Legislative committee approves 2025-26 budget, directs $4.34 million cash-fund transfer and $5,000 for youth council

Natalie Castle, director of legislative council staff, presented the legislative department budget request and supporting materials and the Executive Committee of the Legislative Council approved the legislative branch budget request, directed a $4,338,640 transfer from the Legislative Department cash fund to the general fund, and approved a $5,000 appropriation for the Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) during the committee’s meeting.

Castle told the committee the total budget request is $75,600,000 in total funds, including $73,400,000 in general fund, $457,841 in cash funds and $1,700,000 in reappropriated funds, an increase of about $1,100,000 (1.4 percent). She said the request supports 452.1 full‑time equivalent positions, a net increase of 1.4 FTE. "I found an error in one of my formulas," Castle said when describing minor corrections to earlier materials, and she presented an updated summary for the committee.

Committee members focused discussion on two discrete funding decisions before approving the full budget: (1) an appropriation for the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, and (2) a planned transfer from the Legislative Department cash fund to the general fund that would be executed through the long bill. Castle told the committee that the vendor working with the COYAC cohort, the Bighorn Institute, told staff the current cohort would need the full $50,000 authorized in statute to meet commitments this year and that completing the cohort in fiscal year 2025–26 would cost an estimated $5,000. Castle said the Office of Legislative Legal Services advised the committee that, as written, statute requires funding for the program and that funding changes would need to be addressed in separate legislation.

Given the statutory constraints and uncertainty about spending needs for the next fiscal year, a committee member moved to include a reduced appropriation of $5,000 for COYAC in the 2025–26 request. That motion passed on a roll call vote reported as 4 yes, 2 no and 1 excused.

The committee also voted to direct the Joint Budget Committee to include, as part of the long bill, a transfer of $4,338,640 from the Legislative Department cash fund to the general fund effective June 30, 2025. The motion to direct the transfer passed by the same 4‑2‑1 margin. Finally, the committee approved the legislative branch budget as presented, including the COYAC funding motion and the cash‑fund transfer, again on a 4‑2‑1 vote.

Votes at a glance

• COYAC appropriation — Motion: include a $5,000 appropriation for the Colorado Youth Advisory Council for the 2025–26 appropriation. Mover: Madam Speaker. Outcome: approved. Reported vote tally: 4 yes, 2 no, 1 excused.

• Cash fund transfer — Motion: direct the Joint Budget Committee as part of the long bill to include a transfer of $4,338,640 from the Legislative Department cash fund to the general fund on 06/30/2025. Mover: Madam Speaker. Outcome: approved. Reported vote tally: 4 yes, 2 no, 1 excused.

• Legislative branch budget — Motion: approve the legislative branch budget as presented by legislative council staff (including the COYAC funding motion). Mover: Madam Speaker. Outcome: approved. Reported vote tally: 4 yes, 2 no, 1 excused.

The committee’s approval sends the budget request and the transfer direction to the next steps in the legislative budget process. Committee members noted that statutory language governs COYAC funding and that any change to the program’s funding beyond the reduced appropriation would require separate legislation and a fiscal note to reflect savings or costs. The committee did not adopt additional program changes at the meeting.