Search Results

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Lorena García that would refer two ballot measures to Colorado voters regarding the continuation of the Healthy School Meals for All program. HB25-1274 passed by a vote of 40-22. < Back April 21, 2025 García Bill to Continue Healthy School Meals for All Program Passes DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Lorena García that would refer two ballot measures to Colorado voters regarding the continuation of the Healthy School Meals for All program. HB25-1274 passed by a vote of 40-22. “Colorado children should never have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” said Rep. Lorena García, D-Unincorporated Adams County. “The Healthy School Meals for All program has made a significant impact on the health and educational success of Colorado students, and it is imperative that we continue funding. This bill would allow voters to approve the continuation of this program to help put an end to child hunger.” If HB25-1274 passes, the bill would refer two ballot measures to Colorado voters in the November 2025 election to determine whether or not to continue the program or scale it back. One ballot measure would ask voters if they want the state to be able to retain and spend state revenue on the Healthy School Meals for All Program that otherwise would need to be refunded. The second ballot measure would expand the program by limiting tax deductions for those who earn over $300,000 a year. If at least one of the two measures is approved by Colorado voters, the bill would extend the local school purchasing program, which is set to repeal after FY 2025-2026. In 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition FF, creating the Healthy School Meals for All program to provide all Colorado students free breakfast and lunch. The program was funded by limiting income tax reductions for taxpayers who have a federal adjusted gross income of $300,000 or more. The 2025-2026 budget, approved by the Colorado General Assembly in April 2025, fully funds the Healthy School Meals for All program through the end of the year. Previous Next

HB23-1202 would prevent fatal overdoses with a public health and local control approach DENVER, CO – The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to prevent drug overdose deaths and connect people struggling with substance use disorder to treatment and services. < Back March 10, 2023 House Advances Life-Saving, Overdose Prevention Bill HB23-1202 would prevent fatal overdoses with a public health and local control approach DENVER, CO – The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to prevent drug overdose deaths and connect people struggling with substance use disorder to treatment and services. “Overdose prevention centers keep people alive,” said Rep. Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver. “Colorado’s preventable overdose crisis has reached dire levels. This bill takes a safe and effective public health approach to preventing overdose deaths and maximizing opportunities for health interventions. Our legislation is rooted in local control, harm reduction and most importantly – saving lives.” “Accidental overdoses are on the rise, and it’s incredibly heartbreaking and entirely preventable,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “At overdose prevention centers, people live another day and can be connected with support and comprehensive wrap-around services. This legislation will reduce crime, public drug use, and drug litter. I’m proud it has the support of so many faith groups, medical professionals, local governments, mental health advocates, and so many more who are on the ground working to prevent drug overdose deaths.” HB23-1202 is rooted in local control and would give municipalities the power to authorize OPCs in their communities. OPCs are safe, supervised spaces for people to use previously obtained drugs, test for fentanyl, get counseling, connect to treatment, receive harm reduction services, and most importantly, stay alive. OPCs are a proven, impactful tool to reduce fatal overdoses and improve public health and safety. OPCs also connect those with a substance use disorder to counseling and harm reduction services. There have been zero recorded fatal overdoses at OPCs, which are staffed by on-site medical professionals who are trained and ready to respond. HB23-1202 is supported by the Harm Reduction Action Center, Colorado Municipal League, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Healthier Colorado, Colorado Providers Association, Mental Health Colorado, Colorado Freedom Fund, Together Colorado, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Colorado Nurses Association, Colorado Psychiatric Society, New Era Colorado, and ACLU Colorado among others. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to strengthen protections for Colorado’s mobile home park residents. < Back April 11, 2024 Legislation to Strengthen Protections for Mobile Home Park Residents Advances DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to strengthen protections for Colorado’s mobile home park residents. HB24-1294, sponsored by Representatives Andrew Boesenecker and Elizabeth Velasco, would improve accessibility, strengthen guardrails in rent-to-own contracts, and update tenant protections. “It was clear that residents living in mobile home parks did not have enough legal protections, which is why we’ve made significant improvements over the years to Colorado’sMobile Home Park Act,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “We’re continuing that work to improve the health, safety and financial protections for mobile home park residents by ensuring that both parties in a rent-to-own agreement are informed of their rights and responsibilities. This legislation helps to keep mobile home parks affordable, empowers our neighbors to stay in their homes and works to improve access to clean water.” “To support our neighbors living in mobile home parks, this bill improves language accessibility and housing security,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “Our bill would improve equity by requiring important information such as a water boil notice, to be communicated in both English and Spanish. We’re also working toward closing gaps in current law that would expand tenancy and rent protections and require more transparency for rent-to-own contracts. Keeping mobile home parks safe and affordable is the right thing to do for our communities and supports Coloradans living in affordable communities across our state.” HB24-1294 would close some of the remaining gaps in the Mobile Home Park Act that have left some park residents vulnerable to displacement and financial harm. Specifically, this bill would update owner and landlord responsibilities, strengthen tenant protections, ensure important park notices and meetings are accessible to Spanish speakers, and clarify the conditions of the sale of mobile homes and parks. The bill also establishes clear provisions for rent-to-own contracts by ensuring that both parties in a “rent to own” agreement are informed of their rights and responsibilities, such as the steps to exercise a purchase option, and the refundability of payments in the event a tenancy terminates prematurely. To improve accessibility, this bill would require that parkwide meetings, and written notices of potential evictions or rent increases, are communicated and accessible in both English and Spanish. Additionally, this bill would clarify the circumstances when park residents are protected against rent increases. Colorado Democrats have passed landmark legislation in recent years to strengthen protections for mobile home residents by improving water quality in mobile home parks ( HB23-1257 ), expanding protections provided under the Mobile Home Park Act (HB22-1287 ), and creating a pathway for residents to purchase the land under their mobile home ( HB20-1201 ). Previous Next

< Back March 1, 2021 SAFE STORAGE BILL ADVANCES; COMMITTEE VOTES TO SAVE LIVES, PREVENT TRAGEDIES DENVER, CO– The House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee today passed a bill to save lives and prevent accidental deaths by promoting responsible gun ownership and the safe storage of firearms when children are present. “In Colorado, a child is injured with a gun on average once a day, and a child dies at the hands of a firearm once a week,” said Representative Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge) . “The shocking number of suicides and accidental deaths involving firearms in children and teens demands action. This bill will save lives by promoting the type of responsible behavior that the vast majority of Colorado gun owners like myself already practice. Safe storage saves lives.” “This bill is about protecting our children,” said Representative Kyle Mullica (D-Northglenn) . “As the father of young kids, I’m committed to preventing the type of life-altering tragedies we heard about in testimony today from happening in the first place. Putting a simple and affordable lock on guns present in a home with children is a straightforward solution that will make our kids, teens and communities safer.” HB21-1106 seeks to promote responsible gun ownership by creating an educational campaign that will encourage gun owners, especially those with children in the home, to properly store their firearms. The bill also requires licensed firearms dealers to provide a locking device at the time of sale or transfer of all firearms. Federal law already requires that handguns sold by licensed dealers be sold with locking devices. Finally, the bill would create the charge “unlawful storage of a firearm” when a firearm is not stored safely and a juvenile or someone who is ineligible to possess a firearm is present, making it a class 2 misdemeanor. Previous Next

On October 1, legislation goes into effect to strengthen safeguards for homeowners with HOAs to help them retain the equity they built in their property and avoid HOA foreclosures. < Back September 30, 2025 Law Takes Effect to Protect Homeowners in HOA Communities DENVER, CO - On October 1, legislation goes into effect to strengthen safeguards for homeowners with HOAs to help them retain the equity they built in their property and avoid HOA foreclosures. “Homeownership is an important way to build generational wealth, but our current laws allow HOAs to strip away everything Coloradans worked hard for, which threatens the stability of hardworking families,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “If a homeowner suffers from a medical emergency, loses their job, or experiences other financial hardships that impact their HOA payments, their home can be foreclosed and sold for just cents on the dollar, and the owner’s hard-earned equity disappears instantly. This law helps create critical safeguards to ensure better notice, transparency, and accountability around HOA foreclosures so Coloradans can stay safely housed and protect their equity.” “Homeowners deserve the certainty and stability of knowing that their home will not be sold out from under them without an opportunity to retain their equity - regardless of whether or not they have an HOA,” said Sen. Tony Exum, Sr., D-Colorado Springs. “Becoming a homeowner is a way to build generational wealth and secure housing stability for the long haul. By adding measures to increase transparency, strengthen homeowner protections, and prevent hasty enforcement and foreclosure actions from an HOA, we can keep Colorado families in their homes.” “Colorado HOA homeowners, especially in my district, have had their largest asset taken from them and sold at an auction for a fraction of its worth over sometimes very small amounts owed to the HOA,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “It can be difficult to recover after a foreclosure, especially with high housing costs and no equity to fall back on from the foreclosed property. With this law going into effect, we’re helping hardworking Coloradans from being senselessly displaced and ensuring that homeowners can recover some equity from the house they paid for.” In cases where an HOA pursues a foreclosure against a unit owner, HB25-1043 allows an owner to file a motion with the court to delay the sale of their home at auction for up to nine months, during which time the owner could sell the home at market price. Currently, an HOA may sell the unit at auction for only the cost of unpaid assessments and attorneys’ fees, leaving the homeowner with little to no equity from the sale. Before taking legal action or referring an HOA homeowner to a collection agency, the law strengthens the requirement that an HOA have a written policy of sending a unit owner the HOA’s ledger verifying the amount owed within seven business days after a homeowner requests it. Under HB25-1043, an HOA must also provide information from the HOA Information and Resource Center about its ability to foreclose and force a sale of a unit before taking legal action against a unit owner. The law also requires an HOA to provide homeowners with a notice regarding the right to participate in credit counseling at least 30 days before initiating a foreclosure. HOAs are now required to include additional information for the previous year when submitting their annual registration with the Department of Regulatory Affairs. This includes the number of unit owners who were late on payments of assessments, judgments obtained against unit owners, payment plans entered into with unit owners, and foreclosure actions filed by the HOA. Reps. Ricks and Bacon have passed numerous laws to protect HOA homeowners, including protections to prevent HOAs from quickly foreclosing on homeowners because of late or unpaid HOA fines and fees. Rep. Bacon and Sen. Exum also passed a law to create safeguards against foreclosure and protect HOA residents from having to pay excessive attorney fees that can result from enforcement actions. Homeowners in Colorado Springs are currently protesting an unexpected $20,000 special assessment fee from their HOA. Under HB25-1043, these homeowners would have additional protections if their HOA pursues foreclosure for nonpayment of the special assessment fee. Previous Next

< Back January 24, 2019 ROBERTS’ BIPARTISAN PUBLIC HEALTH CARE OPTION BILL PASSES COMMITTEE The House Health and Insurance Committee approved a bipartisan bill by Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon and Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose to create a new affordable and competitive health option in the state of Colorado that will be available to families and individuals when purchasing health insurance. Currently, there are 14 counties in our state with only one option on the individual market and many counties are left with a small number of options for health insurance. This bill will increase competition in the market. “This bipartisan bill is a uniquely Colorado solution to a big problem we have in our state,” said Rep. Roberts. “Too many Coloradans, especially in rural Colorado, are paying too much for health insurance.” HB19-1004 represents significant progress towards developing a publicly supported health insurance option on the market that leverages the efficiencies of our current state infrastructure. This public option will help put affordable health insurance in reach for many hardworking families across our state. “Families are deciding whether to pay out of control health insurance costs each month or forgo coverage for themselves and their kids,” Roberts continued. “Providing families and individuals an affordable option will make a difference in their lives and help keep them in our rural communities. This bill is part of the puzzle, it’s done in a responsible way to create a new health insurance option in Colorado.” Eagle County has some of the highest cost of health care premiums in the country. The bill directs experts at the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and the Division of Insurance to create a proposal for implementing a public option that leverages already-existing state infrastructure. That proposal must be presented to the Joint Budget Committee, House Public Health and Human Services Committee; House Health and Insurance Committee, Senate Health and Human Services Committee and Joint committees during SMART Act hearings later this year. When exploring the creation of public option, the departments must consider affordability to the consumer, administrative and financial consideration for the state, ease of implementation and impacts to the market as a whole. The bill was approved by a bipartisan vote of 9-2 and now goes to the House Appropriations Committee. The Health and Insurance Committee also approved Rep. Roberts’ bill to authorize a pharmacist to dispense a chronic maintenance drug to a patient without a current prescription in emergency circumstances. The bill was approved unanimously. HB19-1077 now goes to the House floor. Previous Next

< Back March 8, 2019 REP. ROBERTS’ BILL ON WINTER DRIVING CLEARS PASS(AGE) (Mar. 8) – The House floor gave preliminary approval today to a bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts to increase safety and efficiency on our roads by updating and revising language in statutes for motor vehicles driving the I-70 mountain corridor. “Given the recent record snowfall, this is a very appropriate day and week for this bill. Many drivers are not prepared for the winter driving conditions on I-70 and that leads to crashes, spin-outs, and closures along the I-70 mountain corridor – especially during winter months,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “Closures due to unprepared drivers on I-70 cause traffic and can hurt our economy on the Western Slope and across Colorado.” This bill gives state patrol more leeway to control the traffic during winter months. “We want to make sure drivers are prepared to drive on I-70 during winter conditions for the safety of themselves and the safety of others, ” said Rep. Roberts added. HB19-1207 updates current statutes to reflect modern traction technology and traction options. It sets minimum standards for tires being used in the winter in the mountain corridor. It also defines the I-70 mountain corridor by mileposts and sets out clear standards for the timeframe for traction equipments requirements. The heightened traction standards would be in effect from September 1 through May 31 of each year and apply to travel between milepost 133 (Dotsero) and milepost 259 (Morrison). HB19-1207 received preliminary passage on the House floor by a voice vote. It still requires a final vote before clearing the final pass in the House and moving to the Senate. Previous Next

SB25-282, sponsored by disabled veterans, would protect veterans from paying too much for services from unaccredited bad actors < Back May 1, 2025 House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Safeguard Services for Veterans SB25-282, sponsored by disabled veterans, would protect veterans from paying too much for services from unaccredited bad actors DENVER, CO - The House today passed bipartisan legislation that would protect veterans from paying too much for veterans’ services from unaccredited bad actors. SB25-282, sponsored by Representative Lisa Feret, passed by a vote of 52-11. "I am deeply committed to protecting my fellow Veterans and making sure they can access the services and benefits they have earned through their service and sacrifice for our country,” said Rep. Lisa Feret, D-Arvada . “‘Claim sharks’ have raked in millions of dollars each year from excessively charging fees on service members' disability claims, sometimes even when they don't even win. Our bill helps create guidelines in this unregulated space to protect our disabled veterans while allowing companies to help address the backlog of disability claims". SB25-282 would protect veterans from unaccredited consultants, often called “ claim sharks ,” who charge money to help navigate the application process to receive benefits from either the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) or the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill is also sponsored by Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud. The bill would mirror the regulations the federal government uses to regulate social security benefits from the Social Security Administration. It would require that businesses unambiguously notify veterans that they can receive the same services for free from the VA, clearly state that they are not affiliated with the VA, and limit the amount of money consultants can receive from veterans’ back pay. Previous Next

< Back March 22, 2019 NO MORE SURPRISES: HOUSE GIVES FINAL APPROVAL TO BIPARTISAN BILL TO END OUT-OF-NETWORK BILLING (Mar. 22) – A bipartisan bill to address the out of control practice of sending consumers out-of-network bills, sponsored by Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, and Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, was approved today by the House. “As a legislator, my job is to find a way to ensure Coloradans aren’t dealing with these surprise medical bills through no fault of their own,” s aid Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo. “I am responding to to the concerns of families, individuals and seniors who have been hit by these surprise and often expensive bills. We think this is a strong bipartisan solution to this problem.” HB19-1174 prohibits out-of-network billing by providers when the patient unknowingly received the care from an out-of-network provider or facility. It also requires providers to inform consumers of their rights regarding bills sent to them by out-of-network providers. The bill does not prohibit patients from incurring out of network costs when they intentionally go out of network for their care but puts safeguards in place to prevent unexpected medical bills in these situations. Out-of-network bills can be more than thirty times the average in-network rate. Fifty-seven percent of patients who encountered out-of-network bills paid the bills in full because they didn’t know of their right to fight these bills. This legislation is meant to help control costs in out-of-network billing situations by setting a reasonable rate of payment for these providers and facilities. The House approved the bipartisan bill on a vote of 60-4. The bill now goes to the Senate. The bill also has bipartisan sponsorship in the Senate by Sen. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, and Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs. Previous Next

< Back April 26, 2022 JUST TRANSITION FUNDING MOVES FORWARD Legislation from Roberts and Esgar directs $15 million to create jobs and help communities transitioning from coal-based economies DENVER, CO – The House Transportation and Local Government Committee today passed legislation to create jobs, support workers, and boost communities transitioning from coal-based economies. The bill passed 12-1. “The Office of Just Transition has widespread bipartisan support because of the critical work it is doing to boost workers and communities that are transitioning away from coal-based economies,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This year, we are going to direct significant state funding to these critical efforts to ensure that no one is left behind. This funding will go directly to workers and will help build vibrant and resilient economies in parts of our state that are struggling as our nation moves away from coal.” “Communities in my district and across the state are doing their best to transition their workforce and economies, but they cannot do it alone and they deserve resources from the state to make their transition plans a reality,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts D-Avon. “I am so proud to represent towns in Northwest Colorado like Hayden and Oak Creek who will be able to use the funding to provide workers job retraining and placement services and invest in projects that will create jobs and diversify their economy. This is the large investment in rural Colorado that our transitioning communities deserve, and I am thrilled this bill is moving forward with strong bipartisan support.” HB22-1394, sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Representative Dylan Roberts, would fund the Office of Just Transition, which is working to boost communities and workers transitioning from coal-based economies. The bill supports coal workers to help them provide for themselves and their families, and access innovative education and training opportunities. It also distributes grants to communities to help them create vibrant, resilient and sustainable local economies. $5 million will go to support economic development and assistance to local businesses, and $10 million will go directly to workers and their families. Previous Next

Democrats stood up for taxpayers and protected our investments in K-12 education, Medicaid and public safety amidst budget uncertainty and funding threats from Washington DC < Back May 7, 2025 In Productive Session, Lawmakers Focused on Affordability and Safeguarding Coloradans' Rights and Freedoms DENVER, CO – House and Senate Democratic Leadership today celebrated a productive first session of the 75th General Assembly in which Democrats passed legislation to save people money, improve public safety and protect the Colorado way of life in the face of threats from the Trump Administration and significant budget constraints. “Democrats delivered this year with a productive session focused on affordability and safeguarding our rights, freedoms and the Colorado way of life,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “From turning on the new school finance formula that invests in our students to saving people money on housing, health care and child care, we focused on what matters most to Coloradans. This session shows our strength and resiliency to protect taxpayers and core services like education, Medicaid and public safety in the face of threats from Washington and significant budget constraints.” “This session, we worked to make Colorado a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive – where anyone can work hard, afford basic necessities like a safe place to live and high-quality health care, and earn a good life,” said Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver. “We prioritized solutions to protect our freedoms like reproductive health care and voting rights, create more opportunities for affordable homeownership and rentals, and passed policies to create communities safe from all kinds of violence. I’m proud of Colorado Democrats’ successes to deliver results for all Coloradans.” “The bold legislation we passed this session will boost our workers and Colorado’s economy by cracking down on wage theft, creating jobs, and raising incomes for hardworking people,” said House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “Thanks to our work, the Sundance Film Festival will soon call our state home, and consumers are now protected from price gouging on groceries and basic necessities. I’m proud that Colorado stepped up to clarify the Constitutional and civil rights of immigrant communities and that our efforts to reduce gun violence and direct Prop KK resources to support victims of crime and domestic violence will improve public safety in Colorado.” “This year, Colorado Democrats once again tackled the issues that matter most to Coloradans,” said Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “We delivered on our promises to create more affordable and safer communities, increase access to high-quality health care, secure funding for K-12 education for years to come, and support workers and the middle class. Additionally, we stood up for our freedoms and against federal uncertainty that threatens the Colorado we know and love.” Making Colorado More Affordable On housing , Colorado Democrats took bold action to save people money by making it easier and cheaper to build new condominiums and starter homes, cracking down on algorithms and junk fees that drive up the price of rent, and cutting red tape to allow smart stair construction . New laws will also boost the manufactured housing industry to reduce costs and create jobs, and lawmakers made $50 million available to finance for-sale home construction for low and moderate-income buyers. Democrats also passed legislation to address price gouging of necessities like groceries and toiletries during a declared disaster. Lawmakers worked to reduce the cost of property insurance , prohibit child care waitlist fees and save people money on health care by boosting funding for safety net providers and protecting insurance coverage for preventive services like breast cancer screenings and prenatal care. Finally, the state budget caps higher education tuition increases and reduces fees to put more money back into the pockets of hardworking families. Safeguarding Your Rights, Freedoms and the Colorado Way of Life From protecting Colorado taxpayers from federal funding cuts to implementing the will of the voters on abortion rights and marriage equality, Colorado Democrats safeguarded Coloradans’ rights and freedoms. Democrats strengthened Colorado’s reproductive rights shield law to protect providers and patients and ensured emergency access to abortion and miscarriage care. Lawmakers also protected insurance coverage for preventive health care like cancer screenings and annual wellness checkups, which are under attack at the US Supreme Court. To protect Coloradans’ civil rights, Democrats passed the Colorado Voting Rights Act , clarified constitutional protections for immigrants, and updated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to better protect Coloradans who experience discrimination, particularly those with disabilities. Democrats also passed the Freedom to Read Act to require safeguards against book bans. Improving Public Safety and Preventing Gun Violence New legislation will prevent crime and improve public safety by reducing gun violence and recidivism , and increasing access to justice for victims of crimes. Democrats passed laws to direct new funding to victim services, improve sexual assault forensic kit testing , and increase rideshare safety for drivers and passengers. Visitation rights in prisons will reduce recidivism by helping maintain connections for incarcerated people so they are set up to successfully reenter communities. Under legislation to enforce Colorado’s magazine limit , a firearm safety course is now required prior to purchasing some of the most deadly weapons available. The age to purchase ammunition is raised to 21 years old, and that ammunition will now need to be in secure displays in gun stores. Finally, new laws prohibit the possession of a firearm for individuals convicted of multiple vehicle thefts and increase penalties for firearm theft. Boosting Colorado’s Economy and Workforce Colorado Democrats worked to create jobs, boost our economy and create opportunities for everyday Coloradans to thrive. The research is clear that unions increase wages and employment, and Democrats stood up for working families by making it easier for workers to negotiate for a better life for themselves and their families . In exciting news, the legislature successfully lured the Sundance Film Festival to Colorado, which will create jobs and boost our economy. New legislation cracks down on wage theft to ensure workers are paid what they are owed, and Democrats stepped up to protect workers in health care facilities and boost the incomes of home care workers . Previous Next

Fully funding Colorado schools for the first time since 2009, fulfilling promise to voters while supporting Colorado students and teachers < Back February 29, 2024 Governor Polis, State Legislators & Educators Celebrate Historic Education Funding DENVER - Today, Governor Polis, Speaker Julie McCluskie, Senate President Steve Fenberg, Representatives Jennifer Bacon and Barbara McLachlan, and Senators Rachel Zenzinger and Janet Buckner, joined educators and students to celebrate this year’s historic proposal to fully fund Colorado schools and eliminate the Budget Stabilization Factor. In November 2023, Governor Polis unveiled a budget that fully funds Colorado schools for the first time since 2009, providing teachers with the resources they need to ensure student success. “Supporting students by ensuring educators have the resources they need to succeed in helping every child get a world-class education strengthens Colorado’s future and creates more economic opportunities for all Coloradans. This year's historic education funding marks the beginning of a new era of education funding in Colorado and I thank the General Assembly for its partnership in this important effort. I am proud to deliver for our students and our educators,” said Governor Polis. The Governor’s budget proposal, currently before the Joint Budget Committee for approval, fully funds the school finance formula through a K-12 program increase of $520.7 Million dollars, an average of $729 more per student or $16,000 for a classroom of 22 kids. This funding builds on the previous year's budget increase of $1,073 per student, totaling $11,399 per student for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. "I am proud to witness Colorado take this most vital step forward towards fully funding public education in our state,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and President of the Colorado Education Association. “This crucial investment is a step toward ensuring our educators have the resources and supports they need to provide students with the high-quality public education they deserve.” “Today is an extraordinary milestone for Colorado’s public schools; we’re paying off the budget stabilization factor!,” said Speaker McCluskie, D-Dillon. “This massive accomplishment is a direct result of years of strategic, thoughtful governing and our unwavering commitment to fully funding our K-12 public schools. Paying off the budget stabilization factor means school districts across Colorado can continue to boost teacher pay, reduce classroom sizes and address the unique needs of our rural schools.” "For too many years we have been shortchanging our kids and our schools, which is why I am thrilled to be a part of the team that is finally going to eliminate the BS factor once and for all," President Fenberg said. "Fully funding Colorado's schools will put us on a path towards paying teachers what their profession deserves, and will allow us to provide the much-needed classroom resources our students need to thrive." “The students hit hardest by budget stabilization factor underfunding have been students of color and students in the districts that serve greater numbers of vulnerable students,” said House Assistant Majority Leader Bacon, D-Denver. “Throughout my legislative career, we’ve taken significant steps to pay off large portions of the budget stabilization factor, and now it is time to fully pay it off. While this is a monumental accomplishment, we’re also laying the groundwork now to drive funding toward our schools so that every student has the support, education and resources they need to thrive.” “Buying down the budget stabilization factor honors our financial commitment to schools, teachers and students,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “While there is still progress that must be made to address the unique educational challenges of our K-12 public schools; buying down the budget stabilization factor is a huge accomplishment. We’re committed to championing future legislation that will continue to support our schools.” "Fully funding our schools and eliminating the BS factor is one of the main reasons I chose to run for the state senate, and every year I’ve been here I’ve fought tooth and nail to make it happen," Senator Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, said. "But I think we all know that today is really just the start. We’ve got so much more to do to truly fully fund our schools–not just meeting the bare minimum, but exceeding it, so we can invest more critical resources that will help reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and provide a world class education for our children and youth." “As Chair of the Senate Education Committee and a former educator, ensuring our schools and students have the resources they need is personal to me,” said Senator Janet Buckner, D-Aurora. “By eliminating the Budget Stabilization Factor and fully funding K-12 education, we’re opening the door to so many more opportunities to improve our schools, support our teachers, and make Colorado the best state in the nation to learn and grow.” “Our teachers and students today, including my own child, only know underfunded schools; and one of the main reasons I ran for office was my passion for eliminating the budget stabilization factor in Colorado,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “This monumental achievement brings us up-to-date with our constitutional requirements for school funding, and sets us on a path forward to help reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and support our students with diverse needs.” Governor Polis and the General Assembly have consistently worked together to increase funding and expand access to educational opportunities. From increasing per-pupil funding by $3,276 per student since Governor Polis took office to providing free full-day kindergarten and free Universal Preschool, Governor Polis and the General Assembly have saved Colorado families money while giving Colorado’s students and teachers the tools and resources they need to thrive. Previous Next