What a consequential news week! The 1st American Pope, Pope Leo XIV, took over as the new leader of the Catholic Church at the end of the conclave. And this week also brought the end of the 120‑day legislative session in Colorado. Our Insiders provided us with a full recap of what lawmakers have done… and what still needs to be taken care of in a likely special session.

How the 2025 Legislative Session Ended:

• Adam Berg, Senior Policy Advisor at Foster Graham law firm, pointed out how lawmakers passed almost nearly 500 bills over the 120 days of session, dealt with a $1.2 billion budget shortfall and school financing. “They also did some stuff that it’s questionable about whether or not it’s going to save Coloradans money or lead to better outcomes across the state.”
• Lawmakers were more willing to challenge Governor Polis this session, especially on issues the Governor was backing. Westword Editor Patty Calhoun: “Since the Governor isn’t running again, lawmakers don’t necessarily need his support. They can offend him or at least ignore him for a while, but I think he will get his revenge… he will call a special session. There are two really good reasons: the Medicare cuts that are proposed. The other issue is that lawmakers waited too long to really deal with the changes to the artificial intelligence law that was passed last year. It’s like putting a speed limit on horse and buggy, when we’re all now moving in fast cars. Things change so fast. So, we are looking at a very obsolete bill already that is currently set to take effect in February.”
• Governor Polis now has 30 days to either sign, veto, or do nothing with remaining active bills passed by the legislature.

Notable Bills and Policy Debates at the End‑of‑Session: Several specific bills and policy areas were discussed in detail, highlighting successes, failures, and contentious debates:

Housing Issues/Losses for the Governor:

Two notable bills related to housing backed by the governor did not pass:

• House Bill 1169, the “Yes in God’s Backyard:” The measure to allow religious institutions to build housing on their property was defeated in the Senate.
• House Bill 1302 was defeated as well. It called for reining in rising property insurance costs but would have imposed a 1% fee on every homeowners’ insurance policy. City Planning Expert Laura Aldrete: “It just felt like it missed the mark. If the issue is affordability of housing, certainly insurance is a component of that, but this bill did not really address income‑restricted folks in the urban communities.”

Labor Peace Act (Senate Bill 5): This bill, introduced on day one of the legislative session back in January, was still debated in the session’s remaining days. It was a major point of negotiation throughout the session, with Governor Polis seeking a proposal supported by both labor unions and businesses. But as Vice President of Government Affairs with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Carly West pointed out, “We ended up with the same bill that we started the session with, and no meaningful changes to it.” A key point of contention was the requirement for a minority of employees to force the majority who didn’t vote for unionization to pay union dues.

House Bill 1291 – Rideshare Liability: A bill stemming from a personal circumstance involving a legislator and a rideshare company sought “more protections for people who utilize Lyft or Uber.” The bill was heavily amended and its fate with the Governor is uncertain. Concerns were raised about whether the proposed conditions, such as filming every ride, went “too far.” Patty Calhoun noted a positive outcome from this debate was “freeing up some more money to go to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to take care of backlogged rape kits.”

Kelly Loving Act: This bill addressing “dead naming” and providing “more legal protections for transgender individuals” was discussed as a contentious topic.

Trump Administration Sues Colorado & Denver: Recent actions by the legislature and Denver City Council were seen as a direct challenge to the Trump administration, which is opposed to current state and Denver immigration laws.

• Laura Aldrete says Governor Polis and Mayor Mike Johnston are seen as basing their decisions on “beliefs and principles,” but she also cautions about the “calculated risk” involved and the potential for “intended unintended consequences.”
• Patty Calhoun mentions the loss of $24 million in federal reimbursements for helping migrants, as well as cuts to arts and science funding.
• Carly West addresses the Denver City Council’s decision not to renew a contract for automatic license plate readers due to data privacy concerns and potential use for immigration enforcement. She pointed out the program’s success in enhancing safety—289 arrests, 170 recovered stolen vehicles, and 29 firearm seizures—and questioned if this decision could add to the burdens faced by businesses and downtown areas struggling with safety concerns.
• The State Legislature also put more restrictions on where ICE agents are allowed, prohibiting the authorities from schools and churches. Adam Burg: “Immigration has become a very partisan issue in Colorado. And, I worry that the focus on immigration might take up some of the air and the money out of things that maybe could be going to helping locals who live here.”

The “Graying of Colorado:” Colorado is experiencing a significant increase in its aging population, becoming the “second fastest aging state” between 2010 and 2020, behind Alaska.

• The number of people aged 65 and over grew by 45% from 2010 to 2018; by 2030, “around 1 in 5 people in the state will be over 65.”
• Carly West: “From a workforce development and economic development standpoint, it’s not great news. Fewer working‑age adults and a shrinking talent pipeline mean that it’s just getting harder for employers to find the people that they need to fill jobs. And, older populations tend to not spend quite as much and we see that our local governments are really driven by sales tax revenue, so we likely see an impact there as well.”
• Adam Burg: “There are economic and racial disparities among aging adults, with Latino and Black individuals aged 65 and over experiencing significantly higher poverty rates than non‑Hispanic or white individuals.”
• Despite the challenges, there was optimism about adapting to this demographic shift. Laura Aldrete suggested flipping the perspective to figure out how to make this demographic shift “work it to our advantage economically.” And Patty Calhoun joked, “People will stay home on Friday night and watch TV… we’ll have a much bigger audience for Colorado Inside Out.”

Speaking of CIO and PBS12, after I wrote last week’s blog, news came down regarding a Trump Administration Executive Order to halt federal funding to PBS and National Public Radio (NPR). The two days surrounding that announcement happened to fall on Public Media Giving Days when PBS12 received a big boost in personal donations from viewers as well as well wishes and notes of support on social media. In case you missed it, here’s a message from our General Manager Bobby Springer.
I’m headed out of town for some fabulous family time: my niece’s engagement party, Mother’s Day with my 91‑year‑old Mom, and my oldest daughter’s college graduation. I’ll be back on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. Until then, take care, Colorado!