2023 Colorado legislative session
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| 2023 Colorado legislative session |
|---|
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| General information |
| Session start: January 9, 2023 Session end: May 8, 2023 |
| Leadership |
| Senate President Stephen Fenberg (D) House Speaker |
| Elections |
| Next Election: November 5, 2024 Last Election: November 8, 2022 |
| Previous legislative sessions |
| 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
| Other 2023 legislative sessions |
In 2023, the Colorado State Legislature was scheduled to convene on January 9, 2023, and adjourn on May 8, 2023.
The legislators serving in this session took office following the 2022 elections. Democrats won a 23-12 majority in the Senate and a 46-19 majority in the House. Democrats also controlled the governorship, creating a Democratic state government trifecta. At the start of the 2023 session, Colorado was one of 23 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
Leadership in 2023
Colorado State Senate
- Senate president: Stephen Fenberg (D)
- Majority leader: Dominick Moreno (D)
- Minority leader: Paul Lundeen (R)
Colorado House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House: Julie McCluskie (D)
- Majority leader: Monica Duran (D)
- Minority leader: Mike Lynch (R)
Partisan control in 2023
- See also: State government trifectas
Colorado was one of 17 Democratic state government trifectas at the start of 2023 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.
Colorado was also one of 23 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.
The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Colorado State Legislature in the 2023 legislative session.
Colorado State Senate
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 23 | |
| Republican Party | 12 | |
| Total | 35 | |
Colorado House of Representatives
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 46 | |
| Republican Party | 19 | |
| Total | 65 | |
Regular session
The list below shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2023 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2023. This information is provided by BillTrack50.
Standing legislative committees
A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.
At the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, there were 34 standing committees in Colorado's state government, including 13 joint legislative committees, 10 state Senate committees, and 11 state House committees.
Joint legislative committees
- Capital Development Committee
- Capitol Building Advisory Committee
- Colorado Commission on Uniform State Laws
- Colorado Health Insurance Exchange Oversight Committee
- Executive Committee
- Joint Budget Committee
- Legal Services Committee
- Legislative Audit Committee
- Legislative Council Committee
- Legislative Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Committee
- Statutory Revision Committee
- Technology Committee
- Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Committee
Senate committees
- Business, Labor, and Technology Committee
- Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Senate Appropriations Committee
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Health and Human Services Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Senate Local Government Committee
- Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee
- Transportation and Energy Committee
House committees
- Agriculture, Livestock, and Water Committee
- Energy and Environment Committee
- Health and Insurance Committee
- House Appropriations Committee
- House Business Affairs and Labor Committee
- House Education Committee
- House Finance Committee
- House Judiciary Committee
- Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services Committee
- State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee
- Transportation and Local Government Committee
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods by which the Colorado Constitution can be amended:
- See also: Section 1 of Article V and Article XIX of the Colorado Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Colorado
| Colorado Constitution |
|---|
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| Preamble |
| Articles |
| I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XIX • XX • XXI • XXII • XXIII • XXIV • XXV • XXVI • XXVII • XXVIII • XXIX • Schedule |
The Colorado Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Once on the ballot, a 55 percent supermajority vote is required for the approval of any constitutional amendment put on the ballot by the legislature or by a citizen initiative, except those that only remove language from the constitution, rather than adding language or changing existing language.
Initiative
- See also: Initiated constitutional amendment
An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.
In Colorado, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. Colorado has a distribution requirement for initiated amendments. Signatures must be collected from at least 2% of the registered voters who live in each of the 35 state Senate districts. A 55% vote is required for voter approval.
Combined initiated constitutional amendments and state statutes
A combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends both a state's constitution and state statute. There are at least two (2) states that allow citizens to initiate combined amendments and statutes.
In Colorado, the number of signatures required for a combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute is equal to 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. Colorado has a distribution requirement for initiated amendments. Signatures must be collected from at least 2% of the registered voters who live in each of the 35 state Senate districts. A 55% vote is required for voter approval.
Legislature
A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the Colorado State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 44 votes in the Colorado House of Representatives and 24 votes in the Colorado State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Convention
According to Article XIX of the Colorado Constitution, the state Legislature can refer a state constitutional convention question to the ballot. A two-thirds (66.67%) vote of legislators in each chamber is required.
Historical context: A total of 17 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Colorado during odd-numbered election years between 1999 through 2021. Of the 17 measures, 6 were approved (35.29%) and 11 were defeated (64.71%). From 1999 through 2021, the number of measures on the odd-year ballot ranged from zero to three.
| Colorado statewide ballot measures during odd-numbered election years, 1999-2021 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Annual average | Annual median | Annual minimum | Annual maximum |
| 1999-2021 | 17 | 6 | 35.29% | 11 | 64.71% | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | 3 |
Historical partisan control
The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Colorado.
Colorado Party Control: 1992-2025
Thirteen years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Historical Senate control
From 1992 to 2022, the Colorado Senate was competitive, flipping partisan control five times. This was not unusual as the Colorado Senate has a history of being a toss-up chamber. Between 1900 and 2022, the chamber changed partisan hands 14 times. The table below shows the partisan history of the Colorado Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Colorado State Senate election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 23 |
| Republicans | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
Democrats controlled the chamber following the 1900 elections. By 1956 the chamber had switched control eight times. The competitiveness waned after the 1962 election, as that year marked the beginning of solid Republican control until the 2000 elections.
In the early and mid-1990s, Republicans had a three- to seven-seat advantage over Democrats. Starting in 2000, Democrats saw a resurgence and partisan control of the chamber underwent several rapid shifts. In 2000, the Democrats took control of the chamber for the first time in nearly 40 years, winning a one-seat majority. In 2002, Republicans flipped control of the chamber back in their favor by the same one-seat majority. In 2004, this happened again with Democrats reclaiming the one-seat majority. After the 2008 election, Democrats held 21 seats, the most their party had held since the 1958 elections.
The Democratic advantage persisted through the 2012 elections. However, in 2014 Republicans took control of the chamber again with another one-seat majority. They maintained their one-seat majority in the 2016 elections and increased it to 23-12 by 2022.
Historical House control
From 1992 to 2022, the Colorado House was competitive, flipping partisan control three times. This was not unusual as the Colorado House has a history of being a toss-up chamber. Between 1900 and 2022, the chamber changed partisan hands 19 times. The table below shows the partisan history of the Colorado House following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Colorado House of Representatives election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 31 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 33 | 39 | 38 | 32 | 37 | 34 | 37 | 41 | 41 | 46 |
| Republicans | 34 | 41 | 41 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 32 | 26 | 27 | 33 | 28 | 31 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 19 |
Democrats controlled the chamber following the 1900 elections. By 1950 the chamber had switched control 10 times, an average of once every five years. It was even more competitive between 1950 and 1976, switching control six times. But the 1976 election marked the beginning of an almost 30-year period of Republican majorities.
In the early and mid-1990s, Republicans were able to boost their majority to over 40 members, coming within three seats of the 44 needed for a two-thirds supermajority. Starting in 1998, though, Democrats saw a resurgence. They picked up seats in the next three elections until taking back control in 2004. Democrats maintained their majority for six years before the 2010 election turned the chamber red again. Democrats gained five seats in 2012 and won back control. Republicans made some gains in the 2014 election, but it was not enough to win the chamber. After the 2022 elections, Democrats held 46 seats.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
See also
| Elections | Colorado State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
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External links
Footnotes
