Nick Coltrain

Politics reporter

Nick Coltrain

Nick Coltrain covers state politics for the Denver Post. He joined the news organization in 2022 after covering the Iowa caucus and COVID-19 for the Des Moines Register and all things for the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, left, and Mark Ferrandino, the director of the Office of State Planning and Budgeting, answer questions from the media after Polis signed bills from a special legislative session and issued an order to close a budget deficit caused by the federal tax bill at the Governor's Residence at the Boettcher Mansion in Denver on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

Gov. Jared Polis relies on 鈥榮uper-secret memo鈥� to back private investment bill in Colorado legislature

May 4, 2026 at 3:03 p.m.

鈥淚 do respect that people are concerned about the riskiness of this鈥� bill, Sen. Janice Marchman said. 鈥淚 also want to respect that sometimes we have to take risks to...

The Senate chamber inside the Colorado State Capitol building on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/Rachel Woolf)

Artifical intelligence bill to get first committee hearing as 10-day clock starts in the Colorado legislature

May 4, 2026 at 12:35 p.m.

The state鈥檚 100 lawmakers have 10 days to finish their work for the year. That means the Capitol will be even more abuzz than usual as lawmakers scramble to pass...

The construction site of the Interstate 70 Floyd Hill project in the mountains, which is funded in part by a $100 million grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, near Evergreen, Colorado, on Tuesday. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

Colorado lawmakers launch bid to undercut ‘irresponsible’ road funding mandate in Initiative 175

May 1, 2026 at 5:16 p.m.

鈥淲hat we cannot do is fill a pothole and close a hospital,鈥� said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, a Fort Collins Democrat. 鈥淎nd that抖阴ap the situation that we will be faced with"...

A Flock Safety license plate recognition camera in use in Arvada, Colorado, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Police opposition kills Colorado lawmakers’ attempts to limit Flock cameras, data collection

April 30, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

"We had no leverage because law enforcement knew ... the governor would veto a bill with anything in it they didn鈥檛 like,鈥� Sen. Judy Amabile said.

Cann seltzers are made with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) extracted from hemp. In Jan., the company launched one of its product lines, the Lo Boys, in more than 30 Colorado retail stores. And no, you don't have to go to a dispensary to buy them. (Provided by Marcy Chandler/Cann)

Colorado lawmakers yank bills reworking marijuana sales tax, allowing wider sales of more potent THC drinks

April 29, 2026 at 5:27 p.m.

A pair of bills that would have changed rules around marijuana and THC-infused drinks in Colorado died this week after the sponsors yanked them ahead of their first votes.

Sen. Lisa Frizell speaks in the Senate chamber during a special session at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on Aug. 26, 2025. This spring, she won an amendment to the state budget that was then modified by the budget committee.(Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)

State budget heads to Gov. Jared Polis after lawmakers wrestle with cuts to disability services

April 29, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

鈥淭his has clearly been a lengthy and painful set of discussions about how we address our Medicaid budget,鈥� Rep. Emily Sirota said after the final vote Tuesday.

Reps. Sean Camacho, right, and Jacque Phillips speak in the House chamber at the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Camacho is sponsoring a bill that would create new regulations for chatbots powered by artificial intelligence. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Colorado lawmakers grapple with limits on kids鈥� AI chatbot interactions — and access to adult content

April 26, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

"I think when you鈥檙e trying to regulate something that moves inherently faster than legislation ever could, it抖阴ap going to be a moving target," said Rep. Sean Camacho, who's sponsoring a...

Jamie Frederick wears pins during hearings on House Bill 25-1312 in the Old Supreme Court hearing room at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on April 30, 2025. The Senate Judiciary Committee listened to testimony from opponents and proponents of the proposal to extend legal protections to transgender people. Legislators took testimony for eight hours. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)

Gov. Jared Polis signs new law sealing name-change records for people younger than 18

May 5, 2026 at 9:39 a.m.

Colorado courts will now need to suppress name change records for minors under a new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis.

Robin Reichhardt, director of organizing with the Globeville Elyria Swansea Coalition, speaks to a small crowd at the edge of Elyria Park during a news conference to voice concerns about the CoreSite data center under construction directly across the street on February 13, 2026, in Denver. (Photo By Kathryn Scott/Special to The Denver Post)

Lawmakers prep for final dash on housing, data centers, gambling in the Colorado legislature this week

April 20, 2026 at 12:13 p.m.

The Colorado legislature has less than a month to complete its work -- both giving the 100 lawmakers and dozens of lobbyists a light at the end of the tunnel...

Debbie Fox poses for a portrait at her apartment in Arvada on Thursday, April 17, 2026. She was defrauded by a man she matched with on a dating app. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

A Colorado woman, defrauded of $58,000 by a dating match, says a bill requiring bank delays would鈥檝e saved her

April 20, 2026 at 11:31 a.m.

"I was devastated,鈥� Arvada resident Debbie Fox said of falling victim to fraud. 鈥淢y body collapsed to the floor. I couldn't comprehend this amount of harm that was done to...

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