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< Back May 10, 2022 HOUSE PASSES BILL TO SUPPORT PEACE OFFICERS’ MENTAL HEALTH DENVER, CO – The House today passed Representative Dylan Roberts’ bill to direct additional resources to expand access to behavioral health care for peace officers. “SB5 is such an important bill to support our law officers because it will provide them with the resources they may need after experiencing difficult situations while serving their communities,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “This bill will help law enforcement departments recruit and retain qualified peace officers, and it ensures that we have their backs when they need help.” SB22-005 , sponsored by Representatives Dylan Roberts and Dan Woog, passed by a vote of 55-5. It would direct $3 million to a program that helps law enforcement agencies retain and recruit qualified and trained POST-certified officers. The funding would expand access to behavioral health and counseling support for law enforcement officers to prevent peace officer suicide deaths. Previous Next

< Back March 16, 2022 BILL TO BOOST COLORADO WORKFORCE PASSES HOUSE DENVER, CO – Legislation to boost Colorado’s workforce by breaking down barriers for Coloradans with a criminal history to obtain licensure, certification or registration for many professions and occupations today passed the House unanimously. HB22-1098, sponsored by Representatives Shannon Bird and Jennifer Bacon, would make it easier for Coloradans with unrelated criminal charges to obtain the credentials they need to enter a profession. “This bill will boost our workforce by breaking down unnecessary barriers that prevent people from entering a profession and building a new life,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “Under the bill, the Department of Regulatory Affairs will create a standard for Coloradans with criminal records to apply for jobs to make it easier for qualified individuals to pursue careers in critical fields.” “We are excluding too many people from thriving in professions they are qualified for,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “This disproportionately prevents Black and Brown Coloradans from building a better life and entering professions regulated by the state. This bill will begin to open new opportunities for Coloradans who have been involved in the criminal justice system, which will boost our workforce, create jobs and help employers across the state.” HB22-1098 would make it so applicants may only be denied a credential based on their criminal history if that history would hinder their ability to do their job safely and competently. Additionally, the bill allows regulators to issue a conditional credential to a potential applicant with certain guardrails in place. Nearly one in three Coloradans have a criminal record that hinders them from applying for state regulated jobs, including K-12 teaching, child care, health care and other high-demand sectors in Colorado facing workforce shortages. HB22-1098 would make it easier for qualified Coloradans to apply for these jobs if their criminal record does not hinder their ability to do the job safely. Previous Next

< Back May 25, 2021 COLORADO ON TRACK TO PASS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD MAKING FRONT RANGE RAIL A REALITY DENVER, CO– The House Transportation and Local Government Committee today advanced Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Rep. Matt Gray’s bill to lay the groundwork for the development of a high-speed passenger rail to connect Colorado from our Northern to our Southern borders. The bill passed by a vote of 7-4. “Front Range Rail has been a priority of my Southern Colorado constituents for years now, and I’m proud we took this bold step forward today,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Keeping Coloradans connected from the New Mexico to the Wyoming borders is good for all Coloradans, and will go a long way toward ensuring that Colorado’s economic growth is shared across the state. Given the President’s passion for passenger rail, it’s more important than ever to lay the groundwork to ensure Colorado is ready to receive and invest federal transportation funds quickly and efficiently.” “Colorado’s transportation systems are lagging behind our neighboring states, and we’re working hard this session to keep our state competitive for years to come,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. “Developing high-speed passenger rail is just one more step we can take to help lower emissions, boost local economies, and improve mobility for communities across the state. I’m proud of the work we did to make it a reality today.” SB21-238 would create the Front Range Passenger Rail District and tasks it with conducting the necessary research, development, construction, operation and maintenance of the Front Range Rail system, which would connect Coloradans living and working along the I-25 corridor. The bill outlines funding options, and authorizes the District to pursue a sales and use tax that would be subject to voter approval. The District would be overseen by a board of directors that would be instructed to work closely with RTD and Amtrak to ensure the passenger rail and transit systems are compatible and work well for travelers. The bill ensures Colorado will be in position to benefit from the federal government’s proposed investment in railroad development. Previous Next

< Back June 29, 2020 SIGNED! NEW HIGHER ED FUNDING FORMULA AND CRITICAL BILLS TO IMPROVE HIGHER ED ATTAINMENT Denver, CO — Today, at Simply Pure, a marijuana dispensary, Governor Jared Polis signed into law a bill that increases access to the Social Equity license, which makes owning and operating a retail marijuana store accessible to more Coloradans. The bill is sponsored by Representative James Coleman. “All hardworking Coloradans deserve a fair shot at sharing in the prosperity of the booming marijuana industry,” said Rep. Coleman, D-Denver . “We should not be defined by our past alone, and this bill provides Coloradans who want to make an honest living in the marijuana industry with the opportunity to do so. Creating equal economic opportunity for all makes us stronger. ” “Colorado has led the way for the nation’s fast-changing laws and attitudes towards marijuana,” said Rep. Singer, D-Longmont . “By allowing the Governor to pardon individuals with small possession offenses and improving access and equity in the booming marijuana industry, this bill moves our state boldly forward. The bill signed today is good for small businesses, hardworking Coloradans, and our state’s economy as a whole.” In order to drive socioeconomic equity to the retail marijuana trade, HB20-1424 establishes that marijuana retailers cannot be denied access to the Social Equity license solely based on a prior marijuana conviction. The bill also allows the governor to pardon individuals who were convicted of possession of marijuana for up to two ounces — effectively offering these Coloradans a clean slate. In order to be eligible for the Social Equity license, applicants must be a Colorado resident and one of the following regulations must apply. Applicants must have either: resided in Colorado for 15 years, have been arrested or convicted of a marijuana offense, have a household income that did not exceed a predetermined amount, or hold at least 51 percent of marijuana business license. Marijuana retailers who have a Social Equity license are eligible for the Accelerator Program, which authorizes stores with a Social Equity license to operate under established state laws as long as they are endorsed by an Accelerator Store. Previous Next

< Back March 17, 2020 COLORADO SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS INTERROGATORY OF THE GA DENVER, CO — The Colorado Supreme Court today announced that it would take up the question of whether, under the current circumstances of a declared disaster emergency, the General Assembly can suspend the legislative session and pick up where it left off at a later point. The court accepted the bipartisan interrogatories passed by the General Assembly on Saturday, and the court will be accepting briefs on the case over the next week. “The Constitution gives the legislature 120 calendar days to accomplish the important work our constituents elected us to do,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “We are in an impossible situation of either not taking care of the public’s needs by not passing critical legislation, or not taking care of the public’s needs by continuing our work in the middle of a public health emergency. I’m glad that the court has acted rapidly to take up this question, and hope they will see the wisdom in allowing us to suspend operations during this crisis and come back to continue our work when appropriate.” “We are grateful that the court has taken up our request with such speed and urgency,” said President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo. “It is imperative that we get an answer regarding if the Legislature is Constitutionally permitted to suspend the counting of legislative days during a state emergency. The work we do on behalf of Coloradans is critical to the wellbeing of our state, and we sincerely hope to continue our efforts once public safety is secured.” HJR20-1006 asks the Colorado Supreme Court to answer the following question: Does the provision of section 7 of article V of the state constitution that limits the length of the regular legislative session to “one hundred twenty calendar days” require that those days be counted consecutively and continuously beginning with the first day on which the regular legislative session convenes or may the General Assembly for purposes of operating during a declared disaster emergency interpret the limitation as applying only to calendar days on which the Senate or the House of Representatives, or both, convene in regular legislative session? The Interrogatory argues that “If the General Assembly is required to adjourn for a significant period of time to protect the public health[…] legislators will be unable to serve their constituents by debating and acting on many of the bills introduced during the 2020 regular legislative session, and the citizens who elected those legislators to act on those bills will be deprived of representation by their chosen representatives[…]” The Interrogatory asks the court to determine if the General Assembly should be forced to either reduce the length of the session and thereby fail to meet its responsibility to serve the citizens of the state by passing legislation in the public interest, or jeopardize the constitutionality of that legislation, including the state’s annual budget. Interested parties may file a brief by 5:00 PM on Tuesday March 24, and the Colorado Supreme Court case number is 2020SA100. Previous Next

< Back September 6, 2021 ISABELLA JOY THALLAS ACT GOES INTO EFFECT TOMORROW Law requires gun owners to report lost and stolen firearms DENVER, CO– SB21-078, legislation sponsored by Representatives Tom Sullivan and Leslie Herod to promote responsible gun ownership, will go into effect tomorrow. The new law aims to prevent firearms from getting into the wrong hands by requiring gun owners to report to law enforcement within five days of realizing their firearms have been lost or stolen. “Last session, we took historic action to prevent gun violence in Colorado, passing six commonsense laws that will help save lives,” said Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial. “The law going into effect today is an educational tool that will help keep firearms out of the wrong hands by setting an expectation for gun owners to report when their firearms are lost or have been stolen. No law will prevent every gun death, but we’ve seen that well-crafted policies–like Colorado’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law–save lives, and the Isabella Joy Thallas Act will, as well.” “Lost and stolen firearms are found at crime scenes across the country every day, and data shows that tens of thousands of firearms have been stolen in Colorado in recent years,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “Unreported lost or stolen firearms make our communitiees less safe, and it doesn’t have to be that way. Timely reporting of lost or stolen firearms saves lives, helps prevent crime, and it’s the simple and responsible thing to do if you realize your firearm is missing.” SB21-078 requires an individual who owns a firearm and has reasonable cause to believe that the firearm has been lost or stolen to report that firearm to a law enforcement agency within five days after discovering that the firearm is missing. A first offense for failure to make such a report is a civil infraction punishable by a $25 fine, and a second or subsequent offense is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine. The bill requires a law enforcement agency that receives a report to enter information about the lost or stolen firearm into the National Crime Information Center database and report the information to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Through an amendment, SB21-078 was renamed the ‘Isabella Joy Thallas Act’, in honor of the young woman who was murdered on June 10, 2020 while she and her boyfriend were walking their dog outside of their apartment in Denver’s Ballpark neighborhood. The high-powered semi-automatic rifle used in the killing was stolen. Previous Next

< Back July 6, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! RURAL ECONOMIES IN COLORADO GET A JUMP-START Denver, CO – Today, Governor Jared Polis signed into law a bipartisan bill to expand on the successful Rural Jump-Start program that helps boost economic development in rural Colorado. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by Representatives Dylan Roberts and Janice Rich as well as Senators Kerry Donovan and Ray Scott. “I am thrilled to see this bill signed into law today because our economy needs help so that Coloradans can get back to work,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “From Routt County to Mesa County, the Rural Jump-Start Program has been the reason why dozens of businesses were able to open their doors and hire employees in rural Colorado. This law expands this program to more parts of the state and will allow even more small businesses to open and hire employees. As we move to safely reopen, we are glad to have this tool in place to help with the long term economic health of rural Colorado.” “I am incredibly proud to have sponsored this bill and to watch it become law today,” said Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail. “For the last 5 years the Rural Jump-Start Program has been helping new businesses open in rural Colorado and boost their local economies in the process. Now with the serious economic pains we are experiencing from COVID-19, it is crucial that we expand this program’s success to other small rural communities across the state. Recovery won’t happen overnight, but with the ingenuity of small business start-ups, I am hopeful that Colorado will have the tools in place to begin an economic recovery.” The Rural Jump-Start program encourages businesses to create and maintain jobs in economically distressed rural areas by providing tax incentives both to the businesses themselves and to their employees. HB20-1003 includes key modifications to the Rural Jump-Start program to ensure more rural communities, businesses and their employees can benefit in economically distressed areas of rural Colorado. Importantly, it also extends the program for five years and allows economic development organizations to form Rural Jump-Start Zone programs to authorize new businesses to participate. Previous Next

The House Health and Human Services Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to support children and youth in the foster care system that have complex behavioral health care needs. The bill passed by a vote of 12-1. < Back February 1, 2024 Rep. Young Bill to Increase Behavioral Health Care Access for Foster Youth Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Health and Human Services Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to support children and youth in the foster care system that have complex behavioral health care needs. The bill passed by a vote of 12-1. “Children and youth with complex behavioral health needs deserve access to quality health care, but our current shortage of treatment beds has placed youth in hospitals and hotels where they aren’t receiving appropriate treatment,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “We’re creating a system of care that boosts the availability of residential child care settings who can successfully treat these youth and increases payments to fund more residential treatment centers and beds. By strengthening Colorado’s resources, we can ensure our youth have access to the quality behavioral health care they need, when they need it.” HB24-1038 , also sponsored by Representative Brandi Bradley, R-Roxborough, outlines a new system of care designed for youth and children with complex behavioral health needs who are in foster care, or at risk of out-of-home placement. Specifically, it would require state agencies to create a care plan that includes the implementation of a standardized assessment tool, intensive-care coordination, expanded supportive services and expanded access to treatment in foster care. The bill aims to make it easier for youth with complex behavioral health needs to receive the care they need, when they need it. In order to meet the needs of foster youth, the bill creates a training academy to develop high-quality residential child care providers who will ensure effective, safe, and responsible care. The legislation requires the state to monitor quality standards for residential child care providers at all levels of care. This bill originated from the Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee and was unanimously approved by the committee in October 2023. Previous Next

< Back February 15, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES MULLICA’S BIPARTISAN FREESTANDING ER LICENSING BILL Bill will help improve safety (Feb. 15) – The House gave final approval on a bill today sponsored by Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Northglenn, that will improve safety at freestanding emergency room departments. “This bipartisan bill will ensure patients receive care in a safe manner and that emergency departments in rural, urban and suburban communities offer the best services available,” said Rep. Mullica, D-Northglenn. HB 19-1010 will bring freestanding emergency departments under the same regulatory umbrella as traditional hospital emergency rooms to ensure the safety and wellbeing of patients. This will ultimately improve the quality of care for patients and increase health care affordability. This bill will create a new license for Freestanding Emergency Departments (FSEDs) through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). It also requires FSEDs to medically screen every patient seeking care as well as prohibit them from delaying a medical examination in order to inquire about the patient’s ability to pay for the care or their insurance status. Rep. Mullica is an emergency room nurse by trade. The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Lois Landgraf, R-Fountain. HB19-1010 passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 54-9. The bill now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation to improve educator safety in classrooms across the state. < Back June 6, 2024 ICYMI: Gov. Polis Signs Bill to Protect Educators DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation to improve educator safety in classrooms across the state. “As a teacher, I know how important it is for students and educators to feel safe at school – and this law is a big step forward toward creating a safe learning environment for everyone,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Educator safety should be a top priority, and unfortunately, Colorado educators have reported an increase in targeted violence. Ensuring our educators feel safe and comfortable in the classroom will help recruit, retain and strengthen our educator workforce for years to come.” “This legislation will help identify actions schools can take to keep educators safe so they can focus on teaching our students,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “By creating a task force to study this issue, we can examine the role that unequal access to resources and restorative justice play in staff safety issues. Feeling safe in school is essential to fostering a positive educational environment that is more equitable.” HB24-1320 seeks to generate recommendations on improving safety for educators and school staff through the creation of the Educator Safety Task Force. Members of the task force will represent school support professionals, teachers, administrators, nonprofits, and students and families from various communities who are impacted. In making their recommendations related to school safety, the task force will look at the impact of funding needs, wraparound supports, staffing ratios, incidents of student behavior, and resource inequality. The 2023-2024 State of Education report conducted by the Colorado Education Association found that nearly a third of respondents, 32 percent, experienced physical abuse by a student in the two years prior to taking the survey . Previous Next

This week, bipartisan members of the Wildfire Matters Review Committee (WMRC) participated in a series of site visits throughout the Western Slope to learn more about Colorado’s wildfire response and prevention resources and hear directly from Coloradans impacted by recent destructive wildfires. < Back September 7, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: Wildfire Matters Review Committee Tours Wildfire Fighting Facilities, Meets with Impacted Coloradans GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO – This week, bipartisan members of the Wildfire Matters Review Committee (WMRC) participated in a series of site visits throughout the Western Slope to learn more about Colorado’s wildfire response and prevention resources and hear directly from Coloradans impacted by recent destructive wildfires. "I am proud to host the Wildfire Matters Interim Committee in my beautiful district," said Chair of WMRC, Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. "On the Western Slope, we have experienced catastrophic fires which are only worsening as a result of climate change. We no longer have fire seasons, but fire years. We must be proactive in the face of a changing climate. There are many lessons learned and we have made progress in fire resiliency and emergency response, however there is more work to do." "Because of climate change, extreme wildfires are occurring more frequently, so we must continue working to protect our homes and businesses and create more resilient communities,” said Vice Chair of WMRC, Senator Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “A fire anywhere in Colorado affects the water we all drink, the air we all breathe, and the economy and recreational opportunities that enrich our lives. It's critical for us to hear from experts and community members who work and live in areas most likely to be directly impacted. I look forward to taking what we’ve learned back to the Capitol, where it will help shape our wildfire policy.” On Wednesday, WMRC committee members toured the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Hanging Lake Tunnel, a traffic command center equipped with a complete fire department for rapid response to fires in Glenwood Canyon. Following the tour of the command center, the committee visited El Jebel Mobile Home Park, a community threatened during the 2018 Lake Christine Fire, to learn about effective wildfire mitigation efforts. Finally, the committee met with members of the Glenwood Springs community to discuss recent wildfire fighting responses and identify gaps in resources and services. Today, the committee continued their tour with an EcoFlight tour of burn scars from the Grizzly Creek, Lake Christine, and Coal Seam wildfires. The two-day trip concluded with a tour of the Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting , a center established by SB14-164 and charged with driving technological advancements that improve firefighting practices and ensuring the successful implementation of Colorado's aerial firefighting fleet. This year, members of WMRC sponsored legislation to establish a statewide wildfire resiliency code board to help communities living in the wildland-urban interface defend homes and property from catastrophic wildfires, create a fire investigation fund to help investigate the causes and origins of fires and wildfires, and improve Colorado’s forestry workforce by directing the Colorado State Forest Service to develop educational materials on career opportunities in the industry and create a workforce development program in the State Forest Service. Previous Next

New law to improve housing affordability and options goes into effect < Back June 27, 2024 Law to Make Housing More Affordable, Remove Unnecessary Occupancy Limits Goes Into Effect New law to improve housing affordability and options goes into effect DENVER, CO - On July 1, 2024, legislation goes into effect to prohibit local governments from implementing or enforcing residential occupancy limits except for health and safety reasons. “Colorado has a housing shortage across the state, forcing people to live paycheck to paycheck just to have a roof over their head,” said Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City. “Discriminatory housing limits often prevent Coloradans from living with friends or distant family members, reducing housing options and pushing people out of their communities. Now, we’re allowing more Coloradans to legally share living spaces, which will make housing more affordable and help ensure that more Coloradans have a place to call home.” “Ending discriminatory occupancy limits is a great way to break down housing barriers and create a more equitable market,” said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. “These limits disproportionately affect historically marginalized communities that may have diverse family structures. It’s time we lift outdated occupancy limits and give Coloradans a wider range of housing options.” “Occupancy limits that are not genuinely necessary for health and safety limit the ability of Coloradans struggling to get by to find affordable housing,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “At a time when Coloradans face a shortage of housing supply, our governments should not be limiting the supply of housing. This legislation will expand housing options for all and allow people to make their own housing choices that benefit their families and save them money.” “Strict occupancy limits can reduce housing options and push folks out of their communities,” said Senator Tony Exum, D-Colorado Springs. “Prohibiting occupancy limits would give residents the freedom to choose their living situations and who they live with. With this bill, we can allow families to live in a structure that’s best for them – without the interference of occupancy limits.” HB24-1007 prohibits local governments from limiting the number of people who can live together based on family status. Limits are only permitted if they are based on affordable housing program guidelines or demonstrated health and safety standards, such as fire code regulations, wastewater and water quality standards, or international building code standards. Occupancy limits typically cap the number of people that can live in a residence based on whether or not they are not related, even if the residence has more bedrooms than the occupancy limit standard. In 2023, there were over 14,000 Coloradans experiencing homelessness. More than 50 percent of renters in the Denver Metro Area, as well as counties like Boulder, El Paso, Larimer, Pueblo, Summit, Eagle, and Mesa, are cost burdened. Previous Next