Friday, May 8, 2026

Happy Friday and God Bless America, folks! Midnight this Wednesday, May 13th, will mark sine die, the constitutionally mandated ‘like-it-or-not-we're-done’ end to Colorado’s 2026 annual regular legislative session.
Sorry, but we’re in no condition to contemplate the likelihood of a special session this summer or fall. Consequently, this will be our last regular edition of Notes from the Capitol. However, please wait with bated breath for our special end-of-session Winners & Losers edition – our candid end-of-session recap – as jaded, insightful, and irreverent as it promises to be.
Legislators have introduced 712 bills in the last 115 days. More are destined for the weekend and through Monday. Each bill requires a minimum of three days to navigate the process through both chambers.

The last week of Colorado’s annual legislative session under the Gold Dome is usually the time and place where Democracy, as we know it, teeters on a razor’s edge, temporarily suspended above an abyss of incalculable depth.
Consequential deals are brokered behind closed doors; public participation is actively discouraged, if not tactically suppressed; and floor debate is strictly limited, especially in the House, under rule 14(a), which can limit debate to one hour. Imagine attempting to debate a 58-page artificial intelligence regulation bill on the floor of the 65-member House – in a single hour. Can you say R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S?
Unlike previous years, Governor Jared Polis has not yet exercised his veto pen this session. That will change – starting with proposed revisions to the Colorado Labor Peace Act (HB26-1005). For the second consecutive year, proponents seek to eliminate the requirement that employees hold a second election to negotiate a union security agreement in the collective bargaining process, thereby shifting the existing balance of power in favor of organized labor. A union security agreement is a contractual provision between an employer and a collective bargaining unit. It allows a labor union to require all workers to pay union fees, even those who choose not to join. The agreement may also require the automatic withdrawal of union dues from each/all employee’s wages as a condition of employment.
Governor Polis put legislators and stakeholders on notice that, in the absence of widespread support from the business community, he would again veto any proposed revision to the Colorado Labor Peace Act.
Eager to continue as beneficiaries of organized labor’s generous campaign contributions and/or independent expenditure campaigns, majority party legislators plowed forward with the bill anyway.
Much to our chagrin, and that of most other professional lobbyists, the governor seems destined to veto the much-needed lobbying reform, SB26-147, which easily passed both chambers. The bill requires every executive department lobbyist to report to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office their position on each bill they lobby, under precisely the same terms and conditions as non-state-government lobbyists must. The existing veil-of-secrecy scheme is grossly inequitable, unfair, and opaque; it gives state-government lobbyists extraordinary advantages over their private-sector and non-profit counterparts. (We’re not whining; merely conveying hard facts and realities. But seriously, what are they hiding?) Governor Polis has never hesitated to use his veto authority. Throughout his seven-and-a-half-year tenure, he has so far vetoed 39 bills, 11 of which occurred in 2025 alone. By comparison, his predecessor, Governor John Hickenlooper, vetoed 23 bills over the span of eight years.

Swipe Fees

Under the Gold Dome (and most other places), the financial services industry almost invariably wins.
Check out that $15-per-month convenience fee that appears on your monthly bank statement. What exactly is that? Could it be something other than what it appears to be? A consumer-hostile emolument? A de facto taking? A blithely transparent revenue stream hiding in plain sight, destined for no purpose other than cleverly padding the pockets of corporate shareholders and CEO’s already swimming in cash?
Check out your favorite credit card featuring an annual APR rate of at least triple the prime lending rate. Even the last bastions of consumer-friendly credit unions, blinded by dollar signs, are beginning to assess monthly convenience fees.
In nothing short of a gob-smacking defeat – and to our genuine surprise – the financial service industry, and platoons of well-heeled lobbyists sufficient to fill RTD’s A-Line between Denver Union Station and DIA, failed to defeat a substantial swipe-fee reform bill.

The industry vigorously opposed SB26-134, which specifically excludes/prohibits sales taxes from the calculation of swipe-fee transactions. A swipe fee (transaction fee) is the 2% or 3% charge added to a credit card transaction. Retailers and vendors sometimes absorb the fee but often pass the cost on to the end customer, who ends up paying the surcharge out of pocket. (Yes, consumers can theoretically avoid the fee altogether by paying cash. However, in recent years, fewer businesses accept cash. Can you imagine refusing to accept American Legal Tender? Another outrageous topic to be dissected on another day...) For weeks, grossly misleading and wholly discredited ads flooded our TVs and devices, while scare-mongering social media campaigns falsely insisted that, if SB26-134 became law, we Coloradoans would be forced to execute a separate transaction to pay all applicable sales tax on every one of our credit card purchases. Though sometimes fooled, Coloradoans are, for the most part, reasonably good at sniffing out trash. SB26-134 languished on the House Second Reading calendar for forty-one days. Each morning, in the Senate lobby, multitudes of financial services lobbyists commenced their daily ritual of handwringing, wailing, and gnashing their teeth. Sadly, for them, the mythical caucus of Orthodox Priests & Rabbis destined to pronounce the bill dead never arrived. Suddenly, in the span of a week, SB26-134 leaped past its final two hurdles on the Senate floor and sailed through the House. It was nothing short of miraculous. Lo and behold, at the very moment of the final vote on the House floor, an obscure, beautifully orchestrated passage from Handel/Jennens magnificent oratorio rang through the corridors of power, blessing the hearts, minds, and pocketbooks of six million Coloradoans: “O’ death, where is thy sting? Where is thy victory?” (For an elevated laugh, click on the preceding hyperlink.)

Regarding the platoons of lobbyists who fought the not-so-good fight on behalf of credit card companies and financial institutions (all for naught), fear not – they are handsomely paid regardless of the outcome. Furthermore, they will be back next legislative session, defending their treasure chest overflowing with junk fees unscathed. LATE-BREAKING NEWS: The financial services lobby is mounting a pressure campaign to persuade Governor Polis to veto the bill. They claim the business costs associated with reprogramming their respective machines, platforms, software, and apps would be prohibitively expensive and constitute another expensive, unfunded state mandate on businesses – yet one more unnecessary burden in a state nationally recognized as business-hostile and steeped in a bureaucratic, oppressive, and unwieldy regulatory environment. Hhhmmmm… Turns out our lead-in sentence for this section may have been fortuitous.

VOTE SCHMOTE!
(‘We don’t care what voters say.We know better.’)

Utterly exhausted and seething over Colorado General Assemblies that habitually divert Colorado gas tax revenues away from the core transportation infrastructure for which it was/is assessed, the Colorado Contractors Association (CCA) is calling the question. Their remedy is a statewide petition drive in each of Colorado’s 35 senate districts for Initiative 175 (a proposed state constitutional amendment destined for Colorado’s November 2026 General Election). Early polling suggests strong voter support for the measure.

How dare anyone think about, much less attempt, circumventing the will of the legislature and asking voters to direct fuel taxes to roads and bridges? Such audacity is shamefully preposterous.
So, not to be outmaneuvered by the ignorant, unwashed masses, legislators in the majority party are sponsoring HB26-1430, a bill designed to preempt Colorado voters from determining whether Colorado’s existing gas tax revenues will be dedicated to Colorado’s transportation infrastructure (i.e., reducing the existing deferred-maintenance backlog; pothole repair; resurfacing/repaving roads; repairing/replacing structurally deficient and/or functionally obsolete bridges; strategic system-capacity improvements; etc.) for which the gas tax was/is intended — or conversely whether the legislature can continue diverting gas taxes away from essential transportation infrastructure for a litany of projects other than transportation infrastructure.
The majority party’s preemption bill, HB26-1430, is clear: if voters approve the proposed constitutional amendment (Initiative 175) this November, the legislature will automatically reduce transportation tax and fee rates from January 1, 2027, through June 30, 2030, in the following particulars:
1)The gasoline excise tax will be cut from 22.0 to 14.0 cents per gallon;
2)The special fuel excise tax will be cut from 20.5 to 13.0 cents pergallon;
3)The late vehicle registration fee will be cut from $25-$100 per monthto $15.50-$62 per month;
4)Certain registration fee rates will be cut by 38%;
5)The road safety surcharge rates will be cut by 38%; and
6)The road usage fee will be cut from 6.0 to 4.0 cents from January 1,2027, through June 30, 2027, and in amounts to be determined forFY 2027-28 through FY 2029-30.
This is a recurring punitive and bad-faith tactic that the majority party has repeatedly abused. In 2024, Representative Emily Sirota (D-Denver) secured an amendment to a majority party elections bill, effectively preempting voter approval of the popular ranked-choice voting – again, before voters even had a chance to register their preference at the ballot box.
CAUTIONARY NOTES: Maintaining and improving transportation infrastructure is a core function of state government – particularly given the federal government's predatory nature toward Colorado’s leaders, politics, and people. Millions of Coloradoans rely daily on the health, performance, reliability, and safety of the state’s road and bridge network. Few issues have the potential to enrage and mobilize residents against their political leaders faster than failure to maintain roads and bridges. Pothole politics is real. It’s a thing. The majority party candidates and incumbents who revel in the one-party monopoly of state government are well-served to remember that.
Perhaps the new legislature or some outside group will finally do what should have been done twenty years ago: place a measure on the Colorado ballot asking voters to require that CDOT post ostentatious signage at vehicular approaches to each structurally deficient and/or functionally obsolete bridge in the state, fully disclosing the condition of said bridge. Likewise, the ballot measure should also require CDOT to post similar public-disclosure signage along poorly rated state roads and highways. Doing so would simultaneously educate the public, focus the mind, and jumpstart a desperately needed conversation about gridlock, mobility, capacity improvements, deferred maintenance, and how to correct the dismal condition of our state’s roads and bridges.

Too-Clever-By-Half Accounting
“For The Kids”

Legislators often play messaging games when attempting to pass a prized bill. Among the most reliable tools in their messaging toolbox is to claim the proposed legislation is “for the kids” – even in cases where the benefits of passing said bill would render marginal/tangential benefits “for the kids.”

Case in point: Colorado’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) provides essential support to low-income families, enabling parents to work or pursue education and job training. CCAP is struggling mightily; it's severely hampered by long waitlists and a shortage of providers – issues exacerbated by the state’s ongoing budget crisis. Under the mantra of increasing state revenue to support CCAP, Governor Polis is pushing “Investment Performance Authority” legislation (SB26-180). The bill creates a special-purpose authority outside state government. A seven-member board, including the State Treasurer, the Director of the Office of State Planning & Budgeting (OSPB), and professionals demonstrating expertise in government finance, investment management, and/or childcare policy, would govern said board. The bill allows state agencies to invest enterprise fees and other public funds in privately managed investment vehicles, rather than through the State Treasurer’s office. Notably, the legal justification for this approach appears to rely on what one lawmaker described as a “super-secret memo,” reported by The Denver Post. According to that memo and analysis by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, legal grounds exist for the proposed governance structure. However, a separate opinion from the same office notes that the “plain text” of Colorado’s Constitution clearly “prohibits the State from directly owning stock in a corporation.” The debate shaped into a consequential clash between two statewide elected officials: Governor Polis and State Treasurer Dave Young. Treasurer Young opposed the bill, arguing that it represents an overreach of state authority and jeopardizes the integrity of the state treasury. The Denver Post reports that a Colorado Open Records Act request revealed a September meeting between Governor Polis and senior representatives of Goldman Sachs, the world’s fourth-largest investment firm. Notes from a related meeting between the State Treasurer and Goldman Sachs referenced various “pools of capital” and the firm’s interest in exploring “ways Goldman can help the state.” These interactions draw intense scrutiny from Governor Polis’ critics.
Recognizing the terrible optics of SB26-180, gubernatorial candidate Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County) and State Treasurer candidate Senator Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village) persuaded the Senate Appropriations Committee to kill the bill by a unanimous 7-0 vote.

Speaker Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon)

As the legislative session winds down, we extend our final shoutout of the 2026 legislative session to Speaker Julie McCluskie (D-Dillion), who is concluding her eight-year legislative career, the last four of which were as Speaker of the Colorado House. Throughout her tenure in the General Assembly, Speaker McCluskie compiled an impressive record of achievement, including advancing student success and workforce revitalization, improving healthcare affordability and access, strengthening water and wildlife conservation, supporting wildfire mitigation efforts, and expanding affordable housing initiatives.
She led the first major rewrite of the Colorado School Finance Act in 30 years, making the system more equitable and increasing funding for every student in the state. She is also the first female West Slope legislator to serve as Speaker, following distinguished service on the powerful Joint Budget Committee (JBC). She is among the few to have held the speakership for four years, during which she navigated challenges, including deepening divisions between moderate and progressive Democrats and bitter partisanship that continues to erode trust and responsible civil discourse under the Gold Dome.
We have worked closely with Speaker McCluskie throughout her tenure. She is a supremely kind, patient, respectful, intelligent, and thoughtful legislator – a stateswoman in every sense of the word.

We wish her peace and prosperity throughout the next chapter of her life.
Onward and upward!

Steve Balcerovich
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com
720.351.2007

Tim Coleman
Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
303.242.9270

Notes from the Capitol
Friday, April 24, 2026
Happy Friday! We know that you’ll be sad to read this, but only nineteen days remain in Colorado’s 2026 regular legislative session. That’s right, folks – we see light at the end of the tunnel. Hhhmmmm… is it daylight or the headlight of a speeding locomotive destined to plow over all in its path – the gallant, the geeky, the garish, and the ghastly. We’re all standing on the track together. If history is any indication, be afraid. Be very afraid of what comes down the track these next nineteen days. The legislature tends to save the best for last. This year is no exception.
Speaking of speeding locomotives, this Monday, April 27, 2026, the Colorado Senate Transportation & Energy Committee is scheduled to hear SB26-172, the Front Range Passenger Rail District.
OK, not SO fast…

The Japanese launched the world’s first bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka in 1964. (We recognize that some of you reading this were in diapers at that time, while others of you were not yet born. Nevertheless…) The Japanese bullet train routinely reached speeds of 125 mph. In the sixty-two years since then, the Japanese have substantially expanded their high-speed rail network and technology – as have the Brits, the Chinese, the Italians, the French, the Germans, the South Koreans, the Moroccans, the Egyptians, the Norwegians, the Swedes, etc., etc., etc.… Today, high-speed passenger rail often travels at speeds of 140 miles per hour and sometimes much faster.
Meanwhile, amid nearly $40 trillion in national debt, the United States seems content to tread water and is, shall we say, otherwise engaged. In the absence of the national vision, leadership, and investment – and despite the budget-eviscerating machinations thrust upon our Colorado General Assembly – it appears that our li’l ol’ state, like the proverbial Little Train That Could, may be itchin’ (and inching) toward getting in the game. If one is willing to forgo the foolish notion of the high speed in high-speed passenger rail, then even 19th-century-era rail service from Cheyenne through Fort Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Walsenburg, Trinidad, and eventually on to Santa Fe sounds lovely, doesn’t it? If legislators hurry, perhaps Colorado can launch its passenger rail service to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the original Japanese bullet train – in 2064.
On Wednesday, legislators introduced SB26-176, which allows citizens to sue any government entity for alleged violations of their constitutional rights. Our colleagues in the lobby corps (who shall remain nameless) labeled the bill ‘No More Kings.’ The legislation drew immediate opposition from a wide array of groups, including local governments, district attorneys, and child welfare advocates. For more on the “No More Kings Bill”, please check out Marissa Ventrelli’s April 22nd article in Colorado Politics, titled: Colorado Democratic Bill Would Allow Lawsuits Against Federal Officials, Drawing Warnings From Local Critics. Hang on to your seats, folks; we’re fixin’ to witness a fireworks display that rivals those of the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, commemorating July Fourth. (Isn’t it ironic that the worst baseball team in the history of the National Baseball League hosts a fireworks show that isthe envy of that same League? Gotta hand it to Clan Monfort; they know how to put on a show.)
Yesterday, we observed the House Energy and Environment Committee’s hearing on the much-anticipated Public Utilities Reauthorization Bill (HB26-1326 and associated Fiscal Note). The bill attracted the attention of an eye-popping 260 registered lobbyists, representing every interest from Xcel Energy and electric co-ops to local governments, rideshare companies, taxi cabs, telecommunications firms, consumer rights advocates, and environmental activists. The committee hearing stretched into the evening.
It was only the first of six committee hearings yesterday, not counting the lengthy floor debates on bills in both chambers that legislators must finalize or kill in the next nineteen days.
As is the case every seven years, Xcel Energy’s lobbyists (this year, a team of ten) are working relentlessly to load the PUC Reauthorization Bill with special-interest provisions sufficient to resemble the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Their sole focus is to pad their rate base for yet another seven years against Colorado’s energy consumers (and, by extension, against out-of-Xcel-service-area landowners forced to host endless miles of forever high-voltage transmission lines) in favor of Xcel’s corporate shareholders. In short, the PUC Reauthorization Bill typically works well for those whose portfolio is generously laden with Xcel Energy stock. On a positive note, the strength of our relationships, combined with a carefully calibrated pressure campaign, resulted in our clients being exempted from the most egregious overreaches embedded in the bill. We still have a bit more work to do. Not to brag, but despite being outgunned by orders of magnitude, bring it! We punch far above our weight.
Before we relinquish this topic for a more salacious one, this year’s PUC Reauthorization Bill beautifully illustrates one of our pet peeves. The legislature’s habit of grossly exceeding its own five-bills-per-legislator limit, combined with its equally annoying habit of avoiding highly consequential legislation until the closing weeks of the session, once again prompts civic-minded observers of the process to hope for a well-financed statewide referendum or initiative (ballot measure) to lower the number of bills each legislator may introduce and requiring all bill introductions to occur in the first 30 days of the 120-day session – with exceptions strictly limited to the Long Bill, budget-orbital bills, and cases of Bonafide statewide emergencies that can’t wait until the following legislative session.
As we’ve observed in previous years, the last month of the legislative session is when legislators are most exhausted and under intense pressure to consider the balance of their roughly 700 bills. There are only so many 70-hour weeks in which a person can thoroughly read, thoughtfully process, understand, and debate bills; be lobbied; be responsive to constituent questions and needs; attentively listen to public testimony in committee; endure filibusters; and render thoughtful, wise votes on hundreds of pages of newly proposed Colorado law each day – all within the constitutional limit of 120 days. The process is absurd. Neither the most diligent, intellectually gifted lawmakers, nor the staff on which they rely, can reasonably be expected to perform in the final 30 days of the session to the degree they did during the first 30 days. Intensifying the pressure cooker environment in the last 30 days constitutes unnecessary and irresponsible sausage-making that often features unintended consequences – to say nothing of adding volumes of words and new regulations to the Colorado Revised Statutes every year – each one lying in wait to getcha!
Regardless of the structurally flawed process (did we mention the lack of legislative discipline?), please join us as we count our blessings of yesterday. In addition to considering the PUC Reauthorization Bill, the House Energy & Environment Committee was also scheduled to consider the pro-data-center-incentive bill (HB26-1030 and its associated Fiscal Note), which has languished in committee for over three months. Once again, short on votes, the committee delayed the bill. It’s simply not ready for prime time – and with a gobsmacking 449 special-interest lobbyists engaged on the bill, it may never be. (For the record, we are not special interest lobbyists; we lobby in the public interest.)

Governor Jared Polis’s final legislative session is proving to be challenging for him. In a sign that lawmakers appreciate his lame-duck status, several of his recent appointees failed to clear their respective Senate Committee hurdles. During a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee rejected two of his three appointees to the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission. Recognizing that Colorado is home to over 6 million people and over 3.5 million head of livestock, the committee’s defeat of his two appointees was embarrassing for Polis, but centered on Colorado’s highly controversial and mismanaged (albeit voter-approved) wolf-reintroduction efforts.
The Growing Divide
As temperatures rise in this unseasonably warm spring – a rise that may well resemble the new norm in Colorado and throughout the American West/Southwest – so, too, does the ambient temperature under the Gold Dome. In addition to contentious debates and strained negotiations on the existing backlog of controversial bills, bitter rancor is rising within the ranks of the majority party. The chasm between Moderates and Progressives is growing at an ever-accelerating rate.
Last summer, a group of pro-business, moderate Democrats, the bicameral so-called Opportunity Caucus, embarked on an all-expenses-paid excursion to Vail. Liberal critics immediately labeled it a nefarious, anonymously funded junket. The optics were admittedly terrible, and the media fallout was ugly. Perceiving a possible error in judgment, Senate Democrats who participated in the excursion introduced a transparency bill (SB26-108), intended to appease their hyper-progressive colleagues whom the still-anonymous Opportunity Caucus’s funders/hosts failed to invite. The bill requires that special interest groups/representatives hosting one or more legislators fully disclose their contact information, donations, and spending to the Legislative Council Staff for publication on the General Assembly’s website.
However, in an unexpected turn this week, Senate Progressives withdrew their support for the bill and are instead backing a competing, and far more aggressive, proposal,
SB26-168, to strengthen oversight and transparency of legislator gatherings, including caucus meetings. Aside from the four permanent governing caucuses (Senate Majority, Senate Minority, House Majority, and House Minority), several ad hoc legislative caucuses exist. They consist of legislators with shared interests, such as the Veterans Caucus, the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus, and the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus. In some cases, said caucuses are non-partisan, while others are decidedly partisan.
Tensions are also rising among House Democrats. The socially moderate, fiscally conservative Representative Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch) accused his colleague, House Majority Caucus Co-Chair Mandy Lindsay (D-Aurora), of mishandling House Majority Caucus funds. On Wednesday, the Colorado House Ethics Committee began investigating allegations that she improperly spent money and “laundered” caucus funds to her personal account for personal campaign expenses. While the committee has yet to conclude, the situation underscores serious intraparty rancor that, in myriad ways, will continue to play out in the legislature and in the 2026 midterm elections: Moderates versus Progressives (e.g., Michael Bennet versus Phil Weiser, and John Hickenlooper versus Julie Gonzalez).
Another State Agency Under Fire
Another of Governor Polis’ executive agencies is facing withering scrutiny. In our last edition of Notes from the Capitol, we discussed the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing’s mismanagement of Colorado’s Medicaid system, which led to the public resignation of Executive Director Kim Bimestefer. Less than two weeks later, The Denver Post published an explosive article detailing controversy and alleged mismanagement within the Colorado Department of Human Services (DHS).
The article states that DHS contracted a $25,000 external investigation to review internal complaints and interview current and former agency leaders. The resulting report reveals a toxic work environment negatively impacting staff mental health. Employees told The Denver Post that DHS leadership was, at times, abusive, inappropriate, and demeaning. Several high-ranking DHS officials departed under strained circumstances, with the state providing financial settlements to avoid litigation. According to its reporting, The Denver Post obtained all settlement agreements involving DHS that included monetary payouts to employees since Governor Polis took office in 2019. During that time, DHS reached financial agreements with at least 69 staff members, totaling $2.8 million. Amid Colorado’s ongoing budget crisis, JBC members are irate.
DHS is the second-largest state agency, behind the Colorado Department of Corrections, and both are tasked with inherently complex and high-stakes responsibilities. DHS, for example, employs over 4,800 people and serves some of Colorado’s most vulnerable populations, including the state’s child welfare system, 12 youth-detention and commitment centers, and two state mental health hospitals. Substantive challenges are inherent in managing any agency of this size, without the added responsibility of effectively serving vulnerable individuals and children. A link to The Denver Post article is here.
While the HCPF and DHS controversies are the most recent, several other agencies have also come under scrutiny over the past year. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) faces criticism after its state laboratory mishandled drinking water samples. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was investigated after an employee falsified DNA and toxicology reports. Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Corrections placed multiple wardens/staff on administrative leave following an internal investigation into whether they may have recorded prison fights for profit.
Taken together, these incidents raise broader questions about the level of oversight (or lack thereof) the General Assembly exerts over the executive branch, especially when one party enjoys virtually unfettered Superfecta – an overwhelming monopoly of all levels of state government (e.g., the governorship, state house, state senate, and state supreme court). In addition, questions abound about the strength and management of the Polis Administration over its own executive agencies, especially post-COVID.
Does Every Vote Really Count?
If you have been involved in, or even casually followed, politics long enough, you will inevitably reach a point where you begin to question the degree to which your vote actually matters. Skepticism may feel justified, particularly when political parties or elected officials seem disconnected from everyday realities.
Experience in this environment leads us to the conclusion that every vote matters, whether at the local, state, or national level. As events over the past two weeks demonstrate, small margins are often determinative.
In direct response to Texas Republicans' re-gerrymandering that state’s congressional districts to save the Republican Majority in the U.S. House, Virginia voters this week narrowly approved a ballot measure to redistrict its congressional districts in favor of Democrats, thereby joining California in seeking to balance the national equation. In Virginia, the initiative passed by a mere 3%, or 89,092 votes, underscoring the consequential nature of a relatively small vote total.
Closer to home, the past two weeks have been marked by razor-thin votes with meaningful policy implications at both the local and state levels.
In the storied Town of Nederland this week, the mayoral race went to a recount after election night results revealed that a single vote separated incumbent Mayor Billy Giblin and challenger Mayor Pro Tem Nichole Sterling. Following the mandatory recount, Sterling secured a three-vote victory. She has outlined plans to chart a new course for Nederland, with a focus on public safety and the potential transition of Eldora Ski Area ownership to the town. The margin, while decisive, was undoubtedly difficult for Giblin.

At the state level, two bills were decided by a single vote last week; one failed to advance, and the other passed into law.
HB26-1330 granted local governments greater flexibility to regulate and expand alcohol beverage entertainment districts. The bill drew strong support from the Governor and local officials. However, Mothers Against Drunk Driving was adamantly opposed. The bill cleared its various committee hearings and second reading, but in a rarity, it failed on third reading – by a single vote. The bill died on the House floor, receiving 32 ‘yes’ votes, but needing 33.
Conversely, SB26-121, which increased the weekly overtime threshold for hourly-paid agricultural workers, passed by a one-vote margin. The bill increases the overtime eligibility threshold to 60 hours in a workweek, up from the current 56 hours.
Here under the Gold Dome, one-vote victories or defeats invite scrutiny. Since voting for SB26-121 last week, Majority Leader Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge) has faced criticism from organized labor organizations that lobbied against the measure. As a semi-moderate Democrat, Duran has spent years building relationships and navigating negotiations between organized labor and the agriculture industry. Her vote on this bill, however, has heightened tensions and prompted her to issue the following statement:
“I have been a labor champion my entire life. I have carried labor’s water during my time as a legislator. We have had disagreements, but I have always handled them with respect. I have never taken those disagreements to social media because relationships matter, respect matters, and I expect that same respect in return.
What I am seeing right now is something different; these are attacks, attempts to humiliate, and efforts to shame people simply because they made a decision you may not agree with.”
That is not leadership, and I will not be a part of it.”
Will organized labor hold that vote against her? Though term-limited from the State House, she’s running for the State Senate, so we’ll soon see.

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So Long and Farewell, Michael…
Our Shoutout of the Week goes to Michael Valdez. Michael is the Chief Government Affairs Officer for the Special District Association of Colorado (SDA). He announced that he is retiring and that this session will be his last.
A Colorado native of Pueblo, Michael brings a depth of knowledge on special district statutes (Title 32) that few in Colorado can match. His demeanor and negotiating skills bring credibility and value to SDA and its members, some of whom we represent. Though we didn’t always agree with him, we were on the same side far more often than we were on opposite sides. We enjoyed a candid relationship with him and genuinely appreciated his insights and the work we did together. In our opinion, his departure is a real loss for SDA.
We wish Michael Valdez every possible success in his next chapter!
Onward and upward!

Steve Balcerovich
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com
720.351.2007

Tim Coleman
Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
303.242.9270

Notes from the Capitol
Friday, April 10, 2026
Happy Good Friday & Easter Weekend 2.0.
Regarding the trivia challenge in our last edition, four of our readers correctly guessed and emailed us the special significance of the numbers 33, 18 & 1 in the context of business under the Gold Dome. Congratulations to Kris from Background Information Services, Inc., Scott, the elected Mesa County Surveyor; Brian from Pueblo West Metropolitan District; and Sam from Highlands Ranch Water; for correctly answering last edition’s trivia question. Thirty-three and eighteen are the requisite numbers of votes to pass a bill out of the House and Senate, respectively. Number one recognizes the value of the Governor’s support for – to say nothing of his signature on – legislation that becomes law.

When we next see our four winners, we will gift each of you a cheap but drinkable bottle of wine – or a cheaper, less drinkable six-pack of beer (your choice).

Counting Our Blessings

So, again, on this Good Friday, 2.0, let’s take a moment to count our abundant blessings. For example, only thirty-three calendar days remain in Colorado’s 2026 regular annual legislative session.
That means the legislature’s ability to wreak havoc on your personal lives and professional operations is theoretically constrained to just over a month, at which time Governor Jared Polis, Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, and House Majority Leader Monica Duran will be done. Well, not so fast…
We italicize the word theoretically because, like the Ghost of Summers Past, the spectacle of a special legislative session again, not-so-quietly, lurks about the brass railing (literally the daily-spit-polished brass railings on the second and third floors on which lobbyists and staff traditionally lean, glean, and otherwise peddle their trade).
So, why not so fast? First, May’s Sine Die be damned, but neither the governor nor the legislators are technically term-limited until the new officeholders are sworn in on Wednesday, January 12, 2027, the date on which the next Colorado General Assembly will convene. Second, the legislature's reluctance to identify the full $1.5 billion in spending cuts and cash-fund raids required to balance the state budget will almost assuredly manifest as a less-than-riveting summer blockbuster.
We’ve seen this movie before. The psychological thriller When a Stranger Calls (circa 1979) somehow comes to mind. Except that special sessions are strangers to neither you nor us. And honestly, has Governor Polis ever contemplated a special session he didn’t like – or call? Reminiscent of the aforementioned film, we may not know who or exactly when, but we do know someone is gonna get throttled. No need to check out the special session, we’ll keep you posted. But do check out the film.
The number of introduced bills has mushroomed to 633 so far. Another roughly 100 bills are somewhere in the pipeline. One might be tempted to think that the state’s third consecutive annual budget crisis would surely reduce the volume of bills introduced. Yet, as a practical matter, the complexity, size, and scope of the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) is evidence that legislative leadership long ago forwent the discipline of adhering to the existing pesky five-bill-per-legislator rule. Despite being seasoned professionals, we sometimes wonder how ordinary Coloradoans function under the weight of so many thousands of pages of laws.
Traditionally, in election years, legislative leadership scrutinizes proposed late bills and their optics with an eye toward the partisan primary election, which this year concludes on Tuesday, June 30th, and the subsequent general election, which this year concludes on Tuesday, November 3rd. Though in election years, legislative leadership frowns upon and often dismisses extremist ‘statement bills’ with little chance of passage.

For his part, Governor Polis is keen to pass legacy-building legislation (e.g., Clean Energy 2040 bill). However, rank-and-file legislators don’t much care about cementing the legacy of an independent-minded, lame duck with a Libertarian streak. Most are far more concerned with winning re-election and returning to the halls of power in January.

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In Limbo…

Meanwhile, major policy initiatives remain in limbo, including data center incentives, artificial intelligence regulation, clean energy planning, and the proposed sale of Pinnacol Assurance. This quasi-governmental agency functions as Colorado’s de facto Workers’ Compensation insurer of last resort. Desperate for even a modest infusion of cash relief, the prospect of selling Pinnacle appeals to the governor and multiple legislators.

The proposed sale of Pinnacol to private investors would likely generate a one-time revenue windfall and help stem the flow of cash hemorrhaging from the State General Fund due to the combination of the State’s overspending on Medicare and Congressional passage of HR 1001, President Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill. However, the proposed sale of Pinnacle Assurance is also generating stiff legislative opposition.

While current estimates suggest the sale of Pinnacol could generate between $300 million and $400 million for state coffers, opponents argue that privatization would destabilize Colorado’s insurance market, leaving residents with fewer workers' comp insurance options and higher premiums.

Regardless of Pinnacol's future, cutting $1.5 billion from the state budget remains the General Assembly's dominant challenge – and it doesn’t end with Sine Die in May. Lawmakers will finalize the FY2026/27 state budget before the Colorado Department of Revenue and State Treasurer have a chance to finish compiling 2025 tax-year revenue to fund it.

Budget Debates Escalate

We recognize that you are probably as tired of reading about the budget deficit as we are of writing about it, but here’s the latest. This week marks the first full week of budget debates, which normally takes two full weeks. But these are hardly normal times.

On Monday, the House began deliberating 64 ‘budget-orbital’ bills, along with the Long Bill (the de facto nickname for the massive bill encompassing the entire budget). Not surprisingly, much of the debate is marked by emotion, bitter conflict, and gridlock – symptoms of underlying structural problems in the state budget.

Like vultures circling a lame duck, legislative questions abound about unbridled Polis-Administration-driven growth in the number and size of Colorado’s executive branch agencies and the cumulative effect of the corresponding staff, training, salaries, healthcare insurance, workers comp insurance, PERA, office space, utilities, equipment, materials, etc. By any objective standard, the growth of the state’s executive agencies over the last eight years is budget-busting.

As they scrutinize the proposed budget, legislators of both parties are increasingly expressing alarm about the sustainability of the existing size and scope of state government. The Department of Corrections, the Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing (see below), and the Department of Public Health and Environment are embroiled in high-profile disputes, each hinting at legislative concerns about fiscal discipline and structural accountability in spending.

Multiple successful budget amendments were directed at the Department of Corrections, one of which failed to move money but directed the department to seriously consider contracting with nursing homes to facilitate the release of inmates eligible for compassionate release.

This morning, the House Republican minority demanded that the Long Bill – every word of all 600 pages – be read at length. The minority’s tactics may or may not marginally alter one or more budget outcomes. However, the 14 hours required to read the Long Bill at length breeds resentment and exhaustion among all 65 members of the House. Yet, it remains one of the few levers of power that existing House rules afford a beleaguered and marginalized minority party in the state budget process.

At this rate, the House of Representatives will be working this weekend to refer bills to the Senate for similar debates it will take up next week. After the Senate, the bill will still have to go to a conference committee for budget reconciliation between the two chambers, and then back to each chamber for approval of the negotiated reconciliation.

Save The Ponies!

In the severely state-budget-restricted environments that lawmakers have operated these last three years, most special-interest groups and their lobbyists watch in despair as legislators eviscerate funding for pet programs. We are often left to celebrate the smallest of funding victories. Among our many blessings this season, we are grateful legislators found a way to salvage a positive, uplifting, highly effective kid-therapy program. Against all odds, occupational therapists (OTs), in partnership with Colorado State University (CSU), mustered the votes to defeat HB26-1365 in the House Appropriations Committee. If enacted, this budget-orbital bill would have eliminated Medicaid reimbursement for equine therapies that OTs use to help treat children on the autism spectrum.

By demonstrating to the committee that equine movement therapy costs no more than other therapeutic tools (e.g., a medicine ball), we killed the bill. We did so over the strenuous objections of the Governor's Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF), which falsely claimed Medicaid was paying for the boarding and feeding of the horses and ponies that OTs use to deliver necessary therapy. In fact, much like OTs cover their own officerent, they also cover all equine room-and-board expenses. For unclear reasons, department staff objects to equine movement therapy. Amid a debilitating budget crisis, they thought they had a path to eliminating the program. Not on our watch.

Consequential Resignation

On March 30th, amid heavy criticism, Colorado’s top Medicaid official and Governor Polis’ Executive Director of HCPF, Kim Bimestefer, resigned. In the days leading up to her resignation, a bipartisan group of senators circulated a resolution urging Governor Polis to remove her from office. With 27 of 35 senators co-sponsoring the resolution, the de facto vote of no confidence was imminent and promised to be humiliating.
Colorado Politics obtained a copy of the resolution, which outlined numerous areas in which Bimestefer allegedly mismanaged Colorado’s Medicaid program, including habitual spending overruns, poor caseload management, and other operational failures. Among the most serious allegations against the HCPF are claims of fraudulent billing, improper payments, and hundreds of millions of dollars in overpayments for non-emergency medical transportation between 2021 and 2025. In some cases, providers were reportedly reimbursed at rates up to ten times higher than appropriate.

While these allegations are significant, the growing pressure of a multi-year budget shortfall has drawn even greater scrutiny of Medicaid spending. Due to administrative mismanagement, program expansion, and HCPF staff underestimating enrollment, projected department spending stands at $19.2 billion, including $5.75 billion from the state’s general fund. This represents an increase of approximately $212 million over the 2025–26 budget, or about 3.7 percent.

Respectfully, Ms. Bimestefer is not responsible for expanding Medicaid programs like a parent handing out candy to Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween; the legislature and Governor Polis are. Period. Full stop.

Regardless, the legislature and the Polis Administration are poised to direct their response to Medicaid overspending by extracting pounds of flesh, not only from Ms. Bimestefer, but also from healthcare providers. Through executive orders and administrative changes, Medicaid providers across the state face substantial reductions in reimbursement rates. New billing code adjustments impact healthcare providers who serve Medicaid patients, and many report that the changes were poorly communicated, catching them off guard. As Medicaid providers and their patients contend with skyrocketing food, fuel, and housing costs, they can take solace in the fact that they will now also face Medicaid cost escalation.

Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer

We extend a warm and sincere thank you to all six members of Colorado’s Joint Budget Committee (JBC) for diligently committing themselves over the last six months to the thankless task of evaluating and preparing every facet of Colorado’s $40 billion state budget.

However, our special ‘shout out’ this edition goes to Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County). She entered public service in 1993 as an elected Weld County Commissioner, a leadership post to which she was elected five times and in which she served for 19 years. She also served as Director of the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) in Governor Bill Owens’ Administration.

Elected to represent Senate District 23 (Weld and Adams counties) in 2021, Senator Kirkmeyer is a knowledgeable, no-nonsense powerhouse under the Gold Dome. As a JBC member, she is a relentless critic of wasteful spending. Throughout her tenure, she has been, and remains, the proverbial ‘canary in a coal mine,’ warning that state government was recklessly overspending and growing too quickly.

Whether or not you know it, or her – and despite serving in Colorado’s severely marginalized Senate minority – she is an exemplary public servant.

There is little about state government that she doesn’t know, and she offers a desperately needed voice of fiscal discipline.

If and when you have the opportunity, please make it a point to thank Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer for her consistently outstanding leadership.

Onward and upward!

Steve Balcerovich
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com 
720.351.2007

Tim Coleman
Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
303.242.9270

Notes from the Capitol
Friday, February 13, 2026
Happy Friday the 13th! You may or may not be superstitious, but superstitions and lore thrive under the Gold Dome. For example, never think, much less boast, that you’re running an easy bill. No matter the depth and diversity of stakeholder support you’ve painstakingly assembled into a working coalition, inevitably, like vultures converging on a carcass, very important people (gadflies, axe grinders, fellow lobbyists, gubernatorial administration staff, local government elected officials, and, of course, pesky legislators) will attempt to pick your bill apart. On occasion, their arguments are meritorious. Often not.
Opposing lobbyists have perfected the art of orchestrating teapot tempests to prove to their clients that their money is well spent. It’s a ghastly practice.

Today marks the 29th day of Colorado’s regular 120-day legislative session, which means we are roughly a quarter of the way through our annual journey. Just over a third of the bills that legislators are likely to introduce this session have been. Despite the constraints of Colorado’s billion-dollar budget deficit, we anticipate legislators will introduce the vast majority of their remaining bills by today’s 4:00 pm bill-introduction deadline.
Especially throughout the remainder of February, please check your bill tracker for new bills. We will have much to discuss.
A Fond Farewell. Why and What’s Next?
It is with sincere gratitude and sadness that we bid farewell to Senator Daphna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City). After a historic ten-year career at the statehouse, including rigorous leadership in both chambers, Senator Michaelson Jenet resigned her seat; her resignation takes effect at the close of business today. Citing the financial hardship that serving as a Colorado legislator has on her family, she made the extraordinarily difficult decision to leave the Senate in favor of a better-paying leadership role at the David Merage Foundation for Confronting Antisemitism. We wish her every possible success in her new position. She is a hard-working, staunch, and effective advocate for sexual assault survivors. Among her many legislative legacies, she sponsored landmark mental health and health care reforms. She’s an outstanding legislator, and we will truly miss her.
The State of Colorado pays legislators roughly $45,000 a year. Non-metro-Denver legislators receive an additional modest stipend for essential seasonal stays in Denver and for travel between their respective districts and the State Capitol Building. Throughout Colorado's history, legislators' pay has been a sensitive topic. In decades past, legislators theoretically served part-time, returning to their full-time jobs in the interim. However, in recent decades, by any objective standard, legislators' demands have extended far beyond the 120-day session. Such demands are often year-round, encompassing interim committee assignments and, in the context of
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Colorado’s rapidly growing population, require more constituent/stakeholder meetings, more correspondence, and more after-hours communitymeetings. The stresses and strains on our so-called ‘part-time’ citizen legislators spark angst and debate among legislators. As you might imagine, most are uncomfortable with the optics of seeking a pay increase amid another billion-dollar state budget deficit and challenging economic conditions for their constituents. Others believe, in the context of the extraordinary demands on their time, family, and private-sector careers and the annually escalating cost of living, that seeking a livable wage warrants serious consideration – especially if voters want, need, and expect to attract and retain thoughtful, responsible people to the legislative branch.
Legislative mitigations, much less fixes, rarely reach the governor's desk.
Because Senator Michaelson Jenet is a Democrat, her resignation has prompted the Colorado Senate District 21 Democratic vacancy committee in Adams County to schedule a virtual meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 26th, to appoint her successor. Her replacement will serve until January. In the meantime, the Senate District 21 seat is also up for grabs in the June Primaries and the November General Elections.
Representative Manny Rutinel (D-Commerce City) would normally be a top contender for the vacancy appointment. However, he is locked in a hotly contested Democratic Primary for Congressional District 8 with the intent of unseating Freshman U.S. Congressman Gabe Evans (R-Fort Lupton).
Democratic candidates who wish to compete for the Senate 21 vacancy committee appointment and/or run for the open seat in the June Democratic Primary Election must promptly email a letter of intent to the following:
1) Chair, Senate District 21 Democratic Vacancy Committee Mannie Rodriguez at jmrod91850@aol.com
2) Executive Director, Colorado Democratic Party
Karin Asensio at karin@coloradodems.org
3) Chair, Colorado Democratic Party
Shad Muribat shad@coloradodems.org
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A Tale of Two Data Centers
A fierce battle between two competing data center bills seeking legislative approval and the governor's signature is dividing the legislature’s Democratic majority. To date, only the pro-data-center bill (HB26-1030) has been introduced. Labor organizations and business groups are lining up support from legislators across all four governing caucuses. The bill is pared down from last year; it focuses on granting data center operators who obtain data center project certification a 100% state sales and use tax exemption on the purchase and use of qualified data center infrastructure and systems for 20 years from the date that the data center project was certified, as long as the data center operator satisfies a host of ongoing post-certification requirements and submits annual compliance reports to the state authority.
Among the reporting requirements, data center operators must submit water and electric utility plans to demonstrate that their construction and ongoing operations will not adversely affect ratepayers.
Proponents argue that once data centers receive the promised tax benefits, substantial local government tax revenue and job creation are inevitable.
We anticipate anti-data-center legislation will drop as part of the next tranche of bills later this month. In concept, the anti-data-center bill enjoys broad support from the environmental community; it imposes stringent environmental regulations intended to discourage data centers from coming to neighborhoods near you.
To date, Colorado is poorly positioned in the data center sector. Virginia, Texas, California, and Ohio lead the nation in data center construction and operations. Separately, by orders of magnitude, our neighbors in Arizona are far outpacing Colorado. However, hyper-growth in Virginia’s data center construction prompted that state to scale back its incentive package.

Are data centers in Colorado destined to become the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg or an environmental albatross on local communities? While we hope for the former, we also recognize that, to compete effectively in the national and international data center space, Colorado needs to go big. Yet, for multiple reasons, that seems unlikely. For starters, data centers require large volumes of water, and Colorado is experiencing its most severe drought on record.
Regardless, we rarely see such an intense public fight within the Democratic coalition. Two of its core constituencies â organized labor and the environmental community â are in virtual hand-to-hand combat for votes.
Clean energy planning has become another intraparty fault line, further exacerbating divisions between organized labor and environmental interests.
A Walk Down Memory Lane…
In honor of Presidents' Day, the legislature will be closed on Monday, February 16th.
Even a momentary reflection on Colorado’s place in U.S. Presidential history reveals that few Colorado candidates have vied for the White House, and fewer (as in none) were successful.
Only one Colorado Republican has ever launched a presidential campaign. Firebrand Congressman Tom Tancredo represented Colorado’s 6th Congressional District for 10 years â from 1999 to 2009. He railed against illegal immigration and was a relentless advocate for aggressive border security and English-only policies. He ran for president in 2008.
Five Colorado Democrats have launched bids for President.
1) In 1984 and again in 1988, Colorado’s two-term U.S. Senator Gary Hart ran. He was arguably a brilliant intellectual heavyweight with animpressive mastery of both domestic and international public policy. In 1984, he came close to beating out former Vice President Walter Mondale (Jimmy Carter’s running mate in 1976 and 1980) for the Democratic Nomination. But the imposition of privileged superdelegates at the 1984 Democratic National Convention tipped the balance in Mondale’s favor. Pity. In spectacular fashion, the Mondale/Ferraro ticket carried Mondale’s home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia but lost all other states and U.S. territories in the 1984 general election to incumbent Republican President Ronald Reagan. His 1988 presidential bid showed early promise but later fell victim to self-sabotage.
2) In 1987, Denver’s beloved and brilliant icon, the witty Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, launched a spirited presidential exploratory committee, but, in storied fashion, tearfully stepped aside when it became clear that she had entered the fray too late in the election cycle to raise the money required to defeat the so-called “Seven Dwarves”, here in alpha order: Senator Al Gore (D-TN), Governor Bruce Babbitt (D-AZ); Congressman Dick Gephardt (D-MO); civil rights icon The Reverend Jesse Jackson; Senator Joe Biden (D-DE); Governor Michael Dukakis (D-MA); and the famously bow-tie-clad intellectual, Senator Paul Simon (D-IL).
3) Colorado’s accomplished former three-term governor and national public policy thought leader, Dick Lamm, ran for president in 1992. Though a lifelong Democrat, Governor Lamm vied for the Reform Party’s nomination. He lost to the self-made billionaire businessman and philanthropist Ross Perot, whose well-funded campaign fractured the fiscally conservative Republican vote, which enabled Governor Bill Clinton (D-AK) to edge out incumbent President George H. W. Bush.
4) Colorado’s U.S. Senator, Michael Bennet, and then-former Governor John Hickenlooper, launched their respective presidential bids in 2020, but were among the first to pull out of the presidential race in that cycle. Bennet remained in the Senate, while Hickenlooper went on to unseat Colorado’s freshman U.S. Senator Cory Gardner.
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PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TRIVIA QUESTIONS
1) Where was former Governor Scott Walker (R-WI) born?
2) What is the birthplace of former U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA)
and U.S. Secretary of State in the Obama Administration?
3) Does widespread speculation exist (albeit largely unconfirmed)
that Colorado’s term-limited Governor Jared Polis is considering a
2028 presidential bid? Yes or No?
(The correct answers are located at the bottom of this page.)
Shoutouts To Our Olympians & Paralympians
Colorado is home to more Olympic athletes than any other state this year. While the 75th General Assembly has no Olympians, Paralympians, Olympic hopefuls, or former Olympians among its ranks, like the rest of us, it revels in Olympic spirit. In a rare bipartisan show of respect, the Colorado General Assembly unanimously passed Senate Joint Resolution 26-008 honoring the 32 Colorado Olympians and the many Paralympians participating in the Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy. The resolution also recognizes the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Training Center in Colorado Springs and Copper Mountain, respectively.
Onward and upward!
Steve Balcerovich Tim Coleman
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
720.351.2007 303.242.9270
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TRIVIA ANSWERS
1) Colorado Springs.
2) Aurora.
3) Yes.

DATE POSTED:  4.18.2025

General Update and Legislation

Twenty days remain in Colorado’s 2025 legislative session — but who’s counting? As of Wednesday, April 16, 700 bills have been introduced. Consistent with its annual tradition, the Colorado General Assembly will be closed tomorrow in observance of Good Friday. Consequently, we’re issuing this week’s Notes From the Capitol — a day earlier than we otherwise would. Lucky you!

After Easter, the General Assembly often works weekends in hopes of wrapping up before Sine Die at 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Still, it’s hard to imagine lawmakers working through the current backlog of bills, not to mention the wave of late bills yet to be introduced. Rumors are swirling about the Capitol that the House is prepared to drop roughly 75 late bills in the week following Easter. Whether that’s true or the majority party is merely posturing to dissuade Republicans from filibustering is unclear. For its part, the Senate has roughly two dozen late bills in the pipeline. Many late bills are intended to ‘push back’ against the Trump Administration.

This week, the legislature waded into several controversial debates following relatively uneventful budget debates. Typically, the budget is among the most contentious issues of the annual session. However, the bleak fiscal outlook subdued the debate this year (more on that in the next section).

Lawmakers spent many hours debating legislation aimed at resisting Trump-era policies. For example, Senators Julie Gonzales (D-Denver) and Mike Weissman (D-Aurora) partnered with Representatives Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs) and Lorena Garcia (D-Denver) to introduce SB25-276: Protect Civil Rights Regarding Immigration Status. Current law prohibits state agencies from disclosing personal identifying information or requesting immigration status details unless otherwise required by law. This sweeping thirty-page bill extends those protections to the judicial and legislative branches and all local political subdivisions (cities, counties, school districts, special districts, higher ed institutions, etc.). The legislation prohibits asking for or requiring information about student visa sponsorships and student aid at colleges and universities. Disclosures made before June 30, 2025, are exempt. The bill mandates that these entities retain written records of third-party information requests and report them quarterly to the Governor’s Office and the Attorney General. Civil penalties for violations apply to political subdivisions. The highly controversial bill has been significantly amended through Senate committee and floor debate; it passed Second Reading and awaits Third Reading before going to the House.

Meanwhile, the House debated HB25-1321 — Support Against Adverse Federal Action, sponsored by Speaker Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon) and Joint Budget Committee Vice Chair Representative Shannon Bird (D-Westminster). The bill appropriates $4 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Cash Fund to the Governor’s Office for legal expenses in response to federal actions that may impact the state. It passed the House and is headed to the Senate.

These two bills exemplify the majority party’s intent to position Colorado as a bulwark against the Trump Administration. That said, the minority party is actively pushing back with spirited debates, seeking to amend or slow the progress of these measures.

Budget, Budget, Budget…
Regardless of the year, there are always winners and losers in the state budget. However, budget losers vastly outnumber budget winners this year. As discussed in previous Notes From the Capitol, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) is charged with eliminating $1.2 billion from Colorado’s FY2024/25 state budget.
Though both the Senate and House have voted to approve the budget, the JBC is working to reconcile various amendments and "budget-orbital bills". Long story short, we will unlikely have a final state budget before next week.

Among the hardest hit casualties of state budget cuts are agencies tasked with implementing new policy initiatives. Most notably, the Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) faces approximately a 25% across-the-board cut, significantly more than most other agencies, which saw cuts averaging 5%-10%. These reductions are expected to result in minimal salary increases for state employees and could lead to hiring freezes in some departments.

Another of the biggest losers of this budget cycle: local governments. The Colorado Municipal League (CML) estimates that local governments face approximately $138.7 million in cuts, directly through reduced state appropriations or indirectly through cuts to state agency programs that support local efforts.
Medicaid providers fared better than most budget line items. Though Medicaid overruns contributed to budget instability, Medicaid providers received a 1.6% reimbursement rate increase.

The Sundance Film Festival also won. Though the fiscal note for HB25-1005: Tax Incentive for Film Festivals is small, the bill authorizes approximately $34 million in tax incentives over time. These incentives are designed for long-term impacts on state revenue and TABOR refunds. That said, proponents argue the economic benefit outweighs the cost, particularly via tourism dollars flowing to local communities, especially the Sundance Film Festival host, Boulder. 

2026 Democratic Primaries Are Heating Up
The Capitol is buzzing this week with announcements from candidates competing in the 2026 races for Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer, and Congress.  U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) made waves with his announcement that he’s a gubernatorial candidate. As we’ve seen in recent weeks, when compared to his primary rival, Attorney General Phil Weiser, Bennet enjoys early advantages.

He has a relatively high level of name recognition and a strong earned-media operation; he often appears in national prime-time media interviews. Bennet’s decision to seek the Colorado governorship (Polis is term-limited) will trigger an intensely competitive contest for the U.S Senate seat Bennet would vacate if he wins. A who’s who of Democratic leaders is already being floated as potential contenders, including Congressman Jason Crow (D-Arapahoe County), Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Boulder County), Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (Jefferson County), former Colorado House Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder), and former Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder).

Secretary of State Jena Griswold has officially thrown her hat into the ring in the race for Attorney General. She joins Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty and former Speaker of the House Cristina Duran (D-Denver) in the primary.

Two Democratic legislators have declared candidacies for State Treasurer: current Joint Budget Committee Chair Senator Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village) and Representative Brianna Titone (D-Arvada).

Former U.S. Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo (D-Thornton) announced her intention to challenge State Representative Manny Rutinel (D-Commerce City) in the Democratic primary for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. Caraveo, a congressional freshman, lost her seat to then-State Representative, now Congressman, Gabe Evans (R-Weld) and aims to reclaim the seat. CD-8 remains among the most competitive congressional districts in the nation. We suspect the district may vacillate between political parties until the next round of once-a-decade redistricting occurs in 2030, applicable to the 2032 general election.

Shout-out of the week: Paws at the Capitol
Recently, the phrase "Dog Days of the Legislative Session" has taken on a new meaning. The days are long, and with 120 grueling days on the calendar, the pace of progress under the Gold Dome often feels endless — like the Dog Days of Summer. Over the years, a delightful trend has emerged to help break up the monotony: dogs at the Capitol.

Though our State Capitol Building is not officially dog-friendly, an unspoken, unofficial rule now governs its storied marble halls and offices: Well-behaved pups of elected officials and staff are welcome — if they don’t disrupt proceedings. The presence of friendly, well-behaved dogs in the Capitol elevates the mood of legislators, lobbyists, staff, and visitors alike.

We, at Balcerovich Coleman, are pet people. Steve has a French Bulldog (St. Francis), and two pale-orange rescue-cat brothers named for different archangels (Gabriel & Raphael). Tim is the proud companion of a pittie mix named Leo.

We are pleased with the relaxed environment that dogs contribute to our Capitol workplace. We rarely pass up the chance to give them some well-deserved attention, and in so doing, lower our daily stress levels.
Our favorite Capitol pupster this year is G.R. Pippin, Representative Karen McCormick’s Golden Retriever. Representative McCormick (D-Longmont) is the sole veterinarian in the General Assembly and chairs the House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee. Pippin is hardly the only adorable pup making the rounds. Want to meet a few of the canine companions that hang out at the Capitol? Check out the Colorado Sun’s article and a heartwarming Rocky Mountain PBS video.

As always, please contact us with questions. In the meantime, we wish you and your family a blessed Easter weekend.

Sincerely,

Steve Balcerovich                            Tim Coleman
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com   Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com

DATE POSTED:  4.4.2025

General Update and Legislation

As of today, 33 days remain in Colorado’s 2025 legislative session. That’s right; just over a month remains for the General Assembly to finalize the state budget, consider/debate a massive backlog of proposed legislation, and push through multiple controversial public policy initiatives. With the introduction of the Long Bill (the state’s budget bill) and, by extension, roughly five dozen budget-orbital bills, legislators have introduced 100 more late bills since our last Notes From the Capitol.

So far, this session's total number of bills stands at 647 in the first 87 days. Not to worry; legislators intend to introduce many more bills in the remaining 33 days – to say nothing of a likely special legislative session Governor Jared Polis contemplates this summer to further amend the state budget to account for alarming state stagflation amid the scope and pace of the Federal government’s extraordinary downsizing.

The Senate passed its version of the budget this week. The House intends to take up the budget starting next week. Please stand by for a flurry of fireworks: we will soon see how much tolerance the Colorado House has for both its ultra-left-wing progressive and its ultra-right-wing conservative members.
Among the few tools the House minority possesses to slow bill passage — and perhaps even extract a hard-fought amendment or two from, and otherwise negotiate with, the majority party — is to require a House reader to read one or more entire bill(s) aloud, word-for-word, on the House floor. We understand at least one member of the minority party is inclined to ask (require) that a House reader verbally convey all 728 pages of the Long Bill. Yikes! Assuming a House reader reads one page per minute, 12 hours would be required to read the Long Bill alone.

Neither legislators nor special interest groups with pet projects are taking the $1.2 billion in state budget cuts lying down. The Senate considered 64 proposed amendments this week but approved only eight. However, to be considered for adoption in the final budget, both chambers must adopt each budget amendment. And even then…

Among the best-kept secrets under the Gold Dome is that regardless of which, if any, budget amendments make it through both chambers, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) has the final say. It’s great to be one of six on the mighty JBC — or is it?

As reported previously in Notes From the Capitol, speculation is swirling around the potential introduction of a Colorado Energy Office late bill that, if approved, would require the utility sector to reach zero carbon emissions by 2040 — with limited consideration of reliability or affordability. This effort hit a speed bump last week. Over 60 groups, including utilities and many of the state’s most influential labor and business entities, signed a joint letter to both House and Senate leaders, firmly asserting that the conceptual legislation reflects no meaningful stakeholder input, is unworthy of primetime scrutiny, and should not be introduced this legislative session. While this may not stop the Colorado Energy Office from pursuing the bill, the letter highlights many inadequacies that would result in substantial utility rate increases in every community of the state. A copy of the letter can be found here.

Additional eyebrow-raising late bills are likely to be forthcoming, which will consume legislator debate time and patience. For example, we expect legislation to propose additional immigrant protections and other divisive social issues. Also pending are two competing ways to reform the often used-and-abused process through which tiny partisan vacancy committees composed of party insiders fill vacant legislative seats: HB25-1315 versus a proposed legislative referred ballot measure HCR25-1002.  

Majority Party Attacks TABOR in Waning Weeks of Session

Last week, Representative Sean Camacho (D-Denver) introduced House Joint Resolution HJR25-1023 requiring the Colorado General Assembly to file a lawsuit to determine the constitutionality of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Semester-long law school classes could be taught on countless legal battles over TABOR by Democrats and liberal/progressive interest groups seeking to whittle down or eliminate the revenue caps on state-budget growth embedded in TABOR. In 2011, a coalition of local governments and TABOR-reform advocates sued the State of Colorado over TABOR’s constitutionality. However, after a decade of appeals, the lawsuit was dismissed due to technical issues regarding legal standing in federal court. HJR-1023 requires the General Assembly to file a lawsuit in state court.
Regardless of your feelings about TABOR, it’s been debated ad nauseum for over thirty years. Short of voter approval — or a decisive ruling against TABOR’s constitutionality from either the Colorado Supreme Court or the U.S. Supreme Court — TABOR will remain at the epicenter of Colorado’s tax-and-spend governance.

In a recent Colorado Politics article, the highly controversial author of TABOR, Douglas Bruce, quipped: "Is this an April Fool's joke? They're a little late. It's been more than 30 years since it passed."

However, under no circumstances will legislators in the minority party accept the adoption of HJR25-1023; they will use every alarm bell, panic button, delay tactic, filibuster, legal tool, social media platform, traditional media outlet, and other resource at their disposal to stop (or at least delay) any proposed erosion of TABOR. Because the proposed resolution has state-fiscal impacts, before being debated on the House floor, the resolution must first make it through the House Finance Committee and, separately, the House Appropriations Committee.

Separate, apart from, and in addition to TABOR’s straightforward constitutional provision strictly prohibiting any tax increase without first securing voter approval is TABOR’s separate, complex, and punitive state spending provision we refer to as the ‘annual automatic ratchet-down effect’ on our state budget. Without overloading you with technical details, suffice it to say that we anticipate the introduction of at least one additional controversial late bill seeking to address TABOR’s annual automatic ratchet-down effect.

Shoutout of the week: Colorado State Patrol

This week, we express deep gratitude to the men and women of the Colorado State Patrol, who work relentlessly to keep the Capitol, legislators, staff, lobbyists, and visitors safe. Though the security they provide often goes unnoticed and un-thanked, state patrol officers are present each day to ensure safety.  

They monitor all Capitol entrances and exits, manage and staff weapons and metal detectors at each entrance, prevent disruptions, and, in emergencies, serve as first responders. They assist the House and Senate Sergeants maintain order during all legislative proceedings. State patrol security checks sometimes feel like annoying and time-consuming inconveniences, but they are essential. One morning this week, as we were going through security, a state patrol officer asked to inspect our coffee cups. We were admittedly surprised and slightly taken aback. However, we soon learned that someone using a metal coffee mug earlier in the week had attempted to smuggle knives into the Capitol.

Securing the Capitol is an extraordinarily demanding job. We go through the equivalent of airport security to access the capitol building multiple times daily. Thankfully, our state patrol is far more friendly than the TSA staff. We honor and thank our state patrol officers for their conscientious vigilance, good humor, and constant protection.

Go, Rockies! Have a great weekend.

Steve Balcerovich / Tim Coleman
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com  /  Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
720.351.2007  /  303.242.9270

DATE POSTED:  3.30.2025

General Update and Legislation

Forty-seven days remain in Colorado’s 2025 regular legislative session. In the context of a staggering $1.2 billion pending budget cuts — the specifics of which legislators and the Governor’s office will wrestle for the next three to four weeks — the pace of new bill introductions has slowed. Fear not, however. Lawmakers have so far introduced 550 bills. Many more are in the pipeline.
Lobbyists are trying to persuade Joint Budget Committee (JBC) members to champion/save their respective client programs and pet projects, even as myriad state agency programs face debilitating cuts. We anticipate the Senate will introduce the annual Long Bill (the state’s budget) next week. Until legislators approve the budget passes both chambers, most normal legislative work will grind to a halt.
For the first time since 2017, the Colorado House of Representatives moved to create a more builder-friendly construction defects policy. During a lengthy, tense hearing, the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee considered competing construction defects bills. The first, HB25-1261, sought a more favorable litigation environment for homeowners pursuing construction-defect claims in condominium construction. The committee unanimously postponed that bill indefinitely. Its death paved the way for HB25-1272 to advance. HB25-1272 requires an independent third party to inspect condo construction and mandates that builders address any/all identified issues before project completion. By preemptively identifying and resolving potential construction defects, the bill will, theoretically, result in fewer construction defect lawsuits that disincentivize homebuilders/developers from supplying condo-based affordable housing. In a welcome display of strong bipartisanship, the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee forwarded HB25-1272 to the House Floor on a 12-to-1 vote.
In the energy sector, nuclear power is having a moment. After years of unsuccessful attempts by Senator Larry Liston (R–Colorado Springs) and others, multiple nuclear energy bills seem to be making their way toward Governor Polis’ desk. One such bill focuses on workforce development for Colorado-based nuclear-power energy jobs, while another classifies nuclear energy as a clean energy resource. Both bills represent modest steps but lay essential groundwork for Colorado’s nuclear energy development. As a practical matter, Colorado is probably a decade or more away from building/permitting nuclear generation units. For historical context, the Public Service Company of Colorado’s Saint Vrain Nuclear Power Plant remains the one and only example of a nuclear power operation in Colorado. Though PSC ran the facility from 1979 to 1989, it was plagued by operating challenges and cost overruns. We are cautiously optimistic about the potential.
In the realm of oil and natural gas production/regulation, legislators have introduced very few bills. The "grand deal" struck during the 2024 legislative session between the Polis administration, environmental advocates, and oil and gas operators seems to be holding. The delicate compromise informally pauses new legislation for the foreseeable future. We are waiting with bated breath to see which (if either) side breaches that agreement first.

Under prolonged siege, will local control continue to decline – or die?
Colorado has long been a bastion of cherished local control. In 1902, Colorado voters amended the state constitution to grant greater power and flexibility to municipalities via an option of Home Rule. A similar constitutional amendment passed in 1970, extending the same Home Rule option to counties.
So, what is Home Rule? Home Rule is a special status of semi-autonomous local control our state allows municipalities and counties that comply with specific terms and conditions. For example, a city or county seeking Home Rule status must first appoint and convene a local charter commission and secure voter approval for the resulting charter. The charter is essentially the equivalent of a local constitution; it defines the local self-governance powers, parameters, processes, structures, the scope of services, and departments and often enshrines various community priorities. Local voter-approved charters (and subsequent charter amendments) encapsulate local self-governance flexibility that historically supersedes the relatively rigid statutory scheme within which statutory municipalities and counties must operate. Home Rule designation often carries with it local sales and use tax-collection-and-spending, TABOR, and de-Brucing implications.
In recent years, the legislature and Governor have collaborated to undermine local control and bring Home Rule jurisdictions to heel – especially in land use and permitting.
In the 2025 session alone, legislators have introduced bills requiring local jurisdictions to permit wireless telecommunications facilities, electric fencing, and automated solar permitting for residential homes. Legislators continue introducing bills featuring local zoning-approval mandates for affordable housing, density, and transportation-oriented communities.
By any objective standard, the legislature and governor have substantially eroded local control and infuriated municipal and county elected officials. We suspect legislators and the governor will continue proclaiming the merits of local control while eroding it.
As we see it, although disheartened and under siege, local control advocates remain resolutely unprepared to surrender. In the face of multiple recent losses, they do their best to soldier on and fight another day.
As a practical matter, local control is substantially diminished – but not dead.

Welcome Senator Katie Wallace (D-Longmont)!

On Tuesday, March 18th, 114 Boulder County Democrat Party activists and insiders filled the vacancy created when former Senator Jacquez Lewis (D-Lafayette) resigned in disgrace over controversies surrounding her alleged mistreatment of legislative aides.
The Democratic Party’s Senate District 17 Vacancy Committee, essentially a sub-division of the Colorado Democratic Party in Boulder County, considered eight candidates. However, in the first (and, as it turns out, the only) round of voting, Katie Wallace garnered 58% of the votes cast by the 114 participating vacancy committee members. Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica Márquez swore Senator Wallace in this morning. 

Having worked for Congressman Joe Neguse and now-former Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo, Senator Wallace was most recently executive director of the Colorado Democratic Senate Campaign Fund.
Inside baseball on vacancy committee voting methodology. If a single candidate fails to secure a simple majority of votes in the first round of voting, candidates who receive more than 15% may step aside or advance to the next round. Subsequent rounds of voting continue until one candidate wins a simple majority of participating vacancy committee members.

Former Senator Jaques Lewis’ allegedly false statement and written submittal to the Senate Ethics Committee investigating her conduct have intensified public and media scrutiny and the investigation itself. Colorado Politics reports that the Denver District Attorney and the Boulder County District Attorney have opened separate investigations into former Senator Jacquez Lewis’ behavior.

Shoutout of the Week: Legislative Aides
Unlike members of Congress, who often have a dozen staff or more, Colorado senators and representatives have precious few staff. However, what legislative aides lack in numbers, they usually make up for in quality. Behind every great legislator is a fantastic legislative aide.
Though poorly paid, legislative aides play essential roles: gatekeeper, scheduler, researcher, constituent services manager, and all-around administrative assistant. But many legislative aides go far beyond these duties — providing policy research, coordinating the drafting of proposed amendments, and assisting with countless other tasks legislators request.

This month, we recognize a few of our favorite aides who regularly go above and beyond in service to the legislator(s) for whom they work. We extend a warm and sincere THANK YOU to the following and their fellow aide-colleagues for their relentless hard work and cheerful dedication. The joint would fall apart without you!
ï§ Daniel, aide to Representative Tisha Mauro’s (D–Pueblo)
ï§ June, aide to Representative Bob Marshall (D–Highlands Ranch)
ï§ Maggie, aide to Rebekah Stewart (D–Durango)
ï§ Hailey, aide to Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D–Commerce City)
ï§ Kevin, aide to Senator Janice Rich (R–Grand Junction)

Steve Balcerovich /Tim Coleman
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com  / Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
720.351.2007  / 303.242.9270

DATE POSTED:  3.10.2025

As of Friday, March 7th, 61 days remain in Colorado’s legislative session. Come Monday, we will have passed the halfway point. Legislators have so far introduced approximately 538. While bill introductions are slowing, committee hearing lengths are growing. Tempers are flaring, and Republican filibusters of Democrat bills are jamming the calendar and creating a backlog that elicits anger and exhaustion. As but one of many examples, the House Health & Human Services Committee met until 1:00 a.m., Thursday, before adjourning — with two substantive bills remaining on its docket.
The existing $1 billion budget shortfall prompts legislators to gut or kill bills with a fiscal note. However, legislators routinely circumvent or preempt dreaded fiscal notes and Colorado’s voter-approved Taxpayer Bill of Rights Amendment (TABOR Amendment), prohibiting government jurisdictions from raising taxes without securing voter approval. How do legislators circumvent or preempt fiscal notes? They seek to finance proposed legislation via so-called “user fees” and in some cases “enterprise funds” in which the users/beneficiaries pay user fee(s) designed to cover every conceivable cost associated with designing, building, operating, maintaining, financing, and delivering a project and/or service — including essential equipment, materials, office space, overhead, and staff. Alternatively, legislators seek to fund legislation via unfunded mandate(s) on private businesses and local governments.

Whether taxes, user fees, or unfunded mandates, the net result is much the same: first, here in Colorado, state and local governments monetize everything; and second, our residents pick up the tab regardless of legal distinctions that many view as too clever by half.
Suffice it to say that tensions are high under the Gold Dome. The spirited debates inside legislative chambers and the lobby are just beginning. No worries. Balcerovich Coleman is intimately familiar with the annual routine and is on the rail daily, amplifying your voice and safeguarding your interests.

General Update and Legislation
As noted in our previous Notes from the Capitol, some of this session’s most controversial legislation has not yet been heard in the first committee of reference of the second chamber. For example, the Senate approved a highly contentious bill to restructure and streamline Colorado’s Labor Peace Act via SB25-005: Worker Protection Collective Bargaining. However, House leadership is holding it up while proponents and opponents continue working to negotiate a settlement. For a refresher, the bill seeks to eliminate the second of two required votes for collecting dues on non-union members, making it substantially easier for workers and organized labor to establish union shops. Historically, the statutorily mandated second vote requires the affirmation of 75% of the workers. While the bill is tentatively scheduled for the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee on Thursday, March 13th, it is entirely unclear whether an agreement will be reached.

In the healthcare space, many bills introduced this year seek to make healthcare more affordable for Coloradoans without negative fiscal impacts on the state budget and Medicaid system. One particularly controversial proposal is SB25-071, Prohibiting Restrictions on 340B Drugs. The bill protects covered entities under the federal 340B drug pricing program from restrictions or discrimination by drug manufacturers, wholesalers, and other entities when acquiring or receiving discounted outpatient drugs. It also prohibits drug manufacturers from requiring covered entities or their contract pharmacies to submit unnecessary health data unless mandated by federal law. Violations would be considered unfair trade practices under Colorado’s Consumer Protection Act, enforceable by Attorney General Phil Weiser. Hospitals participating in the 340B program must disclose their financial benefits and savings usage on a publicly accessible website. The bill prompts a bitter showdown between the pharmaceutical industry and hospitals and wreaks havoc on scheduling other legislation in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee.

Wildfire policy remains a hot topic at the General Assembly, especially after the devastating SoCal fires. Due to staggering payouts in recent years, insurance companies increasingly refuse to issue fire-damage and hail-damage protection coverage, leaving homeowners liable. Balcerovich Coleman secured an early draft of legislation that attempts, in some small way, to address this growing issue. The bill would establish two enterprise funds within Colorado’s Division of Insurance: the Strengthen Colorado Homes Enterprise and the Wildfire Catastrophe Reinsurance Enterprise. The Strengthen Homes Enterprise would collect a 1.5% fee on homeowner’s insurance premiums to fund grants that help homeowners upgrade roofs with resilient materials, reducing insurer risk from extreme weather events. The Reinsurance Enterprise would provide financial support to insurers for wildfire-related disasters by issuing catastrophe bonds, collecting insurer fees, if needed, and requiring insurers to offer coverage in high-risk wildfire areas while regulating homeowner’s insurance rates to prevent price gouging.

Colorado’s Next Governor?
Governor Jared Polis (D) is serving the final two years of his second four-year term. Democrats have held the office for 16 consecutive years. The last Republican to hold the office was Governor Bill Owens (1999 to 2007). Before Governor Owens, Colorado had back-to-back Republican Governors, John Love (1963-1973), followed by Lieutenant Governor John Vanderhoof, who stepped in as Governor from 1973 to 1975 to fill the balance of Governor Love’s term after President Richard Nixon appointed Governor Love as the nation’s first Director of the Office of Energy. Those three Republicans aside, Democrats, including Governors Stephen McNichols (1957-1963), Richard Lamm (1975-1987), Roy Romer (1987-1999), Bill Ritter (2007-2011), John Hickenlooper (2011-2019), and Jared Polis (2019-2026) have dominated the executive branch for most of the last 70 years.

Attorney General Phil Wieser is the first major candidate to announce his gubernatorial candidacy. Secretary of State Jena Griswold, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, and Congressman Joe Neguse are among others allegedly considering a run. Though it excluded Senator Michael Bennet, an early December 2024 Magellan Strategies’ Healthier Colorado poll suggests that, by a narrow margin, Congressman Joe Neguse may be the preferred contender in a potential Democratic field. Despite the positive results from the Healthier Colorado poll, it is rumored this week that U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse will not run for Governor after all.

This week, Secretary of State Jena Griswold is embroiled in yet another controversy, this time concerning campaign finance improprieties. Colorado Politics reports the Colorado Department of Law will investigate the sixth campaign finance complaint filed against Griswold by the Public Trust Institute since June 2022. The most recent alleged violation pertains to an unreported campaign finance expenditure for the website domain jenaforgovernor.com. The Public Trust Institute alleges that Griswold failed to submit the required affidavit to run for Governor before purchasing the campaign domain. When confronted, her brother lied about the purchase. This comes on the heels of other controversies over the years, including that voting equipment password(s) were posted online and publicly accessible in the lead-up to the 2024 November election.

Senator Mark Baisley (R-Woodland Park) and Representative Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs) have both announced their intent to seek the Republican nomination for governor. A few other lesser-known Republicans have also announced their respective bids.
Colorado Freshmen Congressman Jeff Crank’s suggestion that the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office in Denver be relocated and similar sentiments from Congresswoman Lauren Boebert suggest that the Trump administration and its congressional allies are well positioned to use every resource and pressure point at their disposal to bring Colorado and other so-called ‘Blue States’ to heel. Will they close or relocate Denver’s SBA office? What about the Denver Mint, the Denver Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, NCAR, NREL, the Federal Center, and other federal facilities? Could the Feds withhold Colorado’s fair share of federal aviation, highway, and transit dollars to secure policies and cooperation consistent with those of the Trump administration? What about the national forests, parks, and monuments in Colorado? Amid a $36.3 trillion national debt, we don’t know. However, in that context, regardless of who the Republicans nominate for governor — especially now that Dave Williams has announced he will not seek re-election to his position as Colorado Republican Party Chair — we fully anticipate that Colorado’s Republican gubernatorial nominee will launch a robust and sharply competitive campaign.

Join us in wishing Senator Lisa Frizell every possible success in recovery!
Last week, Senator Lisa Frizell (R- Castle Rock) offered a compelling, profoundly personal, and understandably emotional speech on the Senate floor about her stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis and surgery. Before her surgery, Senator Frizell released a statement for her Senate District 2 constituents, stating:
"I am accountable to them and always want to be transparent. I want it to be clear that I will not stop fighting for the good people in Senate District 2 while simultaneously fighting this new battle. I am not going anywhere. I will be fine.”

During her speech, she noted that roughly 5,500 women and men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in Colorado. She encouraged folks to undergo regular testing. Senator Frizell ended her speech by stating, “I am going to beat cancer,” and affirmed her commitment to her constituents.
We work closely with and respect Senator Frizell and commend her courage, determination, and strength. As the opportunity presents itself, please consider sending her a card or offering words of support.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Steve Balcerovich                         Tim Coleman
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com

DATE POSTED:  2.21.2025

Notes from the Capitol (Vol 4)

As of Friday, February 21, 2025, 75 days remain in the legislative session. Nearly 500 bills have so far been introduced. In what can only be fairly characterized as a well-intentioned annual ritual, the leadership in both chambers claim they intend to crack down on the introduction of ‘late bills,’ thereby streamlining the second half of the session and allowing for more thoughtful, contemplative, responsible legislating. Many more late bills are in the pipeline. In the context of the existing constitutional limit of 120 days per regular annual legislative session, forcing legislators to consider and debate 600 or 700 substantive bills thoughtfully constitutes a wholly unnecessary pressure-cooker environment. We wonder whether legislators or voters will be the first to seriously consider limiting the number of bills each legislator can introduce per annual session. Hhhmmm…

General Update and Legislation
Governor Jared Polis, legislators, state agency staff, and interest groups are alarmed about the Trump Administration’s withholding of $570 million in previously allocated federal funds for Colorado and the practical consequences of the unceremonious dismantling of the federal workforce, which, if it continues in the context of the TABOR Amendment, will severely impact Colorado’s people, families, local jurisdictions, and economy. Governor Polis and Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper issued a joint letter urging the Trump Administration to release the funds. Congress earmarked most of that $570 million for emission reduction, grid resiliency, and renewable energy production programs. Fearing the worst, stakeholders are in financial and planning limbo as they await a resolution.

Check out the following responsible, reliable media stories:
ï§ Sarah Mulholland of Colorado Public Radio: As job cuts for Colorado’s federal workers roll across the state, some share their stories.
ï§ The Congressional Research Service’s Current Federal Civilian Employment by State and Congressional District (Dec. 20, 2024).

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has joined other State Attorneys General in filing lawsuits against the Trump Administration. Colorado has joined in lawsuits relating to the federal funding freeze, defunding medical and public health research, questioning the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) legality to access the U.S. Treasury's central Payment System, and more.
Our bitterly divided national politics continues seeping into debates under Colorado’s Gold Dome. Sharply emboldened by the Trump Administration, Republican legislators have introduced legislation to align Colorado with federal policies on immigration, abortion, gender-affirming care, and more. Lopsided Democratic majorities, however, push back by introducing progressive bills and by
killing bills inconsistent with the left’s agenda that cost Democrats the White House and both chambers of Congress in 2024 – to say nothing of the reigning conservative supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court.

We respectfully acknowledge the nation’s $36.3 trillion (and growing) national debt and our over $700 billion U.S. budget deficit. However, we are increasingly concerned that the behavior of Colorado’s progressive legislature will enrage the Trump Administration, which is better positioned by the day to strip Colorado of federal highway funding, national park funding, and other federally funded institutions. How wise is it to poke a wild Kodiak Bear in the eye while he’s feeding? For their part, President Trump and Elon Musk are floating the idea that 20% of DOGE’s $2 trillion savings be redirected away from paying down the national debt to, instead, issuing each American citizen a $5K. Really? It’s good to be President.

Nevertheless, the Democratic-controlled Colorado Senate passed two landmark bills this week, including SB25-003: Semiautomatic Firearms & Rapid-Fire Devices and SB25-005: Worker Protection Collective Bargaining, which we highlighted in an earlier Notes from the Capitol. Unlike previous years, both bills have passed the Senate and now face little opposition in Colorado’s more progressive House.

Featuring fanfare from Governor Polis and bill sponsors earlier this week, Democrats introduced their highly anticipated construction-defect legislation, HB25-1272. The bill requires an independent third-party inspector to conduct inspections during condo construction and mandates builders to address any identified issues before project completion. However, they did so after the Colorado Trial Lawyers and their allies introduced a competing measure, HB25-1261, creating a more favorable litigation environment for individuals pursuing condo construction-defect claims. The debate over these two bills sparks substantial tensions within the ruling Democrat majority.

Senator Sonya Jacquez Lewis (D-Lafayette) Resigns Over Ethics Complaints Via a Facebook post and following a series of ethics complaints, Senator Sonya Jacquez Lewis (D-Lafayette) resigned on Tuesday, February 18th. As noted in a previous edition of Notes from the Capitol, the bipartisan ethics committee was investigating her for alleged mistreatment of her legislative aides. She abruptly resigned immediately before the ethics committee was scheduled to discuss a new allegation that at least one letter of support she submitted was fabricated. Before her resignation, Senator Jacquez Lewis was stripped of all committee assignments for the 2025 legislative session and was barred from using Senate funds to pay for her legislative aides.
Before stepping down, Senator Jacquez Lewis claimed the allegations were an effort by legislative aides to push for collective bargaining but failed to cite the ethics complaints as a reason for her resignation. The Senate District 17 Democratic Vacancy Committee of Boulder, Broomfield & Weld Counties will select Senator Jacquez Lewis’ replacement. However, the vacancy process could take several weeks.

Shoutout to Legislative Legal Services
Legislative Legal Services serves as the nonpartisan, in-house counsel for the Colorado General Assembly. Its staff attorneys play an essential role in drafting state legislation, preparing amendments, and providing legislators with procedural and legal guidance throughout the bill drafting, committee hearings, and floor work. Their work is extraordinarily challenging, requiring them to draft amendments on demand in committee hearings and on the floors of both chambers. In addition, Legislative Legal Services staff reviews administrative rules, provides public comments on initiated ballot measures, and serves as a vital public resource. Though behind the scenes, these attorneys ensure that statutes accurately reflect legislative intent throughout bill drafting and amendment processes. Without their expertise and hard work, the General Assembly would come to a standstill. Please join us in extending a warm and sincere thank you to all the members of Legislative Legal Services!

With nearly two-thirds of the legislative session ahead, please contact us with questions, insights, and/or suggested topics you’d like us to feature in the future.

Onward and upward. Have a great weekend!

Steve Balcerovich Tim Coleman
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
 

Date Posted:  2.7.2025

Notes from the Capitol

Volume 3: Friday, February 7, 2025

As of today, Friday, February 7th, 89 days remain in our regular annual 120-day legislative session. As of yesterday afternoon, legislators have introduced 351 bills and continue shopping around late bill drafts for stakeholder input. A mad scramble is underway to push bills with no fiscal impact through both chambers to the governor's desk before legislators are consumed with brutal budget battles destined to commence in late March – all in the context of eliminating an estimated $ 1 billion from our state budget.

General Update and Legislation
Last week, chaos and confusion unfolded at the Capitol when the Trump Administration, citing the need for a comprehensive financial review, issued a memo temporarily halting federal grants, loans, and other financial assistance to all fifty states and countless local jurisdictions nationwide. Although the administration later rescinded the freeze, the defacto policy whiplash alarmed state and local officials across the political spectrum.

A NOT-SO-TANGENTIAL SIDE NOTE…
We would be guilty of professional malpractice if we failed to acknowledge the precarious position of Colorado’s federal workforce, facilities, and economy. Amid a $36.3 trillion national debt and a $711 billion U.S. budget deficit, grueling uncertainty exists regarding the degree to which, and under what conditions, federal funds will continue to flow to states and territories — especially so-called ‘Blue States’ like Colorado. Though quantifying potential revenue losses may be premature, the practical reality is that Colorado will likely receive substantially fewer federal dollars in the coming fiscal years, exacerbating Colorado’s budget challenges. The Denver Federal Center, headquartered in Lakewood, boasts the largest concentration of federal agencies outside of Washington, DC. Likewise, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), headquartered in Golden; the National Center For Atmospheric Research (NCAR), headquartered in Boulder; and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Denver Branch, headquartered in Denver, are but a small sample of the many federally funded facilities throughout Colorado.
For statistical information about the federal workforce, check out the Congressional Research Service’s Current Federal Civilian Employment by State and Congressional District (December 20, 2024).
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

On January 28th, legislators experienced their longest committee hearing so far this year. After nine hours of intense testimony and debate on SB25-003-Semiautomatic Firearms and Rapid-fire Devices, the bill passed the Senate State Veterans & Military Affairs Committee on a 3-2 party-line vote. The bill proposes to ban the sale of semiautomatic weapon firearms that accept detachable magazines. Advocates of SB25-003 have run multiple versions of this legislation for years; the bills typically pass the House and subsequently die in the Senate. We think this bill has a 50% chance of making it to Governor Polis’ desk. It remains entirely unclear whether he would sign it.

Republicans introduced a controversial bill on Wednesday, February 5th, to lower state regulatory costs. Focused primarily, but not exclusively, on environmental regulations, if approved, the 19-page bill would repeal several existing regulatory boards and their associated regulations. With only Republican sponsors, this bill seems destined to gain little traction. Nevertheless, rest assured, it will serve as a spectacle of testimony and debate in the House State, Military, and Veteran Affairs Committee.

We are tracking a number of consequential preliminary draft bills that have yet to be formally introduced. One such eyebrow-raising bill originates from the Colorado Energy Office. It would require electric utilities to reduce emissions by 95% by 2035 — and by a whopping 100% by 2040 (compared with the 2005 baseline). Due to the renewable energy and battery storage investments needed to meet these goals, the bill would result in higher utility rates across the state.

We are standing by to review the proposed Construction Defect-, Tap Fee-, and Data Center Incentives-legislation, none of which are quite ready for prime time.

Manny Rutinel Seeks Colorado’s 8th Congressional District.
State Representative Manny Rutinel (D-Commerce City), serving his second year in the Colorado House representing HD32, recently announced his intent to unseat freshman Congressman Gabe Evans (R-Fort Lupton). Most local political observers recall that Congressman Evans narrowly defeated incumbent freshman Congresswoman Yadiro Caraveo (D-Thornton) in November. While State Representative Rutinel is a relatively new face in Colorado politics, he has impressive campaign fundraising credentials. Within 24 hours of launching his congressional bid, he raised over $400,000. CD-8 is Colorado’s most competitive congressional district and will likely remain as such – at least until 2032, following our next once-in-a-decade congressional reapportionment.

Sergeants-At-Arms
Please join us in extending a warm and sincere THANK YOU to our House and Senate Sergeants-At-Arms. When visiting the statehouse, you will find the Sergeants guarding the House and Senate Chambers entrances and delivering message cards to legislators during floor work. Our Sergeants-At-Arms are among the unsung heroes of the General Assembly. They maintain order and enforce decorum on both chambers' floors and visitors’ galleries. The Sergeants also provide support during the legislative committee hearings, often answer visitor questions about the process, and ensure committee hearings remain uninterrupted. Whereas Sergeants in the House wear green blazers, they wear red blazers in the Senate. Next time you visit the State Capitol Building, thank the Sergeant(s) you encounter for their exemplary service.

We’ll catch up with you via our Notes from the Capitol in two weeks. In the meantime, please contact us with questions, insights, and/or suggested topics you’d like us to feature in the future.

Onward and upward!

Steve Balcerovich Tim Coleman
Steve@BalcerovichColeman.com Tim@BalcerovichColeman.com
 

Notes from the Capitol
Volume 2 – January 24, 2025

Good afternoon, folks. We are 17 days into the 120-day legislative session, with 103 days remaining. Legislators have introduced roughly one-sixth of all bills we expect this session.

SMART Act Hearings
Legislators are typically preoccupied with SMART Act hearings during the first two weeks of the session. This year was no exception. Annual SMART Act hearings allow state agency staff to brief legislators on the agency's mission, core roles and functions, structure, operations, and priorities — while enabling legislators to scrutinize each agency publicly. Due to the state’s $1 billion budget shortfall, legislators have the unenviable task of deploying meat cleavers to the budget; the tone and tenure of the back-and-forth committee between agency staff and legislators was, shall we say, uncharacteristically adversarial.
Among the most contentious committee hearings this week were a special joint House and Senate energy committee during which Democrat and Republican legislators assertively peppered Public Utilities Commission (PUC) staff about the PUC’s pipeline safety program. Likewise, during a specially convened joint House and Senate Health & Human Services Committee hearing, legislators of both parties sharply questioned Department of Health Care Policy & Financing staff about substantial cost overruns in the state’s Medicaid program.

Legislation
The first batch of House-initiated bills have cleared the House and will be introduced in the Senate next week.
Intent on restructuring (or gutting, depending on whom you ask) Colorado’s Labor Peace Act (circa 1943), the Senate Business, Labor & Technology Committee hosted a four-hours-long hearing on Worker Protection Collective Bargaining (SB25-005). The bill seeks to eliminate the second of two required votes for collecting dues on non-union members, thereby making it substantially easier for workers and organized labor to establish union shops. Historically, the statutorily mandated second vote requires the affirmation of 75% of the workers.
Understanding the highly controversial and politically charged nature of the bill, which, if approved, would reconstitute the relationship between business/management on the one hand and workers/organized labor on the other, the committee chair, Senator Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge), limited proponents and opponents to two hours of testimony each. Following four hours of testimony, the committee passed the bill 4-3 on a straight party-line vote.
Separately, a much-anticipated consumer protection bill to Prohibit Restrictions on 340B Drugs (SB25-071) seeks to prohibit drug manufacturers from unfair and deceptive trade practices. The bill bans pharmaceutical companies from limiting discount drug programs to benefit only their preferred pharmacies. SB25-071 tees up a colossal battle between hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.

Controversy Over Vacancy Committee Elections
The Democratic House District 41 Vacancy Committee met on Saturday. It appointed Jamie Jackson (D-Aurora) to fill the vacancy created when a different vacancy committee appointed then-Representative and now-Senator Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora) from the House to the Senate.
While partisan vacancy committee appointments are legal and routine, the frequency of their use raises eyebrows across the political spectrum and various media outlets. By securing an appointment via a partisan vacancy committee, thirty legislators — roughly one-third of the 100-member 2025 General Assembly — initially circumvented the public scrutiny of the regular primary and general elections. However, most of these appointed legislators subsequently ran for and won their respective seats in the election cycle following their vacancy committee appointment. Since 2018, we’ve seen multiple poorly organized and ineffective attempts to eliminate vacancy appointments in favor of special elections. To date, all such efforts have failed.

Ethics Committee Investigation
As reported in Colorado Politics, Senator Sonya Jacquez Lewis (D-Lafayette) faces a bi-partisan ethics committee investigation of allegations that she consistently mistreats her legislative aides. The Office of Legislative Workplace Relations received a formal complaint on November 15, 2024. Though she remains eligible to cast votes on the Senate floor, Senator Jacquez Lewis serves on no Senate committees and is barred from using Senate funds to pay for her legislative aides.

Stay tuned. The legislature is off to a fast start. Have a great weekend!
Steve Balcerovich & Tim Coleman

Date Posted: 1.6.2025

  SENATE LEADERSHIP  

President of the Senate James Coleman (D-Denver)
Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez (D-Denver)
President Pro Tempore Dafna Michaelson Janet (D-Commerce City)
Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter (D-Littleton)
Majority Whip Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)
Majority Caucus Chair Dylan Roberts (D-Frisco)
Minority Leader Paul Lundeen (R-El Paso)
Assistant Minority Leader Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa)
Minority Whip Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)
Minority Caucus Chair Byron Pelton (R-Sterling)

  SENATE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS  

Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Dylan Roberts (D-Frisco)

Vice Chair: Senator Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge)

Members:

Senator Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)
Senator Janice Marchman (D-Loveland)
Senator Byron Pelton (R-Sterling)
Senator Rod Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells)
Senator-Elect Marc Catlin (R-Montrose)

Senate Appropriations (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator-Elect Judy Amabile (D-Boulder)

Vice Chair: Senator Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village)

Members:

Senator Chris Kolker (D-Littleton)
Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)
Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County)
Senator Mark Baisley (R-Roxborough Park)
Senator Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs)

Senate Business, Labor & Technology (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge)

Vice Chair: Senator Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)

Members:

Senator Faith Winter (D-Thornton)
Democrat Vacancy
Senator Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs)
Senator Byron Pelton (R-Sterling)
Senator-Elect Marc Catlin (R-Montrose)

Senate Education (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Chris Kolker (D-Littleton)

Vice Chair: Senator Janice Marchman (D-Loveland)

Members:

Senator-Elect Cathy Kipp (D-Fort Collins)

Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City)

Senator Paul Lundeen (R-Monument)

Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)

Senator-Elect Scott Bright (R-Platteville)

Senate Finance (9 members / 6D & 3R)

Chair: Senator-Elect Cathy Kipp (D-Fort Collins)

Vice Chair: Senator Janice Marchman (D-Loveland)

Members:

Senator Chris Kolker (D-Littleton)
Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)
Senator-Elect Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs)
Senator Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton)
Senator Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa County)
Senator-Elect Scott Bright (R-Platteville)
Senator-Elect Lisa Frizell (R-Castle Rock)

Senate Health & Human Services (9 members / 6D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton)

Vice Chair: Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City)

Members:

Senator Lisa Cutter (D-Bear Creek)
Senator-Elect Mike Weissman (D-Aurora)
Senator-Elect Lindsey Daugherty (D-Arvada)
Democrat Vacancy
Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)
Senator-Elect Lisa Frizell (R-Castle Rock)
Republican Vacancy

Senate Judiciary (7 members / 5D & 2R)

Chair: Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)

Vice Chair: Senator-Elect Mike Weissman (D-Aurora)

Members:

Senator Dylan Roberts (D-Frisco)
Senator-Elect Lindsey Daugherty (D-Arvada)
Democrat Vacancy
Senator-Elect Lisa Frizell (R-Castle Rock)
Senator Mark Baisley (R-Teller County)

Senate Local Government & Housing (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Tony Exum Sr. (D-Colorado Springs)

Vice Chair: Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)

Members:

Senator-Elect Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs)
Senator Faith Winter (D-Thornton)
Senator Rod Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells)
Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)
Republican Vacancy

Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs (5 members / 3D & 2R)

Chair: Senator-Elect Mike Weissman (D-Aurora)

Vice Chair: Senator Tom Sullivan (D-Centennial)

Members:

Democrat Vacancy
Senator Mark Baisley (R-Teller County)
Senator Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs)

Senate Transportation & Energy (9 members / 6D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Faith Winter (D-Westminster)

Vice Chair: Senator Lisa Cutter (D-Bear Creek)

Members:

Senator Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)
Senator Tony Exum Sr. (D-Colorado Springs
Senator Tom Sullivan (D-Centennial)
Senator Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton)
Senator Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa)
Senator Byron Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells)
Senator-Elect Marc Catlin (R-Montrose)

  HOUSE LEADERSHIP  

Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie (D-Dillion)
House Majority Leader Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge)
Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Andrew Boesenecker (D-Fort Collins)
Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver)
Majority Co-Whips Matthew Martinez (D-Monte Vista) & Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora)
Majority Caucus Co-Chairs Mandy Lindsay (D-Aurora) & Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Minority Leader Rose Pugliese (R-Colorado Springs)
Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter (R-Trinidad)
Minority Caucus Chair Anthony Hartsook (R-Parker)
Minority Whip Ryan Armagost (R-Berthoud)

  HOUSE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS  

House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair:                        Representative Karen McCormick (D-Longmont)
Vice Chair:                Representative Tisha Mauro (D-Pueblo)
Ranking Member:     Representative Ty Winter (R-Las Animas County)
Members:

Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs)
Representative-Elect Katie Stewart (D-Durango)
Representative-Elect Lesley Smith (D-Boulder County)
Representative Mandy Lindsay (D-Aurora)
Representative Matthew Martinez (D-Alamosa)
Representative Meghan Lukens (D-Steamboat Springs)
Representative Tammy Story (D-Evergreen)
Representative Matt Soper (R-Delta)
Representative-Elect Dusty Johnson (R-Fort Morgan)
Representative-Elect Larry Don Suckla (R-Montezuma County) 

House Appropriations (11 Members / 7D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Emily Sirota (D-Denver)
Vice Chair: Representative Shannon Bird (D-Westminster)
Ranking Member: Representative Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction)

Members:

Representative Andrew Boesenecker (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Brianna Titone (D-Arvada)
Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs)
Representative Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Representative Karen McCormick (D-Longmont)
Representative Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative Stephanie Luck (R-Penrose)
Representative-Elect Lori Garcia Sander (R-Eaton)

House Business Affairs & Labor (13 Members / 8D & 5R)
Chair: Representative Naquetta Ricks (D-Aurora)
Vice Chair: Representative Steven Woodrow (D-Denver)
Ranking Member: Representative Ryan Armagost (R-Berthoud)

Members:

Representative Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch)
Representative-Elect Gretchen Rydin (D-Littleton)
Representative Regina English (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Sheila Lieder (D-Jefferson County)
Representative Tisha Mauro (D-Pueblo)
Representative William Lindstedt (D-Broomfield)
Representative-Elect Max Brooks (R-Castle Rock)
Representative-Elect Chris Richardson (R-Elbert County)
Representative-Elect Rebecca Keltie (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Larry Don Suckla (R-Montezuma County)

House Education (13 Members / 8D & 5R)
Chair: Representative Meghan Lukens (D-Steamboat Springs)
Vice Chair: Representative Matthew Martinez (D-Alamosa)
Ranking Member: Representative Mary Bradfield (R-Colorado Springs)

Members:

Representative Eliza Hamrick (D-Centennial)
Representative-Elect Jacque Phillips (D-Thornton)
Representative Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Lesley Smith (D-Boulder County)
Representative-Elect Lindsay Gilchrist (D-Denver)
Representative Tammy Story (D-Evergreen)
Representative Anthony Hartsook (R-Parker)

Representative-Elect Lori Garcia Sander (R-Eaton)
Representative-Elect Dusty Johnson (R-Fort Morgan)
Representative-Elect Jarvis Caldwell (R-Colorado Springs)

House Energy & Environment (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Alex Valdez (D-Denver)
Vice Chair: Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs)
Ranking Member: Representative-Elect Dan Woog (R-Frederick)

Members:

Representative-Elect Amy Paschal (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora)
Representative Jenny Willford (D-Northglenn)
Representative Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Representative Kyle Brown (D-Louisville)
Representative Manny Rutinel (D-Commerce City)
Representative-Elect Sean Camacho (D-Denver)
Representative Ken DeGraaf (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Ryan Gonzalez (R-Greeley)
Representative-Elect Carlos Barron (R-Fort Lupton)

House Finance (13 Members / 8D & 5R)
Chair: Representative William Lindstedt (D-Broomfield)
Vice Chair: Representative Brianna Titone (D-Arvada)
Ranking Member: Representative Anthony Hartsook (R-Parker)

Members:

Representative Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch)
Representative Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Representative Lorena Garcia (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Rebekah Stewart (D-Lakewood)
Representative-Elect Sean Camacho (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Yara Zokaie (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Ron Weinberg (R-Loveland)
Representative Ken DeGraaf (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Max Brooks (R-Castle Rock)
Representative-Elect Ryan Gonzalez (R-Greeley)

House Health & Human Services (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Kyle Brown (D-Louisville)
Vice Chair: Representative Sheila Lieder (D-Jefferson County)

Ranking Member:

Representative Brandi Bradley (R-Highlands Ranch)
Representative Eliza Hamrick (D-Centennial)
Representative-Elect Gretchen Rydin (D-Littleton)
Representative Karen McCormick (D-Longmont)
Representative-Elect Katie Stewart (D-Durango)
Representative-Elect Lindsay Gilchrist (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Lisa Feret (D-Arvada)
Representative Regina English (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Mary Bradfield (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Dusty Johnson (R-Fort Morgan)
Representative-Elect Lori Garcia Sander (R-Eaton)

House Judiciary (11 Members / 7D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Javier Mabrey (D-Denver)
Vice Chair: Representative-Elect Michael Carter (D-Aurora)
Ranking Member: Representative Matt Soper (R-Delta)

Members:

Representative-Elect Cecelia Espenoza (D-Denver)
Representative Chad Clifford (D-Centennial)
Representative Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver)
Representative Lorena Garcia (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Yara Zokaie (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Ryan Armagost (R-Berthoud)
Representative-Elect Jarvis Caldwell (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Rebecca Keltie (R-Colorado Springs)

House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs (11 Members / 8D-3R)
Chair: Representative Jenny Willford (D-Northglenn)
Vice Chair: Representative Chad Clifford (D-Centennial)
Ranking Member: Representative Stephanie Luck (R-Penrose)

Members:

Representative-Elect Cecelia Espenoza (D-Denver)
Representative Javier Mabrey (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Lisa Feret (D-Arvada)
Representative Meg Froelich (D-Greenwood Village)
Representative-Elect Michael Carter (D-Aurora)
Representative Naquetta Ricks (D-Aurora)
Representative Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs)

Representative Brandi Bradley (R-Highlands Ranch)

House Transportation, Housing & Local Government (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Meg Froelich (D-Greenwood Village)
Vice Chair: Representative-Elect Rebekah Stewart (D-Lakewood)
Ranking Member: Representative-Elect Chris Richardson (R-Elbert County)

Members:

Representative-Elect Amy Paschal (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Andy Boesenecker (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora)
Representative-Elect Jacque Phillips (D-Thornton)
Representative Mandy Lindsay (D-Aurora)
Representative Alex Valdez (D-Denver)
Representative Steven Woodrow (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Dan Woog (R-Frederick)
Representative-Elect Carlos Barron (R-Fort Lupton)
Representative-Elect Larry Don Suckla (R-Montezuma County)

  JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES  

Joint Budget Committee (6 Members / 4D & 2R)
Chair: Senator Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village)
Vice Chair: Representative Shannon Bird (D-Westminster)

Members:

Senator Judy Amiable (D-Boulder)
Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld)
Representative Emily Sirota (D-Denver)
Representative Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction)
(We will add additional joint committee assignments as they become available.)