Richardson - Colorado HD56 Representative

This week’s Richardson Report is about protecting what matters: Colorado’s outdoor heritage, rural economy, and fiscal future.

Inside: why constitutional protection for hunting and fishing is a necessary response to Colorado’s shifting wildlife politics — and why the latest state revenue forecast proves one hard truth: “Better” is not the same thing as “good.”

Colorado needs discipline, restraint, and a renewed focus on jobs, affordability, agriculture, and the people who still build, grow, hunt, fish, ranch, and work for a living.

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Happy Father’s Day to the men who show up.

To the dads, stepdads, grandfathers, mentors, and father figures who teach, protect, provide, discipline, encourage, and love — thank you.

Strong fathers help build strong families. Strong families help build strong communities. And strong communities help hold a nation together.

Fatherhood is not about perfection. It is about presence, sacrifice, responsibility, and love in action.

Today, we honor the men who carry that calling with quiet strength and steady hearts.

Happy Father’s Day. Your impact lasts for generations.

“Better” is not the same thing as “Good.”

Today’s June state revenue forecast looks better than the March forecast, but no one should confuse that with a healthy state financial position.

The improvement is being propped up by stronger than expected income tax payments, one-time transfers, reduced reserve requirements, accounting assumptions, and legally dubious legislation to reduce future TABOR refunds. That is not structural strength. That is budget duct tape.

The warning signs are still flashing: weak job growth, slowing consumer spending, higher household debt, inflation pressure, no expected interest rate relief in 2026.

Of note, rural Colorado is not sharing evenly in any “better” statewide forecast. The Eastern Plains are being squeezed by drought, inflation, input costs, weak labor growth, and housing uncertainty, while temporary project-based construction activity masks deeper stress in agriculture and Main Street businesses. , and serious risk to rural Colorado from drought, rising input costs, and a weakening agricultural economy.

On a statewide basis, when the forecast looks ahead and includes realistic obligations, Medicaid, school finance, higher education, state employee compensation, and capital needs, Colorado could be more than $300 million short of its reserve requirement.

So yes, the forecast is better than feared.

But better is not good.

Colorado does not need more spending promises. It needs discipline, restraint, and a serious focus on jobs, affordability, and economic growth.

See the full report here: https://buff.ly/Ak2Fy0F

Colorado’s Budget Problem Is a Jobs Problem

Colorado cannot tax, fee, or subsidize its way out of a weak employment picture. If we want a stable state budget, we need more Coloradans working, earning, building businesses, and moving up the economic ladder.

As Ranking Member of the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee, I have seen clearly that Colorado is moving in the wrong direction. Too often, the legislature treats employers as an endless source of revenue, compliance, mandates, and paperwork. Then we act surprised when hiring slows, small businesses struggle, and the state budget gets tighter.

Employment is one of the strongest drivers of Colorado’s budget. When more people are working, the state collects more income tax and sales tax. Families are more independent. Businesses are stronger. Fewer people need government assistance.

When employment weakens, the state gets hit twice: revenues fall while demand rises for Medicaid, unemployment benefits, housing assistance, food assistance, and other safety-net programs.

Colorado’s labor market is not collapsing, but the warning lights are flashing. In April 2026, Colorado’s unemployment rate was 3.9%, still below the national rate of 4.3%. That sounds acceptable on the surface. But labor-force participation has weakened, falling from 66.6% in December 2025 to 65.2% in April 2026.

That matters. A low unemployment rate can hide real weakness if people are leaving the workforce altogether. Colorado does not benefit from a smaller workforce. Our budget is strongest when more people are working, producing, spending, and paying taxes.

The stakes are real. Colorado’s General Fund depends heavily on individual income tax and sales tax. Those dollars fund schools, roads, public safety, corrections, higher education, health care, and human services. If 25,000 Coloradans lose jobs averaging $60,000 per year, that is roughly $1.5 billion in lost wage income. That means tens of millions less in state income tax revenue before the broader economic effects are even counted.

Meanwhile, Medicaid and human services costs are already putting enormous pressure on the budget. Fewer workers paying into the system while more people qualify for services is a dangerous fiscal cycle.

The solution is not complicated, but it does require discipline. Colorado must reduce regulatory and compliance costs, stop passing labor mandates that discourage hiring, protect small businesses, measure whether state programs grow private-sector wages or simply expand dependency, and watch labor-force participation, not just headline low unemployment.

A strong workforce is the best budget solution available. More work means more revenue, less dependency, stronger families, and healthier communities. A weak labor market means less revenue, higher costs, and harder choices for schools, roads, Medicaid, corrections, and public safety.

As I travel the district this summer and fall, I will be talking directly with employers, workers, farmers, ranchers, local leaders, and Main Street businesses about what is holding Colorado back. My goal is simple: identify the most immediate and impactful changes we can bring forward in next year’s legislative session to strengthen work, support employers, grow wages, and restore fiscal common sense at the Capitol.

Standing up for rural Colorado—and protecting your rights.

This week’s Richardson Report reviews the 2026 legislation affecting our farmers, ranchers, rural businesses, water infrastructure and private property. It also explains the complicated new requirements Colorado gun owners will face under SB25-003 beginning August 1.

These policies have real consequences for the people and communities of House District 56. Stay informed, know what is changing, and help spread the word.

Read and share the latest Richardson Report: https://buff.ly/Ub6q0qO

SB25-003: A Complicated New Barrier to Purchasing Common Fi****ms

Beginning August 1, 2026, Coloradans seeking to purchase many common semiautomatic fi****ms will face an entirely new system of government authorization, mandatory training, testing, fees, background checks, and administrative approval. What began as a very bad piece of legislation is becoming a easily foreseen implementation nightmare.

SB25-003 applies to a broad category of fi****ms, including many semiautomatic rifles that accept detachable magazines, certain semiautomatic shotguns, and some gas-operated semiautomatic handguns. These are not rare or unusual fi****ms. Available ownership data suggest that hundreds of thousands, and potentially more than one million, covered fi****ms may already be lawfully owned by Colorado citizens.

The law does not ban continued possession of fi****ms acquired before August 1. Existing owners are not required to register those fi****ms or complete the new training simply to keep them. However, purchases and transfers occurring on or after August 1 will generally be subject to the new requirements.

The implementation process is concerningly complex. The state’s application system is not scheduled to open until 9:00 a.m. on July 20. This is just twelve days before the law takes effect. Applicants must obtain authorization through the sheriff’s process, pay required fees, complete a background review, locate an approved instructor, and complete either a four-hour course or a 12-hour course conducted over at least two days. They must then pass the required examination and practical component, and the instructor must enter the completion into the state system before the purchase can proceed.

Even a law-abiding citizen who begins the process the moment the portal opens may encounter delays caused by sheriff processing times, limited instructor availability, full classes, travel distances, technical problems, or delays in reporting course completion. Some rural residents may face particularly significant challenges.

The effective date also creates a trap for purchases made immediately before August 1. The law applies not only to the purchase, but also to the transfer of a covered firearm. Therefore, paying for or beginning a transaction before August 1 may not be enough if the firearm is not actually delivered until August 1 or later.

Anyone already considering the lawful purchase of a covered firearm should act soon. To allow time for Colorado’s three-day waiting period and dealer processing, purchasers should begin the transaction no later than July 27, 2026, and earlier would be safer, so the firearm can be lawfully transferred and taken into possession before August 1.

For more information check with your Sheriff’s Office and/or the CPW website at: https://buff.ly/e2mIztE

Specified Semiautomatic Fi****ms Starting August 1, 2026, you must complete a fi****ms safety course before purchasing or transferring a Specified Semiautomat

Today we celebrate birthday of the United States Army and Flag Day. The stars and stripes our Soldiers have carried, defended, and raised in every generation.

In America’s 250th year, we remember that freedom is not inherited by accident. It is preserved by patriots.

God bless our flag.
God bless the United States Army.
And God bless the United States of America. 🇺🇸

I’m proud to have earned an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association for my defense of the Second Amendment and Coloradoans’ right to self-defense.

Our right to keep and bear arms is constitutional, fundamental, and worth protecting — and I will continue standing strong for responsible gun owners, hunters, and sportsmen across House District 56.

Another great Elizabeth Stampede is in the books!

A heartfelt thank you to the countless volunteers, stock contractors, sponsors, contestants, rodeo royalty, first responders, vendors, and fans who make this event one of the highlights of the year. Events like the Stampede don't happen by accident. They happen because dedicated people invest their time, talent, and hard work to create something special for our community.

The Elizabeth Stampede is more than just a rodeo. It is a celebration of the values that built the American West: hard work, personal responsibility, courage, faith, family, and a deep connection to the land. Rodeo preserves a way of life that remains vital to Colorado's rural communities and agricultural heritage.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in continuing this proud tradition. Your efforts help ensure that future generations can experience and appreciate the western heritage that has shaped our communities for generations.

See you next year at the Elizabeth Stampede! 🤠🐎🇺🇸

This week’s Richardson Report focuses on the issues that matter most to House District 56, protecting rural Colorado, standing up for taxpayers, strengthening our local economy, and pushing back when state government moves in the wrong direction. As I continue traveling the district and listening to employers, workers, families, veterans, and local leaders, one thing remains clear: Colorado needs common-sense leadership rooted in accountability, affordability, and respect for the people we serve.

Read the full Richardson Report here: https://buff.ly/ubR9JRI