Colorado Bill Tracking And State Guide

1. House of Introduction: - A bill is introduced and assigned to a committee of reference. - During the committee hearing, amendments can be proposed by committee members. Non-committee members must ask a committee member to propose amendments. - The bill must be referred out of the committee favorably to another committee, the Appropriations Committee, or the Committee of the Whole (COW). 2. Appropriations Committee: - If required, the bill goes to the Appropriations Committee where it is also subject to amendments. - The Appropriations Committee must favorably refer the bill to the COW. It may also re-refer the bill back to the committee of reference. 3. COW: - The bill must pass Second Reading where committee reports and additional floor amendments are considered. - Following that, the house must adopt the report of the COW. 4. Third Reading: - After Second Reading, the bill must pass on Third Reading. Only technical amendments may be offered at this stage, and it cannot occur on the same calendar day. 5. Second House: - If the bill passes the house of introduction, it goes through a similar process in the second house including introduction, committee assignment, debate, and readings. 6. Bill Amendments: - If the second house amends the bill, the original house must decide to accept, reject, or form a conference committee to negotiate a compromise. 7. Governor's Action: - Once both houses agree on the final version, the bill is sent to the Governor who may: - Sign it (becoming law), - Allow it to become law without a signature, or - Veto it. - If vetoed, the General Assembly can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote from each chamber.

Members of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Colorado in several ways: 1. Contact a Legislator: If you want to suggest amendments to a bill, you can contact a legislator who serves on the committee reviewing the bill. You can share your ideas or recommend amendments through email, phone calls, or in-person visits. 2. Attend Committee Hearings: Public attendance at committee hearings allows you to observe the legislative process and provide input on the bill. You may have the opportunity to testify during the hearing if you're interested. 3. Submit Written Testimony: You can submit written testimony or letters of support or opposition regarding a bill to the relevant committees to have your voice heard. 4. Engage with Community Groups: Get involved with organizations or community groups advocating for specific issues related to the legislation. These groups can help mobilize public support and provide mechanisms for involvement. 5. Participate in Public Forums and Town Halls: Many legislators hold town halls or public forums where citizens can discuss issues, provide feedback on proposed legislation, and ask questions. 6. Follow the Legislative Process: Stay informed by following legislative updates on proposed bills, and be aware of key dates related to the legislative schedule so you can engage at critical points in the process.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Colorado every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

• real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
• automated reporting
• team collaboration
• bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
• bill similarity detection
• ...and much more

1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.