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Boulder outlines 2026 policy statement and signals positions on several state bills
Summary
City intergovernmental affairs officer Heather Stauffer briefed the Environmental Advisory Board on the 2026 policy statement — a framework staff uses to take positions quickly on state and federal bills — and identified bills the city plans to support, oppose or monitor.
Heather Stauffer, Boulder’s intergovernmental affairs officer, told the Environmental Advisory Board that the city’s 2026 policy statement is intended to give staff clear guidance so they can respond quickly to fast-moving legislation. "Our policy statement really creates a framework, that's intended to provide clear guidance for staff and council," Stauffer said.
Stauffer described how staff review bills against that framework and may move to take a position without full council review when the policy language provides sufficient direction. She said the Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) committee can ask for briefings or elevate contentious bills to full council for direction.
She highlighted several bills the city is watching for 2026. Stauffer said the city plans to support an on-bill repayment program that would let homeowners finance energy upgrades through their utility bills over time. She also identified House Bill 107 as a measure the city is supporting to improve customer use of distributed energy resources and HB 1051 as a bill to continue microgrid community resilience grant programs.
On items the city opposes or is still reviewing, Stauffer told the board the city is opposing Senate Bill 28, which would remove wind energy from state climate goals. She said staff are still analyzing bills such as a systemic insecticide use limitations measure (Senate bill referenced in the briefing) before taking a formal position.
Board members asked about cadence and oversight for the policy statement. Stauffer said staff typically finalize initial updates in December and revisit them in February when the legislature is active, but she emphasized the document can be revised at any time. "That allows for quick response time," she said, adding that the policy statement helps ensure consistent messaging and use of the city’s political capital.
Stauffer also described the city’s advocacy team and outside lobbyists who help at the state and federal levels. Asked about the lobbying budget, she said she would obtain the contract and budget details and share them with the board. "We have two lobbying contracts, one on the state level and one on the federal level," she said.
The city plans to circulate a bill dossier with the administration’s official positions and said it will update the public-facing materials to reflect 2026 changes. The board was invited to send questions and follow up as staff continue to refine the policy statement and positions.
The board discussed next steps for input, and Stauffer said staff will bring any items that need council direction to IGA or full council as appropriate. The city will present the policy statement updates to council the following evening.
