From speed cameras to vaccine policy to ketchup packets, which of the laws passed by the 2026 legislature will actually be affecting people’s daily lives, five or ten years from now. That’s the question that launches our session wrap up conversation. But in a year when new policies often took a backseat to painful budget realities, there were also lots of politics to keep things interesting.

Catch up on our latest coverage:

CPR News: Lawmakers pass dozens of bills as 2026 session wraps up
CCNA: 101 bills that passed and failed in Colorado’s legislature this year that you need to know about
CPR News: Colorado lawmakers ask voters to consider giving up TABOR refunds to fund schools
CPR News: Polis says he will sign pared down AI bill that passed overnight
Colorado Sun: Colorado lawmakers reject bill that would have required legislative caucuses to report their donors
KUNC: Colorado legislature passes bill to allow lawsuits against ICE agents, other immigration officers

Purplish is produced by CPR News and the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS, and The Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state. Startup funding for the Alliance was provided, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. The theme music is by Brad Turner. Megan Verlee is the executive producer.