Skip to main content
The Full Record
Menu
Portrait of Chris KolkerPhoto: leg.colorado.gov

CO · Officeholder

Chris Kolker

DState Senator · District 16

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned

  • Jobs & cost of living296 with · 13 against311 votes

    Most contested

    • No

      Prohibiting Price Gouging in Sales of Necessities

      Under current law, a person engages in an unfair and unconscionable act or practice in violation of consumer protection laws if the person engages in price gouging during a declared disaster emergency. The act provides that a person engages in price gouging in the sale or offer for sale of certain goods or services if, after the governor declares a disaster emergency, which declaration may be based on a market disruption, the price of the good or service is increased by 10% or more above the price at which a similar good or service was sold or offered for sale before the disaster began.

      Mar 31, 2025 · Failed 16–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • No

      Payment Card Networks' Fees

      An interchange fee is a fee established, charged, or received by a payment card network for the purpose of compensating an issuer for its involvement in an electronic payment transaction. The act states that a payment card network shall not, whether directly or indirectly: Establish, charge, or include in a fee schedule an interchange fee if: The interchange fee is or includes a percentage multiplied by the gross dollar amount of a transaction conducted with a debit card or credit card; and The fee does not exclude from the gross dollar amount of the transaction any amount attributable to a…

      Apr 29, 2026 · Passed 18–16 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • No

      Fiscal Year 2025-26 Legislative Appropriation Bill

      The act appropriates $74,577,313 to the legislative department for the payment of expenses in the 2025-26 state fiscal year. Of this amount, $72,829,086 is from the general fund, $5,000 is from cash funds, and $1,743,227 is from reappropriated funds.

      Mar 28, 2025 · Passed 18–16 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All jobs & cost of living votes
  • Rights & public safety212 with · 1 against213 votes

    Most contested

    • No

      Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act

      The act consolidates damages provisions for individuals with disabilities who experience discrimination in places of public accommodation or a violation of their civil rights with the general protections under the "Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act" (CADA) for all protected classes.

      Apr 24, 2025 · Failed 13–17 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • No

      Legal Protections for Dignity of Minors

      Beginning July 1, 2026, if a petitioner is under 18 years old at the time of filing a petition seeking to change the petitioner's name, the act requires the court to suppress the record unless the petitioner was previously convicted of a felony. The act authorizes the court to use the suppressed court record for administrative purposes, but the court is prohibited from publishing the petitioner's name or the petitioner's new name online. A petitioner who is under 18 years old is not required to give public notice of the name change.

      Feb 23, 2026 · Failed 15–17 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • No

      Requirements for Sale of Firearms Ammunition

      The act requires that ammunition sold at retail must be accessible to a purchaser or transferee only with the assistance of the vendor, and the act prohibits the retail sale of ammunition to a person who is younger than 21 years of age. The act includes exceptions for in-person sales to persons who are 18-20 years of age at shooting ranges, who are members of the military and veterans, who have a hunter education certification, who are protected by a protection order, or who were born on or before January 28, 2007; sales to on-duty peace officers; and sales of rimfire ammunition.

      Mar 24, 2025 · Failed 13–18 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All rights & public safety votes
  • Health & care146 with · 2 against148 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Online Add-on Transaction Fee Youth Service Enterprise

      The act requires each covered social media platform (covered platform) to impose a fee on each add-on transaction that occurs on the covered platform. The act creates the youth mental health services access enterprise in the behavioral health administration (BHA) to use the fee revenue to operate and fund programs that provide youth mental health services. The youth mental health services access enterprise constitutes an enterprise for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution.

      May 13, 2026 · Passed 18–17 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Promoting Immunization Access

      The act amends the law and adds new provisions to law relating to access to vaccines as follows: For the cervical cancer vaccine: (Sections 3 and 14) Updates insurance coverage statutes to refer to the vaccine as the human papillomavirus vaccine, rather than the cervical cancer vaccine; Recognizes coverage for both women and men; Authorizes the commissioner of insurance to adopt coverage rules for the vaccine if the advisory committee on immunization practices to the centers for disease control in the federal department of health and human services (ACIP) no longer recommends the vaccine; and…

      Feb 5, 2026 · Passed 20–12 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Department of Health Care Policy & Financing Supplemental

      The 2025 general appropriations act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated to the department of healthcare policy and financing. The federal funds portion of the appropriation is increased. A new appropriation to the department for overexpenditures of line item appropriations in the 2024 long bill is made.

      Feb 20, 2026 · Passed 20–13 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All health & care votes
  • Education & families121 with · 4 against125 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Create Department of Personnel Program Pathways to Public Service

      The act creates the pathways to public service program (program) in the department of personnel (department) using existing resources. The purpose of the program is for the department to work with academic and workforce entities to identify existing curriculum and course work that would qualify students for positions within state government. Participation by academic and workforce entities is voluntary. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

      Mar 20, 2026 · Passed 20–12 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      State Public K-12 Education Funding

      The act requires the secretary of state to refer a ballot issue at the November 2026 general election to seek voter approval for the state, beginning in the 2026-27 state fiscal year, to retain and spend an amount of state revenue equal to the amount of state public K-12 education funding in excess of the limitation on state fiscal year spending and to increase state public K-12 education funding by up to 2% per year for 10 years.

      Apr 24, 2026 · Failed 13–20 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • No

      Department of Higher Education Supplemental

      The 2025 general appropriations act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated to the department of higher education. The general fund and reappropriated funds portions of the appropriation are decreased, and the cash funds and federal funds portions are increased. The 2024 general appropriations act is amended to make adjustments to the amount appropriated to the department of higher education. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

      Feb 19, 2026 · Failed 11–19 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All education & families votes
  • Climate & energy107 with · 0 against107 votes

    Most contested

    • No

      Detection Components for Wildfire Mitigation

      The bill requires allows the division of fire prevention and control (division) in the department of public safety (department) , as needed, to establish public-private agreements with one or more issue a request for qualifications from private partners by which agreements the state may allocate responsibility or risk to one or more private partners to develop and operate wildfire detection components entities. The request for qualifications must seek proposals for a detection component that can be procured as a comprehensive service provided by a vendor.

      Apr 24, 2025 · Failed 15–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Restrict Single-Use Food Serviceware Distribution

      Under current law, the 'Plastic Pollution Reduction Act' includes restrictions on the use and distribution of single-use plastic carryout bags and expanded polystyrene food containers. The act expands the 'Plastic Pollution Reduction Act' by prohibiting, on and after January 1, 2027, a retail food establishment or third-party food delivery service from providing single-use food serviceware to a customer unless the customer requests single-use food serviceware or confirms that the customer wants single-use food serviceware after being asked if they would like single-use food serviceware.

      Apr 29, 2026 · Passed 20–14 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • No

      Advanced Leak Detection Technology Rules

      In 2021, Senate Bill 21-108 "Concerning gas pipeline safety" was enacted, requiring the public utilities commission (commission) to adopt rules related to gas pipeline safety and repair, including rules related to advanced leak detection technology. The act requires the commission to adopt the rules regarding advanced leak detection technology on or before November 1, 2025. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

      Apr 3, 2025 · Failed 13–21 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All climate & energy votes
  • Housing & rent73 with · 2 against75 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Tenant Security Deposit Protections

      The act amends and makes additions to existing law concerning security deposits that tenants submit to landlords and the conditions under which a landlord may retain all or part of a security deposit. For the purposes of security deposits, the act expands the definition of "normal wear and tear".

      May 6, 2025 · Passed 19–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Residential Tenant Screening

      The act amends the definition of a "portable tenant screening report" (screening report) to specify that a prospective tenant using a housing subsidy is not required to include a credit history report, a credit score, or an adverse credit event with the tenant's screening report. The act also repeals language allowing a landlord to require a tenant to make a screening report directly available to the landlord through a consumer reporting agency or third-party website. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

      Apr 23, 2025 · Passed 19–16 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Accessibility Standards in Building Codes

      The act requires a board of county commissioners, a governing body of a municipality, or a regional building department operating through an intergovernmental agreement with a board of county commissioners or governing body of a municipality that adopts or substantially amends a building code or updates a building code with a succeeding version of the international building code to ensure that the building code meets or exceeds the accessibility standards in the International Building Code, and the adopted accessibility standards cannot provide less protection than what is required by the…

      Feb 26, 2025 · Passed 20–13 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All housing & rent votes
  • Transportation70 with · 0 against71 votes

    Most contested

    • No

      Modification of Certain Tax Expenditures

      The act adjusts several state tax expenditures as follows: Requires the state treasurer to transfer $45.6 million from the general fund to the state highway fund on July 1, 2026, and $96.4 million on each July 1 from July 1, 2027, through July 1, 2031; Prohibits certain local use tax ordinances, resolutions, or proposals from applying to construction and building materials used by a common rail carrier pursuant to a contract with the state, a political subdivision of the state, or a special district allowing the contracting government to use the carrier's property or tracks for the provision…

      May 12, 2026 · Failed 17–18 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • No

      Transportation Funding Adjustments

      Contingent upon voter approval at the November 2026 general election of a proposed initiative to amend the state constitution to change existing law on transportation funding and to increase the amount of state revenue dedicated to road transportation (proposed initiative), from January 1, 2027, through July 1, 2030, the act reduces: The excise tax on gasoline from $0.22 per gallon to $0.14 per gallon; The excise tax on special fuel from $0.205 per gallon to $0.13 per gallon; Certain vehicle registration fees, including late fees; and The road usage fees from $0.06 per gallon to $0.04 per…

      May 12, 2026 · Failed 14–21 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Transit and Housing Investment Zones

      The act creates the 'Transit Investment Area Act' to facilitate the financing of transit and rail station infrastructure. Specifically, the act: Allows a local government and a transit agency to jointly undertake a transit investment project.

      May 12, 2026 · Passed 22–13 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All transportation votes
  • Technology & privacy36 with · 2 against38 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Social Media Duty to Report & Search Warrants

      The act requires an operator of a social media platform (operator) to ensure that its social media platform provides a streamlined process to allow law enforcement agencies to contact the social media platform. The process must be available to law enforcement agencies at all times and make available a staffed hotline for the purposes of: Receiving and responding to questions about search warrants; Acknowledging the receipt of a search warrant within 8 hours after receipt; and Providing status updates on search warrant compliance to a requesting law enforcement agency.

      May 13, 2026 · Passed 18–17 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Online Add-on Transaction Fee Youth Service Enterprise

      The act requires each covered social media platform (covered platform) to impose a fee on each add-on transaction that occurs on the covered platform. The act creates the youth mental health services access enterprise in the behavioral health administration (BHA) to use the fee revenue to operate and fund programs that provide youth mental health services. The youth mental health services access enterprise constitutes an enterprise for purposes of section 20 of article X of the state constitution.

      May 13, 2026 · Passed 18–17 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Prohibit Surveillance Price & Wage Setting

      Surveillance data is defined in the act as data that is obtained through observation, inference, or surveillance of consumers or workers and that is related to personal characteristics, online behaviors, or biometrics of an individual or group, band, class, or tier to which the individual belongs. The definition of 'worker' in the act excludes federal and state employees and employees of public entities.

      May 6, 2026 · Passed 19–15 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All technology & privacy votes
  • Foreign affairs & defense2 with · 0 against2 votes

    Most contested

    • Yes

      Military Family Behavioral Health Grant Program

      The act expands the veterans mental health services program to provide grants to local nonprofit organizations to establish and expand community behavioral health programs that provide behavioral health services to service members, veterans, and family members of service members and veterans.

      Apr 4, 2025 · Passed 27–7 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    • Yes

      Protections for Veterans Seeking Benefits

      The act makes it a deceptive trade practice under the "Colorado Consumer Protection Act" for a person who consults with, advises, or assists a veteran in connection with a claim for veterans' benefits (veterans' benefits matter) to: Receive compensation in excess of the lesser of $9,200 or 25% of the amount of any past-due benefits the veteran actually receives after the person procures an increase in the veteran's monthly benefits; Receive compensation in connection with a claim filed prior to a veteran's release from active duty or within the one-year period following a veteran's release…

      Apr 15, 2025 · Passed 33–1 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

    All foreign affairs & defense votes

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 16 of 453 party-divided votes on file.

Most often on: Jobs & cost of living (11), Education & families (3), Rights & public safety (1)

  • Remove Exception to Marry with Judicial Approval

    A yes vote accepted the House's amendments to SB26-048 (Remove Exception to Marry with Judicial Approval). (AI-written)

    What it does: Current law requires an individual to be at least 18 years old in order to obtain a marriage license; except that a minor who is 16 or 17 years old may obtain a marriage license with judicial approval. The bill repeal…

    Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 13–10, Republicans 5–7

    May 13, 2026Official record ↗

  • 2027 Session Convening Date & Deadlines

    What it does: On the version voted May 12, 2026: Sets Monday, January 11, 2027 as the convening date of the 2027 legislative session and adds Joint Rule 22B, an alternative schedule of bill-filing, introduction and other legislativ…

    Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 19–4, Republicans 0–12

    May 13, 2026Official record ↗

  • Payment Card Networks' Fees

    What it does: An interchange fee is a fee established, charged, or received by a payment card network for the purpose of compensating an issuer for its involvement in an electronic payment transaction. The act states that a payment…

    Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 18–5, Republicans 0–12

    May 1, 2026Official record ↗

  • Payment Card Networks' Fees

    What it does: An interchange fee is a fee established, charged, or received by a payment card network for the purpose of compensating an issuer for its involvement in an electronic payment transaction. The act states that a payment…

    Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 18–4, Republicans 0–12

    Apr 29, 2026Official record ↗

  • State Public K-12 Education Funding

    What it does: The act requires the secretary of state to refer a ballot issue at the November 2026 general election to seek voter approval for the state, beginning in the 2026-27 state fiscal year, to retain and spend an amount of…

    Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 1–20, Republicans 12–0

    Apr 24, 2026Official record ↗

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.

SB26-093 · CO SENATE

Workers' Compensation Insurance Coverage Verification

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-093 (Workers' Compensation Insurance Coverage Verification) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

The act requires that an applicant for a building permit or a construction permit for a project with a total construction cost of more than $1 million (permit) file with the permitting agency, prior to commencing work under the permit, a signed declaration under penalty of perjury verifying that any person working under the permit maintains valid workers' compensation insurance coverage for the duration of the permit.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 23–12·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-172 · CO SENATE

Front Range Passenger Rail District

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-172 (Front Range Passenger Rail District) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

The act changes the boundaries of the front range passenger rail district (district) to include certain listed municipalities, any municipality whose governing body and, if necessary, electors, consent for the municipality to be included in the district, certain listed metropolitan districts, and any metropolitan district that is not within a municipality, whose governing body consents for the metropolitan district to be included in the district, and that is identified for inclusion in the district by a district board (board) resolution.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 25–10·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-131 · CO SENATE

Sports Betting Protections

YesVOTED

Motion: Concur (House amendments)

A yes vote accepted the House's amendments to SB26-131 (Sports Betting Protections). (AI-written)

Section 2 of the act prohibits a person that is licensed by the Colorado limited gaming control commission (commission) to operate an internet sports betting operation (internet sports betting operator) from: Accepting more than 6 separate deposits from an individual in a gaming day; or Initiating or sending mobile device push notifications or text messages to account holders in the state soliciting bets or deposits.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 28–7·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-131 · CO SENATE

Sports Betting Protections

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-131 (Sports Betting Protections) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

Section 2 of the act prohibits a person that is licensed by the Colorado limited gaming control commission (commission) to operate an internet sports betting operation (internet sports betting operator) from: Accepting more than 6 separate deposits from an individual in a gaming day; or Initiating or sending mobile device push notifications or text messages to account holders in the state soliciting bets or deposits.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 20–15·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-165 · CO SENATE

Species Conservation Measures

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-165 (Species Conservation Measures) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

For state fiscal year 2026-27, the act appropriates $5,000,000 from the species conservation trust fund (trust fund) in the state treasury for various wildlife conservation programs directed at conserving candidate species or species that are likely to become candidate species, as determined by the United States fish and wildlife service.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 34–1·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-115 · CO SENATE

Post-Conviction Relief for Certain Offenders

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-115 (Post-Conviction Relief for Certain Offenders) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

The act sets forth a process for a person in prison to petition within the next 3 years for resentencing and for a court to impose a new sentence if the petitioner is 60 years old or older at the time of filing the petition and has served at least 20 calendar years incarcerated for the offense.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 18–17·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-042 · CO SENATE

Revenue Classification Taxpayers Bill of Rights

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-042 (Revenue Classification Taxpayers Bill of Rights) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

Section 20 of article X of the state constitution (the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights or TABOR) defines 'fiscal year spending' as excluding 'collections for another government' and 'damage awards'. Although TABOR does not define either 'collections for another government' or 'damage awards', the TABOR implementing statutes define both terms. The act clarifies both of these definitions for state fiscal years commencing on or after July 1, 2025.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 23–12·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-187 · CO SENATE

Establishing Commission on Medicaid

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-187 (Establishing Commission on Medicaid) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

The act creates the commission on medicaid (commission) to develop recommendations regarding implementation of new federal medicaid policy changes that go into effect in 2026, 2027, and 2028 and to support Coloradans impacted by those policy changes.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 31–4·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-133 · CO SENATE

Colorado Artist Companies

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-133 (Colorado Artist Companies) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

The act creates the 'Colorado Artist Company Act', which authorizes a person in the state to create a limited liability company with a stated artistic mission (artist company), which artist company is subject to state law applicable to limited liability companies except where specified in the act.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 33–2·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗
SB26-035 · CO SENATE

Increase of Traffic Violation Penalties

YesVOTED

Motion: Repass (House amendments)

A yes vote repassed SB26-035 (Increase of Traffic Violation Penalties) with the House's amendments included. (AI-written)

The act increases the penalties for improperly passing a vehicle in a no-passing zone and clarifies that no-passing zones are indicated by a solid yellow line or line pavement markings. The act requires the Colorado department of transportation to prioritize installing signage on roadways with increased incidents of crashes resulting from illegal overtaking on the left.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Passed 32–3·Substantive·May 13, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 925 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.