State legislative preview

The decisions made during the state legislative session can have a profound impact on the overall business environment in Eagle County and throughout Colorado, and small businesses are often particularly impacted by these changes. State policies influence everything from the cost of doing business to the availability of resources and support.

The Second Regular Session of the Seventy-fourth General Assembly convenes on January 10, 2024. More than 400 bills were passed in the 2023 legislative session, many of which impacted businesses and how they operate. With the 2024 session having just started, many businesses are still trying to measure the impact of the 2023 session, let alone adopt another year of bills. It's more important than ever that the business community understands how political leaders are shaping the future.

The state legislative session is important to our local communities because it will shape the legal and policy framework within which local governments and local businesses operate. The decisions made at the state level have a direct impact on the well-being, services, and opportunities available to residents throughout the state.

This makes it crucial for small business owners and residents alike to stay informed and engaged with the legislative process. The Vail Valley Partnership (VVP) is here to assist in the role of helping our business owners and residents aware of state-wide policy decisions that will impact our communities and our region. It is important to note that VVP is non-partisan and relies on data and member input to inform our policy priorities.

As we look ahead at the legislative session, there are several themes and areas to watch. One of Colorado’s strengths is our competitive and diverse economy and entrepreneurial opportunities, which need to be protected from overly prescriptive employment regulations.

Housing was a top issue at the legislature in 2023 and promises to again be a priority in 2024. We need policies that facilitate the development of new housing, with an emphasis on housing that is affordable for low- and middle-income residents. Adjustments to property taxes – given the failure at the ballot of Proposition HH and the special session – and insurance regulations will be introduced and have impacts on housing, as will state versus local land use planning issues.

Gov. Jared Polis just last week added more definition to his workforce development push for the coming legislative session, proposing new tax credits for the quantum industry and bolstering his request to fund intermediaries that can connect employers to apprenticeships. Workforce initiatives that provide the educational, financial, and regulatory tools to meet current and future workforce needs are something to watch as these requests go through the law-making process.

The state legislature is also likely to see a variety of bills and discussions around topics including healthcare, environmental regulations, transportation, and other issues. We are currently watching with interest potential bills around increased taxation on short-term rentals that could have severe negative consequences on the mountain region and our tourism industry.

For all these issues, we have the general belief that free markets and competition ensure high service levels, innovation, and competitive pricing. Therefore, regulations on businesses should be minimal, and flexible, and allow for adaptation to individual industry and business operating environments. We also believe that incentive-based policies achieve outcomes better than mandate-based policies and that local control is preferred to one-size-fits state approaches.

We hope to see bi-partisan efforts to address some of Colorado’s biggest challenges and encourage our elected officials to remember that responsive, efficient, and effective government provides the infrastructure upon which businesses grow and thrive and helps build a robust Colorado economy.

Chris Romer is president & CEO of Vail Valley Partnership, the regional chamber of commerce. Learn more at VailValleyPartnership.com