Colorado legislators will work through Budget Madness Part 2 this week, as the state's spending plan for next year is set to pass the House on Monday before crossing over and restarting the process in the Senate.
The House worked all day and into the night Thursday (before taking Good Friday off) to give initial approval to the budget and a slew of "orbital" spending bills. It'll pass the Senate in the coming days, too. As the House did last week, the Senate will doubtless toss amendments onto the budget, requiring the same group of legislators who first crafted the document to meet and decide whether to strip any — or all — of the changes. Once that's done, the budget heads to Gov. Jared Polis.
The budget passing in early April typically marks the beginning of the home stretch of the legislative session. This year will be no exception: A slew of gun, environment, tax and housing bills still await floor debates in one or both chambers, with roughly six weeks left in the session.
Here's what to watch this week:
Tax credits
Two progressive tax bills are set for their first committee hearings in the next seven days. First up is HB24-1312, which would direct a $1,500 tax credit to middle income earners who are care workers. That's in the House Finance Committee on Monday.
The next bill is up a week later, on April 8, also in House Finance. That bill — HB24-1311 — would direct tax credits to working families.
Criminal justice measures
On Tuesday, HB24-1372 will get its first hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. That bill would limit when law enforcement can use prone restraint to subdue someone. The measure also would require the state to draft model policy on the use of prone restraint.
On Monday, a bill to place an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition dealers and manufacturers will get its first hearing in House Finance. That bill — HB-24-1349 — would direct the money primarily to various crime victims assistance funds.
Other notable bills this week
On Monday, the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee will hear SB24-053, which would launch a study to examine the disparities negatively affecting Black Coloradans. That bill already has cleared the Senate.
SB24-094, which would make it easier for renters to take action under the state's safe housing law, will get its first hearing in the House on Tuesday, in the Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee. HB24-1057, which would ban the use of rent-setting algorithmic devices, will begin its trip in the Senate in that chamber's Local Government and Housing Committee on Tuesday. It already passed the House.
SB24-189, which would add gender identity and expression to the state's bias-motivated crime laws, will debut in Senate Judiciary on Monday afternoon. So, too, will SB24-182, which would allow the state to give driver's licenses or identification to people who are in the country illegally.
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