Gov. Jared Polis speaks during ETHDenver blockchain conference Feb. 18, 2022. Photo: Chet Strange/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Gov. JaredPolis rose to prominence and made his millions as a tech entrepreneur, so it's no surprise to lawmakers that he repeatedly sided with the industry throughout the 2025 legislative session.
Why it matters: The governor used his veto pen and political influence to kill a series of widely supported bills that would have imposed new restrictions on tech companies.
Between the lines:Polis is a Democrat but often takes a libertarian point of view in supporting market-based outcomes. This ideology helped drive his decisions on the tech bills, lawmakers say.
He and other investors founded Techstars, a startup accelerator and venture capital firm, in Boulder in 2006.
Case in point: Polis' veto pen struck Senate Bill 86 even though it won approval in the House and Senate by more than 2-to-1 margins. The legislation called for tougher regulations on social media companies to protect children.
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty was a staunch supporter of SB 86 and told Axios Boulder he hopes the Legislature revisits the issue.
Dougherty added that requiring social media companies to respond to search warrants in a more timely manner is crucial for law enforcement.
"Drug dealers, illegal gun sellers, and child predators should not be able to operate openly and with impunity at the expense of kids' safety and the safety of our communities," Dougherty said.
What he's saying: In conversations with lawmakers and in a veto letter, Polis made clear he believed additional regulations would stifle innovation and "unduly [infringe] on the speech, privacy and liberty rights of all users."
