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DENVER – The Colorado Chamber of Commerce applauded the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 137 out of the Senate Finance Committee today after its first legislative hearing. The bipartisan bill, which is the Chamber’s priority legislation for 2026, creates more robust standards and criteria for how state agencies review existing regulations.
“A balanced and effective regulatory system is essential for a strong economy,” Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman said in her testimony. “But Colorado’s regulatory environment is becoming more and more complex, making it harder for employers to grow and hire workers. We need more transparency and accountability in the rulemaking process to make sure our rules and regulations are working the way they were intended. Our goal at the Chamber is to continue to find ways to improve how government operates in ways that will strengthen our economy and improve our state’s competitiveness.”
Furman noted that the Chamber began working with staff at the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies last summer on the legislation on ways to improve the state’s regulatory review process. She emphasized that Colorado remains the sixth most regulated state in the nation and Chamber studies continue to point to our regulatory climate as one of the most significant barriers to business.
Nearly two dozen business leaders across the state also testified in support of SB 137, from local chamber presidents to representatives of critical industries. Proponents highlighted the administrative state regulatory complexities of operating in various sectors, including child care, advanced manufacturing, restaurants, health care and housing construction.
“It can be easy for Western Colorado and rural communities to feel removed from these conversations,” said Candace Carnahan, president and CEO of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. “Today, I drove 195 miles to be in this room because this matters to the businesses I represent. At its core, this conversation is about good governance… Because when businesses are confident in the environment they are operating in, they invest, they hire, and they grow. That is what drives long-term economic vitality across our state.”
“From a health plan perspective, our members operate in one of the most highly regulated environments in the state,” said Kevin McFatridge, executive director of the Colorado Association of Health Plans. “We support strong consumer protections, but we also see firsthand how overlapping or outdated requirements can drive administrative costs without improving outcomes… In a year where affordability continues to be a top concern, this type of regulatory discipline is an important step toward ensuring we are not adding cost without value.”
“Colorado’s economic competitiveness depends on predictable regulations and an environment that allows housing and commercial projects to move from concept to completion without unnecessary escalation in cost or complexity,” said Colorado Association of Home Builders CEO Ted Leighty, who noted that regulations imposed by all levels of government amount to more than $93,000 of the price of the average new single-family home cost.
“Restaurants are a highly regulated business,” said Nick Hoover, government affairs director for the Colorado Restaurant Association. “Operators have to navigate health departments codes, labor regulations, liquor licensing, local permitting, environmental requirements and more. Most restaurants struggle to even keep their doors open, let alone have a dedicated compliance department or legal team. When regulations become outdated, duplicative, or complex, it takes away vital time and resources from running the business, employing staff and serving customers in the very communities you represent.”
The 2025 legislative session marked the beginning of the Chamber’s initiative to bring broad regulatory reform to state government with the passage of SB 25-306, which placed certain state agencies under regular performance audits.
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The Colorado Chamber of Commerce champions free enterprise, a healthy business environment and economic prosperity for all Coloradans. It is the only business association that works to improve the business climate for all sizes of business from a statewide, multi-industry perspective. What the Colorado Chamber accomplishes is good for all businesses, and that’s good for the state’s economy. It was created in 1965 based on the merger with the Colorado Manufacturers’ Association.