The Colorado Senate on March 20 adopted committee reports from several standing committees and placed multiple bills and executive appointments on the consent calendar.

Committee actions reported to the floor included appointments to the Colorado Aeronautical Board and the Energy and Carbon Management Commission and favorable referrals for bills to appropriations and the committee of the whole. The committee of the whole reported Senate Bill 61 as amended passed on second reading and ordered engrossed and placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage. The committee reports were adopted by the Senate on voice vote and a subsequent roll call for the committee of the whole report was recorded as 33 ayes, 0 no, 0 absent, 1 excused, and 1 vacant.

Why it matters: the consent calendar and committee reports move multiple items forward in a single procedural step, allowing confirmations and noncontroversial bills to proceed to final passage or enrollment efficiently.

Key details: committees reported favorable action on a mix of bills (for example, Senate Bill 61 was amended and ordered for third reading) and recommended confirmations for appointive positions with specified term expirations (appointments to the Colorado Aeronautical Board and the Energy and Carbon Management Commission were among those reported). The committee of the whole reported that Senate Bill 145 and Senate Bill 185 were amended and passed second reading and placed for third reading, and House Bill 1173 also passed second reading and was placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage. Senate Bill 9 was laid over to March 21 and retained on the calendar.

Procedure and votes: the committee of the whole report was adopted; the clerk recorded a roll call of 33 ayes, 0 no, 0 absent, 1 excused and 1 vacant when the committee of the whole report was adopted.

What’s next: bills ordered for third reading will appear on the Senate calendar for final passage in the coming days; appointments placed on the consent calendar will proceed toward confirmation unless removed for separate consideration.