GREELEY — As Colorado lawmakers convene for the 2026 legislative session, small business owners and Republican legislators are sounding alarms about what they describe as an unsustainable accumulation of regulatory requirements.
Rep. Ryan Gonzalez expressed the concern directly at a University of Northern Colorado legislative preview: “Increasing taxes and regulations putting pressure on small businesses” remains a top worry for the state’s employer community.
Business advocates say the issue isn’t any single regulation but the combined weight of multiple mandates enacted over recent legislative sessions—from paid family leave requirements to workplace safety rules to environmental compliance obligations.
“Each individual regulation might seem reasonable in isolation,” said one small business owner at the UNC event, who asked not to be named. “But when you stack them all together, the compliance burden becomes overwhelming, especially for businesses without dedicated HR and legal staff.”
Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, suggested at the UNC preview that affordability concerns could create bipartisan opportunities, calling “making life more affordable” a Republican priority.
However, it remains unclear whether Democratic leadership views regulatory relief as part of their affordability agenda. House Majority Leader Monica Duran’s comments at the same event focused on “increasing wages” and “lowering costs” for families rather than reducing business compliance requirements.
With Democrats holding supermajorities in both chambers, business groups acknowledge limited leverage to block new regulations. Instead, they hope to influence implementation timelines and compliance thresholds to minimize disruption to employers.
The 120-day session runs through May.
