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This memorandum is intended for use by policymakers, legislative drafters, and budget analysts to understand the different funding mechanisms that may be used in legislation. It describes how different funding mechanisms in legislation impact the state budget and how they are shown in fiscal notes prepared by Legislative Council Staff. These funding mechanisms include appropriations, transfers, diversions, and warrants on state funds, as well as fee revenue and gifts, grants, or donations. The memorandum concludes with a list of funding mechanisms for which voter approval is required.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) was signed into law in 1970. It requires federal agencies to consider the environmental effects of a project and involve the public in the decision-making process before proceeding with a project. The requirements for complying with NEPA depend on many factors, including the size and scope of the project and the extent of which it may affect community resources, such as parks, water resources, and urban communities.

Competency to stand trial, refers to the constitutional requirement that people facing criminal charges must be able to assist in their own defense. A criminal case cannot be adjudicated unless this requirement is met. The U.S. Supreme Court considers an individual competent to stand trial if they are rationally able to consult with an attorney and hold a clear understanding of the charges against them. 1 1Dusky v. United States, 362 U.S.

The handbook is divided into four sections, 1:  Rules of the House of Representatives; 2:  Rules of the Senate; 3:  Joint Rules of the Senate and House and Joint Session Rules; and 4:  Colorado Constitution. This section includes only selected portions of the constitution.

The House, Senate, and Joint Rules in this handbook are current through November 2025.

Federal law requires employers to pay their employees a minimum hourly wage. States have the authority to set different pay standards than the federal minimum wage requirement. However, when the state and federal law differ, such as in Colorado, the higher wage prevails. This issue brief provides an overview and history of federal and Colorado minimum wage laws and provides a summary of how other states compare to the federal standard. 

This issue brief provides an overview of Regional Accountable Entities, organizations responsible for coordinating the physical and behavioral health care of the state’s Medicaid members.

Aquatic nuisance species (ANS) are invasive animals, plants, and disease-causing pathogens that can affect lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams, and wetlands. This issue brief provides an explanation of ANS and an overview of the Colorado ANS Program. 

In place of property taxes, Coloradans pay the specific ownership tax (SOT) on their vehicles. This issue brief provides an overview of the SOT, including how it is calculated, collected, and distributed.

This memorandum describes the organizational structure of the staff of the Colorado legislative branch. These staff are categorized as follows:

Report No. 2025-TE13

For more information, see also Workplace Expectations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology that has the potential to reshape the economy. Although AI research has been conducted for decades, products are now proliferating due in part to advances in computing power. This memorandum explores basic topics in contemporary AI. It describes several limitations and misconceptions about AI and discusses AI regulation in Colorado.

For more information, see also https://leg.colorado.gov/workplace-harassment-policy.

Increasingly, there is interest in carbon-free energy sources, or energy sources that emit minimal to no greenhouse gases (GHGs) to produce electricity. Nuclear energy, which is a carbon-free energy source, accounts for about 19 percent of the electricity generated in the United States. However, there are concerns about its potentially harmful health and environmental impacts. This issue brief provides an overview of nuclear energy, its history in Colorado, public health and environmental concerns, and recent technological advancements in nuclear energy.

Over the past few years, Colorado has set ambitious goals to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This issue brief provides an overview of the state’s climate action plan and recent legislation that has supported the goal established by Governor Polis for the state to reach net‑zero emissions by 2050.

This memorandum addresses patient access to experimental treatments, including access to clinical trials, participation in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Expanded Access Program, and access to treatments under Colorado’s Right to Try Act. Additionally, this memorandum discusses “’Right to Try” legislation in other states and in the U.S. Congress. Finally, the memorandum addresses insurance coverage of experimental treatments administered both within and outside of clinical trials.

Several factors contribute to high housing costs in Colorado. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development defines being housing cost burdened as households paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing. According to a housing affordability June 2025 white paper from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), 46.8 percent of renters and 21.5 percent of homeowners are housing cost-burdened in Colorado.

This report contains the final audited figures for state revenue retained under Referendum C in the 2005‑06 through 2024-25 state fiscal years and preliminary numbers for the 2025-26 state fiscal year. It also reflects the actions of the General Assembly and Governor in spending the retained money. This report is prepared in accordance with the requirements of Referendum C, which was approved by voters in 2005. 

Pursuant to Section 2-3-1602, C.R.S., the committee is charged with reviewing and proposing legislation or other policy changes related to wildfire prevention, mitigation, and related matters, including public safety and forest health issues.

This issue brief provides an overview of state laws related to pet animal facilities. These facilities are licensed and regulated under the Colorado Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA).

In response to the ongoing drought in Colorado, the General Assembly passed House Bill 22-1151 to promote the efficient and maximum utilization of Colorado’s water resources by decreasing the amount of irrigated turf within the state. The bill required the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) in the Department of Natural Resources to create a turf replacement program that incentivizes the voluntary replacement of nonessential irrigated turf across the state.

This memorandum provides an overview of the process in Colorado for removing criminal records from publicly available sources, known as the “sealing” or “expungement” of criminal records.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), plastic containers and packaging, including single-use plastics, constitute the majority of plastic waste in the United States. National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024. One of the EPA’s National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution objectives is reducing the production and consumption of single-use plastics. In recent years, Colorado legislators have addressed reducing the use of single-use plastics in the state.