After days of uncertainty, the Colorado legislature met one of its key deadlines Monday — the introduction of the state budget, known as the long bill.
That puts the long bill on track to hit the House floor as scheduled this week, after the Joint Budget Committee raced to finalize the 2024-25 spending plan around 2 a.m. Friday.
The full long bill narrative hadn’t been posted online as of Tuesday morning, so we still don’t know exactly how big the budget is. But we can give you a little more detail on what’s in it.
Here are four things the JBC put into the long bill — and a few others that didn’t make the cut.
Public defenders: The JBC approved $8 million for the Office of the State Public Defender to hire 92 new employees next budget year, including 50 new attorneys.
The public defender’s office had initially requested 138 new employees, citing new workload standards backed by the American Bar Association that show the state is badly understaffed. However, office leaders pared their request back to 92 new positions after the JBC balked at the initial request.
JBC staff recommended staggering the new hires over the next several months, shaving about $2.8 million off the office’s final request. The JBC also approved a separate request to hire 11 new social workers.
Psychiatric beds: The budget panel approved $68 million to help reduce the state’s waitlist for psychiatric beds, addressing a top priority of Gov. Jared Polis and budget writers alike. Department of Human Services officials say the money would help the state open three forensic health units and provide dozens more beds that had closed due to lack of staffing.
Colorado is constitutionally required to provide mental health treatment to those deemed incompetent to stand trial, but a lack of beds at state mental health hospitals in Pueblo and at Fort Logan in Denver has left a large backlog of patients waiting in jail before they can receive treatment.
The JBC initially approved the administration’s full request for $75 million, but lawmakers trimmed it back just before 2 a.m. Friday amid a flurry of last-minute cuts as they balanced the budget.
Special education: The JBC fully funded special education, a so-called “categorical” program, a $34.7 million increase versus the current budget. That was around double the $17.7 million increase the administration had requested, which represented the minimum the state was required to spend to meet its constitutional obligations.
The additional money came entirely from the State Education Fund.
Placeholders: Lawmakers approved a number of placeholders for future legislation. They include:
Auto theft prevention: In a last-minute addition to the long bill before it was introduced Monday evening, the JBC approved $8.1 million to expand a state car theft prevention program.
The administration had initially sought a $12.5 million boost for the program, one of its top public safety priorities in next year’s budget. The full amount would have hired 11 new employees, funded public outreach and education, covered overtime costs for law enforcement agencies and implemented new programs, including a tracking and reporting system.
On Monday, the JBC approved 6 new employees for the initiative. The proposed budget calls for $7.3 million from the state’s general fund, with the rest coming from the Highway Users Tax Fund.
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MORE: Here’s a couple items that didn’t make it into the spending plan.
Environmental inspectors: The JBC rejected a $900,000 request to hire eight environmental inspectors and outreach staff who would have focused on disproportionately impacted communities, such as low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Lawmakers initially rejected the request based on incorrect information that understated how many inspections the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment conducts in such communities today. Initially, JBC members told The Sun they would likely reconsider it this month. But with the state facing a budget shortfall, a comeback request from the department was never brought to a vote.
Youth services: The JBC rejected a $3.6 million increase for the Tony Grampsas Youth Program. The administration said it would have supported an additional 30 programs with the potential to serve around 7,300 kids. Initially, Polis had proposed using marijuana tax collections to fund the proposal, then pivoted to seeking general fund money.
The JBC opted for neither when the March revenue forecasts left them facing steep budget deficits in both funds.
STORY: Colorado lawmakers reject request to hire state lawyers to prosecute gun crimes in federal court
WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK
THE BIG STORY
At the 11th hour, Republicans finally provide details on how they plan to select their CD4 special election nominee
Colorado GOP leadership Monday night finally provided details on how they plan to conduct their vacancy committee meeting Thursday to select a GOP nominee for the June 25 special election in the 4th Congressional District.
The vacuum of information led some candidates to avoid the race, which will determine who serves out the rest of former U.S. Rep. Ken Buck’s term, which ends in January 2025. It also amplified the concerns and conspiracies that are already swirling around Buck’s sudden resignation.
Why it matters: The 4th District is so favorable to Republicans that whoever is selected as the nominee will be a shoo-in to win the special election June 25. The vacancy committee’s rules will play a pivotal role in that.
Former state Sen. Tom Wiens, the Republican chair in the 4th District, said in an email Monday night to the 111 vacancy committee members that the rules were drafted in consultation with the state party and Chairman Dave Williams.
Here are the highlights:
How Democrats are doing it: Democrats released their 4th District vacancy committee plans soon after Buck announced his resignation, including how long candidates will have to speak to the committee’s 246 delegates, how the order in which they speak will be decided and how delegates can ask questions of those who are running. Candidates for the April 1 virtual meeting must announce their intention to run at least 48 hours before the meeting.
Democrats, like Republicans, will require their nominee to secure a majority of the vote to be elected. And similar to the GOP, Democrats will force the candidate who receives the fewest votes to drop out until someone has secured a majority.
MORE: The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office released rules Saturday for how the June 25 special election in the 4th District will be conducted. The guidelines were issued after Gov. Jared Polis formally announced that the special election will be held on the same day as the primary election.
Some highlights from the rules:
Why it matters: The rules show that while combining the special election and primary on June 25 may save money, it still won’t be free — or uncomplicated — to hold the special election.
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THE POLITICAL TICKER
CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Americans for Prosperity Action spent nearly $180,000 from March 16 through Friday to support three Republican congressional candidates in Colorado it has endorsed. More than $90,000 of that sum went to digital advertising, canvassing and door hangers to support Jeff Crank, a conservative commentator and regional AFP vice president running to represent the 5th Congressional District. The conservative super PAC spent $73,000 on digital ads and canvassing to support state Rep. Gabe Evans in the 8th Congressional District, while about $17,000 was spent on canvassing to support Grand Junction attorney Jeff Hurd in the 3rd Congressional District. The political action committee is funded by Koch Industries, as well as members of the Walton family.
ELECTIONS: Colorado ranked third on MIT’s Election Performance Index for the 2022 election, receiving an 87% score. That was behind New Mexico and Michigan, which each received 88%. The index is based on factors including turnout, registration rates and data completeness.
WELD COUNTY: Two Republicans who served together in the Colorado House of Representatives and are now Weld County commissioners will face each other in the June 25 primary. Commissioner Lori Saine switched from running for reelection to her District 3 seat at the Weld County GOP assembly Saturday to challenge at-large Commissioner Perry Buck, who is also running for reelection. Saine won the most votes at the assembly — 116 to Buck’s 99 —meaning her name will be first on the ballot.
MORE: The Weld County GOP also approved a resolution during the assembly that would prohibit Colorado GOP officers from simultaneously running for or serving in elected office. It’s unclear if a similar resolution will be considered at the state assembly April 6, since it would apply to current GOP Chairman Dave Williams, who is running to represent the 5th Congressional District.
STORY: Should Steamboat build 2,264 homes for 6,000 workers? Voters get a say on Tuesday.
STORY: Pharmaceutical company Amgen sues Colorado over price-setting prescription drug board
COLORADO POLITICS: Republican state chair Dave Williams wins top-line in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District primary
THE DENVER POST: Is Colorado’s elections chief too political? Jena Griswold fights criticism of Trump-focused partisanship.
THE DENVER POST: How Wyatts Towing allegedly circumvented Colorado’s new towing law — and why legislators are pushing for further reform
THE VAIL DAILY: Western Slope lawmakers introduce rival bill to protect Colorado wetlands
COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO: Rep. Ken Buck will miss the people, but not the dysfunction, as he leaves Congress
CHART OF THE WEEK
There were 304 proposed ballot measures filed with Legislative Council Staff for the November ballot.
Many of the initiatives are similar and only have slight variations as their proponents sought the best ballot language.
The Unaffiliated examined the measures to group them into topic areas. Here are the most common categories:
Most initiatives don’t make it through the Title Board after receiving a preliminary hearing before Legislative Council Staff.
In fact, only the proponents of Initiative 50 — which would limit statewide property tax revenue increases to 4% annually — have gathered enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot. Another dozen initiatives have been approved by the state’s Title Board for signature gathering.
Keep in mind: Friday was the deadline to file measures for the November ballot with Legislative Council Staff. Any measures filed by that deadline have until April 5 to be filed with the Title Board for consideration for the November ballot. Measures must be heard before the board by April 17, with rehearings complete by April 26, to still be eligible to go before voters in the fall. Signature gathering must be wrapped up by Aug. 5.
There were 59 measures filed with LCS just before the deadline. As of midday Monday, there were 51 measures that had gone through LCS review but hadn’t been filed with the Title Board. There were 19 measures filed with the Title Board that hadn’t been heard yet.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Corrections & Clarifications
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