Wallet Watchdog
Coloradans are facing increasing strains on their household budgets, with inflation driving up the cost of everyday goods and businesses struggling to keep up. Unfortunately, we’re seeing a concerning influx of bills at the state legislature this year that will only make things worse. Lawmakers need to understand the unintended consequences of the growing financial pressure on businesses through costly legislation. When companies incur new costs, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it directly impacts our local communities, workers and consumers.
The Colorado Chamber’s Wallet Watchdog will identify proposals in the 2025 Legislative Session that will create new costs and increase consumer prices for hardworking Colorado families.
Senate Bill 5
This bill makes it easier for labor unions to deduct mandatory dues from worker paychecks, whether they vote to support the union or not. With typical union dues ranging from between 1.5% to 3% of take-home pay, this would create significant new costs for many Coloradans.
House Bill 1010
This bill would hurt the very consumers it is trying to help by creating an overly broad definition of “price gouging” with harsh civil penalties on local businesses. It fails to recognize market price fluctuations and other factors that go into how businesses price their products, creating new compliance and legal costs that will only drive prices higher.
Senate Bill 45
This bill would set the foundation for the creation of a costly new government-run health care payment system. Similar legislation passed in Oregon, which has been estimated to cost $20 billion in new taxes, including a $12 billion payroll tax.
Senate Bill 33
By limiting choice in where individuals can purchase alcohol, this would impact buyer convenience and create less competition, hurting consumers overall.
DEFEATED!
House Bill 1119
This unnecessary proposal creates new emissions disclosure requirements that carry a $100,000-per-day fine on businesses who can’t meet the impossible requirements in the bill. Due to its broad multi-industry impact, the direct and indirect costs on Coloradans would be extensive.
House Bill 1297
This bill would increase premiums for individuals who receive health insurance through their employer in order to boost funds for a program called the Health Affordability Insurance Enterprise. This enterprise supports the state’s health exchange, reinsurance program, and insurance for undocumented immigrants. Essentially, Coloradans on certain health plans would be paying for a program they largely do not benefit from, which is expected to increase premiums by about $250 annually for families.
House Bill 1286
This bill places extreme requirements on employers surrounding the temperature of worksites, creating new compliance and litigation costs that will inherently be passed on to consumers and workers.
Senate Bill 48
When coverage mandates are placed on health insurance plans, it raises premiums for everyone – and obesity treatment medication is extremely expensive. Last session under a similar proposal, insurers estimated that policyholders could expect to see an annual premium increase ranging from $216 to $288 per person across health plans.
House Bill 1296
This bill is essentially a tax increase on companies and consumers that currently benefit from certain tax credits under state law. It subjects all software to the sales tax and limits the use of the business personal property tax credit, regional home office tax credit, and enterprise zone tax credit. By removing opportunities for tax relief, this would directly and indirectly increase costs for Coloradans across the board.
Action Center
As bills move through the 2025 legislature, the Colorado Chamber will update the Action Center below with ways to engage and tell lawmakers to oppose bills that will worsen our cost of living crisis. Stay tuned!
View the Full Wallet Watchdog Announcement
On February 27, 2025, the Colorado Chamber of Commerce called on lawmakers to oppose a series of bills that would worsen the state’s cost of living crisis. View the full press release below:
Testify on a Bill
Direct testimony on legislation is one of the most effective ways you can make an impact. Testimony can be given in person at the State Capitol or remotely via video conference. If you are interested in being on the Chamber’s list to testify against any of the bills listed above, please contact Chamber staff by clicking below: