< Back May 6, 2021 BIPARTISAN BILL TO INVEST IN COLORADO’S JUST TRANSITION ADVANCES Majority Leader Esgar’s bipartisan bill to support coal workers and communities passes committee DENVER, CO– The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today advanced Majority Leader Daneya Esgar’s bill to invest millions into helping communities transition. This bill is part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus , a package of legislation that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. The bill passed by a vote of 10-3. “As market forces, consumer choices, and environmental policies move our economy toward renewable energy, we can’t leave workers and communities behind,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “As a representative of Pueblo, I know firsthand how much support will be needed to help my community transition into the clean energy economy of the future. The bold investment we’re making today lays the groundwork for a smoother and more equitable transition.” The Office of Just Transition was created by the legislature in 2019 to support coal workers, employers, and communities as they plan for the future closings of coal plants and mines upon which their communities depend. As market shifts, consumer choices and environmental policies move our state toward renewable energy, the Office and the Just Transition Action Plan were created to ensure a smooth adjustment for our coal transition communities . HB21-1290 , also sponsored by Rep. Perry Will, R-Garfield County, would invest $15 million of state stimulus funds into the Office of Just Transition. Of that amount $8 million will go to the Just Transition Cash Fund and $7 million to the newly created Coal Transition Worker Assistance Program account within the fund. The bill requires the Office of Just Transition to use these funds to implement the Just Transition Action Plan and provide funding for existing programs that make targeted economic development investments in coal transition communities for business retention, creation, expansion and attraction; infrastructure investments; and strategies for attracting increased investment in these communities. In turn, the Coal Transition Worker Assistance Program’s share of the funding will be allocated to programs that directly assist coal transition workers, including apprenticeship programs, financial planning support, tuition reimbursements, job search assistance, on the job training, or other strategies to help workers transition to as prosperous a future as possible. Previous Next

Representative David Ortiz, Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, Executive Director of Disability Law Colorado, Andrew Romanoff, and other disability advocates today outlined priority legislation and revealed the new Office of Opportunities of Coloradans with Disabilities. < Back March 7, 2024 Disability Advocacy Day Highlights New State Office and Key Legislation DENVER, CO – Representative David Ortiz, Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, Executive Director of Disability Law Colorado, Andrew Romanoff, and other disability advocates today outlined priority legislation and revealed the new Office of Opportunities of Coloradans with Disabilities. “As I enter my final legislative session, I’m beyond proud of the laws we’ve passed over the years to improve basic access and look forward to a future where the accessibility issues faced by my community are fully addressed,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “Today, we highlighted some of our priority legislation, including a new bill that would create the Office of Opportunities of Coloradans with Disabilities. Alongside disability advocates and state leaders, we’re taking the lead on breaking down accessibility barriers faced by our neighbors to create a safer, more equitable Colorado for all.” Some of the bills Rep. Ortiz highlighted during the press conference include: HB24-1360 , Colorado Disability Opportunity Office. This bill would create a new office within the Department of Labor and Employment. The goal of this office would be to implement a statewide strategy to facilitate economic stability for people with disabilities and promote successful economic, social, and community integration. HB24-1067 , Ballot Access for Candidates with Disabilities. This bill would require the continuation of the caucus process to make it more accessible for people with disabilities to run for office. The bill would also require video conferencing participation options for a precinct caucus or a party assembly, unless they do not have access to a broadband network provider. HB24-1165, Accessibility at Denver International Airport (DIA). This bill would mandate basic access in specific areas of DIA, including certain minimum accessibility features such as way-finding features and accessible bathrooms with changing tables in each concourse. This bill would also establish an advisory committee within the airport to support expanding and improving accessibility features as the airport grows. Other priority bills outlined by Rep. Ortiz include preventing evictions ( HB24-1098 ), curbing workplace violence against health care professionals ( HB24-1066 ), updating prescription drug labels to be more accessible to those who have a difficult time seeing or reading ( HB24-1115 ), modifying rental units for those with a disability ( HB24-1318 ), improving access to EV charging stations ( HB24-1161 ), increasing access to testifying in public meetings ( HB24-1168 ), and supporting youth with disabilities in school ( HB24-1063 ), among others. Rep. Ortiz has been a long-time champion for disability rights at the Colorado State Capitol. He has led the charge in passing multiple bills to ensure Coloradans with a disability have the opportunity for legal recourse if they are discriminated against, expanding the youth prosthetic coverage law, creating the Rights of Coloradans with Disabilities task force, in addition to two trailblazing right to repair laws specifically for wheelchair users. Previous Next

< Back October 25, 2023 LGBTQ+ Caucus: Private Schools Shouldn’t Be Allowed to Use Taxpayer Funds to Discriminate DENVER, CO – The Colorado Democratic LGBTQ+ Caucus released the following statement regarding a federal judge’s preliminary injunction to block Colorado from preventing preschool providers in the taxpayer-funded universal preschool (UPK) program from discriminating against LGBTQ+ families and educators: “Institutions that receive public funds should not be able to use those taxpayer resources to discriminate against LGBTQ+ families. All children should have access to high-quality early childhood education that sets them up for success. This decision is in direct conflict with the majority of Coloradans who overwhelmingly support LGBTQ+ rights, oppose discrimination, and support free, high quality preschool for all early learners in Colorado. “The Department of Early Childhood’s non-discrimination requirements for UPK providers are crucial to ensure that taxpayer resources aren’t used to perpetuate bigotry toward LGBTQ+ families. However, under this ruling, taxpayers will now be forced to subsidize religious education institutions who want to use public funding for programs that exclude LGBTQ+ families. Taxpayer dollars should be spent on preschools that are willing to serve all Coloradans, no matter the sexual orientation of parents, or the gender identity of students or staff.” The current members of the Colorado Democratic LGBTQ+ Caucus are: Rep. Brianna Titone, Chair Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, Co-Chair Rep. Jennifer Lea Parenti Rep. Elizabeth Velasco Rep. Stephanie Vigil Rep. Lorena Garcia Rep. Ruby Dickson Rep. Elisabeth Epps Rep. Leslie Herod Rep. Alex Valdez Rep. David Ortiz Sen. Joann Ginal Previous Next

< Back February 24, 2021 BIPARTISAN BILL TO PROTECT IMMIGRANTS FROM EXTORTION ADVANCES UNANIMOUSLY DENVER, CO– The House Judiciary Committee today advanced a bipartisan bill to prevent the extortion of undocumented immigrants. The bill was approved by the committee unanimously. “Everyone in our communities, regardless of citizenship status, should be protected from extortion,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “A gap in current law has left immigrants vulnerable to a particular type of extortion that befalls workers and victims of domestic and sexual violence. This bill would change that and allow us to advance the cause of justice in our communities.” “This bill will give prosecutors a critical tool to combat instances of extortion against victims of crime that we know are happening in our communities,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “A victim is a victim, and it is good for public safety in our communities if our laws protect everyone from being further victimized – regardless of their immigration status.” The current definition of criminal extortion already includes the practice of threatening to disclose a person’s immigration status to law enforcement in order to force them to give up something of value. HB21-1057 expands this definition to include coercing another person to either engage in or refrain from engaging in what would otherwise be a legal act. This expanded definition would address instances of wage theft, domestic violence and other instances where a person’s immigration status is used to deny them what is lawfully theirs. Previous Next

< Back April 16, 2020 REP. MCCLUSKIE NAMED APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR DENVER, CO — Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder, today announced that she has appointed Representative Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, as Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations. Traditionally the second-ranking member of the Joint Budget Committee in each chamber serves as Appropriations Chair. “I am honored to have the confidence of Speaker Becker and JBC Chair Esgar, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Joint Budget Committee and the House Appropriations Committee as we craft this year’s budget and look closely at how we can help our state, businesses and Coloradans recover from this pandemic,” said Rep. McCluskie, D-Dillon. “When we come back into session, we’re going to have to make a lot of difficult decisions about how we spend our state’s precious resources,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “Rep. McCluskie has earned the trust of her colleagues on both sides of the aisle with her deep understanding of state’s budget and fiscal issues, and I know she will do an excellent job leading the House Appropriations Committee as it works on legislation that impacts the state’s budget.” The House Committee on Appropriations considers bills that impact state spending and revenues and authorizes appropriations (state spending) on legislation. Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo, will take on the role of Vice-Chair, as is customary for the ranking member of the Joint Budget Committee. Previous Next

< Back June 1, 2021 HOUSE MOVES TO ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY-DRIVEN GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION SOLUTIONS Reps. Hooton and Daugherty’s bill would adjust the state preemption on gun violence prevention laws, empowering local governments to implement their own solutions DENVER, CO — The House today advanced a bill to declare that the regulation of the sale and transfer of firearms is a matter of both state and local concern, repealing the state-level preemption that currently prevents localities from enacting stricter gun violence laws than those of the state. The bill passed on Second Reading. “We’ve been working to end mass shootings and stem the tide of gun violence in Colorado for years now, and the tragic shooting that reeled my Boulder community this year only made the need to act that much more pressing,” said Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder. “The critical bill we advanced today will give local governments the ability to raise gun safety standards in their communities to meet the needs of their residents.” “Colorado’s vast regional diversity means that the gun violence prevention solutions that come up in Custer County are probably going to look a lot different to those in Denver,” said Rep. Lindsey Daughtery, D-Arvada. “This bill respects the rights of gun owners and follows in our longstanding tradition of local control to allow localities to implement the solutions that make sense for their individual communities.” Current law prohibits a local government from enacting laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit the purchase, transfer, or possession of a firearm. SB21-256 adjusts this prohibition by declaring the regulation of firearms a matter of state and local concern, allowing local governments to set higher standards. Under this bill, local governments would have the authority to enact regulations governing the transfer or possession of firearms, ammunition, or firearm components and accessories, so long as the regulations are more restrictive than state laws on the subject. The bill stipulates that criminal penalties for a violation of local regulations cannot be brought for a person who did not know or could not be reasonably expected to know that they were in violation of the local regulations. And that only civil penalties can be brought for a person violating a local concealed carry regulations with a maximum first offense penalty of $50. Recently, in the weeks leading up to the tragic shooting in Boulder, a court struck down Boulder’s local assault weapons ban. If it had been law at the time, SB21-256 would have allowed Boulder to keep this ban in place. The bill does not change existing law that allows Coloradans to travel freely throughout the state with a firearm in their vehicle. Previous Next

Three new laws to streamline, simplify and expand health care for Colorado Medicaid recipients go into effect on August 6, 2025. < Back July 29, 2025 Laws to Streamline and Improve Medicaid Coverage Go into Effect DENVER, CO — Three new laws to streamline, simplify and expand health care for Colorado Medicaid recipients go into effect on August 6, 2025. The laws will make health care more accessible for patients by reducing administrative barriers and expanding coverage options for certain conditions. "As a former case manager for Medicaid members, I understand firsthand the barriers people experience trying to keep their insurance,” said Rep. Lisa Feret, D-Arvada, sponsor of HB25-1162. “This law will help streamline the recertification process by reducing paperwork. This will allow for more providers to complete required paperwork and request permission from the federal government to allow for Medicaid members with stable income to recertify every three years. Health care works best when it’s accessible to patients – and this law is an important step toward a healthier, safer Colorado.” “While Republicans in DC are creating new hoops to jump through to access basic Medicaid coverage, here in Colorado we’re reducing barriers and making it easier for Coloradans to access the care they need,” said Senator Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada, sponsor of HB25-1162. “This new law makes commonsense improvements to our administration of Medicaid to improve efficiency for providers and ease the burden on Colorado workers and families to ensure that everyone who is eligible is able access care. I’m proud of our work this year to protect access to affordable, quality health care for every Coloradan.” HB25-1162 removes unnecessary administrative barriers to streamline health care for Coloradans. Specifically, this law narrows the questions providers are required to ask patients that determine Medicaid eligibility, mainly for long-term care needs. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) has until December 31, 2026, to create and implement the new questions. This law also streamlines Medicaid reenrollment for patients with stable incomes to further reduce red tape for Coloradans. To help prevent accidental disenrollment from Medicaid, this law also allows the HCPF to submit requests to allow a patient's redetermination, or eligibility for Medicaid, timeline to be extended three years. Colorado’s HCPF is permitted to submit three-year extensions; however, it is dependent upon the federal government to approve them. “We’ve made important progress toward lowering the cost of health care in Colorado, and this law will save patients who receive parenteral nutrition both time and money,” said Rep. Gretchen Rydin, R-Littleton, sponsor of SB25-084. “This law, going into effect soon, will expand provider options for Medicaid patients who need parenteral nutrition. In Colorado, we’re focused on making sure Medicaid patients can receive the care they need." SB25-084 , also sponsored by Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, and Rep. Mary Bradfield, R-El Paso County, will expand access to and save Coloradans money on parenteral nutrition services. Parenteral nutrition is nutritional support provided to patients directly into their bloodstream through a catheter. This law establishes Medicaid reimbursement rates for parenteral nutrition to help diversify the number of infusion pharmacies that offer this service to Colorado patients. This will make it easier for Coloradans using Medicaid to find an infusion pharmacy that accepts their insurance, saving them time and money. Under the new law, dispensing fee rates are capped at 30 percent of the infusion pharmacy’s administrative cost to prepare and dispense for the first year. HB25-1213 , also sponsored by Rep. Feret, Sen. Daugherty, as well as Sen. Matt Ball, D-Denver and Rep. Weinberg, R-Loveland, goes into effect on August 6, 2025, and makes important Medicaid program updates so Coloradans can receive consistent, accessible health care coverage. This law improves access and streamlines health care coverage through several administrative, eligibility, billing and review changes to the Medicaid program. The GOP budget will have devastating effects on every sector of Colorado’s health care system, including Colorado hospitals, clinics, and other providers that could lose up to $900 million in annual federal Medicaid funding – mainly caused by a forced reduction in provider fees. The cuts to Medicaid will result in an estimated 140,000-230,000 Coloradans suddenly losing health care coverage. Previous Next

The House Health & Insurance Committee today passed legislation to cap interest rates on medical debt and protect Colorado patients from deceptive medical billing practices. It passed by a vote of 8-2. < Back March 21, 2023 Bill to Protect Patients from Harmful Medical Billing Practices Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Health & Insurance Committee today passed legislation to cap interest rates on medical debt and protect Colorado patients from deceptive medical billing practices. It passed by a vote of 8-2. “Many Coloradans struggle to juggle essential expenses like rent and groceries, making it nearly impossible to budget for emergency medical expenses,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora . “Colorado patients should never be blindsided by medical bills or worse, medical debt collectors, after receiving necessary, life-saving care. We’re increasing transparency, capping interest rates, and increasing enforcement for violations to improve patient protections and reduce health care costs.” “Hardworking Coloradans shouldn’t be burdened by medical debt just because they get sick or injured,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “By capping interest rates for medical debt at 3 percent, patients can worry less about how they will pay for their care and more about the health care they need.” SB23-093 boosts patient protections from high interest rates for medical debt and confusing debt collection practices that lead to long-lasting debt and financial instability. It establishes new protections for Colorado consumers burdened with medical debt by: Capping the medical debt interest rate at three percent Pausing collections on medical debt as patients appeal their coverage and prohibiting reporting the debt to a consumer reporting agency until a certain amount of time after an individual fails to fulfill the terms of a payment plan. Requiring medical debt creditors or debt collectors to verify total debt owed upon request by a patient and to provide a copy of a payment plan, thereby helping consumers know how much to properly budget for debt payments. Requiring a health care provider or health care facility to provide, upon request, an estimate of the total cost of medical services to a person who intends to self-pay for the service, and Reinstating the attorney general’s authority to protect consumers from deceptive trade practices related to billing practices and surprise billing. Debt incurred from medical costs can be financially devastating for patients. When combined with high interest rates and complicated collections practices, consumers may never be able to pay off their medical debt. According to a 2022 report from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Coloradans overall held more than $1.3 billion in medical debt and over 12 percent of Coloradans have medical debt in collections. Previous Next

< Back February 21, 2020 BUENTELLO BLOCKBUSTER: HOUSE APPROVES FOUR BILLS TO IMPROVE SPECIAL ED, SUPPORT VETERANS AND RURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DENVER, CO — The House today took overwhelmingly bipartisan votes to pass two bills sponsored by Representative Bri Buentello that would give educators the tools they need to serve special education students and allow disabled veterans to more easily access State Parks free of charge. “Passing these bills today represents one of my proudest accomplishments in the state legislature so far,” said Rep. Bri Buentello, D-Pueblo. “These simple proposals will make an important and lasting impact on veterans, servicemembers, and their families — not to mention special ed students and Colorado’s educators. Teachers, police officers, veterans, and military families are communities that are near and dear to my heart, and I’m glad we were able to deliver big wins for them today.” HB20-1128 , which is sponsored by Representatives Buentello and James Wilson, R- Salida, would require that educators (teachers, principals, administrators, etc.) complete ten hours of special education related professional developments before renewing their licenses. The bill would also require educator preparation programs to include coursework on inclusive teaching practices relating to the education of students with disabilities, individualised education programs, behavioral concerns, and effective special education classroom practices. It was passed by a vote of 51-8. Currently, Colorado veterans who display a disabled license plate receive free access to Colorado’s state parks or recreation areas. Veterans who cannot, or do not, drive are unable to take advantage of free state park access. Under SB20-069 , disabled veterans will be able to enjoy free access to Colorado’s state parks without having to first acquire a license plate. It was passed unanimously on third reading by a vote of 60-0. The House also gave preliminary approval to two of Rep. Buentello’s other bills to make it easier for veterans, servicemembers, and their families to receive in-state tuition at Colorado community colleges, and to provide scholarships for rural law enforcement agencies to pay for the cost of sending potential officers to training academies. HB20-1275 , which passed on second reading, allows an active or honorably discharged member of the United States armed forces or one of their dependents to be eligible for in-state tuition status at a community college regardless of whether the person satisfies Colorado domicile or residency status. HB20-1229 , also passed on second reading, would establish a scholarship fund for rural and small communities to assist in paying for the cost of potential police officers to attend an approved basic law enforcement training academy. The cost of basic training that satisfies the peace officers’ standards and training (P.O.S.T.) requirements can cost thousands of dollars , which is especially prohibitive to potential candidates in rural areas where funds can be scarce. Previous Next

< Back May 25, 2021 HISTORIC TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE ADVANCES DENVER, CO — The House Finance Committee today advanced historic legislation that will future-proof Colorado’s broken transportation funding system, improve air quality, create jobs and save Coloradans time and money spent on roads and vehicle repairs. “Fixing our transportation infrastructure will help get people to work, kids to schools and goods to markets across the world,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Colorado is a hub for innovation and creativity, but our aging transportation system is failing to meet the needs of our diverse and growing population. The average Coloradan loses $732 per year on vehicle maintenance and repairs due to deteriorated road conditions and lost time stuck in traffic. By fixing our broken transportation funding system, we can turn this around and build the modernized infrastructure Colorado needs to compete and grow.” “A historic, bipartisan coalition of business groups, local government officials, mayors, environmental advocates and labor unions are supporting this bill because it is the best chance we have ever had to fix our transportation system,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. “By meeting market demands for more electric vehicles and creating dedicated funds for air quality improvement, we will protect our clean air and reduce congestion. This bill fosters more transportation options for students, workers, and families, and will create good jobs along the way.” SB21-260 , sponsored by Speaker Alec Garnett and Representative Matt Gray, will save Coloradans money and time spent on roads by reducing congestion, creating new transportation options, and balancing the needs of every Colorado community. Colorado’s gas tax was created in 1991, and its value has significantly eroded since then, leaving Colorado roads and transportation system drastically underfunded. The bill will create a sustainable funding source for transportation infrastructure that will support a dynamic economy, improve air quality, create jobs, and ensure Colorado is positioned to compete with other states. The bill provides $5.365 billion in transportation funding to fix roads and bridges, improve transit options, meet Colorado’s climate goals, help disproportionately impacted communities, and future-proof the state’s transportation system. The funding will come from a fair and responsible mix of state and federal funding, as well as fee revenue that reflects all the users and uses of our transportation system. For the first two years, the proposal reduces vehicle registration fees, saving drivers money in 2022 and 2023. All new fees won’t begin until FY23and will be nominal, phased and spread across all users of the system to bring down longer-term maintenance and repair costs while ensuring we are improving our infrastructure. Overall, the bill promotes collaboration between the Department of Transportation (CDOT), Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) to coordinate both regional and statewide efforts to develop a transportation system that supports a dynamic economy while improving air quality, saving Coloradans money and time spent on the roads, and making key investments in rural and disproportionately impacted communities. To ensure transparency, performance and accountability measures will be required for every entity that receives funding through this bill, including the four new enterprises created within the bill. The Colorado Energy Office and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will report on progress made toward the electric motor vehicle adoption goals in the “Colorado Electric Vehicle Plan 2020” and the transportation sector greenhouse gas pollution reduction goals in the “Colorado Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap.” CDOT and every new enterprise will maintain project management public dashboards that will show key performance indicators for projects paid for by the funding in this bill. Over the course of the eleven-year plan set forth in the bill, nearly $3.8 billion will be generated through new revenue, and the bill will leverage over $1.5 billion in state general fund revenue and stimulus dollars. This will provide long overdue funds after years of failed legislative attempts and ballot measures to support our statewide transportation system, as well as create good-paying jobs that will continue to exist for decades to come. In addition to bipartisan legislative support, the proposal has garnered endorsements from local leaders and organizations across the state, including: Governor Polis, Mayor Hancock of Denver, Mayor Arnt of Fort Collins, Chair of the Metro Mayors Caucus Mayor Jackie Millet, Mayor Suthers of Colorado Springs, Mayor Weaver of Boulder, President and CEO of the Boulder Chamber John Tayer, A Way Forward chair and president and CEO of Colorado Concern Mike Kopp, Adams County Commissioner Eva Henry, SMART Union, Action 22, SWEEP, Lyft, Pipefitters Local 208, Colorado Competitive Council, Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Mike Ferrufino, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce President Kelly Brough, Grand Junction Economic Partnership Executive Director Robin Brown, Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association Executive Vice President Dave Davia, Former Colorado Speaker of the House Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, Routt County Commissioner Beth Melton, Chaffee County Commissioner Keith Baker, Summit County Commissioner Tamara Pogue, Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy, Grand County Commissioner Rich Cimino, La Plata County Commissioner Clyde Church, Eagle County Commissioner Matt Scherr, Larimer County Commissioner Kristin Stephens, Adams County Commissioner Emma Pinter, and Clear Creek County Commissioner Randall Wheelock. 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< Back November 2, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: JBC DEMS PRAISE BUDGET’S FOCUS ON EDUCATION, FAMILIES AND COVID-19 RECOVERY Denver, CO – Democratic members of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) today released the following statements in response to Governor Jared Polis’s FY2021-FY2022 budget request, which prioritizes funding to help hardworking Coloradans and small businesses persevere through the COVID-19 pandemic and protects essential services for those who need them the most. “After our unprecedented action to responsibly balance the budget in the face of dire economic forecasts, we now have a window of opportunity to both restore some of the major cuts and also stimulate our economy to provide critical relief to hardworking Coloradans,” said JBC Chair Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “The governor’s proposal prioritizes supports for hardworking families, small businesses, and students to revitalize our state’s economy and build back stronger. As budget chair, I am still cautious, as we await the results of ballot initiatives and two additional economic forecasts before the budget is finalized, but the goal is right on, helping people. I am committed to working across the aisle to boost Southern Colorado’s recovery and help those who have been hardest hit by the pandemic.” “I’m proud of the work we’ve done to mitigate the economic impacts of the coronavirus in Colorado. We acted quickly and prudently to address the biggest challenges in the state budget and because of that work we are primed for a rapid recovery,” said JBC Vice-Chair Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City. “I look forward to continued collaboration with the governor in order to aid hardworking Coloradans and invest in our state’s most critical needs.” “Our mountain and rural communities have been drastically hit by this pandemic and need Congress to act to support small businesses, boost our recovery and provide critical funding to our schools,” said JBC member Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “As state revenues begin to improve and Congress continues to negotiate, this budget proposal bridges the gap by restoring essential services, prioritizing students, enhancing wildfire prevention and investing in jobs and our outdoor economy. There are a lot of good proposals in the governor’s plan, and I look forward to working with him and my colleagues on the JBC to craft a balanced budget that helps Colorado recover faster and build back stronger.” “COVID has decimated our country, and thousands of Coloradans are still struggling. But thanks to our coming together as a state, we are seeing an even more promising recovery than expected,” said JBC member Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “There is still so much work to be done and so much restoration that needs to occur, but I am confident that alongside the governor, we will be able to create a budget that reinvigorates our most crucial community pillars and leads Colorado into a more hopeful future.” For FY 2020-2021, the General Assembly took unprecedented action to responsibly balance the state’s budget and protect essential services for hardworking Coloradans, including closing tax loopholes for special interests in order to fund K-12 education. Because of these steps, and as state revenues begin to recover, the governor’s budget request for FY 2021-2022 responsibly restores reductions to essential services and state support for K-12 and higher education. It offers ideas to stimulate Colorado’s economy, including additional assistance for housing, broadband, small businesses, and middle and lower income Coloradans. Previous Next

Senate President Steve Fenberg and House Speaker Julie McCluskie today announced legislative appointments to the new bipartisan commission to address rising property taxes. < Back December 6, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: Fenberg, McCluskie Make Appointments to the Commission on Property Tax DENVER, CO – Senate President Steve Fenberg and House Speaker Julie McCluskie today announced legislative appointments to the new bipartisan commission to address rising property taxes. The Commission on Property Tax, created through HB23B-1003 , will bring leaders from across the state together to identify long-term property tax solutions. “Property tax spikes have hit Colorado homeowners hard, especially economically vulnerable folks like seniors and those on fixed incomes,” President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, said. “That's why we created this important, bipartisan Commission, and I know my appointments will work hard to find long-term, comprehensive solutions to address property taxes in Colorado. I am excited about the possibilities this opportunity presents, and will be closely watching to ensure we find a responsible, long-term solution that will keep Colorado affordable for years to come." “To establish long-term property tax solutions, we need to bring all voices to the table so we can lay the groundwork for our ultimate goal of making Colorado more affordable for everyone,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “The appointments I made to the bipartisan Commission on Property Tax bring a wealth of knowledge to this policy space and are well-aligned with the different needs of Coloradans living around the state, including in our mountain towns and low-income communities. Addressing the rising cost of living is a top priority for Colorado Democrats and this commission is an important step toward making it easier to not only live in our beautiful state, but thrive.” President Fenberg’s Appointments: Senator Chris Hansen Commissioner Andy Kerr Kevin Vick Speaker McCluskie’s Appointments: Speaker Pro Tempore Chris deGruy Kennedy Summit County Commissioner Tamara Pogue Jonathan Cappelli The Commission on Property Tax was created through HB23B-1003 and will outline plans for long and short-term property tax relief and to evaluate property tax ballot initiatives filings for the 2024 election. The bipartisan Commission includes legislators, county commissioners from across the state, a property tax administrator and different local government, business, and community leaders representing constituencies impacted by property tax revenue. The goal of the Commission on Property Tax is to map out potential long-term solutions to property taxes that have been rising since Coloradans voted to repeal the Gallagher Amendment in 2020. Under HB23B-1003, the Commission will convene by the week of December 18, 2023, and deliver an initial report to the General Assembly and Governor by March 15, 2024. Previous Next