By Kevin Lundberg | KevinLundberg.com
I have not ever seen this many really bad bills in one session. Further there are still way too many bills yet to be fully processed and this too looks like a record-breaking volume.
Please note that the bad bill list is not exhaustive, these are just the worst ones I have snagged.
To see the most recently introduced bills, read the list from the bottom up.
Follow Kevin Lundberg at kevinlundberg.com.
Good Bills
HCR24-1005 Parents’ Bill of Rights This is a resolution to refer to the people this constitutional addition. I helped write this bill, which was heard in House State Affairs last Monday. There was great testimony presented for several hours, but it was still killed, PLV (Party Line Vote).
HB24-1022 Publish Bill Drafts Online before Session This will help the citizens to get a better view of upcoming bills. Passed House
HB24-1023 Civil Forfeiture Reform This is a system that needs much reform. Killed in first committee.
HB24-1026 Local Government Tax Payers’ Bill of Rights Prior Voter Approval Requirement Getting back to what TABOR is intended to require. Killed in first committee, PLV.
HB24-1029 Prohibit Foreign Ownership Agriculture & Natural Resources The title says it all. Killed in first committee, PLV.
HB24-1041 Streamline Filing Sales & Use Tax Returns Doesn’t do much, but every little bit helps. Signed into law.
HB24-1065 Reduction of State Income Tax Rate Lowers rate from 4.4% to 4.0%. Killed in first committee.
HB24-1106 Require Information about Abortion Pill Reversal Would require this information to be available with chemical abortion products. Killed in first committee, PLV.
HB24-1128 Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law This bill would return Colorado law to a more sane approach to immigration law. Killed in first committee, PLV.
HB24-1142 Reduce Income Tax Social Security Benefits Reducing taxes is a good idea. Passed House
HB24-1145 Modify Voter Registration Page on Secretary of State Website Gives the voter the option to vote in person rather than receive a mail ballot. Killed in first committee, PLV.
HB24-1166 Expand Homestead Exemptions Some additional property tax relief. Killed in first committee, PLV.
HB24-1224 Personhood of Living Unborn Human Child Good bill, little chance of surviving. Killed in first committee, PLV.
HB24-1279 Vote Tracking Number Elections Creates some election security. Killed in first committee, PLV.
SB24-092 Cost Effective Energy Codes Finally, common sense legislation that recognizes that laws may cost the individual citizen more than the law is worth. Killed in first committee, PLV.
SB24-098 Safety Clause Use Review This is a great idea! It requires all safety clauses on bills to be reviewed for their appropriateness. Killed in first committee, PLV.
SB24-144 Real Property Valuation Limits property assessment to no more than 6% per year. Killed in first committee, PLV.
Good Bill, Maybe
SB24-228 TABOR Refund Mechanisms Here is an interesting last minute bill that might be good, but don’t think it is a tax reduction, it looks more like a shell game to me. The title says the real story, it is not lowering taxes, just switching up the way taxes are collected. TABOR requires refunds for money collected beyond the TABOR limits (which have been unconstitutionally increased through the decades of TABOR). This bill shifts the refund mechanism through lower taxes, but it looks to me like the lower tax rates are only temporary, so long as the TABOR refunds are required.
Bottom line is this. Polis will claim it is a tax reduction, but that is no so. It is only an alternative TABOR refund mechanism. Passed committee
Bad bills
HB24-1014 Deceptive Trade Practice Significant Impact Standard As I read this bill it is an open door for lawsuits. It eliminates the requirement that a deceptive trade lawsuit “significantly impacts the public.” Killed in Senate
HB24-1017 Bill of Rights for Foster Youth This bill will cut out foster families who are not supporting the transgender ideology. Signed by governor.
HB24-1028 Overdose Prevention Centers Drug injection sites are back. Killed in Senate Committee.
HB24-1039 Non-Legal Name Changes This one forces all public schools to play the pronoun game with their students and it sets up a task force to come up with a policy that will ultimately hide such transitioning from “non-supportive” parents. Signed by governor.
HB24-1040 Gender-Affirming Health-Care Provider Study This is a “study” designed to encourage and increase the number of medical facilities that transition kids with life changing drugs and mutilation surgeries. Killed in first committee.
HB24-1057 Prohibit Algorithmic Devices Used for Rent Setting This is one more slap at landlords. It won’t change much, but it is a typical nanny government bill. Killed by both Houses adhering to their versions
HB24-1061 Marijuana Industry & Social Equity “Social equity” is a very dangerous, and, ironically, inequitable concept. It is also a concept Polis is integrating into our state government systems and this is one more step in that direction. Killed in committee.
HB24-1071 Name Change to Conform with Gender Identity The bill states that when incarcerated a person can change their legal name to conform with their new “gender identity.” signed by governor.
HB24-1075 Analysis of Universal Health-Care Payment System Here we go again, this could become the worst bill of the year. This system will cost several times the general fund budget ($50 billion+) and it will inevitably put in place more rationing of medical care, while diminishing the quality of available care. If you doubt this, just look at the Canadian medical system. Passed Senate committee, PLV.
HB24-1080 Youth Sports Personnel Requirements More mandatory reporters on the way… Passed Senate.
HB24-1083 Construction Professional Insurance Coverage Transparency Makes contractor AND subcontractors disclose workers comp insurance. This is nanny government creating much more red tape and therefore higher costs for everyone. Passed first committee.
HB24-1124 Discrimination in Places of Public Accomodation This makes nonprofit organizations subject to Colorado’s discrimination laws. It looks like a way to force nonprofit organizations to capitulate to the LBGT ideology. Passed Senate.
HB24-1150 False Slates of Electors Several provisions in this bill, but it looks like it is trying to fortify the enforcement of the National Popular Vote, if that ever becomes a reality. Signed by governor.
HB24-1163 Pet Animal Registration System Will require all pets to be registered with the state and an additional fee will be levied as well. Killed in first committee.
HB24-1169 Repeal Divest from Companies with Israel Prohibitions Law Another slap at Israel. Killed in first committee.
HB24-1170 Rights for Youth Division of Youth Services Facilities More transgender ideology in state statute. Passed Senate, PLV.
HB24-1174 Concealed Carry Permits & Training Turns over concealed carry instruction to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. This will make concealed carry permits more difficult to obtain and renew. Passed Senate.
HB24-1175 Local Governments Rights to Property for Affordable Housing This is called socialism, where the government is given extra power to own and control more property. Passed Senate committee, PLV.
HB24-1229 Presumptive Eligibility for Long-Term Care Will allow all illegal aliens long-term care. Passed Senate.
HB24-1245 Fair Labor Practice Requirements for Broadband Projects Favor unions for government projects. Passed House.
HB24-1270 Firearm Liability Insurance Requirement Requires specific liability insurance for all gun owners. Passed Senate committee.
HB24-1280 Welcome, Reception, & Integration Grant Program More sanctuary state laws. Passed Senate committee, PLV.
HB24-1292 Prohibit Certain Weapons Used in Mass Shootings Among many other prohibitions, bans the sale or transfer of most, if not all types of AR rifles. Passed House, PLV.
HB24-1296 Modifications to the Colorado Open Records Act Pretty much guts Colorado’s open records act. This is a big step backward in government transparency. Killed Senate committee.
HB24-1310 School Safety Measures Another gun control bill. This one repeals the current law allowing schools to authorize conceal carry by school employees and sets up a new one with more stringent rules. Killed in first committee.
HB24-1330 Air Quality Permitting More regulations and restrictions on the oil an gas industry. Passed first committee, PLV.
HB24-1338 Cumulative Impacts & Environmental Justice The title of this bill is “Concerning measures to advance environmental justice by reducing cumulative impacts of air pollution.” This will become a dangerous weapon that government will have to bludgeon any business they deem as violating whatever environmental justice means, at that time… Passed Senate committee, PLV.
HB24-1339 Disproportionately Impact Community Air Pollution More “Green New Deal” policies are on their way. Passed committee, PLV.
HB24-1341 State Vehicle Idling Standard How dare you think that it is a good idea to warm up your car on a bitterly cold morning? Signed by governor.
HB24-1346 Energy & Carbon Management Regulation More control on our daily lives to chase their fictitious fear of carbon dioxide Passed Senate.
HB24-1348 Secure Firearm Storage in a Vehicle requires that guns in unattended vehicles be locked up in a trunk or hard case, effectively disarming citizens in their cars. Passed Senate.
HB24-1349 Firearms & Ammunition Excise Tax creates a new tax on guns and ammunition. At least (thanks to TABOR) it will require a vote of the people to go into effect. Passed House, PLV.
HB24-1353 Firearms Dealer Requirements & Permit Creates a required stat firearms permit for all firearms dealers. Passed Senate committee, PLV.
HB24-1363 Charter Schools Accountability This is a complicated bill that looks like it was written to make it more difficult to run a charter school and give local school districts the ability to shut down charter schools. Killed in Committee.
HB24-1366 Sustainable Local Government Community Planning Incorporates global warming nonsense into all local government planning. Passed second committee, PLV.
HB24-1367 Repeal Severance Tax Exemption for Stripper Wells More attacks on Oil and Gas industry. Passed second committee, PLV.
HB24-1375 Wild Carnivores & Livestock Nonlethal Coexistence This may require a new bill category: stupid bills. Among other things it creates “native-carnivore coexistence officers” within the department of wildlife. Killed in first committee.
SB24-014 Seal of Climate Literacy Diploma Endorsement I past over this one at first, but after a second look I realize this is a big corruption of our schools. It is giving special honors to any student who buys into the climate alarmism, and gives them this special distinction if they become actively involved in this destructive hoax. Passed House.
SB24-053 Racial Equity Study This is the first step toward the reparations madness. Passed House , PLV.
SB24-059 Children’s Behavioral Health Statewide System of Care This looks like a huge bureaucracy to monitor and manage all minors in Colorado, just waiting to be created… Killed in House committee.
SB24-065 Mobile Electronic Devices & Motor Vehicle Driving Banning hands on mobile phone use for all drivers in Colorado. Passed House committee.
SB24-084 Attorney General Duties to Prevent Mis- & Dis-information It is quite appropriate that this is numbered 84, as in the book by George Orwell: 1984. Whatever happened to the First Amendment? Passed Senate second reading.
SB24-094 Safe Housing for Residential Tenants Here is another bill to make people feel good, but in reality it drives up the cost of renting and depresses the number of houses that are available to rent (because it makes being a landlord that much more difficult). Passed House second reading.
SB24-123 Waste Tire Management Enterprise One more “enterprise” to work around TABOR. Passed House committee, PLV.
SB24-131 Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces Prohibits carrying firearms in virtually any public space. This is a clear violation of Article II, section 3 of the Colorado constitution: “The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, and property, or aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called in question; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons.” This is because it will be impossible to defend one’s “person” (not to mention one’s family) if any one cannot bear arms in public. Passed House.
SB24-159 Mod to Energy & Carbon Management Processes Designed to shut down the oil and gas industry in Colorado by prohibiting any new drilling permits after December 31, 2029. This is economic and scientific insanity! This bill would end the largest, most productive industry in Colorado. It would also drive up the costs of what energy might be left for the people of Colorado to incredible levels. Killed in committee
SB24-165 Air Quality Improvements It is aimed at shutting down or restricting Oil and gas operations in the North Front Range and restrict some transportation from May through September in 2025 and for all following years. Killed in Senate.
SB24-166 Air Quality Enforcement Significantly increases penalties for violations of the ultra strict emission standards in Colorado law. Killed in Senate.
SB24-182 Immigrant Identification Document Issuance
It repeals the law that required someone to live in Colorado for at least two years to receive an identification document under the “Colorado Road and Community Safety Act” if that individual is not lawfully present in the United States. Passed House committee, PLV.
SB24-189 Gender-Related Bias-Motivated Crimes More trans, woke terminology and policies… This adds transgender to the potential hate crimes list. Passed House committee.
SB24-195 Protect Vulnerable Road Users The title alone smells fishy. This bill actually authorizes CDOT and the state patrol to use automated vehicle identification systems on all roads in Colorado. These are the systems that automatically catch any violation of road rules and allow the driver to be automatically fined for the infraction. This potentially sounds like Big Brother on steroids. Passed House committee, PLV.
SB24-200 Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion in Child Welfare Incorporates “equity, diversity, & inclusion” principles into child welfare policies. Need I say more? Passed House committee, PLV.
SB24-230 Oil & Gas Production Fees These “fees” are a punitive tax on oil and gas production to fund transit projects. This is a tax, which makes it an illegal act of legislation without a vote of the people. It is part of a “deal” the big players in oil and gas made to supposedly get the governor off their back. They have been trying that game for decades and all it has gotten them is the most expensive state in the Union for oil and gas production. BTW, ultimately We the People pay for this cost of living increase which this new tax creates. Passed Senate committee.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.