Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Agenda topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Colorado Municipal League briefs Erie on building a municipal legislative agenda and advocacy tactics
Summary
Colorado Municipal League representatives told Erie council how bills move through the Colorado General Assembly, how municipalities can shape agenda items and advocacy tactics, and introduced a new online tool to collect council edits to Erie’s draft legislative priorities.
Deputy Town Manager Patrick Hammer introduced a Colorado Municipal League (CML) team that spent the meeting explaining how municipalities can develop and advance a legislative agenda at the state level.
Elizabeth Haskell, a CML attorney, outlined the legislative calendar and process, noting the next regular session convenes Jan. 14 and typically adjourns within 120 days. She explained committee assignment, fiscal-note routing to finance and appropriations, and the path from committee hearings to floor readings and the governor’s desk. "When a bill gets introduced, it gets assigned to a committee," Haskell said, adding that committee membership is the first practical place for municipalities to engage.
Bev Stables, from CML’s advocacy team, described how CML evaluates proposed bills and the policy-committee process that results in a public "box score" of positions. She advised municipalities to prioritize and limit the number of legislative asks: accurate, brief, courteous messaging is most effective. "Testifying is a really, really useful way for you all to impact legislation," Stables said, recommending 2–3 minutes for oral testimony and in‑person participation when possible.
Councilmembers asked whether CML filters requests before they go to the policy committee and how to intervene if an amendment changes a bill’s effect. CML staff said they work with legal staff to identify municipal impacts and bring items with clear municipal effect to the policy committee; if an amendment makes a bill unacceptable, CML can shift its position after discussion and notification to members.
Staff and CML also introduced a new "legislative edits" tool in the council app to collect council feedback on Erie’s draft agenda; staff set an internal deadline for edits and said CML can assist with drafting and sponsorship if Erie pursues initiated legislation. CML reminded the council the internal deadline to request CML-initiated legislation had passed for the coming session (Sept. 8) but that individual municipalities can still find sponsors and pursue proposals.
The presentation closed with practical next steps: use CML resources (the general assembly website, state‑house reports, and CML action alerts), appoint or confirm a policy-committee designee, and keep lines of communication open with local legislators.
The council did not take action on the record at this meeting; staff said they will return with the council’s finalized legislative agenda after collecting edits through the new tool.
