Elbert County commissioners briefed on 2026 state bills, vote to hold executive session on negotiation strategy

Elbert County commissioners on Jan. 21 convened a work study session to review early bills from the 2026 Colorado General Assembly and voted to adjourn into executive session to discuss negotiation strategy related to county interests.

Tim Coleman, one of the presenters, described the political backdrop at the state capital, saying, "what has been going on in Washington DC along with our billion dollar plus budget deficit is creating a tense political environment here at the capital." He told commissioners the General Assembly was in day eight of a 120‑day constitutional session and that roughly 100 bills had been introduced so far.

Why it matters: presenters said the state's budget shortfall — about $1 billion this fiscal year and projected to add up to roughly $4 billion over a three‑year period, according to Joint Budget Committee analysts cited in the briefing — could shape lawmakers' appetite for new spending and for changes to local government authorities.

Presenters flagged several bills that may affect Elbert County. They described a priority housing measure (referred to as HB10001) that would let educational institutions build multi‑family housing on their own property as a use‑by‑right without going through local planning review; an earlier version had included religious institutions but that provision was removed. On HB1036, presenters said resort communities are seeking authority to impose a voter‑approved tax on vacant residential property, with revenues restricted to affordable and workforce housing.

On worker safety, staff summarized House Bill 1054 as a state‑level backstop in case federal OSHA protections were reduced. Presenters called the bill premature if federal OSHA remains in force and warned the bill's broad title and potential rule‑making authority could create unintended consequences for local entities. Presenters recommended further review to confirm whether local governments were intended to be covered under the measure.

Presenters also noted Senate Bill 10 would broaden the property‑tax definition of "ranch" to potentially include additional grazing animals such as pigs and chickens, which could affect property‑tax classifications and local assessor workload; staff advised consulting the county assessor on local impact. A separate high‑priority Senate bill would remove a prohibition on using ad valorem tax revenue for housing authorities; presenters said Elbert County does not appear to have a housing authority and removed it from immediate county concern.

On transportation policy, presenters described proposals to help fleets replace older diesel vehicles with cleaner fuels or newer engines but cautioned funding would likely be limited given the state's budget outlook. County staff noted the county fleet is generally up to date.

Before proceeding to executive session, county counsel (Lance) summarized the legal basis for closing the meeting, saying the open‑meetings law permits a board to adjourn into executive session "for the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing a strategy for negotiations and instructing negotiators," with the required two‑thirds vote. A commissioner moved to enter executive session; another seconded. The board voted verbally in favor, with three recorded "I" responses, and the chair said the motion carried.

The public online stream was paused for the executive session; officials said they would briefly reconvene in public only to adjourn and that no open‑session actions were expected during the meeting.

What comes next: staff said they will monitor the listed bills, consult the assessor and other county officials where appropriate, and report back on specific local impacts as bills evolve during the legislative session.