SB 25-180: Population Growth Calculation - Colorado

Rerevised (03/14/2025) → Revised (03/13/2025) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill's title was updated to clarify that population under-counting leads to reduced spending limits, while double-counting increases them. The House sponsorship list was significantly shortened, removing most co-sponsors. The effective date for the House was changed from March 14, 2025 to March 13, 2025. The bill text now explicitly defines how population counting errors impact state fiscal year spending limits.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding spending limits was clarified to directly link population counting errors (double-counting or under-counting) to increased or reduced spending limits, respectively.

TITLE

The bill title was revised to explicitly state that under-counting population results in reduced spending limits and double-counting results in increased limits.

SPONSORSHIP

Most House co-sponsors (Bird, Bacon, Boesenecker, Clifford, Espenoza, Garcia, Lindsay, Phillips, Ricks, Titone, Zokaie) were removed from the House sponsorship list, leaving only Taggart and Sirota.

TIMELINE

The House 3rd Reading date was changed from March 14, 2025 to March 13, 2025.

DEFINITION

New text was added to Section 20(C) to define how population counting errors affect state fiscal year spending limits, specifying that under-counting reduces limits and double-counting increases them.

Final Act (03/28/2025) → Rerevised (03/14/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill amends Colorado's method for calculating state population growth to prevent double-counting or under-counting population changes caused by revised federal census estimates. The change ensures more accurate population growth calculations, which directly affects the state's spending limits under TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights). The bill also includes technical amendments to align the statute with the new calculation method.

Scope change

The bill applies to all state fiscal years and modifies how population growth is calculated for TABOR spending limits, affecting all state agencies and departments subject to these spending constraints.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the method for calculating state population growth from comparing estimates within the same calendar year to comparing estimates across calendar years, preventing double-counting or under-counting from revised federal census data.

DEFINITION

Added new legislative declaration explaining that the previous calculation method resulted in both double-counting and under-counting of population due to revised federal census estimates.

TECHNICAL

Updated statutory language in Colorado Revised Statutes 24-77-103 to reflect the new population growth calculation methodology and added new subsections for legislative declaration.

Signed Act (03/31/2025) → Final Act (03/28/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill adds a note indicating it has been prepared for signatures and reorganizes the bill's header and introductory text. The substantive policy provisions regarding how state population growth is calculated for fiscal year spending limits remain unchanged, with only minor formatting adjustments to the text.

TECHNICAL

Added a note at the beginning of the document stating the bill is prepared for signatures and directing readers to consult legislative status sheets for Governor action.

Reorganized the bill header and introductory text, moving the bill title and sponsor information to different positions within the document structure.

Made minor formatting adjustments to spacing and capitalization throughout the text, including changes to how certain phrases are capitalized and formatted.

Reengrossed (03/04/2025) → Signed Act (03/31/2025) · 3 edits · Mar 31, 2025

MINOR

This bill amends Colorado's TABOR law to fix a flaw in how population growth is calculated for state spending limits. The old method could double-count or under-count population changes when the Census Bureau revises its estimates, unfairly limiting or expanding state spending. The new method uses consistent December-to-December comparisons and includes a mechanism to carry forward any adjustment errors for up to nine fiscal years.

Scope change

The bill applies to state fiscal years starting on or after July 1, 2024, and includes retroactive adjustments for fiscal years 2015-16 through 2024-25.

REQUIREMENT

Changed how population growth is calculated from comparing December estimates to July estimates, now requiring comparison of December estimates to December estimates to prevent counting errors.

Added a new provision to carry forward any population adjustment errors for up to nine fiscal years to correct past double-counting or under-counting.

TIMELINE

Established July 1, 2024 as the cutoff date for applying the new population calculation method to state fiscal years.

Engrossed (03/03/2025) → Reengrossed (03/04/2025) · 3 edits · Mar 4, 2025

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to include additional Senate sponsors (Ball, Coleman, Cutter, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Kipp, Michaelson Jenet, Pelton B., Snyder, Winter F.) and updated the bill summary to reflect that it now includes all amendments adopted in the House of Introduction. The summary also added a '3rd Reading Unamended' date stamp and removed a paragraph comparing this bill to prior population calculation legislation.

Scope change

The bill's substantive scope and applicability remain unchanged; these are procedural updates reflecting legislative process milestones.

TECHNICAL

Added nine new Senate sponsors to the bill's sponsorship list.

Updated bill summary header to indicate this version includes all amendments adopted in the House of Introduction and added a March 4, 2025 '3rd Reading Unamended' date stamp.

Removed a paragraph in the bill summary that compared this bill's population calculation provisions to House Bill 02-1310 and Senate Bill 02-179 enacted in 2002.

Introduced (02/24/2025) → Engrossed (03/03/2025) · 3 edits · Mar 4, 2025

MINOR

The bill was amended from 'Introduced' to 'Engrossed' status, incorporating House amendments. The substantive policy content regarding population growth calculations for TABOR spending limits remains consistent, though formatting and section numbering were adjusted to reflect the House's edits.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on modifying how population growth is calculated for TABOR spending limits to address population double-counting and under-counting; no substantive scope expansion or contraction occurred.

TECHNICAL

Header text changed from 'Introduced' to 'Engrossed' to reflect adoption of all House amendments.

Page numbering and bill reference formatting were updated to align with House amendment markup conventions.

Section 1 text was restructured to incorporate House amendments, with deletions marked through existing text and new material added in capital letters.

Population Growth Calculation

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