Colorado Legislative Strategies Newsletter

​"Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we're doing is special, but we're the same distance from you. You’re on a spaceship called Earth... and I’m trying to tell you—just trust me—you are special."
    Victor Glover (Artemis II Pilot)
 
Happy Splashdown Day! Today, Artemis II, the first crewed mission in NASA’s Artemis program, returns home. The Artemis II mission sent astronauts around the Moon and back for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. On their mission, the crew traveled farther from Earth than any humans before them, looping around the Moon without landing before splashing down back home. It’s a full-circle moment for space exploration — and a nice reminder that smooth landings are in sight… for Artemis II, and for the legislative session.
 
Budget Week(s) in the House
 
The budget bill, also called the “Long Bill,” and its orbital bills were introduced in the House on Monday of this week. As a reminder, orbital bills are bills that move alongside the Long Bill and make necessary policy changes to match what’s reflected in the budget. With introduction on Monday, and both sides of the aisle meeting to determine caucus budget priorities on Tuesday, second reading started on Wednesday, and is still going.
 
Typically, both chambers each take a week to debate the budget, but that’s not the case for the House this year. On Wednesday evening, Representative Brandi Bradley requested that the budget bill be read at length – and they don’t call it the “Long” Bill for nothing. The bill is 661 pages and estimated to take 17 hours to be read at length. When tensions are high between caucuses, this has always been a threat made by Republicans, but no one’s ever followed through on it. 
 
Bradley had made the request in the spirit of protesting her own caucus’ leadership, who had made an agreement with Democrat leadership earlier in the week that Republicans would not ask for bills to be read at length for the rest of the session, in exchange for Democrat leadership not calling the House to order over weekends for the remainder of session. 
 
Bradley also is protesting what she perceives as a lack of justice regarding the ethics complaints she filed against Representative Weinberg. An ethics committee was convened to review the complaints Bradley brought against Weinberg and ultimately found probable cause on two of the complaints. The ethics committee wrote a letter to Weinberg admonishing him for his actions and recommended he go through sexual harassment training. Bradley did not think this was an adequate response and punishment for Weinberg and is using the power of reading the Long Bill at length to pressure House Leadership to reconsider the ethics complaints.
 
When Bradley made the request on Wednesday, Majority Leader Duran laid over the Long Bill in order to prevent the bill from being read at length on Wednesday evening. Throughout the day on Thursday, the House finished debating the orbital bills on second reading, and began reading the Long Bill at length around 6:45 last night. Around 11:00 last night, the Majority Leader laid over the remainder of the bill being read at length until today. Once the Long Bill passes second reading, Representative Bradley could (and probably will) request that it be read at length again on third reading. 
 
“Long” story short, the Long Bill is facing more delays and will likely get to the Senate at some point next week. As of right now, the House is set to meet over the weekend to try and get the budget timeline back on track. 
 
As for the actual work done on the budget before all of this, the House reduced cuts that the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) had made to various state programs, particularly related to the Cover All Coloradans program, which provides healthcare for undocumented women and children. 
 
While massive cuts had to be made to the state budget, spending on K-12 schools will increase by $184 million. The JBC worked hard to avoid implementing the “budget stabilization factor” and fully fund K-12 although smaller cuts to programs helped make this possible. Money had to be used from the state’s education savings fund to pay for statutorily required increases, and several smaller reductions were used on various grant programs.
 
Read more – House GOP stalls Colorado budget debate by forcing full reading of 661-page bill
 
Shakeup in State Health: New Leadership Steps in Amid Medicaid Crisis
 
Governor Polis has announced a leadership transition for two of Colorado’s primary health agencies following the abrupt resignation of Kim Bimestefer. Gretchen Hammer has been appointed as the acting executive director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), a role that will require state Senate confirmation. Hammer, who served as Medicaid Director from 2015 to 2018, returns to the agency at a moment of intense turmoil. The sudden leadership change follows serious allegations of mismanagement, waste, and fraud within the Medicaid program that have been highlighted throughout this legislative session.
 
The shakeup was underscored by the fact that Bimestefer’s resignation occurred just hours before state senators were set to introduce a "no confidence" resolution regarding her performance. In response to these ongoing oversight issues, Stephanie Beasley has also been named the next commissioner of the Behavioral Health Administration. Governor Polis emphasized that both leaders are tasked with restoring stability and improving accountability. Their immediate focus will be addressing the performance failures and systemic issues raised by lawmakers while continuing the work of expanding access to physical and mental health services.
 
Read More - Gov. Polis names new leaders for Colorado health agencies in wake of Medicaid turmoil
 
More Opportunity Caucus Drama
A lawsuit was filed today against Representative Sean Camacho and Senator Lindsay Daugherty, who are the chairs of the Opportunity Caucus. As a reminder, the Opportunity Caucus is a group of moderate Democratic lawmakers. The caucus held a retreat in Vail over the summer, which was criticized by progressive members of the legislature and has been a source of simmering tensions between the two factions of Democrats at the Capitol. 
The lawsuit demands Camacho and Daugherty turn over records related to the retreat, after they had originally denied the plaintiff’s requests, arguing they had no documents to satisfy his requests. In a statement earlier this afternoon, Daugherty shared that she, Camacho, and the caucus shared the records that they were “legally required to provide.” 
Read more – Two Colorado lawmakers face open-records lawsuit as rift over Vail retreat expands

Polls, Pocketbooks, and the Price of Popularity
 
According to a new Colorado Polling Institute survey, Coloradans are currently about as happy as a hiker who realized they forgot their water bottle at the trailhead; 55 percent of voters expect the economy to worsen, while favorability ratings for Governor Polis and Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper are all sliding as "incumbent frustration" sets in.
 
The data also shows that in the race to succeed Polis, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet maintains a massive lead in name recognition over Attorney General Phil Weiser, with 51 percent of voters still saying they have no opinion of or haven't even heard of the AG. Despite this advantage, the poll serves as a warning for all incumbents: with 90 percent of residents sounding the alarm on the cost of housing and groceries, and gas price anxiety more than doubling since last year, voters seem more interested in their bank accounts than their party lines.
 
Read more - Poll finds economic worries, rising unfavorability for top Democrats
 
All Aboard CoCo! Front Range Passenger Rail Has Name but Needs Funding 
 
Colorado’s highly anticipated Front Range Passenger Rail officially has a name: CoCo, short for the Colorado Connector. After more than 25,000 residents cast their votes, Governor Polis announced the winning moniker, which beat out finalists like "FRED" and "RangeLink." The service is expected to begin running between Denver and Fort Collins in 2029, with full service extending to Pueblo by 2032.
 
Designed to provide a fast, affordable alternative to I-25 traffic, the CoCo will feature 10 to 15 daily round-trips to support commuters and travelers alike. Governor Polis noted that the rail will boost the state’s economy and reduce congestion, even for those who don’t ride. As the project moves forward, the District is hosting town halls across the state to gather feedback before a potential funding measure heads to the ballot this November.
 
Read more - Coloradans have spoken and chosen the name of the Front Range Passenger Rail - CBS Colorado
 
Tariffs’ Impact on Colorado 

​One year after the implementation of "Liberation Day" tariffs, Colorado leaders are reporting a "self-inflicted crisis" that cost state businesses $1.1 billion in 2025 alone. While the steel industry has praised the protections, local officials highlight a devastating impact on small businesses and families, who have shouldered over $1,700 each in added costs.
Despite recent Supreme Court rulings striking down portions of the policy, the fallout remains a significant hurdle for Colorado’s economy. Senator John Hickenlooper and Governor Polis are now pushing for streamlined refunds and providing new state resources through the World Trade Center Denver to help businesses navigate the ongoing supply chain instability and "tariff whiplash.”
Read more - Officials take stock of how tariffs have impacted Colorado economy
 
Musk's xAI Sues Colorado Over AI Law SB24-205
 
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has filed a lawsuit against Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser to block the enforcement of a landmark 2024 state law. The statute requires developers of “high-risk” AI systems to implement protections against algorithmic discrimination in critical sectors such as housing, employment, and education. In its filing, xAI argues that the law imposes an unconstitutional burden on free speech, claiming it would force the company’s chatbot, Grok, to conform to a "State-enforced orthodoxy" and a "politicized viewpoint" rather than maintaining its intended objectivity.
 
This legal challenge adds a layer of intrigue and confusion to the current Colorado legislative session, where stakeholders are already navigating a complex landscape. The lawsuit arrives just as the community awaits a new bill, informed by the Governor’s Office working group, intended to "fix" and refine the original SB24-205. With xAI now challenging the very constitutionality of the state's regulatory power, it remains to be seen how this litigation will pivot ongoing discussions and influence the final shape of Colorado’s AI policy.
 
Read more -  Elon Musk's xAI sues Colorado over AI regulation law
 
What’s Next
CLS will continue to monitor the Long Bill’s progress closely as it slowly works its way out of the House and over to the Senate. In the meantime, the School Finance Act still has to be passed as well and this will likely be another big debate we see in the next few weeks. The first hearing is set for April 20. We also expect a few batches of late bills to be introduced in the coming weeks, some of which will touch on complex policy issues, such as artificial intelligence. 
Lastly, and most importantly, next Wednesday will mark the four-week countdown to Sine Die.