Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 087

Bazley, Ball, Benavidez, Bridges, Bridges excuse, Bright, Carson, Catlin, Cutter, Danielson, Doherty. Exum. Frizzell. Frizzell. Excuse. Gonzalez. Hendrickson. Judah. Kip. Kirkmeyer, Colker, Lindstedt, Liston, Excuse. Excuse. Marchman. Mullica. Pelton B. Here. Pelton R. Excuse. Rich. Here. Roberts. Here. Rodriguez. Here. Simpson. Here. Snyder. Here. Sullivan. Here. Wallace, Weissman, Zamora Wilson. Mr. President.

Thank you, Mr. President. to rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Senate journal of Thursday, April 9, 2026, be approved as corrected by the secretary.

Aye.

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Committee on Health and Human Services, after consideration on the merits of the committee, ishops in theопs goes up on Memphis, and he rev ìWho сп

refer to the committee the whole and favorable recommendation and with the recommendation that

The motion to the Senate to take up those bills on special orders is considered at the hour of 924. This requires two-thirds vote. All those in favor say aye.

Opposed, no. You guys have it. That motion is adopted. The Senate will take up those bills on special orders is considered at the hour of 924 AM.

You're in the motion. All those in favor say aye.

Opposed, no. The motion is adopted. The Senate will resolve itself. The committee will come into order. Code rule is abrogated. Mr. Schaffler, please read the titles to all the bills on the consent calendar.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move for the passage of the two bills on special order second reading of bills consent calendar, which is Senate Bill 20 and the education report and Senate Bill 137 and the finance report.

please say aye. Aye.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move the committee to rise and report.

Thank you, Mr. President. The committee has been meeting and has considered a couple of bills. Will the clerk please read the report?

Senator Wiseman.

The motion is the adoption of the Committee of the Whole report. Are there any no votes? With A, vote of 32 ayes, 0 no, 0 abstinent, 3 excuse. Committee of the Whole report is adopted. Senate Bill 20 is amended. Senate Bill 137 is amended. Passed. Secondary in order of gross place. Counter for third reading and final passage. Special order of secondary in the bills, Mr. Majority Leader.

927 927 927 927 it didn matter Very good The motion is to take up those bills on special orders at the hour of 927 A surprise two vote All those in favor say aye

Opposed, no. You guys have it. The motion is adopted. The Senate will take up those bills listed on special orders at the hour of 927 AM. Special orders, second convening of the bills, Senator Weissman.

You've heard the motion. All those in favor say aye. Opposed, no. The odds have it. The motion is adopted. The Senate will resolve itself. Committee of the whole. The Senate will be a special order. Secondary bills. And Senator Weissman will take the chair.

House Bill 1332 by Representatives McCluskey and Duran and Senators Rodriguez and Simpson concerning the Legislative Department cash fund.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move House Bill 26, 13, 32, and the Appropriations Committee report.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the Appropriations Committee, we appropriated some money for the bill. Please vote yes.

Aye.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This bill has to do with the Legislative Department cash fund. This is a fund that hasn't been scrutinized heavily except for the last three years, maybe, to the point where this bill is an attempt to limit how much fund balance remains there at the end of every session to keep it to no more than $8 million. There's currently about $18 million in that fund right now, and this bill transfers $12 million back to the general fund and sets this cap of $8 million, and the Department of Cash Fund asks for your support.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Members, I was going to ask for an amendment, but actually after having discussion with the minority leader and the majority leader, we're going to continue to work on this cash fund. I think what has occurred over the last year has been very positive in that it's become more transparent and more kind of more real. I mean, at one point, the total fund balance in this cash fund just for this at this end of this year was $19.2 million. dollars that's a lot of money to be sitting around in a cash fund when we've got a structural deficit and we're making cuts in some core services throughout the state and very important important programs to families throughout the state of colorado but and and just so we kind of have an idea in the legislative department cash fund we have been reverting funds from the legislative department budget to the tune of like 18 million dollars just in the last three years And at one point this cash fund had close to $50 million in it, which doesn't make sense when the budget for the legislative department is $75 million approximately. So anyways, after again having discussions with both the minority leader and the majority leader, and their commitment to continue working on making this even more transparent, looking at responsible limits and looking at what we can do to ensure that we are doing appropriate budgeting from the legislative side, especially since some of us lecture the other two branches quite a bit I greatly appreciate that And so I am going to support this bill and I hope everyone else does too Very good Senator Pelton Thank you Mr Chair I have an amendment I perceive an

Thank you Mr. Chair. I move L004 to House Bill 1332. To the amendment. Thank you. Basically, I appreciate all the work that's been done in this legislative budget, but I just feel like the $8 million is too high for a cap. So what this amendment does is it moves it down to $5 million. It also takes away the automatic increase, inflation, and everything else. So we're just capping it at $5 million total and asking for that, asking for us to be the example when we're talking about we're cutting everything out. We should be capping lower than $8 million, especially when I found out today that there's like $3.4 million or $4.5 million is what the next projection is going to be. So $5 million was just to take it down $3 million more. It's not that big a deal to do that. So I ask for an aye vote on L004.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the good Senator's recommendation. As spoken to by the JBC member, we are having discussions to try to work on this. So at this point, we have to work out with the committee, the executive committee to work on this. So I ask for a no vote.

Aye.

No.

Aye.

House Bill 1333 by Representatives McCluskey and Duran and Senators Rodriguez and Simpson concerning the payment of the expenses of the legislative department.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move House Bill 26-1333 in the Appropriations Committee report.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Made one adjustment amendment to recognize we're transferring $600,000 from that previous mentioned legislative cash fund to cover the costs of... When we submitted the bill, we didn't allow for any increases in salary, depending on what happened at the JBC. So we took the 1% step increase that was across the board with departments and added it in here, which generated the need for another $674,000. All right. Thank you. Further discussion on the committee report?

Aye.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is the legislative budget that allocates money to the departments that we do in the executive committee. The previous bill allocated the money over. This puts in the balances and in the committee we amended it to align with the agreements with the state employees' agreements that were aligned that we had to amend in. This is just the bill that funds the government, the departments, OSA, legal services. Ask for an aye vote.

Thank you Mr Chair Yeah this is about million general fund appropriation to run the General Assembly the JBC the Legislative Council the State Auditor and the OLLS and it largely driven by salaries and benefits Ask for an aye vote Further discussion on House Bill 1332

Thank you, Mr. Schoffler.

Aye.

Senate Bill 141 by Senators Roberts and Simpson and Representative McCluskey and Taggart. Concerning optional fees during motor vehicle registration that primarily support wildlife projects and in connection therewith, using the proceeds of a newly created optional fee to construct wildlife crossings and other transportation improvements.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move Senate Bill 141, the Transportation and Energy Committee report, the Finance Committee report, and the Appropriations Committee report.

Transportation and energy, we added a few amendments to reflect some conversations with the county clerks. I ask for an aye vote on that committee report.

Aye.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. in the Finance Committee we adopted another amendment as the result of conversations with the County Clerks. I ask for an aye vote.

Aye.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the Appropriations Committee, we adopted an amendment that allows for some small cash fund transfers within various departments and ask for an aye vote.

Aye. Any opposed say no.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Colleagues, very excited to be here with the Minority Leader to present Senate Bill 141. This is a bill about funding critical infrastructure in Colorado that we know works to save human lives, animal lives, and save Colorado drivers significant amounts of money on their insurance costs. That is wildlife crossing infrastructure. Overpasses, underpasses, and game fencing that can be placed along our highways has been proven to reduce vehicle animal collisions by over 90%. The question is not whether this works at all, but it's how do we do more of it to protect more Coloradans. This bill is a result of several years of work in collaboration with an idea from the minority leader as well as a broad coalition of interests to make this possible. What this would do is institute an optional fee at the time of car registration, very similar to the Keep Colorado Wild Pass, where if you don't want to pay it, you can opt out of the fee. But if you do want to contribute $5 every year to help build this infrastructure, drivers will have the opportunity to do that. This also will allow Colorado to take advantage of an existing federal matching opportunity where the federal government has the opportunity to send us up to $4 for every dollar that we invest on a state basis and build some of these really great projects. We're seeing these go up across our state, but we have a long list of areas of highway where people would benefit from more infrastructure like this. So this is a really exciting bill, a long collaboration that led us to this point and appreciate all the work that's gone into it. And for the bipartisan support we've enjoyed so far. are in our committee hearings.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A heartfelt thank you to the good Senator from Frisco and his efforts in this space. It wasn't just a year ago I'm sitting in Finance Committee and having this same kind of conversation, actually voting against this bill, largely because, again, how we figure out a way to fund it. There's no doubt in my mind it provides valuable protections, again, to people and animals. It's a little morbid to talk about, but as I travel my district, very sensitive to how many bloodstains there are in the road and or carcasses in the bar ditch. I can make a mental note to go, hey, if I'm driving this section at night, I better pay extra close attention. And I've just watched this unfold, these improvements unfold over the last several years. There are now sections, a particular one from Fort Garland to the bottom of La Vida Pass. I've driven, I don't know, a thousand times in my life and have watched and seen, you know, what happens in those sections of road. That's a new section now, I don't know, probably six miles of fencing and crossing that makes an absolute difference. Sometimes I worry, like maybe I'm, now I take it for granted that it's safe traveling that section and I probably need to be a little careful in that space, but it's there, it's between Pagosa Springs and Bayfield, it's south of Montrose are a number of places where I know absolutely this makes a difference and improves people's lives. The challenge was, again, all right, how do you generate a revenue stream to keep this option available where we continue to make continuous improvements? And was happy to join the good senator from Frisco in this effort. I think we've identified a reasonable approach and continuous funding, again, to help us provide better outcomes for folks. So ask for your support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I ordinarily am not such a huge fan of things like this, but I also heard in finance last year's version of this bill, and I want to thank the bill sponsors for what I consider a really creative and a creative approach to funding this. I have, we have a number of significant state highways that run through Douglas County, and wildlife fencing is spotty. It's present in some places, not present in others. And unfortunately, one of the folks who gave testimony on this bill is one of my constituents, whose father was traveling on Highway 86 just north of Castle Rock with his wife. and unfortunately there was an elk that was hit by an oncoming vehicle through the elk into her parents' car, and her father was killed. And she contacted me after this, and I think that, you know, we all have stories, we all have constituents who have had really horrible experiences, and they come to us and they say, please do something. and I hate having to say, I'm sorry, we just don't have enough money in the state coffers to take care of wildlife fencing in places where we really need it. This particular stretch of road is, there always carcasses along it So I do support this bill I appreciate the bill sponsors work to make this happen I think that the federal match the four times federal match that available is very compelling to this conversation, and I urge an I vote.

We heard this in transportation, and, you know, of course I am supportive of this, of anything that we can do to make our roads safer, and we've been doing that for years. We've made our cars safer so that people can drive in them, and we need to make the outsides safer. And, yeah, I think it's a unique approach to be able to have people donate $5 a year on it. I mean, my $5 is here right now. But the reality is this $5 that I'm holding isn't going to stop any elk or any deer flying through anybody's window as they're driving down. What this takes is a million five dollar bills, maybe two million five dollar bills. It needs people to know that this is something that they have the ability to do. It's something that people need to talk about and get them to do it. And then all of these $5 bills that we are all putting in, we will be able to build the bridges and the fencing that's needed to keep these animals off of the highways and allow us to travel the way that we do. That's why I'm encouraged by the couple of amendments that we brought forward in transportation that the county clerks were concerned about because that was their number one concern is how are we going to let people know. I'm confident that the stuff that we added probably in the finance committee, and I see one of them standing up here. Maybe they'll fill us in on exactly what they were adding in on the finance side. But that's what we need to do. We need to let the people know that it's out there, let them know how much their $5 each can do, and that all of that contributed together can help to make our roads much safer and keep our wildlife safer. They don't need to be jumping out in front of our cars. So I'm supportive of it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I rise in opposition to 141, and I'm going to explain my no vote. I'm not opposed to ensuring that we provide for additional safety on our highway system and our transportation system. I understand that building wildlife cross bridges and crossroads, that does do help save lives, and that it does help with saving money on insurance costs, that there will be the opportunity to pull down even more federal funds. They'll be able to access new funds through bonding. They'll be a consistent source. It's really about where the funding is coming from and what we are saying as a government. In the Department of Transportation, they already have a bridge enterprise fund. I don't know the amount of dollars in there, but I know it's more than $2 million, and that what in the fiscal note for fiscal year 26 for these wildlife crossings Again they are extremely important We all know people who have hit deer or other animals elk where it's caused not only property damage but it's cost lives. We all know those. But there is a bridge enterprise fund, and the Department of Transportation should be prioritizing those types of projects that are about saving lives. A $2 million request, they can't figure out where to get that out of the Bridge Enterprise Fund. The other thing is the Wildlife Cash Fund. We appropriated $151 million to the Wildlife Cash Fund. That doesn't even consider the fund balance that's within the Wildlife Cash Fund. Additionally, in the last year, last couple of years, there was a new fee put on oil and gas. and in the forecast we heard that that means $30 million additional new dollars going to the wildlife cash fund, going to fund those things that are important in wildlife. So the funding is there, and it's the Department of Transportation and the Department of Natural Resources that don't want to realize that this should be a priority and we should be funding it. But those are additional new dollars placed on a fee on oil and gas, and the fee brings in a lot more than $30 million, but $30 million is slated to go to wildlife and projects there. But even absent that, there are a lot of funds that go into the wildlife cash fund that could be used for this purpose. I mean, I would say that we should be getting more money out of those cash funds, more than the $2 million this year. because next year this goes up in 27-28. It goes up to a $4 million request, which makes sense. If there's a huge backlog, I don't know why we are sitting on cash fund balances in these other funds, why we aren't using these new dollars that are coming in to actually go after and attack that list and bring it down more and pull down more federal dollars versus putting in yet another fee that I realize it's optional. Folks have to opt out, but there isn't necessarily a reason to do that. When we're sitting on cash fund balances, when we're sitting on huge cash funds in the first place, and when we're sitting on new dollars that are coming into this state, we should be requiring these departments to prioritize safety and fund these projects. So I'm not opposed to the program. In fact, you know, there are already programs that fund these wildlife crossings throughout the state, and they're in the Department of Transportation. They just need to make it a priority and think about how we're going to save lives. It's just really where the money is coming from and the fact that we're going out and asking for yet an additional fee when we're sitting on large fund balances in the state of Colorado. So I just wanted to explain my no vote. But I do thank the sponsor for bringing this forward and highlighting it. because it is an issue on our highways, and it is about saving lives. So I do appreciate you bringing it forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I rise in support of this bill. I had the distinct privilege of sitting next to the minority leader last year, and I had similar issues with the bill, that it was increasing fees on folks that were not optional. And did not want to discount I think what the good senator from Frisco was trying to do last year which is to save lives and to save the people of Colorado money I was struggling though with the fact that we would be increasing fees. And I believe I've had the chance to hear this bill not only in transportation and energy, but also in finance this year. And I just want to applaud the sponsors for truly coming up with a concept that will generate the revenue to achieve their goals, but do it in a way that still gives the people of Colorado a choice. And I think that choice matters here because they should be able to say, do they want to support this or do they not want to support this? Do they want to add this onto their registration or do they not? but there's no denying the fact that the data shows that building these wildlife crossings do save lives building these wildlife crossings do save money on our car insurance and i think that that matters and i think that when we have this piece of legislation before us in a way that these sponsors have ran it i think it's important that we appreciate that and that we recognize that And that's why I'm a yesterday. And look, I represent the city of Thornton. We're not going to have wildlife overpasses in my district. This isn't something that they're going to build in my neighborhood, in the suburbs of Colorado. This is going to be something that's built in these sponsors' districts and other folks' districts here where there is more abundant wildlife. But the fact of the matter is that that doesn't mean there's not going to be an impact on my community either. That doesn't mean that my community doesn't drive in these areas. That doesn't mean that my community doesn't pay car insurance as well. And we know that the data shows that this bill will help lower the cost of car insurance and will save lives. For that reason, I'm a yes, and I just want to applaud the sponsors, specifically the good senator from Frisco, for really coming up with, I think, an innovative idea to try to solve what is a real problem in our state. I ask for a yes vote.

Aye.

Senate Bill 143 by Senators Coleman and Wallace concerning updating the name of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. We move Senate Bill 143 and ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, members, for your consideration of Senate Bill 143 and to my co-prime, the good president from Denver. This bill will name the Colorado Youth Advisory Council in honor of the late Senator Faith Winter. To serve alongside Senator Winter to witness her dedication and her strength and her ability to take on the really big fights was a true honor. I miss Faith a lot in this work, and I often wish she was here to inspire us to keep fighting, to make us laugh even in really hard times, and to show us what it looks like to have an unbending will and a ceaseless energy for community. I know that Faith had that same passion for each of the young people that she mentored through COIAC. Having witnessed youth advisory councils and various government offices, I know firsthand the impact of uplifting the voices of our future leaders. These brilliant, thoughtful young minds, without fail, come up with impactful ideas driven by an enduring will to make their communities a better place. With that, I ask for an aye vote, and I thank my co-lead for letting me join him on this legislation to follow further faith's legacy. In Senator Winter's honor, I hope we each take time every day to help others lead and to treasure the beauty of a life lived in service. Thank you.

Ayes have it. 143 is adopted.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move House Bill 1019 layover until Monday, April the 27th.

All those in favor, please say aye. Any opposed to say no. Ayes have it. 1019 will layover. Mr. Schauffler, please read the title to House Bill 1331.

Thank you.

Mr. Minority Leader.

I don't think there was a committee report.

Mr. Schoffler, please read L2 to 1331.

Mr. Minority Leader.

All right. Thank you. Further discussion on L2? Seeing none, the question is the adoption of L2 to House Bill 1331. All those in favor, please say aye.

Any opposed to say no. I accept that L2 is adopted. Back to the bill. Mr. Nope. Is there further discussion on 1331? Seeing none, the question is the adoption of House Bill 1331. All those in favor, please say aye. Any opposed to say no. A couple of eyes have it. 1331 is adopted. Now, Mr. Schauffler, please read the title to Senate Bill 80.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. We move Senate Bill 80 and the Ed Committee Report and Approach Committee Report.

Oh, Local Gov, not Ed. Local Gov Committee Report.

To the Committee Report from Local Government. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. This program, this simply said that this program won't be implemented without the fund being fully funded and also includes revisions and recommendations by the department and other advocates when we ask for an aye vote. Thank you.

Mr. Chair. This amendment simply said in the committee report that there would be no general fund dollars allowed for use of this program. That's for an aye vote. Further discussion to the

Amendment L5.

Is there any further discussion to L5 to Senate Bill 80? Seeing none, the question is the adoption of L5. All those in favor, please say aye.

Any opposed to say no. Ayes have it. L5 to Senate Bill 80 is adopted. Back to the bill. Further discussion? Seeing none of the questions, the adoption of Senate Bill 80, all those in favor, please say aye.

Any opposed to say no. Oh, high five. All right, high five, no comments. All those in favor, please say aye.

Any opposed to say no. Ayes have it. Senate Bill 80 is adopted. Mr. Majority Leader.

Members, the motion is to rise and report. All those in favor, please say aye. Any opposed say no. We'll give it to the couple of ayes. The committee will rise and report.

Senator Weissman. Thank you, Mr. President. The committee has been meeting and has been considering a number of bills. will Mr. Schoffler please read the report.

Senator Weiser. Thank you, Mr. Schoffler. I move the Senate to adopt the report of the Committee of the Whole.

First report of the first Conference Committee on House Bill 1038. This report amends the re-revised bill. To the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, your first Conference Committee appointed on House Bill 1038 concerning County Commissioner redistricting has met and reports that it has agreed upon the following one that the house accede to the senate amendments made to the bill and as the amendments appear in the revised bill with the following change two that under the authority granted the committee to consider matters not at issue between the two houses the following amendments be recommended Respectfully submitted Senate Comferees Senator Snyder Chair Wallace and Rich House Comferees Representative Paschal Chair Clifford and Flannell

The House is adopted and transmits here with House Joint Resolution 1026 as printed in House Journal April 10, 2026.

Senate Bill 72 by Senators Carson and Snyder and Representative Espinosa concerning increasing criminal penalties related to assaultive conduct with a motor vehicle and in connection therewith, adding the conduct causing the death of another person with a motor vehicle to the crime of criminally negligent homicide.

Aye.

Aye.

of House Bill 1268.

Senator Lindstedt. Thank you, Mr. President. I move House Bill 1268 on third reading and final passage.

General Order, segment of the bills, Majority Leader Rodriguez. Thank you, Mr. President. I move to lay over General Order Second Reading of Bills until Monday, April 13th.

Aye.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move to lay over Senate Memorial 001 until Monday, April 20th.

consent calendar. Executive Director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing for a term expiring at the pleasure of the Governor Gretchen Hammer of Denver, Colorado appointed. Mr. Majority Leader.

Seeing none, the motion is the confirmation of the appointment on the consent calendar. Are there any no votes on the consent calendar? With a vote of 31 ayes, 0 no, 0 absent, and 4 SKUs, that appointment is confirmed. Announcements. Mr. Minority Leader.

Granted. Mr. President, colleagues, just take the

the Senate floor. Made the long trip up here. Welcome everybody. Welcome to the Senate. Senator

Thank you, Senator Sullivan. Mr. Majority Leader.

You wrote the motion. All those in favor, say aye.

Opposed no. The ayes have it, and the Senate will recess until 11 a.m. today. . Thank you. Thank you. .