The Legislative Council Staff’s Water Policy Handbook is intended to serve as a reference guide to Colorado's water policies and programs.  The book is divided into three parts.  Each part covers a different aspect of Colorado water law and policy.
 

The instream flow (ISF) program was created by legislation in 1973, which authorized the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to appropriate or acquire water rights of natural streams and lakes to preserve the natural environment without diverting the water.  The ISF program recognized the...

Legislative committees are a very important part of Colorado's legislative process. At a legislative committee hearing, citizens have an opportunity to express their views and have them incorporated into the official legislative record. In Colorado, every bill receives a public hearing by one of...

Term Limit Information for Members of the Colorado State Senate

This memorandum memorializes the process for requesting and preparing greenhouse gas emissions reports (GHG reports) pursuant to Section 2-2-322.3, C.R.S., starting at the 2023 legislative session.  It outlines the number of reports per session, the process for requesting reports, the...

This memorandum provides an overview of the process to fill vacancies in various elected offices at the federal, state, and local levels.  A vacancy in an elected office occurs when an office holder resigns or dies during his or her elected term.   A vacancy may also occur when an elected...

The recently renamed Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee (WRARC) was created to contribute to and monitor the conservation, use, development, and financing of Colorado's water resources for the general welfare of the state (Section 37-98-102, C.R.S.).  In 2022, the committee charge...

The state legislature established the Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) in 1931 to provide a pension benefit to state and local government employees, predating the federal Social Security Act of 1935 by four years. PERA is administered under Article 51 of Title 24 of the...

An estimated 3.3 million people in Colorado are affected by drought, with 2022 being the driest year to date over the past 128 years.  In response to the ongoing drought in Colorado, the General Assembly passed HB 22-1151 to promote the efficient and maximum utilization of Colorado’s...

During the 2022 legislative session, the Colorado General Assembly considered several measures related to information technology (IT), including: privacy protections, IT-related state services; and Joint Technology Committee-sponsored bills.

During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered several measures related to natural resources and the environment including wildfire prevention and control; air quality; natural resources; environmental protection; and recycling.

During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to higher education.  Specifically, bills related to scholarships, grants, and financial assistance; pathways to student success; degrees and workforce development; and administration and governance.