< Back May 20, 2021 PASSED! NATURAL DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT DENVER, CO– The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Lisa Cutter and Perry Will that would create the Community Behavioral Health DIsaster Preparedness and Response Program to ensure mental health services are a component of the state’s natural disaster response planning. The vote was 43-20. “As the realities of climate change have worsened, Colorado has had to respond to too many devastating tragedies – wildfires, floods, droughts and mass shootings – that have left our communities reeling and our neighbors in need of immediate physical and mental health care,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “By incorporating behavioral health into our state’s disaster response and preparedness plans, we can offer more of the services Coloradans impacted by disasters need during some of their most difficult moments. Connecting people with the services they need in the aftermath of a disaster can ensure that they have support in the long run to rebuild and recover.” HB21-1281 , sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Perry Will, creates the Community Behavioral Health Disaster Preparedness and Response Program in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The program is intended to enhance, support, and formalize behavioral health disaster preparedness and response activities of community behavioral health organizations. Disaster behavioral health response differs from traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. The goal is to support normal behavioral functions and decrease stress, which allows for more normal brain activities, such as decision-making, problem solving, and cognitive processing. The intent of disaster response is to promote individual, family, and community resilience and it helps affected individuals return to a pre-disaster level of activity as quickly as possible. Disaster response methods include triage, basic support, psychological first aid, and making appropriate professional referrals in the community. Community mental health centers are already operating a number of programs that would fall within the scope of this fund, especially as they relate to COVID-19, but funding for these programs is fragmented and much of the federal funding is expected to discontinue. The bill would provide funding to community behavioral health organizations for the disaster response services they provide. Previous Next

The House today advanced a bipartisan bill to identify improvements in trainings for judicial personnel so they can better understand the complex issues that victims of crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence face. < Back March 6, 2023 House Advances Improvements to Judiciary Training in Assault, Domestic Violence Cases DENVER, CO - The House today advanced a bipartisan bill to identify improvements in trainings for judicial personnel so they can better understand the complex issues that victims of crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence face. “As a survivor myself, I know how distressing it can be to seek accountability through the justice system as a victim of domestic violence,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge . “Judges, attorneys, and other judicial personnel often don’t have a firsthand understanding of the complicated emotions and dynamics that victims of crimes like domestic violence and sexual assault experience. One of my major focuses as a legislator is to create safer outcomes for victims while they seek justice from their aggressor, and this legislation gives us the tools to do that.” HB23-1108 , which passed by a vote of 56-8, creates a task force to examine current victim and survivor awareness and responsiveness trainings within the Office for Victims Programs. The task force would report their findings and make recommendations on how to improve trainings for judicial personnel to better serve victims and survivors of crimes including sexual assault, harassment, and domestic violence. The task force would be required to submit a report including findings and recommendations to the House and Senate Judiciary committees by November 1, 2023. Previous Next

The House Education Committee today passed two bills to support Colorado’s educators. < Back April 3, 2024 House Committee Passes Two Bills to Support Educators DENVER, CO - The House Education Committee today passed two bills to support Colorado’s educators. HB24-1376, sponsored by Representatives Julia Marvin and Cathy Kipp, would extend the Teacher Mentor Grant Program. SB24-132, sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan and Meghan Lukens would extend the confidentiality of performance evaluation reports to beyond licensed educators. "Mentors are important in any field, and especially in education," said Rep. Julia Marvin, D-Thornton, sponsor of HB24-1376. "This bill will allow for greater access to mentor preparation and development for student and novice teachers in their early years of the profession. We know teacher mentorships help build stronger connections, boost the confidence of our newest teachers, and support educational excellence statewide." “We’re taking steps to extend an important educator mentor program to support our new teachers,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of HB24-1376. “This bill expands eligibility for the Teacher Mentor Grant Program, specifically for teachers who have up to three years of career experience. This bill is about fostering new and experienced teacher retention. Together, we’re making it easier for new teachers to access the resources they need to not only succeed in the job, but to better support our students.” HB24-1376 , passed committee by a vote of 9-2. This bill would expand the Teacher Mentor Grant Program to include novice teachers, specifically teachers who have fewer than three years of teaching experience. Under this bill, the Department of Education would create a graduated scale for the stipends provided to mentors. “As a former teacher, I know how important evaluations are because they help us better support our students,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, sponsor of SB24-132. “Our important bill extends the confidentiality of personnel performance records, including evaluations, to most educators in our schools. This bill is a step forward in protecting the privacy of our school educators and shows them we deeply value their efforts to support our students.” “From administrators to education support professionals, many of those who work in our schools are not awarded important privacy and confidentiality protections when it comes to their personnel records, such as evaluations ,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, sponsor of SB24-132. “Importantly, this bill extends confidentiality protections already awarded to licensed educators to other school professionals. We know that extending fair and consistent protections for school educators will help us foster stronger trust within our schools and better meet the needs of our students.” SB24-132 , passed committee unanimously. This bill would extend the confidentiality of evaluation reports and related records to all teachers, principals, administrators, special service providers, and education support professionals. Under current law, only licensed educators are awarded confidentiality when it comes to their personnel records, including yearly evaluations. This bill extends protections to other educators and school staff. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to create a tax exemption for Colorado homeowners who are underinsured for rebuilding or replacement costs after a declared wildfire disaster. HB23-1240 passed by a vote of 44-16, with 16 Republicans voting against the bill. < Back April 21, 2023 Tax Exemption to Help Wildfire Victims Rebuild Passes the House DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation to create a tax exemption for Colorado homeowners who are underinsured for rebuilding or replacement costs after a declared wildfire disaster. HB23-1240 passed by a vote of 44-16, with 16 Republicans voting against the bill. “After the Marshall Fire, nearly 60% of families who lost their homes did not have enough insurance coverage to rebuild their home,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Hundreds of families were burdened with restoring their property on their own dime. Our bill gives these families a tax refund on building materials that will save them money on construction costs, giving them an extra boost when they need it most.” “When a wildfire wipes out hundreds of homes at once, it’s almost impossible to get the resources you need to rebuild,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Insurance companies struggle to quickly provide quotes and building materials are stretched thin. This legislation creates a tax exemption for wildfire victims to help address the barriers that prevent them from rebuilding their home.” HB23-1240 creates a state sales and use tax exemption for construction and building materials for homeowners looking to rebuild or repair their home after a declared wildfire disaster. The exemption for qualified purchases is administered through a refund process, which must be claimed by June 30, 2028, and allows homeowners that have already made purchases to retroactively claim a refund. This bill is accompanied by HB23-1174 , also sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Judy Amabile, to reduce homeowner underinsurance for damaged homes or structures. It would require home insurance companies to offer a variety of coverages to protect them, covering the cost of repair or replacement for a damaged or destroyed structure. If a homeowner wants additional coverage, the insurer must offer coverage for extended replacement, law and ordinance, and inflation protection. It would also extend the length of time in which an insurer would have to notify a homeowner of a cancellation or refusal to renew a homeowner’s policy from 30 days to 60 days. The bill passed the House by a vote of 45-17. Previous Next

< Back February 16, 2023 President Fenberg, Speaker McCluskie Convene Joint Select Committee to Investigate Rising Utility Rates Committee will explore causes of price increases, identify potential solutions to save people money on their energy bills DENVER, CO – Senate President Steve Fenberg and House Speaker Julie McCluskie announced today that they are forming a Joint Select Committee to investigate the causes of Coloradans’ rising utility rates and explore potential actions to prevent future price hikes, saving Colorado’s working families money on their energy bills.The Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates will seek expert testimony from utility companies, relevant agency staff, regulators, consumer advocates, and policy experts in order to better understand issues such as the impact of volatility in natural gas markets, the frequency and justification for rate increases sought by utilities, and other relevant factors. “The recent spikes in energy prices have sent Coloradans’ utility bills through the roof, and it’s costing too many working Colorado families an arm and a leg just to heat their homes,” President Fenberg, D-Boulder, said. “Democrats are committed to making Colorado a more affordable place to live, which is why we’re convening this critical committee so we can uncover the root cause behind high prices and hopefully find solutions that will better protect consumers, improve stability, and save people money on their energy bills.” "Shockingly high utility bills have left Coloradans from Denver to Dillon struggling to heat their homes during the coldest time of the year," said Speaker McCluskie, D-Dillon. "We need to get to the bottom of what's sticking hardworking families with unpredictable and far too expensive utility bills. We’re creating a bipartisan committee to dig into utility bill increases and target solutions that make our state more affordable." The Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates will meet at least three times, and will include lawmakers from both chambers and both sides of the aisle. Upon conclusion of the investigation, the Committee may suggest legislative avenues for the General Assembly to consider. Previous Next

< Back March 10, 2023 House Dems Pass Bills to Reduce Premiums and Lower Drug Costs DENVER, CO - The House Health and Insurance Committee today passed legislation that will save Coloradans money on health insurance premiums for Colorado Option plans and make prescription drugs more affordable. “We’re building on the success of the Colorado Option to continue to drive down health care premiums and make it easier to find high value plans on the exchange,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB23-1224 .” The Colorado Option is helping Colorado families and businesses keep more of their hard-earned money and has increased access to high quality health care, especially for lower income people who have disproportionately faced barriers to getting the care they need.” “We’ve made bold progress to drive down the cost of health care and create new options for consumers,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, sponsor of HB23-1224 . “The legislation we passed today ensures that excessive profits and administrative costs won’t be passed down to consumers while also improving the rate review process to ensure that these plans actually reduce premiums for consumers.” HB23-1224 , which passed by a vote of 8-1, will lower insurance premiums and make it easier for consumers to shop for high value standardized health plans that work for them and their families. The updates to the Colorado Option strengthen the Division of Insurance’s (DOI) ability to hold carriers accountable for the premium rate reduction requirements on Colorado Option Standardized Plans by granting the DOI to: Limit factors such as as excessive profit and administrative expenses; Structure the public hearings process efficiently while ensuring all parties have the opportunity to participate; Help consumers easily find and compare plans that could lower their out-of-pocket costs. “Colorado is leading the nation with innovative ways to save people money on prescription drugs and lower the cost of health care,” said Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood, sponsor of HB23-1225 . "We established the Prescription Drug Affordability Board in 2021 to ensure that consumers can afford the highest cost drugs. Now, we’re expanding these cost saving measures to reduce out-of-pocket prices for more medications by increasing the board’s efficacy and saving Coloradans more money on their essential prescriptions.” “Coloradans should never have to ration life-saving prescription drugs due to price gouging from big pharmaceutical companies,” said Rep. Ruby Dickson, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB23-1225 . “This legislation will limit out-of-pocket costs for more life-saving prescriptions and help more Coloradans avoid the difficult decision of paying for the medication they need and other necessities.” HB23-1225 , which passed by a vote of 8-3, increases the effectiveness of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) to help lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Coloradans. In 2021, lawmakers passed the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to evaluate and place upper price limits on the highest cost prescription drugs. The legislation introduced today will increase the impact of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to save people money on out of pocket prescription drug costs. It removes the limit on setting no more than 12 Upper Payment Limits (UPLs) per year in the first three years of the PDAB, and improves the criteria for selecting drugs for an affordability review. Previous Next

< Back March 2, 2021 TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ADVANCES PROPOSALS TO SUPPORT FOSTER KIDS AND IMPROVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS DENVER, CO– The Transportation and Local Government Committee today advanced two bills to give foster youth the opportunity to obtain drivers licenses and to update the Division of Housing’s responsibilities to better allow the state to tackle the issue of housing in Colorado. HB21-1084 , a bipartisan bill sponsored by Transportation and Local Government Chair Tony Exum, takes several steps to help foster youth in Colorado learn to drive and obtain drivers licenses. It would ensure that counties are reimbursed for the cost of sending foster youth aged 15 to 21 to driver’s ed courses and would remove legal barriers preventing counties and foster youth advocates from teaching foster youth how to drive. Finally, it eases requirements on the types of documentation foster youth must provide when applying for a driver permit or license. The bill passed committee by a vote of 11-0. “Creating a pathway for foster youth to obtain a driver’s license is about giving hope to kids who have so much more to deal with than the average teen,” said Rep Exum Sr. (D-Colorado Springs) . “We should strive to guarantee that every child in Colorado has equal opportunity to succeed, and ensuring that foster children are able to learn how to drive goes a long way towards leveling the playing field. From getting to and from work, or to and from school, driving can truly make a lasting and important impact on a teenager’s life.” HB21-1009 , sponsored by Representative Tracey Bernett is a bipartisan measure that makes several updates to the responsibilities of the Department of Local Affairs’ Division of Housing to better provide housing solutions for communities across Colorado. The bill, among other things, improves confidentiality for recipients of housing assistance, helps reduce energy costs, and incentivises housing development in areas where people work, go to school and have access to transportation. The bill passed committee by a vote of 10-1. “This straightforward bill will prepare the Division of Housing to continue working on affordable housing solutions for years to come,” said Rep. Tracey Bernett (D-Longmont) . “By making necessary updates and modifications, this bill will empower local communities across Colorado and allow them to continue thoughtfully increasing the quality and equity of our housing solutions while working towards our climate goals.” Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation to promote semiconductor manufacturing in Colorado, attracting new businesses and creating good paying jobs. < Back May 3, 2023 House Passes Bill to Boost Semiconductor Production, Create Good-Paying Jobs DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation to promote semiconductor manufacturing in Colorado, attracting new businesses and creating good paying jobs. HB23-1260 passed by a vo te of 54 to 9. “From our cars and cell phones to emerging clean energy technology, we need more semiconductor research, development and production to meet economic demands,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver. “This bipartisan legislation helps Colorado attract new semiconductor businesses, which will create jobs, boost our economy and position Colorado to lead the way on semiconductor manufacturing. We’re working hard to draw down federal investments so Colorado can stand out in this growing industry and secure new business for years to come.” HB23-1260 , sponsored by Representatives Alex Valdez and Matt Soper, would create tax incentives to maximize investments in semiconductor and advanced manufacturing in Colorado. This bill increases Colorado’s ability to access federal investments in Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) technology and attract new businesses and good paying jobs across the state. This bill would allow local governments to designate new areas, or CHIPS Zones, to attract manufacturers and boost local economies across Colorado. HB23-1260 would also create a task force to study the effectiveness of financial incentives to promote and develop STEM companies in Colorado. The federal CHIPS and Science Act will invest $280 billion over five years, with $50 billion more immediately available through the CHIPS for America Fund created within the U.S. Department of Commerce, withColorado poised to receive upwards of $5.5 billion. As emerging technology becomes more and more essential in our daily lives, the need for high-powered, efficient semiconductors rises . Semiconductors are used in advanced medical equipment, computers, vehicles, clean energy technology and more. Previous Next

< Back Monica Duran Majority Leader Representative Monica Duran is House Majority Leader and represents House District 23,of Lakewood, Lakeside, Applewood, and Mountain View. Previously House Co-Whip, Majority Leader Duran fights to ensure that our most vulnerable do not slip through the cracks. As a survivor of domestic violence, she has championed legislation related to domestic violence, animal welfare, and supporting working families. She has led legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to reduce gun violence in our communities in addition to legislation to improve wages for home care workers, support survivors of crime and violence and protect children.

< Back May 6, 2021 BILL TO LOWER ENERGY COSTS, CREATE JOBS MOVES FORWARD Bipartisan benchmarking proposal would improve energy efficiency of buildings DENVER, CO– The House Energy and Environment committee today passed legislation to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, which will lower energy costs and create jobs for workers skilled in energy efficiency retrofits. “By passing benchmarking policies like this, we can save consumers and businesses money on their energy bills and lower our energy use,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “This bill asks owners of the largest buildings to report on their energy use and then meet new energy efficiency standards that will save their tenant’s money and reduce energy use. It will help us meet our climate goals while saving Coloradans money at the same time.” “We have to make addressing climate change a top priority, and by reducing how much energy commercial buildings use, we can save consumers money and reduce the emissions that are hurting our environment,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver. “Benchmarking is an innovative way to encourage more energy efficient buildings and create good jobs for workers skilled in energy efficiency retrofits and mechanical system upgrades.” HB21-1286 , which is sponsored by Representatives Cathy Kipp and Alex Valdez, would require the owners of certain large commercial buildings to collect and report energy use to the Colorado Energy Office, and by 2026, to demonstrate that they have met new energy efficiency performance standards. The proposal, known as benchmarking, asks building owners to measure their energy use in the first year and then continue to monitor and report their performance and meet new energy efficiency standards. The proposal helps tenets and businesses save money on their energy costs while creating jobs for workers skilled in energy efficiency retrofits, mechanical system upgrades, electrical work, engineering, and recommissioning. In the next eight years, the bill would save consumers $447 million on their energy bills, 3,200 gigawatt-hours of electricity, 7,700 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and reduce CO2 emissions by 1 million metric tons. More than one-third of Colorado buildings are already benchmarking, demonstrating that this policy is both widely popular and achievable. Large commercial, multifamily, and public buildings account for roughly 15 percent of all energy used in Colorado, which means that there is considerable opportunity to reduce electricity used by increasing the energy efficiency of these buildings. Previous Next

< Back June 25, 2021 $130M FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND NEW TENANT PROTECTIONS SIGNED INTO LAW DENVER, CO — Governor Polis today signed three bills into law that will provide nearly $30 million in federal funds to support local government efforts to address homelessness; immediately invest $98.5 million in federal funds to construct nearly 7,000 affordable housing units; deploy $1.5 million in eviction legal defense funding; set aside $415 million in federal funds toward future affordable housing efforts; and provide tenants new protections and rights. “We will not wait any longer to address Colorado’s housing crisis,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “This legislature has made historic investments to make housing more affordable and provide shelter for individuals experiencing homlessness. We are immediately investing nearly $100 million to build nearly 7,000 affordable housing units, and we’re providing $30 million to local governments to help them purchase and convert underutilized properties to provide shelter or affordable housing.” “Housing should be a human right in Colorado, but it’s way too hard for low and middle-income families to find an affordable place to live,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “From the cost of rent to the price of buying a house or condo, it’s becoming more expensive to live in Colorado, and wages and salaries aren’t keeping up. Today, we’re giving local governments and legal aid organizations the tools they need to reduce homelessness and to provide due process in eviction court proceedings. We’re also setting up a responsible process for lawmakers to work alongside experts and community leaders to craft policies for the next legislative session that will invest $415 million to increase access to affordable housing across Colorado.” SB21-242 , sponsored by Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Steven Woodrow, provides $30 million in federal funding for grants and loans for local governments and nonprofits to purchase underutilized hotels, underutilized motels and other underutilized properties for the purpose of providing noncongregate shelter or affordable housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. Grant recipients are encouraged to invest in hotels and motels that are women and minority-owned, as well as those that are ADA compliant. HB21-1329 , sponsored by Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Steven Woodrow, channels $550 million in federal stimulus funds toward affordable housing efforts. It immediately invests $98.5 million of that funding to build nearly 7,000 housing units that will help Coloradans who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic obtain affordable housing. It also invests $1.5 million into the state’s Eviction Legal Defense grant program, doubling the state’s support to this program in order to protect tenants who might be facing eviction as the federal eviction moratorium comes to a close. The bill requires a broad and diverse stakeholder process during the interim that will develop and make recommendations to the General Assembly for how to allocate the remaining $415 million. The funds will be used on programs or services that address housing insecurity, a lack of affordable housing or homelessness, including construction of new affordable housing units, housing and rental assistance programs and supportive housing programs. “Today, Colorado’s housing laws are more fair for renters and offer new protections that will help tenants avoid eviction,” said Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora. “The bill Governor Polis signed today will reduce frequent and astronomical rent increases that force people from their homes and provide renters with more time to avoid an eviction or put their effects in order before being removed from their homes.” “No one should be left with just a few hours to pack all their belongings and move out of their home before law enforcement carries out an eviction,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “This new law offers tenants basic protections to help them avoid eviction or land back on their feet rather than putting them on a potential path to homelessness. The protections are critical for helping our state build back stronger and will help vulnerable people avoid losing the place where they live or be quickly priced out of their residences.” HB21-1121 , sponsored by Representatives Dominique Jackson and Iman Jodeh helps keep Coloradans housed and creates more fairness between landlords and tenants by providing renters with additional time before law enforcement can assist in an eviction. It also prohibits residential landlords from increasing rent more than once in a 12-month period and increases the notification timeline for rent increases when there is not a written lease. Previous Next

< Back September 18, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: COLORADO DEMOCRATS SPEAK OUT ON ALLEGATIONS OF FORCED HYSTERECTOMIES PERFORMED BY ICE DENVER, CO – Democratic members of the House and Senate, with the full support of the Colorado Latino Democratic Caucus, today released the following statement regarding the claims made by Dawn Wooten, a nurse at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Georgia that detainees there have been denied basic medical care and subjected to hysterectomies without their consent. “These whistleblower claims of sterilization surgeries performed on immigrant women without their consent are horrifying and infuriating. If found to be true, these actions represent an unspeakable affront to human decency, dignity and rights. We support calls for Congressional investigations and demand that those responsible are held accountable and swiftly removed from their responsibilities overseeing the detention of immigrants. “Reports of families being separated, women being sexually assaulted, children being kept in cages and now women being sterilized without their consent – the Trump administration repeatedly doubles down on practices that treat undocumented immigrants as less than human. We must work to increase accountability and move towards a system that can enforce our country’s laws while treating immigrants with decency, compassion, and respect. That’s exactly why this year the legislature passed legislation allowing the state to conduct regular and unannounced follow-up inspections of ICE facilities in Colorado, just as it would conduct inspections of any other penal facility in our state. While not an overarching solution to the inhumane treatment of immigrants, this oversight is an important step that we can take at the state level to ensure basic health, and safety standards are met. “Crossing a border without proper documentation does not take away a person’s humanity or basic human rights. We demand a full and fair investigation into these allegations, and if they are found to be true, a swift end to these inhumane practices, accountability for any perpetrators and justice for victims.” Today’s statement is signed by Representatives Lontine, Garnett, Froelich, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Alex Valdez, Woodrow, Coleman, Herod, Sirota, Hooton, Singer, Jaquez-Lewis, Becker, Exum Sr., Snyder, Kennedy, Duran, Cutter, Roberts, Titone, Tipper, Kraft-Tharp, Sullivan, Melton, Michaelson Jenet, Caraveo, Benavidez, Mullica, Bird, Weissman, Buckner, Jackson, Esgar, Buentello, Young, Kipp, McLachlan, McCluskie, and Donald Valdez, as well as Senators Garcia, Fenberg, Todd, Fields, Donovan, Winter, Bridges, Danielson, Moreno, Story, Gonzales, Pettersen, Williams, Lee, Foote, Hansen, Zenzinger, Rodriguez, and Ginal. Previous Next