Budget balanced (for now), AI decisions punted, relationships ruptured: What went down during special session

The giant tax-cuts-and-spending package passed by Congressional Republicans will have major ramifications for every state in the country, but Colorado is one of the first place it's really being felt. Thanks to the state's unusual way of handling its finances, the federal tax cuts immediately threw Colorado's finances way out of whack.

That was the main reason lawmakers recently came back to the Capitol in August for a high temperature, high stakes special session. But grueling fights over AI regulations and a painful public confrontation between House leaders at times made the budget debates feel like a secondary concern.

CPR’s Bente Birkeland, The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul and KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods discuss the bills that did, and did not, make it past the finish line over the six-day special legislative session. They also dig into the growing chasm between the two caucuses in the House, and what it could mean for  the regular session in the new year. 

Read CCNA special session coverage:

• From CPR News: Colorado House condemns former GOP lawmaker for unprofessional behavior
• From The Colorado Sun: What the Colorado legislature did during its special session to tackle a $750M budget hole
• From KUNC News: Colorado Democrats move to protect SNAP benefits and Planned Parenthood care
• From The Colorado Sun: Colorado lawmakers abandon special session effort to tweak AI law, will push back start date to June 2026
• From CPR News: Are legislative special sessions even special any more?

Purplish is produced by CPR News and the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS, and The Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf and its editor is Megan Verlee, sound designed and engineered by Shane Rumsey. The theme music is by Brad Turner.