< Back January 22, 2019 HOUSE DEMS DISAPPOINTED IN SCOTUS MOVE TO UPHOLD TRUMP’S MISGUIDED TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN (Jan. 22) – In a 5-4 decision, with the conservative members of the Supreme Court siding with the Trump administration, the court temporarily allowed the administration’s misguided ban on transgender Americans serving in the military to go forward. “Those who currently serve or want to serve in our military and defend our freedoms deserve better. We must recommit ourselves to tearing down barriers and rejecting division,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “My colleagues and I will continue to stand with our transgender service members.” Rep. Titone is the first transgender state lawmaker elected in Colorado history. She serves on the House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee and the House Health and Insurance Committee. In 2017, the Colorado General Assembly’s LGBTQ caucus slammed the President’s tweet saying transgender people would be banned from the United States armed forces and reiterated their opposition today. “The highest court in the land should not help this administration carry out its divisive agenda. If someone wants to serve in our country’s armed services then that sacrifice should be celebrated, not rejected,” said Rep. Daneya Esgar, co-chair of the LGBTQ caucus. “Recently, we’ve made important progress for our LGBTQ community in Southern Colorado and our state. But we must continue working together to ensure protections against discrimination for all Coloradans.” Earlier this year, House leaders urged Senator Cory Gardner to oppose the nomination of now Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a key swing vote on the court. The five conservative Justices on the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil Gorsuch and Kavanaugh all sided with the Trump administration in this decision. Previous Next

< Back May 11, 2022 HOUSE SENDS COMPREHENSIVE FENTANYL BILL TO GOVERNOR Legislation significantly increases penalties on dealers and invests in proven public health solutions to save lives DENVER, CO – The House today passed the conference report on HB22-1326, comprehensive legislation sponsored by Speaker Alec Garnett to combat the fentanyl crisis and save lives. The vote was 35-30. “This legislation is a giant step forward in our fight to combat the fentanyl crisis, crack down on the dealers peddling death in our communities, and accelerate our state’s public health response to get this deadly drug off our streets and save lives,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Working together over several months with public health experts, district attorneys, and members of both parties, we crafted a comprehensive approach that pairs severe penalties on fentanyl dealers with proven public health strategies to prevent overdose poisonings and deaths. We worked hard to find a compromise between the Senate and House versions, and we’ve agreed on language that ensures district attorneys’ ability to prosecute while creating reasonable guardrails for those who had no idea they were in possession of fentanyl.” HB22-1326 is a comprehensive approach that includes both proven public health solutions and enhanced criminal penalties targeting dealers to save lives and get fentanyl off Colorado streets. The bill will strengthen criminal penalties on any individual distributing fentanyl. In line with other models for substance use convictions, the bill will also integrate mandatory SUD assessments and treatment into the state’s sentencing to ensure people get the treatment they need. The bill focuses on compound fentanyl, which is fentanyl mixed with other drugs or substances and which is by far the prominent form of fentanyl found in CO. It will provide law enforcement with additional tools to go after dealers while providing treatment options to individuals with an SUD. Individuals who are dealing fentanyl will face increased felony charges, and if the defendant has distributed any amount of fentanyl and it leads to someone’s death, they can be charged with a level one drug felony and face the drug code’s strongest penalties. The bill gives law enforcement tools to require treatment for individuals with a substance use disorder. Defendants in possession of any amount of fentanyl compound will be assessed for a substance use disorder and required to complete an education program developed by the Office of Behavioral Health in CDPHE. Individuals assessed as having a substance use disorder will have to complete mandatory treatment. HB22-1326 would make it a felony to possess more than one gram of fentanyl compound/mixture while creating legal guardrails for individuals who genuinely didn’t know they were in possession of fentanyl. The new language says that if a defendant can successfully argue that they made “a reasonable mistake of fact,” then they will be sentenced with the lesser charge – a level one drug misdemeanor. Additionally, once Colorado’s labs have the ability to test for the percentage of fentanyl within a compound, this bill turns on a no tolerance policy for the possession of pure fentanyl. The new felony, which is not prison eligible, includes what is known as a “wobbler” provision that allows individuals who complete treatment to have the felony moved down to a misdemeanor on their record. The legislation creates a grant fund for law enforcement agencies to pursue investigations of fentanyl poisonings, provides additional funding to crisis stabilization centers and detoxification centers, and expands Medication-Assisted Treatment in jails. This crisis also demands a robust public health approach that will address the root causes of fentanyl use and keep people alive. Colorado will save lives by investing in effective public health and substance use prevention and treatment strategies and giving people the tools they need to protect themselves from this more deadly drug. The legislation directs $29 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to implement recommendations from the Behavioral Health Task Force on effective harm reduction strategies and increased access to substance use disorder treatment in the criminal justice system. While public awareness of fentanyl has risen, education campaigns that promote effective overdose prevention tools will save lives. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will develop, implement and maintain an ongoing statewide prevention and education campaign to address fentanyl education needs in the state, including the message that no amount of fentanyl is safe. The bill will also provide grants to develop and implement community-focused education campaigns on the dangers of fentanyl. The proposal also makes opiate antagonists more widespread, which will help save lives by preventing overdoses. Previous Next

The House Finance Committee today passed legislation that would improve access to chains and traction devices while navigating winter road conditions to improve road safety. SB25-069, sponsored by Representatives Meghan Lukens and Elizabeth Velasco, passed by a vote of 10-3. < Back April 24, 2025 Velasco, Lukens Winter Road Safety Bill Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Finance Committee today passed legislation that would improve access to chains and traction devices while navigating winter road conditions to improve road safety. SB25-069, sponsored by Representatives Meghan Lukens and Elizabeth Velasco, passed by a vote of 10-3. “The Western Slope highways are some of the most dangerous places to be during the winter, and tourists and semi-truck drivers who are unfamiliar with winter driving could save lives by having the proper tools to travel on Colorado’s mountain roads,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “My district includes world-class ski resorts that attract visitors from all over the world, many of whom are navigating dangerous winter conditions and mountainous highways for the first time. This bill would improve road safety for residents and tourists by improving access to winter driving tools, like tire chains, that are proven to help prevent accidents.” “Road closures in Glenwood Canyon are all too common, and they not only impact the safety of our communities but they also can be devastating to Western Slope economies,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “By implementing this successful safety measure, we can ensure road users properly use life-saving tire chains and traction-assistance devices. We’re building on past legislation to reduce accidents, especially involving semi-trucks, and keep our roads open and safe.” SB25-069 would allow the Colorado Department of Transportation to authorize third-party vendors and companies to set up a roadside station to help install or remove tire chains or other traction devices on commercial and passenger vehicles. The bill includes procedures for issuing a permit to vendors, qualifications to be issued a permit, and a requirement that those installing tire chains or traction devices wear reflective clothing and use traffic control devices. The bill also requires that, between September 1 and May 31, rental car companies notify their renters of Colorado’s traction laws, whether the rental vehicle complies with the laws and the penalties for any violation of the law. The legislature passed a bipartisan law , also sponsored by Rep. Velasco, to enhance road safety on mountain highways by requiring commercial vehicles to carry chains on certain highways and restricting commercial vehicles to the right lane on I-70 between Morrison and Glenwood Springs. Previous Next

< Back April 9, 2020 JBC ANNOUNCES PLAN OF ACTION ON BUDGET DENVER, CO — Joint Budget Committee leadership today announced a plan of action and preliminary timeline agreed to by all JBC members for completing the budget. The JBC aims to finalize the Long Bill, School Finance Act, and any budget-related bills by the end of May to allow state departments, local governments, school districts, and others the time necessary to finalize their budgets by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2020. “The JBC is committed to a transparent, accountable and responsible budget process that allows us time to gather information on how this crisis is impacting state revenues and work through how we can minimize the impact of severe budget cuts on Coloradans,” said JBC Chair Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “We are prioritizing public health and safety as we work to protect core priorities, such as K-12 education, and craft a balanced budget that supports Colorado families and gets our economy moving again.” “The JBC is working incredibly hard to re-map Colorado’s budget in the wake of COVID-19,” said JBC Vice-Chair, Sen. Dominick Moreno D- Commerce City. “Many of our priorities are being adjusted as we determine how to best support citizens during the next chapter of relief and recovery. We have some extremely difficult decisions ahead, but we will continue to be guided by our values and fight for Colorado’s most critical programs and institutions.” “As the General Assembly extends its recess and the statewide stay at home order remains in effect, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and its staff continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on Colorado’s economy to identify an appropriate time to review the state budget and make necessary balancing decisions,” wrote JBC members in the letter announcing the plan of action. The JBC will use the next few weeks to gather information with the goal of releasing new, publicly available figure setting documents by late April. “JBC and its staff are also utilizing this time to monitor increased demand for social services and unemployment benefits as well as declining state revenues. The JBC continues to work with departments to calculate these impacts on department budgets while also collaborating to identify feasible budget reductions,” the members continued. The JBC plans to begin meeting again in early May under the preliminary timeline below: This preliminary timeline is subject to adjustment if necessary based on how the public health and budgetary situation continues to evolve. 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 September 5, 2019 COLORADO’S CLEAN ENERGY WORKFORCE EXPECTED TO GROW 9% THIS YEAR Colorado House passed landmark legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spur clean energy project DENVER, CO— The Advanced Energy Alliance today released a fact-sheet highlighting the significant growth expected this year in Colorado’s clean energy workforce. The trade group, made up of both large and small companies in the advanced energy economy, estimates that Colorado’s advanced energy workforce of over 65,000 people will grow by 9 percent this year. It attributed the growth to Colorado’s commitment to clean energy policies. Last session, the Colorado’s Democratic lawmakers passed numerous laws to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean energy and position our workforce to thrive in the green economy. “Colorado is leading the way in creating jobs in the clean energy economy because we’ve set ambitious goals and lowered the cost of using our state’s abundant renewable energy resources,” said Colorado House Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “Last session, we passed legislation to prioritize clean energy sources and reduce our state’s emissions by 90 percent by 2050, and we created innovative ways for utility companies to finance new clean energy projects. House Democrats will continue fighting to ensure every Coloradan has access to clean air and water and for an economy that works for everyone.” “Pollution impacts every Coloradan, which is why we are committed to taking meaningful action to protect the air we breathe, our environment and our public health,” said Rep. Dominique Jackson, Chair of the House Energy and Environment Committee. “The legislation we passed will help create new jobs in renewable energy generation, and it’s clear the future is bright for this critical industry.” Earlier today, Emilie Olson of Advanced Energy Economy, which supported many of the climate and clean energy bills that passed the House last session, said in a release that “Colorado’s forward-looking energy policies are paying off.” She added to the Denver Post that our state is “reaping dividends from its energy policies and investments.” Speaker Becker and Rep. Jackson were the prime sponsors of HB19-1261, a landmark climate legislation that established pollution reduction goals in state statute to reduce Colorado’s greenhouse gas pollution by 26 percent of 2005 levels by 2025, and ultimately by 90 percent by 2050. As market forces and innovative policies change the state’s energy economy, state Democrats are also working to support the people impacted. Last Spring, the governor signed HB19-1314, Speaker Becker’s legislation to create the Office of Just Transition in the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to support the livelihood and economic security of workers and communities affected by the transition away from coal. Speaker Becker and Representative Chris Hansen, D-Denver, were also the prime sponsors of SB19-236, which was signed by Governor Polis. The new law established a financing mechanism to help utility companies retire coal-fired power plants quicker in order to transition to more renewable sources of energy generation. In addition, the bill directed the Public Utility Commission to evaluate the cost of carbon pollution emissions when considering projects in the future. Previous Next

< Back April 16, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES CUTTER’S MEDIA LITERACY BILL (Apr. 16) – The House approved a bill sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter, D-Evergreen, that creates a media literacy advisory committee within the Department of Education. It’s important for Colorado students become more educated about the media and the role it plays in our society. “As a country, our decisions are only as good as the information we take in to form our opinions,” said Rep. Cutter. “The media landscape has changed dramatically in the last few decades. Colorado’s students are facing the largest and most complex information landscape in human history.” This effort will help enrich Colorado’s students and their overall learning experience. The bill creates a media literacy advisory committee within the state Department of Education that will work with a consultant to study media literacy, including best practices and available resources, and then report back with recommendations for the House and Senate Education Committees. Cutter hopes to sponsor legislation in the future using these recommendations to implement media literacy studies in elementary and secondary education. “The goal of this bill is to ultimately provide educators with the tools necessary to help our youth better understand the world around them and be equipped to navigate it more effectively,” Rep. Cutter added. At a March hearing on the bill, the Associated Press and Colorado Press Association testified in support of this bill, among others. A recent academic study shows that 82 percent of middle school students could not distinguish the difference between real news stories and advertisements. HB19-1110 passed the House Education committee on a bipartisan vote of 8-5. The House approved the bill on a vote of 40-23. The bill now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

Legislation to implement voter-approved protections for abortion care and pregnancy-related services was introduced in the Senate today. < Back February 27, 2025 JOINT RELEASE: Bill to Implement Voter-Approved Protections for Abortion Care & Pregnancy-Related Services Introduced in Senate DENVER, CO – Legislation to implement voter-approved protections for abortion care and pregnancy-related services was introduced in the Senate today. In November 2024, Colorado voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 79 to enshrine the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution and remove the state’s prohibition on using public funds to cover abortion care. Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, Senator Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada, Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, and Representative Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County, SB25-183 would implement the will of the voters by updating Colorado statute to reflect changes necessitated by Amendment 79’s passage. “Colorado voters have once again reaffirmed their support for freedom to make decisions about their bodies and their futures,” said Rodriguez. “Our state has a long history of standing up for reproductive health care freedoms, and this represents another chapter in that story. I am honored to sponsor this legislation that implements the will of the voters and ensures reproductive health care is protected in both our state law and our constitution.” “Colorado Democrats believe you should decide what’s right for your body and your future, and voters agree, abortion must remain legal and protected in Colorado,” said McCluskie. “Given the uncertain future of abortion access in our nation, Colorado Democrats stepped up in recent years to protect reproductive health care in our state. Now, we’re building upon those efforts by upholding the will of the voters to protect your fundamental right to access abortion care.” “Coloradans deserve the freedom to make their own health care decisions and choices about when to start a family – full stop,” said Daugherty. “Amidst a dangerous national landscape, we have worked hard to ensure that Colorado is a beacon for access to safe and affordable reproductive health care. Last November, Coloradans resoundingly voted to build on that work and permanently protect the fundamental right to abortion care in our state’s constitution.” “It’s clear – Coloradans believe it is your constitutional right to access the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion,” said Garcia. “Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle abortion care and access, Colorado remains a beacon for reproductive freedom. This bill upholds the will of the voters by ensuring your fundamental right to access reproductive health care is never ripped away.” Beginning on January 1, 2026, the bill would ensure that state employee health insurance plans cover abortion care and require the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to authorize reimbursements for abortion care under publicly funded insurance, including community members with coverage through Health First Colorado, and the Reproductive Health Care Program. SB25-183 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and will be scheduled for its first committee hearing in the coming weeks. Track its progress HERE . Previous Next

Bills would protect LGBTQ+ community against gender-related bias-motivated crimes, place Colorado in compliance with state Title IX < Back May 6, 2024 Bills to Protect Coloradans from Gender-Related Crimes, Discrimination in School Passes House Bills would protect LGBTQ+ community against gender-related bias-motivated crimes, place Colorado in compliance with state Title IX DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation to better protect Coloradans from gender-related, bias-motivated crimes. SB24-189, which passed by a vote of 45-17, would add transgender identity to Colorado’s bias-motivated crimes and harassment laws. The House also passed legislation that would better protect students by developing best practices for public schools to effectively respond to reports of harassment or discrimination. SB24-162 passed by a vote of 44-18. "Sadly hate crimes are on the rise in Colorado and the need for protections for LGBTQ+ Coloradans is very clear," said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of SB24-189. "This legislation bolsters protections for our transgender community by clarifying transgender identity as a protected class in our bias crime laws. We are working hard to protect all Coloradans from crimes that target them just because of who they are." SB24-189 , also sponsored by Matt Soper, R-Delta, would improve protections for Coloradans by adding the definition of transgender identity to the protected classes included in Colorado’s bias-motivated crimes and harassment laws. The bill also updates the definition of "sexual orientation" as used in Colorado’s bias-motivated crimes and harassment statutes. This important legislation comes on the heels of recent data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which revealed the highest number of anti-LGBTQ+, anti-trans and gender non-conforming hate crimes ever reported. Additionally, the number of hate crimes based on gender identity increased by over 32 percent from 2021 to 2022. SB24-162 would require the Department of Education to partner with an organization to develop best practices and training related to discrimination and harassment in public schools, including protocols relating to notifying students and parents about school policies and procedures, and implementing trauma-informed responses. Additionally, the department would provide harassment and discrimination training program materials for schools. “Our educators know that creating a safe place to learn is important for the education of our students, but they need professional training to provide effective, trauma-informed responses,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, sponsor of SB24-162. “Per the request of our schools and educators, we’re building upon our work last year to ensure schools and educators have the professional resources they need to support our youth against harassment and discrimination.” “Too many students have experienced harassment, racism, and sexism in school, and we must ensure that their classrooms are a safe and accepting learning environment,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, sponsor of SB24-162. “Last year, we passed SB23-296 to clearly define what is considered harassment and discrimination in Colorado’s K-12 public schools. This new legislation aims to build on this law to create a stronger framework for harassment and discrimination policies to better protect students in every corner of our state.” Signed into law in 2023 and sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Leslie Herod, SB23-296 provides clear definitions for harassment and discrimination in K-12 public schools and requires schools to post notices describing how a student can report harassment or discrimination to the school. The law further requires schools to adopt procedures for investigating reports of harassment or discrimination and to grant an excused absence to a student for certain out-of-school appointments related to the student experiencing harassment or discrimination. Previous Next

< Back June 24, 2021 SIGNED! BILLS TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed several bills into law that will save consumers money on utility bills, create jobs, increase energy efficiency and help meet Colorado’s renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions goals. “The benchmarking law Governor Polis signed today will save individuals, families and small businesses money on their utility bills and help Colorado meet our climate goals by increasing the efficiency of large buildings and reducing the consumption of fossil fuels,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “In the process, we’ll create good jobs for workers skilled in energy retrofits, mechanical system upgrades, electrical work and engineering.” HB21-1286 , which is sponsored by Representatives Cathy Kipp and Alex Valdez, requires the owners of certain large commercial buildings to collect and report their energy use to the Colorado Energy Office, and by 2026, to demonstrate that they have met new energy efficiency performance standards. The proposal, known as benchmarking, asks building owners to measure their energy use in the first year and then continue to monitor and report their performance and meet new energy efficiency standards. The law helps tenants and businesses save money on their energy costs while creating jobs. In the next eight years, the law is expected to save consumers $447 million on their energy bills, 3,200 gigawatt-hours of electricity, 7,700 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and reduce CO2 emissions by 1 million metric tons. More than one-third of Colorado buildings are already benchmarking, demonstrating that this policy is both widely popular and achievable. Large commercial, multifamily, and public buildings account for roughly 15 percent of all energy used in Colorado, which means that there is considerable opportunity to reduce energy used by increasing the efficiency of these buildings. “With the bills Governor Polis signed today, Colorado is taking a nation leading approach to measuring and using the social cost of carbon dioxide and methane to meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals,” said Rep. Tracey Bernett, D-Longmont. “I’m excited to see our state take this important step forward, which will save consumers money, help us use less fossil fuels and reduce emissions that cause climate change and poor air quality.” HB21-1238 , sponsored by Representative Bernett, directs the PUC to establish energy savings targets for natural gas utilities, promoting the adoption of more energy efficient programs as well as clean heat technologies to help the state meet its GHG reduction goals. The law modernizes the standards for demand-side-management (DSM) programs for natural gas utilities by helping utilities more effectively manage the energy consumption of their customers. One of the calculations the PUC will use in evaluating these programs is to count the avoided costs to ratepayers resulting from the reduced consumption of natural gas, also known as the social cost of carbon dioxide and methane. The law also encourages the adoption of new technologies, requires investment in weatherization programs for low-income customers and promotes the use of onsite renewables for everyday uses, like heat pumps. As one step toward meeting our climate goals, SB21-264 seeks to cost effectively meet emissions reduction goals through a Clean Heat Standard, encouraging innovative emission reductions technologies and capturing and utilizing methane that is currently leaking from agricultural operations, landfills, wastewater plants, and coalbeds, and simultaneously reducing the amount of methane leaking into our atmosphere and offsetting the need for additional fossil fuel extraction. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill into law to build more condos now and reduce the cost of housing. < Back May 12, 2025 SIGNED! Construction Defects Reform Bill Becomes Law DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill into law to build more condos now and reduce the cost of housing. “From building equity and generational wealth to lowering housing costs, condos offer numerous benefits to Coloradans looking to buy their first home,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “Rising rent and housing prices have made it nearly impossible for hardworking Coloradans to save enough money to buy a home at the median price tag of $550,000. After years of hard work, I'm thankful for everyone who worked closely with us to help craft this new law so we can spur new housing options that Coloradans can afford and offer more Coloradans a fair shot at the American Dream.” “HB25-1272 will make fair and balanced reforms to our construction defects laws, ensuring that high-quality homes are built, problems are fixed before sale and excessive costs that deter development can be reined in,” said Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver. “This law is a proactive solution that incentivizes responsible development, making it a win-win for homeowners and builders alike. It’s intended to meet the demands of our communities, respond to changing demographics, and provide housing that is adaptable to different housing sizes and needs. With this new law, we can create more attainable housing opportunities and ensure that more Coloradans can achieve the dream of homeownership.” “With a shortage of over 100,000 homes across our state and a decrease in condominium development, it's becoming increasingly difficult for first-time homebuyers to find housing they can afford,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “Offering a variety of housing options is a critical piece in making homeownership a reality for more Coloradans. Our new law will help increase the availability of high-quality starter homes in the market to create more affordable housing options that work for every budget.” “In Colorado’s mountain and rural communities, there are teachers, police officers, small business owners, nurses, and other crucial working folks who desperately want to be able to buy a home and put roots down, but there’s not any housing available for them to purchase,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco . “For years, construction defects laws have stunted the development of condos and townhomes, generally more affordable housing options for first-time buyers. This new law will change that and help ensure that we have a healthy mix of housing units, allowing more Coloradans to achieve their dream of homeownership.” HB25-1272 reforms construction defect laws by encouraging condo builders to work with third-party inspectors to help identify and correct any construction issues upfront, establishing clear guidelines for construction defect claims, and adjusting the statutes of limitation for construction defect claims. Beginning January 1, 2026, the law creates the Multifamily Construction Incentive Program. Builders will be able to opt into this program if they offer a warranty for any defect and damage and hire a third-party inspector to periodically review the construction throughout the building process. In exchange for providing these additional safeguards upfront, builders in the program will receive additional protections against construction defect actions, which can be costly to litigate and discourage condo development. Under HB25-1272, a homeowner who purchased a property built under the program will have six years to bring an action for damages. The homeowner will have a duty to mitigate damage alleged to be caused by a defect and notify the builder, who must offer a fix to any defect claims. If the issue is not resolved through this warranty process, the homeowner may proceed with a defect claim. The law exempts a construction professional participating in the program from liability for a damage or defect if they can prove the damage or defect was caused by: Certain weather conditions, an act of war, terrorism or vandalism, A homeowner’s unreasonable failure to timely mitigate damages or complete ongoing home maintenance, or Misuse, abuse, or neglect after the sale to the claimant. From 2007 to 2022, the number of condo developers working in Colorado declined by 84-percent in part due to the potential for expensive lawsuits. Meanwhile, the median age of first-time homebuyers in Colorado rose from 35 to 38 in the past year. Previous Next

< Back January 23, 2019 GARNETT, LONTINE APPLAUD GOV’S MOVE TO CREATE THE OFFICE OF SAVING PEOPLE MONEY ON HEALTH CARE (Jan. 23) – House Democrats applauded Gov. Jared Polis’ executive order creating the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care. The office will be led by Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera. Majority Leader Alec Garnett will carry legislation related to the office. “I’m excited to sponsor legislation to create this critical office. House Democrats are committed to helping lower health care costs for hardworking Coloradans,” said Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “We hear every day from Coloradans in the metro area, Western Slope and eastern plains about how their cost of living keeps going up and how they are sick and tired of being ripped off when it comes to health care and prescription drugs.” “The rising costs of healthcare have affected many families and individuals in our state,” said Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver. “I am excited to work with Governor Polis, Lt. Governor Primavera and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care up and running.” Rep. Lontine is Chair of the House Health and Insurance Committee. In addition to Garnett and Lontine, House Democrats present for the signing of the executive order included Assistant Majority Leader Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood, Rep. Dylan Roberts D-Avon, Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, and Rep. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Longmont. In recent weeks, House Democrats have introduced and passed bills through committee to help lower the cost of health care and improve hospital transparency and more to come. Read more here. Read the elective order here. Previous Next