In NASCAR, the white flag tells racers when they’re entering the final lap. In the Colorado legislature, the white flag comes in the form of the state budget — the introduction of which serves as a signal that the frantic final weeks of the legislative session have begun.
This year, the budget — and its $1.5 billion shortfall — has hung over the rest of the legislative doings since the gavels first, uh, gaveled in January. Now, as March brightens into April, the half-dozen lawmakers charged with crafting that gargantuan document are nearly finished. The Joint Budget Committee is likely to wrap up its work this week, and the budget itself should be introduced in the state House next week.
That’ll kick off a week of floor debates and amendment marathons.
You can listen to those final Joint Budget Committee meetings on the ; the group will be meeting throughout the week.
Before then, though, the House and Senate have busy floor schedules as the chambers’ leadership works to clear as many bills as possible before they lose a week wading through the budget. In the House, lawmakers this week are tentatively scheduled to debate bills regulating in psychotherapy; changing how cities can under the voter-passed Proposition 123 fund; and from public view.
Colorado lawmakers pass bill to ban 3D printing of guns after veto threat forces amendments
In the Senate, lawmakers today already passed bills and renaming . Elsewhere this week, that chamber is also (tentatively) scheduled to debate a bill ; a measure that seeks to push back against ; and a bill related to .
Here's what else to expect this week:
Bill signings
As more legislation flows out of the House and Senate, we're starting to see the cadence of bill-signings increase. We've already seen more press releases announcing that "POLIS SIGNS BILL INTO LAW." Expect more of that as the 2026 session enters its home stretch, with just over six weeks remaining.
Tuesday
The Senate Finance Committee will discuss , which would require state departments to review their regulations and rules every five years. That's part of a quiet but ongoing effort by the business community to examine the state's regulatory framework.
Wednesday
The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on , a Republican-backed bill that seeks to regulate law enforcement technology like license plate readers and facial recognition technology.
Thursday
The Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee will debate , which would extend some voting deadlines to give people more time to receive and submit mailed ballots.
A note about Fridays
As a general rule, Fridays are often when lawmakers in the House and Senate debate their most contentious bills. It's usually when gun control measures are heard, for instance. So, if you're keeping an eye on the legislature and want to see the more extensive and contentious debates, Fridays are .
