Denver Post politics reporter Nick Coltrain talks about what’s happening in the Colorado legislature. Find a recap of this week’s stories below the video.
Tax pitch, housing bills and $20 million fight over Department of Correction funding – this week at the Colorado State Capitol DenverPost.com for all the deets
Colorado lawmakers reject request for more prison funding amid overcrowding frustrations
Frustrated Colorado lawmakers gave a “huge slap on the wrist” to the state’s correctional system and its leaders Wednesday, rejecting more than $20 million in funding requests.
They also vented their anger that senior officials hadn’t better planned to address prison overcrowding thatap coming to a head.
“I want to know what it is (Gov. Jared Polis’) administration is going to do and going to support, beyond just continued requests for more beds, building more prisons and spending more money in that respect,” Rep. Emily Sirota, a Denver Democrat. Read more
One of new Colorado bills to spur housing construction offers incentives to local communities
Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado lawmakers unveiled three bills Wednesday that are intended to ease and expedite the construction of affordable housing — the latest proposals in a yearslong attempt to rein in prices and instability in the state.
The bills largely build upon — or resurrect — legislation that was passed in previous sessions or was considered, but fell short. Polis, several Democratic lawmakers and a constellation of housing and affordability advocacy groups have spent much of the past three years working to rewrite land-use codes, primarily along the Front Range, to make it easier to build housing. Read more
Tighter security rules for ride-share companies on agenda despite 2025 veto of Colorado bill
Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a bill last year that would have required ride-share companies such as Uber and Lyft to improve security for passengers, but efforts continue to make sure that people using the services are safe.
Polis vetoed House Bill 1291 because he believed the regulations were unworkable and could lead to the ride-share companies leaving Colorado. But he directed state agencies to explore what administrative changes could be made to strengthen protections and what targeted policy changes lawmakers could tackle in this year’s legislative session. Read more
Lawmakers get SMART at hearings as oversight hearings continue in the Colorado legislature this week
Now that opening-day speeches and start-of-session ceremonies are out of the way, the Colorado legislature’s work is beginning to spin up in earnest.
A slew of bills have been introduced for consideration this year, but they will not receive their first hearings this week. Lawmakers are instead embarking on their start-of-session oversight hearings of state departments and agencies, and are otherwise still getting their feet under them.
The oversight hearings, formally known as the State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive and Transparent Government Act hearings, or SMART Act hearings for short, are legally required presentations that give lawmakers updates on varying operations within state government. Read more
Gov. Jared Polis gets more pointed on Trump, reaches for familiar solutions to Colorado’s challenges in final year
Gov. Jared Polis used his final State of the State speech Thursday to highlight achievements made on housing, education and transportation over his tenure, work that he said would continue through his final year.
His speech — which stretched to nearly 90 minutes — focused heavily on his record, while overviewing what he hopes to accomplish in his remaining months. He previewed plans to continue easing local barriers to build housing and to renew governance reforms within the Regional Transportation District. He called for more cuts to the income tax and doubled down on state climate goals. Read more
