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Hickenlooper signs $26 billion state budget

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the state’s roughly $26 billion budget into law on Friday. 

The budget received widespread support -- even though it didn’t put as much money into key programs as many wanted. Lawmakers were able to work around a more than half billion dollar shortfall and avoid deep cuts to hospitals. Gov. John Hickenlooper said the compromise bill to avoid the cuts was crucial to the overall budget.

“[It] allowed us to avoid a lot of draconian decisions that were in the original budget,” Hickenlooper said.

A bipartisan committee crafts the budget, and lawmakers praised the model for allowing the budget to come together in time and in balance. It goes into effect July 1. Hickenlooper didn’t veto any parts of the budget. Healthcare makes up the largest share of spending, followed by education.

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