Governor Jared Polis received 191 bills from the Colorado General Assembly’s 2026 session as lawmakers adjourned May 14. The stack includes a Medicaid expansion, a new front Range rail district, major election law changes, a revived Labor Peace Act, and dozens of regulatory expansions. It also includes property rights reforms, a civil asset forfeiture overhaul, deregulation of cottage foods and fitness instructors, and strengthened criminal penalties for child sex trafficking. The governor has 30 days after adjournment to act on each bill or it becomes law without his signature.
Of the 191 bills, the High Country Advocate classifies 67 as Good — legislation that reduces government, expands individual rights, or deregulates — and 87 as Bad — legislation that expands government, imposes new mandates, or restricts individual rights. Thirty-seven are classified neutral: administrative updates, routine sunset continuations, and technical statutory corrections with no substantive policy change.
GOVERNMENT EXPANSION — BAD BILLS ON POLIS DESK
Health Care & Medicaid
HB26-1411 — Changes to Cover All Coloradans Program. Expands the state’s Medicaid program. BAD.
HB26-1235 — Updates to Medicaid. Expands Medicaid coverage and services. BAD.
HB26-1328 — Medicaid Nonemergency Medical Transportation. Expands state Medicaid transportation services. BAD.
HB26-1063 — Treating People with Behavioral Health Disorder. Expands state behavioral health programs. BAD.
HB26-1139 — Use of Artificial Intelligence in Health Care. Imposes new AI regulation mandates on health care providers and systems. BAD.
HB26-1195 — Psychotherapy Artificial Intelligence Restrictions. Bans certain AI tools in psychotherapy practice. BAD.
SB26-178 — Health Insurance Affordability Measures. Expands state health insurance affordability programs. BAD.
SB26-187 — Establishing Commission on Medicaid. Creates a new state commission to oversee Medicaid. BAD.
SB26-188 — Residential Treatment for Members in DHS Custody. Expands state residential treatment programs. BAD.
SB26-131 — Sports Betting Protections. Imposes new consumer mandates on sports betting operators. BAD.
HB26-1019 — Kidney Screening Mandatory Preventive Coverage. Requires insurers to cover kidney screening without cost-sharing. Insurance mandate. BAD.
Labor & Workforce
HB26-1005 — Worker Protection Collective Bargaining. Repeals Colorado’s 1943 Labor Peace Act, which required 75 percent of all eligible employees — not just those casting ballots — to vote in favor before a union shop could be established. Workers in unionized workplaces can now be required to pay union dues as a condition of employment. BAD.
HB26-1054 — Protections for Worker Safety. Imposes new workplace safety mandates on employers. BAD.
HB26-1272 — Extreme Temperatures Worker Protections. Requires employers to provide heat and cold protections meeting new state standards. BAD.
HB26-1010 — Older Adult Support & Representation in Workforce. Creates a state workforce program targeting older adults. BAD.
SB26-093 — Workers’ Comp Insurance Coverage Verification. Adds new employer verification requirements for workers’ compensation coverage. BAD.
SB26-160 — Personal Protective Equipment & Meatpackers. Imposes PPE mandates on meatpacking employers. BAD.
SB26-181 — Works Program Reserves & Cost of Living Adjustment. Expands WORKS program reserves and adds a cost of living adjustment. BAD.
Transportation & Energy
SB26-172 — Front Range Passenger Rail District. Creates a new state government district with authority to build and operate passenger rail along the Front Range. BAD.
SB26-002 — Energy Affordability. Expands utility mandates and community solar programs. BAD.
SB26-003 — End-of-Life Management of Electric Vehicle Batteries. Creates a state-mandated EV battery recycling program. BAD.
HB26-1225 — Distributed Energy Resources Requirements. Imposes new mandates on utilities for integrating distributed energy. BAD.
HB26-1226 — Manage Emissions from Electric Generating Units. Adds new emissions mandates on power generators. BAD.
HB26-1065 — Transit and Housing Investment Zones. Creates new state planning authority for transit and housing zones. BAD.
HB26-1269 — Transit Access. Expands state transit funding and mandates. BAD.
HB26-1102 — Funding for Colorado DRIVES Account. Diverts funds to grow the state DMV program. BAD.
HB26-1273 — Transportation Network Company Maximum Percent Fare Retention. Caps the share of fare revenue rideshare companies retain — a state price control on private companies. BAD.
HB26-1430 — Transportation Funding Adjustments. Diverts transportation funds and changes the allocation formula. BAD.
HB26-1043 — Transportation Network Company Discriminatory Practices. Imposes new mandates on rideshare companies regarding passenger discrimination. BAD.
HB26-1424 — Transportation Network Company Consumer Protection. Adds a new consumer mandate layer on rideshare companies. BAD.
SB26-150 — Modernizing Regional Transportation District. Expands the RTD government structure. BAD.
SB26-182 — Updated Clean Energy Plan Municipally Owned Utilities. Expands clean energy mandates on municipal utilities. BAD.
SB26-165 — Species Conservation Measures. Expands state species conservation mandates on landowners and agencies. BAD.
SB26-146 — Restrict Single-Use Food Serviceware Distribution. Mandates against single-use plastics and food serviceware. BAD.
Housing & Land Use
HB26-1038 — County Commissioner Redistricting. Changes the process by which county commissioner districts are drawn. BAD.
HB26-1313 — Adjust Requirements Statewide Affordable Housing Fund. Expands state affordable housing mandates and fund requirements. BAD.
HB26-1045 — Disability Housing Protections. Expands state regulation of housing and landlord obligations. BAD.
HB26-1224 — Protections for Mobile Home Park Residents. Adds new state mandates on mobile home park operators. BAD.
Education
SB26-023 — School Finance Act. Increases the state school funding formula and appropriations. BAD.
SB26-135 — State Public K-12 Education Funding. Increases state K-12 funding appropriations. BAD.
SB26-080 — Cradle to Career Grant Program Creation. Creates a new state grant program for cradle-to-career education initiatives. BAD.
SB26-103 — At-Risk Public School Program & Public School Accountability. Expands state school accountability programs. BAD.
SB26-125 — Disability Rights Protections in Public Schools. Expands mandates on schools for disability compliance. BAD.
HB26-1006 — Thriving Institution Designations for Higher Education. Creates a new state designation and compliance regime for higher education institutions. BAD.
HB26-1028 — Second Language Education Program for High School Students. Creates a new state language education program. BAD.
HB26-1029 — Student Representation Commission on Higher Education. Creates a new state commission. BAD.
HB26-1317 — Unified Postsecondary Talent Development System. Creates a new state workforce training coordination system. BAD.
HB26-1345 — Higher Education Funding Allocation Model Changes. Alters the higher education funding formula in ways that increase state control. BAD.
HB26-1428 — Administration of Publicly Funded Education Programs. Expands state control over publicly funded education programs. BAD.
SB26-170 — Task Force to Expand Effective Public Schools. Creates a state task force focused on public school expansion. BAD.
HB26-1016 — Continuation of Open Education Resources Program. Continues a state education program. BAD.
HB26-1335 — Abortion Medication Access on College Campuses. Requires state college campuses to make abortion medication available. BAD.
HB26-1417 — Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act Testing Entities. Expands CADA to include testing organizations, adding new compliance mandates. BAD.
Children & Family
HB26-1260 — Updates to Child Care Assistance Programs. Expands state child care subsidy programs. BAD.
SB26-020 — Child Care Provider Licensing & Quality. Expands state licensing and quality mandates on child care providers. BAD.
HB26-1147 — Host Home for People with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities. Expands state disability services programs. BAD.
HB26-1075 — Child Welfare Prevention Services Funding. Expands state child welfare funding and programs. BAD.
HB26-1322 — Civil Actions for Conversion Therapy Survivors. Creates a new private right of action against conversion therapy, with state-defined parameters. BAD.
Criminal Justice
SB26-005 — Rights Violation in Immigration Enforcement Remedy. Creates a private right of action against law enforcement for immigration enforcement activity. BAD.
HB26-1276 — Protect Safety of Individuals Who Are Immigrants. Restricts law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. BAD.
HB26-1255 — Social Media Duty to Report & Search Warrants. Expands government search warrant and surveillance authority over social media. BAD.
SB26-051 — Age Attestation on Computing Devices. Mandates age verification on computing devices, creating government surveillance risk. BAD.
SB26-152 — Changes Automated Vehicle ID System Usage. Expands government use of automated license plate readers. BAD.
SB26-189 — Automated Decision-Making Technology. Imposes new government mandates on private companies’ use of algorithms and AI in employment decisions. BAD.
SB26-190 — Release Info About Peace Officer Use of Force. Mandates public disclosure of officer use-of-force data, including records previously protected. BAD.
HB26-1263 — Conversational AI Service Operator Requirements. Imposes new state regulation mandates on AI service operators. BAD.
HB26-1286 — Automated Driving System Commercial Vehicles. Creates a new state regulatory framework for autonomous commercial trucks. BAD.
SB26-156 — Change Practices of Work Force Development Council. Restructures the state workforce development council. BAD.
Miscellaneous Mandates & Programs
HB26-1412 — HCPF Statistical Sampling & Extrapolation. Expands the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing’s audit and cost recovery authority. BAD.
HB26-1008 — Colorado Outdoor Opportunities Act. Expands state outdoor recreation programs and appropriations. BAD.
HB26-1109 — Sign Language Consumer Protection Study. Creates a state study and commission. BAD.
HB26-1111 — Pesticide Product Disposal & Container Recycling. Creates a state pesticide disposal mandate and enterprise. BAD.
HB26-1113 — Modifications to Elections. Expands government election administration and weakens certain integrity requirements. BAD.
HB26-1132 — Practices to Support Pollinators. Creates a state pollinator protection program and mandates. BAD.
HB26-1069 — Availability of Emergency Medical Services. Expands state mandates on EMS providers. BAD.
HB26-1206 — Improved Funding to Support Development. Expands state economic development funding. BAD.
HB26-1207 — Disclosure of Demographic Workforce Data. Imposes new employer demographic reporting mandates. BAD.
HB26-1236 — Arbitration Reform. Restricts the use of arbitration and expands the role of government courts. BAD.
HB26-1421 — Fee Sharing with Nonlawyers in Legal Practice. Creates a new government-supervised legal practice model. BAD.
SB26-113 — Require Recovery Residences to Obtain BHA License. Imposes new state licensing requirements on recovery homes. BAD.
SB26-134 — Payment Card Networks’ Fees. Imposes government price controls on credit card interchange fees. BAD.
SB26-147 — Lobbyist Regulation. Expands state lobbyist reporting requirements. BAD.
SB26-149 — Pathways for Individuals with Mental Health Disorder. Expands state mental health diversion programs. BAD.
SB26-193 — Local Ordinances & State Employees. Overrides certain local government ordinances for state employees. BAD.
HB26-1342 — Negligently Luring Bears. Creates a new wildlife-related criminal offense for property owners who attract bears. BAD.
HB26-1318 — Traffic Safety Near Schools. Adds new government mandates and spending for school traffic safety. BAD.
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS & DEREGULATION — GOOD BILLS ON POLIS DESK
Criminal Justice & Civil Rights
HB26-1250 — Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture. Reforms civil asset forfeiture procedures, strengthening property rights protections before government can seize assets. GOOD.
HB26-1283 — Protections Regarding Seizures of ID Documents. Prohibits confiscation of identity documents from individuals. Protects a fundamental right. GOOD.
HB26-1123 — Preventing Sexual Abuse in Jails. Reforms to protect incarcerated individuals from sexual abuse. GOOD.
SB26-015 — Commercial Sexual Activity with a Child Offenses. Strengthens criminal penalties for child sex trafficking. GOOD.
SB26-072 — Increased Penalty for Vehicular Homicide & Assault. Strengthens criminal penalties for deadly and dangerous driving. GOOD.
SB26-035 — Increase of Traffic Violation Penalties. Strengthens penalties for serious traffic violations. GOOD.
SB26-036 — Prison Population Management Measures. Reforms to reduce prison overcrowding and improve due process procedures. GOOD.
SB26-115 — Post-Conviction Relief for Certain Offenders. Expands access to post-conviction relief and improves due process. GOOD.
HB26-1138 — Retail Theft Prevention Program. Strengthens criminal penalties for organized retail theft. GOOD.
HB26-1288 — Jury Selection Requirements. Reforms jury selection to strengthen the constitutional right to jury trial. GOOD.
HB26-1309 — Abuse in Cases of Separation. Strengthens protections for domestic abuse victims in separation proceedings. GOOD.
HB26-1256 — Procedures & Data Individual’s Release from DOC. Improves reentry data procedures and reduces bureaucratic barriers for people leaving prison. GOOD.
HB26-1315 — Accurate Documents for Parole Determinations. Improves accuracy and fairness in parole proceedings. GOOD.
SB26-158 — Youthful Offender Early Parole Procedure. Improves parole processes for youthful offenders, with due process protections. GOOD.
SB26-159 — Inmate Earned Time Formula. Reforms the earned time formula for sentences, reducing time served that results from calculation errors. GOOD.
SB26-095 — Measures to Support Victim-Survivors of Crimes. Expands victim rights and support services. GOOD.
HB26-1227 — Minors’ Rights in Dependency & Neglect Proceedings. Strengthens due process protections for minors in state proceedings. GOOD.
HB26-1100 — Guardianship for Incapacitated Adults. Strengthens due process protections for adults subject to guardianship proceedings. GOOD.
Tax & Fiscal
HB26-1004 — Continuation of Child Care Contribution Tax Credit. Continues a tax credit that reduces tax burden on donors to child care. GOOD.
HB26-1014 — Extend Colorado Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit. Extends a business tax credit. Reduces tax burden. GOOD.
HB26-1230 — Extend Conservation Easement Tax Credit. Extends a tax credit for landowners who place conservation easements on their property. GOOD.
HB26-1346 — Transfer of Unsold Insurance Premium Tax Credits. Allows unused tax credits to be transferred, reducing waste. GOOD.
HB26-1419 — Over-Refund of Excess State Revenues. Ensures excess state revenues are returned to taxpayers under TABOR. GOOD.
SB26-042 — Revenue Classification Taxpayers Bill of Rights. Strengthens TABOR revenue classification protections for taxpayers. GOOD.
SB26-116 — Property Tax Modifications. Property tax relief modifications. Reduces tax burden. GOOD.
SB26-167 — Prescription Drug Out-of-Pocket Expense Credit. Tax credit for prescription drug costs. Reduces burden. GOOD.
HB26-1059 — Cost Recovery Cash Fund Consolidation. Consolidates and reduces government cash funds. GOOD.
HB26-1399 — Eliminate General Fund Transfer to Multimodal Transportation Fund. Eliminates a mandatory government fund transfer. GOOD.
HB26-1357 — Phase-Out of Teacher Recruitment Education Program. Eliminates a state government program. GOOD.
HB26-1380 — Repeal Office of Judicial Discipline Ombudsman. Eliminates a government office. GOOD.
Deregulation & Economic Freedom
HB26-1033 — Expanding the Colorado Cottage Foods Act. Deregulatory. Expands the right of Coloradans to produce and sell food from their homes. GOOD.
HB26-1026 — Expanding Plan Options for PERA. Expands retirement plan options for public employees. Reduces government control over retirement choices. GOOD.
HB26-1078 — Off-Campus Courses & Concurrent Enrollment Programs. Expands access to concurrent enrollment and reduces restrictions on off-campus learning. GOOD.
HB26-1282 — Eliminate Duplicative Regulation of School Child Care Centers. Removes duplicative regulatory requirements. GOOD.
HB26-1299 — Reducing Regulatory Burden on Education Providers. Reduces compliance mandates on education providers. GOOD.
SB26-091 — Exclusion of Newspaper Deliverers as Employees. Deregulatory. Maintains contractor status for newspaper deliverers, keeping them free from employee mandates. GOOD.
SB26-114 — Spirituous Liquor Manufacturer Sales Rooms. Expands alcohol manufacturer options for direct sales. Deregulatory. GOOD.
SB26-133 — Colorado Artist Companies. Creates a tax and legal structure for artist cooperatives. GOOD.
SB26-138 — Reducing Administrative Burdens on Health Care. Deregulatory. Reduces compliance burden on health care providers. GOOD.
SB26-173 — Barre & Pilates Teacher Training Regulatory Exemptions. Exempts fitness instructors from occupational licensing requirements. GOOD.
HB26-1325 — Natural Medicine. Expands access to natural and psychedelic medicine. Deregulatory expansion of individual treatment options. GOOD.
HB26-1336 — Increase Access to Pharmacy Services. Expands pharmacist scope of practice and reduces licensing barriers. GOOD.
HB26-1210 — Prohibit Surveillance Price & Wage Setting. Prohibits algorithmic price and wage collusion tools — an antitrust protection for workers and consumers. GOOD.
SB26-048 — Remove Exception to Marry with Judicial Approval. Removes a judicial override provision on marriage, restoring an individual right. GOOD.
SB26-174 — Prohibit Lead Generation Legal Marketing. Prohibits legal lead generation marketing practices that direct consumers to attorneys through paid referral networks. GOOD.
Property Rights & Local Governance
HB26-1084 — Voter Transparency in Ballot Measures (conference bill). Requires disclosure of who funds ballot measures. GOOD.
HB26-1233 — Property Tax Procedures for Nonresidential Property. Improves taxpayer appeal procedures. GOOD.
HB26-1239 — County Enforcement Authority. Clarifies and restores county enforcement authority. Supports local control. GOOD.
SB26-155 — Increase Access to Homeowner’s Insurance Enterprise. Expands homeowner insurance access and reduces barriers in the state market. GOOD.
SB26-177 — Access Adjoining Property to Repair or Maintain. Allows property owners to access adjacent land when necessary to repair or maintain their own property. GOOD.
HB26-1258 — Changes to Practices Relating to Death (conference bill). Expands individual end-of-life options and reduces state restrictions. GOOD.
HB26-1340 — Revegetate or Dry Farm Formerly Irrigated Agricultural Land. Supports voluntary agricultural land management and farmer choice. GOOD.
SB26-145 — Charter School Involvement in Local Ballot Questions. Allows charter schools to participate in local ballot questions. GOOD.
Energy & Environment
SB26-142 — Development of Thermal Energy Resources. Expands geothermal energy development and reduces regulatory barriers. GOOD.
SB26-141 — Wildlife Collision Prevention. Funds wildlife crossing infrastructure to reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife. GOOD.
HB26-1420 — Wind Energy Facilities Light-Mitigating Technology. Requires light-mitigation systems on wind turbines. Reduces rural community impact. GOOD.
Health & Benefits
SB26-006 — Parity for Non-Opioid Pain Management Drugs. Requires insurers to cover non-opioid pain treatment at parity with opioids. Reduces barriers to safer pain treatment. GOOD.
SB26-017 — Out-of-Network Health Insurance Dispute Resolution. Establishes a fair dispute resolution process, protecting patients from surprise billing. GOOD.
SB26-012 — Compensable Losses for Tribal Members. Expands eligibility for the Colorado Crime Victim Compensation Act to include enrolled members of federally recognized tribes. GOOD.
HB26-1298 — Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements. Strengthens background check requirements for child welfare. GOOD.
SB26-184 — Firefighter Cancer Benefits & Workers’ Comp. Expands cancer presumption benefits for firefighters. GOOD.
SB26-186 — Update Workers’ Comp Statutes Allow Electronic Filing. Modernizes workers’ comp filing requirements. Reduces bureaucratic barriers. GOOD.
HB26-1343 — Electronic Process in Competency & Administrative Hearings. Modernizes competency proceedings and reduces access barriers. GOOD.
HB26-1347 — Federal Disability Benefits for Foster Care Youth. Allows foster youth to retain federal disability benefits upon aging out of care. GOOD.
HB26-1418 — Online Add-on Transaction Fee Youth Services Entertainment. Prohibits hidden add-on fees for youth services and entertainment. GOOD.
HB26-1320 — Accessible Language Statutory Ballot Title Requirements. Requires ballot titles to use plain language, improving voter comprehension. GOOD.
NEUTRAL — ADMINISTRATIVE, SUNSET CONTINUATIONS, TECHNICAL
The following 37 bills make no substantive policy change, continue existing programs through routine sunset review, or make administrative and technical statutory corrections:
HB26-1053 — Motor Vehicle Regulation Administration (administrative/technical). HB26-1076 — Transportation Statutory Clean-Up. HB26-1077 — Average Market Rate of Unprocessed Retail Marijuana (rate methodology). HB26-1088 — Business Entity Filing Secretary of State (administrative). HB26-1183 — Sunset Pet Animal Care & Facilities Act. HB26-1184 — Sunset Forest Health Council (conference bill). HB26-1194 — Sunset Combative Sports Office & Commission. HB26-1214 — Sunset Substance Abuse Treatment Program Licensing. HB26-1223 — Modifying Certain Tax Expenditures (mixed technical). HB26-1252 — Updates to State Emergency Response Departments (administrative reorganization). HB26-1274 — State Agency Payments to Grant Recipients (administrative). HB26-1287 — Sunset Division of Real Estate. HB26-1289 — Modification of Certain Tax Expenditures (technical, mixed). HB26-1306 — Wild Horse License Plate. HB26-1307 — Sunset Colorado Medical Board. HB26-1312 — POST Board Changes (administrative). HB26-1324 — Sunset Division of Professions & Occupations. HB26-1326 — Sunset Public Utilities Commission. HB26-1341 — CO Ag Dev Authority Bond Allocation Service Period. HB26-1344 — Sunset Podiatry Board. HB26-1405 — Cash Fund Transfers to General Fund (budget accounting). HB26-1409 — Marijuana Tax Cash Fund Distributions (distribution formula). HB26-1416 — Transfers to General Fund & CO Economic Development Fund. HB26-1422 — Security Measures for Certain Government Entities (IT security). HB26-1423 — Community Corrections Budget Request & Data (reporting). HB26-1426 — Department of Law Legislative Report (reporting). HB26-1427 — Uniform Antitrust Pre-Merger Notification Update (uniform act update). SB26-078 — Changes to Institutions of Higher Education Statutes (technical). SB26-092 — Modification of County Elected Officer Salary Categories (administrative). SB26-117 — Permissible Methods of Selling Lottery Tickets (administrative). SB26-151 — Modification of PERA Allowed Affiliation and Board of Trustees (administrative). SB26-154 — Modify CO Channel Authority Board Appointments (administrative). SB26-157 — Determination of Town Abandonment (process clarification). SB26-163 — Regulation of Gaming & Sports Betting (administrative updates). SB26-175 — Adjust Experience Modification Factor in Workers’ Comp (technical). SB26-185 — Enhance Security of Office of Information Technology (IT administrative). SB26-191 — Gifts Grants & Donations for Nursing Facilities (administrative).
SUMMARY
The 75th General Assembly placed 191 bills before Governor Polis at the close of its 2026 session. The High Country Advocate classifies 87 as Bad, 67 as Good, and 37 as neutral.
Bad legislation clusters around energy mandates, transportation regulation, labor law, health care expansion, and education spending. The Labor Peace Act repeal (HB26-1005) removes the supermajority threshold that protected workers from compelled union membership for 83 years. The Front Range Passenger Rail District (SB26-172) creates a new government authority with taxing and bonding power. The Cover All Coloradans Medicaid expansion (HB26-1411) extends state health coverage. Election law changes (HB26-1113) alter government administration of elections. Four rideshare bills — HB26-1043, HB26-1273, HB26-1424, and HB26-1430 — add separate layers of mandates and price controls on transportation network companies.
Good legislation is concentrated in criminal justice reform, property rights, deregulation, and tax relief. Civil asset forfeiture reform (HB26-1250) tightens the procedures government must follow before seizing property. Post-conviction relief (SB26-115), prison population management (SB26-036), and earned time formula corrections (SB26-159) address incarceration procedures. The Cottage Foods Act expansion (HB26-1033) and barre and Pilates licensing exemption (SB26-173) reduce occupational barriers. Property tax modifications (SB26-116) and several tax credit extensions reduce tax burden.
Polis has 30 days from adjournment to sign or veto each bill. Bills he neither signs nor vetoes become law without his signature.
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