Colorado General Assembly Wrapping Up Consideration Of Ordinary Bills

The Colorado General Assembly has a state constitution fixed 120 day session which is translated into deadlines for steps in the legislative by joint legislative rules to which there are surprisingly few exceptions allowed in practice.

Today, April 9, 2012, is the last day for bills concerning ordinary legislation passed in the State Senate to be considered in the State House. All House bills were already been considered for final passage by the State Senate by April 2, 2012, and all bills had to clear their own chambers on February 29, 2012. Thus, by the end of today, we will have a very good idea (barring vetos and budget items) of what Colorado's laws will look like until the next legislative session. There will be a few stragglers, but not many.

Summaries of the status of these bills can be found for the 345 State House bills and 168 State Senate that were introduced this session, including fiscal bills, and also for other resolutions and measures considered. Many, of course, have either died in the legislative process or are too dull for even a policy wonk to love.

The last month of the legislative session until adjournment on May 9, 2012 is mostly reserved for consideration of the state budget matters. The deadline for K-12 education funding decisions in April 20, 2012, while other spending decisions can be made up to the wire.