After the Colorado General Assembly crossed the halfway point on the 2026 session this past weekend, another important milestone awaits this week: the March economic forecasts.
The forecasts, prepared by the legislative and executive branches, are set for release Thursday afternoon. They give lawmakers a target number for setting the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The releases also mark the start of the final dash for the Joint Budget Committee to finish its work on the budget before the spending bills are brought before the full legislature — and they signal how optimistic, or pessimistic, the state should be about the economy.
The formal budget approval process is set to begin in late March, though it may be delayed. Once it starts, it will set off a sprint of lawmaking since legislators will finally know exactly how little cash they have to work with. Earlier estimates have put the projected budget gap at nearly $1 billion.
Here’s what else is happening this week. As always, the legislature’s schedule is subject to change.
Monday
The House began its week by passing , a measure that would require large social media companies to comply with law enforcement search warrants more quickly. The Senate, which already approved the bill, will need to consider some House amendments before the bill goes to Gov. Jared Polis.
The chamber also passed , which aims to increase vaccine availability in Colorado. That likewise goes back to the Senate for consideration of amendments before going to Polis.
Tuesday
The full Senate is set to consider , a measure that would restrict the sale and use of certain rat poisons in Colorado, for an informal vote. The measure is an early contender for the most-lobbied measure in the Capitol this year, with lobbyists registering hundreds of positions on it. Sponsors rewrote much of the bill as they worked it through an earlier committee. The Senate will still need to conduct a formal vote before sending the proposal to the House.
The full House, meanwhile, is set to debate . That measure would prohibit companies from using personal data to set individualized prices and wages.
The Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee is set to take the first look at , a measure that looks to ban prop bets and place other restrictions on online sports betting.
In the House Judiciary Committee, a pair of bills related to how immigration enforcement can operate in the state are also set for their first hearings. would prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks. would create new restrictions around immigration enforcement in Colorado. The bill would increase how often detention facilities can be inspected and expand rules around the conditions for detainees, among other new requirements and restrictions.
Wednesday
The Senate Transportation and Energy Committee will hear one of two dueling bills regarding data centers in the state. seeks to enact some of the strictest statewide regulations on the booming industry.
Thursday
The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee will hear . The bill would restrict how chatbots powered by artificial intelligence can interact with minors.
