(1) In addition to any other
powers and duties set forth in law, the council has the following powers and duties:
(a) To collect information concerning the government and general welfare of
the state;
(b) To examine the effects of constitutional provisions and statutes and
recommend desirable alterations;
(c) To consider important issues of public policy and questions of statewide
interest;
(d) To prepare for presentation to the members and various sessions of the
general assembly such reports, bills, or otherwise, as the welfare of the state may
require;
(e) To expend moneys or authorize the expenditure of moneys to accomplish
the functions contained in this section out of moneys appropriated to the council by
the general assembly;
(f) To approve bills recommended by interim legislative council committees
or other committees created by statute or resolution which operate during the
interim;
(g) To review the ballot information booklet prepared by the director of
research at a public hearing in accordance with section 1-40-124.5;
(h) To approve agreements between the director of research of the
legislative council and nonpartisan organizations to place nonpartisan legislative
policy fellows in the legislative council staff to conduct policy-related research;
prepare policy, fiscal, economic, or technological analyses; support legislators and
committees; and complete other assignments or projects as directed by the
director of research. The council shall not approve any agreement between the
director of research of the legislative council and a nonpartisan organization that is
registered as a lobbyist with the secretary of state to place a nonpartisan
legislative policy fellow in the legislative council staff. An agreement entered into
by the director of research and approved by the council pursuant to this subsection
(1)(h) must ensure that the director of research retains supervisory authority over
fellows placed within the legislative council staff, including over the terms and
conditions of the fellowship. An agreement must also specify that any work product
produced by a fellow during the fellowship remains the property of the general
assembly during and after the conclusion of the fellowship.
(2) In addition to any other powers and duties set forth in law, the executive
committee of the legislative council has the following powers and duties:
(a) To consider, recommend, and establish policies relating to legislative
management and legislative procedures, including but not limited to deadlines for
the legislative session, guidelines on the format of bills, allocation of space in the
capitol for legislative purposes, and lobbying practices;
(b) To consider and approve the budget requests from the legislative service
agency directors for the legislative service agencies;
(c) To prepare and introduce the legislative appropriation bill each year;
(d) To establish policies about the retention of records by the legislative
service agencies of the general assembly, including the retention of records
relating to legislative review of rules and regulations promulgated by executive
branch agencies pursuant to section 24-4-103, C.R.S.;
(e) Repealed.
(f) To coordinate the televising via cable television and webcast of
proceedings of the house of representatives and the senate with the Colorado
channel authority created in article 49.9 of title 24, C.R.S.;
(g) (I) To consider, recommend, and establish policies allowing legislative
committees to take remote testimony from government officials and employees as
well as other members of the public.
(II) and (III) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2022.)
(IV) Nothing in this subsection (2)(g) supersedes the power of the house of
representatives or the senate to adopt rules or joint rules, or both, for the orderly
conduct of their affairs.
(V) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2022.)
(h) (I) The power to allow members of the general assembly to participate
electronically in legislative proceedings and to recommend, develop, and establish
policies regarding electronic participation if so allowed; except that, if allowed,
electronic participation must only be allowed for:
(A) Committee meetings occurring during the legislative interim; or
(B) Legislative proceedings, including floor proceedings, committee
meetings or hearings, and other legislative business occurring during a disaster
emergency declared by the governor in accordance with section 24-33.5-704 that
is caused by a public health emergency infecting or exposing a great number of
people to disease, agents, toxins, or other such threats.
(II) A member participating electronically in a committee meeting pursuant
to subsection (2)(h)(I)(A) of this section is deemed to be in attendance of that
committee for the purpose of receiving compensation to which the member is
entitled under section 2-2-307 (3). Notwithstanding section 2-2-307 (3)(b),
members participating electronically are not entitled to reimbursement for any
expenses incurred in connection with such electronic participation.
(III) A member participating electronically in a legislative proceeding
pursuant to subsection (2)(h)(I)(B) of this section is not entitled to reimbursement
for any expenses incurred in connection with such electronic participation; except
that, if the member cannot participate electronically from the member's home due
to a technological limitation or incapacity at that location, the member may receive
reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred to travel to an alternate
location in order to participate electronically. A request for reimbursement under
this subsection (2)(h)(III) is subject to the guidelines for reimbursement and
substantiation requirements established by the executive committee of the
legislative council in accordance with section 2-2-317 (2)(c), and the amount of
reimbursement must not exceed the amount the member would customarily receive
for travel expenses under section 2-2-317 (2)(a) or (2)(b).
(IV) Nothing in this subsection (2)(h) supersedes the power of the senate or
the house of representatives to adopt rules or joint rules, or both, for the orderly
conduct of its affairs.
(3) (a) In addition to the powers and duties specified in subsection (2) of this
section, the executive committee of the legislative council shall annually approve a
salary pay range to be used in setting the salaries of the legislative service agency
directors.
(b) The legislative audit committee, the joint budget committee, the
legislative council, and the committee on legal services shall each submit an annual
report to the executive committee evaluating the performance of the legislative
service agency director under such committee's supervision.
(c) Upon review of the reports received pursuant to paragraph (b) of this
subsection (3), the executive committee shall evaluate the performance of
legislative service agency directors and determine the salaries to be paid thereto.
(d) The executive committee shall appoint legislative service agency
directors, other than the state auditor, after receiving recommendations thereon
from the respective committees.
(e) The executive committee shall consult with the legislative audit
committee concerning the appointment of a state auditor before the legislative
audit committee places the names of candidates before the general assembly in
accordance with section 2-3-101 (3)(a).
(f) The executive committee shall annually approve salary pay ranges to be
used in determining the salaries of the staffs of legislative service agencies.
Legislative service agency directors shall determine the salaries to be paid to their
respective staffs in accordance with such pay ranges; except that employees of the
office of the state auditor who are within the state personnel system shall be paid
in accordance with article 50 of title 24, C.R.S. Each legislative service agency
director shall file a report annually with the executive committee setting forth the
salaries paid to their respective staffs.
(g) Any senator or representative or any legislative committee may provide
the executive committee or any legislative service agency director with information
or recommendations concerning pay ranges or performance evaluations for
legislative service agency directors or the staffs of legislative service agencies.
(h) As used in this subsection (3), unless the context otherwise requires:
(I) Legislative service agencies means the office of the state auditor, the
joint budget committee staff, the legislative council staff, and the office of
legislative legal services.
(II) Legislative service agency director means the state auditor, the staff
director of the joint budget committee, the director of research of the legislative
council, and the director of the office of legislative legal services.
(i) (I) (A) On or after March 12, 2024, but before December 31, 2024, on or
after January 1, 2025, but before December 31, 2025, and on or after January 1,
2026, but before December 31, 2026, the executive committee shall consider the
application of section 24-6-402 to the general assembly at a meeting of the
executive committee. The executive committee shall allow the opportunity to
receive public comment in connection with the meeting.
(B) This subsection (3)(i)(I) is repealed, effective July 1, 2027.
(II) On or after January 1, 2027, upon request by a member of the executive
committee, the executive committee shall consider the application of section 24-6-402 to the general assembly at a meeting of the executive committee. The
executive committee shall allow the opportunity to receive public comment in
connection with the meeting.
(4) The executive committee has the power and responsibility to:
(a) Perform legislative management functions when the general assembly is
not in session; and
(b) Set the date for convening the next regular session of the general
assembly as provided in section 2-2-303.5 (4).