Capitol Pulse: Colorado lawmakers to press Polis administration
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🔔 This is a regular feature designed to get you smarter, faster about what's happening at the state Capitol.
Colorado lawmakers start the session in an oversight role, quizzing the Polis administration, rather than hearing new bills.
What's happening: Under the SMART Act, legislative committees start each session with presentations from the administration to review the performance of key agencies and take public comment.
- The one to watch is Wednesday when the new Department of Early Childhood takes the hot seat to discuss the troubled rollout of the state's new pre-K program and what changes need to be made.
Why it matters: The hearings are often mundane and pro-forma, but it gives Republicans one of their few public platforms to question the Democratic governor's work.
What we're watching: Later in the week, a key priority of Gov. Jared Polis lands in the spotlight with the Commission on Property Tax meeting Friday.
- Polis recently put a wrench in the discussions by saying any property tax relief that uses surplus state revenues under TABOR must also come with an income tax cut — which Democrats are balking at.
Catch up quick: In the first few days, lawmakers introduce more than 130 bills. Some of the eye-catching ideas so far:
- Add a twice-a-year back-to-school sales tax holiday on clothing, backpacks, computers and more, as well as a year-round sales tax exemption on items for babies and toddlers.
- Exempt college textbooks from the sales tax to make them more affordable.
- Create a "Don't Tread on Me" Gadsden flag license plate — an issue that revives a debate about the message which Polis defended ast year.
- Require all school buses bought or leased after July 1 to have air conditioning.