A new Democrat-backed bill moving rapidly through the Colorado legislature poses a serious threat to one of the most fundamental rights in our state Constitution: the right of citizens to initiate laws through the petition process.
And hot on the heels of that is yet another legislative attack on the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).
House Bill 25-1327, which has already passed both the House and the Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, would significantly restrict the ability of Coloradans to bring citizen initiatives forward. Among other provisions, it shortens an already tight timeline for title-setting, imposes new procedural hurdles, and adds new fines of up to $1,500 on petition organizers for non-compliance with reporting requirements.
What makes this particularly alarming is the inclusion of the “safety clause” — legislative language that declares the bill is necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, or safety. The practical effect? Voters are prohibited from filing a referendum to challenge the law at the ballot box. It’s an ironic — and telling — twist that a bill restricting petition rights also blocks any citizen-led challenge of its own passage.
This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s a matter of democratic access. Historically, both liberal and conservative groups in Colorado have used the initiative process to bring policy directly to the people — from campaign finance limits and term limits to marijuana legalization and tax policy reforms.
At the same time, House Joint Resolution 25-1023 is awaiting debate on the House floor. That measure would authorize the legislature to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR— a voter-approved amendment that requires voter consent before most tax increases. If passed, it would use taxpayer money to fund litigation aimed at overturning the will of the voters.
The lawsuit, if successful, could have far-reaching consequences beyond TABOR. Numerous other voter-passed measures — including sunshine laws, ethics rules, and term limits — could become targets under the same legal theory.
Both HB 1327 and HJR 1023 reflect a troubling trend: elected officials using their power not to expand democratic engagement, but to restrict it. Colorado voters have repeatedly voiced support for transparency, fiscal limits, and the right to challenge government action through the initiative process. Yet here we are again — with those same rights back on the chopping block.
As someone who has worked for nearly two decades to protect fiscal transparency and petition rights — and as a current Board Director of the TABOR Foundation — I can say this is one of the most sweeping threats to Colorado’s constitutional balance I’ve seen. These measures, taken together, are designed to silence voters.
If the public doesn’t push back, we risk losing the very tools that allow us to hold government accountable.
Natalie Menten has been an activist in Jefferson County for over 20 years focusing on state and local public policy. She is a former elected RTD board member and sits on the board of directors for the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights Foundation. Contact Natalie at Coloradoengaged@gmail.com.
