Editor’s note: This article was originally written by Patti Dahlberg and Thomas Morris and posted on November 5, 2015. This version has been edited and updated for this publication. They come from every state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands and they are the “C” in the ULC – the Commissioners! Uniform Law Commission (ULC) commissioners must be attorneys and currently qualified to practice law. They are practicing lawyers, judges, law professors, legislators, and legislative staff. They are appointed by their state or territory to “research, draft, and promote” the enactment… Read more: The “C” in Uniform Law Commission

Editor’s note: This article was originally written by Julie Pelegrin and posted on July 19, 2012. This version has been edited and updated for this week’s publication. by Jery Payne During the legislative session, legislators and legislative staff are so busy working with bills and amendments that we sometimes lack the time to step back and see the operations of the legislature in context with the other branches of state government. That is why it can be jarring when the drafter raises separation of power concerns. The specific constitutional authority given to and requirements imposed on each of the branches… Read more: Who Does What? The Boundaries of Each Branch’s Authority

The 2026 legislative session will convene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 14, but, as those of us who follow the legislature know—particularly OLLS drafting attorneys—bill drafting starts long before that date. In fact, legislators have been submitting bill requests for the upcoming session since the end of the last session. (Thank you, early birds!) Life outside the Capitol can get very busy – especially when there is a special session like we had in August –  making it easy to forget that the first bill request deadline for legislators is December 1. This first deadline is for a legislator’s… Read more: The 2026 Legislative Session Is Comin’ in Hot

Editor’s note: This article was originally written by Julie Pelegrin and posted on June 28, 2012. This version has been edited and updated for this publication. If you’re a legislator starting work on legislation for the next session or you just have some questions and are interested in information on specific policy areas, there are several resources available to you. First, the Office of Legislative Legal Services is available year-round to research any constitutional, statutory, or other legal questions that legislators may have. Whether the question is specific to legislation or whether you are building subject-matter knowledge, we are available… Read more: Looking for Answers? A Wealth of Policy Resources Are at Legislators’ Disposal

The Office of Legislative Legal Services will be working remotely from September 18 through mid-October as the office moves from the Colorado State Capitol to the State Capitol Annex Building. If you need to contact OLLS staff, please feel welcome to reach out to the OLLS Front Office at (303) 866-2045 or olls.ga@coleg.gov. See you in our new office space soon!

On August 6, 2025, the Governor issued Executive Order D 2025 009, calling the General Assembly into a special legislative session beginning at 10:00 a.m. on August 21, 2025. Some may be wondering what, exactly, is a special session and how does it work? The most obvious things that are different about a special legislative session are: Governor’s Authority: Article IV, section 9 of the Colorado Constitution authorizes the Governor to convene the General Assembly “on extraordinary occasions” by a proclamation, known as “the call,” that specifies the purposes for which the General Assembly is to convene. The only business… Read more: Legislative Special Session to Convene on August 21

The Colorado LegiSource is taking a break for the next several weeks. We expect to resume postings in September. In the meantime, if you have questions you would like answered or issues you would like to see discussed, please contact us at feedback@legisource.net.

by Jery Payne We began our legislative session with many ingredients: bill drafts, budget idea, legislative priorities, legislators, lobbyists, staff and the people of Colorado. We fired up the session and started cooking up policies and bills. Not every recipe made it to the table, but most did. Some good dishes were served, but we won’t know how just how good they were until folks sit down to eat. No doubt some of the recipes will need a bit more or less salt, spices, or broth. There were a lot of cooks in the kitchen, which brought a bit of… Read more: We’ve Cooked Up Several New Dishes for Colorado

Editor’s note: This article was originally written by Julie Pelegrin and Patti Dahlberg and posted on March 20, 2015. This version has been updated where appropriate. Section 19 of article V of the state constitution specifies that an act takes effect “on the date stated in the act, or, if no date is stated in the act, then on its passage.” This seems simple enough. But there are other considerations and constitutional provisions that can affect when a bill eventually becomes law. To determine the date that a bill becomes law, you will need to read the last few sections of the… Read more: When Does an Act Become a Law? It depends.

Editor’s note: This article was originally written by Julie Pelegrin and posted on April 18, 2019. This version has been expanded and updated where appropriate. On May 8, legislators, legislative staff, lobbyists, and capitol reporters can all hit the snooze button and roll over for another hour of sleep. But between now and then, there are several amendments to read, bills to consider, and differences to resolve. To help ensure that both houses can complete their work by midnight on May 7, the legislative rules automatically speed up or suspend certain procedural requirements in the last few days of the… Read more: Automatic Rule Changes During the Last Days of Session

Editor’s Note: This article was originally written by Bob Lackner and published on April 27, 2017. This version has been updated where appropriate. As with many legislatures, the Colorado General Assembly prides itself on being a “citizen legislature,” which means it is comprised of citizens who take leave from their normal jobs and other duties every January to come to the State Capitol for 120 days to legislate for the people of the state. Not only is it presumed that legislators will continue to serve as teachers, farmers, ranchers, realtors, attorneys, and the like while serving in office, but this… Read more: Reducing Conflicts Over Conflicts (of Interest)

by Alana Rosen Have you ever gotten confused by what schools are considered public schools in Colorado? Join the club! The following is a simple guide on some of the different types of public schools offered in Colorado that may be subject to discussion during the legislative process. Neighborhood Schools Neighborhood schools are also known as public schools, traditional schools, or schools of a school district. Neighborhood schools are the most commonly known type of school maintained by school districts within the state. Resident students of the district can enroll in neighborhood schools. Nonresident students may apply to enroll in… Read more: Understanding the Different Types of Colorado Public Schools

Editor’s Note: This article was originally written by Julie Pelegrin and Patti Dahlberg and published on February 6, 2020. The article has been edited where appropriate. You’re running late, you’re trying to get a handle on the bills they just called up on special orders, and there are seven bills on your committee calendar for this afternoon. When you need to quickly remind yourself of what’s in a bill, you will be tempted to just check the summary that appears on the first page of the bill. But, unless the bill is in the first committee in the first house,… Read more: How to Keep Up with a Changing Bill

by Jacob Baus Few things are certain in life. In the General Assembly, school finance is one of the few things that is annually certain. School finance has a reputation for being a confusing topic. That is a somewhat fair reputation because it is easy to quickly lose the forest for the trees. But the goal of this article is to try to make school finance less confusing. Let us start with the basics. Colorado Constitution Pursuant to the Colorado Constitution, the General Assembly is responsible “for the establishment and maintenance of a thorough and uniform system of free public… Read more: School Finance 101: District Total Program Basics

by Jessica Chapman Can you believe Siri is a teenager? The digital assistant first became available as an iOS app in 2010. Amazon’s Alexa started interrupting living room and kitchen conversations not long after in 2014. These technologies exposed many people to artificial intelligence for the first time. These days, “AI” seems to touch every part of our lives in some way or another. We’re exposed to it daily in online customer service, map applications, weather forecasting, email reminders, and autocomplete functions (when texting for example). AI-enhanced robots clean airplanes now. AI Note Takers join our meetings. We have self-driving… Read more: AI is Coming to a Legislature Near You

Editor’s note: This article was last posted on April 8, 2021, and has been edited as appropriate. Updated by Sarah Meisch When legislators wish to show support for individuals or groups, make public statements about issues or concerns, or ask Congress to take action on a matter, they may request a tribute, resolution, or memorial to get the job done. Legislators decide what they wish to do, and the legislative rules direct them how to get it done. This handy guide sums up these rules for making the right choice. For example, if a legislator wants to congratulate someone, a… Read more: Tribute, Resolution, or Memorial – Making the Right Choice

by Faith Marcovecchio  Esther van Mourik, the new Secretary of the Senate of the Colorado General Assembly, was sworn in on January 8, 2025.  No stranger to the Colorado Capitol, van Mourik has worked in various roles in the legislative and executive branches for over two decades, and she is delighted that former Secretary Cindi Markwell is passing her the torch. The nonpartisan Senate Secretary oversees all the operations on the Senate floor, working closely with Colorado’s 35 senators and the numerous staff who support their work. LegiSource spoke to van Mourik as the 75th General Assembly prepared to convene… Read more: Let’s Get to Know: Senate Secretary Esther van Mourik

by Jessica Chapman Vanessa Reilly is the new Chief Clerk of the Colorado House of Representatives. She started the job on November 1, 2024, filling the large shoes of Robin Jones, who retired last year after decades of service to the state. As Chief Clerk, Reilly oversees operations on the House floor and serves as one of the first points of contact for legislators seeking procedural or logistical information. She is also responsible for overseeing a number of House staff, including House sergeants, front desk staff, assignables, and the House enrolling room. LegiSource spoke with Reilly in mid-September. This interview… Read more: Let’s Get to Know: House Chief Clerk Vanessa Reilly

by Ed DeCecco For the seventy-fifth time, the Colorado House of Representatives and Senate will convene for two regular sessions and, if recent history is any indication, a special session or two. (Being the seventy-fifth makes it seem like the General Assembly has reached a milestone age or is celebrating its diamond jubilee, doesn’t it?) Like your predecessors, you, the members of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly, will converge on our magnificent State Capitol from all parts of this amazing state. You will elect your leadership, adopt and follow rules of legislative procedure, and debate and decide the important issues of… Read more: Welcome, Members of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly. The Office of Legislative Legal Services is here to help!

Happy New Year! We wish you a happy and healthy 2025. The First Regular Session of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly will convene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8.