Colorado lawmakers on Thursday gaveled in for a special legislative session for the third straight year, this time to attempt to solve a $1 billion shortfall in the state budget.
State Democrats have blamed the financial squeeze on the Trump administration’s so-called big, beautiful bill. Republicans have said the deficit was caused by irresponsible spending, and some say a special session isn’t necessary.
It marks the fourth special session under Gov. Jared Polis and the 52nd in state history. We’re taking a look back at the other 51 – which date back to 1894 – here.
The last two special sessions were called to address property taxes. In 2024, Polis said he called the session ahead of two bills set to go before voters that he said would jeopardize funding for critical education services across Colorado. The year before, the session was called to address rising property taxes that came with skyrocketing home values.
In 2020, Polis convened lawmakers to address the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.
Other special sessions over the last 30 years have focused on some of the most prominent political issues: TABOR, marijuana sales, growth management and more. Previous special sessions have been called to address budget issues, consider the creation of government agencies, finance and tax issues and a slew of other topics.
In 1917, the state’s seventh special session convened to discuss World War I. Eighteen years later, a special session was called over the impeachment of Colorado’s Secretary of State.
Twice – in 1958 and 1978 – legislators have come together to discuss a grasshopper infestation in Colorado. Newspaper clippings from 1978 show the general assembly considered two bills: One concerning $3 million the state would allocate to combat the grasshopper plague and one covering liability in regards to a large-scale spraying operation in eastern Colorado.
The longest special session in state history happened in 1910, when legislators debated banking, election laws, a public service commission and a state railroad commission for 71 days. During the second special session held in 1991, lawmakers considered the reapportionment and school finance for 60 days. A special session hasn’t spanned more than five days since 2001. The 2017 session on marijuana retail sales tax was the shortest in state history at just two days.
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Here’s a look at all 51 special sessions in Colorado before this year’s that convened on Thursday:
Not seeing a table with the list below? Head here to see it fullscreen.