colorado politics
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Grand jury indicts 2 petition circulators in 2024 signature-forgery case
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A statewide grand jury has indicted two petition circulators on allegations that they forged signatures while gathering support for a proposed constitutional amendment on the 2024 ballot. The Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office said the circulators — Cherell Long of Nevada and Martin Arellano of Texas — were working for a Colorado Springs–based canvassing…
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Colorado Democrats tout 2026 session wins; Republicans criticize budget choices
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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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Session wrap-up: Colorado legislators pass 120 bills in 2026 session
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The 2026 legislative session wrapped Wednesday with lawmakers approving roughly 120 bills, though how many would ultimately be signed by Gov. Jared Polis remains uncertain. Beyond high‑profile debates over artificial intelligence policy and the state budget, legislators advanced major measures on health care, education, immigration, and public safety. Here is an overview of some of…
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Colorado lawmakers pass bill negating road-funding ballot measure
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Colorado lawmakers on Wednesday approved a last‑minute amendment to a bill crafted to counter a ballot measure requiring that public funds collected for “road transportation” go to “road transportation,” setting up a high‑stakes clash over street funding and public services. House Bill 1430 would only go into effect if Initiative No. 175 passes in November. That…
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AI’s rapid growth spurs regulatory reaction in Colorado
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The 2026 legislative session was marked by a major push to regulate artificial intelligence, a technology advancing at breakneck speed. Colorado is at the forefront of AI policy, becoming the first state to pursue regulation on “algorithmic discrimination” by passing a law in 2024. Supporters have lauded the legislation, saying it’s necessary to put guardrails…
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Bill on firearm barrel sales withdrawn after veto threat from Colorado governor
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A bill that would require firearm barrels to be sold in person by a federally licensed firearms dealer was pulled by its sponsors, who said they were all but told that Gov. Jared Polis would veto the measure. Sponsored by Sen. Tom Sullivan, D‑Centennial, and Reps. Kyle Brown, D‑Louisville, and Meg Froelich, D‑Englewood, Senate Bill…
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Colorado legislators ask voters to forfeit thousands in TABOR refunds, redirect money to school spending
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A Democratic‑backed proposal to direct money to K‑12 schools using Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights dollars is headed to the ballot, setting up a major debate over taxpayer refunds and long‑term education funding. If voters approve it, the average Coloradan would forfeit more than $7,000 in TABOR refunds over the next decade. Senate Bill 135 includes…
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Colorado legislators abandon proposal targeting natural gas initiative
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Colorado lawmakers pulled back plans to counter a proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of consumers to use natural gas. The bill’s backers said the legislation would not have significantly affected the initiative’s impact, even as debate intensifies among environmental groups, the oil and gas industry and policymakers. The bill — initially planned by House…
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Colorado lawmakers say Lottery overreached, pass bill to require cash-only purchases
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Calling the move by the state’s gaming authority “illegal,” Colorado legislators passed a bill prohibiting the use of credit cards to purchase lottery tickets. In November, the Colorado Lottery commission passed a rule allowing the purchase of lottery products with credit cards, eliciting sharp criticism from more than two dozen legislators, who questioned the gaming…
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Colorado bill on lobbyist registration awaits final decision from the governor
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A bipartisan bill requiring more disclosure from legislative liaisons and state agency lobbyists is in limbo, despite broad support in both the Colorado House and Senate as Gov. Jared Polis is reportedly considering a veto. Senate Bill 147, sponsored by Sens. Lisa Cutter, D-Evergreen, and Rod Pelton, R-Cheyenne Wells, and Reps. Dusty Johnson, R-Fort Morgan,…