As 2026 kicks off, Congress looks to be on the brink of an impossible task: passing all FY 2026 appropriations legislation and avoiding a shutdown at the end of the month. However, the finish line has not yet been crossed, and policymakers must address potential obstacles in the House and Senate. Our team analyzes the status of funding bills, discusses possible last-minute dealmaking and outlines what to expect as negotiations for FY 2027 approach.

The economic impacts of President Trump’s tariff policy have long overshadowed another possible headwind that faces importers, contractors and those reliant on global supply chains: the legal risk. Our team of trade and legal professionals goes beyond the Supreme Court case to discuss possible refunds if the courts rule against the White House, as well as what to expect from the White House and Congress through 2026 after a decision.

The 2026 Colorado legislative session kicks off Jan. 14—with legacy-building, budget battles and big policy debates ahead. Tune in as Brownstein’s Sarah Mercer, Jia Meeks, Cooper Reveley and Sloane Whelan share expectations and answer larger questions about what’s at stake heading into 2026.

Welcome to the Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck podcast series. Please listen in as Brownstein’s Greg Vallin and Amy Diaz bring back Jennifer Blum to discuss the Minerals Notification Act.

With the recent off-year election in the rear view, eyes are now turning to the 2026 cycle. And in Colorado, that means sorting citizen-initiated measures that make the ballot next year. Colorado’s ballot measure process is one of the most direct and impactful tools for shaping state policy—and also one of the most complex.

Join Brownstein’s David Meschke and Sarah Mercer as they walk through the constitutional and statutory framework and timeline governing statewide citizen initiatives and offer insights into recent trends, legal challenges and strategic considerations for drafting, advocating for or opposing ballot questions. They also cover key differences and considerations for county and municipal ballot measures, which play an increasingly important role in local governance.

It’s been a big week on Capitol Hill for congressional appropriators. To reopen the government, the Senate has passed a legislative package that includes multiple appropriations bills and a continuing resolution to fund all other parts of the government. As the bill now heads to the House, our team discusses the content of the legislation and what the government funding process looks like moving forward.

As the Republican-controlled Congress ramps up investigations into education, emerging technology, democratic fundraising, foreign influence and regulatory enforcement, new risks have arisen for industry members. Our team of oversight policy professionals dive into what this means for agencies, contractors and other stakeholders, and how things could change approaching the 2026 midterms.

Colorado is rolling up its sleeves to try to solve the home attainability challenge and master-planned communities will be at the forefront. In this episode, Brownstein’s Greg Vallin sits down with well-known real estate brokers Mike Kboudi and John Covert, both from Cushman and Wakefield, to dive into the forces shaping residential development across the Front Range.

Permitting has long been a concern of those in the energy extraction and production sectors. Long review periods drive up the costs and delay profits in both the renewable and fossil fuel industries. Today our team discusses the history of both parties’ efforts to fix this process, options that have been proposed by the current Congress and administration, and what to watch leading up to 2026.

There are important practical considerations for development projects with severed mineral interests. Tune in as Brownstein’s Amy Diaz and Greg Vallin talk to attorney Jennifer Blum, founder of Blum Law and Title, to understand the complex legal history and modern-day headaches of “split estates,” and learn how developers can avoid pitfalls that slow down project timelines and ruin budgets.