This document provides a summary of legislation pertaining to the operations of the General Assembly considered by the legislature during the 2014 session.

On May 14, 2013, Governor Hickenlooper issued an executive order directing the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to develop the Colorado Water Plan (CWP). According to executive order D 2013-005, the CWP must promote a productive economy that supports vibrant and sustainable cities;...

During the summer and fall of 2014, seven interim committees and commissions met to discuss policy issues and draft legislation for consideration by the General Assembly during the upcoming legislative session. As required by legislative rules, the Legislative Council Committee met to review the...

This document provides a summary of major public health legislation considered by the General Assembly during the 2014 legislative session.

Concern over the detrimental effects of secondhand tobacco smoke on nonsmokers has grown in recent years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classified secondhand tobacco smoke as a known cause of cancer in humans in a December 1992 report. In an effort to reduce the risk of tobacco smoke-...

The federal and state governments each provide tax incentives for landowners who designate their land as a conservation easement, foregoing certain use rights in order to preserve the land in perpetuity. This memorandum provides information on federal and state conservation easement tax...

The Colorado General Assembly has considered and made changes to the state budget process during the past three years. Specifically, House Bill 10-1119 established a performance-based budgeting program through the State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government...

Final report of the Capital Development Committee for FY 2015-16.

The day-to-day expenses of state government are paid through the operating budget in the state's annual budget bill.  Expenses related to new construction, renovation, or maintenance of the state's capital assets are paid through the capital budget.  This issue brief outlines the types of...

There are 86 courthouse facilities in Colorado: 71 courthouses and 15 probation offices. This issue brief provides an overview of court and court facility funding.  Specifically, information is provided on state, county, and municipal court funding requirements and state supplemental funding...

Capital Development Committee (CDC) Information and Procedures

The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) 1 creates a presumption in favor of public access to government documents. This issue brief addresses CORA’s two threshold questions: 1) what is and is not considered a public record; and 2) which public records are exempt from disclosure. It also briefly...