HB 23-1173

HB 23-1173 is a Colorado bill that proposes changing how members of the transportation commission are chosen. Currently, the governor appoints all 11 members with Senate approval. Starting in February 2027, if voters approve this change, nine new commissioners will be elected by Coloradans: one from each congressional district and one who represents the entire state. This means that instead of being appointed, future transportation commissioners would be directly elected by voters starting in November 2026. The bill has been signed into law but needs voter approval to take effect.

Official Summary

The transportation commission (commission) currently consists of 11 members appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate from statutorily designated districts. If the bill is approved by the voters of the state at the November 2024 general election, on February 1, 2027, section 2 of the bill will replace the current membership of the commission with 9 members elected at the November 2026 general election, one from each congressional district of the state and one from the state at large. Thereafter, whenever the number of congressional districts in the state is odd, the membership of the commission will consist of one member elected from each congressional district of the state, and whenever the number of congressional districts in the state is even, the membership of the commission will consist of one member elected from each congressional district of the state and one member elected from the state at large. Commission members' terms are 4 years; except that: The initial terms of the members elected at the 2026 general election from the first, third, fifth, and seventh congressional districts and the initial term of the member elected from the state at large are 2 years; and Whenever congressional redistricting changes the number of congressional districts from even to odd, the term of the member of the commission elected from the state at large who is serving on the effective date of the redistricting ends upon the commencement of the terms of the members of the commission elected at the first general election held after the redistricting occurs. The governor is required to fill any vacancy that may occur in the commission. An individual appointed to fill a vacancy remains a member of the commission until the next general election and until the individual's successor is elected and duly qualified. On and after February 1, 2027, each member of the commission elected from a congressional district must actually reside in the congressional district that the member represents and any member elected from the state at large must actually reside in the state. If a member elected from a congressional district ceases to reside in the district or a member elected from the state at large ceases to live in the state, the member shall be deemed to have resigned as a member of the commission. On and after February 1, 2027, section 1 requires the commission to select the executive director of the department of transportation and specifies that the executive director serves at the pleasure of the commission; except that the executive director appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate who is serving as of February 1, 2027, remains the executive director until the commission appoints a successor, which the commission is required to do no later than July 1, 2027. Sections 3 through 11 make conforming amendments to the "Uniform Election Code of 1992" to ensure that candidates for the commission and members of the commission are treated similarly to candidates for and members of the state board of education and the regents of the university of Colorado with respect to membership on party committees, nomination as candidates, resolution of tie vote situations, election contests, and campaign finance disclosure requirements.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)