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How a Bill Becomes Law in Colorado

Cómo Un Proyecto De Ley Se Convierte En Ley En Colorado

How a Bill Becomes Law in Colorado (Spanish)

This packet includes fiscal notes for bills introduced with the FY 2025-26 Long Bill, including SB 25-207 through SB 25-270. Fiscal notes for these bills are also be available individually on each bill page on the General Assembly website.

Term Limit Information for Members of the Colorado House of Representatives

Colorado receives annual payments from tobacco manufacturers as part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). The Tobacco MSA was reached in 1998 between certain tobacco manufacturers (known as “participating manufacturers”) and the governments of 52 states and territories. Under the MSA, participating tobacco manufacturers were released from health‑related claims associated with their products in exchange for making perpetual annual payments to states.

A recall is a process that allows voters to remove and replace an elected official before the official’s term ends. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado is one of 19 states that allow for the recall of state and local elected officials.

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.

This worksheet is provided to state agencies for responding to fiscal note information requests from Legislative Council Staff.

The purpose of this form is to collect fiscal assessments, including impacts to specific funding sources, for higher education based on legislation.

Section 10-22-107, C.R.S., establishes the Colorado Health Insurance Exchange Oversight Committee (oversight committee) for guiding the implementation of the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange, which currently does business under the name Connect for Health Colorado (exchange), and making recommendations to the General Assembly.

Submitted herewith is the final report of the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. The committee was created pursuant to Article 98 of Title 37, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to oversee an advisory task force that studies and makes recommendations concerning persons with behavioral health disorders who are justice-involved.

Submitted herewith is the final report of the Transportation Legislation Review Committee (TLRC). This committee was created pursuant to Section 43-2-145, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to give guidance and direction to the Colorado Department of Transportation on the development of the state transportation system, and to provide legislative oversight of and input into such development.

Legislative committees are a very important part of Colorado's legislative process. At a legislative committee hearing, citizens have an opportunity to express their views and have them incorporated into the official legislative record. In Colorado, every bill receives a public hearing by one of the legislature's committees. This memorandum provides guidance to the public in participating in the legislative process.

Submitted herewith is the final report of the American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee. This committee was created pursuant to Interim Committee Request Letter 2024-003. The purpose of this committee is to build better relationships between American Indian communities and the legislative branch through engaging in meaningful conversations between legislators, tribal citizens, and American Indian communities.

The State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent Government Act (SMART Act) was adopted in 2010 by House Bill 10-1119. This bill established a performance-based budgeting program.

Pursuant to Section 2-3-2002, C.R.S. (House Bill 24-1368), the Language Access Advisory Board was created in the Legislative Department for the 2024 interim to study and make recommendations on improving language access to the legislative process for populations with limited English proficiency. The advisory board met four times over the 2024 interim, and it is required to report to the Executive Committee of the Legislative Council by December 15, 2024, on its work and its recommendations.

Submitted herewith is the final report of the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. The committee was created pursuant to Article 98 of Title 37, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to oversee an advisory task force that studies and makes recommendations concerning persons with behavioral health disorders who are justice-involved.

This memorandum provides an overview of the statewide ballot measure process; a summary of the measures approved or rejected by Colorado voters between 1880 and 2024; and links to additional resources at the offices of the Colorado Legislative Council Staff and the Colorado Secretary of State.

Legislative Council Staff produces greenhouse gas emissions reports (GHG reports) that estimate the emissions impact of certain bills. Utilization of these reports has been low. The reports repeal following the 2025 session unless extended by legislation.

Fiscal notes are prepared by Colorado Legislative Council Staff (LCS) to provide the members of the Colorado General Assembly with the estimated impact of proposed legislation on state and local government revenue and expenditures. The fiscal note is a non-binding, decision-making tool for legislators and others to use when deliberating state policy.

Fiscal Note FAQ's