SB26-011 will ensure timely, reliable compliance with search warrants < Back March 30, 2026 Legislation to Protect Children Online, Improve Public Safety Signed Into Law SB26-011 will ensure timely, reliable compliance with search warrants DENVER, CO – Bipartisan legislation to improve warrant response timelines for online platforms and keep communities safe was signed into law today. SB26-011 , sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, establishes precise requirements for how large online social media platforms must receive, acknowledge, and respond to search warrants issued by Colorado courts. “As a former Deputy District Attorney, I saw firsthand how critical digital evidence can be in serious criminal investigations,” said Roberts. “Increasingly, warrants are being disregarded or not treated with the seriousness they deserve by social media platforms, and delays in accessing evidence can have real consequences. SB26-011 helps ensure that court-approved warrants are respected so investigators can move quickly and responsibly.” “Our legislation is about making sure families who have been harmed aren’t left waiting for justice,” said Boesenecker. “When a judge authorizes a lawful search warrant, law enforcement deserves timely access to evidence, whether it exists in a filing cabinet or with a social media platform. By requiring social media companies to respond to search warrants in a timely manner, we can improve pathways to justice and protect our communities from further harm.” Also sponsored by Senator Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, and House Minority Leader Jarvis Caldwell, R-Monument, the bill covers social media websites, online services, or mobile applications that have at least one million monthly users, allow users to create profiles, and allow users to create or share content. Under the bill, these platforms must have a clear process for communication with law enforcement, provide a staffed hotline available to law enforcement 24/7, provide status updates on warrant compliance, and prominently post contact information for search warrant compliance on their homepage. They must also acknowledge receipt of a search warrant within eight hours and comply within 72 hours in most cases. These requirements will be enforced by the Attorney General or local district attorneys. Previous Next

< Back September 15, 2021 MAJORITY LEADER ESGAR STATEMENT ON SCOTUS ORAL ARGUMENTS ON MISSISSIPPI ABORTION LAW DENVER, CO — Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, today released the following statement on the US Supreme Court hearing on the Mississippi law seeking to overturn Roe v Wade: “The Mississippi law under review is a direct attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate a patient’s right to an abortion. The Court must uphold decades of precedent that has protected safe and legal abortion in our country. We refuse to go back in time to when people could not control their reproductive health care and did not have autonomy over their bodies, which led to many losing their lives seeking an unsafe, illegal abortion. Patients in consultation with their doctors should have the right to decide when they want to start a family–and this decision should not be left to or threatened by any branch of government. I am committed to protecting access to abortion in Colorado, and we will proudly continue to defeat dangerous efforts by Republican state lawmakers to ban or create barriers to abortion access in our state.” Previous Next

< Back May 1, 2019 REP. FROELICH’S BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENHANCE YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES GOES TO GOVERNOR’S DESK (May 1) – The House voted in strong bipartisan support to pass Rep. Meg Froelich’s Child & Youth Behavioral Health System Enhancements to curb youth suicide in Colorado by making it easier for families to locate and access the behavioral healthcare they need. “We have a mental health crisis in Colorado, one that knows no party lines,” said Rep. Froelich, D-Englewood. “Unfortunately, there are kids that are in pain and are not getting the timely and appropriate help they need. We need to provide more resources for teens, kids and their families to access the services they need to get help.” SB19-195 would create the Office of Children and Youth Behavioral Health Policy Coordination in the Office of the Governor, a central agency to coordinate mental and behavioral health resources statewide. Additionally, it would create a commission to study and recommend how to best coordinate and provide such services. The bill would also standardize the screening and assessments that doctors use to identify potential behavioral concerns. Nearly 9 out of every 100,000 teenagers in the United States between the ages of 15 and 19 die by suicide. In Colorado, that number is nearly twice the national average at 17.6 out of every 100,000 teenagers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Help is available. If you are struggling, please text TALK to 38255 or call 844-493-8255. SB19-195 passed with a bipartisan vote of 52-13. It now heads to the Governor’s desk. Previous Next

The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today passed a bill, sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Javier Mabrey, that would prohibit corporations from using consumers’ personal data to charge them more or pay them less. < Back March 12, 2026 Bacon, Mabrey Bill to Lower Costs, Boost Wages Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today passed a bill, sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Javier Mabrey, that would prohibit corporations from using consumers’ personal data to charge them more or pay them less. “Corporations are keeping tabs on your online habits to determine the absolute highest amount you’re willing to pay for everyday items, like groceries,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “As Trump’s tariffs and budget bill continue to drive up costs for Coloradans, we’re sponsoring legislation to prevent corporations from overcharging consumers and pricing out small businesses. Big corporations are spying on consumers to figure out how to keep wages low and prices high, which makes life more expensive for Coloradans who can least afford it. This legislation helps tackle the affordability crisis by prohibiting this practice to protect consumers from price gouging and boost workers’ wages.” “Our bill is clear - corporations cannot use algorithmic technology with the purpose of wringing every dollar possible from hardworking Coloradans,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “Big corporations are rigging the system to pad their pockets. They are collecting our personal data to run an automatic analysis to determine how much they can charge consumers or how little they can pay their workers. Our bill would prohibit this practice, increase incomes, and make life more affordable for hardworking Coloradans.” HB26-1210 would prohibit the use of a price or wage-setting algorithm that uses AI and other data processing techniques to strategically set prices or wages based on an individual’s surveillance data, including browsing and purchase history, financial status, habits and affiliations. HB26-1210 passed by a vote of 7-6. In recent years, corporations have increasingly weaponized price and wage setting to set prices at the highest amount someone is willing to pay and wages at the lowest amount that someone is willing to accept, based on data that is not publicly accessible and often collected without an individual’s knowledge or consent. For example, if someone searches for funeral homes online and then goes to book a plane ticket, an algorithm may judge that they are traveling for a funeral and would be willing to pay more for the flight. Engaging in these price or wage-setting practices would be considered a deceptive trade practice and could result in a civil penalty. A 2025 Federal Trade Commission report found that individualized pricing tools are being used to target specific consumers with artificially-inflated prices for goods and services based on their surveillance data, such as a person’s location or the motion of a computer mouse. Previous Next

< Back June 21, 2021 GOV SIGNS BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION, RENEWABLE ENERGY BILLS DENVER, CO — Governor Polis today signed two bills into law, which will increase energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality and encourage the use of more renewable energy. “Going green, whether through renewable energy or energy efficient technology, is great for our environment and can save individuals and businesses money in the process – what’s not to love?” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, sponsor of SB21-246 and SB21-261. “This was a banner year for clean energy, and the two laws signed by Governor Polis today prove it. Both laws will go a long way toward meeting our climate goals while creating jobs and investing in long-term sustainability.” “New advances in energy efficient technology mean we can save money while saving the planet,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, sponsor of SB21-246 . “The new law signed today will help Coloradans embrace energy efficient technologies like electric water heaters and furnaces, helping us to meet our climate goals, create jobs and improve both our indoor and outdoor air quality.” SB21-246 directs the Public Utilities Commission to set longer-term energy savings targets for utility beneficial electrification programs and approve plans from investor-owned utilities that would use incentives to promote the use and installation of energy efficient electric equipment. Transitioning to clean electric homes and businesses will improve public health, save energy, create jobs, and help Colorado meet its climate goals by reducing the use of fossil fuels. Under the bill, utilities will develop plans to help their customers replace costly natural gas and propane fueled appliances with high efficiency electric equipment, and utilities must include programs targeted to lower-income households in their plans. Clean heat from appliances such as electric heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and induction stoves will help Colorado reduce greenhouse gas pollution and has potential to help improve indoor air quality and health and safety in buildings. Improving indoor air quality is especially beneficial to families with children, older Coloradans, or who have household members with respiratory issues. Businesses that sell and install energy efficient technologies will see increased demand and growth through greater adoption of more efficient equipment. “If we’re serious about meeting the ambitious greenhouse gas emission goals we set for ourselves, we can’t be limited by arbitrary caps on the amount of clean energy we can produce,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of SB21-261. “The new law signed today does away with unnecessary barriers to allow Coloradans to lean into renewable energy and more adequately store and produce clean energy.” Currently, homeowners with rooftop solar panels have been limited in the amount of solar energy they can produce to 120% of the previous year. SB21-261 removes limitations on rooftop solar, modernizes net metering, reduces the costs of solar installation, and advances adoption of battery storage technology with the goal of helping Colorado meet our climate goals of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next three decades. 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

The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to support safety net health care providers and lower health care costs for Coloradans. < Back February 26, 2025 Bill to Protect Safety Net Providers, Save People Money on Health Care Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to support safety net health care providers and lower health care costs for Coloradans. HB25-1174 passed by a vote of 8-4. “We’re building upon our progress to save you money on health care by reigning in high hospital prices while protecting the safety net providers Coloradans rely on,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “This bill saves small businesses money on health care coverage for their employees and supports our local safety net providers that serve our vulnerable community members. We’re focused on improving access to the high-quality health care Coloradans need, and that requires us to improve the financial health of our safety net providers.” “While we’ve worked hard to drive down the cost of health care, there is more that can be done to improve access and save Coloradans money on health care,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “For example, Coloradans with commercial health insurance pay nearly three times what Medicare reimburses hospitals for the same care. Our legislation supports Colorado’s safety net providers, including community clinics, that often serve our seniors and hardworking families. This bill saves the state and small businesses money while boosting access to high-quality health care.” HB25-1174 will support safety net providers and reduce costs for small businesses by: Establishing reimbursement maximums for in-network (165% of Medicare) and out-of-network (150% of Medicare) on prices paid to certain hospitals through the state employee health plan and the small group market. Creating a feasibility study is required to explore the option for local governments and school districts to participate in a similar reimbursement limit. Safety net providers include primary care and family clinics that provide critical health care to communities across Colorado – like seniors, hardworking families, and rural Coloradans. This bill will support safety net providers by redirecting funds to critical community health centers and providers that serve Coloradans where and when they need care. HB25-1174 will also protect the state budget as tens of millions of dollars are expected to be diverted to the health care safety net and to help state employees with minimal impact on hospital margins. Similar policies in states like Oregon and Montana have proven effective, saving state employees money while relieving budget pressures. Colorado is poised to join these states in leading the charge for equitable and sustainable health care reform. Previous Next

SB24-189 adds gender identity and gender expression to Colorado’s bias-motivated crimes and harassment laws < Back June 28, 2024 Legislation to Protect More Coloradans from Bias-Motivated Crimes Goes Into Effect DENVER, CO – Legislation that will protect more Coloradans from bias-motivated crimes goes into effect on July 1. SB24-189 , sponsored by Senators Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, and Chris Hansen, D-Denver, as well as Representative Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, improves protections for Coloradans by adding gender identity and gender expression to the classes included in Colorado’s bias-motivated crimes and harassment laws. “Every Coloradan deserves to feel secure in their community, but far too many folks have been targeted because of who they are or how they identify,” Fields said. “As trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive folks face increasing threats across the country, we will continue fighting to make our state safer for all Coloradans and provide better protections against bias-motivated crime and harassment.” "Sadly hate crimes are on the rise in Colorado and the need for protections for LGBTQ+ Coloradans is very clear," Weissman said. "This new law 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." “Colorado has been a national leader when it comes to advancing equality and protections for our LGBTQ+ neighbors,” Hansen said. “This bill will help protect Coloradans from violence or harassment based on their gender identity or gender expression, and will help ensure perpetrators of bias-motivated crimes are held accountable for their actions. I’m pleased to champion this legislation that will help more Coloradans feel secure and keep people in our communities safe.” The bill also redefines "sexual orientation" as used in our bias-motivated crimes and harassment statutes. Previous Next

< Back May 28, 2019 GOV. SIGNS HOUSE DEM-LED BILLS TO HELP WORKERS GET AHEAD AND INTO GOOD PAYING JOBS House Democrats stand up for workers (May 28) – Gov. Polis signed a number of bills sponsored by House Democrats to help Colorado workers get ahead and into good paying jobs. First up was a bill sponsored by Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, that will establish a directory with apprenticeship programs within the Department of Labor with include salary ranges, critical labor force data, licensure requirements, and other information potential enrollees should know before embarking onto a career pathway. Recent reports show that that majority of Coloradans support vocational education. “Every hardworking individual should get a good-paying job no matter their education. There are currently nearly 200 sponsored apprenticeship programs, and that number is constantly evolving and growing,” said Rep. Sullivan. “This directory will serve as a tool to help students and young adults grow in their technical training and enter into career fields that offer salaries without the debt of traditional college.” The Gov. then signed an important new law to create the Just Transition Office within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to support the livelihood of coal transition workers, their families and their communities, and to help provide these workers access to training and job opportunities. “We must address climate change, but we cannot work towards a clean energy economy without also working on solutions to support workers who are affected by this transition,” said House Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “Workers and communities whose livelihoods are threatened by shifting economic tides and advancements in technology need support. We can support these communities in this transition and that’s the intention of this new law.” Due to market forces, Colorado’s power sector is transitioning toward renewable energy resources and natural gas. This bill would help ensure communities and workers who are going to be impacted by this market driven transition away from coal won’t be left behind. The bill creates the Just Transition Office which is tasked with drafting and submitting a plan by December 31, 2020 to the Governor on how best to support coal-transition workers and communities based on input from impacted workers and communities. Gov Polis then signed SB19-196, the Colorado Quality Apprenticeship Training Act sponsored by Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver and Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. This new law will help promote the use of high-quality apprenticeship programs on state public works projects. In 2018, it was estimated that building trades had a shortage of 60,000 workers in Colorado. The state’s construction industry alone will need at least 30,000 new workers to meet demand in the years ahead. The Gov. also signed HB19-1210, to allow local governments to adjust their minimum wage up to more effectively address the local cost of living, rather than have to adhere to a statewide standard in a state where local real estate markets and health care costs vary dramatically. The law would allow counties and cities to increase the minimum wage in their localities beyond the state minimum wage, currently set at $11.10 an hour. The new law sponsored by Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora, and former Rep. Rochelle Galindo, D-Greeley. Research shows that wage growth spurs consumer spending and a healthier economy. ### Previous Next

< Back May 30, 2019 GOV SIGNS BILL TO ENCOURAGE MORE GIRLS IN STEM INDUSTRY (May 30) – Gov Polis signed a bill sponsored by Rep. Daneya Esgar and Rep. Lisa Cutter that would encourage young girls to go into the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field. “This new law will help get Colorado’s kids ready for jobs that haven’t even been imagined yet. Right now, we can’t see the full extent of the gender gap in computer science classrooms because Colorado doesn’t gather that information,” said Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo. “If we start gathering this information, we can find the solutions to this challenge.” HB19-1277 provides computer science classroom participation data to understand the extend the gender gap in Colorado. The new law would also provide $250,000 per year to grant funding for three schools and districts who want to offer computer science courses and afterschool programs with an emphasis on participation by underrepresented groups, such as women. “We need to encourage our students, especially our young girls and underrepresented students to get involved in tech and science, which offer high paying jobs,” said Rep. Cutter, D-Evergreen. “This new law is a responsible investment in the future of our children and the future of our state.” Previous Next

< Back January 30, 2020 REP. SIROTA: LIMIT CONTRIBUTIONS IN SCHOOL BOARD RACES DENVER, CO– The House Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs today advanced Rep. Emily Sirota’s bill to set a maximum contribution limit of $2,500 in school board elections by a vote of 7-2. “Money is corrupting our political system, and we need to address it at every level, especially when it’s taking direct aim at our children’s education,” said Rep. Sirota (D-Denver). “Spending in school board races is out of control and getting larger each year. It’s time to put limits on contributions in school board races to curb the influence of high-dollar donors in our democracy.” Unlike federal elections, Colorado House and Senate elections and county elections, there are currently no limits on campaign contributions in school board races. Spending in school board races in Colorado is growing rapidly, and donors, sometimes from out of state, are contributing tens of thousands of dollars to individual candidates, amounts substantially above federal and state contribution limits in other races. HB20-1066 would set contribution limits in school director elections at $2,500 per individual donor. These limits would be adjusted for inflation. Additionally, the bill subjects school board candidates to existing disclosure laws, including requiring school board candidates to file contribution reports in a similar manner to state House and Senate candidates. Previous Next

< Back May 10, 2022 BILL TO MAKE CHILD CARE MORE AFFORDABLE PASSES HOUSE DENVER, CO – The House passed a bill to save families money on child care. SB22-213 invests $50 million of federal pandemic relief dollars toward increasing child care capacity and boosting the professional child care workforce. “The pandemic has made it even more difficult for families to find affordable, high-quality childcare and as a result, many parents, especially moms, are leaving the workforce to care for their kids,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood . “We’re investing $50 million toward expanding Colorado’s child care facilities and training more professionals to bring down the cost of child care. This bill will help us provide critical support for working families who’ve been stretched thin to ensure their children have a safe place to learn and thrive during the workday.” “Colorado’s child care system has been stretched thin for years, so we’re taking the initiative to fill funding gaps and make child care more affordable and accessible,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver. “Our bill invests federal pandemic relief dollars toward training more child care professionals and expanding our state’s child care capacity so families can more easily access quality care.” Child Care Support Programs: SB22-213 , sponsored by Representatives Kerry Tipper and Alex Valdez passed the House by a vote of 41 to 22. This bill aims to boost Colorado’s economy and make it easier for families to access child care by increasing capacity across the state and better developing the workforce to help Coloradans get the training they need to provide that care. This bill utilizes $50 million of federal pandemic relief dollars to boost child care capacity by providing $16 million in grant funding to open a new child care center or expand capacity at an existing licensed childcare facility. It will also invest $10 million to support the employer-based child care facility grant program, which will help business owners and other employers provide convenient, high-quality child care on-site while parents are at work. SB22-213 also adds $15 million to the successful workforce recruitment and retention grant program and provides $7.5 million to support and train license-exempt informal caregivers working with young children in their communities. Previous Next