Even with attention focused on Friday's special session, the contours of the 2024 state legislative term are emerging in the background.

Driving the news: Top lawmakers voted Wednesday to introduce 54 bills drafted by committees ahead of the January session, including new vehicle fees to build bike lanes, age restrictions for where children can ride in cars, higher taxes on some vacation rentals and a $700 tax break for retired state workers.

• Other measures that received support would ban nonfunctional grass at new housing developments to save water, require gender-affirming names for students in school and create a $1.1 billion overhaul of how the state addresses children's behavioral health.

Why it matters: The legislation offers a preview of the battle lines for the upcoming 120-day term and demonstrates that the Democratic majority plans to move aggressively on big-dollar priorities and hot-button issues despite early Republican opposition.

Yes, but: The largest obstacle Democrats will face next year is a shortage of cash after plush budgets with federal dollars.

• Earlier this month, Gov. Jared Polis issued what he considered a lean spending plan that gave lawmakers just $15 million for their priorities out of $16 billion in discretionary spending.

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