State Legislatures Wrap Up 2026 Sessions in Colorado, West Virginia and Kansas

In 2026, several state legislatures concluded or began sessions with notable gubernatorial and legislative actions. In Colorado, Governor Jared Polis vetoed 12 bills from his own Democratic Party during the 2026 session, exceeding his prior record of 11 vetoes set in 2025, even though Democrats held majorities in both legislative chambers. In West Virginia, Governor Patrick Morrisey completed action on legislation from the state's 60-day session, which ran from January 14 to March 14, 2026, vetoing 12 bills and allowing 10 others to become law without his signature just before the midnight deadline. Of the 626 bills introduced in Colorado's 2026 session, 449 passed and Polis signed 436 into law; the vetoed bills touched on labor policy, criminal justice, public safety and business regulation. One veto drew public criticism from state Senator Yara Zokaie. In West Virginia, the Legislature sent 303 to 306 bills to Morrisey's desk, according to differing outlet counts, and a proposed measure known as Raylee's Law failed to pass for a fourth consecutive year. Morrisey's office reported that a 5% income tax reduction was built into the fiscal year 2027 budget, alongside a 3% pay raise for state employees and full funding for the HOPE Scholarship program, though his original request for a 10% income tax cut was not enacted. Separately, the Kansas Legislature opened its 2026 session in January, with Republican leaders Ty Masterson and Dan Hawkins and Democratic Governor Laura Kelly setting policy agendas ahead of her final State of the State address. The Colorado and West Virginia sessions have concluded, with governors having finished acting on all passed legislation. West Virginia sources show a minor discrepancy in the total number of bills sent to the governor's desk (303 versus 306), which remains unresolved. The Kansas session's outcomes, including final bill counts and gubernatorial actions, were not covered in the supplied reporting, as the available report describes only the session's opening. No further details on the specific content or fate of the West Virginia bills that became law without signature were provided.