Processes to Determine State Budget Requests

HOUSE BILL 26-1408

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Brown and Taggart, Sirota, Titone; also SENATOR(S) Amabile and Bridges, Kirkmeyer, Weissman.

CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCESSES FOR THE DETERMINATION OF BUDGET REQUESTS FOR THE UPCOMING STATE FISCAL YEAR.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 2-3-208, amend ( 1) and (6); and add (1.5) as follows: 2-3-208. Budget requests - base budget submissions amendments - supplemental appropriation requests - deadlines definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "BASE BUDGET" MEANS THE TOTAL AMOUNT APPROPRIATED IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT AND OTHER LEGISLATION ENACTED IN THE PRIOR STATE FISCAL YEAR PLUS:

(I) OUT-YEAR COSTS OR SAVINGS FROM LEGISLATION ADOPTED IN

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of the act.

PRIOR YEARS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE PRECEDING STATE FISCAL YEAR; AND

(II) BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS FROM PRIOR YEARS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE PRECEDING STATE FISCAL YEAR.

W (b) "Budget request amendment" means any change to a budget request for the upcoming state fiscal year that a state agency submits to the joint budget committee.

th} (c) "State agency" means any department, commission, council, board, bureau, committee, institution of higher education, agency, or other governmental unit of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government that receives an appropriation or is otherwise included in the annual general appropriation act. ( 1.5) ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2026, AND ON OR BEFORE EACH SEPTEMBER 1 THEREAFTER, A STATE AGENCY SHALL SUBMIT ITS BASE BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING STATE FISCAL YEAR TO THE JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE AND THE OFFICE OF STATE PLANNING AND BUDGETING IN A FORMAT AGREED UPON BY THE STATE AGENCIES AND THE OFFICE OF STATE PLANNING AND BUDGETING IN COORDINATION WITH JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE STAFF. (6) For purposes of this section, the office of administrative services for independent agencies in the judicial department, created in section 13-100-103, is a state agency. Included agencies, as defined in section 13-100-102, are not state agencies for purposes of BASE BUDGET SUBMISSIONS OR budget request submissions.

SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-100-104, amend ( 1) as follows: 13-100-104. Budget requests and annual statewide compensation adjustments. (1) (a) THE OFFICE SHALL SUBMIT A SINGLE, CONSOLIDATED BASE BUDGET, PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 2-3-208, THAT INCLUDES THE BASE BUDGET INFORMATION FROM EACH INCLUDED AGENCY, IF PROVIDED.

(b) The office shall submit a single, consolidated budget request, pursuant to the requirements of section 2-3-208, that includes budget request amendments from each included agency, if provided.

SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-37-302, add (3)(c) as follows: 24-37-302. Responsibilities of the office of state planning and budgeting. (3) (C) AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE PRIOR TO THE SUBMISSION OF THE NOVEMBER 1 BUDGET REQUEST, THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF STATE PLANNING AND BUDGETING, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL, SHALL PROVIDE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE OFFICE'S CALCULATIONS FOR COMMON POLICIES, AS ANNUALLY SUBMITTED IN THE GOVERNOR'S NOVEMBER 1 BUDGET REQUEST, TO THE DEPARTMENTS, INSTITUTIONS, AND AGENCIES OF THE EXECUTIVE, JUDICIAL, AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES OF STATE GOVERNMENT.

SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for

the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

James Rashad Coleman, Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

APPROVED on Monday June 1st 2026 at 11:00am (Date and Time)

Jared S. Polis GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO