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During the 2024 legislative session, the General Assembly passed several bills related to finance, the state budget, and taxes.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2026-27. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

The State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent Government Act (SMART Act) was adopted in 2010 by House Bill 10-1119. This bill established a performance-based budgeting program.

2025 Fiscal Note Staff Assignments by Subject Area.

2025 Fiscal Note Staff Assignments by Subject Area.

Fiscal notes are prepared by Colorado Legislative Council Staff (LCS) to provide the members of the Colorado General Assembly with the estimated impact of proposed legislation on state and local government revenue and expenditures. The fiscal note is a non-binding, decision-making tool for legislators and others to use when deliberating state policy.

Fiscal Note FAQ's

This memorandum is intended for use by policymakers, legislative drafters, and budget analysts to understand the different funding mechanisms that may be used in legislation. It describes how different funding mechanisms in legislation impact the state budget and how they are shown in fiscal notes. These funding mechanisms include appropriations, transfers, diversions, and warrants on state funds, as well as fee revenue and gifts, grants, or donations. The memorandum concludes with a list of funding mechanisms for which voter approval is required.

This report contains the final audited figures for state revenue retained under Referendum C in the 2005‑06 through 2023-24 state fiscal years and preliminary numbers for the 2024-25 state fiscal year. It also reflects the actions of the General Assembly and Governor in spending the retained money. This report is prepared in accordance with the requirements of Referendum C, which was approved by voters in 2005.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2024-25. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

The Appropriations Report summarizes the final action of the General Assembly and the Governor on the budget and other legislation passed during the previous legislative session that contained an appropriation of moneys.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2024-25. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

Fiscal Note Data Reports show the fiscal impact of all legislation currently pending before the General Assembly, based on the most recent published fiscal note.  Updated reports will be posted on this page approximately weekly during the legislative session.  After session, final data will be posted. 

The data reports are contained in an Excel spreadsheet with each report located on a separate tab.  Data in each report is in a sortable/filterable table.  Included reports include:

The purpose of this publication is to help readers understand how Colorado finances its public elementary and secondary schools.  The major focus is an explanation of the funding formula included in the Public School Finance Act of 1994, including amendments made to the act in 2019.  Several illustrations are provided to help readers calculate funding under the formula.  The booklet also describes several other provisions of law that relate to school district funding.  These provisions include a description of revenue that is earmarked for specific functions, other local

The Long Bill Narrative, which is the annual appropriations act, is prepared by staff to explain funding decisions recommended by the JBC to the rest of the General Assembly.  This document is a companion document to the actual Long Bill.  The narrative outlines budget changes based on the introduced version of the Long Bill.

This packet includes fiscal notes for bills introduced with the FY 2024-25 Long Bill, including HB 24-1385 through HB 24-1428. Fiscal notes for these bills are also be available individually on each bill page on the General Assembly website.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2024-25. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

Colorado receives annual payments from tobacco manufacturers as part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). In April 2023, the state received $93.1 million, which was used to determine distributions to MSA-funded programs for the current FY 2023-24.

The Supplemental Narrative is prepared by the staff to explain proposed adjustments to prior year appropriations recommended by the JBC to the rest of the General Assembly.  This narrative describes all of the proposed budget changes statewide, by department, and by program, and provides detailed calculations of the spending and revenue limits.  This explanation does not reflect any subsequent changes to the Supplemental Bills as they are amended by the Senate or House of Representatives.

Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2023-24. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law, legislation passed by the General Assembly affecting the forecast is described throughout the report.

This memorandum is intended for use by policymakers, legislative drafters, and budget analysts to understand the different funding mechanisms that may be used in legislation. It describes how different funding mechanisms in legislation impact the state budget and how they are shown in fiscal notes. These funding mechanisms include appropriations, transfers, diversions, and warrants on state funds, as well as fee revenue and gifts, grants, or donations. The memorandum concludes with a list of funding mechanisms for which voter approval is required.

A dynamic model attempts to quantify the downstream effects of a policy change throughout the economy. Legislative Council Staff (LCS) does not conduct dynamic modeling, which means that fiscal notes and other analyses are limited to the scope of legislation's direct impacts and, in some cases, direct behavioral effects. This memorandum explains the difference between direct, behavioral, and dynamic effects of policy changes and current LCS practices in analyzing these impacts

A dynamic model attempts to quantify the downstream effects of a policy change throughout the economy. Legislative Council Staff (LCS) does not conduct dynamic modeling, which means that fiscal notes and other analyses are limited to the scope of legislation’s direct impacts and, in some cases, direct behavioral effects. This memorandum explains the difference between direct, behavioral, and dynamic effects of policy changes and current LCS practices in analyzing these impacts.

This memorandum summarizes the primary funding changes for school finance that were enacted during the 2023 legislative sessions.