Senate GOP Fights for the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, Responsible Spending During Budget Debate

DENVER – Today, the
FY 2025-26
state budget was passed in the Senate.
During an extended debate that stretched into the afternoon, the Senate Republicans fought for responsible spending and stood up for the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
Crafting this year’s legislative budget was particularly challenging due to a $1.2 billion budget deficit created by the Democrats’ excessive multi-year overspending.
In total, the Senate Republicans offered 47 impactful amendments to the budget, 6 of which were successfully adopted.
Below is a comprehensive list of every budget amendment offered by the Colorado Senate Republican Caucus during this year’s budget debate:
Amendment:
Status
Republican Senator:
Description:
J.059
Adopted by COW Amendment S.004
Liston
Will reappropriate funds from prison inmate recreation and leisure programs to Colorado Springs' National Cybersecurity Center
J.048
Adopted
Frizell
Gives critically important funding to the Address Confidentiality Program, which protects the location of victims of assault.
J.067
Adopted
B Pelton*
Critically restores for occupational, physical, and speech therapies in HCPF.
J.064
Adopted by COW Amendment S.002
Frizell
Makes a necessary trim to HPCF's recovery audit contractor program.
J.071
Adopted
Simpson*
Gives critical funds to the Primary Care Fund in HCPF.
J.066
Adopted
Pelton R
Gives existing funds to the La Junta hospital maternity program
J.068
Killed By Democrats
Pelton R
Would have given existing funds to the La Junta hospital maternity program.
J.017
Killed By Democrats
Pelton R
Would cut unnecessary funding from the Division of Animal Welfare
J.002
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Cuts funding for gender procedures for prison inmates.
J.001
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Trimmed funding currently used to give prisoners unlimited phone use.
J.003
Killed By Democrats
Frizell
Would have trimmed pay increases for prison inmates.
J.004
Killed By Democrats
Lundeen
Would have reduced costly contract services in the Department of Corrections education subprogram,
J.039
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Would have cut unnecessary funding to the ineffective "Office of Saving People Money on Health Care," which has substantially failed at bringing down costs for Coloradans.
J.030
Killed By Democrats
Pelton R
Would have trimmed funding from the unnecessary Office of Climate Preparedness.
J.037
Killed By Democrats
Pelton R
Would have cut funding from the useless Streamlined SolarPermitting Program.
J.035
Killed By Democrats
Pelton B
Eliminates the Lt. Governor's completely unnecessary and excessive second salary.
J.029
Killed By Democrats
Rich
Would have cut funding to the Colorado Promotion program, which has failed to deliver any substantial benefit to Colorado business.
J.041
Killed By Democrats
Rich
Would have cut half of the funding for the Colorado Promotion program.
J.044
Killed By Democrats
Rich
Would have cut 10% of the funding for the Colorado Promotion program.
J.028
Killed By Democrats
Rich
Would have trimmed funding from the Council of Creative Industries, an unnecessary office.
J.007
Killed By Democrats
Frizell
Would have cut mismanaged funding to the Governor's Office of Information Technology Office.
J.015
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Would have cut excessive and unnecessary funding for HCPF equity office.
J.061
Killed By Democrats
Liston
Would have taken extra money from HCPF Returned Mail Processing and given it to the National Cybersecurity Center in Colorado Springs.
J.062
Killed By Democrats
Pelton R
Would have cut excessive spending in DHE.
J.058
Killed By Democrats
Liston
Would have reappropriated funds from the DHS and given them to the National Cybersecurity Center in Colorado Springs.
J.050
Killed By Democrats
Liston
Would have transferred funds from the Environmental Justice Office to the National Cybersecurity Center in Colorado Springs.
J.005
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Would have cut excessive and unnecessary funding DHS's equity office.
J.026
Killed By Democrats
Pelton B
Would have cut funding from the Public Defender's Office currently used to pay lobbyists.
J.016
Killed By Democrats
Pelton R
Cuts unnecessary funding from the ineffective Office of Just Transition.
J.036
Killed By Democrats
Pelton B
Would have cut legislators’ salary increases.
J.006
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Would have cut completely unnecessary funding to the Statewide Equity Office.
J.020
Killed By Democrats
Frizell
Would have cut excessive funding to the Office of Health Equity
J.021
Killed By Democrats
Frizell
Would have cut funding to the unnecessary Health Disparities and Community Grant Program.
J.010
Killed By Democrats
Pelton R
Would have cut funding to unnecessary Environmental Justice ombudsperson.
J.008
Killed By Democrats
Frizell
Would have cut funding to the unnecessary Office of Environmental Justice.
J.065
Killed By Democrats
Carson
Would have reappropriated funds from the Emergency Stockpile Rotation Cash Fund and given it to the more useful controlled maintenance fund.
J.024
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Would have cut funding that gives some, but not all, Colorado politicians police security.
J.009
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Would have unnecessary funding from DORA's unnecessary Equity Office.
J.031
Killed By Democrats
Lundeen
Would have trimmed funding from the unnecessary Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board.
J.032
Killed By Democrats
Lundeen
Would have inserted language prohibiting the Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board from using their funds to set an upper payment limit for rare disease or plasma drive treatment
J.051
Killed By Democrats
Bright
Would have cut unnecessary funding from DOR's unnecessary Equity Office.
J.047
Killed By Democrats
Frizell
Would have cut funding from the firearms dealers division.
J.012
Killed By Democrats
Pelton B
Trimmed excess funding from CDPHE.
J.013
Killed By Democrats
Pelton B
Would have reduced CDPHE's funding to pre-pandemic levels.
J.027
Killed By Democrats
Lundeen
Would have cut excessive pay increases for state employees.
J.063
Killed By Democrats
Lundeen
Would have reduced the state's costly share of health benefits.
J.045
Killed By Democrats
Lundeen
Would have cut the compensation increases for state employees.
* = bipartisan amendment