In Colorado, signatures were submitted to the secretary of state's office on July 27 for a ballot initiative related to the allocation of sales tax revenue.
The measure, Initiative 308, would exempt sales tax revenue generated from the sale of sporting goods and equipment from the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) provision, which requires excess funds to be refunded to voters. Instead, the initiative would allocate that revenue to a newly created fund for environmental protection and wildfire prevention, called the Conserve and Protect Colorado's Water, Land, and Forests Fund.
The Colorado Secretary of State's office has until Sept. 2, 2026, to review the signatures to determine whether the petition contains at least 124,238 valid signatures, thereby meeting the minimum requirement to be placed on the ballot for Nov. 3, 2026.
Article X, Section 20(7)(d) of the Colorado Constitution requires non-exempt revenue that exceeds the limits of TABOR to be refunded to voters in the following fiscal year, unless they approve a ballot measure exempting such funds.
Speaking in support of the initiative, Western Resource Advocates said, "For many of us, we support initiatives like this because of the time spent in the state’s incredible landscapes — hiking 14ers, floating Colorado’s mighty rivers, spotting unique wildlife, or enjoying time outside with loved ones. Proposed Initiative 308, 'For Colorado Land and Water,' is an opportunity to continue that legacy, invest in our economy, and protect the Colorado we love from threats.
Speaking in opposition to the initiative, the Eco-Integrity Alliance stated, "Tragically, what this may mean is our state government has rubber stamped a Clearcut Initiative that would both shred Colorado’s wildlands and constitution into pieces while not only doing nothing to protect communities from wildfire but likely increasing the threat to our homes, livelihoods, and lives."
In 2025, voters in Colorado decided on a ballot measure — Proposition LL — to allow the state to keep $12.4 million in excess revenue and interest that would have been refunded under TABOR, along with future revenue from reduced income tax deductions, to fund the Healthy School Meals for All Program. Proposition LL was approved by voters, receiving 66.2% of the vote.
The last time voters decided on a statewide ballot measure related to wildlife preservation was in 2024. On Nov. 5, 2024, voters in the state considered Proposition 127, which would have defined and prohibited trophy hunting as "intentionally killing, wounding, pursuing, or entrapping a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx; or discharging or releasing any deadly weapon at a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx." Proposition 127 was defeated by voters, with 54.74% of the vote against it.
As of July 29, seven measures have been certified in Colorado to appear on the statewide ballot for Nov. 3. In addition to Initiative 308, another five measures are awaiting signature verification from the secretary of state's office. The signature submission deadline is Aug. 3.
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