Updated June 12, 2024 at 9:14 a.m.
Gov. Jared Polis on Friday signed the last of more than 500 bills passed by the state legislature this year, the most annual bill-signings in more than a decade.
鈥淲e are saving Coloradans money on property taxes, cutting the income and sales tax, moving closer to the reality of passenger rail in Colorado, making historic investments in educational opportunity including fully funding our schools 鈥� and so much more,鈥� Polis said in a statement. 鈥淥ver the last 30 days I鈥檝e signed bills across our great state to formalize these accomplishments that protect and improve the Colorado way of life.鈥�
Colorado governors have 30 days to sign bills after the legislative session adjourns each year. Gov. Polis signed a total of 519 bills into law during that period, which ended on Friday, out of the 525 passed by the legislature.
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46 more new laws were added to the books this year over last year. Polis signed 473 bills in 2023, 507 in 2022 and 502 in 2021. For the 10 years prior to that, the number only topped 450 once, according to the state Office of Legislative Legal Services. Polis has signed more bills than his predecessor, former Gov. John Hickenlooper, each year in office, except for 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Polis also vetoed six bills this year, fewer than the 10 he vetoed in 2023, the biggest year for vetoes in his term so far. His veto numbers generally skew slightly higher than Hickenlooper鈥檚, who topped out at nine vetoes in 2018.
Fewer vetoes, bigger backlash
Polis may have vetoed fewer bills this year, but he received more public backlash over the vetoes than he did last year, particularly when he rejected several worker-protection bills last month. One of the most significant of those would have increased accountability for wage theft in the construction industry. The measure was supported by the state鈥檚 labor unions and workers' rights advocates but opposed by major industry groups.
The labor movement saw Polis鈥� veto as favoring big business over workers and responded with a protest on the steps of the State Capitol, just feet away from the governor鈥檚 office. A few hundred union members and their supporters were led by Colorado鈥檚 chapter of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the country.
鈥淕ov. Polis failed workers,鈥� said Colorado AFL-CIO Executive Director Dennis Dougherty. 鈥淕ov. Polis chose 鈥� because it was a choice 鈥� he chose to align himself with corporate interests.鈥�
Labor advocates were also joined at the demonstration by several officials and lawmakers, including State Treasurer Dave Young and House Majority Leader Monica Duran.
鈥淭hese bills would have been monumental strides to support our working families and ensure that Coloradans are treated with respect, dignity, and paid the wages they are owed,鈥� Democratic House Majority Leader Monica Duran, a sponsor of two of the vetoed measures, said. 鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed with Gov. Polis鈥� decision to veto these bills.鈥�
The Polis administration rejected claims that the governor gave in to pressure from industry groups.
鈥淕ov. Polis was clear in his vetoes that while each of the bills had good aspects, the bills in their final form were not in the best interest of the state, and our requests to the legislators to improve the bills were rejected,鈥� Polis鈥� office said in a statement. 鈥淸Gov. Polis] remains open to working on each of these policies ahead of the next session to craft laws that support the objectives of the sponsors and organizations."
Duran and other lawmakers behind this year鈥檚 legislation said they plan to bring back similar measures next year.
Gun control and other Democratic priorities
The newly-signed laws include eight measures intended to reduce gun violence, which continues to be a top priority issue for the legislature鈥檚 Democratic majority and gun control advocates.
One of the new laws makes it illegal to carry guns in so-called sensitive spaces, with exemptions for security guards, law enforcement, and members of the military. The ban applies to polling places and government buildings, including the State Capitol, where some lawmakers regularly carry firearms. It also applies to public and private schools as well as colleges and universities, including the University of Colorado.
鈥淟et me be very clear,鈥� CU Regent Wanda James said after Polis signed the law, 鈥淚 am a staunch Second Amendment supporter, I am the only Regent who has served in the military, and I am the only Regent who has actually founded a gun club. And I agree with the students and the faculty when they tell us that they don't want guns in their house.鈥�
Other new gun control laws would increase the training and storage requirements for concealed carry permits, implement a specific merchant code for firearms that can be used to track sales, and require insurance coverage for gun owners.
鈥淭hese laws will help keep Coloradans safer from gun violence,鈥� Colorado Ceasefire Executive Director Adam Shore said. 鈥淐olorado Ceasefire also remains committed to grassroots education and outreach to give citizens the tools to enhance public safety and reduce the gun violence that plagues communities across Colorado.鈥�
Republican lawmakers and gun-rights advocates maintain the new laws infringe on constitutional rights and that they target legal gun ownership and rural Coloradans.
"This is clearly an encroachment on our Second Amendment rights," Republican Rep. and Congressional candidate Mike Lynch said during the final debate over the sensitive spaces law. "This is just a series of all the other [gun] bills we've seen this year, that don't particularly do anything but constrain those law-abiding citizens that are determined to keep themselves safe. A lot of people outside the Denver-Boulder corridor in the rest of this state, firearms are simply a part of our life."
Lynch also expressed concerns that gun-control legislation could make it harder for Coloradans to pursue recreational activities that use firearms like hunting or sport shooting.
This year鈥檚 firearm legislation follows historic gun control laws passed last year. Those established a three-day waiting period for gun purchases, expanded Colorado鈥檚 red flag laws, made it easier for victims of gun violence to sue gun stores and manufacturers, and raised the minimum age to purchase guns.
Housing and transportation also continue to be top of mind for Democratic lawmakers as well as Gov. Polis after a sweeping land-use bill failed to pass last year. Polis signed several smaller measures into law this year focused on higher density units around public transportation. He also signed legislation to kick off financing and development of the Front Range Passenger Rail from Fort Collins to Pueblo.
Polis and lawmakers were also able to strike compromises and pass significant legislation on air quality, property taxes and education funding.
