The Colorado Sun is hosting two in-person events next week at the University of Denver that Unaffiliated readers won’t want to miss.
Our free legislative recap event will be held Thursday evening and features Gov. Jared Polis; Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver; House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon; state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton; and state Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. Find details and register to attend here.
Then, Colorado SunFest is Friday. We’ll have national political commentator Mark McKinnon and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and folks from the Colorado Polling Institute. Find more details and purchase tickets here.
Gov. Jared Polis prepares to sign a bill at the Colorado Capitol in Denver on May 1. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)The Colorado legislature may have adjourned, but the lawmaking isn’t quite over.
Gov. Jared Polis has until June 6 to sign or veto bills passed during the 2025 legislative session that ended Wednesday. He can also let measures become law without his signature.
It’s going to be a tense month for the supporters and opponents of legislation that the governor has signaled he doesn’t like. And with the relationship between the governor and other Capitol Democrats more fraught than it has ever been during Polis’ seven years as governor, the drama is high.
It’s time for … Vetowatch.
“There’s like 400 bills,” Polis told reporters Thursday. “We are going to be looking at all of them.”
Here are some that could face the ax:
Senate Bill 5 : The governor confirmed Thursday that he plans to veto Senate Bill 5, which would abolish a requirement in the Colorado Labor Peace Act that 75% of workers at a company sign off before unions can negotiate with businesses over union security. That’s after a majority of workers vote to unionize. The Colorado labor movement is livid. House Bill 1291 : The governor refused to say Thursday whether he would sign or veto this measure, but behind the scenes he was expressing concerns to the legislation’s lead sponsors. The bill would require rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to enact new safety measures, including rules around removing drivers and responding to law enforcement investigations in a timely manner. It would also ban drivers from offering passengers food or drink, and give passengers more power to sue if they’re harmed during a ride. Uber has vowed to exit Colorado if the bill becomes law. House Bill 1004 : Polis has long said he’s skeptical of this measure, which would heavily restrict landlords from using software algorithms to set rent. Tenant groups say the restrictions are needed to prevent large landlords from effectively colluding to drive rent prices higher through the use of third-party rent-setting companies like RealPage. Landlords and RealPage deny that the software’s use constitutes price-fixing, and say that banning it would be disruptive to renters and rental firms alike. Proponents fear Polis will side with landlords; tenant groups have a news conference today to rally support for the bill. Senate Bill 72 : If the governor signs this measure, Colorado would begin regulating kratom, a tropical tree whose leaves can be used as stimulants or opioid-like sedatives. In the past, he’s rebuffed efforts to restrict access to the supplement. House Bill 1122 : Polis aligned himself with the tech industry many times during the 2025 legislative session, and he’s facing pressure to veto this measure that would require a driver with a commercial driver’s license to be behind the wheel of any self-driving commercial truck. House Bill 1300 : The Colorado Chamber and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce told The Sun they are expecting to sign on to a letter urging Polis to veto this workers’ compensation measure, which would dramatically expand the pool of doctors who employees can choose from to treat work-related ailments. Business groups say the current system — created in a 2014 compromise between businesses and organized labor — is working well to balance costs and employee choice. Today, employers must provide workers with a list of four approved doctors to choose from; labor unions say that’s not nearly enough. The bill would allow them to choose from any state-certified doctor within 70 to 100 miles of where they live.Welcome to The Unaffiliated, the politics and policy newsletter from The Colorado Sun. Each week, we take you inside the political arena to deliver news and insights on Colorado politics. Keep reading for even more exclusive news.
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WHAT TO READ
The dust is still settling from the 2025 legislative session. Don’t miss these stories about what happened — and what’s next.
101 bills debated by the Colorado legislature in 2025 that you need to know about The 5 biggest themes of Colorado’s 2025 legislative session Jared Polis plans to veto Labor Peace Act bill, a priority for Colorado unions Special legislative session on Colorado’s AI law looms after lawmakers failed to act— KUNC via the Colorado Capitol News Alliance Colorado Senate rejects “YIGBY” measure, a priority for Jared Polis that would have boosted housing on church land School funding bill headed to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk after Colorado lawmakers approve spending plan Legislature rejects Jared Polis’ key effort this year to drive down Colorado home insurance costs Attempt to tweak Colorado’s controversial, first-in-the-nation artificial intelligence law is killed Colorado legislature ends with an AI fizzle as delay falters — further stoking talk of a special session— The Denver Post ? In cash-strapped Colorado, lawmakers tap an unorthodox pot of money for priorities. But is it too risky?— The Denver Post ? Four big dynamics drove Colorado lawmakers’ session — from defending against Trump to boosting affordability— The Denver Post ? Gov. Polis reflects on legislative wins and losses despite Democratic control— 9News Dust barely settled from Colorado’s 2025 legislative session, already talk of special session— CBS ColoradoWHAT TO WATCH IN THE WEEK AHEAD
The governor is starting to travel across the state as part of his annual bill-signing tour. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the State event is Wednesday midday at the Denver Performing Arts Center. Gov. Jared Polis will be speaking, as will Jesse, who is joining a panel of journalists to discuss the legislative session. Find details here. Don’t miss our free post-legislative session event Thursday evening in-person at the University of Denver. Speakers include Polis; Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver; House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon; state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton; and state Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. Find details and register to attend here. Get tickets to attend Colorado SunFest on Friday in-person at the University of Denver. We’ll have national political commentator Mark McKinnon and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and folks from the Colorado Polling Institute. Find more details and purchase tickets here.THE NARRATIVE
What Jared Polis wanted in exchange for signing the Labor Peace Act bill
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis listens Thursday during a news conference in Denver about what happened during the 2025 legislative session. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday offered more insight into the final round of negotiations on the Labor Peace Act bill before the talks crumbled and the measure advanced without any changes.
For background: Senate Bill 5 would lift a requirement in the Colorado Labor Peace Act that 75% of workers at a company sign off before unions can negotiate with businesses over union security. That’s after a majority of workers vote to unionize. The governor has vowed to veto the measure.
Speaking to reporters Thursday at a post-session news conference, Polis all but confirmed that he had been willing to sign the measure with some tweaks if unions and Democrats in the legislature agreed to reopen negotiations on the state’s tipped-minimum wage, a so-called charter school deserts measure and a proposal to privatize the state’s worker’s compensation insurer. The Denver Post was first to report on the attempted dealmaking.
“I don’t really comment on private negotiations,” he said, “but there have been reports out there, and I haven’t disputed that.”
Polis said he wasn’t happy with where the tipped-minium wage measure ended up. He’ll sign the measure, House BIll 1208, which would give local governments in parts of the state where the minimum wage is higher than the state’s minimum the option to increase the tipped-wage credit. But he preferred the original version of the legislation, which would have decreased restaurant worker base pay in parts of the state with a higher minimum wage than the state’s.
“I was also supportive of the bill in its original form, which I think would have more directly solved (the situation) for Denver specifically,” he said, a reference to how Denver’s City Council is unlikely to take action on the city’s tipped minimum wage even after House Bill 1208 becomes law.
As for charter schools, Polis said “obviously I’ve been supportive of all forms of public education, and that includes charter schools.” The proposal being floated in the legislature would have authorized the Colorado Charter School Institute to open new charter schools in communities with low-performing schools — possibly without approval from local school boards. A bill was never introduced, however.
As for privatizing Pinnacol Insurance, the state’s workers compensation insurance provider, Polis made his wishes known before the legislative session began. But a bill was never brought as lawmakers chafed at the idea.
ANALYSIS: The failed Senate Bill 5 negotiations were another example of how the governor simply didn’t get his way this year at the Colorado Capitol.
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YOU HEARD IT HERE
“I think this session was much better for us than than two sessions ago, when our whole housing agenda failed at the end of session in one bill.”
— Gov. Jared Polis responding to a question about his losses at the Capitol this year
Polis was referring to the collapse of his land-use bill in 2023, which returned in 2024 and passed after being pared back.
Democratic legislative leaders standing behind Polis at a news conference nodded awkwardly when the governor made that remark.
THE POLITICAL TICKER
COLORADO LEGISLATURE
Two state lawmakers’ cars were vandalized outside of the Colorado Capitol on Wednesday morning.
A rock was thrown through the windshield of Democratic state Rep. Sean Camacho’s Rivian and an expletive was carved into the hood of Republican state Sen. Byron Pelton’s Ford Bronco. The Colorado State Patrol said the vehicles were parked about 30 yards away from each other. The vehicles appear to have been randomly vandalized.
The State Patrol says it is working with Denver police to identify and locate the person responsible. Their actions were recorded by Capitol surveillance cameras.
8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans of Fort Lupton is one of the Republican members of Congress benefiting from a $7 million TV and digital ad campaign focused on Social Security, Medicare and the cost of prescription drugs.
The American Action Network, a conservative political nonprofit that doesn’t disclose its donors, is behind the campaign.
The group says the ads will highlight policies that “will preserve health care benefits, protect seniors and root out waste, fraud and abuse in government.”
ENDORSEMENTS
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold this week announced a new wave of endorsements for her campaign to be the state’s next attorney general.
Griswold is now backed by former U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, former Denver mayors Federico Peña and Michael Hancock, and former Colorado House Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst.
READ MORE
Democrat Trisha Calvarese seeks 2026 rematch against Republican Lauren Boebert in Colorado’s 4th CD— Colorado Politics ? Colorado Senate rejects Colorado judicial discipline appointee while approving another— Colorado Politics ? Seeking spending cuts, GOP lawmakers target a tax hospitals love to pay— KFF Health News As Trump cracks down on transgender athletes, a Colorado school district seeks new restrictions— Chalkbeat? = source has article meter or paywall
THIS WEEK’S PODCAST: Democrats in the Colorado legislature buck Jared Polis
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Frank Lombardi, chief sergeant at arms in the Colorado Senate, stands to be recognized Wednesday at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. Lombardi is retiring after more than four decades working for the state. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)Frank Lombardi, the retiring chief Senate sergeant at arms we featured in our last edition of The Unaffiliated, was honored Wednesday in the chamber for his decades of service to the state. He received a standing ovation from lawmakers and staff.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
How Democrats hope to overcome a daunting 2026 Senate map— The New York Times ? Texas may put restraints on new big businesses hoping to tap into the energy grid— Texas Tribune Trump’s tariffs aim to boost steelmakers. One of the biggest is shrinking instead.— The Wall Street Journal ? A new Montana majority defangs the far right— High Country News The Trump administration has all but stopped enforcing environmental laws— Grist John Fetterman finds himself increasingly alone— Politico Andy Beshear is making serious moves toward a 2028 presidential run— Politico? = source has article meter or paywall
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