The controversy centers on Propositions 134 and 135, which require student athletes to compete on teams aligning with their biological sex and prohibit gender-affirming surgeries for minors, respectively. Both passed with narrow margins—52.19% and 51.92%—in an election where Democrats otherwise dominated statewide races. A third measure, Proposition 132, which increases penalties for fentanyl possession, has also drawn concerns from Weiser and Democratic lawmakers.

In a joint statement Monday, House Republicans accused Democratic leaders of seeking to override the will of voters. “As a governing body, we are meant to serve the people who have entrusted us with leadership positions,” the statement read. “We are certainly not elected to serve our own wants and needs by overlooking the decisions of the governed. Elected officials are trusted to represent the people, not act as rulers over them.”

The Republicans called on Weiser and the Democratic majority to respect the election outcome. “We call on Governor-elect Phil Weiser and the Democrat majority to respect our Republic, respect the Constitution, and respect the Colorado voters,” they said. “If the Democrats truly believe there should be ‘No Kings’ in America, it is time they take their own advice.”

The criticism followed comments Weiser made to reporters on election night, where he argued that some initiatives may be incomplete or unworkable without legislative refinement. “It’s important that we recognize that sometimes, something is passed and it is incomplete. It is not administrable,” Weiser said. “Anytime you have a ballot measure that is statutory, it is a natural and, I believe, appropriate role for the legislature to say, ‘What are the adjustments that need to be added?’”

State Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Adams County, told 9News that lawmakers and advocacy groups will explore options if the measures take effect. “If the measures pass, lawmakers will have to explore their options with advocacy groups before deciding whether to pursue legislation to limit their impact,” Garcia said, adding that “nothing is off the table.” She later told Colorado Politics, “We will figure out how to address these ballot measures to ensure that we uphold our commitment and values of love and acceptance and a state free of discrimination because of who you are.”

Colorado’s Constitution allows lawmakers to amend or repeal citizen-led statutory initiatives with a simple majority vote, while constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority. Lawmakers have used this power in recent years—passing a cleanup bill in 2017 after voters changed the primary election system, and establishing a regulatory framework in 2023 for the natural medicine industry after voters legalized therapeutic psilocybin.

The Colorado Democratic Party issued a statement after the passage of Props 134 and 135, calling the results “painful” for transgender students and their families. “To transgender students wondering what this means for their place in Colorado: you belong here,” the party said. “We thank the families and advocates who shared their stories, often at real personal cost. Colorado Democrats will keep standing with them as this law is implemented and challenged, and we will keep working to make sure every student is treated with care and respect.”

Families Not Politics, a coalition opposed to the measures, invoked the state’s early 1990s “Hate State” era, when Colorado passed a ballot measure banning antidiscrimination protections for LGBT people. “The people who lost that election did not disappear, and they did not accept that a majority vote had settled the question of whose rights mattered,” the coalition wrote. “They organized, challenged the law, cared for one another, and helped build a very different Colorado. We inherited the state they fought for. These results are a painful reminder that their work is not finished.” The group vowed to exhaust every option to “defend our rights” and work toward a Colorado where transgender students “are allowed to be kids, not political symbols.”

Protect Kids Colorado, the organization behind the initiatives, celebrated their passage. “I could not be prouder of the everyday Coloradans who came together to make this happen,” said founder Erin Lee. “People from every corner of our state gave what they could—time, treasure, courage and conviction—because our children are worth protecting. And today, we are sending a clear signal to Colorado’s leadership: when elected officials fail or refuse to protect kids, We the People will come together and do it ourselves. Our voices cannot be ignored.”

The standoff raises questions about the balance of power between direct democracy and legislative authority in Colorado, and sets the stage for a contentious legislative session when Weiser takes office.