Staff Publications 2025 January Colorado General Assembly Digital Accessibility Report In accordance with Section 24-34-802 (1)(c)(II), C.R.S., The Colorado General Assembly Digital Accessibility Report outlines the ongoing efforts made by the staff of the legislative branch of the State of Colorado to improve and maintain a digital landscape that is inclusive and accessible to everyone, including its ongoing accessibility efforts to meet or exceed accessibility standards. This report will be updated quarterly through July 2025. Release date: 2025-01-31 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Session Related Publications House Term Limits Term Limit Information for Members of the Colorado House of Representatives Release date: 2025-01-30 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: General Assembly State Government Download
Staff Publications State Government Enterprises This memorandum provides information on state government enterprises under Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution, also known as the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). From FY 1993-94 through FY 2023-24, over 30 state government entities had received enterprise status for at least one fiscal year. In FY 2022-23, the most recent year for which financial data are available, enterprise revenue totaled $23.3 billion. Release date: 2025-01-22 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Fiscal Policy & Taxes State Government State Revenue & Budget Download
Staff Publications Strategies to Reduce Fiscal Impacts of Legislation Fiscal notes estimate the fiscal impact of legislation, including revenue impacts, state expenditures, and appropriations required. However, fiscal notes are decision-making tools for legislators, and the General Assembly is ultimately responsible for making appropriations and setting aside the state funding needed to implement legislation. This memorandum outlines several common strategies used to limit the fiscal impact of legislation, primarily expenditure impacts, and discusses how these strategies are treated in fiscal notes. Release date: 2025-01-14 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: General Assembly State Government Download
Session Related Publications Senate Term Limits Term Limit Information for Members of the Colorado State Senate Release date: 2025-03-05 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: General Assembly State Government Download
Staff Publications 2025 April Colorado General Assembly Digital Accessibility Report Pursuant to Section 24-34-802 (1)(c)(II), C.R.S., this report outlines the ongoing efforts of staff of the legislative branch of the state of Colorado to improve and maintain a digital landscape that meets or exceeds accessibility standards and is inclusive and accessible to all. Release date: 2025-05-05 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Summary of Major Legislation Summary of 2025 Capital Construction Legislation During the 2025 legislative session, the General Assembly considered a number of bills affecting funding for capital construction and the duties of the Capital Development Committee (CDC). Release date: 2025-06-09 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Capital Construction State Government State Revenue & Budget Download
Staff Publications Legislative Council Handbook Colorado statute establishes the Legislative Council as a body of 18 Senators and Representatives with specific functions and responsibilities (Section 2-3-301, et seq., C.R.S.). Six senators are appointed, with the President of the Senate appointing the majority party members and the Minority Leader appointing the minority party members, all of whom must be approved by a majority of the Senate. Release date: 2025-06-27 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: General Assembly State Government Download
Staff Publications Overview of Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association This memo provides an overview of PERA with a focus on the state legislature’s role in the pension system. PERA also has a wide variety of resources on its website for members, employers, and retirees. Release date: 2025-07-14 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Financial Services & Commerce State Government Download
Staff Publications Glossary of Legislative Terms (2015) Glossary of Legislative Terms Release date: 2015-03-10 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Staff Publications Staff Summary LERP Committee (10/23/2014) STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY Release date: 2014-10-28 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Staff Publications Conservation Easement Income Tax Incentives (2015) The federal and state governments each provide tax incentives for landowners who designate their land as a conservation easement, foregoing certain use rights in order to preserve the land in perpetuity. This memorandum provides information on federal and state conservation easement tax incentives. Release date: 2015-11-02 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Fiscal Policy & Taxes State Government Natural Resources & Environment Download
Issue Briefs Legislative Decision-Making and Colorado's Pension Plans (2013) Like other states, Colorado offers retirement benefits to its employees through a variety of pension plans. The state's pension plans are established in law and include both employee and employer contributions, which are made in lieu of contributions to the federal Social Security program. The state's two public pension systems are the Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) and the Fire and Police Pension Association (FPPA). Release date: 2013-12-05 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Financial Services & Commerce State Government Download
Issue Briefs Overview of the Colorado Open Records Act (2016) The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) 1 creates a presumption in favor of public access to government documents. This issue brief addresses CORA’s two threshold questions: 1) what is and is not considered a public record; and 2) which public records are exempt from disclosure. It also briefly outlines CORA’s requirements for responding to an open records request. Release date: 2016-12-06 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Local Government State Government Download
Issue Briefs Colorado Judges (2016) Colorado’s state court system is comprised of many different courts, including the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals (COA), and district courts. Colorado law also governs county courts and jurisdiction-specific courts in Denver.1 This issue brief describes the qualification requirements and appointment, retention, and disciplinary processes for Colorado judges. Release date: 2016-11-28 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Courts & Judicial State Government Download
Staff Publications Criteria and Procedures for the Gift or Loan of Objects of Art or Memorials (2014) This document has been created to provide persons and organizations with information regarding the procedures and criteria established by the State Capitol Building Advisory Committee for the placement of donated or loaned art in the State Capitol Building and its grounds. It includes the application procedures, the criteria and procedures used by the Advisory Committee to evaluate proposals, along with application forms, and other relevant information. Release date: 2014-01-07 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Staff Publications State of Colorado Legislative Council: Responsibilities and Procedures (2016) Quick Facts About the Legislative Council Release date: 2016-04-12 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Issue Briefs Capital Construction and the Role of the Capital Development Committee (2016) The day-to-day expenses of state government are paid through the operating budget in the state's annual budget bill. Expenses related to new construction, renovation, or maintenance of the state's capital assets are paid through the capital budget. This issue brief outlines the types of projects and expenses defined as capital construction, the role of the Capital Development Committee (CDC) in overseeing the approval and implementation of capital projects, and funding for capital projects. Release date: 2016-11-14 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Capital Construction State Government Download
Final/Annual Reports Final Report of the State Capitol Building Advisory Committee (2016) To Members of the Seventieth General Assembly: Release date: 2016-02-16 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Staff Publications Colorado Legislative Branch Policy on Services for Persons with Disabilities, Including Grievance Resolution Procedures Release date: 2025-06-18 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Final/Annual Reports Legislative Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Committee, Final Report The 2016 final report provides a complete summary of all LEPRRC activity in 2016. Release date: 2017-06-19 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download
Issue Briefs State Procurement and Contracting The purchase of goods and services by most executive branch agencies in Colorado is generally governed by the state procurement code and rules (code and rules). The code and rules are designed to ensure the fair treatment of people seeking to do business with the state, to foster broad-based competition through a bidding process, and to save money on purchases made with state funds. This issue brief outlines the agencies and types of purchases subject to the code and rules, explains the vendor selection process, discusses bidding and contracting for construction projects, Release date: 2017-05-09 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Capital Construction Download
Staff Publications State Employee Payroll Schedule This memorandum addresses questions around recent announcements and consideration of changes to the state employee payroll schedule. Legislative Council Staff has received inquiries regarding the timing and amount of state employee payroll during the months of July and August 2018 as a result of a March 8, 2018 email from the Department of Personnel and Administration (DPA) to Executive Branch employees. The email announces a transition in July 2018 from monthly to biweekly lag pay. Release date: 2018-04-10 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Labor & Employment State Government State Revenue & Budget Download
Budget Related Publications Capital Development Committee FY 2016-17 Annual Report The purpose of the CDC final report is to provide annual and historical information on the capital development process. The 2017 final report provides a complete summary of all capital construction and controlled maintenance appropriations during the 2017 session. A five-year history and three-year forecast of capital project funding are also included. The report concludes with a description of other actions taken by the CDC in FY 2016-17, and a summary of 2017 legislation enacted by the General Assembly that impacts capital development funding or the capital development p Release date: 2017-08-15 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: Capital Construction State Government State Revenue & Budget Download
Staff Publications Legislative Request for Interim Study Committee Release date: 2018-06-25 Publishing Agency: Legislative Council Staff Subjects: State Government Download