Staff Publications
Glossary of Legislative Terms (2015)
Glossary of Legislative Terms
Displaying 1 - 25 of 237 results
Issue Briefs
State and Federal Immigration Laws (2012)
This issue brief describes major topics of interest related to immigration, and specifically regarding the enforcement of immigration laws and laws regarding the verification of a person's eligilibity to work in the United States. The brief also describes legislative efforts in Colorado...
Summary of Major Legislation
Summary of General Assembly Legislation (2014)
This document provides a summary of legislation pertaining to the operations of the General Assembly considered by the legislature during the 2014 session.
Staff Publications
Staff Summary LERP Committee (10/23/2014)
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY
Issue Briefs
The Colorado Water Plan (2014)
On May 14, 2013, Governor Hickenlooper issued an executive order directing the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to develop the Colorado Water Plan (CWP). According to executive order D 2013-005, the CWP must promote a productive economy that supports vibrant and sustainable cities;...
Issue Briefs
The Sale and Use of Fireworks in Colorado (2014)
This issue brief examines Colorado's fireworks law, including the ability of cities and counties to regulate fireworks.
Issue Briefs
Interim Committee Legislation (2014)
During the summer and fall of 2014, seven interim committees and commissions met to discuss policy issues and draft legislation for consideration by the General Assembly during the upcoming legislative session. As required by legislative rules, the Legislative Council Committee met to review the...
Issue Briefs
Statutory Transfer to Fund Transportation and Capital Construction (2014)
Senate Bill (SB) 09-228, adopted by the General Assembly during the 2009 legislative session, creates a five-year block of statutory transfers from the General Fund to finance transportation and capital construction projects. This issue brief discusses the state law that specifies the amounts of...
11/17/2014
Capital Construction
State Revenue & Budget
Transportation & Motor Vehicles
Summary of Major Legislation
Summary of Business Legislation (2014)
The Colorado legislature considered several important bills related to labor and employment, consumer protection, licensing and professional occupations, liquor law, procurement, and telecommunications and technology during the second session of the 69th General Assembly. This document...
Issue Briefs
Capital Construction and the Role of the Capital Development Committee (2014)
The day-to-day expenses of state government are paid through the operating budget in the state's annual budget bill. Expenses related to new construction, renovation, or maintenance of the state's capital assets are paid through the capital budget. This issue brief outlines the types of projects...
Summary of Major Legislation
Summary of Economic Development Legislation (2014)
The General Assembly considered several bills related to economic development during the 2014 session. Bills relating to workforce development, a statewide brand marketing plan, and a study of Colorado's employee talent base were all postponed indefinitely. A bill creating an app for Colorado...
Issue Briefs
Information Technology Funding and the Role of the Joint Technology Committee (2014)
Information technology (IT) is used by every state agency to make operations more efficient and services more widely available to the citizens of Colorado. Along with other day-to-day expenses of state government, expenses related to IT are paid through the operating budget in the state's annual...
11/19/2014
Capital Construction
General Assembly
Telecommunications & Information Technology
Issue Briefs
State and Local Government as a Proportion of the State Economy (2014)
This issue brief provides information on the relative size of state and local governments, compared with the total state economy. Government expenditures are represented as a percentage of the state's gross domestic product (GDP). In Colorado, stategovernmentexpendituresarebelowthenational...
Fiscal Policy & Taxes
Availability of Historic Property Preservation Income Tax Credit and Cleanroom Machinery Sales and Use Tax Exemption (2016)
Table 1 shows the availability of the historic property preservation income tax credit and the cleanroom machinery sales and use tax exemption, each of which is available only when the Legislative Council Staff forecast indicates that General Fund revenue will be sufficient to allow General Fund...
Issue Briefs
Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) Program (18-08)
During the 2008 session, the General Assembly enacted House Bill 08-1335, the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) act. The act replaced existing law concerning state financial assistance for public school capital construction and established a grant program in order to accelerate funding for...
Issue Briefs
Tiny Houses (2016)
Tiny houses are increasing in popularity as a housing option across the country. This issue brief provides a general overview of the various legal obstacles sometimes faced by individuals who want to own and live in a tiny house in Colorado. It also provides several examples of local and state...
Issue Briefs
Statutory Transfer to Fund Transportation and Capital Construction (2016)
Senate Bill 09-228, adopted by the General Assembly during the 2009 legislative session, created a five-year block of statutory transfers from the General Fund to pay for transportation and capital construction projects. This issue brief discusses the state law that specifies the amounts of...
08/17/2016
Capital Construction
State Revenue & Budget
Transportation & Motor Vehicles
Issue Briefs
Certificates of Participation (18-09)
In lieu of issuing bonds, or using another form of long-term debt, the state often uses a form of lease-purchase agreement called certificates of participation (COPs) to finance the construction of its new facilities. A certificate refers to an investor's proportionate interest in the state's...
Staff Publications
State Digital Trunked Radio Systems (2016)
This memorandum discusses Colorado’s Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS). The first section of the memorandum highlights the history and members of DTRS. The next section describes the components of DTRS. The final section notes the funding history of DTRS.
01/26/2016
Capital Construction
Telecommunications & Information Technology
Staff Publications
Colorado Conservation Easement Tax Credit Program
The federal and state governments each provide tax incentives for landowners who designate their land as a conservation easement, foregoing certain use rights in order to preserve the land in perpetuity. This memorandum provides information on federal and state conservation easement tax...
08/28/2017
Fiscal Policy & Taxes
Natural Resources & Environment
State Government
Issue Briefs
Retail Marijuana Laws (2013)
The regulation of marijuana, both retail and medical, has been the subject of a great deal of public policy debate in recent years at all levels of government. This issue brief examines an overview of retail marijuana regulation in Colorado and summarizes three measures enacted by the General...
Issue Briefs
Legislative Decision-Making and Colorado's Pension Plans (2013)
Like other states, Colorado offers retirement benefits to its employees through a variety of pension plans. The state's pension plans are established in law and include both employee and employer contributions, which are made in lieu of contributions to the federal Social Security program. The...
12/06/2013
Financial Services & Commerce
General Assembly
State Government
Issue Briefs
The Smart Government Act (2013)
The Colorado General Assembly has considered and made changes to the state budget process during the past three years. Specifically, House Bill 10-1119 established a performance-based budgeting program through the State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government...
Final/Annual Reports
Capital Development Committee Fiscal Year 2015-16 Annual Report (2016)
Final report of the Capital Development Committee for FY 2015-16.
Issue Briefs
State Procurement and Contracting (2016)
The purchase of goods and services by public entities in Colorado is generally governed by the state procurement code. This code is designed to ensure the fair treatment of people seeking to do business with the state, to foster broad-based competition through a bidding process, and to save...