Colorado’s legislature passes bills with the potential to affect every Coloradan, often in ways deeper and more immediate than changes approved by Congress. School funding, health insurance, transportation, criminal justice, tax policy and a range of other issues and programs come under the scope of the Colorado General Assembly, which begins its 2022 lawmaking term […]
Capitol Sunlight
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
A guide to how Amendment 23, “the budget stabilization factor” and “the negative factor” shape education spending in Colorado
The fight over school funding in Colorado has become one of the state’s most consequential political battlegrounds, a defining issue in elections and governance from the local level all the way up to the governor’s office. But following the debate can be difficult. Lurking behind every fight over teacher pay and four-day school weeks is […]
Posted inPolitics and Government
Do you have a good idea for a new state law? Here’s how to get it drafted by Colorado lawmakers
The next Colorado legislative session doesn’t start until Jan. 8, but the deadline for legislators to submit ideas for bills is quickly approaching. And this means it’s an opportune time to share ideas and concerns with your state lawmakers. All 100 state lawmakers are allowed to introduce five bills each year, and the deadline for […]
Posted inEducation, Environment, Health, Politics and Government
Gov. Jared Polis made headway on 22% of his campaign pledges so far, Promise Tracker analysis shows
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis finished signing legislation from the 2019 session this week, and now he owes the General Assembly a big thank you. The Democratic-led legislature sent dozens of bills to Polis’ desk that helped him make progress toward his campaign promises. A new tally from The Colorado Sun’s Promise Tracker shows the governor […]
Posted inPolitics and Government
A new state lawmaker’s first session is over. And she got an earful about it at a town hall meeting.
This is the final story from an occasional series as part of The Colorado Sun’s Capitol Sunlight project explaining how state government works. Read part one and part two. LITTLETON — Lisa Cutter starts her first town hall since the end of the legislative session with a breathless list of accomplishments. Addressing mental health in […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics and Government
How a first-year Colorado lawmaker tried to “go big or go home” with a zero-waste bill
This is the second story in an occasional series as part of The Colorado Sun’s Capitol Sunlight project explaining how state government works. Read part one — and part three. The deadline for her bill title looms, and Lisa Cutter doesn’t know where to start. Just two months earlier, the first-time candidate won an improbable […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Chaos and conflict brewing at the Colorado Capitol as Democrats push a big agenda and the GOP resists
The atmosphere at the Colorado Capitol is becoming chaotic. A major overhaul of the oil and gas industry is drawing protests. Other controversial legislation is pushing debates late into the night. Gov. Jared Polis is feuding with lawmakers from his own party. Democrats are battling each other on major priorities, including a repeal of the […]
Posted inPolitics and Government
Here’s a guide to how the Colorado state budget works, and how much is spent
Colorado lawmakers debate hundreds of bills each year, but only one must win approval: the state budget. Known as the “long bill,” the annual spending plan for state government is estimated to reach north of $30 billion for the fiscal year that starts July 1. And the debate about how to spend the money is […]
Posted inUncategorized
What you need to know about TABOR, Gallagher, Amendment 23 and the hidden forces that constrain spending in Colorado
Coloradans want better schools, faster commutes and safer streets, but they usually don’t want to pay higher taxes to get them. And thanks to a tangle of voter-approved constitutional spending restrictions and mandates, that fundamental tension between services and spending is more complicated to navigate in Colorado than just about any other state. What separates […]
Posted inPolitics and Government
From the sidelines to the march, and now to the Capitol: One woman’s journey in the Trump era
The first in an occasional series. This is part of The Colorado Sun’s Capitol Sunlight project. See more Capitol Sunlight stories here. And read part two and part three in the series. In between briefings and meetings at the Capitol this week, first-year state Rep. Lisa Cutter received a phone call from a young woman […]