Committee Approves Bill to Provide Additional Information on Ballots

HB26-1084 would share important fiscal information with voters on citizen-initiated ballot initiatives

DENVER, CO – The Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee today approved a bill sponsored by Senators William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield, and Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, to share additional information with voters on citizen-initiated ballot initiatives. 

“If a ballot measure is going to get its funding by siphoning resources from other critical services, like education and health care, voters should know that,” Lindstedt said. “This bill is about government transparency – making sure that voters have all the information they need before they cast their ballots.”

"For years I've worked to make our election and campaign laws more transparent and functional for voters who make important decisions about our state's future, and this bill is no exception," Weissman said. "This legislation is an additional step toward making more details available in our elections so Coloradans have as much information as possible when casting their ballots."

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. 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 election system. In 2021, Colorado Democrats championed a law, also sponsored by Weissman, 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. 

HB26-1084 now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.