaurants, hotels, breweries, liquor stores, small businesses, and big‑box retailers —…
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Colorado lawmakers to get automatic pay increase as $1.5B shortfall forces cuts to Medicaid, other services
Colorado’s $1.5 billion budget deficit is driving widespread cuts across state services, including reduced reimbursement rates for Medicaid providers and steep income losses for families caring for relatives with intellectual and developmental disabilities. However, as those reductions take effect, an automatic pay increase for state lawmakers — triggered by a 2024 change in law —…
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Colorado taxpayers would lose thousands in TABOR refunds under Democrats’ proposed ballot measure
A nonpartisan analysis of a proposed ballot measure that seeks to increase public education spending by tapping Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refunds shows that about 75% of what would otherwise go to Colorado residents wouldn’t actually go to K-12 schools. Instead, those dollars would go into the state’s general fund pot — to be used…
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Colorado Senate candidate charged with felony child neglect after daughter nearly drowns in Florida pool, police say
Frederick Alfred, Jr., the sole Republican candidate for Senate District 21 in the June primary and November general election, was arrested in Key West, Florida, late Monday night. Alfred, 38, was charged with two counts of felony child neglect and is scheduled to be arraigned on May 5. Alfred did not respond to an email…