How Colorado Gov. Jared Polis shaped his final legislative session
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Photo Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Aaron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Before a single vote this legislative session, Gov. Jared Polis used his State of the State speech to draw a red line: Focus on issues where we agree, or face a veto.
Why it matters: Now that lawmakers have gone home, Polis steps into the spotlight as he considers dozens of bills delivered to his desk.
State of play: Despite his lame-duck status, the governor emerged as a force this legislative session, taking a more hands-on approach in shaping legislation than in previous years, some lawmakers say.
Case in point: Polis is expected to veto — for the second consecutive year — a bill to make it easier for Colorado workers to unionize, a move the business community vehemently opposes.
- The governor has cast side-eye at a lobbying disclosure for state employees that he considers too onerous.
- He's also skeptical of another Democratic bill — also passed last year — that would prohibit companies from using algorithms to set individualized prices because it interferes with "free functioning of markets."
The intrigue: Even in a Democratic-controlled Capitol, some lawmakers say proposals died early because sponsors knew Polis wouldn't sign them, including tougher regulations on the sale of gun barrels.
- The governor also pledged to veto a pair of measures creating tax breaks for low-income families because they didn't include the income tax cuts he demanded in his opening speech, effectively killing the legislation.
What he's saying: "When we were supportive of bills, legislators appreciated us being active, and when we weren't, they didn't. And that's just how it works," Polis told Axios Denver at a briefing Thursday at the state Capitol.
The big picture: Polis is no stranger to the legislative process. He served a decade in the U.S. House before being elected governor, and in this role, he didn't mind getting his hands dirty with lawmaking.
- "I know from my entire tenure here, when somebody brings a bill to me [and asks] 'Are you willing to sponsor this bill?' The first question I ask them: Where's the governor's office?" Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa) said in an interview.
Flashback: Last year, Polis set a personal veto record, rejecting 11 bills.
What we're watching: Asked whether he will top that this year, Polis declined to say.
- The governor has 30 days to sign or veto bills. He can let others become law without his signature.