The Colorado General Assembly’s eleventh week produced 15 Good bills. Thirty-eight Bad bills crossed the other side of the ledger. Session totals now stand at 93 Good. The Bad count reached 149.
Governor Polis signed two housing bills into law on March 25. HB26-1001 allows nonprofits, schools, and transit agencies to bypass local zoning and build housing on their land. Every Republican in the legislature voted against it.
SB26-001 redirects county property tax revenue to government housing programs and expands the Middle-Income Housing Tax Credit. Polis followed with 19 additional signings on March 26, a mix of supplemental budgets, sunset continuations, and bipartisan administrative measures.
Two firearms bills advanced. SB26-043 criminalizes firearm barrel transfers and reached House final passage on Tuesday. HB26-1144 cleared the House in prior weeks and now sits on the Senate calendar, where it would criminalize manufacturing firearms with 3D printers or CNC machines and make possession of digital design files a misdemeanor. The bill raises Second Amendment and First Amendment questions by criminalizing digital information.
Democrats advanced SB26-119 to authorize local electronic ballot return. HB26-1308 passed the House 39-26, requiring local governments to allow residential lot splitting.
Good bills included SB26-048, which eliminates the judicial exception allowing marriage at age 16. HB26-1092 expands where licensed midwives can practice. SB26-140 exempts certain drugs from the Prescription Drug Affordability Board.
HB26-1200 provides tax relief for military service members. SB26-061 allows rural counties without legal newspapers to publish notices digitally.
Democrats killed HB26-1106 in the House Judiciary Committee, voting 9-2 to postpone it indefinitely. The eviction regulation bill would have capped daily eviction filings statewide and suspended writs during weather below 32 degrees.
The ratio tells the story. For every Good bill advancing constitutional rights or reducing government, nearly three Bad bills expand state power. Seven weeks remain before adjournment on May 13.
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