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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers reflect on what did, did not get done during regular session
DENVER (KDVR) — State lawmakers have finished their work at the Colorado Capitol, for now. Both parties reflected on what they see as wins and losses for the state this year during their press conferences. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are glad they were able to end the session with a balanced budget that did not harm schools, but worries surrounding the fiscal shape of the state and its citizens still linger. Denver voted to not extend its Flock camera contract: Are ICE access concerns valid? 'While we worked really hard to address the $1.2 billion budget shortfall, I think there is still a lot more work to be done and we know that there is potential for more cuts coming forward,' said House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese. 'We are fearful that with the Trump administration, continuing to cut services in rural parts of our state, cuts to public safety, cuts to agricultural and water infrastructure, that there is more work ahead for us today,' said House Speaker Julie McCluskie. As lawmakers celebrate the end of the session, they also acknowledge they could be back this summer for two reasons: one being unfinished work at the state level, like delaying the state's landmark artificial intelligence regulation measure. 'We couldn't get that done. It was never the plan for this bill to be the final product. And I think that we will get working and whether we go into a special session or go into next year, I think we will be in a much better place with the policy and have more consensus,' said Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez. Another reason they could come back is the potential for cuts from the federal level, lawmakers could need to rework the state budget if the state does not get the federal dollars they planned for. Lawmakers act on artificial intelligence bills as Colorado session ends 'If we come back into a special session, it will clearly be on the polis administration and the tax and spend democrats in the legislature. I've said it before several times, probably at nauseam for some people, we do not have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. The Democrats in Colorado have the same issue as the tax-and-spend democrats in Washington, D.C. They have a crisis of priorities, and they can't stop themselves from overspending,' said Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer. Leaders in both parties hailed the failure of a bill that would have allowed the state to sue over the legality of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights as a win for Colorado taxpayers. 'I'm always pleased to have one lawsuit less, so thank you for not suing us,' Governor Jared Polis said as he turned towards Democratic legislative leaders. 'There was a resolution introduced with 31 Democrat members of the House on that resolution, 13 Democrat members of the Senate on that resolution and we worked diligently behind the scenes to make sure that an effort to destroy the Taxpayer Bill of Rights did not come to committee and did not have a vote,' said Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen. The parties, however, have differing opinions over societal policy measures that have been passed: bills protecting civil rights for immigrants and members of the transgender community. Republicans said they wished more measures addressing affordability and public safety had been prioritized this year. While the governor acknowledged some bills, like a measure addressing collective bargaining for unions in the state, were not able to reach solutions he liked, he all but said he plans to veto the measure. 'We were seeking a way to get a policy that would have the buy-in to be stable and unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the sponsors and our best efforts, and many in both the labor and business community, we did not quite get there,' Polis said. Lawmakers send rideshare safety measure to governor's desk on last day of session Polis has 30 days to sign or veto bills. Lawmakers said if a special session happens, it would come after details of the federal budget are more finite. 'I expect there is still going to be more because of this affordability issue that we are going to see Medicaid grow in terms of the number of individuals. So it will not surprise me if we need to come back and talk about that,' said Representative Rick Taggart. 'We're watching Congress, it's in the hands of our congressional delegation. The lieutenant governor and I, and many members of the legislature, have called on them not to cut Medicaid, we hope that they don't. But if those big steps are taken, it is quite likely that we would need to work with the legislature to see what that looks like,' said Polis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House passes state budget: Here's what is, is not included
DENVER (KDVR) — In a year when things are fiscally tight, Colorado lawmakers have passed the state budget, overcoming a projected shortfall of more than a billion dollars. Lawmakers had to cut funding for a lot of state programs to get the budget while both sides are happy the state didn't go into the red, they say Colorado is not out of the woods just yet. Governor signs bill requiring training for semiautomatic guns, banning rapid-fire conversion devices 'I think they did a great job with the information they had at the time. But this is the first year in what I believe will be an ongoing process. So there will, in the future, have to be harder and tougher cuts,' said House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are commending members of the state's Joint Budget Committee for balancing the state's budget after facing a billion-dollar gap. 'We had a particularly challenging year because we came into the year looking at next year's budget needing to cut about $1.2 billion. So as we began our work, the task ahead of us was to figure out how do we protect what Coloradans care most about while cutting what we need to cut to make sure this year, as in, every year, we pass a balanced budget,' said Joint Budget Committee Vice Chair Representative Shannon Bird. The state budget totals about $44 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. Medicaid was a big concern heading into negotiations but the budget did ultimately see a 1.6% increase in Medicaid provider funding. Lawmakers were able to make the budget work by issuing dozens of cuts for programs funded by the state. 'I think some cuts were easier to make than others. There were programs that weren't meeting their intended purpose, programs that were undersubscribed, programs where the state's priorities had shifted, perhaps dollars allocated in certain areas where they were no longer of the highest and greatest use so it made it easier to move that money in a different direction and to cut those old programs. Other programs were far harder to cut,' said Bird. Proposed bill preventing officers from asking drivers why they were pulled over dies in committee 'Some of our hospitals were very hopeful to see Medicaid funding for a community health worker service that they had been anticipating bringing on board and it's just not something that the state has capacity to fund right now,' Bird continued. 'Those are the cuts that are hard. I expect because of the state's challenges that don't look to be changing any time soon that these cuts get increasingly difficult in the next fiscal year.' Things like millions of grant dollars to help law enforcement monitor gray and black market marijuana, repealing the computer science education grant program and eliminating a destroyed property tax reimbursement program for people whose homes were ruined by natural disasters were axed. Transportation cuts saw the biggest hit with members cutting about $64 million slated for transportation and more than $70 million that was put aside for transportation grants. 'More of the transportation cuts happened to multi-modal transportation initiatives. Different grants to go to local governments to help them build out bike lines and jogging paths and such. Really important quality of life changes to our transportation system. The cuts that we made will not impact investments in roads and bridges. Those are things that would be the very last cuts to be made,' Bird said. Members of both parties acknowledge the state will need to make even more cuts in the future. Petition to repeal flavored tobacco ban could be on Denver ballot 'The state has grown and I understand that the budget needs to grow. I think there are definitely places in the budget though that we can look at and make some cuts like the full-time employees that are unfilled, those positions. I think there are some opportunities for every department and we saw a lot of departments step up with efficiencies, consolidations and repeals. I think there is just going to be a lot more of that coming,' said Pugliese. Programs like Medicaid are still counting on federal appropriations. 'The way Medicaid is typically funded is as a partnership between the state and the federal government. Without those federal dollars coming back to Colorado, we will not be able to sustain Medicaid funding the way citizens of Colorado expect,' said Bird. 'The budget that we passed today assumes that the federal government will maintain its role as a partner as they have in past years in funding Medicaid. Although, if something were to change, that probably would require the legislature to reconvene and make a new decision about how we move forward.' Republicans at the capitol are warning the majority, that the state may be in danger when it comes to those dollars coming from Washington. Aurora: Twice as many encampments removed in first 3 months of 2025 than last year 'I think that there are some bills coming forward that definitely cause me some concern about continuing to go after the federal administration while at the same time saying we are afraid of losing federal funding. So, I think we need to have those conversations. You can't continuously poke the federal administration and think we will continue to get federal funds,' Pugliese said. Financing for public schools in the state will be handled in a separate bill. The budget does increase general dollars for education by $150 million. The Senate passed the budget first but will need to approve some amendments made in the House before the long bill and some accompanying measures go to the governor's desk. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado Dems ram abortion, transgender bills through on limited Sunday session debate: 'Unprecedented'
The Colorado Democratic House majority pushed through a slate of controversial gender and abortion bills on Sunday, curtailing floor debate in what Republican lawmakers called an "unprecedented" tactic. "It should alarm every American that Colorado's Majority used a Sunday — a day typically reserved for family and prayer — to force through four of the most extreme bills of the session," Republican House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese told Fox News Digital on Monday. Pugliese said while "weekend work" is a "tactic the majority uses to punish the minority," it was especially "unprecedented" this time because of the highly controversial nature of the bills. Concerned Parents Of Trans Kids Compared To 'Hate Groups' By Colorado Dem: Wouldn't 'Ask The Kkk' For Opinion "There was no filibuster, no delay — just a determined effort to shut down discussion on legislation that directly affects parental rights, public safety, and the use of taxpayer dollars," she said. The bills that were passed include SB25-183, which requires taxpayers to fund abortion services; HB25-1309, mandating insurers cover transgender procedures regardless of age; HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools and considers it "coercive control" in child custody cases when a parent does not affirm a child's gender identity; and SB25-129, which prohibits cooperation with out-of-state investigations on transgender procedures and abortion services. Read On The Fox News App According to state House Majority Democrat Leader Monica Duran, the four bills were debated on the floor for more than 12 hours last week. Trans Inmate In Prison For Killing Baby Must Get Gender Surgery At 'Earliest Opportunity': Judge "The minority offered dozens of amendments in that time," Duran told Fox News Digital. "Ultimately, Coloradans elected significant Democratic majorities with clear mandates, and with only 120 days in session, we will use every day we need to do the people's work." "Yesterday that included passing legislation to implement voter-approved Amendment 79, which protects abortion rights and passed with nearly 62% of the vote last November." Other Democrats in the legislature, who authored the passage of the bills, see them as a way to shield the Centennial State from the Trump administration's policies. Trump Doj, Education Dept Form Task Force To Protect Female Athletes From 'Gender Ideology' In Schools, Sports "It's time to fight back against out-of-state interference and Trump administration threats to restrict abortion and health care for LGBTQ+ Coloradans," Democratic state Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, sponsor of SB25-129, said in a statement. Democrat Rep. Lorena Garcia, sponsor of SB5-183, also said, "Despite the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle abortion access or restrict funding altogether, Coloradans believe it's your constitutional right to access the reproductive health care you need." "This bill will expand access to life-saving reproductive health care, including abortion," Garcia said in a statement. The bills now head to the Democratic-dominated state Senate for article source: Colorado Dems ram abortion, transgender bills through on limited Sunday session debate: 'Unprecedented'
Fox News
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Colorado Dems ram abortion, transgender bills through on limited Sunday session debate: 'Unprecedented'
The Colorado Democratic House majority pushed through a slate of controversial gender and abortion bills on Sunday, curtailing floor debate in what Republican lawmakers called an "unprecedented" tactic. "It should alarm every American that Colorado's Majority used a Sunday — a day typically reserved for family and prayer — to force through four of the most extreme bills of the session," Republican House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese told Fox News Digital on Monday. Pugliese said while "weekend work" is a "tactic the majority uses to punish the minority," it was especially "unprecedented" this time because of the highly controversial nature of the bills. "There was no filibuster, no delay — just a determined effort to shut down discussion on legislation that directly affects parental rights, public safety, and the use of taxpayer dollars," she said. The bills that were passed include SB25-183, which requires taxpayers to fund abortion services; HB25-1309, mandating insurers cover transgender procedures regardless of age; HB25-1312, which imposes state-mandated gender policies on schools and considers it "coercive control" in child custody cases when a parent does not affirm a child's gender identity; and SB25-129, which prohibits cooperation with out-of-state investigations on transgender procedures and abortion services. According to state House Majority Democrat Leader Monica Duran, the four bills were debated on the floor for more than 12 hours last week. "The minority offered dozens of amendments in that time," Duran told Fox News Digital. "Ultimately, Coloradans elected significant Democratic majorities with clear mandates, and with only 120 days in session, we will use every day we need to do the people's work." "Yesterday that included passing legislation to implement voter-approved Amendment 79, which protects abortion rights and passed with nearly 62% of the vote last November." Other Democrats in the legislature, who authored the passage of the bills, see them as a way to shield the Centennial State from the Trump administration's policies. "It's time to fight back against out-of-state interference and Trump administration threats to restrict abortion and health care for LGBTQ+ Coloradans," Democratic state Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, sponsor of SB25-129, said in a statement. Democrat Rep. Lorena Garcia, sponsor of SB5-183, also said, "Despite the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle abortion access or restrict funding altogether, Coloradans believe it's your constitutional right to access the reproductive health care you need." "This bill will expand access to life-saving reproductive health care, including abortion," Garcia said in a statement. The bills now head to the Democratic-dominated state Senate for consideration.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bipartisan bill would reform process for vacancy-appointed lawmakers in Colorado
Visitors are seen in the Colorado Capitol on the first day of the 2025 session of the Legislature on Jan. 8, 2025. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) A bipartisan bill would restructure the vacancy committee process to replace members of the Colorado Legislature based on when a vacancy occurs, such as when a member resigns. House Bill 25-1315 was introduced on Monday, about three months into a lawmaking session that has seen a handful of vacancy committee appointments. It would have vacancy-appointed lawmakers run for their seat in either a regularly-scheduled general election or odd-year special election. 'Vacancies in the General Assembly are an issue I heard about as I traveled the state as the Minority Leader. The people want to preserve the vacancy committee process while also having the opportunity to vote for their legislators. This bill will do both,' House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, a Colorado Springs Republican, said in a statement. It is sponsored by Pugliese, Rep. Emily Sirota, a Denver Democrat, Sen. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat, and Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Weld County Republican. The bill would set the following guidelines for vacancy committees: If a lawmaker resigns before July 31 in an even year, a committee would appoint a replacement and that person would need to run for the seat that November. If a lawmaker resigns on or after July 31 in an even year, a committee would appoint a replacement and they would run for the seat in the next year's November vacancy election. If a lawmaker resigns before July 31 in an odd year, a committee would appoint a replacement and there would be a vacancy election that November. If a lawmaker resigns on or after July 31 in an odd year, a committee would pick a replacement and that person would need to run for the seat in the next general election. The effect of the change would be that appointed lawmakers serve one legislative session, which runs from January to May, until they need to run for reelection, either in a regular election or a vacancy election as created by the bill. The new odd-year vacancy elections would take place alongside the statewide elections for ballot issues, local candidates and other items. Unaffiliated voters and voters from the same political party as the lawmaker who resigned in the legislative district would be able to participate in the new new odd-year vacancy elections. Candidates could make the ballot for that election by collecting 200 signatures of voters from their party or by getting the support of at least 30% of the district's vacancy committee. Vacancy committees are currently composed of party central committee members, precinct leaders and state lawmakers who live in the district, as well as other highly involved party members. That means committees are typically made up of a few dozen people, but they can be much smaller. The bill would extend committee membership to county commissioners of the same party who live in the district. The bill would also require vacancy committees to be livestreamed for the public. It also imposes campaign finance requirements for vacancy candidates. Six lawmakers have been appointed via vacancy committee this year: Republican Sen. John Carson, Democratic Sen. Matt Ball, Democratic Sen. Iman Jodeh, Democratic Rep. Jamie Jackson and Democratic Sen. Katie Wallace. That high volume of appointments — two of which came when lawmakers resigned immediately after winning reelections — led to calls for process reform. 'For the past few years, voters have grown increasingly alarmed with our vacancy laws for important elected government offices,' Kirkmeyer said in a statement. 'A handful of political insiders should not determine who sits in a state legislative seat for years at a time without voters being able to express their will. I'm pleased to be part of a bipartisan coalition that brings impactful reform to this process.' A separate resolution in the Legislature also targets vacancy reform. House Concurrent Resolution 25-1002, also introduced Monday, would ask voters to amend the state constitution so that appointed lawmakers could not run as an incumbent in the election following their appointment. Rep. Bob Marshall, a Highlands Ranch Democrat, ran a similar resolution last year and is sponsoring it again this year alongside Rep. Larry Don Suckla, a Cortez Republican, and Sen. Marc Snyder, a Manitou Springs Democrat. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
