Lawmakers expected to debate budget shortfall; Should Colorado charge fees on large employers that don’t insure all workers?

Headlines Tuesday, March 24, 2026

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    03-24-2026 Headlines KGNU News

Lawmakers expected to debate budget shortfall

Colorado lawmakers are working to finalize the state’s budget and fill a billion and a half dollar shortfall. The state’s latest economic forecast showed a worsening economy. Coupled with much higher state costs for Medicaid, Colorado is looking at steep cuts. 

Republican Assistant House Minority Leader Ty Winter blames Democratic policies that he says make it harder for people to find good paying jobs, saying, “They have to be hooked on government money and government subsidies like a drug. And they don’t want to be, they’re proud people, they want to work, but when you have nowhere to go and no job to be in, then you’re relegated to be on these programs.”

Democrats say higher costs for medical care and more Medicaid recipients using programs are driving cost increases. Lawmakers are expected to debate the budget in the coming weeks.

This story was reported by the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.

 

Should Colorado charge fees on large employers that don’t insure all workers?

Rep. Lisa Feret from Arvada has a plan to fill the gap between the state’s medicaid funding and increasing medicaid costs. House Bill 1327 would require some large companies to pay $2,300 for each worker whose pay is low enough to qualify for Medicaid. The goals of the fee would be to provide money to the state to support Medicaid providers and to encourage employers to offer health care to more of their employees.

According to legislative analysis, at least 25,000 Coloradans on Medicaid work for companies that would be impacted by the bill. Those companies include Walmart, Amazon, and Target. Other states, like New Jersey, Washington, and Oregon, are looking at similar ideas.

Feret said she planned to amend the bill to include additional reporting requirements, so the state could monitor how the large companies were adapting. Watching how the workforce is impacted.

Large employers are opposed to the bill. Katie Wolf, of the Colorado Retail Council, said: “The way that taxes work currently is that everyone pays in and a lot of that money goes to Medicaid now, so I would say all these companies are paying their fair share and what they’re supposed to be paying to cover employees.”

HB-1327 is set for its first committee hearing on Tuesday. If passed, the measure would take effect in Aug 2028.

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‘24’ wildfire surpasses 7,300 acres

A wildfire broke out south of Colorado Springs near Fort Carson on Wednesday, shutting down the state highway on the west side of Fort Carson. The fire is being dubbed the “24 fire” and is currently at 0% containment. 

Fort Carson officials said, “Sunday evening, fire crews were successfully able to tie in all control lines, boxing in the fire. As of this morning, control lines remain strong. Due to a combination of backburn operations and fire activity, the 24 Fire along Highway 115 now stands at approximately 7,385 acres and 0% containment. Backburning is a technique in which crews deliberately set fires along firebreaks in order to reduce potential fuel for the wildfire, slowing or preventing the spread of flames. Smoke will continue to be visible in the area as crews work to contain the fire. Highway 115 is expected to remain closed at least through Friday, but will be reevaluated daily.”

Evacuation orders were lifted yesterday afternoon for residents who were ordered to leave, per the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The area previously under evacuation will now shift to pre-evacuation status, and the area previously under pre-evacuation has been cleared.

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National Parks struggle to comply with sign removal

Trump administration officials say they’re “restoring truth and sanity to American history” for the nation’s 250th birthday.

In national parks, that means removing information from signs and exhibits that they say “disparage” American historical figures, and those that don’t focus on the “beauty, abundance, or grandeur” of natural features.

New data leaked from the Department of the Interior shows parks in our region questioning what does and doesn’t qualify under the executive and secretarial orders, creating confusion about how to present history and nature to visitors

At Rocky Mountain National Park, officials asked for guidance on signs that highlighted the impacts of shorter winters on the Alpine tundra ecosystem. 

Ean Thomas Tafoya is the vice president of state programs for advocacy group GreenLatinos, and a host on KGNU’s Metro. He says by removing the information that helps people understand and engage with their public lands, the DOI is depriving them of the opportunity to get more involved.

He says these actions mirror those at other agencies, like removing historical climate and environmental justice data.

 

You can hear daily headlines on the Morning Magazine, KGNU’s weekday morning show, with coverage of local and regional public affairs and news with headlines and commentary. Click here to listen to full episodes of the Morning Magazine.

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