DENVER (KDVR) — A controversial bill proposed by Gov. Jared Polis died in the Capitol on the last night of the legislative session after many Democrats said they wouldn’t support it.
The bill is SB23-213 known as the “Land Use” bill.
Polis introduced SB23-213 in March and the bill aimed at giving people more affordable housing options, allowing the development of housing like townhomes and duplexes in Colorado by getting rid of state zoning laws that only allow single-family housing development in most parts of the state.
This means certain towns and cities would have to allow denser forms of housing.
However, the bill went through several changes while being debated in the House and was constantly met with opposition.
Many cities in Colorado, including Denver, opposed that idea, raising concerns about violations of local control. State senators added a number of amendments and removed those provisions.
The bill passed the House on Friday with a vote of 37-28, but ultimately failed Monday night in the Senate.
FOX31 reached out to Polis’ office for comment on the bill failing:
“Governor Polis will continue his fight to better protect the property rights of homeowners and make Colorado more affordable to purchase or rent homes because changing the status quo isn’t easy. He is deeply disappointed that politics and special interests continue to delay delivering real results for aging Colorado seniors who want to downsize, young families who want to live close to their work and the communities where they grew up, and businesses struggling with workplace shortages because of artificially high housing costs. Governor Polis — in partnership with a broad coalition with the courage to take on the status quo — is deeply committed to addressing the higher and higher costs facing hardworking Coloradans across our state and the Governor is more confident than ever that reducing costly barriers to housing will prevail. The Governor remains committed to reducing the cost of housing for rent and purchase to save people money, improving our air quality, reducing traffic, improving water efficiency, and improving the quality of life in Colorado.”
Conor Cahill, press secretary for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis
The 2023 legislative session officially wrapped up on May 8.