Historically Small GOP Minority Spent Nearly 131 Hours Obstructing Legislative Work in the Final Weeks of 2023’s Legislative Session

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Colorado House Republicans’ claim that they were being “silenced” in 2023’s legislative session is belied by an analysis of floor time data.

The Colorado Democratic Party’s analysis of the floor time used for legislative business between the day Rule 14 was first invoked – March 25th – and Sine Die – May 8th – reveals that Republican members spoke more than twice as long as Democratic members.

In a direct contradiction of their complaints of being disallowed from speaking, the truth is that Republicans dominated floor discussion both with their comments and political tactics used to further their political message instead of delivering for working Coloradans.

Despite their historically small minority – holding just 19 of 65 seats in the House, or 29.2% – Republican members spoke for nearly 60% of the legislative discussion time on the floor in the final 37 days of the 2023 session.

This analysis flies in the face of statements from Colorado Republicans who claim to be silenced despite speaking twice as much as Democrats in just the final 37 days of the legislative session:

“Colorado Democrats are focused on improving the lives of Coloradans and the Colorado GOP are focused on playing political games and obstructing progress,” said CDP Chair Shad Murib. “As the Colorado General Assembly begins the 2024 legislative session, the Colorado GOP can’t have it both ways, and they should fess up to using DC-style obstruction tactics instead of fighting for working Coloradans.”