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Senate Local Government & Housing

Thursday, February 26, 2026·3h 40m·▶ Watch / Listen

The committee advanced two bills — a bipartisan Cradle to Career children's economic mobility program (6-1) and a Proposition 123 homeownership flexibility measure (6-1) — while unanimously killing a bill that would have required Colorado State University to comply with Fort Collins noise and sign ordinances, postponing it indefinitely after a 0-7 vote.

Key Actions

·SB 26-080 – Cradle to Career Grant Program CreationPassed

+ 4 more actions

Controversies

Government role in family and child support programs (SB 26-080)

Senator Baisley argued 'Purpose of government is to secure our lives or liberty, our pursuit of happiness, not to raise our kids... Bad things happen when we involve government because government ultimately is force,' and stated 'I love what you guys are trying to do, but I think we should not make the state our church.' The chair responded that 'government is not the answer to all problems, but I think government should be the first one to step in when there is a problem,' and stated the two 'respectfully disagree.'

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Throughout my life and my work, I've met families who are doing everything right. Working long hours, raising their children with love and discipline, trying to build stability and yet still cannot get ahead. Not because they lack effort, not because they lack values, but because the systems around them were never designed to move them out of poverty.”

Senator James Coleman, Senate President, bill sponsor (SB 26-080) — Senator Coleman was explaining the systemic rationale for creating the Cradle to Career Grant program to support economic mobility for children and families.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Move SB 26-080 as amended to the Committee on Appropriations with a favorable recommendationPassed
Yes (6)Matt Ball, William Lindstedt, Larry Liston, Janice Rich, Marc Snyder, Tony Exum
No (1)Mark Baisley
Move SB 26-038 to the Committee of the WholeFailed
Yes (7)Mark Baisley, Matt Ball, William Lindstedt, Larry Liston, Janice Rich, Marc Snyder, Tony Exum
No (7)Baisley, Ball, Winstead, Liston, Rich, Snyder, Chair
Move Amendment L002 to Senate Bill 40 (temporary rental flexibility provision)Passed
Yes (6)Baisley, Ball, Lindstedt, Rich, Snyder, Chair
No (1)Liston
Move Senate Bill 040 as amended to the committee of the whole with a favorable recommendationPassed
Yes (6)Matt Ball, William Lindstedt, Larry Liston, Janice Rich, Marc Snyder, Tony Exum
No (1)Mark Baisley
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TranscriptPreview
Senate Local Government and Housing Committee will come to order. Ms. Alanzaro, please call the roll. Senators Baseley. Present. Ball, Winstead. Present. Liston. Move to PI. I'm sorry, I mean here. Rich. Here. Snyder. Here. Mr. Chair. Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the Senate Local Government Housing Committee. We have three bills this afternoon and we will start with Senate Bill 80 with our Senate president, Senator Coleman, and our minority leader, Senator Simpson. Who would like to start. Senator Coleman, thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Members of the committee and Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to discuss this bill today. Throughout my life and my work, I've met families who are doing everything right. Working long hours, raising their children with love and discipline, trying to build stability and yet still cannot get ahead. Not because they lack effort, not because they lack values, but because the systems around them were never designed to move them out of poverty. I've seen parents choose between paying rent and paying for medicine. I've seen families lose housing after one unexpected emergency. I've seen neighborhoods where opportunity feels just out of reach. This is not because people lack…
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