Capitol Coverage

Protestors want Gov. Jared Polis to sign an executive order banning all guns in the state and implementing a gun buy-back program. Polis said such an order would be unconstitutional.

Three new laws signed this week launch a task force to study disability access across the state and make it easier for people with disabilities to sue if they experience discrimination. They also expand access to prosthetic devices needed for sports and outdoor recreation.

Colorado is now the first in the nation to pass a right-to-repair law. The law makes it easier for farmers and ranchers to access the tools they need to maintain and repair their own equipment. Farmers support the measure, but manufacturing trade groups aren’t happy.

Colorado’s 2023 legislative session ended on Monday. Democrats passed some historic pieces of legislation this year, but also failed to achieve some major policy priorities. Republicans struggled to assert influence, but also staged fierce resistance.

House Democrats have reinstated many of the zoning requirements in Gov. Jared Polis’ flagship housing bill a week after it was hollowed out in the Senate.

Democratic lawmakers are forging ahead in the face of sometimes-heated Republican opposition. They have more than 150 bills to get through by the time the legislative session ends on Monday.

The new laws make up the most consequential firearm reforms in Colorado history. They cover red flag laws, gun-buying age, gun purchase waiting periods, and a rollback of liability protections for the firearm industry.

A major land-use bill backed by Gov. Jared Polis didn’t have the votes to advance. A new amendment removes the measure’s core principles in an attempt to create a path forward.

Significant rollbacks to state-level requirements in the bill, which is backed by Gov. Jared Polis, have done little to sway opposition, which ranges from Colorado cities and towns to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

A bipartisan bill to be introduced this week in the state Senate would create the Colorado River Drought Task Force to develop legislation for next year’s legislative session.