SB26-147 Allows Advocacy Day Lobbying, Requires Registration
Summary
Colorado SB26-147 creates an advocacy day framework allowing individuals to lobby on behalf of registered persons without professional lobbyist registration. The bill introduces a nonprofit advocate category requiring disclosure compliance, mandates judicial branch appointment of a legislative liaison, and requires all legislative/governor's liaisons to file monthly disclosure statements with the Secretary of State indicating bill numbers and positions, with 72-hour updates upon position changes. The bill passed Third Reading on April 22, 2026 on a 30-4 vote with 1 other.
“A person who will have an advocacy day participant lobby a covered official on their behalf during an advocacy day must register and file specified information with the general assembly for each advocacy day during which an advocacy day participant is expected to participate.”
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What changed
SB26-147 creates an advocacy day participant category exempt from professional lobbyist registration requirements, provided participants do not accept compensation, lobby outside a one-mile radius of the state capitol, or lobby on days other than the designated advocacy day. The bill introduces a nonprofit advocate classification for single-entity nonprofit lobbyists who must comply with professional lobbyist registration and disclosure requirements. Additionally, legislative liaisons, judicial lobbyists, and governor's lobbyists must now register annually with the Secretary of State and file monthly disclosure statements identifying bill numbers lobbied and their positions, updating within 72 hours of any position change.
Affected parties including nonprofits, government agencies with legislative liaisons, and individuals hosting advocacy days should monitor this legislation as it progresses. Nonprofits currently relying on informal lobbying may face new disclosure obligations if classified as nonprofit advocates. Government entities will need to designate required liaisons and implement monthly reporting processes to comply with the 72-hour position-update requirement.
Archived snapshot
Apr 23, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
SB26-147
Lobbyist Regulation
| Type | Bill |
|---|---|
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | State Government |
Concerning the regulation of lobbyists, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.
Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:
The bill allows a person to select a day (advocacy day) that individuals may lobby a covered official on the person's behalf (advocacy day participant). A person who will have an advocacy day participant lobby a covered official on their behalf during an advocacy day must register and file specified information with the general assembly for each advocacy day during which an advocacy day participant is expected to participate. An advocacy day may only occur if the person has filed the form and the general assembly is in a regular or special session.
An advocacy day participant is not a volunteer or professional lobbyist and is not required to annually register with the secretary of state or complete monthly disclosure statements. An advocacy day participant must not accept compensation for lobbying during an advocacy day, lobby on behalf of a person not registered with the general assembly, lobby outside of a one-mile radius of the state capitol, or lobby on a day other than that designated as an advocacy day.
The bill provides that a lobbyist exclusively employed by a single nonprofit entity who engages in lobbying of covered officials on behalf of the nonprofit entity as an incidental duty of the individual's role is a nonprofit advocate (nonprofit advocate). A nonprofit advocate is not a professional lobbyist but must comply with the registration and disclosure requirements of professional lobbyists.
Currently, each principal department must designate one person who is responsible for lobbying a state official or employee on behalf of the department (legislative liaison). The bill provides that the judicial branch must also have one legislative liaison who lobbies on the judicial branch's behalf (judicial lobbyist). A legislative liaison, a judicial lobbyist, or an individual who lobbies on behalf of the offices of the governor or lieutenant governor as a member of the governor's cabinet or as a personal staff employee in the offices of the governor or the lieutenant governor (governor's lobbyist) must register with the secretary of state annually.
In addition to annually registering with the secretary of state, a legislative liaison, judicial lobbyist, or a governor's lobbyist must file a monthly disclosure statement with the secretary of state (disclosure statement). The bill provides that a legislative liaison, judicial lobbyist, or a governor's lobbyist must indicate on the disclosure statement the bill number of any legislation for which they have lobbied or will lobby a covered official and their position regarding the legislation. The legislative liaison, judicial lobbyist, or a governor's lobbyist must update their position on the disclosure statement within 72 hours of a change in position.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Prime Sponsors
Lisa Cutter
Senator
Rod Pelton
Representative
Dusty Johnson
Representative
Meg Froelich
Committees
Senate
State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Appropriations
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Status
Under Consideration
Introduced
Under Consideration
Related Documents & Information
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/22/2026 | Reengrossed | |
| 04/21/2026 | Engrossed | |
| 03/25/2026 | Introduced |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/21/2026 | PA2 | |
| 04/02/2026 | PA1 |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 03/31/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/20/2026 | SA1 |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt amendment L.008 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment J.002 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer Senate Bill 26-147, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. | The motion passed on a vote of 7-0. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF | |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment E). | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment F). | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment G). | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer Senate Bill 26-147, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | The motion passed on a vote of 5-0. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF | |
| Date | Calendar | Motion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 04/22/2026 | Third Reading | BILL |
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/21/2026 | L.009 | Second Reading | Passed [**] | |
| 04/21/2026 | J.002 | SEN Appropriations | Passed [*] | |
| 04/21/2026 | L.008 | SEN Appropriations | Passed [*] | |
| 04/02/2026 | L.004 | SEN State, Veterans, & Military Affairs | Passed [*] | |
| 04/02/2026 | L.003 | SEN State, Veterans, & Military Affairs | Passed [*] | |
| 04/02/2026 | L.002 | SEN State, Veterans, & Military Affairs | Passed [*] |
- Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate.
** The status of Second Reading amendments may be subsequently affected by the adoption of an amendment to the Committee of the Whole Report. Refer to the House or Senate Journal for additional information.
| Date | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 04/22/2026 | Senate | Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/21/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor |
| 04/21/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 04/02/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Amended to Appropriations |
| 03/25/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs |
Prime Sponsor
Sen. L. Cutter | Sen. R. Pelton
Rep. M. Froelich | Rep. D. Johnson
Sponsor
Sen. J. Carson | Sen. M. Catlin | Sen. J. Gonzales | Sen. I. Jodeh | Sen. C. Kipp | Sen. C. Kolker | Sen. W. Lindstedt | Sen. L. Liston | Sen. J. Marchman | Sen. J. Rich | Sen. T. Sullivan
Rep. J. Bacon | Rep. C. Barron | Rep. S. Bottoms | Rep. M. Bradfield | Rep. J. Caldwell | Rep. C. Clifford | Rep. L. Goldstein | Rep. R. Gonzalez | Rep. E. Hamrick | Rep. A. Hartsook | Rep. J. Jackson | Rep. R. Keltie | Rep. M. Lindsay | Rep. B. Marshall | Rep. M. Martinez | Rep. C. Richardson | Rep. S. Slaugh | Rep. M. Soper | Rep. R. Stewart | Rep. T. Story | Rep. R. Taggart | Rep. B. Titone | Rep. E. Velasco | Rep. J. Willford | Rep. T. Winter | Rep. D. Woog | Rep. Y. Zokaie
Co-Sponsor
Sen. J. Coleman | Sen. J. Danielson | Sen. D. Roberts | Sen. R. Rodriguez | Sen. K. Wallace | Sen. M. Weissman
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