The Colorado General Assembly’s Democratic majority used the week of April 27 to advance its highest-profile remaining priorities, including a major immigration spending bill, expanded abortion access on college campuses, and a narrowly passed firearm restriction — all over unified Republican opposition.
HB26-1276, the immigrant protection bill, passed the House 42-21 Monday. The bill appropriates state funds to expand legal and support services for individuals in Colorado regardless of immigration status, and creates new restrictions on how state and local agencies cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Every Republican present voted no. The bill now moves to the Senate.
HB26-1335, requiring Colorado public colleges and universities to provide abortion medication through campus health services, passed 41-22. Campus health systems would be required to offer medication abortion services regardless of whether the institution has opted into providing them previously. The vote followed party lines with no Republican support.
SB26-043, creating a criminal penalty for unlawful firearm barrel sales, cleared the House 33-32 Thursday — the narrowest margin of the week. The bill had been laid over twice since March as sponsors worked to secure the votes. A firearm barrel is not itself a regulated part under federal law; the bill imposes a state-level criminal charge for sales the legislature defines as unlawful. Three Democrats joined all Republicans in opposition.
HB26-1225, the Distributed Energy Resources Requirements bill, passed 46-17. The bill expands mandates on utilities to integrate customer-owned energy systems — solar, batteries, and similar installations — into grid planning and operations. Critics argued it imposes compliance costs on rural electric cooperatives with limited capacity to absorb them.
SB26-155, the homeowner’s insurance expansion bill, cleared the Senate 20-14. The bill expands the state’s FAIR Plan — the insurer of last resort — and modifies underwriting rules for the private market. Supporters argued the state’s insurance market, stressed by wildfire risk, requires intervention. Opponents said the bill restructures coverage obligations in ways that raise costs across the board.
SB26-142, the Thermal Energy Resources Development bill, passed the Senate 27-7. The bill creates a new state framework for developing geothermal and other thermal energy sources on state lands, centralizing permitting authority and establishing royalty structures. The bill adds a new regulatory layer to an energy sector that currently operates under existing mineral rights law.
SB26-171, restricting the disposal of preproduction plastic materials, passed the Senate 29-6. The bill targets plastic pellets — the raw material used in manufacturing — imposing handling and spill-prevention requirements on producers and transporters. Industry groups had argued the bill duplicates existing federal environmental regulations.
HB26-1345, modifying the higher education funding allocation model, passed the House 54-9. The bill restructures how the state distributes funding among public colleges and universities, shifting weight toward enrollment and completion metrics. Smaller institutions argued the formula changes disadvantage rural and regional campuses that serve non-traditional student populations.
HB26-1414, the Medical Record Requests bill, passed the House 45-18. The bill modifies how health care entities respond to patient record requests, imposing new timelines and format requirements. The mandate applies to a broad range of covered entities regardless of size.
HB26-1147, the Host Home program bill for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, passed 44-19. The bill expands and modifies a program that places individuals with disabilities in family home settings. Opponents raised concerns about state oversight requirements layered onto participating families.
HB26-1306, the wild horse license plate creation bill, passed 52-11. The bill creates a new specialty license plate with proceeds directed to wild horse advocacy programs — adding another line to a specialty plate portfolio that already exceeds 100 options.
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent.
