Search Results

With updates to zoning laws, Lakewood officials can lead other communities down a path to fixing housing shortages and costs < Back Rep. Rebekah Stewart: Lakewood’s attempt to increase “middle housing” would be big step to address crisis in Colorado Aug 7, 2025 See more This story was originally published in the Colorado Sun here . H ousing is personal to me. For most of my childhood, my family lived paycheck to paycheck, often just one emergency or disaster away from homelessness. Today, all too many of our Colorado neighbors experience that same insecurity. Later as a young adult, my husband and I made countless offers on Lakewood starter homes we desperately wanted — only to lose out to buyers able to make all-cash offers, or go far above the asking price. Unfortunately, nothing about what we experienced has changed much for first-time homebuyers since then. In fact, it’s gotten even more challenging. Lakewood and Colorado face a growing housing shortage, driving prices to unsustainable levels. More than half of Lakewood renters are cost-burdened, spending over 30% of their income on housing. The average Lakewood home price has jumped from $350,000 in 2017 to $590,000 today . Research shows housing shortages drive up prices — and homelessness. In Jefferson County, unsheltered homelessness has more than doubled between 2022 and 2025. Make no mistake: We face a housing shortage. For two decades, Colorado’s population has grown faster than our housing stock. The Denver Regional Council of Governments estimates the metro area needs over 200,000 new homes in the next decade. Lakewood’s share is nearly 10,000 , but at our current pace, we’ll produce less than a fifth of that. Without change, the crisis will only worsen. As a state legislator representing Lakewood and Edgewater in Jefferson County, I’ve made this issue a north star. This past session, I passed bills to stabilize zoning density in urban areas, streamline standards so Colorado can benefit from the cost saving potential that modular housing presents, limit unjustifiably high tap fees , and ease burdensome regulations — concrete steps to make housing more affordable across the Front Range. But local challenges also need local solutions. During my time on Lakewood City Council, we began prioritizing housing with the urgency it demands. Now, I’m proud to see my former colleagues on council continuing that work with a thoughtful, common-sense zoning update that will unlock the potential for affordable, sustainable housing, while protecting what makes Lakewood such a special place to live. Lakewood families need housing options they can actually afford: smaller starter homes, duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, accessory dwelling units and cottage clusters. According to a recent article in The Colorado Sun , a zoning atlas shows that most of Colorado prohibits these types of “missing middle” homes from being built in areas zoned for residential use. Lakewood’s proposed zoning update includes long-overdue changes to make these options more widely available over time to support affordability, sustainability and walkability. Affordability: The new code loosens overly restrictive rules to allow duplexes and triplexes in more neighborhoods. It’s a strategy shown in other cities to create homes that sell for $300,000 less than the typical single-family home. That price point makes homeownership possible for many more working families. The update also revises outdated minimum lot size rules that have historically excluded lower-income and more diverse residents. These rules often force people to purchase more land than they need, raising costs and harming the environment. Cities that relax these rules show that while changes are gradual , they make more affordable housing possible over time. Sustainability: Lakewood’s proposed code also helps us meet our climate goals. Smaller homes come with smaller carbon footprints . One analysis found that introducing just three “missing middle” homes on a block — a duplex, triplex and fourplex — can reduce its carbon footprint by 20%. Walkability: The update will also make Lakewood more walkable. It encourages building homes closer to workplaces and public transit. It allows for a small amount of neighborhood-serving retail, like a coffee shop, so residents can walk to grab their morning coffee. This approach means more residents can live near jobs, transit and small businesses — walking to work, seeing neighbors and reducing traffic congestion. That’s exactly the direction we need. This proposal won’t transform neighborhoods overnight. We’ve seen from other cities that reforms like these lead to slow, steady and gentle change. But over time, they help make communities more inclusive, sustainable and affordable. None of these ideas are radical or untested. Cities around the country have successfully implemented similar reforms, proving they work and reassuring residents that neighborhood character doesn’t disappear. Middle housing like this was once common, but exclusionary zoning policies sharply curtailed it, leading to a 90% drop in production. Lakewood now has the chance to lead and show we can do better. Later this summer, I’m excited to see Lakewood take a big step forward with zoning reform that delivers more affordability, more sustainability and more walkability. I hope you’ll join me in supporting it. Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood, represents District 30 in the Colorado House of Representatives. Previous Next

Initiative 144 and 145 will reduce pet care in Colorado < Back Rep. McCormick: As a veterinarian and a lawmaker, please don’t let big businesses undermine Colorado pet care Jun 12, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Denver Post here . Initiative 144 and 145 will reduce pet care in Colorado Forty years ago I swore a lifelong oath when starting my career as a veterinarian. Part of that oath affirms that I will use my scientific knowledge and skill to benefit society through the protection of animal health and welfare. It is with that oath, and my lifetime of service to animals and people that I must now sound the alarm to all Coloradans. There are two ballot initiatives being circulated collecting signatures for the fall ballot. These initiatives are being driven by big corporate interests from outside of Colorado. They are Initiative 144 and 145 and are being misleadingly sold to voters as a way to “increase access to veterinary care.” The General Assembly worked very hard this spring in a bipartisan, collaborative way, to develop a robust approach to how best to utilize tele-technologies like video calls in veterinary care. That bill was signed into law by the governor earlier this year, and it passed the House of Representatives unanimously. It is widely supported by veterinarians, veterinary technicians, farmers and ranchers, shelters and humane societies and animal caretakers. The bill strengthens and clarifies that veterinary telemedicine should supplement and not replace in-person care. We absolutely should use telehealth more and this law will make sure it is done right to protect pets. Initiative 144 also has to do with Veterinary Telehealth, but is a danger to pets. 144 would dismantle that well-structured law the governor just signed and eliminate the need for a doctor to ever see your animal in person. The ballot question essentially eliminates the most important tools your veterinarian has to get to the bottom of what is going on — their hands, eyes, ears, and nose. 144 would not benefit people or their animals and would create real safety concerns. It would only help corporate entities focused on profits, allowing them to push medicine to animal owners via online platforms. Animals would be the ones suffering in this situation as they would not be getting accurate care. The second ballot initiative, 145, also funded by outside corporate interests, will allow creation of a new animal health position called a veterinary professional associate or VPA. TA VPA is not licensed to practice medicine, has not gone through an accredited veterinary education program, has not passed a national exam, will not have sufficient liability protections, would not be able to prescribe medicines due to federal law, and will be under-trained through primarily an online master’s program. These VPAs would then be allowed to actually practice veterinary medicine on your pets, including surgery, diagnose diseases, interpret lab test results and prescribe a treatment plan, all without a license. Corporate interests want VPAs to practice medicine without the consumer protection safeguards that exist for licensed veterinarians. If this sounds crazy to you then you can understand my grave concern for the animals of our state for whom we are responsible. Skilled veterinary technicians are already more qualified than this contemplated VPA. They have comprehensive training, take a national exam and are regulated by the state. We passed another strong bipartisan bill to elevate and extend the skills of veterinary technicians with House Bill 1047. There has been over $633,000 granted to Colorado State University by Petsmart Charities to develop a veterinary mid-level position master’s degree. This degree program is not looking to be accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) who is responsible for accreditation of every single College of Veterinary Medicine in the country, including CSU’s, and for every school that graduates Veterinary technicians. In order for this master’s degree to work for Petsmart, who partners with Mars,Inc./ Banfield vet clinics, would need ballot initiative 145 to get on the ballot and pass. There has been over $255,000 contributed toward the effort to get these Initiatives on the ballot by the Issue Committee called ‘All Pets Deserve Care’ registered with the Secretary of State. This entity received its largest single donation of $250,000 from Denver Dumb Friends League. The details into DDFL’s financials to know where the $250,000 came from is not publicly available. Mars, Inc. who owns Banfield and VCA veterinary hospitals across the nation have funded studies in the past that have fed a narrative that the U.S. needs to create a new veterinary position in order to keep up with the demand for veterinary care. These studies have been disputed by many reputable veterinary economists since. But the narrative has taken off and is fueling this push to create a new veterinary worker who in reality won’t be prepared to help animals. We need more veterinarians and more veterinary technicians. Let’s focus on solving that problem. Karen McCormick is a state representative for House District 11. Previous Next

Learn about career opportunities with the Colorado House Majority. Careers Applications for the Colorado House of Representatives Majority Office will be considered on a rolling basis for the following positions. We will contact you once positions become available. Legislative Aide Legislative Intern

House Democrats worked in a bipartisan way to deliver property tax relief while protecting critical community institutions like public schools, health care, fire response, libraries, water infrastructure, and municipal parks, playgrounds and recreation centers. House Democrats worked in a bipartisan way to deliver property tax relief while protecting critical community institutions like public schools, health care, fire response, libraries, water infrastructure, and municipal parks, playgrounds and recreation centers. DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET

< Back Cecelia Espenoza Rep. Cecelia Espenoza represents House District 4 in North/West Denver, a community she has Called home for over 30 years. Born to migrant farmworkers from Colorado, she was the first in her family to graduate from college and she went on to be the second Latina to pass the bar in Utah. She returned to Colorado as the first tenure-track Latina to teach law in Colorado. She was also the first Mexican-American to become an appellate judge on the highest immigration court in the country. She is focused on addressing the housing crisis, investing in our K-12 public schools, combating gun violence, and protecting reproductive rights while supporting the most vulnerable in our communities including: immigrants and refugees; and Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community. Rep. Espenoza serves on the Judiciary and State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs committees.

< Back Rep. McLachlan: ‘Long nights, in-depth debate, good legislation for Colorado’ Mar 1, 2024 See more This story was originally posted in the Durango Herald here . We are a third of the way through our time in the Legislature this year, and I anticipate the next two-thirds will consist of long nights, in-depth debate, dozens of meetings and some good legislation for Colorado. Several of the bills I am sponsoring are starting in the House, or have already passed through the Senate and headed my way. The flow is steadily increasing, as is the workload. In the House Business committee last week, I presented House Bill 24-1160 to continue a successful program, which increases the capacity building of small businesses. The Economic Development Organization Action Grant Program in the Office of Economic Development provides grants to Colorado-based economic development organizations that attract, retain, promote and expand local businesses. In the two years the initial program has been going, 55 organizations in 34 counties received money, helping businesses continue to support and guide local economic activity. The fund created 33 new businesses, and 612 businesses received assistance. Some 268 jobs were created and 19 more were sustained. The EDOs added 414 new members to their rosters, 669 relationships were maintained between EDOs and businesses, and 2,847 entrepreneurs started and maintained their businesses. We had compelling testimony from business leaders from around the state, and the bill passed unanimously. I am proud to not only promote the benefits of shopping locally, but am doing something about it. In the Education Committee next week, I am presenting a bill modeling the successful partnership between traditional and charter schools we have in Durango. The legislation, House Bill 24-1154, does not mandate, but opens the opportunity for other districts to run bonds with their Charter School Institute schools for capital construction, land or facility needs. As they do in Durango, the bond funds are split proportionately between the schools. As District 9-R discovered, asking voters for money for both charters and traditional schools helps all public school students. Rep. Ron Weinberg (R-Larimer) and I are getting an encouraging response as we head to our first public forum, and we’re hoping that continues. On March 14, I am running a bill to help address the recruitment and retention of Colorado teachers. It seemed the Colorado Department of Education website was too confusing if all a person wanted to know how to become a teacher, so we devised a one-stop-shopping model. The CDE and I have been working on a website for all potential teachers, whether they are in college, exploring options in high school, employed and ready to switch jobs or working at one school, looking at what is available at others. The website will be shared on all school district sites, who will be able to post their job openings for everyone, not just those in their geographical area. This makes finding relevant information a lot easier. Another bill I am running concerns principal and superintendent PERA retirees, who may want to fill an open position in a rural district. Two years after they retire, they can return to a school to work, without hurting their current PERA benefits. They will still pay into the system, as will the districts, so PERA will not lose money. When talking with district superintendents last fall, I heard about the necessity of this bill as rural schools, in particular, are affected most by the administrative shortage. I am happy to respond. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, is serving her fourth term in the Legislature, representing La Plata, Montezuma, Archuleta and San Juan counties. She has been a journalist and teacher. Previous Next

State-driven tax cuts have wildly different impacts on Colorado communities, so let’s leave it to local governments to make adjustments < Back Rep. deGruy Kennedy: After Colorado legislature’s latest special session is finished, we must restore local control over property taxes Aug 20, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Colorado Sun here . Over my eight years representing Jefferson County in the state House, I’ve learned that good policy is about thoughtful stakeholding, delicate balancing, and, ultimately, hard choices. As the state embarks on yet another special legislative session on property taxes, those shaping this round of policy solutions should keep in mind the lessons we’ve already learned. Those are: All voices — including those not in the room — need to be considered, not just those with the resources to make their voices the loudest. Despite posturing to the contrary, proponents of the extreme, badly crafted measures are seeing the writing on the wall and are eager for a deal. And, state-driven policy on issues that are inherently local is fraught with problems. It needs to stop. Let’s start with the consensus-driven process that created Senate Bill 233 , the bipartisan property tax legislation we passed this year that will lower property taxes by $1 billion. Even as I struggled with some of the sacrifices we had to make to maintain strong support from across the aisle, the bill provides meaningful property tax cuts and a cap on future growth without undermining K-12 funding, which is still well below the national average. And it delivers more property tax relief to regular folks and small businesses without giving exorbitant tax breaks to the wealthiest homeowners and largest corporations. Importantly, it was the result of countless hours of public discussion. Fairness and inclusion should continue to be the guideposts for any new policy emerging from the special session. Lawmakers should not feel as though they need to put the interests of everyday Coloradans on the back burner in order to kowtow to whomever is bankrolling Initiatives 50 and 108 , the chaotic conservative measures that would create a fiscal trainwreck at the state and local levels. While it’s understandable that many stakeholders are afraid of the possibility that these measures might pass in November, polling shows they are headed toward defeat. I think proponents of 50 and 108 know that too. Otherwise, why would they express an openness to relatively small cuts in exchange for pulling down their ballot measures? I’ve always thought that the classic negotiation strategy of staking out an extreme position and wiggling back toward a middle ground was silly. Shouldn’t grown-ups just be able to sit down, put their cards on table, discuss their differences, and let the democratically elected representatives cast their votes? But that’s never what happens, because that’s not what serves the special interests. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a corporate lobbyist bluff their way through a negotiation. They come in hot, suggesting they have the upper hand and convincing legislators that the only way to get the votes for a bill is to cut a deal. Are the proponents of 50 and 108 bluffing? I don’t know. Maybe they’re willing to bankrupt state and local governments to prove a point. But I think they very much want a deal so they can claim victory for cutting taxes without having to spend millions of dollars on a campaign that may or may not succeed. The third lesson we should take from the thoughtful deliberations that went into crafting Senate Bill 233 centers on local control. What we need is stable state policy, restoring true local control to our duly-elected city councilors, county commissioners and district board members. They have the tools to engage with their voters and balance the impact of taxes with the needs of public services. And these communities are all different. Some have more residential while some have more commercial properties. Many rural counties didn’t see significant home value growth, and the property tax cuts hurt their ability to provide services when their constituents did not experience the same property tax increases seen elsewhere. Many local governments had passed voter-approved revenue changes in previous years. But many other local governments had never passed revenue increases, meaning their constituents were paying lower taxes to begin with. The 2023 value increases finally caught them up with their neighbors and allowed for investments that had been deferred for years, if not decades. Additional state-driven property tax cuts will have wildly different impacts across our state, and they will be permanent. That means that economic downturns could have serious consequences in communities. Our local leaders, on the other hand, have the tools to temporarily lower their mill levies in times like these. And they have the ability to focus on the needs of their own communities, allowing them to find the sweet spot between additional tax relief and funding their unmet needs. So, if the state is going to have one last hurrah in property tax policy, then fine. We’re well positioned to get a good deal that prioritizes regular folks and carefully balances statewide priorities like K-12 and higher education funding. But this should be the very last time. After that, we must restore local control over property taxes. Chris deGruy Kennedy of Lakewood was one of the prime sponsors of Senate Bill 233 and outgoing Colorado House Speaker Pro Tem; he is now the president and CEO of the Bell Policy Center. Previous Next

< Back Matthew Martinez Majority Whip Representative Matthew Martinez is the Vice Chair of the House Education Committee and a member of the Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee. Rep. Martinez represents House District 62 which includes Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Huerfano Mineral, Pueblo, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties. Veteran and educator, Rep. Martinez is passionate about post-secondary education opportunities, workforce development, veterans’ issues, and supporting local communities. During the 2023 legislative session, Rep. Martinez sponsored bipartisan legislation to provide financial assistance to high school seniors to pursue career or education opportunities after graduation.

Archived meeting minutes and locations (Aug 8, 2024 and older). ARCHIVED Meeting Notice 8.22.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 8.8.24 Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe + American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee, Agenda 8.8.24 Urban Perspective + American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee, Agenda 8.8.24 Southern Ute Indian Tribe + American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee, Agenda 5.6.24 House Democratic Caucus Meeting, Agenda 5.2.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 5.1.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.30.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.29.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.29.24 House Democratic Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.25.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4 .26 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 4.24.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.23.24 Joint Democratic Legislative Council Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.21.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.18.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.18.24 House Democratic Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4 .19 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 4.15.24 House Democratic Caucus Meeting, Agenda CANCELLED: 4.11.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.8.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.4.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 4.3.24 CSI Caucus Briefing, Agenda 4.1.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda UPDATED 3.25.24 Democrats JBC Meeting, Agenda 3.25.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 3 .21 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda UPDATED 3.18.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 3 .15 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 3.14.24 Budget Overview Discussion with House Dems Staff , Agenda UPDATED: 3.11.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 3 .8 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 3 .7 .24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 3 . 4.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 3.1.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 2.27.24 Language Access & Disability Access in Emergency Alerts, Agenda 2.26.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 2.23 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 2.22.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 2.16.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 2.12.24 House/Senate Democratic Leadership and PWG, Agenda 2.12.24 OFW Server for an Hour, Agenda 2.12.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 2.12.24 Reps. Jodeh and Woodrow Briefing on TOC's , Agenda 2.9.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Agenda 2.8.24 Legislator Briefing: Construction Liability Litigation Reform Bill , Agenda 2.5.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 2.2.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Meeting, Agenda 2.1.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 1.31.24 Aerospace and Defense Caucus Meeting, Agenda 1.29.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 1.26.24 AV Legislator Briefing, Agenda 1.26.24 Women's Caucus Meeting, Agenda 1.24.24 Healthier Colorado Legislative Reception, Agenda 1.25 .24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda CANCELLED: 1.22.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Agenda 1.18.24 Colorado Fiscal Institute Legislator Briefing Breakfast, Agenda 1.18.24 People & Pollinator Action Network Legislator Briefing at 12:00 PM, Agen da 1.17.24 Colorado Carbon Management Briefing with National Wildlife Federation & Great Plains Inst , Agenda 1.17.24 Sport smen's Caucus Briefing, Agenda 1.17.24 People & Pollinator Action Network Legislator Briefing, Agen da UPDATED : 1.9.24 For Cause Legislator Briefing, Agenda 1.5.24 Rep. Amabile ADU Meeting, Agenda 1.4.24 Wage Theft Accountability, Agenda 1.2.24 House Democrats Caucus Retreat, Agenda 12.15.23 Conservation Colorado Legislator Briefing, Agenda 12.14.23 Conservation Colorado Legislator Briefing, Agenda 12.13.23 Disability Rights Conference, Agenda 12.8.23 Perinatal Health Legislator Briefing, Agenda 11.16.23 House and Senate Leadership Hold Media Availablity, Agenda 11.14.23 at 4:30 PM, Working Group - Property Tax Relief, Agenda 11.14.23 at 4 PM, Working Group - Rental Assistance, Agenda 11.14.23 at 3 PM, Working Group - Summer EBT, Agenda 11.14.23 at 1 PM, Working Group - EITC, Agenda 11.10.23 at 3 PM, Working Group - Summer EBT, Agenda 11.10.23 at 2 PM, Working Group - Rental Assistance. Agenda 11.10.23 at 1 PM, Working Group - Property Tax Relief, Agenda 11.10.23 at 12 PM, Working Group - TABOR Refund Mechanisms, Agenda 11.10.23 at 11 AM, Working Group - EITC, A genda UPDATED : 11.10.23, House Democrats Caucus Call, Agenda CANCELLED : 11.10.23, House Democrats Caucus Retreat, Agenda 10.25.23, Wage Theft Accountability - Legislator Briefing, Agenda 6.12. 23, House Democrats Caucus Meetin g, Agenda Meeting Minutes 8.22.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 8.8.24 Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe + American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee, Minutes 8.8.24 Urban Perspective + American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee, Minutes 8.8.24 Southern Ute Indian Tribe + American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee, Minutes 5.6.24 House Democratic Caucus Meeting, Minutes 5.1.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.30.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4 .26 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 4.29.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.29.24 House Democratic Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.25.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.24.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.23.24 Joint Democratic Legislative Council Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.21.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.18.24 House Democrats Appropriations Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.18.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.15.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.8.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.4.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 4.1.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 3.25.24 Democrats JBC Meeting, Minutes 3.25.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 3 .21 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 3. 21 .24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 3 .22 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 3 .18 .24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 3 .15 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 3.14.24 Budget Overview Discussion with House Dems Staff , Minutes 3 .11 .24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 3 .8 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 3 .7 .24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 3.1.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 3 . 4.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 2.27.24 Language Access & Disability Access in Emergency Alerts, Minutes 2.26.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 2.23.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 2.22.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 2.16.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Weekly Meeting, Minutes 2.12.24 OFW Server for an Hour, Meeting Minutes 2.8.24 Legislator Briefing: Construction Liability Litigation Reform Bill, Minutes 2.12.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 2.12.24 House/Senate Democratic Leadership and PWG, Minutes 2.12.24 Reps. Jodeh and Woodrow Briefing on TOC's, Minutes 2.9.24 Democratic Women's Caucus Meeting, Minutes 2.2 .24 Democratic Women's Caucus Meeting, Minutes 2.5.24 H ouse Democrats Cau cus Meeting, Minutes 2.1.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 1.31.24 Aerospace and Defense Caucus Meeting Minutes 1.29.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeti ng, Minutes 1.24 .24 Healthier CO Legislative Reception, Meeting Minutes 1.26.24 AV Legislator Briefing, Minutes 1.26.24 Women's Caucus Meeting, Minutes 1.25.24 House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes 1.25.24 Colorado Carbon Management Briefing with National Wildlife Federation & Great Plains Inst, Minutes 1.18.24 People & Pollinator Action Network Legislator Briefing, 12 PM Minutes 1.18.24 Jan 18th Sportsmen's Caucus Briefing, Minutes 1.18.24 People & Pollinator Action Netwo rk Legislator Briefing, Minutes 1.10.24 For Cause Legislator Briefing, Minutes 1.9.24 Rep. Amabile ADU Meeting, Minutes 1.5.24 House Democrats Caucus Retreat, Minutes 12.15.23 Conservation Colorado Legislator Briefing, Minutes & Materials 12.14.23 Conservation Colorado Legislator Briefing, Minutes & Materials 12.13.23 Disability Rights Conference, Minutes 12.8.23 Perinatal Health Legislator Briefing, Minutes 11.16.23 House and Senate Leadership Hold Media Availablity, Minutes 11.14.23 Working Group - Property Tax Relief, Minutes 11.14.23 Working Group - Summer EBT, Minutes 11.14.23 Work ing Group - Rental Assistance, Minutes 11.14.23 Working Group - EITC, Minutes 11.10.23 Working Group - Summer EBT, Minutes 11.10.23 Working Group - Rental Assistance, Minutes 11.10.23 Working Group - Property Tax Relief, Minutes 11.10.23 Working Group - TABOR Refund Mechanisms, Minutes 11.10.23 Working Group - EITC , Minutes 11.10.23 House Democrats Caucus Call, Minutes 10.26.23, Wage Theft Accountability - Legislator Briefing, Minutes & Materials 6.12.23 , House Democrats Caucus Meeting, Minutes

< Back Michael Carter Rep. Michael Carter is proud to call Aurora home. His wife has taught in the community for over two decades, his three children attend Aurora Public Schools, and he practices law in Aurora to protect the community’s most vulnerable. Becoming a state representative is not his first experience in public service. Rep. Carter is a third-generation Army Veteran and he served as the Vice President of the Aurora Public School Board of Education. After receiving his law degree from the University of Denver, he worked as a public defender and a private criminal defense attorney. From safer schools for our students to affordable housing for working families, Rep. Carter is committed to developing policy solutions that work for all Coloradans and move our state forward. He will utilize his experience in the criminal justice system and K-12 public education to improve public schools and uphold the values of justice. Rep. Michael Carter is the representative for House District 36 serving Adams and Arapahoe counties and he serves as the Vice-Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee.

< Back Rep. Weissman & Rep. Jodeh: If Trump brings his invective to Aurora, he should know we are proud to be the “The Ellis Island of the Plains” Sep 20, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Denver Post here . Presidential candidate Donald Trump declared his intention to visit Aurora in the coming weeks. If the former president’s own words are any indication, we can expect speeches filled with ugly invective and continued falsehoods about our city and its residents. In response to these distortions, as elected officials serving the city of Aurora, we want to make a few things clear. The United States of America became a nation of immigrants well before 1776. Aurora, the city that we all serve and represent, is home to tens of thousands of immigrants from well over 100 different countries. Today as hundreds of years ago, people come to our country and our city to seek opportunity and to flee persecution and poverty. In recent years, many people from Venezuela in particular have sought a new beginning in the United States. This should not be surprising given years of increasingly dictatorial control by the Maduro regime in Venezuela, culminating in that regime’s assertion of victory in an election earlier this summer that it manifestly, in fact, lost. When immigrants from Venezuela, or any other nation for that matter, arrive in Colorado, they are confronted with the same challenges other Coloradans have — foremost, the higher cost of living since COVID and the scarcity of affordable housing. Further, certain landlords may neglect their legal obligations to maintain rental premises in a safe and livable condition. To this point, a Denver Post headline this week correctly notes “ Long before claims of Aurora gang takeover, apartment owners came under fire from inspectors and residents .” In addition, immigrants often face further challenges of learning a new language and culture and being separated from family. These challenges are common to immigrant experiences. Thus they are common to most of our own personal histories and to our history as a country. Unfortunately, for the last several weeks, Venezuelan immigrants in Aurora and our city as a whole have faced another set of entirely avoidable challenges, as certain politicians, influencers, and media outlets have repeatedly mischaracterized basic realities. These blatant mischaracterizations have increased threats of harassment and difficulty in securing housing or employment for our constituents who are Venezuelan. Former President Donald Trump should know that we support the work of law enforcement agencies, from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the city police department, to protect public safety by holding those who commit crimes to account, whether they are affiliated with any gang or not. Recent immigrants are sometimes particularly targeted by would-be criminals, and they deserve to live without fear of victimization just like any other member of our community. Second, targeting anyone in our community because of their actual or perceived national origin is reprehensible and criminal. Colorado law prohibits bias-motivated harassment or other bias-motivated crime that is “in whole or in part” due to nationality or other legally recognized protected characteristics. In bias-motivated crime, the proximate victim may be one individual, but the ultimate victim is an entire community that is put in fear – deliberately – from these kinds of offenses. Third, we remind our fellow elected officials and those aspiring to elected office to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Aurora and the entire metro area are home to a tapestry of non-profit organizations dedicated to assisting those in need, including immigrants, with housing, employment, status adjustment, and access to basics like food and transportation. We know from experience that these organizations appreciate willing partners in state and local government. We also know that their jobs are made harder – and that the lives of those they seek to serve are made harder – by inflammatory political rhetoric. It needs to stop. In particular, we condemn any statements that conflate Venezuelan, or any other, nationality with gang membership or criminality. Over 100 years ago, Emma Lazarus memorialized the Statue of Liberty as a beacon of hope for new Americans arriving at the “sea-washed, sunset gates” of New York. More recently, a former city poet laureate proclaimed Aurora “The Ellis Island of the Plains” in celebration of our unique diversity. This is the real Aurora, Colorado, and we celebrate it too. Rep. Mike Weissman represents House District 36 in Adams & Arapahoe Counties. Rep.Iman Jodeh represents House District 41 in Arapahoe County. The following Aurora elected officials also join this op-ed: Sen. Tom Sullivan (Senate District 27), Sen. Rhonda Fields (Senate District 28), Sen. Janet Buckner (Senate District 29), Rep. Naquetta Ricks (House District 40), Rep. Mandy Lindsay (House District 42), Rep. Eliza Hamrick (House District 61), Aurora City Councilor Alison Coombs (At-Large), Aurora City Councilor Crystal Murillo (Ward 1), Aurora City Councilor Ruben Medina (Ward 3), Aurora Public Schools Director Dr. Anne Keke (Board President), Aurora Public Schools Director Michael Carter (Board Vice President), Aurora Public Schools Director Danielle Tomwing (Board Secretary), Aurora Public Schools Director Tiffany Tasker (Board Treasurer), Aurora Public Schools Director Tramaine Duncan, Aurora Public Schools Director Dr. Debra Gerkin, and Aurora Public Schools Director Vicki Reinhard. Previous Next

< Back Jennifer Bacon Assistant Majority Leader Representative Jennifer Bacon is Assistant Majority Leader and represents House District 7, which includes the Denver International Airport and Denver’s far northeast neighborhoods. Assistant Majority Leader Bacon serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Education Committee. Lifelong advocate for youth, educational access and criminal justice reform, Assistant Majority Leader Bacon’s policy spanwide and prioritize making our state more equitable for all. During the 2023 legislative session, Assistant Majority Leader Bacon championed a law to extend Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) in Colorado to reduce gun violence. Other legislative highlights include extensive legislation to reduce air pollution, equal pay for equal work, improving workplace conditions, judicial reform, combating youth recidivism, and extended education programs to help all students succeed. Assistant Majority Leader Bacon is the Chair of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado.