Colorado Senate adopts Senate Bill 24 after third-reading amendment; minority leader registers fiscal opposition

The Colorado Senate passed Senate Bill 24 on third reading on Feb. 26, 2025, after adopting a technical third-reading amendment to correct dates and a numeric reference in the bill.

Senator Roberts moved adoption of the amendment and the bill. The chamber granted permission to offer the amendment and later adopted L-10, which adjusted referenced years and changed a numeric reference from "20" to "19." Following the amendment, Senator Roberts renewed the motion for third reading and asked for an electronic vote.

The session record shows a final tally of 26 ayes, 7 noes, 0 absent, 1 excused and 1 vacant; the clerk announced that Senate Bill 24 was passed. The transcript lists the no votes as Minority Leader, Bazely, Rich, Pelton R., Bridal, Kirk Meyer and Pelton B.

Minority Leader explained his vote in detail on the floor, saying he would register “a very uncomfortable no vote” to signal concerns about the state’s broader fiscal posture. He told colleagues the state faces a more than $1 billion budget shortfall and said that, while the policy goals of the bill (including ensuring adequate judges and public defenders) are important, he was withholding support because he has not seen a willingness in this legislative session to make other budget cuts. “I rise to express the rationale for a very uncomfortable no vote that I will be casting,” the Minority Leader said, noting the budget gap and urging the chamber to return to budget discussions.

Senator Roberts described the L-10 amendment as “very minor technical changes” that fixed dates and corrected a numerical reference.

No statute, ordinance or other legal citation was read into the record in the floor statements captured in the transcript.

Looking ahead, the record does not attach implementation dates or required follow-up reporting to the passage recorded on the floor during this session.