Search Results

< Back March 21, 2022 GOV. POLIS SIGNS ROBERTS’ FUNERAL HOME INSPECTION BILL INTO LAW DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis signed into law today a bipartisan bill that will expand the authority of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to inspect and investigate funeral homes and crematories for malpractice based on complaints. "This law is for my constituents, some of whom were terribly harmed, by making sure DORA has the power to investigate and prevent funeral home malpractice and atrocities,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “I wish we did not have to pass bills like this but I am thankful we got this done and passed in a bipartisan way. The horrendous incidents in Gypsum, Leadville, Montrose and elsewhere made this necessary. This law will make it easier for state agencies to identify negligence in funeral homes and crematories so no more families in Colorado will have to endure the heartbreak caused by the Kent Funeral Homes and others in our state.” HB22-1073 , sponsored by Representatives Dylan Roberts and Matt Soper, will allow DORA to conduct inspections and investigations of funeral homes and crematories. Prior to this law, DORA had no authority to inspect funeral homes or crematories without the consent of the business owner and other high legal thresholds. This law is a direct response to instances of funeral home malpractice in multiple Western Slope funeral homes, including Kent Funeral Homes in Leadville and Gypsum , and will go into effect in August 2022. 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

The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives William Lindstedt and Alex Valdez that would strengthen consumer protections for ticket sales for activities like concerts and sporting events. HB24-1378 passed by a vote of 8-1. < Back April 10, 2024 Consumer Protections for Event Tickets Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives William Lindstedt and Alex Valdez that would strengthen consumer protections for ticket sales for activities like concerts and sporting events. HB24-1378 passed by a vote of 8-1. “Bad actors are taking advantage of our lax laws to profit off Coloradans who are just trying to see their favorite musician or sports team,” said Rep. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield. “Colorado’s ticket purchasing laws should aim to protect consumers from unfair business practices. Our legislation seeks to increase transparency and consumer protections around ticket purchasing so we can save Coloradans money and make the ticket-buying experience more predictable.” “Undisclosed fees and unreputable resellers make the ticket-buying experience frustrating and costly,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver. “This bill will allow Coloradans to have more trust in the system by prohibiting sellers from impersonating a venue or seller and banning an increase in prices after the buyer has already selected their ticket.” HB24-1378 would require ticket sellers and resellers to guarantee refunds to ticket buyers and prohibit an operator from denying a ticket-buyer access to an event because they purchased the ticket through a reseller. The bill would also make it a deceptive trade practice to: Display trademarked, copyrighted, or substantially similar web designs, URLs, or other images and symbols with the intent to mislead a purchaser, Sell a ticket to an event without disclosing the total cost of the ticket, or Increase the price of a ticket after the ticket has been selected for purchase, except for adding delivery fees. The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that additional fees on event tickets average 27 to 31 percent of the ticket’s price. Previous Next

< Back May 27, 2021 HOUSE MOVES TO KEEP VOTERS INFORMED Reps. Kennedy and Weissman’s bill to ensure voters understand the impact of the ballot measures they’re voting on advances DENVER, CO– The House today advanced a bill to give voters more detailed information about the ballot initiatives they are voting on. The bill passed the House on Second Reading. “In Colorado, we trust the voters to make the final decision on countless critical matters of state, and it only makes sense to trust them with more robust and detailed information as they do so,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “This simple bill will mean better ballots and more informed decision making for the state of Colorado. What’s not to love?” “Colorado’s complex laws mean that voters are often entrusted to make hugely consequential fiscal decisions, and it’s crucial that we provide them with all the necessary information before their votes are cast,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “ Better ballots will soon be on their way.” Under current law dating back to the 1992 TABOR law, ballot measures that would increase taxes are required to outline, in capital letters, how much revenue will be raised from said initiative. This bill would provide voters with even more information about the impact of ballot questions on taxpayers and taxpayer-funded programs. For example, the bill would require that for measures that either increase or decrease the individual income tax rate or the state sales tax rate, ballots show a table indicating the average tax burden change for taxpayers in each income bracket. The bill also requires that for ballot measures that reduce state tax revenue, the blue book sent to every voter shows the top three programs the revenue reduction impacts, as determined by nonpartisan legislative research staff. Previous Next

< Back February 16, 2019 COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL EDUCATION BILL MOVING THROUGH HOUSE Bill to allow students to access the skills and information they need to keep themselves & their peers safe approved on second reading (Feb. 15) – The House approved Rep. Susan Lontine and Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s bill on second reading to expand the content in the comprehensive sexual education that many students in Colorado already receive. This bill does not require schools to teach sex education, however, existing law requires that if they do provide sex education it must be comprehensive. The bill adds consent, defining a healthy relationship, and sexual orientation to the current standards. “Colorado’s students deserve access to age-appropriate, accurate and comprehensive information regarding sex education to keep themselves and their classmates healthy and safe,” said Rep. Lontine, D-Denver. “It’s important that students are taught about consent at a young age so they can advocate for themselves.” Colorado does not have a mandatory sex education requirement. However, existing law does provide a set of standards if school decides to teach about sex education. This bill would increase the ranges of topics to include birth control and pregnancy, abstinence, STD prevention, consent, healthy relationships and sexual orientation. “As a doctor in a clinic, I only have the ability to affect one child and one life at a time,” said Rep. Caraveo, D-Denver . “Schools have the ability to improve the health of hundreds of kids at a time through the ability to provide comprehensive sex ed that will prevent countless young people from facing life altering illnesses or unplanned pregnancies.” This bill would also allocate $1 million in funds to an existing grant program administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for teaching comprehensive sex education. Rural schools and public schools that do not have the resources to offer sex education will be prioritized for receiving this grant money. Some of the common misconceptions about this legislation are around the opt-out options already in place, the content around LGBTQ inclusion, and the definition of a healthy relationship. “I think about this bill and I think about all of the unnecessary hurt that this could have prevented for my mother. That if she had the opportunity in school for somebody to talk to her about healthy relationships, to answer questions about what she was going through. To show her that she’s normal – that nothing is wrong with her – . what could that have done for her?” said Rep, Kyle Mullica, D- Northglenn during a moving speech on the House floor. “And I think about what this bill can do for our LGBTQ students today and the unnecessary pain that it can prevent today.” House Republicans attempted to sabotage this bill on the House floor by introducing a number of politically charged amendments that would have gutted the bill and reflected how out of step they are with everyday Coloradans and students. The bill was approved in an initial House floor vote 35-20 and now will need to be approved by a recorded vote on third reading in the House. ATTACHED: Headshots of Rep. Lontine, Rep. Caraveo and Rep. Mullica ### About the Colorado General Assembly House Democrats Colorado’s 65-member House of Representatives includes 41 Democrats. For current and past House proceedings, go to Comcast Channel 165 or coloradochannel.net . Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/COHouseDems , on Twitter @COHouseDem , and on Instagram @COHouseDemocrats or visit our website at cohousedems.com Previous Next

< Back June 3, 2020 HOUSE PASSES FY20-21 LONG BILL DENVER, CO — Joint Budget Committee Chair Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, and Representative Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, today released the following statements after the House passed the FY20-21 Long Bill ( HB20-1360 ) by a vote of 41-23. Lawmakers have spent the last six weeks working to responsibly balance the budget and prioritize funding for education and critical health and safety services. “This was a really difficult budget, and we had to make a lot of painful decisions,” said JBC Chair Esgar, D-Pueblo. “It’s not easy to govern and craft a balanced budget in these economically dire times. I’m proud of the way we came together to govern responsibly and protect our most vulnerable Coloradans as we prioritized funding for education and critical health and safety services. I am grateful for the tireless work of our nonpartisan staff, my colleagues on the Joint Budget Committee, and my colleagues in the House Democratic caucus that dug in to help find compassionate and responsible solutions to help our state overcome this crisis.” “We had to make painful decisions on proposals for heartbreaking cuts to responsibly craft a budget that serves our most vulnerable and protects as much money as possible for K-12 education,” said JBC Member Rep. McCluskie, D-Dillon. “We rejected cuts that would devastate Coloradans with intellectual or developmental disabilities and kick children off their health insurance. It isn’t the budget we wanted to pass, but I’m proud of the work the JBC did to meet the needs of vulnerable Coloradans during this unprecedented and dire budget crisis.” The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a $3.3 billion budget shortfall. With Congress’s failure to provide additional relief to states, lawmakers were forced to cut over 20 percent of the budget that the legislature controls, which covers core state priorities such as K-12 education, higher education and critical health and safety services. The House also passed HB20-1366 , which makes significant reforms to the higher education funding formula. The product of months of stakeholding, the new formula focuses on student outcomes, helps secure the long-term sustainability of rural institutions and protects the rural economies that rely on public colleges and universities. Previous Next

Speaker Julie McCluskie today delivered remarks at the Elevating Rural Colorado Partnership celebration in Keystone, CO, and discussed recent efforts to boost career pathways in rural Colorado and support rural public schools. < Back July 22, 2024 McCluskie Addresses Elevating Rural Colorado Partnership Education Celebration KEYSTONE, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie today delivered remarks at the Elevating Rural Colorado Partnership celebration in Keystone, CO, and discussed recent efforts to boost career pathways in rural Colorado and support rural public schools. The event, organized by Colorado Succeeds, the Colorado Education Initiative, Empower Schools, and Lyra Colorado, celebrated five years of progress and partnership to boost rural education opportunities. “From new, low-cost pathways to higher education and good paying jobs to significant new funding for rural public schools, there are so many incredible success stories to celebrate for the high country,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Students in our communities will soon see more resources in their classrooms, and many are already taking advantage of new opportunities we’ve created to complete skills training and degree programs that will set them up for success.” Speaker McCluskie has been a champion of legislation to create new, affordable pathways to complete higher education degrees and programs in rural Colorado that set up students to thrive. She sponsored legislation to create the Opportunity Now Grant program, which funds collaborative efforts with higher education, businesses, trade associations and unions to create new training and degree programs in growing industries with workforce shortages. The Speaker has also led efforts to fully fund public schools and significantly increase funding for rural schools and districts that serve more at-risk, English language learners, and special education students. This year, she passed a new School Finance Formula, which changed how schools are funded for the first time in nearly 30 years. This will result in a 12 percent ($5.2 million) increase in funding for Summit County Schools when the new formula is fully implemented, according to the school finance simulator tool developed by nonpartisan staff at the legislature. Previous Next

< Back July 10, 2024 McCluskie Tours Grand County, Meets with School Leaders GRAND COUNTY, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie this week toured local businesses and summer camps and met with school officials in Grand County to discuss increased school funding under the new school finance formula. “Coloradans in the high country face some of the highest costs of living in our state, which is why I have been focused on making Colorado more affordable so everyone can live, learn, work and play in the places we love,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “It was great to hear from constituents, business owners, and school leaders about their hopes and dreams for our state and how new laws will protect our water, support Colorado agriculture, reduce taxes on small businesses, and lower the cost of housing, child care and health care.” The speaker toured Snow Mountain Ranch, Sisu Farms and Camp Chief Ouray, where she met with summer campers and constituents and highlighted new legislation that will boost rural economies and make living in the high country more affordable. Speaker McCluskie has championed legislation to protect Colorado water and support agriculture, establish the Northwest passenger rail line, reduce property taxes on families and small businesses, and lower the cost of housing and health care in the high country. McCluskie also met with the superintendents and school board presidents for East Grand School District and West Grand School District, which will see nearly 30 percent and 17 percent increases respectively under the new school finance formula she sponsored and passed this year. “It was exciting to meet with Grand County superintendents and school board presidents to learn more about the challenges they face and the incredible opportunities ahead,” continued McCluskie. “The new school finance formula I sponsored this year will significantly increase funding for Grand County schools, which the districts can use to increase teacher pay, reduce class sizes and invest in our students so that every child can thrive.” 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 April 29, 2022 TWO WILDFIRE PREVENTION BILLS PASS THE HOUSE DENVER, CO – The House passed two bills today to prevent wildfires. These bills aim to boost local fire department funding, prevent uncontrolled burns and build a safer Colorado. “In an instant, a controlled burn can take a turn and spark a devastating wildfire,” said Rep. Tony Exum, D-Colorado Springs, sponsor of HB22-1132. “This bill requires Coloradans to report their controlled burn plans to their local fire departments. During my career as a firefighter, we worked closely with community members and this bill will give local departments the knowledge they need to prevent uncontrolled burns in their communities and help prevent sweeping wildfires. “Wildfire season in Colorado is no longer just in the summer and our bill provides volunteer firefighters with updated equipment, access to behavioral health resources and other support they need,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Littleton, sponsor of SB22-002 . “Many of our brave firefighters are volunteers, and it is incumbent on us to support them as they work so hard to protect us, particularly as wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity.” Notification and Services For Wildfire Mitigation: HB22-1132 , sponsored by Representatives Tony Exum and Richard Holtorf would require Coloradans to notify their local fire department or other governing authority before conducting a controlled burn. HB22-1132 passed by a vote of 56 to 6. Under the bill, after fire departments are alerted about the time, date and location of a burn, they will determine if firefighters need to be on standby at the burn site. This bill aims to prevent uncontrolled burns that could spark a devastating wildfire. Resources For Volunteer Firefighters: SB22-002 , sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Perry Will advanced in the House on a preliminary vote and would invest $1 million to better prepare local fire departments and their firefighters for wildfires. SB22-002 passed by a vote of 58 to 4. Specifically, this bill would make local volunteer fire departments eligible for reimbursement for wildland fire suppression activities, including equipment costs and volunteer firefighter recruitment, training and retention. Local fire departments will also be able to use funds from the Local Firefighter Safety and Disease Prevention Grant Program for the replacement or disposal of damaged or obsolete equipment. The bill also creates the Firefighter Behavioral Health Benefits Trust to provide behavioral health care services to firefighters and paid for by public employers. 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

< Back July 31, 2019 LAWMAKERS & GOVERNOR ANNOUNCE MAJOR COST-SAVING HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE WILL MOVE FORWARD Federal government approved waiver for reinsurance effort projected to have major cost savings for health consumers (July 31) – Legislative sponsors and Governor Polis announced today that the bipartisan reinsurance program has been approved for a federal 1332 waiver, which means the program can proceed and achieve real savings in health care costs for consumers across the state, particularly in rural areas. Projections announced earlier this month estimated an 18.2 percent decrease in premiums for individual plans on average across the state, and even greater savings of up to a whopping 33.5 percent for high-cost areas such as the Western Slope. “I am thrilled that the reinsurance program will move forward and that my Western Slope constituents and Coloradans across the state will see real, substantial reductions in their health care costs,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I hear almost every day in my community that the cost of health care is the single greatest challenge to staying in the high country. Every Coloradan deserves access to high-quality, affordable health care services in the communities where they live – and this program is a key part of our plan to achieve that goal.” Coloradans on the individual market are struggling to keep up with the out-of-control costs of health care, particularly in rural and mountain areas of the state. By establishing a reinsurance program Colorado can stabilize the individual marketplace, increase health insurance participation and share the risks more broadly. Rising health care costs are driven in part by the underlying cost of care but are exacerbated by an insurance market that assigns the highest risks and highest costs to the individual market. This is particularly the case on the Western Slope and in rural Colorado, causing families and individuals to forgo health insurance coverage, putting them at major risk of medical debt if emergencies arise. Rep. McCluskie introduced the bipartisan bill in the House with Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction. Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, and Sen. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, are the Senate sponsors. This bipartisan law aims to reduce insurance premiums for individuals and families by January 2020 to provide much-needed relief to Coloradans, many of whom are paying up to a third of their income on monthly premiums. Our state, especially the Western Slope, has some of the highest health insurance costs in the country. The law establishes three tiers, from the highest cost areas of the state to the lowest cost areas, in order to pass savings on to Coloradans. The first tier, consisting of regions in the state with the highest costs, will experience the greatest reduction in premiums, by 30 to 35 percent. The second tier will experience reductions in premiums by 20 to 25 percent. Finally, the third tier, regions with the lowest costs, will experience reductions in premiums by 15 to 20 percent. HB19-1168 passed both the House and the Senate with broad bipartisan support and was signed into law by the Governor in May of this year. Previous Next