Sine die.

Those are our favorite words every May, signaling that the Colorado Legislative Session is finally adjourning for the year.

In these last couple of days, vigilance is just as important as ever.

This is the time when the majority party likes to ram through ballot questions and stack up your November ballot with radical policy experiments.

While procedural rules make it difficult for something brand new to show up and make it to your ballot, it's not impossible.

Fracking Wars

Statewide ballot fights over oil and gas are nothing new in Colorado.

In 2018, Prop 112, pushing for huge drilling setbacks, was defeated 55-45 by Colorado voters.

But this was the same ballot where Jared Polis was first elected Governor, and just months later he signed SB19-181 into law which was very similar to the defeated initiative.

This year, conservatives introduced a ballot measure to guarantee a citizen’s “right to natural gas” by amending the state constitution to prohibit bans on natural gas for cooking and heating.

This would block local policies from restricting or discouraging natural gas infrastructure, like those in Lafayette or Crested Butte. 

Because a constitutional "right to natural gas" would be a major obstacle for climate extremists and their future plans, they responded by introducing four ballot initiatives of their own.

These initiatives stop short of banning natural gas outright, but they do:

• Impose strict liability for environmental damages
• Expand joint-and-several liability for current and former operators
• Prevent utilities from recovering some natural gas infrastructure costs
• Increase legal exposure tied to groundwater contamination claims

These measures are designed to make natural gas production and distribution economically unsustainable in Colorado.

There are growing concerns that Democrat leadership could attempt to add their own initiative to counter the "right to natural gas" initiative.

Even near sine die, lawmakers can still:

• Heavily amend existing bills
• Insert major policy language into bills already moving
• Use “strike-below” amendments that replace nearly all bill text
• Push referred ballot measures quickly if leadership prioritizes them

That last tactic is important because sometimes entirely new concepts appear through amendments to existing vehicles rather than brand-new bill introductions.

Natural gas is not some distant industry that only affects energy companies.

It helps power Colorado’s economy, keeps utility bills affordable for working families, supports thousands of good-paying jobs, and provides reliable energy when families need it most.

Colorado’s natural gas industry contributes billions to the state economy and helps fund schools, roads, public safety, and local communities through tax revenue.

A resilient energy system depends on diversification. When one source becomes expensive, strained, or unreliable, other sources help keep costs down and the lights on.

Colorado families deserve affordable energy, reliable infrastructure, and the freedom to choose what works best for their homes and businesses.

For Freedom,

Colorado Freedom Force

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