politics
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Colorado senators initially push for — then drop ‘identity’ factor in parenting time decisions
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The sponsors of a proposal that would require suppression of records in name-change petitions for minors removed a provision that would have mandated the courts to factor in the issue of “identity” when allocating parenting time. In its original form, Senate Bill 018, included a requirement that family courts consider whether parents recognize their child’s…
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Colorado bill seeks to limit surveillance tech to ‘lawful’ public safety purposes
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A Republican legislator is pushing legislation on surveillance technology that, she said, is designed to achieve a balance between aiding law enforcement and protecting people’s private rights. Her proposal is drawing support from both sides of the ideological aisle, though for different reasons. Senate Bill 071, sponsored by Sen. Lynda Zamora Wilson, R-Colorado Springs, would…
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Colorado lawmakers target ‘ghost networks’ to expand access to mental health care
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A few years ago, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance conducted a “secret shopper” survey on health insurance plans across six states, including Colorado. Of the 120 providers called, one-third were either inaccurately listed in the carrier database, out of service, or did not return the call. Only half of all calls to providers in…
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Colorado Democrats propose changes to juvenile corrections, jail searches, municipal courts | Bills in brief
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Colorado lawmakers introduce hundreds of bills each year. Bills in brief cuts through the noise by explaining which proposals matter, what’s at stake, and how decisions at the Capitol could affect everyday life across the state. Colorado lawmakers are advancing a slate of bills dealing with crime and corrections this session that would reshape how the state…
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Colorado’s legislative activity has increased 56% since 2012, report finds
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The Colorado General Assembly has adopted increasingly more bills in the last several years, even as the proposals have also become more complex. The legislature passed 487 bills during the 2025 legislative session, representing a 56% growth in legislative output since 2012. That growth represents the fourth-highest in the country, behind only Wyoming, Utah, and…
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Union dues proposal clears first hurdle, but its fate is murky at Colorado Capitol
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A proposal to repeal a key requirement of a nearly century-old labor law has cleared its first committee hearing, but its fate remains uncertain, particularly since Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a similar proposal last year and he indicated this year he intends to do so again, unless businesses and unions can secure an agreement. Still,…
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Colorado legislators revisit social media guardrails for youth
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Colorado legislators are making another push to regulate social media platforms, raising worries about the negative impact on youth mental and physical health, even as others argued that policies should be carefully crafted to ensure they balance protection and innovation. The push in Colorado is part of a growing trend in America and elsewhere. In…
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Immigration resolution ignites hours of debate in Colorado House
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A joint resolution affirming lawmakers’ “commitment to Coloradans navigating the complex United States immigration system” sparked more than three hours of debate on the House Floor on Tuesday morning, reflecting the tension rising between Colorado and the Trump administration, which has traded barbs and lawsuits, underpinned by the former’s campaign to crackdown on illegal immigration…
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Q&A with Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s Ross Marchand
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The Taxpayers Protection Alliance describes itself as a nonpartisan group “dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.” Colorado Politics spoke with TPA’s senior fellow and attorney, Ross Marchand, about the organization’s work investigating Colorado’s Medicaid spending increase. CP: Can you tell me…
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Colorado lawmakers reverse course, OK $2.4M funding for additional prison beds
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The Colorado legislature’s budget panel changed course on Wednesday, reversing its previous decision to deny the Department of Corrections $2.4 million request to pay for additional prison beds. Last week, JBC members voted, 4-2, to deny the department’s request, with Democrats arguing that they have yet to see the department make any substantial effort to…