Last-Minute Bill Will Raise Energy and Heating Costs for Colorado Families

With three days left, a new last-minute piece of detrimental energy legislation is being rammed through the legislative process without Coloradans knowing. HB26-1434 has not been introduced yet, but it was discussed in a news article over the weekend. Was this a mistake, or did someone get ahead of themselves?

The legislative session ends in less than 72 hours on Wednesday, leaving only a narrow window to move the proposal through both chambers. The Speaker of the House is trying to bring an extreme energy bill at the last minute to override the potential vote of the people.

Natural gas is Colorado's major energy source used in homes and businesses across Colorado. Colorado is also the 8th-largest natural gas-producing state in the nation. Nearly one-third of Colorado electricity generation still comes from natural gas, Coal supplied roughly 60% of Colorado electricity in 2014, That dropped to about 27% by 2024. The environmental groups and their ideology allies in the far left progressive Democrat Party are writing anti energy legislation faster than homes or businesses can keep up.

Critics of the state’s current energy direction argue the transition could increase utility costs for working families and place additional strain on an already weakening economy. The state lost 7,200 jobs in February alone. Businesses and consumers continue facing inflationary pressure tied to housing, utilities, and energy costs. (See Common Sense Institute’s Research Here)

At a time when Colorado is losing jobs and families are being priced out of the state, rushing through last-minute energy legislation only adds more pressure to an already strained economy.

Gov. Jared Polis has also been part of the conversation and is supportive of the bill, they said. McCluskie said she worries the initiative does not lay out the “responsibility” that would come with the right to natural gas. The right to natural gas does not include the right, for example, to also use related equipment or skirt local regulations, they contend. (See story here)

“Providing a constitutional right comes with a heavy and weighted responsibility. Look at the right to bear arms. We have created the regulation and the framework around that to provide public safety,” McCluskie said. “We’re talking about an explosive material — if everybody has a right to natural gas, does that mean they can walk around with it in a container out on the streets?”

There is already significant concern from Colorado families regarding rising energy costs. The Speaker’s comments are fear mongering and blowing things out of proportion. Abundant energy helps bring people out of poverty and creates jobs for labor. We need to leverage all our available energy sources.