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DENVER, CO – The House today passed a bill to share additional information with voters on citizen-initiated ballot measures. HB26-1084 passed by a vote of 40-22.
“We’re taking steps to provide voters with additional information on ballot measures to better describe the costs and fiscal impacts of a proposed ballot measure,” said Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, D-Denver. “Colorado values the initiative process and this bill provides more information about initiatives that require state expenditures. The bill empowers voters by sharing essential information with voters to help them make informed decisions.”
“Coloradans deserve to know how a proposed ballot measure could impact K-12 education and health care, and this bill shares necessary information with Colorado voters,” said Rep. Sean Camacho, D-Denver. “We’re strengthening transparency in elections by making sure voters have the resources available to them about the budgetary trade-offs of citizen-initiated ballot measures. Colorado’s elections are the gold standard, and this bill will help voters make well-informed decisions when they cast their ballot.”
HB26-1084 would help share information with voters about how much proposed ballot measures could cost the state and taxpayers, as well as the impacts on essential state services. Specifically, this bill would require that voters be informed when citizen-initiated ballot measures would likely increase state expenditures. This would only apply to referred ballot measures that do not identify sufficient revenue sources or specific state-run programs and services to be reduced to pay for the cost of the measure.
Under this bill, a ballot measure that increases state expenditures must include language identifying the three largest state programs and services by name that could be reduced if the ballot measure passes. This could include K-12 education, health care and the Department of Corrections (DOC). If signed into law, this language would be added to the title of the measure and to the Ballot Information Booklet, also known as the Blue Book.
Colorado has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country. Over the years, Colorado Democrats have worked to safeguard and strengthen Colorado’s gold standard election system. In 2021, Colorado Democrats championed a law to inform voters of the core programs and services that would be impacted by citizen-initiated ballot measures that reduce taxes.
Last year, Colorado Democrats passed the Colorado Voting Rights Act to codify stronger voter protections and expand access to voting information for historically excluded communities. Under this law, even if federal voting protections are rolled back, Colorado will still prohibit discriminatory election practices.