Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs

Tuesday, February 17, 2026·1h 38m·▶ Watch / Listen

The committee killed a clean energy permitting bill unanimously while advancing a child marriage ban on a 3-2 vote, with survivors of forced marriage delivering extensive personal testimony and county officials mounting a strong local-control defense against the permitting measure.

Key Actions

·SB 26-033 – Clean Energy Permitting ProcessesFailed

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Controversies

Whether the Clean Energy Permitting Coordination Office streamlines permitting or adds bureaucratic layers

Senator Liston argued the office was 'certainly not to add another level of bureaucracy' but 'to act as a conduit' for projects crossing county and state lines. Weld County Commissioner Scott James countered that 'the sales pitch is streamlining, but what it really does is build a state level layer that invites mission creep' and that 'the state doesn't have to preempt you on paper to control you in practice.'

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Notable Quotes

“Supporters will say well don't worry it doesn't preempt local authority. But experienced local officials know the truth. The state doesn't have to preempt you on paper to control you in practice. Once the state builds an office, creates model terms, tracks compliance through dashboards and defines what is, what is good, what that looks like. Local governments end up defending their own decisions against a state shaped standard.”
Scott James, Weld County Commissioner — James was testifying in opposition to SB 26-033, pushing back against the bill sponsor's assurance that the new permitting coordination office would not undermine local authority over siting and permitting decisions.

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Votes

Motion to refer SB 26-033 to Appropriations with a favorable recommendationFailed

Yes (5)William Lindstedt, Rod Pelton, Lynda Zamora Wilson, Tom Sullivan, Katie Wallace

No (4)Pelton (regretfully), Moore Wilson (respectfully), Sullivan, Madam Chair

Motion to postpone indefinitely SB 26-033 by reverse roll call voteNo Vote

Yes (5)William Lindstedt, Rod Pelton, Lynda Zamora Wilson, Tom Sullivan, Katie Wallace

Motion to refer SB 26-048 to the Committee on Appropriations with a favorable recommendationPassed

Yes (3)William Lindstedt, Tom Sullivan, Katie Wallace

No (2)Rod Pelton, Lynda Zamora Wilson

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TranscriptPreview

So we will start with Senate Bill 43, Senator Liston, or, I'm sorry, Senate Bill 33, Senator Liston. If you would like to present your bill, sir. Very good. Madam Chair and members of the State Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, I've been waiting for this day for months to come and see the illustrious members of this committee. No, no. It's good to see your smiling faces and it's my pleasure and honor to to you. Senate Bill 33, the Clean Energy Permitting Process Bill. Let me kind of give you sort of a summary and then I'll give you just a few cogent points of the bill. This landmark legislation will establish the Clean Energy Permitting Coordination Office within the Colorado Energy Office to streamline the safe, reliable and community supported deployment of clean energy projects. This bill will expedite the permitting process for clean energy projects, including generation, storage and associated infrastructure, while ensuring transparency in the process. For local governments, this bill will create a voluntary process, a repeated voluntary process that provides project developers and host communities with coordinated permitting schedules, technical assistance, and a single point of contact across state agencies while preserving local…

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