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Jun 5, 2026

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Karly Kaufman serves as Communications Manager for CCLP. Staff page ›

Recent articles

2026 Legislative wrap-up, part 2

Jun 5, 2026

Part 2 of CCLP’s 2026 legislative wrap-up, including defending public programs, strengthening consumer rights, and looking to the future.

CCLP testifies in support of Colorado families

Jun 1, 2026

Charles Brennan provided testimony in support of House Bill 26-1221, which would have scaled back two corporate tax breaks to go to a new tax credit to help families with kids. This bill was one of four bills a part of Colorado Fiscal Institute’s fiscal policy package, and one of CCLP’s priorities. Unfortunately, the bill was postponed indefinitely.

CCLP testifies against bill that could harm low-wage workers

May 12, 2026

Katherine Wallat, Legal Director at CCLP, provided testimony against House Bill 26-1327, which aimed to address the problem of large corporations relying on the state to provide health insurance by paying their workers low enough wages to enroll in Medicaid. CCLP agrees corporations should pay their fair share, but ultimately opposed the bill because of the harm it could cause workers perceived to use Medicaid due to their age, disability, or income level.

2026 Legislative wrap-up, part 1

by | Jun 5, 2026

Consumer Protections, Education, Family Economic Security, federal action, Health, Housing, Immigration, Income, Legal Advocacy, Legislative Updates, News, Research and Policy Analysis, Testimony, Work Requirments, Workers, Workforce

Photographer in Rocky Mountains The Noch lake with mountains pan

Introduction

The 2026 legislative session came to an end on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. As with the past few years, Colorado struggled to balance the state’s budget because of a $1.5 billion deficit of our own making due to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR. TABOR restricts taxes and revenue in the state, limiting lawmakers’ ability to fund departments and programs. With limited money in the state budget, advocates scrambled to cut fiscal notes, seek funding through alternative methods like tax credits, or focus on legislation without allocated funds entirely.

2026 is also an election year, meaning Coloradans saw an increase in campaigns, both for elected officials and ballot measures. CCLP is a part of one such campaign with Protect Colorado’s Future (PCF). PCF is a diverse group of community, grassroots, and policy organizations working to enact a fairer tax code that enables Colorado to invest in the things families need — education, child care, health care, and economic opportunity, the exact areas being hit with funding cuts year after year.

The legislative session continued to be an “all hands on deck” effort to ensure Coloradans meet their basic needs and become self-sufficient. Advocates and lawmakers worked diligently to address the actions and policy changes at the federal level, including federal immigration enforcement and implementation of HR 1, the federal reconciliation bill. Even though the session came to an end, the work never does. CCLP continues to advocate for the rights of every Coloradan.

CCLP’s 2026 legislative session

For the 2026 legislative session, CCLP advocated for advancing economic justice, defending public programs, and strengthening consumer rights. We sought to make real change with other advocacy groups, community members, legislators, and state leaders through these three policy areas.

CCLP took a position on 52 bills this year — 40 support, seven oppose, one monitor, and four amend. Of these 52 bills, 32 bills passed and 20 lost or were postponed indefinitely. Within our policy priority areas, CCLP identified seven priority bills on which we could make a unique contribution:

CCLP provided testimony on 23 bills, including some from Colorado’s Skills2Compete Coalition, all of which can be read here.

Advancing economic justice

Our first policy priority focused on advancing economic justice. We advocated for tax reforms that would ensure corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share and reduce burdens on working Coloradans. CCLP took a position on 17 bills in this area, the most of all our policy priorities, including many of our priority bills.

CCLP strongly supported Colorado Fiscal Institute’s 2026 fiscal policy package, making it one of our priorities for the 2026 legislative session. The package included four bills focused on mitigating harm caused by the federal changes to tax law under H.R. 1, closing inequitable and ineffective tax loopholes, and ensuring that Colorado families benefitted from Colorado’s tax code. HB26-1223 and HB26-1289 were signed into law and  together with create a new refundable tax credit to help families with kids, based on their income and the ages of their children. These bills would be funded by charging sales tax on most downloaded software in 2027. (Currently only software purchased in brick and mortar stores are subject to sales tax in Colorado.) Unfortunately, HB26-1221 and HB26-1222 were laid over. Charlie Brennan, CCLP’s Income and Housing Policy Director, provided testimony in support of HB26-1221, which would have scaled back two corporate tax breaks to go to the new tax credit to help families with kids.

CCLP once again went to bat for Colorado farmworkers. We supported SB26-081, Increase Agricultural Employee Overtime Protections and opposed SB26-121. SB26-081 would have increased overtime protections for farmworkers after 40 hours per week, ensuring consistency with other workers in Colorado for overtime pay. Brennan testified in support of the bill, but unfortunately it was postponed indefinitely. SB26-081 was in direct opposition of SB26-121, which ended up passing instead, raising the threshold from 48 hours to a staggering 56 hours. Brennan gave testimony against the bill, arguing that raising the overtime threshold does not protect farms and farm workers from economic harm, according to Colorado’s own data. The bill was signed into law and goes into effect on January 1, 2027.

CCLP’s focus on protecting workers was shown in our support of HB26-1005, Worker Protection Collective Bargaining, also known as the Worker Protection Act. The bill would have allowed workers to form a union without requiring Colorado’s unique-in-the-nation “second election,” a mechanism designed to prevent workers from organizing. CCLP Research & Policy Analyst Chris Nelson provided testimony in strong support of the bill, arguing it would help address the root cause of economic inequality by strengthening workers’ collective bargaining power, a primary tool for low-wage workers to improve their economic conditions. For the second year in a row, Governor Jared Polis sided with billionaire CEOs and corporate lobbyists over Colorado’s working families[1] and vetoed the Worker Protection Act after it passed.

CCLP also supported HB26-1054, Protections for Workers Safety, which would have allowed Colorado to step in to address declining workplace safety standards due to federal rollbacks and decline in enforcement. Nelson provided testimony in support of the bill, arguing it would create a meaningful private right of action, allowing labor organizations and individual workers to file civil actions when their rights are violated. Unfortunately, this bill lost on the Senate Floor.

CCLP also supported bills that sought to eliminate barriers for older adults in the workforce, students in educational opportunities, and workforce development programs. HB26-1010, Older Adult Support & Representation in Workforce will increase participation, representation, and support older adults in the workforce, beginning at 55 years of age. CCLP Emeritus Advisor Chaer Robert provided testimony on behalf of the Colorado Skills2Compete Coalition. The bill was signed into law and goes into effect on January 1, 2027.

HB26-1143, Non-Employment Educational Opportunities Background Check Information, addresses the background check barrier for educational opportunities, like clinical nursing practice or mental health and social sciences internships. This bill requires an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number be used in lieu of a Social Security Number when required for these background checks. Milena Tayah, CCLP Policy Advocate, shared testimony on behalf of CCLP Litigation Director Annie Martínez, arguing that it is an unnecessary barrier blocking qualified students from completing clinical requirements.

House Bill 26-1317, Unified Postsecondary Talent Development System, creates a postsecondary talent development committee to merge the Department of Higher Education with workforce development programs. CCLP originally took an amend position because of our concerns with HR-1’s new work requirements for public benefit programs and the lack of state supports, which Brennan shared in his testimony. Robert also gave testimony on behalf of herself, while CCLP Advocate Laura Ware provided testimony on behalf of the Colorado Skills2Compete Coalition. The bill was signed into law and goes into effect on July 1, 2028.

Click here to read our 2026 Legislative wrap-up, part 2.

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[1] https://www.seiu105.org/political/wpa-veto-26/

Related articles

2026 Legislative wrap-up, part 2

CCLP testifies in support of Colorado families

CCLP testifies against bill that could harm low-wage workers

Recent articles

2026 Legislative wrap-up, part 2

Jun 5, 2026

Part 2 of CCLP’s 2026 legislative wrap-up, including defending public programs, strengthening consumer rights, and looking to the future.

CCLP testifies in support of Colorado families

Jun 1, 2026

Charles Brennan provided testimony in support of House Bill 26-1221, which would have scaled back two corporate tax breaks to go to a new tax credit to help families with kids. This bill was one of four bills a part of Colorado Fiscal Institute’s fiscal policy package, and one of CCLP’s priorities. Unfortunately, the bill was postponed indefinitely.

CCLP testifies against bill that could harm low-wage workers

May 12, 2026

Katherine Wallat, Legal Director at CCLP, provided testimony against House Bill 26-1327, which aimed to address the problem of large corporations relying on the state to provide health insurance by paying their workers low enough wages to enroll in Medicaid. CCLP agrees corporations should pay their fair share, but ultimately opposed the bill because of the harm it could cause workers perceived to use Medicaid due to their age, disability, or income level.

HEALTH:
HEALTH FIRST COLORADO (MEDICAID)

Health First Colorado is the name given to Colorado’s Medicaid program. Medicaid provides public, low-cost health insurance to qualifying adults and children. It is an entitlement program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. Those who are required to pay must pay a small co-pay when receiving certain health care services.

State Department: Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

Eligibility: Most adults 18 to 64 are eligible for Medicaid in Colorado if their household income is at or below 133% of the federal poverty limit (FPL). Pregnant women are eligible with incomes of up to 195% FPL, while children under 18 may be eligible if the live in a household with income at or below 142% FPL. Some adults over 65 may also be eligible for Medicaid.

Program Benefits: Through Medicaid, low-income Coloradans are eligible for a range of health care services at little to not cost. Services provided include doctors visits, prescription drugs, mental health services, and dental care. Co-pays for certain individuals may be needed for certain services.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds our Medicaid program through state and federal dollars. Medicaid is an entitlement program, which means that all who are eligible for Medicaid can access the program, regardless of the funding level in a given year. This does not mean that it is always easy to access Medicaid, even when eligible. And since the program is administered by counties, funding levels for county staff and other administrative roles can make it easier or harder for Coloradans to access the program. On top of this, not all medical providers accept Medicaid which limits the ability of Coloradans to seek health services even if enrolled, such as if the nearest provider is a 2+ hour drive away.

Note: This data is from before the pandemic and does not reflect changes in enrollment rules during the COVID-19 pandemic and public health emergency.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 89.0% of the population at or below 133% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for Medicaid) were enrolled in Medicaid in Colorado.

FOOD SECURITY:
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP helps low-income Coloradans purchase food by providing individuals and families with a monthly cash benefit that can be used to buy certain foods. SNAP is an entitlement program that is funded by the federal and state governments and administered by counties in Colorado.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: Currently, Coloradans qualify for SNAP if they have incomes below 200% FPL, are unemployed or work part-time or receive other forms of assistance such as TANF, among other eligibility criteria. Income eligibility for SNAP was different during the study period of this report than today—it was 130% FPL back in 2019 for example. The US Department of Agriculture uses the population at or below 125% FPL when calculating the Program Access Index (or PAI) for SNAP. We follow this practice in our analysis despite Colorado currently having a higher income eligibility threshold.

Program Benefits: SNAP participants receive a monthly SNAP benefit that is determined by the number of people in their household and their income. Benefit amounts decrease as income increases, helping households avoid a sudden loss of SNAP when their incomes increase, even by a minor amount. Benefits are provided to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that can be used to purchase eligible food items, such as fruits and vegetables; meat, poultry, and fish; dairy products; and breads and cereals. Other items, such as foods that are hot at their point of sale, are not allowable purchases under current SNAP rules.

Program Funding and Access: SNAP, like Medicaid, is a federal entitlement program. This means that Colorado must serve any Coloradan who is eligible for the program. As such, funding should not be a limit to how many Coloradans can be served by the program. However, funding for administration of SNAP at the state and county level can limit the ability of county human service departments to enroll those who are eligible. Other program rules and administrative barriers can make it difficult for Coloradans to receive the benefits they are legally entitled to receive.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 61.1% of the population at or below 125% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for SNAP) were enrolled.

FOOD SECURITY:
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also know as WIC, provides healthcare and nutritional support to low-income Coloradans who are pregnant, recently pregnant, breastfeeding, and to children under 5 who are nutritionally at risk based on a nutrition assessment.

State Department: Department of Public Health and Environment

Eligibility: To participate in WIC you must be pregnant, pregnant in the last six months, breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age, or a child under the age of 5. Coloradans do not need to be U.S. citizens to be eligible for WIC. In terms of income, households cannot have incomes that exceed 185% FPL. Families who are enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or Medicaid are automatically eligible for WIC. Regardless of gender, any parents, foster parents, or caregivers are able to apply for and use WIC services for eligible children.

Program Benefits: WIC provides a range of services to young children and their parents. These include funds to purchase healthy, fresh foods; breastfeeding support; personalized nutrition education and shopping tips; and referrals to health care and other services participants may be eligible for.

Program Funding and Access: WIC is funded by the US Department of Agriculture. The state uses these federal funds to contract with local providers, known as WIC Clinics. In most cases, these are county public health agencies, but that is not the case in all Colorado counties. Some WIC Clinics cover multiple counties, while others are served by multiple clinics. Private non-profit providers are also eligible to be selected as a WIC Clinic.

Statewide Program Access 2015-17: Between 2015 and 2017, an average of 52.2% of the population eligible for WIC were enrolled in the program in Colorado.

Financial Security:
Colorado Works

Colorado Works is the name given to Colorado’s program for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF. It is an employment program that supports families with dependent children on their path to self-sufficiency. Participants can receive cash assistance, schooling, workforce development and skills training depending on the services available in their county.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: In general, Coloradans are eligible to enroll in TANF if they are a resident of Colorado, have one or more children under the age of 18 or pregnant, and have very low or no income. For example, to be eligible to receive a basic cash assistance grant through TANF, a single-parent of one child could not earn more than $331 per month, with some exclusions—and would only receive $440 per month (as of 2022). That said, there are other services provided by counties through TANF that those with incomes as high as $75,000 may be eligible for. In addition to these, participants in TANF are required to work or be pursuing an eligible “work activity” or work-related activity. Any eligible individual can only receive assistance if they have not previously been enrolled in TANF for a cumulative amount of time of more than 60 months—this is a lifetime limit that does not reset. Counties may have additional requirements and offer benefits that are not available in other counties in Colorado.

Program Benefits:  While the exact benefits that one is eligible for under TANF can vary, all qualified participants are eligible to receive a monthly cash payment, call basic cash assistance. Other than cash assistance, counties are have a lot of choice in how to use their TANF funding; generally a use of TANF funds is appropriate so long as it advances one or more of the four purposes of the program: (1) provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of their relatives; (2) end the dependence of needy families on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; (3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and (4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

It is important to note that those eligible for TANF are also eligible for many of the other programs we’ve included in this report, such as SNAP, Medicaid, and CCCAP.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds its TANF program through funds received from the federal government through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. Most of the federal funds are allocated by the state to counties, which are required to provide a 20% match of state funding. Federal and state rules allow the state and counties to retain a portion of unspent funds in a TANF reserve.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 50.7% of the population at or below 100% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for TANF) were enrolled in TANF in Colorado.

EARLY LEARNING:
COLORADO CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CCCAP)

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program provides child care assistance to low-income families and caregivers living in Colorado in the form of reduced payments for child care. It is a program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. The share owed by parents/caregivers is determined on a sliding scale based on the family’s income.

State Department: Department of Early Childhood Education

Eligibility: Counties set eligibility for families separately, but must serve families with incomes at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Limit. Families accepted to the program are no longer eligible once their income exceeds 85% of the state median income. Parents or caregivers must be employed, searching for work, or engaged in another approved activity to be eligible for CCCAP. Parents and caregivers enrolled in Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF) or in the child welfare system are also eligible to participate in CCCAP. Generally, CCCAP serves families with children under 13, although children as old as 19 may be eligible under certain circumstances.

Program Benefits: If a family is eligible for CCCAP and has income, they may likely have to pay a portion of their child’s or children’s child care costs each month. The amount that families owe is based on their gross income, number of household members, and the number of children in child care in the household. As such, households tend not to experience a benefit cliff with CCCAP when they see their incomes increase

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds the CCCAP program using federal dollars it receives from the Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The state allocates federal and state funds to counties using a formula that takes into account factors like current caseloads and the number of eligible residents. Assistance is available until the county’s funds are spent, so the number of families that can be served is often a function of how much funding is available and the income and composition of the household that applies. It is not uncommon for counties to overspend or underspend their allocations of funds. The state reallocates unspent funds from counties who underspent to those who overspent. While underspending could indicate a problem with the way a county administers its CCCAP program, it could just as likely be a sign that there are few providers in the county who participate in CCCAP—or a lack of providers generally.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 10.8% of the population at or below 165% of FPL and younger than age 13 (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for CCCAP) were enrolled in CCCAP.

Housing:
HUD rental assistance programs

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has three housing assistance programs that we look at together: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8), Project-based Section 8, and Public Housing. In Colorado, these programs provided assistance to over 90% of the households who received federal housing assistance from all HUD programs. Through federally funded, local or regional public housing agencies (PHAs) are the agencies that administer these programs, through not all are available in all counties. These are not the only programs available in Colorado that assist households afford the cost of housing, such as units funded through federal and state tax credit programs.

State Department: Department of Local Affairs

Eligibility: Generally, households with incomes under 50% of the area median income (AMI) of the county they live in are eligible for these rental assistance programs, although PHAs have discretion to select households with incomes at higher percentages of AMI. That said, HUD requires that 75% of new vouchers issued through the Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 program in a given year are targeted to households with incomes at or below 30% of AMI. PHAs are also able to create criteria that give priority to certain types of households who are on waiting lists for these programs.

Program Benefits: These rental assistance programs help households afford the cost of housing by reducing their housing costs to around 30% of their household income. In the case of the Housing Choice Voucher program, the PHA pays the voucher holder’s landlord the remaining portion of the rent.

Program Funding and Access: Funding and access are both challenges for these rental assistance programs. In addition to limitations on the number of public housing units or housing vouchers a PHA can manage or issue, lack of funding compared to the need constrains the ability of PHAs to assist low-income households. In 2020, Coloradans were on waitlists for Housing Choice Vouchers for an average of 17 months. Waitlists also exist for the other rental assistance programs.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 21.1% of renter households with incomes at or below 50% AMI (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for HUD rental assistance programs) were living in subsidized housing.