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House adopts bill tightening county commissioner redistricting rules over local objections
Summary
The Colorado House on Feb. 11 passed House Bill 1038 on third reading, which imposes statutory requirements on county commissioner redistricting. Opponents argued the bill substitutes demographic balancing for local judgment; the measure passed 40-25.
The Colorado House of Representatives adopted House Bill 1038 on third reading on Feb. 11, approving new statutory guidance for how county commissioner districts are drawn.
Supporters said the bill provides uniform standards for county redistricting. Opponents, led on the floor by Rep. De Graaf, said the measure imposes a heavy-handed state approach that replaces local discretion with a mandated balancing test. “Instead, we are gonna take a heavy hand of the state … and put it on the citizens of Colorado,” Rep. De Graaf said, arguing the bill focuses on physical or demographic characteristics rather than competence.
The clerk opened the voting machine after debate; the tally was 40 yes, 25 no and 0 excused, and the Speaker declared HB1038 adopted. The bill’s title on the floor listed Representatives Pascoe and Clifford and Senator Snyder as sponsors.
The House moved on to the remainder of its calendar after the vote; cosponsors were recorded on the floor and the journal will reflect the final bill text and sponsors.
