joint budget committee
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Wildlife agency asks for $450,000 to bring more wolves to Colorado
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The panel of legislators charged with crafting the budget on Monday rejected a proposal that proponents said would increase transparency around how much Colorado Parks and Wildlife spends to bring additional wolves into the state. At the same time, the wildlife agency is seeking $450,000 in general funds for fiscal year 2026–27 — twice what…
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Costs explode for Colorado program covering pregnant women and children living in the U.S. illegally
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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
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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…
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Colorado policymakers scramble with prisons on track to exceed capacity
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Colorado’s prison system is on track to exceed capacity within the next year, driven by a sharp slowdown in parole releases, staffing shortages and an aging inmate population — all as lawmakers grapple with an $800 million general fund shortfall that limits options for expanding beds or spending in alternative programs. If projections hold, the…
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Colorado budget writers put Medicaid caregiver pay cuts on hold
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The Colorado General Assembly’s budget decision-makers have put proposed pay cuts on hold for people who care for a family member with a disability who receives Medicaid. The Joint Budget Committee made the decision after hours of testimony from family caregivers and several advocates. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has been struggling…
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Colorado Joint Budget Committee rejects DOC’s $2.4M request for more beds
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The state’s Joint Budget Committee voted on Wednesday to deny the Department of Corrections’ $2.4 million request for additional prison beds, citing the department’s lack of a plan to address its ongoing overcrowding problems. In September, the committee approved the DOC’s $2.8 million supplemental request for additional beds following the governor’s implementation of the Prison…
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Colorado lawmakers hear from chief justice about security needs, new judges
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Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez asked members of the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday to stay the course and fund the 10 new trial judgeships that Colorado lawmakers approved last year, and also explained her vision for enhancing judicial branch security. Responding to questions generated by committee members after a hearing last month on…
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No TABOR refunds this year, as Colorado Gov. Polis warns of tight fiscal outlook
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Gov. Jared Polis on Friday submitted revised budget requests for the next two fiscal years, calling for new public safety spending, changes to Medicaid growth, and renewed efforts to privatize Pinnacol Assurance. Notably, the governor said Colorado residents won’t get refunds from the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). “We are focused on protecting the issues…
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Pinnacol privatization plan gets cool reception from Colorado legislators
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Should Colorado allow Pinnacol Assurance, the quasi-governmental workers’ compensation company, to go private? The proposal, expected to be on the agenda for the 2026 state legislative session, got its first review on Wednesday from a mostly skeptical Joint Budget Committee. But the proposal did get a thumbs-up – or at least “it makes sense,” according…
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Colorado’s government spending has outpaced inflation, analysis finds
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Colorado’s per-person spending has increased by 31% over the last two decades, despite slowed population growth, according to a new analysis by the Common Sense Institute. The annual report compares state spending by department over the last 20 years, tracking appropriations trends, comparing growth relative to inflation and population, and determining whether Coloradans are likely…