What are those statewide issues all about?
All Colorado voters will see 11 statewide measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. The Colorado General Assembly Legislative Council mailed each voter a blue informational booklet, which included an analysis and major arguments for and against each measure. The following is a portion of the description. More information can be found at leg.colorado.gov/bluebook.
Amendment B
Amendment B proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to repeal the Gallagher Amendment requiring residential and nonresidential property tax revenues to make up the same portion of total statewide property taxes as when the Gallagher Amendment was adopted in 1982, including the requirement that sets the nonresidential assessment rate at 29%.
It was placed on the ballot by the Legislature, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Amendment B repeals sections of the Colorado Constitution that set a fixed statewide ratio for residential and nonresidential property tax revenue. Assessment rates for all property types will remain the same as they are now, projected future decreases in the residential assessment rate will not be required, and any future increases in assessment rates would require a vote of the people.
A “no” vote on Amendment B leaves constitutional provisions related to property taxes in place, maintaining current requirements for setting the assessment rates used to calculate property taxes. This is expected to result in a decreasing residential assessment rate over time and in automatic local mill levy increases in jurisdictions where required by law.
Amendment C
Amendment C proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to reduce the number of years a nonprofit organization must operate in Colorado to apply for a bingo-raffle license from five to three and ease compensation and organization membership restrictions for bingo-raffle workers.
It was placed on the ballot by the Legislature, and it passes with 55% of the vote.
A “yes” vote on Amendment C allows nonprofit organizations operating in Colorado for three years to apply for a bingo-raffle license, permits these games to be conducted by workers who are not members of the organization and allows workers to receive compensation up to minimum wage.
A “no” vote on Amendment C maintains the current requirements that nonprofit organizations must operate in Colorado for five years prior to applying for a bingo-raffle license and that workers must be unpaid volunteers who are members of the nonprofit organization.
Amendment 77
Amendment 77 proposes amending the Colorado Constitution and the Colorado statutes to allow voters in the three gaming cities — Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek — to increase or remove current bet limits and approve any new casino games in each city and expand the current use of casino tax revenue for community colleges to include student retention and completion programs.
It was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Amendment 77 means that the voters of Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek will be allowed to increase or remove casino bet limits and approve new casino games to help fund community colleges.
A “no” vote on Amendment 77 means that current casino bet limits and games will remain in the constitution and a statewide vote will continue to be required to make any changes to these restrictions.
Amendment 76
Amendment 76 proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to specify that “only a citizen” of the United States rather than “every citizen” of the United States is eligible to vote in Colorado elections.
It was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and it passes with 55% of the vote.
A “yes” vote on Amendment 76 will change constitutional language to specify that only U.S. citizens age 18 and older are eligible to participate in Colorado elections.
A “no” vote on Amendment 76 means the current constitutional language allowing every eligible U.S. citizen to vote in Colorado elections will remain unchanged.
Proposition EE
Proposition EE, if approved, would increase taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products; create a new tax on nicotine products, including vaping products; and distribute the new revenue to expanded preschool programs, as well as to K-12 education, rural schools, affordable housing, eviction assistance, tobacco education and health care.
It was placed on the ballot by the Legislature, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Proposition EE increases taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products and creates a new tax on nicotine products, including vaping products. The new tax revenue will be spent on education, housing, tobacco prevention, health care and preschool.
A “no” vote on Proposition EE means taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products will stay the same and there will be no new taxes on nicotine or vaping products.
Proposition 113
Proposition 113, if approved, would enter Colorado into an agreement among states to elect the president of the United States by a national popular vote once enough states join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
It was placed on the ballot by referendum petition, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 113 approves a bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor joining Colorado with other states as part of an agreement to elect the president of the United States by national popular vote if enough states enter the agreement.
A “no” vote on Proposition 113 rejects a bill passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor and retains Colorado’s current system of awarding all of its electors for the president of the United States to the winner of the Colorado popular vote.
Proposition 114
Proposition 114 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to require the state to develop a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves in Colorado, take necessary steps to begin reintroduction by Dec. 31, 2023, and pay fair compensation for livestock losses caused by gray wolves.
It was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 114 means that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will develop a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves west of the Continental Divide.
A “no” vote on Proposition 114 means that Colorado will not be required to reintroduce gray wolves.
Proposition 115
Proposition 115 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to prohibit abortion after 22 weeks gestational age of the fetus, except when an abortion is immediately required to save the life of a pregnant woman; create a criminal penalty for any person who performs a prohibited abortion; and require that the state suspend the medical license for at least three years of any physician who violates the measure.
It was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 115 prohibits abortions in Colorado after 22 weeks gestational age, except when an abortion is immediately required to save the life of a pregnant woman.
A “no” vote on Proposition 115 means that abortion in Colorado continues to be legal at any time during a pregnancy.
Proposition 116
Proposition 116 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to reduce the state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55% for tax year 2020 and future years.
It was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 116 reduces the state income tax rate to 4.55% for tax year 2020 and future years.
A “no” vote on Proposition 116 keeps the state income tax rate unchanged at 4.63%.
Proposition 117
Proposition 117 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to require voter approval for new state government-owned businesses, called enterprises, if the enterprise’s revenue from fees over its first five years exceeds $100 million; and require that specific language be included on the ballot when voters are asked to approve enterprises.
It was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 117 requires voter approval for new state government enterprises with fee revenue over $100 million in the first five years.
A “no” vote on Proposition 117 retains the state Legislature’s authority to create new enterprises as under current law.
Proposition 118
Proposition 118 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to create a paid family and medical leave insurance program for Colorado employees administered by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, require employers and employees in Colorado to pay a payroll premium to finance paid family and medical leave insurance benefits beginning Jan. 1, 2023, allow eligible employees up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave insurance benefits annually beginning Jan. 1, 2024, and create job protections for employees who take paid family and medical leave.
It was placed on the ballot by citizen initiative, and it passes with a majority vote.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 118 means the state will create an insurance program to provide paid family and medical leave benefits to eligible employees in Colorado funded by premiums paid by employers and employees.
A “no” vote on Proposition 118 means the state will not create a paid family and medical leave insurance program.