January 30, 2025

THE MOTHER LODE

A short, sweet, and rich summary of what’s happened at the Capitol

Today marks the 23rd day of the 2025 Colorado General Assembly. The session started strong, with 130 bills introduced on opening day. Since then, 134 more bills have been filed, bringing the total to 264.

Bill filings are slightly behind last year’s pace. By the 16th day of the 2024 session, 120 bills had been introduced in the State House and 104 in the State Senate. This year, by the same point, the State House had introduced 99 bills, and the State Senate had filed 93—both lower than last year’s numbers.

Last week, the House Transportation Committee held the session’s first committee meeting. Since then, committee hearings have taken place daily. A recurring theme in both parties’ questioning has been the fiscal impact of each bill and its effect on the state budget. Given the projected budget shortfall of over $1 billion this year, this line of questioning is expected to continue throughout the session.

The first hearing for SB25-003, the “Semiautomatic Firearms Ban,” took place on Tuesday, January 28. The bill seeks to ban firearms with detachable magazines and “rapid-fire devices,” effectively outlawing approximately 40% of all firearms in the state. Proponents argued that the bill is not a ban but rather an enforcement measure for the 2013 magazine limit law. It is shaping up to be one of the most contentious bills of the session and may ultimately come down to Governor Polis to sign or veto. Over 500 individuals signed up to testify, and the hearing lasted more than nine hours before the bill was approved to move to the Senate floor for a vote.

On January 27, Jamie Jackson was sworn in as the new state representative for House District 41, replacing Sen. Iman Jodeh. Jackson serves as the COO of The Naloxone Project, chairs the Aurora NAACP’s criminal justice committee, and is vice president of Colorado Black Women for Political Action. She won 52% of the vote in the Arapahoe County Democratic vacancy election, defeating community activist and former Congressman Jason Crow staffer Aly DeWillis-Marcano and Aurora School Board President Anne Keke.

Finally, Representative Scott Bottoms, now in his second term, announced his candidacy for governor during a church service on January 19. Both the Republican and Democratic primaries are expected to be highly competitive. Currently, Attorney General Phil Weiser is the only Democrat to declare his candidacy, though others are rumored to be joining the race soon.

THE BILLFOLD

Updates on impactful legislation

House Bill 25-1090
Protections Against Deceptive Pricing Practices
Sponsors: Rep. Sirota, Rep Naquetta Ricks, Sen Mike Weissman, Sen Lisa Cutter
Last Action:
Summary: is a bill aimed at protecting consumers from deceptive pricing practices. It requires businesses to clearly disclose the original price of products and services when offering discounts or promotional pricing. It establishes guidelines for pricing accuracy and penalties for violations, enhancing consumer protection in Colorado.

Senate Bill 25-076
Intoxicating Substances & Social Equity Business
Sponsors:
 Rep Kyle Brown, Rep Judy Amabile, Sen Byron Pelton,
Last Action:
Summary: It prioritizes business opportunities for individuals from communities impacted by past drug policies, aiming to increase diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry. The bill also sets standards for labeling and regulating cannabis potency to ensure consumer safety and prevent overconsumption.

Senate Bill 25-072
Regulation of Kratom
Sponsors:
 Sen Kyle Mullica, Sen Byron Pelton, Rep Mandy Lindsay, Rep Matt Soper
Last Action:
Summary: The bill establishes safety standards, including quality control and labeling requirements for kratom products, to ensure consumer protection. It also outlines age restrictions, banning the sale of kratom to minors, and addresses potential health risks associated with its use. The goal is to create a balanced approach that ensures consumer safety while allowing legal access to kratom.

Senate Bill 25-071
Prohibit Restrictions on 340B Drugs
Sponsors: 
Sen Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Sen Janice Rich, Rep Matthew Martinez, Rep Rick Taggart
Last Action:
Summary: is a bill aimed at prohibiting restrictions on the distribution or use of drugs purchased through the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The 340B program allows healthcare providers that serve low-income or vulnerable populations to purchase drugs at discounted prices. This bill seeks to ensure that such healthcare providers can continue to access these discounts without interference, ensuring affordable medication for underserved communities.

Senate Bill 25-061
Federally Recognized Tribes & Construction of Laws
Sponsors:
 Sen Cleave Simpson, Rep Ron Weinberg, Rep Junie Joseph
Last Action:
Summary: is a bill that aims to enhance the recognition and authority of federally recognized tribes in the context of state laws and regulations. The bill seeks to ensure that tribes have greater autonomy and input when it comes to the construction and application of laws that impact them, promoting stronger collaboration between tribal governments and state authorities in addressing legal matters.

Senate Bill 25-057
Noncitizen Voter Registration Cancellation
Sponsors
: Sen Mark Baisley, Rep Chris Richardson
Last Action:
Summary: is a bill that addresses the cancellation of voter registrations for noncitizens. The legislation seeks to ensure that individuals who are not U.S. citizens are removed from voter registration rolls, preventing them from participating in elections. The bill aims to strengthen the integrity of the voter registration process by ensuring that only eligible citizens are registered to vote.

Senate Bill 25-055
Youth Involvement in Environmental Justice 
Sponsors:
 Sen Faith Winter, Rep Janice Marchman
Last Action:
Summary: is a bill that focuses on increasing youth involvement in environmental justice initiatives. It aims to engage young people in decision-making processes related to environmental issues, particularly those affecting marginalized communities. The bill seeks to provide opportunities for youth to actively participate in addressing environmental challenges, fostering leadership and advocacy for sustainable and equitable solutions.

BUDGET BONANZA

The State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent Government Act (SMART Government Act) wrapped up last week. The SMART Government Act requires government agencies to give comprehensive information to joint legislative committees annually, within the first two weeks of session. This rule is designed to improve accountability, responsiveness, and transparency in government activities, helping the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) make informed decisions about budget allocations.

The JBC and joint committees continued with their SMART Act hearings, which will be finishing up shortly.  The JBC and Governor Polis have some big decisions to make in the coming weeks with a budget shortfall of at least $1 Billion.  The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) is one third of the state general fund’s budget, education is another one third and all other departments receive distributions from the last third.

This off-year election legislative session is shaping up to be a heated one, with political divisions already on full display. Last week, tensions were high during the Secretary of State’s SMART Act hearing, where the department’s proposed budget was discussed. Republicans took this opportunity to criticize Secretary Griswold, and things got heated when Representative Scott Bottoms was cut off by the committee chair, Representative Wilford, who also abruptly ended questioning for the Secretary of State. However, during the HCPF SMART Act meeting, both Republicans and Democrats took aim at the department’s director. Senator Kyle Mullica came out firing and questioned the director’s leadership abilities, reflecting the growing frustration from both sides of the political aisle with the department.

CAPITOL CHATTER

Press releases, news articles, and more

News Article – January 27, 2025 – Colorado Sun
Manny Rutinel, Democratic state representative, is running in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District

News Article – January 24, 2025 – Colorado Public Radio
‘SMART’ hearings occupy the start of every legislative session. But are they actually making state government smarter?

News Article – January 23, 2025 – Denver 7
Colorado lawmakers roll out bills aimed at tackling high cost of living

News Article – January 23, 2025 – Colorado Springs Gazette
Colorado Democratic lawmakers mull legislation to counteract Trump’s executive orders

News Article – January 23, 2025 – Denver 7
Colorado voters prioritize pocketbooks over politics, new poll finds

News Article – January 22, 2025 – Summit Daily
Pro-union legislation clears first vote at Colorado Capitol

News Article – January 22, 2025 – Colorado Sun
More Colorado PERA benefit cuts “likely” in next two years

News Article – January 22, 2025 – Colorado Sun
A fight over 340B, the federal program to help hospitals with prescription drug costs, is coming to the Colorado Capitol

News Article – January 22, 2025 – Aurora Sentinel
Aurora activist Jamie Jackson wins House District 41 vacancy race

News Article – January 20, 2025 – Colorado Sun
Jared Polis reveals his stance on the gun, labor and housing bills before the Colorado legislature this year