DENVER - Today, Governor Polis delivered his 2025 State of the State address, highlighting Colorado's future plans on the issues Coloradans care about most, including efforts to reduce housing costs, keep Colorado's vibrant communities safe and clean, strengthen Colorado's economy, save people money, and enhance the Colorado way of life.

"The State of our State is strong, but we need to work together to reduce the cost of living and improve public safety. Today more than ever, Colorado is a beacon of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity. In the Free State of Colorado, we are doubling down on our efforts to save people money on housing, keep our neighborhoods and communities safe, invest in our students, strengthen our economy and workforce, and more allowing all Coloradans to thrive," said Governor Polis.

Saving people money and improving access to housing Coloradans can afford near reliable and safe transportation options remain top priorities for Governor Polis and for hardworking Coloradans.

"In Colorado, we say yes to more housing, yes to unlocking prosperity, and yes to opportunity for Coloradans for every budget. To narrow the housing gap between supply and demand, we must continue to expand choices, reduce red tape, speed up timelines, and reduce costs for new housing to come on the market," said Governor Polis.

Building on last year's success, including giving Coloradans the right to build an ADU on their own property, removing unfair occupancy limits, allowing seniors to downsize, and discouraging frivolous lawsuits that delay housing, Governor Polis called upon the legislature to help encourage innovation in modular housing solutions, empower buildings to create smart stair apartments and homes, and allow faith-based and community organizations to use land they have to build housing Colorado needs.

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In his address, Governor Polis emphasized his commitment to continue cracking down on crime to make Colorado one of the top ten safest states.

"Nothing communicates genuine quality of life better than a safe and secure community. Three years ago, I established the bold goal of making Colorado one of the ten safest states in the country. And we got right to work…but to make Colorado the frontrunner in public safety, there's more work ahead including more funding for police and harsher penalties for gun theft," said Governor Polis.

Thanks to Democrats and Republicans coming together between 2023 and 2024 to make important investments, Colorado crime dropped across nearly every measured category. Governor Polis's budget proposes investing $7.6 million to increase the bed cap for youth detention to increase bed capacity across the state and provide more services for at-risk youth as well as strengthening the emergency dispatch system to ensure first responders can get to where they're needed without delay. The Governor also recently announced nearly $2 million in grants to strengthen public safety and crisis intervention across the state, as well as an additional $3 million to prevent and reduce crime in Colorado communities.

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Governor Polis also discussed the importance of ensuring every Colorado student had access to a high-quality education.

"We have a responsibility to guarantee every Colorado student has access to a quality education. This requires creating innovative pathways for students and schools to succeed; no excuses, no exceptions," said Governor Polis.

Governor Polis's budget fully funded K-12 schools in Colorado for the first time since 2009, Colorado updated the school finance formula to be student-focused, and Governor Polis signed a law to make the first two years of college free for more Colorado students. Governor Polis outlined his commitment to building on this work to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education that equips them with the skills needed to succeed in the classroom and in the workforce.

Read the full text of the speech as prepared for delivery and watch the full speech on the Governor's Facebook page.

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