Second Regular Session | 74th General Assembly
Colorado General AssemblyThis issue brief outlines home rule governance for municipalities and counties, including the process for adopting a home rule charter and the powers that a home rule charter provides to local governments.
Article V, Section 1 (7.5), Colorado Constitution, and Section 1-40-124.5, Colorado Revised Statutes, require the Legislative Council Staff to prepare a ballot information booklet prior to each election in which a statewide issue appears on the ballot. The booklet's purpose is to provide voters...
Report No. 2020-TE15
Report No. 2020-TE17
In 1982, voters approved a constitutional measure governing property taxes, including a provision known as the Gallagher Amendment (Gallagher). Gallagher sought to protect homeowners from rising property taxes by maintaining a relatively constant ratio of residential and nonresidential property...
Community choice energy (CCE) is an alternative to the investor-owned utility energy supply system that allows local entities to aggregate individual customers within a defined service area and secure alternative energy suppliers on their behalf. The primary goals of CCEs have been to lower...
This issue brief examines Colorado fireworks law, including permissible fireworks, sales, local government regulations, penalties for violating state laws, and executive orders.
Report No. 2020-TE27
This memorandum provides an executive summary of the various Executive Orders issued during the declared disaster emergency related to COVID‑19 in Colorado.
During the 2020 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to its operations, state employees and retirement plans, state agencies and procurement, open records and meetings, and notarization. Several of the bills were in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the...
The Legislative Council Staff's Energy Handbook is intended to serve as a reference guide to Colorado's energy sector. The book is divided into five sections. Section I covers the sources and uses of energy in Colorado. Section II explains how severance taxes and federal mineral lease moneys...
This issue brief provides an overview of state‑sponsored retirement plans, retirement plan marketplaces, and multiple employer retirement plans for private sector workers. The brief also includes a discussion of related federal laws and Congressional activity.
In 2019, Colorado enacted House Bill 19-1261, establishing statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals. Colorado also enacted Senate Bill 19‑096, requiring the Air Quality...
This issue brief focuses on additional strategies that local governments and communities in Colorado are using to meet the housing needs of residents.
Respite care provides temporary relief to a caregiver from the physical and emotional impacts of caring for a person with special needs who requires assistance to care for themselves. Care can be provided for a few hours, overnight, or on an extended basis by a friend, family member, volunteer...
This memorandum provides an overview of the various Public Health Orders issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) during the declared disaster emergency related to COVID‑19 in Colorado. Thirteen public health orders have been issued since March, 2020.
During the 2020 legislative session, the General Assembly passed legislation intended to promote economic development in rural areas and to assist businesses in surviving and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of the CDC final report is to provide annual and historical information on the capital development process. The 2020 final report provides a complete summary of all capital construction and controlled maintenance appropriations during the 2018 session. A five-year history and three-...
Article V, Section 1 (7.5), Colorado Constitution, and Section 1-40-124.5, Colorado Revised Statutes, require the Legislative Council Staff to prepare a ballot information booklet prior to each election in which a statewide issue appears on the ballot. The booklet's purpose is to provide voters...
During the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly considered several measures related to local governments, including the powers and duties of local governments and matters related to special and local improvement districts, community revitalization, procurement, the limited gaming...
This memorandum summarizes the policies and procedures for committees meeting during the 2021 legislative interim.
This issue brief examines Colorado fireworks law, including permissible fireworks, sales, local government regulations, penalties for violating state laws, and executive orders.
This memorandum provides an overview of the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent Government Act" (SMART Government Act). The act requires executive agencies to annually present specific information to joint legislative committees during the first two weeks of the...
This memorandum examines technical debt and modernization, along with legislation that aims to address legacy technical solutions that serve government organizations and their constituents.
This memorandum provides information about irrigation districts in Colorado. Specifically, it discusses the current irrigation districts, the powers and duties of irrigation districts, and how those powers and duties compare to those of special districts.