This year, three amendments are being considered for ratification to the Colorado Constitution. The following has been compiled with information from the 2022 State Ballot Information Booklet and Ballotpedia. 

Amendment D: Designate judges to 23rd judicial district

In 2020, a bill was passed to create the 23rd Judicial District from the current 18th Judicial District. Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties were set to be moved from the 18th Judicial District to the new 23rd Judicial District.

If Amendment D passes, the governor would be required to appoint judges from the 18th District to the 23rd District. Those judges would have to establish their new residence in the 23rd District by Jan. 7, 2025, and will be able to serve the rest of their terms without disruption.

If Amendment D does not pass, there may be a disruption of court functions because the governor will not be required to appoint current judges to the new judicial district.

Amendment E: Extend homestead exemption to diseased veteran spouses

As of now, qualifying homeowners, including Colorado veterans who are permanently disabled and people aged 65 or over who have lived in a house they own for 10 or more years, qualify for 50% tax exemption from the first $200,000 of their property’s value.

If this amendment passes, it would extend the exemption to surviving spouses of military members who died while serving or from service-related injuries or diseases. The state will be required to reimburse county governments for lost revenue from the tax exemptions, which would increase Colorado’s expenditures by an estimated $525,000 annually beginning in 2023.

If this Amendment does not pass, the exemption will not be extended to surviving spouses and will only be available to disabled veterans and senior citizens.

Amendment F: Changes to charitable gaming operations

The Colorado Constitution currently requires charitable organizations to operate for five years before they can apply for a charitable gaming license, which allows the organization to host game events to raise funds. Charitable gaming can be bingo, raffles or similar activities.

If Amendment F passes, these organizations would be eligible to obtain a charitable gaming license after three years of operation instead of five through Jan. 1, 2025. After that, state legislature would be permitted to determine the number of years an organization is required to exist before it is eligible for a charitable gaming license.

Additionally, charitable organizations are prohibited from paying gaming operators for running games. Should Amendment F pass, game operators would be permitted to earn minimum wage through June 30, 2024, after which there will be no limit to their earnings. All proceeds from these games would be required to be used for lawful purposes by the organization.

Reach Andrea Donlucas at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @csucollegian.