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DENVER, CO – The House passed a bill today that would require the State of Colorado to maintain a stockpile of essential materials, including personal protective equipment (PPE). HB22-1352 passed by a vote of 42 to 21 and aims to create a healthier, safer Colorado.
“We are preparing now so Colorado has the proper supplies and personal protective equipment needed to keep us safe during the next national emergency or pandemic,” said Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Federal Heights. “Boosting Colorado’s stockpile of masks, gloves and other medical grade PPE will ensure our health care professionals have the tools they need to safely care for Coloradans. We are focused on creating a healthier, more prepared state and this bill invests nearly $2 million to stockpile PPE.”
HB22-1352, sponsored by Representative Mullica, would require the State of Colorado to maintain a stockpile of essential materials and PPE to be available for distribution after the governor has declared a disaster emergency.
Facial masks, medical gloves, eye protection and other PPE worn by health care professionals are necessary for treating patients and reducing the spread of infectious diseases. This bill will invest nearly $2 million to stockpile medical-grade PPE in Colorado so hospitals, vaccine clinics and other medical sites can have access to the protective equipment to keep them safe. Schools, community centers and other organizations can also receive stockpiled PPE which will be distributed via state agencies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) was charged with maintaining the state’s emergency stockpile of PPE and associated warehouses. The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has since maintained a 60-day stockpile of five key PPE product categories to dispatch to state agencies as needed. This bill ensures Colorado has adequate PPE supplies for the next pandemic or declared national disaster.