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< Back July 6, 2020 GOV. SIGNS BILLS TO IMPROVE BROADBAND ACCESS, DMV SERVICES AND PLAT RECORDS New laws will improve broadband access in rural Colorado, permanently implement the DMV kiosk program and provide a new option to record plats digitally. Grand Junction, CO– Today, Governor Jared Polis signed three bills at the Mesa County Service Center into law. The new laws improve broadband access in rural areas, continue the successful DMV kiosk program and allow county clerks to record plats digitally. HB20-1137 , sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Matt Soper, helps small rural communities get the resources they need to develop and establish broadband technology. Under the law, broadband grant applicants may submit a proposal to the broadband deployment board for consideration certifying that the applicant operates in an underserved area. The board will be required to give preference to areas that are significantly underserved. “Now more than ever, rural Colorado communities need access to broadband internet services,” said Representative Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon . “Students and families are working from home, and too many Coloradans in rural areas do not have access to broadband. This law will give small, underserved communities a greater voice in securing broadband grant funds from the state.” Representatives Matt Gray and Terri Carver sponsored SB20-035 , which expands and makes permanent the pilot DMV kiosk program. Currently, kiosks can issue driver’s licenses, register motor vehicles or issue certificates of title. The bill expands the functions of the kiosks to include telephone or internet services and also eliminates the $3.00 service fee and adds data security and accessibility requirements. “The kiosk program has proven to be a convenient tool for Coloradans to get their business done at the DMV,” said Representative Matt Gray, D-Broomfield . “During these times, it’s more important than ever to ensure that Coloradans can social distance and access the services they need.” Sponsored by Representatives Shannon Bird and Perry Will, HB20-1318 gives county clerks and recorders the authority to receive and preserve original plats in electronic format. County clerks and recorders may save original copies of plats in either the original or digital format. If they chose to save it in digital format, the plats must be digitized or scanned. By storing plats electronically, counties can reduce the time expenditure that it takes to process plats. Both SB20-035 and HB20-1318 provide essential government services without requiring in-person, physical interaction, helping to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Colorado. “It’s time for Colorado to embrace the technology that is readily available to us,” said Representative Shannon Bird, D-Westminster . “This law will increase the efficiency of storing plat files while also providing a secure, readily available method for accessing these important documents. It will save thousands of dollars per new housing development, translating into lower costs for new housing.” Previous Next

< Back May 5, 2022 MULLICA BILL IMPROVES HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS Legislation applies lessons learned from COVID-19 Pandemic to ensure health facilities can meet increased demand for care DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Kyle Mullica, an ER Nurse, to improve hospitals’ and health facilities’ preparedness to meet increased demands for care. “Colorado’s nurses and health care providers stepped up during the pandemic in truly unimaginable ways to save lives and keep our hospitals staffed,” said Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, an ER Nurse. “I’ve never seen so many colleagues tired and worn out from their shifts at the hospital, and it happened time and time again with every new surge in cases. This legislation will require hospitals to have plans in place to meet increased demand for bed capacity to alleviate pressure on nurses and ensure that gravely ill patients don’t have to wait in hospital lobbies because there aren’t any beds.” HB22-1401 , which passed the House 37-27, requires every Colorado hospital to have a plan to meet nurse staffing needs. This aims to mitigate the concerns of health care staff regarding hospitals’ ability to meet patient needs when demand surges. It applies lessons learned from the pandemic to enable hospitals to quickly surge their capacity. Hospitals will have to report their nurse staffing plans to the Department of Public Health and Environment and publicize them on their website. They will also have to evaluate their plans quarterly to address feedback and or complaints from health care providers. The bill also requires hospitals to report the number of beds they are able to staff, their current bed capacity, and instances where staffed-bed capacity exceeds 80 percent. If hospitals do not take corrective action to address failures to meet required staffed-bed capacity or vaccine and testing capacities, they could face fines from CDPHE. Previous Next

The House today advanced a legislative package aimed at making near-term progress on air quality, ozone, and climate goals while focusing on an economy-wide transition that will support Colorado’s future for generations to come. < Back May 6, 2024 Landmark Package of Bills to Improve Colorado’s Air Quality and Fund Transit Pass House DENVER, CO – The House today advanced a legislative package aimed at making near-term progress on air quality, ozone, and climate goals while focusing on an economy-wide transition that will support Colorado’s future for generations to come. SB24-229 , sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Jenny Willford, would establish more permitting and enforcement authority over oil and gas operations for the state to lower emissions, improve air quality and reduce pollution in Colorado communities. SB24-230 , sponsored by Speaker McCluskie and Representative Elizabeth Velasco, would generate significant new funding for transit and rail, as well as land and wildlife habitat conservation and restoration, with modest fees on oil and gas production in Colorado that will be tied to oil and gas production. This package, announced last week, is an agreement between Democratic Legislative Leadership, Governor Jared Polis, a broad coalition of major environmental nongovernmental organizations and large operators in Colorado’s oil and gas industry. “Breathing shouldn’t be dangerous, yet the air quality in many Colorado neighborhoods triggers asthma attacks and nosebleeds,” said Assistant Majority Leader Bacon, D-Denver. “We need to act now to clean up Colorado’s air quality that for more than a decade has disproportionately impacted low-income communities and people of color. After months of conversations with industry, environmental organizations and state agencies – we’ve come up with a plan to improve our air quality and mitigate some of the harmful impacts of ozone on our communities.” “Colorado’s poor air quality is leading to long-term health risks for our community – we need to take steps now to reduce air pollution and keep our neighbors safe,” said Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “This landmark package enables us to crack down on repeat violators, improve our air quality and establish important timelines for new pollution reduction measures. To achieve our climate goals, we need to reduce emissions and this bill brings us there.” SB24-229 , passed the House by a vote of 43 to 18. The bill will: Improve the oil and gas permitting process with more robust modeling and review of the latest control measures Expand enforcement actions and develop new approaches to prevent repeat violations and preempt future emissions violations. Establish additional transparency around complaints and enforcement actions by the Air Pollution Control Division, including establishing an annual report about investigations and enforcement actions as well as an email notification system to alert interested parties of violations and settlements. Codify rulemaking to achieve reductions in ozone-causing NOx from oil and gas operations by 50 percent by 2030 through a proposed rule to the Air Quality Control Commission no later than August 31, 2026. Provide additional protections for Disproportionately Impacted Communities (DICs), including expanding the mission of the orphaned wells mitigation enterprise to also include marginal wells, focusing funding on plugging marginal wells in DICs and near population centers, and establishing new dedicated community liaisons at the Energy and Carbon Management Commission. “With this legislative package, we’ve achieved an agreement that puts Colorado’s land, water, and air first,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I’d like to thank the governor, bill sponsors and all the groups that worked together to reach an agreement that will increase transit options for everyone in the state, including our rural and mountain communities. Taking steps now to improve our air quality, restore our lands, and boost transportation options will preserve the Colorado way of life for generations to come.” “Destructive wildfires, floods and other extreme climate events are disproportionately impacting communities like mine, which is why we need policy changes that protect our environment,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “We’ve made important progress over the years to clean up our air and the harmful effects of oil and gas production has been consequential on my community. However, this legislative package is a monumental agreement that will increase transit options, advance conservation efforts, and reduce harmful pollution that threatens our Colorado way of life.” SB24-230 , passed the House by 40 to 18. The bill creates a new fee tied to oil and gas production with 80 percent of the revenues dedicated to transit and administered by the Clean Transit Enterprise, and 20 percent to natural lands and wildlife conservation. Of the 80 percent dedicated to transit, the majority will bolster local transit operations while 20 percent will support the expansion of passenger and commuter rail in Colorado. These funds will support RTD in providing new services including Northwest and North rail lines. Oil and gas development is among the largest contributors in Colorado to both greenhouse gas emissions and ozone pollution. Reducing vehicle trips by supporting reliable transit and rail service statewide can offset these impacts by lowering ozone-forming and greenhouse gas emissions while improving quality of life and alleviating traffic. To address the impacts on wildlife from oil and gas production, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will use the fee revenue to provide remediation services by conducting a range of badly needed conservation work, including restoring lands and improving ecosystem health, improving wildlife connectivity, and creating new state parks and wildlife areas, with a focus on benefitting native biodiversity. 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

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

< 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

< Back February 24, 2022 BILL TO END TRANSCRIPT WITHHOLDING MOVES FORWARD DENVER, CO – Legislation sponsored by Representatives Jennifer Bacon and Naquetta Ricks to prohibit post-secondary institutions from withholding transcripts because a student owes a debt to the institution passed the House today on Second Reading. “With this bill, we’re working to dismantle a debt collection tool that disproportionately affects low-income students and students of color,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver . “When post-secondary institutions withhold transcripts because of unpaid parking tickets, library fines or some other fees, students have a harder time entering the workforce or transferring schools. Holding the credits a student earned for ransom prohibits talented graduates from enlisting in the military, enrolling in nursing courses or applying for their dream job. This legislation will prepare our students for success and ensure Colorado’s workforce is stronger and more talented than ever.” “Transcript withholding is an unnecessary barrier for graduates entering the workforce,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “This bill would prohibit post-secondary institutions from withholding transcripts and diplomas from students with unpaid debts. Graduates have done the work and earned the credits, now let’s make it easier for them to prove it to future employers. Whether our students are applying for their first post-college job or enrolling in a new program, this bill prepares our students for success and moves Colorado forward.” HB22-1049 would protect students from transcript withholding when students owe an unpaid debt. It would also prohibit institutions from charging a higher fee or providing less favorable treatment in response to a transcript or diploma request because a student owes a debt. Debts protected by the bill range from unpaid fees to parking tickets, library fees and other minor costs students may not realize they owe. The bill also protects students with debt from tuition, financial aid funds, and room and board fees from having their transcript withheld when they apply for a job, credit transfer or financial aid. It also protects transcript withholding for those pursuing opportunities in the military and post-secondary institutions. Across the country, students owe approximately $15 million in unpaid balances, impacting over 6.6 million students. 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 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

The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services today unanimously passed a bipartisan bill by a vote of 11-0 to expand access to community health services through Medicaid reimbursement. < Back April 18, 2023 McCluskie Bill to Increase Affordable Health Care Passes House Committee DENVER, CO - The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services today unanimously passed a bipartisan bill by a vote of 11-0 to expand access to community health services through Medicaid reimbursement. “Community Health Workers, like patient navigators and Promotores de salud, are critical to reducing health disparities in rural communities by connecting patients to critically needed preventative, primary and behavioral health services,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Improving patient access to community health workers and preventative care mitigates costly, life-threatening and preventable diseases to keep Coloradans healthy and alive. This legislation bolsters Colorado’s health care workforce capacity to save people money on care and increase access to the services they need in the communities they call home.” SB23-002 , also sponsored by Representative Mary Bradfield, would save money on health care by providing a lower cost option for preventative health care and seeks Medicaid reimbursement for community health workers that would incentivize growth in the workforce. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) would be authorized to seek federal authorization from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide Medicaid reimbursement for community health worker services, which would secure long-term funding to make urgently-needed care both easier to access and more affordable for the Coloradans who depend on it. Services provided by community health workers include preventative services, screening, assessments, behavioral or dental health-related services, health coaching, and advocacy. The bill requires HCPF to seek federal approval by July 1, 2024, and to begin implementing coverage once approval is received. The committee also passed SB23-031 , sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Mandy Lindsay, to expand opportunities for clinical health professions and graduate students enrolled in participating Colorado institutions of higher education through training at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to better support multidisciplinary health care for aging Coloradans . This training would expand geriatric health care services and work to increase the workforce of specialty providers for older Coloradans across the state. SB23-031 passed by a vote of 11-0. Previous Next

< Back August 10, 2021 CO HOUSE LEADERSHIP APPLAUDS SENATE PASSAGE OF FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL DENVER, CO– Speaker Alec Garnett and Majority Leader Daneya Esgar released the following statements after the U.S. Senate gave approval to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bill to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in American infrastructure. “I’m heartened to see Washington politicians putting partisanship aside to make a much needed investment in our country’s infrastructure,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “The bill championed by President Biden and passed by the Senate today will direct billions of dollars toward necessary improvements to our roads, bridges, rail, public transit, the electric grid, water systems, and broadband. The work we did at the state level this year, like passing SB-260, will allow Colorado to quickly and sustainably capitalize on this funding. I will continue to monitor the progress of this bill and look forward to its final passage.” “Today’s bipartisan bill passage is a win that every Coloradan can celebrate,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This historic investment in American infrastructure will create jobs, modernize our country’s transportation and keep us better connected. I’m particularly excited to see this bill direct robust funding toward passenger rail, bringing us one big step closer to making projects like Front Range Rail a reality.” 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