HB26-1140 • 2026

Local Government Impact Hearings

The bill allows the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority leader of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the minority leader of the senate (legislative leader

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rep. T. Winter, Sen. R. Pelton
Last action: 2026-02-19
Official status: House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify exact dates for when local government impact hearings will be held.

Local Government Impact Hearings

This bill allows certain leaders in the Colorado legislature to choose up to five bills for special hearings where local governments can speak about how those bills might affect them.

What This Bill Does

Allows four legislative leaders (Speaker of the House, Minority Leader of the House, President of the Senate, and Minority Leader of the Senate) to pick up to five bills each for a 'local government impact hearing'.
Requires these hearings to be at least one hour but no more than two hours long.
Allows local governments or organizations that represent them to give testimony about how the bill might affect their communities during this time.
Directs legislative council staff to schedule and include these special hearings in regular committee meetings.

Who It Names or Affects

Legislative leaders who can choose bills for local government impact hearings.
Local governments and organizations that represent them, as they get a chance to speak about how certain bills might affect their communities.

Terms To Know

local government: A county, city or municipality within the state of Colorado.
legislative leadership: The Speaker of the House, Minority Leader of the House, President of the Senate, and Minority Leader of the Senate in Colorado.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how often these hearings will actually be held or what their impact might be.
There are no specific penalties for failing to comply with the requirements set out in this bill.
The effectiveness and implementation of local government impact hearings depend on future rules developed by the legislative council.

Bill History

2026-02-19 House
House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-02-12 House
House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-02-04 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Official Summary Text

The bill allows the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority leader of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the minority leader of the senate (legislative leadership) to each select up to 5 legislative measures to have a local government impact hearing during a regular legislative session. A local government impact hearing is a dedicated time that is at least one hour and not more than 2 hours at the beginning of a scheduled committee hearing for a legislative measure during which one or more local governments or organizations that represent local governments may present testimony to the committee regarding the potential effects of the legislative measure on local governments within the state.

If a member of legislative leadership selects a legislative measure to have a local government impact hearing, the member must:
Determine which committee of reference will hold the local government impact hearing if the legislative measure is assigned to more than one committee of reference; and
Notify the chair of the applicable committee of reference and the staff of the legislative council that the legislative measure will have a local government impact hearing.

If a member of the legislative leadership selects a legislative measure to have a local government impact hearing, the staff of the legislative council is required to include the local government impact hearing on the calendar as part of the regularly scheduled legislative hearing for the legislative measure in the applicable committee of reference.

During the local government impact hearing, one or more local governments or statewide organizations that represents local governments may provide testimony regarding the impact of the legislative measure on local governments for the duration of the local government impact hearing without other limitations on the length of testimony.

The bill requires the director of research of the legislative council to develop procedures for the implementation of local government impact hearings.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED

LLS NO. 26-0575.03 Nicole Myers x4326 HOUSE BILL 26-1140
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING A REQUIREMENT THAT THE STAFF OF THE LEGISLATIVE101
COUNCIL FACILITATE A LIMITED NUMBER OF LOCAL102
GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING S FOR CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE103
MEASURES DURING A REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION.104
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 w ill be av ailable at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill allows the speaker of the house of representatives, the
minority leader of the house of representatives, the president of the
senate, and the minority leader of the senate (legislative leadership) to
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Winter T.,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Pelton R.,
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.
each select up to 5 legislative measures to have a local government
impact hearing during a regular legislative session. A local government
impact hearing is a dedicated time that is at least one hour and not more
than 2 hours at the beginning of a scheduled committee hearing for a
legislative measure during which one or more local governments or
organizations that represent local governments may present testimony to
the committee regarding the potential effects of the legislative measure
on local governments within the state.
If a member of legislative leadership selects a legislative measure
to have a local government impact hearing, the member must:
! Determine which committee of reference will hold the local
government impact hearing if the legislative measure is
assigned to more than one committee of reference; and
! Notify the chair of the applicable committee of reference
and the staff of the legislative council that the legislative
measure will have a local government impact hearing.
If a member of the legislative leadership selects a legislative
measure to have a local government impact hearing, the staff of the
legislative council is required to include the local government impact
hearing on the calendar as part of the regularly scheduled legislative
hearing for the legislative measure in the applicable committee of
reference.
During the local government impact hearing, one or more local
governments or statewide organizations that represents local governments
may provide testimony regarding the impact of the legislative measure on
local governments for the duration of the local government impact
hearing without other limitations on the length of testimony.
The bill requires the director of research of the legislative council
to develop procedures for the implementation of local government impact
hearings.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 2-2-328 as2
follows:3
2-2-328. Committees of reference - local government impact4
hearing - legislative measures - definitions.5
(1) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE6
REQUIRES:7
(a) "L EGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP " MEANS THE SPEAKER OF THE8
HB26-1140-2-
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES , THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF1
REPRESENTATIVES, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE , AND THE MINORITY2
LEADER OF THE SENATE.3
(b) "LOCAL GOVERNMENT" MEANS A COUNTY, CITY AND COUNTY,4
OR MUNICIPALITY.5
(c) "LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING" MEANS A DEDICATED6
TIME THAT IS AT LEAST ONE HOUR AND NOT MORE THAN TWO HOURS AT7
THE BEGINNING OF A SCHEDULED COMMITTEE HEARING FOR A LEGISLATIVE8
MEASURE DURING WHICH ONE OR MORE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OR9
STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAY10
PRESENT TESTIMONY TO THE CO MMITTEE REGARDING THE POTENTIAL11
EFFECTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE MEASURE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITHIN12
THE STATE.13
(2) (a) COMMENCING WITH THE FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE14
SEVENTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND DURING EACH REGULAR15
LEGISLATIVE SESSION THEREAFTER , THE STAFF OF THE LEGISLATIVE16
COUNCIL SHALL FACILITATE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING ON17
ANY LEGISLATIVE MEASURE SELECTED TO HAVE SUCH A HEARING BY A18
MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. 19
(b) EACH MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP MAY SELECT20
UP TO FIVE LEGISLATIVE MEASURES DURING A REGULAR LEGISLATIVE21
SESSION TO HAVE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING IN THE22
MEMBER'S RESPECTIVE CHAMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. A MEMBER23
OF THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP MAY SELECT A LEGISLATIVE MEASURE TO24
HAVE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING BASED ON THE MEMBER'S25
PREFERENCE OR IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST RECEIVED BY THE MEMBER26
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)(c) OF THIS SECTION.27
HB26-1140-3-
(c) A LOCAL GOVERNMENT , STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION THAT1
REPRESENTS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, OR OTHER INTERESTED PARTY MAY2
CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP TO REQUEST THAT3
THE MEMBER SELECT A LEGISLATIVE MEASURE TO HAVE A LOCAL4
GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING . IF THE MEMBER OF LEGISLATIVE5
LEADERSHIP SELECTS A LEGISLATIVE MEASURE TO HAVE A LOCAL6
GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING, THE MEMBER MUST:7
(I) DETERMINE WHICH COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE IN THE8
MEMBER'S CHAMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL HOLD THE LOCAL9
GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING IF THE LEGISLATIVE MEASURE IS ASSIGNED10
TO MORE THAN ONE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE; AND11
(II) N OTIFY THE CHAIR OF THE APPLICABLE COMMITTEE OF12
REFERENCE AND THE STAFF OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, PRIOR TO THE13
SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE HEARING IN THE APPLICABLE COMMITTEE OF14
REFERENCE, THAT THE LEGISLATIVE MEASURE WILL HAVE A LOCAL15
GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING.16
(d) I F THE STAFF OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL RECEIVES17
NOTIFICATION FROM A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP18
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)(c) O F T H I S S E C T I O N, THE STAFF OF THE19
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHALL INCLUDE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT20
HEARING, INCLUDING THE LENGTH OF THE HEARING, ON THE CALENDAR AS21
PART OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED LEGISLATIVE HEARING FOR THE22
LEGISLATIVE MEASURE IN THE APPLICABLE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE.23
(3) (a) THE CHAIR OF THE APPLICABLE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE24
OF REFERENCE SHALL DETERMINE THE LENGTH OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT25
IMPACT HEARING , SO LONG AS THE SCHEDULED LOCAL GOVERNMENT26
IMPACT HEARING IS AT LEAST ONE HOUR AND NOT MORE THAN TWO27
HB26-1140-4-
HOURS.1
(b) D URING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING , ANY2
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS3
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAY PROVIDE TESTIMONY REGARDING THE IMPACT4
OF THE LEGISLATIVE MEASURE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR THE5
DURATION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPACT HEARING WITHOUT OTHER6
LIMITATIONS ON THE LENGTH OF TESTIMONY.7
(c) W HEN THE TIME ALLOTTED FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT8
IMPACT HEARING HAS EXPIRED OR WHEN ALL OF THE LOCAL9
GOVERNMENTS OR STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT LOCAL10
GOVERNMENTS ARE FINISHED WITH THEIR TESTIMONY , WHICHEVER11
OCCURS FIRST, THE COMMITTEE SHALL PROCEED WITH REGULAR PUBLIC12
TESTIMONY FOR THE LEGISLATIVE MEASURE , AND THE CHAIR OF THE13
COMMITTEE MAY IMPOSE TIME LIMITATIONS OR OTHER RESTRICTIONS ON14
SUCH TESTIMONY THAT ARE IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF THE COMMITTEE'S15
BUSINESS.16
(d) ANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION THAT17
REPRESENTS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY18
REGARDING THE SAME LEGISLATIVE MEASURE DURING THE REGULAR19
PUBLIC TESTIMONY PERIOD FOR THE COMMITTEE.20
(4) N O LATER THAN DECEMBER 1, 2026, AND NO LATER THAN21
DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR THEREAFTER , THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH OF22
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHALL DEVELOP AND MEMORIALIZE IN A23
LETTER TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ,24
PROCEDURES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION.25
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act26
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the27
HB26-1140-5-
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August1
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a2
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the3
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act4
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect5
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in6
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the7
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.8
HB26-1140-6-