The Colorado State Capitol is buzzing with activity as lawmakers navigate the third week of the 2025 legislative session. A contentious bill aiming to eliminate a unique provision in Colorado law requiring a second union election before workers can negotiate key contract terms is set to be debated. Meanwhile, a packed schedule of oversight hearings features presentations and questioning of state agencies across various sectors.
The Colorado State Capitol is bustling with activity as lawmakers convene for the first day of the 2025 legislative session in Denver on January 8, 2025. This marks the beginning of the third (and brief) week of the session. A select number of bills are poised to reach the House floor in the coming days as legislators settle into a routine of extended oversight hearings and the inaugural contentious committee hearing of the year.
This pivotal hearing will address a unique aspect of Colorado law, requiring unions to conduct a second election following the initial vote that establishes the union. This second election is a prerequisite before workers can negotiate a crucial segment of their union contract with employers. Scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. before the Senate’s Business, Labor, and Technology Committee, the bill is a top priority for labor organizations and Democratic lawmakers. Most Democrats in both the House and Senate have already pledged their support. However, it faces opposition from business groups and Governor Jared Polis, who has expressed skepticism about the proposal and urged legislators and unions to engage in negotiations with entities like the Colorado and Denver Metro chambers of commerce. Supporters anticipate the bill to pass its initial Senate vote on Tuesday, subsequently advancing to the Senate floor. While the House and Senate calendars generally adhere to a predictable schedule, they are subject to modifications for various reasons. It's always advisable to confirm the hearing schedules, which essentially involve government oversight meetings where state agencies present to committees and respond to questioning or scrutiny from lawmakers. This process commenced at the start of the session and continues this week. On Tuesday, the legislature's joint health committees will conduct SMART Act hearings for the Behavioral Health Administration and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, among other health-related agencies. The same committee will hear from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing — which oversees Medicaid — on Wednesday. Both Tuesday and Wednesday hearings will commence after the House and Senate conclude floor work, likely in mid- to late-morning. The legislature's education committees will hold oversight hearings on Thursday for the departments of education, higher education, and early childhood. The joint military and state affairs committees will conduct hearings for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Department of State, also on Thursday. The House has four bills scheduled for second readings this week. As a reminder, a bill must first pass at least one committee, followed by two votes in its initial chamber before proceeding to the other chamber and restarting the process. The initial chamber vote, known as second reading, is a voice vote. Among the bills scheduled for a House vote on Tuesday is legislation regarding the use of a psilocybin medication, along with three other health-related measures. All are anticipated for a House vote on Tuesday; if delayed, they will likely be rescheduled for later in the week
COLORADO LEGISLATURE LABOR LAW UNION ELECTIONS OVERSIGHT HEARINGS HEALTH CARE EDUCATION
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