Date Posted: 1.6.2025

  SENATE LEADERSHIP  

President of the Senate James Coleman (D-Denver)
Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez (D-Denver)
President Pro Tempore Dafna Michaelson Janet (D-Commerce City)
Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter (D-Littleton)
Majority Whip Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)
Majority Caucus Chair Dylan Roberts (D-Frisco)
Minority Leader Paul Lundeen (R-El Paso)
Assistant Minority Leader Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa)
Minority Whip Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)
Minority Caucus Chair Byron Pelton (R-Sterling)

  SENATE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS  

Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Dylan Roberts (D-Frisco)

Vice Chair: Senator Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge)

Members:

Senator Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)
Senator Janice Marchman (D-Loveland)
Senator Byron Pelton (R-Sterling)
Senator Rod Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells)
Senator-Elect Marc Catlin (R-Montrose)

Senate Appropriations (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator-Elect Judy Amabile (D-Boulder)

Vice Chair: Senator Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village)

Members:

Senator Chris Kolker (D-Littleton)
Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)
Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County)
Senator Mark Baisley (R-Roxborough Park)
Senator Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs)

Senate Business, Labor & Technology (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge)

Vice Chair: Senator Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)

Members:

Senator Faith Winter (D-Thornton)
Democrat Vacancy
Senator Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs)
Senator Byron Pelton (R-Sterling)
Senator-Elect Marc Catlin (R-Montrose)

Senate Education (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Chris Kolker (D-Littleton)

Vice Chair: Senator Janice Marchman (D-Loveland)

Members:

Senator-Elect Cathy Kipp (D-Fort Collins)

Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City)

Senator Paul Lundeen (R-Monument)

Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)

Senator-Elect Scott Bright (R-Platteville)

Senate Finance (9 members / 6D & 3R)

Chair: Senator-Elect Cathy Kipp (D-Fort Collins)

Vice Chair: Senator Janice Marchman (D-Loveland)

Members:

Senator Chris Kolker (D-Littleton)
Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)
Senator-Elect Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs)
Senator Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton)
Senator Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa County)
Senator-Elect Scott Bright (R-Platteville)
Senator-Elect Lisa Frizell (R-Castle Rock)

Senate Health & Human Services (9 members / 6D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton)

Vice Chair: Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City)

Members:

Senator Lisa Cutter (D-Bear Creek)
Senator-Elect Mike Weissman (D-Aurora)
Senator-Elect Lindsey Daugherty (D-Arvada)
Democrat Vacancy
Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)
Senator-Elect Lisa Frizell (R-Castle Rock)
Republican Vacancy

Senate Judiciary (7 members / 5D & 2R)

Chair: Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)

Vice Chair: Senator-Elect Mike Weissman (D-Aurora)

Members:

Senator Dylan Roberts (D-Frisco)
Senator-Elect Lindsey Daugherty (D-Arvada)
Democrat Vacancy
Senator-Elect Lisa Frizell (R-Castle Rock)
Senator Mark Baisley (R-Teller County)

Senate Local Government & Housing (7 members / 4D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Tony Exum Sr. (D-Colorado Springs)

Vice Chair: Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver)

Members:

Senator-Elect Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs)
Senator Faith Winter (D-Thornton)
Senator Rod Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells)
Senator Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction)
Republican Vacancy

Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs (5 members / 3D & 2R)

Chair: Senator-Elect Mike Weissman (D-Aurora)

Vice Chair: Senator Tom Sullivan (D-Centennial)

Members:

Democrat Vacancy
Senator Mark Baisley (R-Teller County)
Senator Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs)

Senate Transportation & Energy (9 members / 6D & 3R)

Chair: Senator Faith Winter (D-Westminster)

Vice Chair: Senator Lisa Cutter (D-Bear Creek)

Members:

Senator Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo)
Senator Tony Exum Sr. (D-Colorado Springs
Senator Tom Sullivan (D-Centennial)
Senator Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton)
Senator Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa)
Senator Byron Pelton (R-Cheyenne Wells)
Senator-Elect Marc Catlin (R-Montrose)

  HOUSE LEADERSHIP  

Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie (D-Dillion)
House Majority Leader Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge)
Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Andrew Boesenecker (D-Fort Collins)
Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver)
Majority Co-Whips Matthew Martinez (D-Monte Vista) & Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora)
Majority Caucus Co-Chairs Mandy Lindsay (D-Aurora) & Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Minority Leader Rose Pugliese (R-Colorado Springs)
Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter (R-Trinidad)
Minority Caucus Chair Anthony Hartsook (R-Parker)
Minority Whip Ryan Armagost (R-Berthoud)

  HOUSE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS  

House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair:                        Representative Karen McCormick (D-Longmont)
Vice Chair:                Representative Tisha Mauro (D-Pueblo)
Ranking Member:     Representative Ty Winter (R-Las Animas County)
Members:

Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs)
Representative-Elect Katie Stewart (D-Durango)
Representative-Elect Lesley Smith (D-Boulder County)
Representative Mandy Lindsay (D-Aurora)
Representative Matthew Martinez (D-Alamosa)
Representative Meghan Lukens (D-Steamboat Springs)
Representative Tammy Story (D-Evergreen)
Representative Matt Soper (R-Delta)
Representative-Elect Dusty Johnson (R-Fort Morgan)
Representative-Elect Larry Don Suckla (R-Montezuma County) 

House Appropriations (11 Members / 7D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Emily Sirota (D-Denver)
Vice Chair: Representative Shannon Bird (D-Westminster)
Ranking Member: Representative Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction)

Members:

Representative Andrew Boesenecker (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Brianna Titone (D-Arvada)
Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs)
Representative Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Representative Karen McCormick (D-Longmont)
Representative Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative Stephanie Luck (R-Penrose)
Representative-Elect Lori Garcia Sander (R-Eaton)

House Business Affairs & Labor (13 Members / 8D & 5R)
Chair: Representative Naquetta Ricks (D-Aurora)
Vice Chair: Representative Steven Woodrow (D-Denver)
Ranking Member: Representative Ryan Armagost (R-Berthoud)

Members:

Representative Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch)
Representative-Elect Gretchen Rydin (D-Littleton)
Representative Regina English (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Sheila Lieder (D-Jefferson County)
Representative Tisha Mauro (D-Pueblo)
Representative William Lindstedt (D-Broomfield)
Representative-Elect Max Brooks (R-Castle Rock)
Representative-Elect Chris Richardson (R-Elbert County)
Representative-Elect Rebecca Keltie (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Larry Don Suckla (R-Montezuma County)

House Education (13 Members / 8D & 5R)
Chair: Representative Meghan Lukens (D-Steamboat Springs)
Vice Chair: Representative Matthew Martinez (D-Alamosa)
Ranking Member: Representative Mary Bradfield (R-Colorado Springs)

Members:

Representative Eliza Hamrick (D-Centennial)
Representative-Elect Jacque Phillips (D-Thornton)
Representative Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Lesley Smith (D-Boulder County)
Representative-Elect Lindsay Gilchrist (D-Denver)
Representative Tammy Story (D-Evergreen)
Representative Anthony Hartsook (R-Parker)

Representative-Elect Lori Garcia Sander (R-Eaton)
Representative-Elect Dusty Johnson (R-Fort Morgan)
Representative-Elect Jarvis Caldwell (R-Colorado Springs)

House Energy & Environment (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Alex Valdez (D-Denver)
Vice Chair: Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs)
Ranking Member: Representative-Elect Dan Woog (R-Frederick)

Members:

Representative-Elect Amy Paschal (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora)
Representative Jenny Willford (D-Northglenn)
Representative Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Representative Kyle Brown (D-Louisville)
Representative Manny Rutinel (D-Commerce City)
Representative-Elect Sean Camacho (D-Denver)
Representative Ken DeGraaf (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Ryan Gonzalez (R-Greeley)
Representative-Elect Carlos Barron (R-Fort Lupton)

House Finance (13 Members / 8D & 5R)
Chair: Representative William Lindstedt (D-Broomfield)
Vice Chair: Representative Brianna Titone (D-Arvada)
Ranking Member: Representative Anthony Hartsook (R-Parker)

Members:

Representative Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch)
Representative Junie Joseph (D-Boulder)
Representative Lorena Garcia (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Rebekah Stewart (D-Lakewood)
Representative-Elect Sean Camacho (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Yara Zokaie (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Ron Weinberg (R-Loveland)
Representative Ken DeGraaf (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Max Brooks (R-Castle Rock)
Representative-Elect Ryan Gonzalez (R-Greeley)

House Health & Human Services (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Kyle Brown (D-Louisville)
Vice Chair: Representative Sheila Lieder (D-Jefferson County)

Ranking Member:

Representative Brandi Bradley (R-Highlands Ranch)
Representative Eliza Hamrick (D-Centennial)
Representative-Elect Gretchen Rydin (D-Littleton)
Representative Karen McCormick (D-Longmont)
Representative-Elect Katie Stewart (D-Durango)
Representative-Elect Lindsay Gilchrist (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Lisa Feret (D-Arvada)
Representative Regina English (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Mary Bradfield (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Dusty Johnson (R-Fort Morgan)
Representative-Elect Lori Garcia Sander (R-Eaton)

House Judiciary (11 Members / 7D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Javier Mabrey (D-Denver)
Vice Chair: Representative-Elect Michael Carter (D-Aurora)
Ranking Member: Representative Matt Soper (R-Delta)

Members:

Representative-Elect Cecelia Espenoza (D-Denver)
Representative Chad Clifford (D-Centennial)
Representative Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver)
Representative Lorena Garcia (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Yara Zokaie (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Ryan Armagost (R-Berthoud)
Representative-Elect Jarvis Caldwell (R-Colorado Springs)
Representative-Elect Rebecca Keltie (R-Colorado Springs)

House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs (11 Members / 8D-3R)
Chair: Representative Jenny Willford (D-Northglenn)
Vice Chair: Representative Chad Clifford (D-Centennial)
Ranking Member: Representative Stephanie Luck (R-Penrose)

Members:

Representative-Elect Cecelia Espenoza (D-Denver)
Representative Javier Mabrey (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Lisa Feret (D-Arvada)
Representative Meg Froelich (D-Greenwood Village)
Representative-Elect Michael Carter (D-Aurora)
Representative Naquetta Ricks (D-Aurora)
Representative Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs)

Representative Brandi Bradley (R-Highlands Ranch)

House Transportation, Housing & Local Government (13 Members / 9D & 4R)
Chair: Representative Meg Froelich (D-Greenwood Village)
Vice Chair: Representative-Elect Rebekah Stewart (D-Lakewood)
Ranking Member: Representative-Elect Chris Richardson (R-Elbert County)

Members:

Representative-Elect Amy Paschal (D-Colorado Springs)
Representative Andy Boesenecker (D-Fort Collins)
Representative Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora)
Representative-Elect Jacque Phillips (D-Thornton)
Representative Mandy Lindsay (D-Aurora)
Representative Alex Valdez (D-Denver)
Representative Steven Woodrow (D-Denver)
Representative-Elect Dan Woog (R-Frederick)
Representative-Elect Carlos Barron (R-Fort Lupton)
Representative-Elect Larry Don Suckla (R-Montezuma County)

  JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES  

Joint Budget Committee (6 Members / 4D & 2R)
Chair: Senator Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village)
Vice Chair: Representative Shannon Bird (D-Westminster)

Members:

Senator Judy Amiable (D-Boulder)
Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld)
Representative Emily Sirota (D-Denver)
Representative Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction)
(We will add additional joint committee assignments as they become available.)

Notes from the Capitol
Volume 2 – January 24, 2025

Good afternoon, folks. We are 17 days into the 120-day legislative session, with 103 days remaining. Legislators have introduced roughly one-sixth of all bills we expect this session.

SMART Act Hearings
Legislators are typically preoccupied with SMART Act hearings during the first two weeks of the session. This year was no exception. Annual SMART Act hearings allow state agency staff to brief legislators on the agency's mission, core roles and functions, structure, operations, and priorities — while enabling legislators to scrutinize each agency publicly. Due to the state’s $1 billion budget shortfall, legislators have the unenviable task of deploying meat cleavers to the budget; the tone and tenure of the back-and-forth committee between agency staff and legislators was, shall we say, uncharacteristically adversarial.
Among the most contentious committee hearings this week were a special joint House and Senate energy committee during which Democrat and Republican legislators assertively peppered Public Utilities Commission (PUC) staff about the PUC’s pipeline safety program. Likewise, during a specially convened joint House and Senate Health & Human Services Committee hearing, legislators of both parties sharply questioned Department of Health Care Policy & Financing staff about substantial cost overruns in the state’s Medicaid program.

Legislation
The first batch of House-initiated bills have cleared the House and will be introduced in the Senate next week.
Intent on restructuring (or gutting, depending on whom you ask) Colorado’s Labor Peace Act (circa 1943), the Senate Business, Labor & Technology Committee hosted a four-hours-long hearing on Worker Protection Collective Bargaining (SB25-005). The bill seeks to eliminate the second of two required votes for collecting dues on non-union members, thereby making it substantially easier for workers and organized labor to establish union shops. Historically, the statutorily mandated second vote requires the affirmation of 75% of the workers.
Understanding the highly controversial and politically charged nature of the bill, which, if approved, would reconstitute the relationship between business/management on the one hand and workers/organized labor on the other, the committee chair, Senator Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge), limited proponents and opponents to two hours of testimony each. Following four hours of testimony, the committee passed the bill 4-3 on a straight party-line vote.
Separately, a much-anticipated consumer protection bill to Prohibit Restrictions on 340B Drugs (SB25-071) seeks to prohibit drug manufacturers from unfair and deceptive trade practices. The bill bans pharmaceutical companies from limiting discount drug programs to benefit only their preferred pharmacies. SB25-071 tees up a colossal battle between hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.

Controversy Over Vacancy Committee Elections
The Democratic House District 41 Vacancy Committee met on Saturday. It appointed Jamie Jackson (D-Aurora) to fill the vacancy created when a different vacancy committee appointed then-Representative and now-Senator Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora) from the House to the Senate.
While partisan vacancy committee appointments are legal and routine, the frequency of their use raises eyebrows across the political spectrum and various media outlets. By securing an appointment via a partisan vacancy committee, thirty legislators — roughly one-third of the 100-member 2025 General Assembly — initially circumvented the public scrutiny of the regular primary and general elections. However, most of these appointed legislators subsequently ran for and won their respective seats in the election cycle following their vacancy committee appointment. Since 2018, we’ve seen multiple poorly organized and ineffective attempts to eliminate vacancy appointments in favor of special elections. To date, all such efforts have failed.

Ethics Committee Investigation
As reported in Colorado Politics, Senator Sonya Jacquez Lewis (D-Lafayette) faces a bi-partisan ethics committee investigation of allegations that she consistently mistreats her legislative aides. The Office of Legislative Workplace Relations received a formal complaint on November 15, 2024. Though she remains eligible to cast votes on the Senate floor, Senator Jacquez Lewis serves on no Senate committees and is barred from using Senate funds to pay for her legislative aides.

Stay tuned. The legislature is off to a fast start. Have a great weekend!
Steve Balcerovich & Tim Coleman