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Data centers are growing rapidly across the United States. They require large amounts of electricity for computational power and water to cool the computer systems. This memorandum explores the impacts of data centers on technology, local economies, electricity, water, public health, and energy costs. It also covers recent federal and state legislation.

This memorandum provides background information on Colorado’s business personal property tax. Personal property includes machinery, equipment, and other goods used to operate a business that are not part of a building or structure and its fixtures. For the purposes of this memo, business personal property encompasses generally nonresidential (income producing), private personal property that is not used in a religious or nonprofit, charitable organization.

The relationship between social media use and adolescent mental health has prompted a rise in regulatory policy across the nation and in Colorado. This memorandum examines social media use and adolescent health outcomes, the predominant policy frameworks in this domain, and federal and state legislative efforts to address growing concerns.

This memorandum describes the process for designating Colorado Enterprise Zones and Enhanced Rural Enterprise Zones, the tax expenditures available for investing in designated enterprise zone areas, and the administration and certification process of enterprise zones tax credits.

This memorandum provides an overview of all the statutory reports that are required to be sent to members of the Joint Business Committee in FY 2023‑24. Most of the reports can be found in the Required Reports Database. Some reports are included as part of the agency’s annual reporting. Please contact Legislative Council Staff if you are unable to locate a report. A list of the reports is provided in Table 1.

To date, Colorado and ten other states have enacted paid family and medical leave laws.  The other states include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.  However, the New Hampshire is voluntary for employers and relies on tax incentives for businesses to contribute.  In addition, Hawaii has a paid medical leave law that does not extend to family leave.  This memorandum provides a summary of the major components of the paid family and medical leave laws in each of these states.

This memorandum provides a summary of various workforce development programs in Colorado.

This memorandum provides an overview of programs that are designed to provide a boost to Colorado's economy, including incentivizing businesses to locate in Colorado, expand their Colorado-based workforce, or otherwise grow their Colorado business operations.  This memorandum does not include programs that are focused on workforce development or programs designed to attract tourists to the state.

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. 

Sunset laws allow the General Assembly to periodically review the need for state regulations, advisory committees, or state agencies and to update the law creating the agency or function.  To accomplish this review, committees of reference hold public sunset hearings on sunset reports issued by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

This memorandum provides an overview of programs that are designed to provide a boost to Colorado's economy, including incentivizing businesses to locate in Colorado, expand their Colorado-based workforce, or otherwise grow their Colorado business operations.  This memorandum does not include programs that are focused on workforce development or programs designed to attract tourists to the state.

This memorandum provides an overview of the Colorado unemployment insurance (UI) program, including UI benefits, funding, and solvency in the context of recent economic downturns. 

This memorandum provides an overview of various federal, state, and local programs and resources that are available to provide assistance to small businesses in Colorado during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

This memo provides an overview of data on income inequality in Colorado and the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by income and other demographic characteristics.  This memo uses new sources of publicly available high-frequency data from the U.S. Census Bureau and private companies to examine how the pandemic’s effects have been distributed among Colorado’s diverse households.

This memorandum provides information related to state and federal laws prohibiting price gouging during declared disaster emergencies.

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 are calculated and distributed.  Section III looks at energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.  Section IV provides an overview of the state departments involved in energy issues.  Section V highlights local governments' role in energy.  The handbook also includes t

Pursuant to House Bill 19-1184, Legislative Council Staff will prepare demographic notes for up to 20 bills each session beginning with the 2020 legislative 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

This memorandum memorializes the process for requesting and preparing Demographic Notes (notes) pursuant to Section 2-2-322.5, C.R.S. It outlines the number of notes per session, the process for requesting notes, the preparation and timing of notes, and the preparation of revised and final notes.

Procedures for Demographic Notes Form

This memorandum memorializes the process for requesting and preparing Demographic Notes (notes) pursuant to Section 2-2-322.5, C.R.S. It outlines the number of notes per session, the process for requesting notes, the preparation and timing of notes, and the preparation of revised and final notes.

This memorandum provides an overview of broadband internet service programs in Colorado, including the Colorado High Cost Support Mechanism; state grant programs and other state efforts; local governments’ ability to provide broadband; and related recent legislation.

This memorandum summarizes the Public Utilities Commission's (PUC’s) authority to regulate passenger carrier services, taxis, and transportation network companies (TNCs).  Specifically, this memorandum discusses PUC regulations concerning common carriers, contract carriers, limited regulation carriers, and TNCs.  It also provides an overview of the legislative changes to large-market taxicab regulation that passed during the 2018 legislative session and take effect for taxicabs operating in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, and Wel

This memorandum provides an overview of broadband internet service programs in Colorado, including the Colorado High Cost Support Mechanism; state grant programs and other state efforts; local governments’ ability to provide broadband; and related recent legislation.