Colorado’s 2026 legislative session kicked off today with the usual opening-day ceremonies and speeches — and an unusually familiar problem: lawmakers want to “do” a lot, but the state is staring at another budget shortfall. Colorado Public Radio’s Bente Birkeland reports that over the next four months, legislators will take up issues like artificial intelligence, immigration, health care, and the budget gap — with Gov. Jared Polis set to deliver his final State of the State address on Thursday.
CPR also notes Democrats keep control of both chambers (43-22 in the House, 23-12 in the Senate), but remain just shy of supermajorities. Meanwhile, Republicans have new leaders in both chambers, and Democrats are dealing with internal friction tied to a Vail retreat that’s now under review by the state ethics commission.
Now the part where we stop pretending Colorado politics is a serious place.
More “priorities” than money — and somehow that’s always a surprise
CPR’s basic framing is: lots of big ambitions, not enough cash. Which is a polite way of saying Colorado’s governing class keeps making “commitments” like a teenager with a fresh credit card and a missing sense of consequences.
According to CPR, this is the second year of a huge budget shortfall, and state economists point to the biggest driver as Medicaid costs: the state expanded services, people on Medicaid have been needing more medical care, and service costs are rising “much faster than inflation.” Put together, CPR says the percentage of the budget going to the program has ballooned.
So yes: when you expand a program and usage goes up and the per-unit cost goes up… the bill gets bigger. We are shocked. Stunned. Emotionally devastated.
Leadership shakeups: resignation season at the Capitol
CPR reports the session begins with new Republican leaders in both chambers “somewhat unexpectedly.” Former Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen resigned mid-term in June to lead a national conservative nonprofit. Sen. Cleave Simpson was selected as the next minority leader, and CPR says his relationship with Senate President James Coleman is strong enough that it’s “not expected to spark major change.”
In the House, CPR describes a more dramatic change: former Minority Leader Rose Pugliese resigned abruptly in September after a public falling out on the House floor with Majority Leader Monica Duran. CPR reports Duran accused Pugliese of mishandling inappropriate behavior by some House Republicans.
The House GOP chose Rep. Jarvis Caldwell as minority leader. CPR quotes Caldwell promising cooperation — and opposition — which is politician for “we’re going to do a press release about unity and then go back to fighting like feral cats.”
“We’re all really excited to get started with this new chapter… [and] work across the aisle… And obviously we’re going to do what we do and… fight legislation that we feel is not good for Colorado.” — Rep. Jarvis Caldwell, via CPR
Democrats: the majority party, featuring the majority of the drama
CPR reports Democrats are juggling a rift between progressives and moderates over whether a group of moderate lawmakers broke state rules by attending a retreat in Vail that might have been paid for by business interests. That question is currently being investigated by the state ethics commission.
CPR’s summary is basically: progressives are mad the retreat happened; moderates are mad they’re being questioned for it. Which is a neat trick — turning “did someone break rules?” into “how dare you ask?”
Duran even acknowledges the challenge:
“We can have our differences… But that’s where it ends… So it’s going to be a challenge. I’m not going to lie to you.” — House Majority Leader Monica Duran, via CPR
Translation: “Please stop fighting long enough for us to pass a bunch of stuff before the election.”
Election-year incentives: campaign season cosplaying as governing
CPR notes this is an election year with lawmakers running for Congress, governor, U.S. Senate, treasurer, and secretary of state. Add term limits for multiple legislators — including the House speaker and Senate majority leader — and you get what we always get: legacy-building, posturing, and headline-chasing.
We’ll put it plainly: when politicians are auditioning for their next gig, we get worse policy. More theatrics, fewer tradeoffs, and a lot more “press conference first, math later.”
Homeowners insurance: real pain, vague solutions
CPR reports Speaker Julie McCluskie says one top priority is addressing the state’s high cost of homeowners insurance due to wildfire and hail risk, and finding ways to mitigate and help lower rates.
We agree the pain is real. But CPR’s preview doesn’t include specific proposals — just that leaders are “looking at what other states are trying to do,” while admitting revenues are “so challenged.”
Cool. So the plan is: (1) admit we’re broke, (2) say the problem is huge, (3) promise to look at what someone else did. It’s like watching someone try to put out a house fire by reading the instructions on a fire extinguisher.
Where we’re at (and what we’re watching)
We’re the people who actually live with the consequences. We’re the ones paying premiums, paying taxes, and watching the Capitol treat budgeting like optional homework. If Medicaid growth is eating the budget, that’s not a “messaging challenge” — it’s a policy and management challenge. If lawmakers want to add new programs while calling revenues “challenged,” we deserve specifics: what gets cut, what gets capped, and what stops expanding.
And if the majority party can’t keep its own house in order (hello, Vail retreat ethics probe), we’re not supposed to pretend that inspires confidence.
Colorado’s 2026 session is starting the way too many Colorado sessions start: a pile of “pressing issues,” a shrinking pile of money, and the same people who created the mess insisting they’re the only ones who can fix it. Sure. Totally. Great plan.
Source: Colorado Public Radio
Just Stop It
