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Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0466.01 Rebecca Bayetti x4348 HOUSE BILL 26-1084
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING VOTER TRANSPARENCY REQUIREMENTS TO EXPAND101
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDING OF INITIATED STATEWIDE102
BALLOT MEASURES , AND , IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ,103
REQUIRING THE BALLOT TITLE AND ABSTRACT OF THE FISCAL104
IMPACT STATEMENT FOR CERTAIN INITIATED STATEWIDE105
BALLOT MEASURES TO IDENTIFY THE MAIN AREAS OF STATE106
EXPENDITURE THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE MEASURE.107
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 6, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 5, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Espenoza and Camacho, Boesenecker, Brown, Clifford, Duran, Garcia, Goldstein,
Hamrick, Jackson, Lindsay, Lukens, Mabrey , Mauro, McCluskie, McCormick, Nguyen,
Rutinel, Sirota, Smith, Stewart R., Story, Titone
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Weissman and Lindstedt,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
The bill requires that certain language appear in the ballot title for
an initiated statewide measure that would increase state expenditures but
does not identify and provide for a sufficient source of revenue or
sufficient reductions in state spending for specific public services or
program areas to account for the increased expenditures (measure that
increases state expenditures). The ballot title for a measure that increases
state expenditures must include language identifying the 3 largest
program areas of state expenditures for which state expenditures will be
reduced if the measure passes, which must be in a format substantially
similar to the following language: "... will reduce state expenditures for
program areas that include (the 3 largest areas of program expenditure)
by an estimated (projected dollar figure of reduction to those areas in the
first full fiscal year that the measure will cause the reduction) ...". If the
ballot measure specifies the public services or programs that are to be
reduced, those public services or programs must be stated in the ballot
title.
The bill also requires the ballot information booklet entry for a
measure that increases state expenditures to include a description of the
measure's projected effect on the 3 largest areas of program expenditure
of the state and modifies existing statutory language to mirror this change.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-40-106, amend2
(3)(e) and (3)(h); and add (3)(e.5) and (3)(i)(III) as follows:3
1-40-106. Title board - meetings - ballot title - initiative and4
referendum - definitions - rules.5
(3) (e) For measures that reduce state tax revenue through a tax6
change, the ballot title must begin "Shall there be a reduction to the7
(description of tax) by (the percentage by which the tax is reduced in the8
first full fiscal year that the measure reduces revenue) thereby reducing9
state revenue, which will LIKELY reduce funding for state expenditures10
that include but are not limited to (the three largest areas of program11
expenditure) by an estimated (projected dollar figure of revenue reduction12
to the state in the first full fiscal year that the measure reduces revenue)13
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in tax revenue...?". If the ballot measure specifies the public services or1
programs that are to be reduced by the tax change, those public services2
or programs must be stated in the ballot title. If the public services or3
programs identified in the measure are insufficient to account for the full4
dollar value of the tax change in the first full fiscal year that the measure5
reduces revenue, then the three largest areas of program expenditure must6
be stated in the bill title along with the public services or programs7
identified in the measure. The estimates reflected in the ballot title shall8
not be interpreted as restrictions of the state's budgeting process.9
(e.5) FOR A MEASURE THAT INCREASES STATE EXPENDITURES10
AS DEFINED IN SUBSECTION (3)(i)(III) OF THIS SECTION, THE BALLOT TITLE11
MUST INCLUDE LANGUAGE IDENTIFYING THE TOP THREE AREAS OF STATE12
EXPENDITURES FOR WHICH STATE EXPENDITURES WILL LIKELY BE13
REDUCED IF THE MEASURE PASSES . THIS LANGUAGE MAY APPEAR14
ANYWHERE IN THE BALLOT TITLE AND MUST BE IN A FORMAT15
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE: "... WILL LIKELY16
REDUCE STATE EXPENDITURES FOR PROGRAM AREAS THAT INCLUDE (THE17
THREE LARGEST AREAS OF PROGRAM EXPENDITURE ) BY AN ESTIMATED18
(PROJECTED DOLLAR FIGURE OF REDUCTION TO THOSE AREAS IN THE FIRST19
FULL FISCAL YEAR THAT THE MEASURE WILL CAUSE THE REDUCTION) ...".20
IF THE BALLOT MEASURE SPECIFIES THE PUBLIC SERVICES OR PROGRAMS21
THAT ARE TO BE REDUCED, THOSE PUBLIC SERVICES OR PROGRAMS MUST22
BE STATED IN THE BALLOT TITLE . IF THE REDUCED PUBLIC SERVICES OR23
PROGRAMS IDENTIFIED IN THE MEASURE ARE INSUFFICIENT TO ACCOUNT24
FOR THE FULL DOLLAR VALUE OF THE PROJECTED REDUCTION IN THE FIRST25
FULL FISCAL YEAR THAT THE MEASURE REDUCES FUNDING , THEN THE26
THREE LARGEST AREAS OF PROGRAM EXPENDITURE MUST BE STATED IN27
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THE BILL TITLE ALONG WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICES OR PROGRAMS1
IDENTIFIED IN THE MEASURE. THE ESTIMATES REFLECTED IN THE BALLOT2
TITLE MUST NOT BE INTERPRETED AS RESTRICTIONS OF THE STATE 'S3
BUDGETING PROCESS.4
(h) In determining whether a ballot title qualifies as brief for5
purposes of section 1-40-102 (10) and subsection (3)(b) of this section,6
the language required by subsection (3)(e), (3)(e.5), (3)(f), (3)(g), or (3)(j)7
of this section may not be considered.8
(i) As used in this subsection (3), unless the context otherwise9
requires:10
(III) "MEASURE THAT INCREASES STATE EXPENDITURES " MEANS11
AN INITIATED BALLOT ISSUE THAT WILL RESULT IN INCREASED STATE12
EXPENDITURES, EXCEPT FOR DE MINIMIS AND ADMINISTRATIVE13
EXPENDITURES, AS SHOWN IN THE FISCAL SUMMARY PREPARED PURSUANT14
TO SECTION 1-40-105.5 (1.5), AND THAT DOES NOT IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE15
FOR A SUFFICIENT SOURCE OF REVENUE OR SUFFICIENT REDUCTIONS IN16
STATE SPENDING FOR SPECIFIC PUBLIC SERVICES OR PROGRAM AREAS TO17
ACCOUNT FOR THE INCREASED EXPENDITURES.18
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 1-40-124.5, amend19
(1)(b) introductory portion, (1)(b)(III)(L), and (1)(b)(IV); and add20
(1)(b)(V) as follows:21
1-40-124.5. Ballot information booklet.22
(1) (b) The director of research of the legislative council of the23
general assembly shall prepare a fiscal impact statement for every24
initiated or referred measure, taking into consideration fiscal impact25
information submitted by the office of state planning and budgeting, the26
department of local affairs or any other state agency, and any proponent27
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or other interested person. The fiscal impact statement prepared for every1
measure shall MUST be substantially similar in form and content to the2
fiscal notes provided by the legislative council of the general assembly for3
legislative measures pursuant to section 2-2-322. A complete copy of the4
fiscal impact statement for such THE measure shall MUST be available5
through the legislative council of the general assembly. The ballot6
information booklet shall MUST indicate whether there is a fiscal impact7
for each initiated or referred measure and shall MUST abstract the fiscal8
impact statement for such THE measure. The abstract for every measure9
shall MUST appear after the arguments for and against such THE measure10
in the analysis section of the ballot information booklet and shall MUST11
include, but shall IS not be limited to:12
(III) For any initiated or referred measure that modifies the state13
tax laws, if the measure would either increase or decrease individual14
income tax revenue or state sales tax revenue, a table that shows the15
number of tax filers in each income category, the total change in the16
amount of tax owed for each income category, and the average change in17
the amount of tax owed for each filer within each income category. If the18
change in the amount of tax owed shown in the table is an increase, the19
change must be expressed as a dollar amount preceded by a plus sign. If20
the change in the amount of tax owed shown in the table is a decrease, the21
change must be expressed as a dollar amount preceded by a negative sign.22
The table must use the following income categories:23
(L) Federal adjusted gross income greater than or equal to one24
million dollars; and25
(IV) If the measure contains a proposed tax change, as defined in26
section 1-40-106 (3)(i)(II), that reduces state tax revenue, a description of27
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the MEASURE'S LIKELY EFFECT ON THE three largest areas of program1
expenditure, as defined in section 1-40-106 (3)(i)(I); AND2
(V) F OR AN INITIATED MEASURE THAT IS A MEASURE THAT3
INCREASES STATE EXPENDITURES , AS DEFINED IN SECTION 1-40-1064
(3)(i)(III), A DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE 'S LIKELY EFFECT ON THE5
THREE LARGEST AREAS OF PROGRAM EXPENDITURE , AS DEFINED IN6
SECTION 1-40-106 (3)(i)(I).7
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date -8
applicability. (1) This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following9
the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the10
general assembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13,11
2026); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 112
(3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section,13
or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part14
will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election15
to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the16
date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.17
(2) This act applies to initiative petition drafts submitted to the18
secretary of state for title setting on or after the applicable effective date19
of this act.20
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