March 31, 2026 · 2,963 words · 9 speakers · 40 segments
since the last policy, and then you can move forward. I think a high-level overview would be great, and then if we have questions, we'll take those.
Thank you.
Okay, great. So the change in the policy from the current policy to what's before you is to expand the ability for remote participation in joint committee meetings that occur during the legislative session. The current policy applies only to joint committee meetings occurring during the interim. There's been some confusion about whether and how and what rules apply to members sitting on joint committees that are meeting during the legislative session. This policy makes it clear about the ability of members to participate and the process for doing remote participation in joint committees that occur during the legislative session. It is still the preference of this committee and of the legislature for members to participate in person at meetings, but under certain circumstances when a member can show that they meet the qualifications spelled out in the policy, they've had a child and they need to be absent for a period of time and participate remotely, other qualifications, if they meet those, the chair of the committee could approve their participation remotely. Based on the request from the House Majority Leader at the meeting last week, We've added some language in the policy to allow a chair to require a requesting member to use a form that could then be tracked to see, and all of leadership could see how that is occurring, how often it's occurring, who's using the remote participation for joint committee meetings. So on page four of the proposed policy, there's a new subsection 2.4 that addresses that authority for the chairs to use a form. The other change that we made was to specify on the notice when a chair gets a request and makes a decision about that. The notice in the policy that you considered last week had that going in addition to the member requesting and to staff as appropriate to the speaker, the president, and the minority leaders. We've added the majority leaders in that notice as well. So that's on page three in section 2.1.2. And as I mentioned, we had one last mention of the technology platform Zoom that the legislature currently uses. Excuse me. We had changed that to more generic terminology to account for if the General Assembly chooses to use a different platform in the future. So that was on page 5. In section 4.1 in the last bullet, we modified that to be more generic terminology. So that's the policy before you as modified based on your discussions last week. and I'm happy to answer any specific questions you may have.
Members, any questions?
Thank you. I am glad we flagged this. Taking care of the housekeeping and our operations is important.
Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I move to adopt the policy of the Executive Committee pursuant to Section 23303.2H1A, Colorado Revised Statute, as presented by staff.
Second.
That has been properly moved and seconded. Mr. Syed, please call the roll.
Representative Sanders, Caldwell. Yes. Duran. Yes.
Rodriguez. Aye.
Simpson. Aye.
Mr. President. Aye.
I'm Speaker. Yes. That passes unanimously. Thank you, Deputy Director Chase. Next on the agenda, we haven't even finished the session, and yet we are looking ahead to 2027.
Director DiCecco. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Ed DiCecco, Office of Legislative Legal Services. And yes, I know each year around this time, members and staff start to get really melancholy. There's only 43 days left of session. And that's why I think it's great that one of the duties of the Executive Committee is to decide the convening date for the next General Assembly, in this instance, the first regular session of the 76th General Assembly. Now, typically, the only constitutional provision that this committee has to worry about is Article 5, Section 7, which requires that the General Assembly meet no later than the second Wednesday in January each year. And that establishes the framework of dates between the 1st and, in this instance, the 13th of January, 2027. However because we have a general election this year it will be necessary or we recommend that the Colorado General Assembly convene prior to that date Specifically, under Article 4, Section 1, the terms of the governor and the other statewide elected officials start on the second Tuesday, which would be the 12th. Now, under Article 4, Section 3, the Speaker of the House, upon organization, is required to open and publish the election results. And in the likely, and let's say very unlikely chance there's a tie, or less unlikely but still somewhat unlikely chance that election results are contested, the General Assembly would then be required to determine the winner in one of those statewide results. Accordingly, the last, for example, the last two years, the General Assembly has started prior to that second Tuesday in January. Now, the Executive Committee has a few options for picking its date. Typically, again, we start on Wednesdays. All of our deadlines set forth in Joint Rule 23 are based on a Wednesday start date. So the first date you could look at is instead of doing the second Wednesday, would be to simply pick January 6, 2027, which is the first Wednesday. Again, the benefit to that is all of your deadlines would work. One of the things you might want to consider, though, is that, for example, your pre-file, the first build request deadline, would fall quite early because it has to be introduced at least five days prior to session. it would be possible of course to perhaps we would have to work with the house and senate maybe you can move that deadline a couple days if you wanted to change that one of the other things that's occurred to me was when you start earlier that means that the deadline for introduction of the long bill and all of the deadlines related to the long bill are earlier in the calendar year so i think if you were to pick that second that first wednesday you would also want to consider work with determine when legislative council's March forecast is coming out along with OSPB and determine is there enough time between that forecast date and the date for introduction of the long bill because that forecast is essential information for joint budget committee to be able to finalize the budget. So that might be one other little tweak if you were to do or to consider if you were to do a January 6th. Otherwise the option for the General Assembly it seems would be either that Friday or the Monday. And that's what the General Assembly did in the previous two times that this has occurred, or the most recent two times this has occurred. Now, that would be the 8th or the 11th. In both cases, you'll need to do a full adjustment of the deadlines. For example, we have a number of deadlines on the calendar that are based on the Wednesday start that occur on a Friday. If you don't adjust those deadlines, then they would all, let's for example, say you started on Monday, those deadlines, or Friday, excuse me, those deadlines move back two days and would theoretically be on a Sunday. So it's better if we have deadlines that are clear for everyone and are actually on the days a week when the General Assembly would be meeting. Aside from that, there's other implications that you as members would just might want to consider. For example, if you do a Friday start, that means your members from out of town will be coming in just for that one day of work. If you do a Monday start, then it's a full week right out of the chute, out of the gate, I guess. I don't know. Maybe there's a reason that schools always transition slowly in or the General Assembly starts on a Wednesday. Although, you know, it's a lot of pomp and circumstance that first week, and you just do smart acts as well. But the other thing to consider is with a Monday start, days 118 and 119 are now on a Saturday and Sunday. And you just may want to consider what's that look like at the end of the session for finishing and concluding your work. So whatever the decision of this committee this year, unlike the past few where you could rely on operation of the statute, which just says that in the absence of a resolution establishing the date, the General Assembly automatically convenes on the second Wednesday, this committee will, I would recommend, running a resolution to pick a different date, whatever that date may be. and there may also, depending on which day of the week you pick, it may be necessary to make some adjustments
to the current deadlines in Joint Rule 23 And I be happy to answer any questions Director DiCecco thank you We are sitting here looking at our calendars and appreciate that there are pros and cons of which days we are picking I will not be serving the body next year. So for those of you that I'm leaving behind, I think it's important that you have a say. There's a few of us that won't be here next year.
Mr. President. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. You know, as I look at this calendar, you know, I think about my Senate minority leader and how significantly far away from the Capitol he lives. And I think for him to have to come in on a Friday the 8th just to go back home, it doesn't seem right for him. And for me, I live in Kansas, rural Denver, but it's still easy for me to get here. And then, you know, you look at the 6th. The 6th kind of feels a little early. It's a Wednesday, you know, and that's something that we could look at. But I think that if we came in on the 11th, which is a little later than we came in this year, but still.
Earlier.
Earlier than we came in this year? Earlier. That's right. It's kind of a compromise in the middle. And so I already know what my minority leader is going to say. But I like Monday. It's something about Monday the 11th. You start the week off strong. Everybody's well rested. They don't have to come in for one day at the end of the week and then go home. So that's how I feel about it. But I'll stop there.
Mr. Minority Leader. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Director Dr. DiCecco, thank you, and for spending a little extra time individually was very helpful as well. I'll advocate for the sixth, the first Wednesday, for a lot of the reasons the director highlighted, but also selfishly the earlier we get started, the earlier we get done, and I'm like right now challenged to be home. There are things on my farm that need to be happening. The earlier we start, the better, and I think the first Wednesday is appropriate. for me. That would be what I would support. Madam Majority Leader. Thank you, Madam Speaker. And thank you, Mr. DeCeckel, for all the time you gave us on this. I would agree. I would prefer to start earlier on the 6th and keep everything just kind of moving in that momentum because the sooner we start, the sooner we end.
I'm going to weigh in before I call on you, Mr. President. I do want to highlight members that inauguration doesn't happen until the 12th? Director DiCecco?
That's correct. Yes.
So what that means is that we will not have a statewide elected sworn into office, which will mean that second week is then impacted with things like state of the state, probably state of the judiciary and that is a delay that we can't there isn't work that we can do right it is it has been very helpful to do things like state of the state in the day or two after we have gaveled in because there is not work that the body is prepared to do right out of the gate so I do fear that it is if you were to start on Wednesday, a couple of days that might be rather hollow because you are unable to facilitate some of those events. Mr. President.
You know, Madam Speaker, I couldn't agree more. It's something about the way you articulate that point that has nothing to do with the minority leader wanting to spend more time maybe at home with his family or spend time if they don't come here to go to Houston and spend time with his grandchildren. I'd hate to cut that short, and I'm just thinking about all the things that aren't actual data or facts, but it's all emotionally driven. I'm going to stop there.
Minority Leader Caldwell.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. As a former member of House Judiciary I feel like with 20 Smart Act hearings we could find something for the members to do If we start on that Wednesday on the 6th I sure they have more than enough time to just do Smart Act hearings all day every day So I think we could fill that empty time waiting for the new governor to come in and give their speech So I'm going to advocate for the 6th.
Okay, we're getting our votes in. Mr. Majority Leader.
I just wanted to think a little selfishly for you that you've got to come in and pass off the gavel a lot quicker. and get out of there. There we go. There we go.
I do want to, does anyone else, our chief clerk or secretary, have anything to weigh in on? Madam Chief Clerk.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Happy to be here whenever you all decide. Madam Secretary, ditto.
Okay. Director DiCecco, any other considerations should we choose January 6th?
Thank you, Madam Speaker. No, I just think if it would be okay to potentially explore whether or not we need the five full days for the pre-file or if we were able to move it a little bit instead of five, make it three or four or whatever the case may be to see if that's an option, working with the Senate Secretary and Chief Clerk to talk to them about that, and as well as the print shop from LCS too. So there's a lot of people involved. And then the other thing would be to explore with the JVC staff and Ledge Council to look at the calendar to see, you know, if that ends up falling where the 87th day or the day for introduction would be two days after we get the forecast, then you might as well just move it now because that's not doable. So just to explore making those changes now would be something you would consider.
Director DiCecco, thank you for all of that. I assume we don't need to make this decision today. So a good first foray into the conversation that is always a big one. We can take this up at a future executive committee, explore some of those issues. Mr. President?
Thank you so much, Madam Speaker. I just want to say you've got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, Know when to walk away and know when to run. I know when I'm beat. Just from the conversation that we've had here, I just want to say that it sounds like people are open to the 6, and I am as well. I will continue to advocate for the 11, but I think I'm a lone wolf at this moment.
Director DiCecco.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would just say for purposes of when you make a decision, we'll be prepared to have kind of to give you a little more information about the options. If you go with a six about any potential deadline changes you may want to include in that resolution. And then if you have if you decided on the 11th, we would likely have I'd have a resolution that we could have just essentially moving all the deadlines with similar the way they are now, just to make them work as best it can in a similar fashion with a different start date. So whatever option you choose, then the decision would lead to a resolution that would include those dates and would be ready to go when you make that decision.
Excellent. Thank you. Madam Secretary.
Madam Speaker, thank you. Just to highlight what Mr. DiCecco has already said, don't forget to think about the end, that those dates may also impact how the end of the session works out. So I know we're all focused right now on the beginning, but those last few days are also important. Director DiCecco, thank you.
Thank you. More to come. Members, oh, sorry, Minority Leader Caldwell.
I just, ma'am, to add to that, I would hate for the end of the session to fall on like a Monday and then the Senate might actually have to come in on a weekend and work. So that is something for consideration.
What do we do Sunday? We haven't done anything. Wow. Wow, 1939, ending on a Sunday. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Okay. Members, is there any other business for the good of the group? Seeing none, the Executive Committee of the Legislative Council is adjourned. Good job, team. Thank you.