< Back April 18, 2022 HOUSE PASSES TWO BILLS TO SAVE COLORADANS MONEY DENVER, CO – The House passed two bipartisan bills to save Coloradans money. HB22-1010, sponsored by Emily Sirota and Tonya Van Beber, would expand and increase the early childhood educator tax credit and help make childcare more affordable. HB22-1083, sponsored by Kerry Tipper and Janice Rich, would expand a Colorado homeless contribution income tax credit. “Together, we’re saving early child care workers money while making child care more affordable,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, sponsor of HB22-1010. “Child care centers across the state are struggling to hire and retain high-quality, talented workers and parents are left scrambling to find reliable child care options. This bill works to save child care providers money on their taxes and makes it easier for providers to enter the field which will help fill the gaps in the early childhood educator workforce.” “We’re saving Coloradans money and encouraging charitable donations to address our state’s homelessness crisis,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood, sponsor of HB22-1083. “Our bill expands a tax credit to Coloradans who donate to homelessness organizations and nonprofits. This tax credit will save Coloradans money and incentivize more donations toward finding permanent housing solutions for Coloradans experiencing homelessness.” HB22-1010 , passed the House by a vote of 47 to 14 and would increase and expand eligibility for the early childhood educator tax credit. The tax credit would help save early childhood educators money and encourage new providers to enter the field. Boosting the child care workforce will expand childcare options and ultimately lower the cost of childcare in Colorado. Child care providers are facing significant workforce challenges as workers leave the field for higher paying, less stressful jobs. HB22-1010 is part of the Colorado House Democrats’ first ten bills. HB22-1083 , passed the House by a vote of 54 to 8 and would expand a Colorado homeless contribution income tax credit. Specifically, this bill would expand a state income tax credit and make it available for all Coloradans that make monetary or in-kind contributions to promote temporary, emergency or transitional housing programs for homeless people. This bill works to save Coloradans money on charitable donations while combatting homelessness in Colorado. Previous Next

Today legislation sponsored by Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver, Senator Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, House Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, and Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs, to support victims’ families after deadly use of force by law enforcement was signed into law. < Back June 3, 2026 Legislation to Support Victims’ Families After Deadly Use of Force by Law Enforcement Signed Into Law DENVER, CO – Today legislation sponsored by Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver, Senator Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, House Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, and Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs, to support victims’ families after deadly use of force by law enforcement was signed into law. “In the immediate aftermath of a loss caused by deadly use of force, families are often left trying to understand what happened and who is responsible for answering their questions,” said Coleman. “This new law is about how we respond in those moments, both in how we inform families and how we communicate with the public. This legislation is a step toward clarity. It ensures that families are informed, that information is accessible, and that communication is responsible.” “This law is about accountability, transparency and how we handle the aftermath of a police-related death,” said Bacon. “We are updating and modifying how body camera footage is shared with the families of those who have died at the hands of the police. I am proud to have worked on this law with impacted families who pushed for us to create a better system for families in their pursuit of justice.” “Senate Bill 190 establishes baseline requirements for how information must be shared with impacted family members when they have lost a loved one in a police use of force incident,” said Weissman. “This law will ensure that families navigating an extremely complicated system during an acutely painful time in their lives are provided with clear information about an investigation before it becomes broadly available for public access. At its core, this legislation is about responding to community concerns, supporting victims' families and providing clarification in moments that are often defined by confusion.” “Families deserve timely access to information when their loved one dies due to lethal force by a law enforcement officer, which is why I sponsored this new law,” said English. “Families should never have to figure out how to navigate the justice system on their own, especially as they mourn the loss of a loved one. This law creates a clear and consistent framework for how information is shared with families and communities and ensures that families are quickly notified after a deadly incident.” Currently, video and audio recordings depicting incidents of peace officer misconduct that result in death must be provided upon request to a victim’s family. SB26-190 establishes a clear, consistent framework for how information is shared following a peace officer’s use of force that results in death, regardless of whether the incident received a complaint of misconduct. The new law will require law enforcement to try to identify a victim’s immediate family. The law will also require law enforcement to notify known family members of the agencies involved in an investigation, as well as the status of an investigation, within 24 hours of the incident. SB26-190 will also ensure that family members have the right to obtain video and audio recordings of an incident within a 21 day timeframe, which they may decline, and that victims’ families receive video and audio recordings before they are available for public access. Previous Next

< Back May 3, 2019 PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION MODERNIZATION LEGISLATION HEADED TO GOV PUC modernized to maximize benefits for ratepayers in the clean energy transition (May 3) – The House approved a bill to renew the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the next seven years, help address the threat of climate change, and hold utility companies more accountable. The bill is sponsored by Speaker KC Becker and Rep. Chris Hansen. The PUC provides regulatory oversight of public utilities in Colorado. “Passing this modernization will strengthen protections for consumers, prioritize safety, reduce emissions, and improve efficiency and reliability while exploring various forms of grid interconnection,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “ The bill requires utilities to account for the social cost of carbon in their electricity resource planning and to do a review of workforce transition plans when the closure of coal plants is accelerated in order to ensure workers and communities are supported.” The bill directs the Commission to evaluate the cost of carbon pollution emissions when considering projects in the future. Carbon pollution impacts Colorado’s air quality and exacerbates the risks of climate change in the state and around the world. “This legislation modernizes the PUC and ensures it’s prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the thriving clean energy economy. This bill is a significant step forward for Colorado,” said Rep. Hansen, D-Denver. “The Commission plays a pivotal environmental role and must be ready to serve all Coloradans as the market moves toward cleaner, cheaper renewable energy sources.” The PUC is responsible for providing oversight of Colorado’s utilities and protecting Coloradans from high utility costs. In seeking to address climate change, SB19-236 will direct the PUC to consider the costs of pollution and a workforce transition plan during the utility planning process. The bill also directs the PUC to implement rules ensuring safe, reliable, and affordable services that satisfy customers’ changing expectations, and take advantage of technological advancements that benefit customers. The bill specifies a minimum value for the cost of carbon pollution. Currently, nine other states employ a cost of carbon as an element of utility regulation including Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, California, Nevada, New Jersey and New York. SB19-236 passed the House floor with a vote of 40-24 after Senate approved amendments added in the House. It now goes to the Governor for signature. Previous Next

The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation to allow Coloradans to pursue a civil cause of action for damages related to conversion therapy. HB26-1322, sponsored by Representatives Alex Valdez and Karen McCormick, passed by a vote of 7-2. < Back March 25, 2026 “Conversion Therapy" Accountability Bill Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation to allow Coloradans to pursue a civil cause of action for damages related to conversion therapy. HB26-1322, sponsored by Representatives Alex Valdez and Karen McCormick, passed by a vote of 7-2. “Conversion therapy is pseudoscience, and it has been proven to cause an increase in anxiety, depression and suicide,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver. “This type of harm can have devastating, long-term impacts on the health of someone who never had anything to ‘fix’ in the first place. Our bill would allow LGBTQ+ Coloradans and their families to hold bad actors accountable for putting them through these harmful therapy sessions and prevent other Coloradans from having to experience these dangerous practices.” “Conversion therapy does not change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity, and forcing people to try to change who they are has serious, long-term health impacts,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “The LGBTQ+ community already faces higher rates of depression and suicide, and conversion therapy only increases those rates. With this bill, we’re ensuring that LGBTQ+ Coloradans can seek justice for the harm caused by conversion therapy.” Beginning July 1, 2026, HB26-1322 would allow an individual who was subject to conversion therapy to bring a civil cause of action against certain professionals who cause damages from efforts to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. These actions could be brought only against a licensed mental health professional who engages in conversion therapy, a person or entity that employed or supervised the professional and knew or should have known of the conduct, a person who does not try to prevent or stop the professional or a person who negligently hired or supervised the professional. Currently, Colorado law requires claims to be filed within two years. The bill would remove this time restriction, and if the impacted individual has passed away, their representative could bring a survival action within five years of the individual’s death. A 2024 report from the Trevor Project found that 14 percent LGBTQ+ youth in Colorado have been threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy. In 2009, the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation concluded that conversion therapy is not likely to be successful and cause risk of depression, suicidality and anxiety. The American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and many other mental health and medical organizations believe that conversion therapy is harmful and ineffective. In 2019, Colorado Democrats passed a law to ban state-licensed medical or mental health care providers from providing conversion therapy to minors. The U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing Chiles v. Salazar , a challenge to Colorado’s conversion ban law. Previous Next

Legislation would increase rental assistance to $65 million, nearly doubling current level < Back November 17, 2023 House Committee Passes Bill to Reduce Evictions, Keep Coloradans Housed DENVER, CO – The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation to provide an additional $30 million in emergency rental assistance. HB23B-1001 , sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod and Mandy Lindsay, would increase statewide assistance to a total of $65 million, including $35 million from federal funds already allocated. “People of color are disproportionately impacted by evictions that can lead to heart breaking cycles of poverty, homelessness and financial insecurity for Colorado’s most vulnerable families,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “This legislation adds $30 million in funding toward rental assistance, bringing the statewide total to $65 million between state and federal funds. Many Coloradans living paycheck-to-paycheck cannot afford rising costs. Rental assistance keeps people housed in their communities as we work toward more long-term affordability solutions.” “Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, but many renters across our state are on the verge of losing their housing,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora . “As evictions rise, our renters need urgent support. This legislation increases rental assistance by $30 million, nearly doubling funding for rental assistance statewide. Rental assistance provides a critical lifeline to Colorado renters by giving them a fair chance to stay in their homes, avoid eviction, and get back on their feet.” HB23B-1001 , which passed by a vote of 8-4, would invest $30 million into emergency rental assistance in the Department of Local Affairs to provide financial assistance for rent owed and other related costs for Colorado tenants making at or below 80-percent of the area median income. Under this legislation, eligible tenants at risk of eviction or displacement would be required to apply through an online state portal to be connected with a non-profit partner. In addition to monthly rental payments, qualified tenants could use funding toward paying rental debt, up to two months of future rent, utility bills, late fees, court costs, reasonable attorney fees, and security deposits. The funding could also be used towards spreading awareness and increasing outreach to tenants at risk of eviction or displacement. Evictions are on the rise in Colorado. This year alone, 43,899 evictions have been filed according to state courts and Denver County court filing data. This threatens the housing of over 100,000 people across the state. By the end of the year, the number of eviction filings will have surpassed 50,000. Colorado has the 8th highest median monthly rent out of all 50 states, with a two bedroom apartment costing an average of $1,856 in 2023. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development , out of an estimated 742,240 renter households across Colorado, 63-percent of renters have an annual household income that is less than 80-percent of the area median income and make up 93-percent of households most likely to be struggling with housing costs. Previous Next

The House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee today passed legislation to make pesticide disposal and recycling easier and more affordable for Colorado’s farmers and ranchers. < Back March 2, 2026 Mauro, McCormick Bill to Benefit Farmers and Ranchers Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee today passed legislation to make pesticide disposal and recycling easier and more affordable for Colorado’s farmers and ranchers. HB26-1111 passed committee by a vote of 10-3. “Colorado’s farmers and ranchers are good stewards of our environment, and this bill saves them money and time on proper pesticide disposal,” said Rep. Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo. “There’s a farmer in my district who has held on to used pesticides for decades because there aren’t safe, easy disposal options. This bill would create a new program that brings safe, convenient and low-cost pesticide disposal to our communities. HB26-1111 is good for our agriculture industry, and I am proud to sponsor this bill.” “With this bill, we’re saving our farmers and ranchers money and protecting our environment,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “Without access to pesticide disposal programs, we risk contaminating our groundwater and soil. This bill brings safe, affordable pesticide disposal to our farmers and ranchers. We’re taking steps to make it easier for our farmers and ranchers to do business in Colorado, and this bill supports our ag community.” HB26-1111 would offer farmers a new option to dispose of used or unwanted pesticides and containers, and safely dispose of chemicals and recycle containers. This bill would create the Pesticide Product Disposal and Container Recycling Enterprise housed in the Department of Agriculture (CDA). This bill targets large quantities of pesticides used by farmers and ranchers by creating an affordable method for pesticide disposal. Pesticide disposal and recycling facilities in Colorado are limited, dispersed, inconvenient and expensive for farmers and ranchers. Without access to pesticide disposal and recycling services, harmful chemicals often accumulate, which increases the risk of improper disposal or leaks that could contaminate Colorado’s soil and water. Beginning in 2027, HB26-1111 would create a new program that provides relief to our farmers and ranchers and protects our environment. Previous Next

Bipartisan legislation will reduce barriers for residential solar projects and cut costs for consumers and local governments < Back March 16, 2023 Bill to Streamline Clean, Solar Energy Projects Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Energy & Environment Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to make it faster, easier and less expensive for local governments to approve solar installation projects. This bill, sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Matt Soper, helps local governments implement free automated permitting and inspection software by establishing a grant program to offer one-time financial assistance. “This legislation will help Colorado achieve 100% renewable energy by 2040 by making it easier and cheaper for local governments to approve solar projects,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Streamlining the local government approval process for solar projects means more Coloradans can begin using this clean and renewable power source for their homes. This bill saves local governments time and money, cuts bureaucratic red tape and speeds up clean energy projects – it’s a win-win-win.” HB23-1234 passed committee unanimously and would establish the Streamlined Solar Permitting and Inspection Grant Program to assist local governments with the start-up costs associated with implementing free automated permitting and inspection software. This software would help local governments to review and approve residential solar projects faster. Automating the permit and inspection process will reduce costs for consumers and accelerate Colorado’s transition to clean energy. This legislation is part of a broader energy bill package unveiled by Colorado Democrats last week to accelerate the clean energy transition and make Colorado a leader in budding clean energy technologies. Previous Next

< Back May 18, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: BILLS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT SIGNED INTO LAW Legislation–part of the legislature’s behavioral health package–invests $125 million in pandemic relief funds to expand access to services and save Coloradans money on health care DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law that will increase access to behavioral health care. HB22-1281 creates a $90 million grant program to fund critical services, and HB22-1302 extends resources to providers to help them offer both primary and mental health care. Community Behavioral Health Continuum of Care Gap Grants: HB22-1281 , sponsored by Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Naquetta Ricks and Senators Faith Winter and Bob Rankin, will ensure Coloradans across the state — including children, youth and families — have access to the behavioral health care they need. “Colorado’s behavioral health crisis is being felt in every part of our state, but each community’s needs are different,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “The legislation the governor signed today will invest $90 million in federal funds to expand access to care by providing resources to nonprofits and providers to meet the needs in their communities. The bill also dedicates at least $15 million of this funding to go towards substance use disorder treatment providers to increase our state’s capacity to provide the care people need.” “Accessing behavioral health care in our state can be complex and difficult, making it challenging for Coloradans to get the care they need to maintain their health and well-being,” said Senator Faith Winter, D-Westminster. “We recognize that different parts of the state have different needs when it comes to addressing mental health and substance use disorders, which is why this critical investment will address these inequities as we continue working toward building a healthier Colorado for all.” “The legislation Governor Polis signed today will provide communities with resources to fill critical gaps in care so that more Coloradans can access the services they need to thrive,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “This legislation will increase access to care in communities all across the state and save people money on behavioral health care. Under the legislation, nonprofits and providers can seek funding to treat more patients and offer additional services that aren’t available in their communities.” The law invests $90 million in federal funds for local governments and nonprofit organizations to implement innovative, community-based programs with the goal of filling regional gaps across the entire spectrum of behavioral health services and transforming behavioral health outcomes for families, children and youth living in Colorado. The law sets aside at least $15 million of the total $90 million grant funding to prioritize substance use disorder treatment and services. Integrating Primary Care and Behavioral Health Care: HB22-1302 , sponsored by Representatives Chris Kennedy and Perry Will and Senators Sonya Jaquez Lewis and Kevin Priola, invests $35 million to improve behavioral health outcomes by better integrating physical and behavioral health care. “One of the easier ways we can increase access to behavioral health care and save Coloradans money is by bringing together primary care and mental health care under the same facility or practice,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “I’m proud the governor signed my legislation to invest $35 million in federal funds to help providers integrate physical and behavioral health care. This will especially help in rural areas where people have to drive long distances to get care. The advancement of alternative payment models in House Bill 1325, which the governor also signed today, will help sustain these investments over the long run.” “Anyone who has tried to access behavioral health care in Colorado knows how hard it is to navigate the system as it is today,” said Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Boulder County. “That’s why we’re working to streamline how we deliver care and meet people where they are before a crisis occurs. This new law will ensure that primary care physicians are better equipped to connect patients with the appropriate behavioral health services they need.” The law will provide grants to primary care practices to integrate behavioral health care into their clinical models, helping Coloradans access whole person care and early behavioral health interventions before a crisis. The transformational investment will increase access to mental health and substance use disorder screening and treatment and help coordinate referrals to other levels of care. Previous Next

< Back July 6, 2023 LGBTQ+ Caucus Statement on Recent US Supreme Court Decisions DENVER, CO– The Colorado Democratic LGBTQ+ Caucus today released the following statement on recent decisions by the US supreme Court: We, the members of the Colorado General Assembly LGBTQ+ Caucus, stand strongly aligned with our brothers and sisters in the Black, Latino and Women’s Caucuses to express our outrage and dismay at the recent attacks against all of our communities leashed upon us by the US Supreme Court. We will not sit back and allow our country to sanction discrimination against its own people simply because of how they look, how they live or who they love. When Coloradans elected an overwhelming Democratic majority to the General Assembly in 2022–with the highest representation of LGBTQ people, women and people of color in our history, they sent a clear mandate to ensure our state will be one that stands as a beacon of freedom, equity, diversity and inclusion here in the Mountain West and across the country. We stand together not just to represent Colorado’s LGBTQ community, but to lead with our values, by shaping the legislation this Assembly puts forward and holding accountable those who seek to threaten and harm us and our neighbors. We will not allow an extremist minority to set progress back in our state or our nation. The recent decisions condoning anti-LGBTQ discrimination, cyber-bullying and cyber-stalking, while simultaneously crippling affirmative action and student debt relief, represent an unprecedented attack on our civil rights, racial and social justice and basic human decency: To prioritize one citizen’s right to make money in a particular way over another person’s right to live and love as they were created is not freedom–it is state-sanctioned discrimination. To interfere in the values set forth by our institutions of higher education, who understand that our nation is stronger with a diverse, educated workforce, is not equality–it is state-mandated aristocracy. To suggest that one person’s right to harass, bully, intimidate and threaten others is more important than another person’s right to feel safe in their own home, school or workplace, is not liberty–it is state-sanctioned abuse. To rule that providing assistance to those struggling under the burden of student debt is un-American, while forgiving billions of dollars of pandemic-era PPP loans and tens of thousands of dollars of mortgage interest relief each year to homeowners, is not promoting responsibility–it is state-sanctioned plutocracy. Here in Colorado we are proud to be a national leader in the movement to expand and strengthen civil liberties and protections for our LGBTQ community. Since our shameful decision on Amendment 2 over thirty years ago, we have made great strides to right a previous wrong and recognize we carry a special responsibility to create a safe and welcoming place for all people to grow, live and love as they choose. We know that within that diversity lies a profound strength–for our caucus, our communities and our state. This extremist court has opened the dangerous door for discrimination against any marginalized peoples and would seek to create second-class citizens who must take a back seat to religious views in the name of free speech, but we will not allow them to distract us from our mission to cultivate a state where education, family, opportunity, community and prosperity are accessible to all who seek it. As thousands of our neighbors from across the country flock to our state seeking reproductive and gender-affirming care, as Colorado stands strong against the tide of anti-LGBTQ legislation sweeping the country, and as we continue to right the wrongs of our own checkered history, the members of this LGBTQ caucus will stand together against this dangerous rise of Christian nationalism, call out hate and bias where we see it, and fight to defend the protections of liberty we have enshrined in our laws against all who would seek harm upon us and our community. This is who we are as a caucus, as a people and as a state. Previous Next

The House today passed two bills sponsored by Representative David Ortiz that save Coloradans with disabilities money on modifications to rental housing and make car sharing programs and EV charging more accessible to people with disabilities. HB24-1318 passed by a vote of 52-11. HB24-1161 passed by a vote of 60-3. < Back March 18, 2024 House Approves Ortiz Bills to Improve Basic Access in Rental Housing, Vehicles DENVER, CO - The House today passed two bills sponsored by Representative David Ortiz that save Coloradans with disabilities money on modifications to rental housing and make car sharing programs and EV charging more accessible to people with disabilities. HB24-1318 passed by a vote of 52-11. HB24-1161 passed by a vote of 60-3. Currently, it is illegal to discriminate against a renter because they have a disability, including refusing to make or allow reasonable modifications to a unit to accommodate their disability. HB24-1318 would no longer allow a landlord to condition the permission of modifications on the renter with a disability agreeing to reverse modifications made for accessibility. “From EV charging stations to rental housing, people with disabilities deserve basic access,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB24-1161 and HB24-1318. “Universal design hurts no one and helps everyone. The housing crisis impacts the vast majority of Coloradans, but it is especially difficult for people with disabilities who struggle to find affordable housing opportunities that accommodate their needs. With these bills, we can remove barriers to housing and car travel, creating a more equitable Colorado.” Starting January 1, 2026, HB24-1161 would require new electric vehicle charging stations to incorporate federal accessible design recommendations for at least five percent of charging spaces or one space. HB24-1161 would strengthen the prohibition on blocking access to ADA parking spots, curb ramps, and access aisles including using such a parking spot to pile snow. Additionally, the bill would allow owners of a vehicle in a car sharing program to indicate if their vehicle has been modified to be accessible to people with disabilities and what modifications have been made. Previous Next

< Back May 26, 2021 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE GETS MAJOR FUNDING BOOST DENVER, CO– The House Education Committee today approved Representative Kerry Tipper’s bill to invest in our early childhood education and care providers and channel state and federal funds to support Colorado’s families. This bill is a part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus , a package of legislation that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. The bill passed by a vote of 7-2. “This session, we’ve made sure to put families first as we worked to build back a stronger Colorado and create an economy that leaves no one behind,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “The robust investments that this bill channels into early childhood education and child care will support working parents returning to their places of employment post-pandemic, create and retain good jobs for educators, and help beat back some of the worst effects of the economic downturn that disproportionately affected women.” SB21-236 takes several steps to support child care providers and young families in Colorado. First, it creates the innovative new Employer-based Child Care Facility Grant Program and funds it with Colorado Comeback state stimulus dollars. The program would award matching grants to nonprofit, private, and government employers to retrofit and develop new, on-site or near-site, licensed child care facilities. These grants are meant to ensure that Coloradans have access to high-quality child care at their places of work as we come out of the pandemic, and would prioritize employers whose workforce earns below the area median income. The bill also sets up a framework to ensure hundreds of millions of federal dollars directed to the Child Care and Development (CCDF) fund can be spent effectively and efficiently by the Department of Human Services. These funds have already been disbursed by the federal government but require state approval to be properly implemented. SB21-236 sets up several new programs and adequately funds several others to ensure Colorado’s youngest kids, as well as their parents and early childhood professionals, can thrive. The seven programs in this category, as outlined in the bill’s fiscal note , include The Child Care Sustainability Grant Program, created in last year’s special session to provide financial support to licensed child care providers and neighborhood youth organizations that were at risk of closing their doors due to the pandemic. The bill also creates and funds several programs to foster innovation, recruit and retain educators, and support mental health wellness in the early childhood education and care sector. Previous Next

< Back March 30, 2021 PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS ADVANCE IN THE HOUSE Critical eviction and rent protections pass the House on second reading DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Representatives Dominique Jackson and Iman Jodeh’s critical legislation to provide renters with additional protections before facing eviction and limit the frequency of rent increases. “Today we took an important step toward ensuring justice in the renter-landlord relationship and limiting unaffordable rent hikes that can devastate tenants,” said Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora. “Far too often, renters in Colorado are at the mercy of their landlords. This bill stands up for renters by giving them more time before law enforcement takes action in an eviction, limiting rent increases to once a year, and requiring landlords to give people without a written rental agreement at least 60 days notice before raising rent.” “With so many Colorado families living on the verge of housing insecurity or homelessness, it’s more important than ever to build back stronger and protect Colorado’s renters,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “Far too many families and people of color in my community and across the state live in fear of an eviction or a rent hike that will put them out on the street. The bill we advanced today will give renters necessary and common-sense protections under the law, like preventing monthly rent hikes and giving families facing eviction more time to find accommodations.” HB21-1121 would provide 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 tenancy agreement, for example, under a month-to-month agreement. Under current law, if a landlord wins a judgement in an eviction action, the court must wait 48 hours to direct the county sheriff to assist in the eviction, which provides a minimum of two days between an eviction order and the actual sheriff-assisted eviction. Under the bill, courts can still finalize an eviction order, but sheriffs may not carry it out for an additional eight days after the initial 48 hours, providing renters with 10 days before they have to move out and find a new home after an eviction has been finalized, instead of two. Under current law, when there is month-to-month tenancy where there is no written agreement, landlords must give 21 days written notice prior to increasing the rent; the bill extends the notice period to 60 days. Previous Next