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The Supplemental Narrative is prepared by the staff to explain proposed adjustments to prior year appropriations recommended by the JBC to the rest of the General Assembly.  This narrative describes all of the proposed budget changes statewide, by department, and by program, and provides detailed calculations of the spending and revenue limits.  This explanation does not reflect any subsequent changes to the Supplemental Bills as they are amended by the Senate or House of Representatives.

Pursuant to Section 22-55-104, C.R.S., Legislative Council Staff, in consultation with the State Auditor, the State Treasurer, the Department of Education (CDE), the Office of State Planning and Budgeting, and the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), is required to conduct a review of the model used to forecast revenue to and expenditures from the State Education Fund and the spending requirements for the Public School Finance Act of 1994 by February 1 of each year.

Pursuant to House Bill 19-1184, Legislative Council Staff will prepare demographic notes for up to 20 bills each session. This memorandum provides an overview of the demographic note process, including the process for requesting a demographic note, the content of a demographic note, and methodological considerations.

The General Assembly distributes state operating funding to public institutions of higher education (IHEs) in Colorado primarily based on a formula. This issue brief provides an overview of the formula and mechanisms for distributing state funds from the General Assembly to public IHEs in Colorado.  IHEs also receive revenue from tuition and fees and state grants for capital construction projects, allocations for student financial aid, and funding to implement specific legislative initiatives.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2019-20. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

The Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy (committee) is charged with reviewing the state’s current tax policy and the evaluations of tax expenditures that are statutorily completed by the Office of the State Auditor.  The committee is also charged with oversight of the Task Force Concerning Tax Policy (task force).

This memorandum describes the programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act that may provide formula or competitive grants to Colorado.

This memorandum summarizes the primary funding changes for school finance that were enacted during the 2022 legislative session.  Several bills enacted substantively impacted the financing of public schools in Colorado.

The Colorado Constitution limits the amount of revenue, from most sources, that the state government and local governments are permitted to retain and spend or save.  Revenue collected in excess of the constitutional revenue limit, or TABOR limit, must be refunded to taxpayers unless voters authorize retention of the excess amount.  This memorandum presents information on this constitutional requirement and its administration at the state level.

This memorandum highlights regional and sectoral differences in Colorado’s labor market and employment recovery from the pandemic‑induced recession, including in labor force, job openings, and employment. 

The Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy (committee) is charged with reviewing the state’s current tax policy and the evaluations of tax expenditures that are statutorily completed by the Office of the State Auditor.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2019-20. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered several bills affecting funding for capital construction and the duties of the Capital Development Committee (CDC).

This spreadsheet provides several reports on 2022 fiscal data from Legislative Council Staff Fiscal Notes.  This is the final report of all bills considered by the General Assembly at the 2022 session.

The senior homestead property tax exemption became available beginning in property tax year 2002, following voter approval of Referendum A in the 2000 General Election. The number of seniors claiming the exemption has grown over time, from 123,326 qualifying seniors in tax year 2002, to 266,538 seniors in tax year 2021.  Local governments are required to be reimbursed by the state for the property tax revenue impact of the exemption. In FY 2021-22, reimbursements for the senior homestead exemption totaled $156.5 million.

This spreadsheet provides several reports on fiscal data from Legislative Council Staff Fiscal Notes for bills considered at the 2021 legislative session.  By default, the reports are set to show only bills that were enacted into law, and the totals row shows the amount for these bills.  The filters can be adjusted to show additional bills and the total will automatically adjust to account for all bills visible in the report.  An overview of the information provided on each tab in this report is below.

The Appropriations Report summarizes the final action of the General Assembly and the Governor on the budget and other legislation passed during the previous legislative session that contained an appropriation of moneys.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2019-20. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

In FY 2020-21, Colorado received $314.5 million from tobacco-related sources.  These include taxes on cigarettes, other tobacco products, and nicotine products and payments from tobacco manufacturers as part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.  This memorandum describes the sources and uses of this revenue. 

The Long Bill Narrative, which is the annual appropriations act, is prepared by staff to explain funding decisions recommended by the JBC to the rest of the General Assembly.  This document is a companion document to the actual Long Bill.  The narrative outlines budget changes based on the introduced version of the Long Bill.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2019-20. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

Colorado State Operating Budget Appropriations Data since FY 1999-00. Includes total appropriations and General Fund-only appropriations for each state agency. 

This memorandum provides background information on current and past statutory mechanisms used to refund state revenue in excess of the spending limit contained in the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR).  TABOR allows the state to use "any reasonable method" for refunds.

Refund Mechanisms Used for TABOR Surpluses, Tax Years 1997 through 2019. No refunds were required for unlisted years, including 1993 through 1996 and 2020. 

The Supplemental Narrative is prepared by the staff to explain proposed adjustments to prior year appropriations recommended by the JBC to the rest of the General Assembly.  This narrative describes all of the proposed budget changes statewide, by department, and by program, and provides detailed calculations of the spending and revenue limits.  This explanation does not reflect any subsequent changes to the Supplemental Bills as they are amended by the Senate or House of Representatives.