JBC caucus previews 2026 long bill: $17.3 billion general fund, deep cuts and contested transfers from ballot funds
April 14, 2026 | 2026 Legislature CO, Colorado
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Senator Bridges, speaking for the Joint Budget Committee caucus, opened a department-by-department walkthrough of the 2026 long bill and emphasized the difference between the state's general fund and total funds. "We have a general fund budget of $17,300,000,000," Bridges said, adding that the state's "total fund budget" is roughly 49.5 billion and that the committee primarily controls the general fund portion.
Bridges and other JBC members described across-the-board choices that resulted in reductions in many departments while protecting certain priorities. The committee highlighted notable shifts: a 9.6% reduction at the Department of Agriculture largely driven by use of its agricultural management fund, trimmed general-fund support for CDPHE, and narrowing of general-fund contributions to transportation multimodal grants.
The caucus previewed several high-profile legislative moves tied to the budget. Bridges described House Bill 1363, which would temporarily reduce the statutory reserve requirement from 15% to 13% for the current and following fiscal year to free about $350 million in budget capacity. "I think 13% strikes the right balance here," Bridges said, framing the change as a hedge against a potential recession while preserving future flexibility.
The caucus also flagged transfers from ballot-authorized funds as a source of debate. Bridges noted a transfer of roughly $130 million from Prop 1-2-3/OEDIT under House Bill 1360 and said opponents accused the committee of violating voter intent, while he argued the ballot language permits the move. The meeting included discussion of changes to the marijuana cash tax fund distribution that would stop an automatic state shareback to local governments going forward.
Members emphasized the next procedural steps: amendments to the long bill and associated orbitals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. the same day, and the caucus will consider those amendments before floor debate.
Bridges and other JBC members described across-the-board choices that resulted in reductions in many departments while protecting certain priorities. The committee highlighted notable shifts: a 9.6% reduction at the Department of Agriculture largely driven by use of its agricultural management fund, trimmed general-fund support for CDPHE, and narrowing of general-fund contributions to transportation multimodal grants.
The caucus previewed several high-profile legislative moves tied to the budget. Bridges described House Bill 1363, which would temporarily reduce the statutory reserve requirement from 15% to 13% for the current and following fiscal year to free about $350 million in budget capacity. "I think 13% strikes the right balance here," Bridges said, framing the change as a hedge against a potential recession while preserving future flexibility.
The caucus also flagged transfers from ballot-authorized funds as a source of debate. Bridges noted a transfer of roughly $130 million from Prop 1-2-3/OEDIT under House Bill 1360 and said opponents accused the committee of violating voter intent, while he argued the ballot language permits the move. The meeting included discussion of changes to the marijuana cash tax fund distribution that would stop an automatic state shareback to local governments going forward.
Members emphasized the next procedural steps: amendments to the long bill and associated orbitals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. the same day, and the caucus will consider those amendments before floor debate.
View the Full Meeting & All Its Details
This article offers just a summary. Unlock complete video, transcripts, and insights as a Founder Member.
✓
Watch full, unedited meeting videos
✓
Search every word spoken in unlimited transcripts
✓
AI summaries & real-time alerts (all government levels)
✓
Permanent access to expanding government content
30-day money-back guarantee
