2026 Legislative Agenda: Advancing a Competitive, Pro-Business Climate for the Pikes Peak Region

Each year, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC develops a legislative agenda that reflects the priorities of our region’s employers and the realities of doing business in a growing, competitive economy. Our 2026 Legislative Agenda is informed by member input, data, and ongoing collaboration with public and private partners, and serves as a framework for our advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels.

The Chamber & EDC is focused on policies that support job creation, workforce stability, and long-term economic growth. We evaluate legislation through the following guiding principles:

• Free markets and competition ensure high service levels, innovation, and competitive pricing.
• Taxes, fees, and regulations must not stifle a thriving economy or pose undue burden on businesses, they should be narrowly focused on strategic and necessary goals, undergo a cost/benefit analysis resulting in a positive ratio, and be easy for businesses to understand and comply with.
• Proactive economic development programs help our community attract, retain, and expand businesses that provide high-quality jobs for our residents. These jobs, in turn, improve quality of life for residents.

For questions or additional information, contact Jeff Thormodsgaard, Vice President of Government Affairs, at JThormodsgaard@cscedc.com.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

As the largest and broadest based business advocate for our region, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC works to achieve economic prosperity and acts as a catalyst for business innovation and growth. The Chamber & EDC is actively involved in legislative and regulatory issues affecting our business community and communicates employer needs to elected officials and partners to build a positive business climate where companies of all kinds can thrive. We are nonpartisan and rely on data and member input to inform our policy priorities.

The Chamber & EDC evaluates policies based on the following guiding principles:

• Free markets and competition ensure high service levels, innovation, and competitive pricing.
• Taxes, fees, and regulations must not stifle a thriving economy or pose undue burden on businesses, they should be narrowly focused on strategic and necessary goals, undergo a cost/benefit analysis resulting in a positive ratio, and be easy for businesses to understand and comply with.
• Proactive economic development programs help our community attract, retain, and expand businesses that provide high-quality jobs for our residents. These jobs, in turn, improve the quality of life for residents.

2026 PRIORITIES

The Chamber & EDC will focus on legislation falling broadly into the following categories:

1. Combatting Childcare Deserts: Work to fight both the affordability and availability of childcare centers in the Pikes Peak Region by partnering with local and state stakeholders. By combatting cumbersome regulations, increasing availability, and stabilizing costs, we can both provide high quality childcare to those working in our economy while appealing to businesses, leaders, and employees looking to make Colorado Springs their home.
2. Support Proactive Housing Policy: Support increasing Attainable and Affordable workforce housing stock regionally and statewide. Housing policy must help the market meet our community’s talent needs and enhance the region’s ability to compete nationally for growth opportunities. Housing policies should remove barriers to construction and incentivize development instead of placing new costs on buyers and renters. Policies should encourage cooperation and partnership between all levels of government, the private sector, and nonprofit entities to bring more units to market for all income levels.
3. Improve and Protect the Business Regulatory Climate: Work to ensure that job creators are supported with a common sense, stable, and business friendly regulatory environment. We will contest unnecessary or burdensome regulation that unfairly hinders employers as they work to grow, hire, and thrive in our community. Policies should be built on incentives and allow employers flexibility to implement them in a way that best fits their unique operational environments, rather than on rigid mandates and punitive fine structures. We will press for fair and balanced guidelines where regulation is appropriate, so the business community or specific industries are not unfairly or disproportionately impacted. Regulations must be realistic, effective, efficient, and enforceable.
4. Ensure Good Governance, Efficiency, and Transparency: Responsive, efficient, effective government provides the infrastructure upon which businesses grow and thrive. We must have transparent and predictable processes for licensing, inspections, and any other government requirement that would affect an employer’s operations. We are vigilant in protecting against inefficient government spending and advancing greater government accountability.