When a bill is introduced in the Colorado General Assembly, it is posted to the General Assembly website as the Introduced version. The word “Introduced” will appear in bold capital letters in the upper right corner of the first page of the bill. That version of the bill will continue to be used as the current version unless or until that bill passes Second Reading in that chamber.
Please note that it is common for people outside the Capitol who are following a bill through the legislative process to expect a bill version to be updated more frequently (sooner) than the process provides. Thus, it can be helpful to understand when a bill version can change.
Amendments that are approved by a committee of reference during a hearing are subsequently included in a Committee Report from that committee, rather than the bill itself. The chair of the committee will sign that report, which then advances with the Introduced version of the bill. If the bill passes out of the first committee of reference, then it could move to another committee of reference or to the Committee of the Whole (“COW”) of that chamber.
Amendments made by a committee of reference are effectively recommendations from that committee to the Committee of the Whole, meaning all members of that chamber. Then, if the bill moves to Second Reading, the Committee of the Whole determines by vote which amendments are ultimately made to the Introduced version of the bill.
If a bill passes Second Reading in the first chamber, then the next version of that bill would be posted to the General Assembly website as the Engrossed version.
If a bill passes Third Reading in the first chamber, then the next version of that bill would be posted to the General Assembly website as the Reengrossed version.
If a bill passes Second Reading in the second chamber, then the next version of the bill would be posted to the General Assembly website as the Revised version.
If a bill passes on Third Reading in the second chamber, then the next version of the bill would be posted to the General Assembly website as the Rerevised version.
A Rerevised version of a bill then becomes a Final Act, which is then signed by the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Chief Clerk of the House, and Senate Secretary to verify its passage through both legislative chambers. Final Acts are then sent to the Governor.
A Final Act that becomes law is then posted to the General Assembly website as a Signed Act.
Occasionally, a member of the General Assembly will request that a Preamended version of a bill be published. In such cases, a disclosure will appear below the word “Preamended” that states, “This unofficial version includes committee amendments not yet adopted on Second Reading”.