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Public policy in Colorado
This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.
The Public Policy Project on Ballotpedia aims to illuminate major policy issues being discussed and implemented throughout the United States. Public policy can be complicated and controversial; deciding what works best and how to allocate resources to achieve a policy goal can involve multiple trade-offs. Much of the public policy that affects citizens economically, legally and socially, is made at the state level. Below you will find links and introductions to all the Colorado public policy articles on Ballotpedia. To see the policy overview of another state click on the map below.
- For a list of all public policy articles on Ballotpedia see here.
Budget Policy
Budget and finances
In Colorado, as in other states, lawmakers and public officials are elected in part to manage the state's finances. This includes generating revenues (money coming into the state from various sources) and approving expenditures (the money spent on governmental functions and servicing state debt). State budgets are complex and fluid, as they depend on anticipated revenues and planned expenditures, which may alter over the course of a fiscal year. If revenues do not keep pace with expenditures, states generally have to raise taxes, cut services, borrow money, or a combination of the three. State budget decisions are also influenced by policy decisions at the national level, such as the Affordable Care Act or energy and environmental regulations, and issues at the local level, such as crime and the quality of education.
Taxes
Colorado generates the bulk of its tax revenue by levying a personal income tax and a sales tax. The state derives its constitutional authority to tax from Article X of the state constitution.[2][3]
Tax policy can vary from state to state. States levy taxes to help fund the variety of services provided by state governments. Tax collections comprise approximately 40 percent of the states' total revenues. The rest comes from non-tax sources, such as intergovernmental aid (e.g., federal funds), lottery revenues and fees. The primary types of taxes levied by state governments include personal income tax, general sales tax, excise (or special sales) taxes and corporate income tax.[4]
Civil Liberties Policy
Affirmative action
Affirmative action in Colorado refers to the steps taken by employers and universities in Colorado to increase the proportions of historically disadvantaged minority groups at those institutions. Historically, affirmative action nationwide has taken many different forms, such as strict quotas, extra outreach efforts, and racial and gender preferences. However, racial quotas in university admissions were banned in a 1978 United States Supreme Court case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke.[5]
On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court reversed lower court decisions in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, effectively ending the use of affirmative action in college admissions.
As of March 2015, 109 out of 577 public four-year universities across the country reported that they considered race in admissions. This practice has been banned in eight states. Meanwhile, 28 states require affirmative action plans in either public employment or apprenticeships. Affirmative action programs that grant racial preferences have come under scrutiny in the courts for potentially violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.[6][7]
The following information details the use of affirmative action in universities and employment in Colorado, as well as notable court cases originating in the state.
The effects of affirmative action policies are contested. Proponents argue that affirmative action diversifies selective institutions and provides more opportunities to minorities. Opponents argue that implementing policies that favor some groups requires discrimination against others and that these policiesmay harm individuals they are meant to help.
Campaign finance
Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates and campaigns may receive from individuals and organizations, how they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political parties may contribute to campaigns. In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy.
This page provides background on campaign finance regulation, lists contribution limits to state candidates and ballot measures in Colorado, compares contribution limits to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates in Colorado with those from other states, and details the candidate reporting requirements in Colorado.
The information on this page pertains to candidates for state office and state ballot measures. Candidates for federal office are subject to federal campaign finance law. Candidates for local office are subject to all applicable state laws as well as any separate local campaign finance regulations.[8]
Background
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions, and overseeing public funding of presidential elections.[9] According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate and must begin reporting campaign finances once he or she has either raised or spent $5,000 in his or her campaign. Within fifteen days of this benchmark, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee, which is responsible for the funds and expenditures of the campaign. This committee must have an official treasurer and cannot support any candidate but the one who registered it. Detailed financial reports are then made to the FEC every financial quarter after the individual is registered. Reports are also made before primaries and before the general election.[10]
The Supreme Court of the United States has issued a number of rulings pertaining to federal election campaign finance regulations. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. The court's decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.[11] In the SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United decision, the court held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates, however, remained unchanged.[12][13] In 2014's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court overturned biennial aggregate campaign contribution limits, and held that individuals may contribute to as many federal candidates as they want, but may only contribute up to the federal limit in each case.[14]
While the FEC governs federal election campaigns and contribution limits, individual states require their own level of regulation and reporting. The amount of regulation required differs by state, as do the limits on campaign contributions and third-party activities to influence elections. Candidates for local office must follow any applicable state and local campaign finance regulations.
Contribution limits
The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in Colorado as of July 2025. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient. The amounts listed indicate the amounts that can be given or received during the primary and general election. For example, political committees and federal PACs can give $200 to a State House or State Senate candidate once during the primary election and again during the general election for a total contribution limit of $400 per cycle.[15][16]
| Individuals | Single candidates committees | Federal PACs/Political committees | Small donor committees | Political party | Corporations and labor unions | Business (not a corporation) | Super PACs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | $725 | $0 | $725 | $7,825 | $789,060 | $0 | $725 | $0 | |
| Senate | $225 | $0 | $225 | $3,100 | $28,395 | $0 | $225 | $0 | |
| House | $225 | $0 | $225 | $3,100 | $20,500 | $0 | $225 | $0 | |
| Political committees | $725 | $725 | $725 | $725 | $725 | $725 | $725 | $0 | |
| Political party | $4,675 per year | $4,675 | $4,675 per year | $23,600 | Unlimited | $0 | $4,675 per year | $0 | |
| Small donor committee | $50 per year | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Ballot measures | Unlimited | $0 | Unlimited | $0 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $0 | |
| Limits apply per election unless otherwise noted. | |||||||||
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State, "Contribution Acceptance Limits," accessed July 9, 2025 | |||||||||
State comparisons in the 2024 elections
Candidate reporting requirements
See statutes: Title 1, Article 45 of the Colorado Revised Statutes
In Colorado, candidates seeking state office must file campaign finance reports with the Colorado Secretary of State. These reports must be filed electronically through a system called TRACER, which stands for Transparency in Contribution and Expenditure Reporting. That system can be accessed here.[18]
Candidates seeking federal office must file with the Federal Election Commission. Reporting details for federal candidates are not included in this section.
Getting started
Becoming a candidate
An individual is considered a candidate for the purposes of campaign finance reporting after he or she has publicly announced his or her candidacies and thereafter received a contribution or made an expenditure in support of the candidacy. Once the candidacy has been established, the candidate must do the following:[18]
- File a candidate affidavit within 10 days of becoming a candidate. This form states that the candidate is familiar with the state's campaign finance laws and regulations. If a candidate chooses to accept voluntary spending limits, the acceptance of voluntary spending limits form must be filed with the candidate affidavit.[18]
- File a personal financial disclosure form within 10 days of filing the candidate affidavit. An incumbent must file a new personal financial disclosure form or an update to an existing form by January 10 of each year, unless the candidate is seeking re-election or election to a new office. In that case, the form is due within 10 days of filing the candidate affidavit for that office.[18]
- Choose between forming a candidate committee to accept and spend money on the candidate's behalf or running as a stand-alone candidate without a committee. If a candidate committee is formed, it must be registered with the Colorado Secretary of State through TRACER.[18]
Stand-alone candidates
If a candidate chooses not to form a candidate committee, no money may be accepted from any other person or entity for the candidate's campaign. A candidate's personal funds must be used for any campaign expenditures. All expenditures must still be reported to the Colorado Secretary of State. If no expenditures are made, a stand-alone candidate does not have to file reports, though he or she may elect to file a report showing a zero balance. Expenditures of $20 or more must be itemized.[18]
If a stand-alone candidate loses an election, he or she is no longer considered a candidate. The candidate does not need to take any additional action to end his or her candidacy and does not have to file any reports after the election.[18]
Candidate committees
A candidate committee must include the candidate but does not need to include any other members. Joint candidates, such as governor and lieutenant governor, must have only one committee together. When registering a candidate committee, the following information must be included:[18]
- the name of the committee, including the name of the candidate
- the office sought
- physical, mailing, and email addresses
- a description of your committee’s purpose
- financial information including the name of the bank where the committee has or will have an account
- a designated registered agent who will act as the committee’s representative (the candidate can serve as the registered agent or may designate another natural person to serve as registered agent)
A candidate remains a candidate as long as he or she has an active candidate committee. While the candidate committee is active, all assigned disclosure reports must be filed. To terminate a candidate committee, a candidate must file a termination report that shows campaign finances at a zero balance.[18]
Reporting
Campaign finance reports are scheduled to be filed according to election cycles. The election cycle starts on the 31st day after the general election for a particular office and ends the 30th day after the next general election for that office. Because an election cycle encompasses both an election year and a non-election year, reporting may vary within the election cycle.[18]
After a general election in which a candidate committee received contributions, the candidate committee must maintain all financial records for 180 days.[18]
How to report contributions
A candidate committee must report all contributions received, including non-monetary contributions. Non-monetary contributions may include goods, equipment, supplies, services, or any third party expenditures made on behalf of the candidate that are not reimbursed by the candidate committee. Additional reporting information may be required depending on the amount of the contribution. See the table below for details on these requirements.[18]
| Amount of contribution | Reporting requirements |
|---|---|
| $20 or less | Must be reported but does not need to be itemized. |
| $20 or more | Must report and itemize, meaning each contribution must be listed individually with the name and address of the contributor. |
| $100 or more | Must report, itemize and include the occupation and employer of the contributor. |
| $1,000 or more | If received within 30 days of the primary or general election, it is considered a Major Contribution and must be reported on a supplemental report within 24 hours of receipt. |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State, "Colorado Campaign and Political Finance Manual," Revised December 2024 | |
How to report expenditures
All expenditures related to a candidate's campaign must be reported. This includes mileage, as well as reimbursements by the campaign to candidates, staff and volunteers. To report mileage as an expenditure, the Internal Revenue Service rate should be used. See the table below for details on expenditure reporting.[18]
| Amount of contribution | Reporting requirements |
|---|---|
| $20 or less | Must be reported but does not need to be itemized. |
| $20 or more | Must be reported and itemized individually. |
| Smaller amounts that add up to $20 or more to the same payee during one reporting period | Must be reported and itemized individually. |
| Source: Colorado Secretary of State, "Colorado Campaign and Political Finance Manual," Revised December 2024 | |
Reporting schedule
Reports must be filed as follows:[19]
- During non-election years quarterly reports are required. These are due by the 15th day after the applicable quarter.
- During election years, the following reports are required:
- Biweekly reports are due on the first Monday in May and on each Monday every two weeks thereafter until the primary election.
- Monthly reports begin the sixth full month before the general election. These are due on the first day of each following month, except for the month the general election is held.
- Biweekly reports are due on the first Monday in September and on each Monday every two weeks thereafter until the general election.
- A final report must be filed 35 days after the major election in election years or 14 days before and 30 days after a special legislative election held in an off-election year.
Campaign finance legislation
The table below displays bills related to campaign finance introduced during or carried over to Colorado's current legislative session.[20]
Election and campaign ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked 32 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns.
- Colorado Amendment 29, Candidates on Primary Ballots Initiative (2002)
- Colorado Amendment 27, Campaign Contributions and Spending Limits Initiative (2002)
- Colorado Amendment 2, Elected State Board of Education Amendment (1930)
- Colorado Amendment 54, Campaign Contribution Limitations for Government Contractors Initiative (2008)
- Colorado Amendment 15, Campaign Contribution Limits Initiative (1994)
- Colorado Amendment 12, Election and Legislative Measure Reform Initiative (1994)
- Colorado Amendment No. 2, Voter Qualifications Amendment (1984)
- Colorado Amendment No. 1, Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment (1980)
- Colorado "Headless Ballot", Measure 14 (1912)
- Colorado Referendum A, Single-Subject Rule for Initiatives Amendment (1994)
- Colorado Amendment No. 2, Presidential Primary Measure (1990)
- Colorado Amendment 36, Division of Electoral Votes Initiative (2004)
- Colorado Referendum B, Ballot Measure Booklet Amendment (1994)
- Colorado Amendment 15, Contributions to Candidates Initiative (1996)
- Colorado Amendment 13, Initiative, Referendum, and Petition Process Initiative (1996)
- Colorado Referred Law No. 9, Disclosure of Financial Interests, Regulating Lobbyists, and Public State Meetings Initiative (1972)
- Colorado Special Elections for Initiatives and Referendums, Measure 11 (1912)
- Colorado Right to Petition Governor for Special Election on Measures, Measure 4 (1914)
- Colorado Measure 6, Elected State Board of Education Initiative (1928)
- Colorado Proposal No. 4, Residency Requirements for Voting in Presidential Elections Amendment (1962)
- Colorado Amendment No. 10, Voter Approval for Taxes Initiative (1976)
- Colorado Amendment 18, Declarations About Term Limits Initiative (1998)
- Colorado Referendum C, Selection of County Surveyors Amendment (2000)
- Colorado Retention Elections of Justices and Judges Amendment (2014)
- Colorado Yes or No Elections Initiative (2014)
- Colorado Two-Stage Election System Initiative (2014)
- Colorado Amendment No. 1, Joint Election of Governor and Lieutenant Governor Amendment (1968)
- Colorado Amendment No. 3, Franchises in Home Rule Municipalities Amendment (1986)
- Colorado Amendment No. 2, Reimbursements for Recall Elections Amendment (1988)
- Colorado Referendum F, Recalls of Elected Officials Amendment (2006)
- Colorado Proposition 131, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024)
- Colorado Amendment 1, Elected State Board of Education Measure (1948)
Contact information
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Colorado can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Colorado County Election Offices
Secretary of State
- 1700 Broadway Suite 550
- Denver, CO 80290
- Phone: 303-894-2200
- Fax: 303-869-4861
- Email: elections@sos.state.co.us
- Website: http://www.sos.state.co.us/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
- 1050 First Street, NE
- Washington, DC 20463
- Telephone: (202)-694-1100
- Toll-free: 1-800-424-9530
- Email: info@fec.gov
- Website: http://www.fec.gov/
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Colorado campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Campaign finance regulation
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Colorado
- Colorado
Footnotes
- ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "State Expenditure Report (Fiscal 2014-2016)," accessed June 26, 2017
- ↑ Constitution of the State of Colorado, "Article X," accessed October 17, 2014
- ↑ Tax Policy Center, "State Tax Collection Shares by Type 2000-2013," June 20, 2014
- ↑ Brunori, D. (2011). State Tax Policy: A Political Perspective. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press
- ↑ Oyez, "Regents of the University of California v. Bakke," accessed February 11, 2015
- ↑ Miller Center of Public Affairs, "Affirmative Action: Race or Class?" accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Business and Legal Resources, "Affirmative Action," accessed March 31, 2015
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," accessed May 28, 2025
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "About the FEC," accessed June 27, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate Registration Brochure," accessed December 7, 2012
- ↑ New York Times, "Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit," January 21, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Speechnow.org v. FEC," April 7, 2014
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Two Federal Court Rulings Could Change Campaign Finance Landscape," March 26, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ongoing Litigation," accessed March 18, 2015
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Contribution Acceptance Limits," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ vox.com, "Superpacs and dark money," accessed September 8, 2018
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates 2023-2024 Election Cycle," accessed May 8, 2025
- ↑ 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 18.12 Colorado Secretary of State, "Colorado Campaign and Political Finance Manual," Revised December 2024
- ↑ Colorado Revised Statutes, "Title 1, Article 45, Section 108," accessed July 9, 2025
- ↑ Bills are organized by most recent action. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Nonprofit regulation
Nonprofit regulation in Colorado involves a complex set of rules that govern nonprofit organizations and charitable giving throughout the state. Major issues surrounding nonprofit regulation nationwide include the following:
- contribution limits,
- donor disclosure, and
- the redefinition of issue advocacy.
Colorado is one of 39 states that require charitable organizations, and those intending to solicit on their behalf, to register with the state in order to solicit contributions, whether they are a Colorado organization or based out-of-state. In Colorado a number of groups and organizations are exempt from registration. These groups are not required to apply for exempt status; it is automatic.[1]
Colorado is one of only seven states requiring registration that does not accept the Unified Registration System (URS).[2] Unlike 32 other states requiring registration that do allow the URS, those registering in Colorado must file through the state's electronic system.
Education Policy
Charter schools • Higher education • Public education • School choice |
K-12 Public education
The Colorado public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Colorado had 891,084 students enrolled in a total of 1,867 schools in 178 school districts. There were 52,611 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 17 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Colorado spent on average $11,602 per pupil.[5] The state's graduation rate was 81 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.[6]
Higher education
Colorado's higher education system is composed of 87 colleges and universities. Of these, 29 are public institutions, 18 are nonprofit private schools, and 40 are for-profit private institutions.[7]
School choice
School choice is a term that refers to programs offering alternatives to assigned local public school options. Public school choice options include open enrollment policies, magnet schools, and charter schools. Other options include school vouchers, scholarship tax credits, and education savings accounts (ESAs).[8][9]
Proponents argue that school choice programs improve educational outcomes by expanding opportunity and access for historically disadvantaged students. In addition, advocates claim that school choice programs empower parents and improve traditional public schools through competition. Critics contend that these programs divert funds from traditional public schools, thereby generating unequal outcomes for students. In addition, some critics argue that school voucher programs wrongly direct tax dollars to religious organizations, which operate many private schools.
Charter schools
Charter schools in Colorado are public schools operated independently of public school systems, either by nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Although they are largely publicly funded, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education regarding hiring and curriculum. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements; students are usually admitted through a lottery process if demand exceeds the number of spaces available in a school. Charter schools generally receive a percentage of the per-pupil funds from the state and local school districts for operational costs based on enrollment. In most states, charter schools do not receive funds for facilities or start-up costs; therefore, they must rely to some extent on private donations. The federal government also provides revenues through special grants. As of March 2017, 44 states and the District of Columbia had approved legislation authorizing the creation of public charter schools. Six states had not.
Election Policy
Ballot access requirements
In order to get on the ballot in Colorado, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.
This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Colorado. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Colorado's eight United States Representatives and 100 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[10][11][12][13]
Colorado was apportioned eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, one more than it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Colorado after the 2020 census.
Voting
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| Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies. |
The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in Colorado:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about Voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information for election agencies.
Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.
For information on elections happening this year, click here.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Energy Policy
Energy information
Energy policy involves governmental actions affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of energy in a state. Energy policies are enacted and enforced at the local, state, and federal levels and may change over time. These policies include legislation, regulation, taxes, incentives for energy production or use, standards for energy efficiency, and more. Stakeholders include citizens, politicians, environmental groups, industry groups, and think tanks. A variety of factors can affect the feasibility of federal and state-level energy policies, such as available natural resources, geography, and consumer needs.
Fracking
| Read about Colorado's state energy profile » |
According to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, hydraulic fracturing in the state became a regular technique during oil and gas drilling beginning in the 1970s. The maps below show the oil and natural gas plays in Colorado and where oil and natural gas production is concentrated in the state. As of May 2017, Colorado did not track the number of wells that were hydraulically fractured. However, according to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on hydraulic fracturing (accessed in May 2017), "Hydraulic fracturing continues to be refined and improved and is now standard for virtually all oil and gas wells in our state, and across much of the country."[14][15][16]
The map below shows all oil and gas wells in Colorado (as of May 2017). An interactive version of the map below can be accessed here.
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Niobrara Shale formation
The Niobrara Shale formation is a major oil and natural gas play spanning northeastern Colorado and portions of Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming. The shale in the formation ranges from 900 feet to 1,800 feet thick. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, operators produced 1,294 barrels of crude oil per day and 4,285 thousand cubic feet of natural gas per day in the region as of March 2017.[17][14]
The map below shows the location of the Niobrara Shale formation. In addition, the image below includes examples of the wells used to extract oil and gas resources from shale rock formations like the Niobrara formation.
Environmental Policy
Environmental information
Environmental policy aims to conserve natural resources by balancing environmental protection with economic growth, property rights, public health, and energy production. Federal, state, and local government entities develop and implement environmental policies through laws and regulations. This page features information about environmental policy in Colorado.
Endangered species
Endangered species policy in Colorado involves the identification and protection of endangered and threatened animal and plant species. Policies are implemented and enforced by both the state and federal governments.
Finance Policy
Financial regulation information
The United States financial system is a network that facilitates exchanges between lenders and borrowers. The system, which includes banks and investment firms, is the base for all economic activity in the nation. According to the Federal Reserve, financial regulation has two main intended purposes: to ensure the safety and soundness of the financial system and to provide and enforce rules that aim to protect consumers. The regulatory framework varies across industries, with different regulations applying to different financial services.[18]
Individual federal and state entities have different and sometimes overlapping responsibilities within the regulatory system. For example, individual states and three federal agencies—the Federal Reserve, the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)—regulate commercial banks. Other sectors of the financial market are regulated by specific entities.[19][20]
Some, such as the Brookings Institution, argue that expanded governmental regulation of banks and financial products (e.g., mortgages) can prevent large-scale financial crises, protect consumers from abusive practices, and stabilize financial markets. Others, such as the Cato Institute, argue that over-regulation of banks of banks and financial products burdens business, stalls economic growth, and does little, if anything, to stabilize financial markets. Beyond this basic debate about the role of the government in regulating the private financial sector, there are varying opinions about the proper extent of governmental regulation.[21][22]
Healthcare Policy
Healthcare information
Healthcare policy in Colorado involves the creation and implementation of laws, rules, and regulations for managing the state's healthcare system. The healthcare system consists of services provided by medical professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and physical illness and injury. The system also encompasses a wide range of related sectors, such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and health information technology.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the 50 state legislatures collectively "make thousands of health policy decisions each year," not including the decisions made by local governments, which often oversee hospitals, and private bodies, such as insurers. These decisions can include budget appropriations, requirements for doctors obtaining their licenses, which services are covered by insurance, how personal health information is managed, and which immunizations children must receive, among many others.[23]
Healthcare policy affects not only the cost citizens must pay for care, but also their access to care and the quality of care received, which can influence their overall health. A top concern for policymakers is the rising cost of healthcare, which has placed an increasing strain on the disposable income of consumers as well as on state budgets. Other issues in healthcare policy include state Medicaid expansions, health information technology and privacy, uninsured and underinsured portions of the population, a shortage of primary care physicians, and mental healthcare access and coverage.
Medicaid spending
Colorado's Medicaid program provides medical insurance to groups of low-income people and individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is a nationwide program jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Medicaid eligibility, benefits, and administration are managed by the states within federal guidelines. A program related to Medicaid is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers low-income children above the poverty line and is sometimes operated in conjunction with a state's Medicaid program. Medicaid is a separate program from Medicare, which provides health coverage for the elderly.
Effect of the Affordable Care Act
The impact of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), also known as Obamacare, has been debated among politicians, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The ACA was signed into law in 2010 by President Barack Obama (D). The law facilitates the purchase of health insurance through a system of health insurance exchanges, tax credits, and subsidies. Initially, states were required to expand eligibility for Medicaid under the law; a 2012 ruling by the United States Supreme Court made the Medicaid expansion voluntary for states. The law also requires insurers to cover healthcare services within a standard set of benefits and prohibits coverage denials based on preexisting conditions. Under the law, all individuals are required to obtain health insurance.
Immigration Policy
Immigration information
Immigration policy determines who may become a new citizen of the United States or enter the country as a temporary worker, student, refugee, or permanent resident. The federal government is responsible for setting and enforcing most immigration policy.
Meanwhile, states assume a largely supportive role, enacting their own supplementary laws and setting policies that may, for example, determine which public services immigrants can access, establish employee screening requirements, or guide the interaction between related state agencies and their federal counterparts.
Some jurisdictions, including some states, cities, and counties, have adopted policies of not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement; these jurisdictions have become known as sanctuary jurisdictions.
Pension Policy
Public pensions
Colorado public pensions are the state mechanism by which state and many local government employees in Colorado receive retirement benefits.
There were 72 public pension systems in Colorado as of 2020. Of these, 11 were state-level programs while the remaining 61 were administered at the local level. Membership in Colorado's various pension systems totaled 734,689, as of fiscal year 2020. Of these, 281,152 were active members.[24]
Public policy in other states
Footnotes
- ↑ Fishman, S. & Barrett, R. (2012). Nonprofit Fundraising Registration: The 50 State Guide. NOLO.
- ↑ "Multistate Filing Form," accessed December 17, 2014
- ↑ Guidestar, Fundraising: What Laws Apply?" accessed February 18, 2015
- ↑ London School of Economics, "Campaign finance laws that make small donations public may lead to fewer people contributing and to smaller donations," January 7, 2015
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020," May 18, 2022
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "College Navigator - Colorado," accessed July 12, 2016
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "School Choice and Charters," accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ Friedman Foundation for School Choice, "What is School Choice?" accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Niobrara Drilling Productivity Report," accessed April 12, 2017
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedCOfracking - ↑ The Niobrara News, "Niobrara Formation Genesis," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, "Government Performance and Results Act Annual Performance Report 2011," July 10, 2012
- ↑ The National Bureau of Economic Research, "A Brief History of Regulations Regarding Financial Markets in the United States: 1789 to 2009," September 2011
- ↑ Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, "The U.S. Federal Financial Regulatory System: Restructuring Federal Bank Regulation," January 19, 2006
- ↑ Brookings, "The Origins of the Financial Crisis," November 24, 2008
- ↑ The Cato Institute, "Did Deregulation Cause the Financial Crisis?" July 2009
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Health," accessed July 8, 2015
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, 2020 Annual Survey of Public Pensions: State & Local Tables accessed February 23, 2022
