A Colorado Worth Fighting For: The 2026 House Minority Legislative Agenda

Colorado is no longer drifting. It is being driven - deliberately - down a path that is less affordable, less safe, and less free than the state generations before us built. The data confirms what families already feel. Colorado now ranks among the most expensive states in the nation. Housing affordability is near the bottom. Regulation is among the highest. Property crime, auto theft, and human trafficking are near the top. These are not partisan talking points. They are measurable outcomes of policy choices made under prolonged one-party control.

This is not the Colorado we deserve.

For several years, legislators like House Minority Leader Jarvis Caldwell and Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter have been sounding the alarm. Their work has consistently highlighted a pattern: more spending without discipline, more regulation without results, and more centralized control at the expense of local communities and working families. The press coverage is clear. The warning signs are unmistakable. Colorado’s problems are not accidental. They are the predictable result of governance that prioritizes ideology over outcomes.

The 2026 Legislative Agenda for the Colorado House Minority exists for one reason. To reverse course.

This agenda is grounded in first principles. Limited government. Fiscal restraint. Public safety. Local control. Energy reliability. Respect for families, workers, and small businesses. These are not abstract ideals. They are the conditions that allowed Colorado to thrive for decades and that can do so again.

Affordability First

Colorado families are being priced out of the state they love. Housing costs have exploded. Fees and hidden taxes have multiplied. Regulatory burdens make it harder to build homes, start businesses, or stay competitive. The majority response has been to double down - more mandates, more spending, more bureaucracy.

The House Minority rejects that approach.

Our agenda prioritizes reducing regulatory barriers to housing, ending fee abuse, protecting TABOR in its entirety, and forcing government to live within its means. A budget shortfall of less than three percent does not justify tax increases. It demands discipline. Families cut spending when money is tight. The government must do the same.

TABOR is not a nuisance to be worked around. It is a constitutional promise to the people of Colorado. We will defend it absolutely.

Restoring Public Safety

Colorado is now one of the least safe states in the nation. Property crime is rampant. Auto theft has become routine. Organized retail theft and human trafficking are rising. At the same time, law enforcement has been demoralized, defunded, and second-guessed.

This did not happen by chance.

Legislation that weakens cooperation with federal authorities, limits proactive policing, and prioritizes offender rights over victim safety has consequences. The House Minority agenda is unambiguous. Public safety is a core function of government. Law enforcement deserves support, not hostility. Criminal behavior must carry real consequences.

We will fight to repeal laws that undermine public safety, restore cooperation between agencies, and ensure that victims - not criminals - are the priority.

Local Control Matters

Colorado is diverse by design. What works for Denver does not work for Douglas County. What makes sense for Boulder is not right for rural Colorado. Yet the legislature increasingly imposes one-size-fits-all mandates on zoning, energy policy, education, and law enforcement.

This erosion of local control is one of the most dangerous trends at the Capitol.

The House Minority agenda recommits to the principle that government works best when it is closest to the people. Counties, municipalities, school boards, and local voters must have the authority to make decisions that reflect their values and needs. Home rule, local governance, and community-driven solutions are not obstacles. They are strengths.

Energy Reliability and Economic Reality

Colorado’s economy depends on reliable, affordable energy. Yet policy has been driven by ideological hostility toward entire sectors of the economy rather than practical solutions. Energy mandates have increased costs for families and businesses while threatening grid reliability.

We believe in innovation, not coercion. Environmental stewardship and economic prosperity are not mutually exclusive. The House Minority agenda supports an all-of-the-above energy strategy that keeps power affordable, reliable, and competitive while allowing innovation to occur without government micromanagement.

Parents, Families, and Civil Society

Government has increasingly inserted itself into the most personal areas of life (parenting, education, and family decisions), often under the banner of protection or equity. Too often, these interventions ignore common sense, parental rights, and the role of churches, charities, and community organizations.

Strong communities are built by strong families, not by bureaucracies.

Our agenda restores respect for parents, reinforces the role of civil society, and rejects the notion that government knows better than families how children should be raised.

A Call to Courage

The 2026 agenda is not about opposition for its own sake. It is about offering a credible, principled alternative to a status quo that is failing. Colorado does not need more slogans. It needs leadership willing to say no to wasteful spending, to bad policy, to the slow normalization of decline.

The House Minority stands united. We are committed to earning the trust of Coloradans by telling the truth about where we are and by offering a clear vision for where we can go.

This is a fight worth having. Colorado is worth fighting for.