Session Recap

Welcome back to the Mile High Science Policy Roundup!  

Before we get started on this year’s legislative recap, we are excited to announce the launch of the Colorado Science & Technology Policy Fellowship this October to support legislators with technical expertise for evidence-based decision-making on science policy issues. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting program! 

Now, let’s jump into what happened during the 2025 Legislative Session here in Colorado and what’s next.   

TAKING COLORADO'S LEGISLATIVE PULSE  

The 75th session of the Colorado General Assembly was an active one, as is typical in Colorado, with 733 bills introduced, and over 530 pieces of legislation passed and sent to the Governor, who has until June 6 to sign or veto each. This again places Colorado among the most effective state legislatures, according to analysis comparing the number of bills enacted relative to those introduced. The 2025 session’s effectiveness decreased by a percentage point from 2024 to 73%, also down from a record high 81% effectiveness in 2021. As the legislature continues to navigate a $1 billion budget shortfall, we’ll keep monitoring how legislative trends unfold in the future.   

In addition to the prominent discussions at the Colorado Capitol focused on the state budget and TABOR, education, health care, transgender rights, immigration, and gun regulations, we wanted to highlight a few issues related to our work at The Institute.  

NEW ENERGY OPTIONS 

At the end of May, Governor Polis signed HB25-1165, a bill to strengthen the potential for geothermal energy in the state by creating a framework for managing carbon capture and storage and geothermal energy development. Geothermal energy is already used to provide heating throughout Colorado, including Colorado Mesa University and even at the State Capitol building. HB25-1165 updates the laws and administration around geothermal wells and sites to better regulate this natural resource. Another part of the bill created a fee to fund long-term monitoring and stewardship of carbon sequestration sites.  

After a postponement in both 2023 and 2024, this session saw the passage of HB25-1040, a bill to add nuclear energy to the statutory definition of a “clean energy resource” in Colorado. The bill does not guarantee utilities will prioritize, or even use, nuclear energy in the future, but it does open the door to considering nuclear as a potential contributor to the state’s clean energy goals. A growing number of states are looking to nuclear energy, following national trends for support of expanding nuclear energy, and momentum for transitioning coal plants to nuclear (including four in Colorado identified by the U.S. Department of Energy).  

AI POLICY IN LIMBO 

Following the passage of a landmark Artificial Intelligence (AI) Consumer Protections Law in 2024, the resulting Artificial Intelligence Impact Task Force published their recommendations report in February 2025. The Task Force was charged with considering potential issues and providing recommendations regarding protections for consumers and workers from AI systems included in the 2024 law.  

Responding to a signing statement from Governor Polis encouraging the legislature to fine tune the law before it takes effect, the Task Force conducted stakeholder engagement, listening to concerns and suggestions from both industry and public interest groups to try to achieve consensus on what changes should be made to the law. The report lists a number of recommendations on potential areas for consensus where more time and deeper engagement could lead to compromise, but also identifies areas of strong disagreement. 

During the 2025 session, Task Force Chair Rodriguez and Vice Chair Titone proposed additional legislation to narrow the law’s scope, clarify definitions, and extend the implementation date until January 2027. However, SB25-318 was postponed indefinitely, and no legislation was passed to amend the current law. 

Currently, the U.S. Congress is deliberating a large federal budget bill that includes, among other things, a 10-year moratorium on state AI laws. Supporters argue that the moratorium would help to stop a patchwork of varying AI regulations across states that would make it harder for companies and agencies to conduct business. Others argue that the moratorium places consumers at risk, given there is no preemptive federal framework to pick up where state laws have been set in place. Colorado Governor Polis has voiced support for the moratorium, although he would prefer a shorter timeframe. The passage of the federal bill would render the debate about Colorado’s AI consumer protections moot.  

There is the potential for a legislative special session this fall, which may be an avenue to make updates to the Colorado AI Act. However, finding solutions for potential federal cuts to Medicaid may take precedence. Until then, Coloradans can anticipate the state law to come into effect as written on February 1, 2026.  

We will continue to follow the science policy issues that come along with the development and proliferation of artificial intelligence, transitions in the energy sector, and how federal decisions might impact these issues in Colorado, and more. Stay tuned for some new content in the Roundup soon! Thank you for reading.   

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