Colorado Legislature Passes Pro‑Union Bill Likely to Face Polis Veto

*TL;DR: Colorado lawmakers approved HB 1005, a bill that would eliminate the state’s 80‑year‑old second‑election requirement for union certification, and the measure is expected to be vetoed by Governor Jared Polis.

Context The Colorado General Assembly voted Friday to pass HB 1005, dubbed the Worker Protection Act by its sponsors. The bill seeks to repeal a century‑old rule that forces a second, super‑majority vote before a newly certified union can begin collective bargaining. Governor Jared Polis, who rejected an identical proposal last year, has signaled he will veto the measure again.

Key Facts - HB 1005 would remove the requirement that a second election, needing three‑quarters of workers’ approval, follow the initial simple‑majority vote that establishes a union. - The rule, unique to Colorado, was created to give employers an extra lever to stall union organization. - Senate sponsor Jessie Danielson called the rule “a very unique barrier that was designed to prevent people from joining unions.” - The bill passed along party lines, with Democratic legislators and labor unions in favor and Republicans, the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, and many business groups opposed. - Polis’ office reiterated that the legislation is unchanged from the version he vetoed last year and that no durable agreement between labor and business emerged. - This is Polis’ final year in office; sponsors say they will target the next governor if the bill is blocked.

What It Means If the veto stands, Colorado will retain the second‑election hurdle, preserving a mechanism that labor advocates argue weakens union bargaining power. The defeat would also underscore the growing divide between the governor’s office and Democratic lawmakers on labor policy, a rift that has produced multiple vetoes of worker‑protection bills in recent sessions. Union leaders are likely to intensify lobbying efforts with the incoming administration, hoping a new governor will endorse the repeal. The next legislative session will reveal whether the issue resurfaces or fades as attention shifts to other priorities.

What to watch next: The governor’s formal veto, the response from labor and business groups, and the stance of the 2026 gubernatorial candidates on the second‑election rule.