Colorado Capitol Report

Business Legislation News Roundup


Business Legislation News Roundup:

The 2022 legislative session wrapped up last month and many bills impacting the business community have made their way to the governor’s desk. Here’s an overview of major legislation impacting Colorado employers following the end of session:

Overview:

Here are the bills business groups want Gov. Polis to veto (Denver Business Journal)

Colorado legislative session ends after passing several business bills (Denver Business Journal)

‘Historic’ or mixed bag for business? Colorado 2022 Legislature wrap-up (Denver Business Journal)

Health Care Workforce Bills:

Governor Polis has signed a quartet of bills that address the state’s shortage of front-line healthcare workers as well as working to get critical facilities better prepared for the next pandemic. Through these bills significant steps can be made to help re-staff the health care industry and set up a support system for the future.

Read more: Polis to sign health care workforce bills to address worker shortage (Denver Business Journal)

Tax Policy:

Governor Polis signed Senate Bill 233 into law which will issue tax refunds to single and joint filers early. Single filers will receive between $400 and $500 while joint filers will receive between $800 and $1000 under the new TABOR refund mechanism.

Read more: How Colorado accountants ensured a new tax-refund law will benefit everyone (Denver Business Journal)

This legislative session brought a property-tax break and four other bills that will provide relief to businesses. These bills were signed into law and will not only financially assist businesses but also simplify the tax process for some.

Read more: Polis signs 5 business-relief bills and hints at further property-tax reform (Denver Business Journal)

Read more: 5 ways the Colorado legislature just affected your wallet — in a good way (The Colorado Sun)

Air Quality Bills:

Several bills addressing Colorado’s air quality passed this session, some of which the Chamber supported and others the Chamber opposed and amended.

Read more: Colorado legislature approves air quality bills, including one that would invest $65 million in electric school buses (Denver Post)

Read more: Colorado passes environmental regulatory bills after some changes for business (Denver Business Journal)

Producer Responsibility/Recycling Bill:

House Bill 1355 requires companies to pay for recycling programs for their packaging, paper, and containers. The bill will be fleshed out in the next few years and will be fully implemented by 2026.

Read more: Colorado recycling bill to put responsibility on companies rather than consumers (Summit Daily)

Collective Bargaining:

Senate Bill 230 was a major bill worked on by the Chamber’s team. The bill was heavily amended but passed in the final days of session. It concerns collective bargaining and makes it optional for county commissioners to agree to collective bargaining contracts with their employees.

Read more: Collective bargaining finally wins House approval (Colorado Politics)


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