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The U.S. federal government holds exclusive authority to regulate immigration, including who may enter the country and under what conditions. Nevertheless, states can enact laws that impact immigrants and influence the enforcement of federal immigration laws, provided that these state laws do not conflict with federal law. This issue brief outlines current state and federal laws affecting immigration in Colorado, including immigration enforcement, the Office of New Americans, access to public services, health insurance coverage, and identification.

The State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent Government Act (SMART Act) was adopted in 2010 by House Bill 10-1119. This bill established a performance-based budgeting program.

The Attorney General is a statewide elected official who acts as the chief legal representative of the state and the chief executive officer of the Department of Law. The Attorney General and the Department of Law together are known as the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. This issue brief provides an overview of the office’s functions.

The harmful effects of secondhand smoke and emissions from tobacco, marijuana, and electronic smoking devices continue to be an issue in Colorado. Since 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified secondhand tobacco smoke as a known cause of cancer.

Colorado’s population reached nearly 5.8 million according to the 2020 census, a 14.8 percent increase from 2010. For those joining the influx of new people moving to the Centennial State, this issue brief outlines best practices for establishing residency, applying for state identification, registering a vehicle, registering to vote, and paying state income taxes. It also provides links to other Legislative Council Staff (LCS) resources that may be helpful in understanding Colorado’s state budget and policy landscape.

Under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (CGIA), public entities and employees are generally immune from liability in all claims except those specifically provided for in state law. In 2020, national and local public demonstrations against excessive use of force by law enforcement prompted the passage of Senate Bill 20-217 which limits qualified immunity for law enforcement officers. This issue brief provides an overview of law enforcement officer actions that are subject to civil or criminal liability.

Federal, state, and local entities work to deliver programs and initiatives to increase food security and accessibility for Coloradans. This issue brief provides an overview of key programs and efforts within the state, including beneficiaries, operations, and funding.

This issue brief examines Colorado fireworks law, including permissible fireworks, sales, local government regulations, penalties for violating state laws, and executive orders.

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, paid service provider, or in a community-based care setting.  This issue brief provides an overview of state respite care services.

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.

This 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.

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

Senate Bill 18-200, Modifications to the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) to Eliminate Unfunded Liability, included an automatic adjustment provision (AAP) that triggers when PERA's trusts are not on track to reach full funding within the targeted 30-year period.  This issue brief discusses how the provision works and has been used since 2019.

In lieu of issuing bonds, or using another form of long-term debt, the state often uses a form of lease-purchase agreement called certificates of participation (COPs) to finance the construction of its new facilities. A certificate refers to an investor's proportionate interest in the state's lease payments. COPs give the state the flexibility to build capital facilities even when funds are not available to pay for projects on a pay-as-you-go basis.

 There are 324 justices and judges in Colorado.  Seven justices preside over the Supreme Court and issue binding majority decisions on lower court rulings.  Additionally, 317 judges preside over other various courts, including the Court of Appeals (22 judges), district courts (181 judges), and county courts (114 judges). 

This issue brief explains Colorado’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, known as Colorado Works, which provides financial and other assistance. The federally funded program is overseen at the state level by the Department of Human Services and is administered at the county level.

Colorado voters legalized the use of medical marijuana in 2000 and retail marijuana in 2012 through amendments to the Colorado Constitution. This issue brief provides an overview of current state law and regulations pertaining to medical and retail marijuana, and discusses the role of local governments in regulating marijuana. The federal government considers all marijuana to be a Schedule I controlled substance with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. As such, the federal government does not have a direct role in marijuana regulation.

The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) 1 creates a presumption in favor of public access to government documents. This issue brief addresses CORA’s two threshold questions: 1) what is and is not considered a public record; and 2) which public records are exempt from disclosure. It also briefly outlines CORA’s requirements for responding to an open records request.

Colorado’s state court system is comprised of many different courts, including the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals (COA), and district courts. Colorado law also governs county courts and jurisdiction-specific courts in Denver.1 This issue brief describes the qualification requirements and appointment, retention, and disciplinary processes for Colorado judges.