HB 26-1419

HB 26-1419 is a Colorado bill that addresses an issue with over-refunds due to changes in federal tax policy affecting state revenues. The bill allows the state controller, along with other relevant offices, to calculate and adjust for any excess refunds given in fiscal year 2024-25 because of these unanticipated changes. This ensures that future refunds are adjusted fairly without being overly impacted by past miscalculations. Since it has been signed into law, this bill will now be implemented according to its provisions starting from the 2026-27 fiscal year onwards.

Official Summary

Section 20 of article X of the state constitution (TABOR) imposes a limitation on the amount of state fiscal year spending. If state fiscal year spending exceeds that limitation, the state is required to refund the amount of state fiscal year spending in excess of that limitation (TABOR refund). Under current law, if the state issues a TABOR refund for a state fiscal year, and the amount of that TABOR refund is greater than the amount of state fiscal year spending in excess of the limitation of state fiscal year spending for the state fiscal year (over-refund), the state reduces the amount of the next available TABOR refund by the amount of the over-refund.     Changes in federal tax policy in 2025 reduced the amount of state tax revenue for the 2025 tax year. Due to when this change in federal tax policy was signed into law, it was not reflected in the amount of state fiscal year 2024-25 spending, even though the change impacted the 2025 tax year. Accordingly, if the state controller certifies in September 2026 that state revenues for state fiscal year 2025-26 did not exceed the limitation on the amount of state fiscal year spending for that state fiscal year, the act directs the office of the state controller, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting and the department of revenue, to determine the amount of the over-refund for state fiscal year 2024-25, taking into account the impact on state revenues from the federal tax policy change. No more than one-half of this over-refund can offset future TABOR refunds for any single state fiscal year beginning with the 2026-27 state fiscal year.     $18,021 is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative department for use by the office of the state auditor to implement the act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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