Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

CO Scorecard 2023

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Colorado General Assembly in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Senate

1. Virtual “Marriage or Civil Union” Licensing

Good Vote: No
HB23-1278 Virtual "Marriage or Civil Union" Licensing (passed 25 to 8 on 5/2/2023). Lets a county clerk and recorder issue a “marriage” or “civil union” license without the applicants appearing in person.

2. Taxpayer-Funded Preschool “Bonus Payments”

Good Vote: No
SB23-629 Taxpayer-Funded Preschool "Bonus Payments" (passed 28 to 3 on 4/19/2023). Creates “bonus payments” to incentivize participation in the Colorado universal preschool provider program.

3. Limiting “No-Knock” Warrants

Good Vote: Yes

SB23-254 Limiting “No-Knock” Warrants (passed 27 to 7 on 4/17/2023). Limits the issuance of a “no-knock search warrant” to a situation in which there is either probable cause for an arrest of a suspect or because of a “credible threat to the life of any person.”

4. Illegal Aliens as Law Enforcement Officers

Good Vote: No
HB23-1143 Illegal Aliens as Law Enforcement Officers (passed 31 to 4 on 4/10/2023). Permits recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to become law enforcement officers.

5. State-Sponsored Abortion and Sex Mutilation

Good Vote: No

SB23-189 State-Sponsored Abortion and Sex Mutilation (passed 22 to 13 on 4/4/2023). Requires certain health benefit plans to cover “abortion care” and “sterilization services,” while allowing “contraceptive procedures, supplies, or information” to be offered to minors without parental notification or consent.

6. Equal Pay Day

Good Vote: No

HJR23-1018 Equal Pay Day (passed 23 to 11 on 3/15/2023). Designates March 14, 2023, as “Equal Pay Day,” due to “the persistent problem of wage disparity” among “women, trans women, gender-expansive people, and women of color.”

Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Mark Baisley R SD-004 83% ++-+++
Jeff Bridges D SD-026 20% -.+---
Janet Buckner D SD-028 20% .-+---
James Coleman D SD-033 17% --+---
Lisa Cutter D SD-020 17% --+---
Jessie Danielson D SD-020 17% --+---
Thomas Exum D SD-011 17% --+---
Stephen Fenberg D SD-018 17% --+---
Rhonda Fields D SD-029 20% .-+---
Bob Gardner R SD-012 67% --++++
Joann Ginal D SD-014 17% --+---
Julie Gonzales D SD-034 17% --+---
Chris Hansen D SD-031 20% --+--.
Nick Hinrichsen D SD-003 20% -.+---
Sonya Jaquez Lewis D SD-017 17% --+---
Barbara Kirkmeyer R SD-023 60% +.--++
Chris Kolker D SD-027 17% --+---
Larry Liston R SD-010 50% --+-++
Paul Lundeen R SD-009 67% +--+++
Janice Marchman D SD-015 17% --+---
Dominick Moreno D SD-021 17% --+---
Kyle Mullica D SD-024 17% --+---
Rod Pelton R SD-035 60% +-.-++
Byron Pelton R SD-001 67% +-+-++
Kevin Priola R SD-025 33% --+-+-
Janice Rich R SD-007 50% +---++
Dylan Roberts D SD-008 17% --+---
Robert Rodriguez D SD-032 17% --+---
Cleave Simpson R SD-035 50% --+-++
Jim Smallwood R SD-004 67% ++--++
Tom Sullivan D SD-027 17% --+---
Kevin Van Winkle R SD-030 67% -+-+++
Perry Will R SD-005 33% +---+-
Faith Winter D SD-024 17% --+---
Rachel Zenzinger D SD-019 20% -.+---

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Republican 58%
Democrat 17.8%