< Back March 12, 2021 STATE APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY MOVES FORWARD New state agency would increase access to apprenticeship programs in Colorado DENVER, CO– Legislation that would create a state apprenticeship agency to oversee, promote and ensure the quality of apprenticeship programs in Colorado today passed the House Business Affairs and Labor committee by a vote of 8-5. “State apprenticeship agencies like the one we’re creating help people learn the skills they need to enter and advance in a trade and ensure they get the training they signed up for,” said Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial. “We can build back stronger by making sure that every worker has access to the tools they need to thrive.” “So many Coloradans would jump at the chance to enter an apprenticeship program, so let’s make it easier for them to do so and improve the quality of these programs at the same time,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “This bill would help create jobs by increasing access to critical skills training programs and by expanding these programs to new and emerging industries.” HB21-1007, sponsored by Representatives Tom Sullivan and David Ortiz, would establish a state apprenticeship agency. The agency will collaborate with the US Department of Labor to register and oversee apprenticeship programs, determine standards for apprenticeship programs, and ensure these standards are being met. It will work to promote apprenticeship programs so that more Coloradans can access these critical training opportunities, which to-date have jump-started the careers of nearly 2 million Americans in the last decade. Because Colorado does not have a state apprenticeship agency, apprenticeship programs are currently registered with the US Department of Labor. This new state agency would work with apprenticeship programs to provide technical assistance to help them create and meet standards and provide more flexibility to ensure apprentices are learning the skills they need to advance in their trade. Twenty-five other states have state apprenticeship councils. Previous Next

Governor Polis today signed into law legislation that will reduce Colorado’s competency waitlist and improve efficiency and effectiveness in the competency system. < Back June 6, 2024 SIGNED! Bipartisan Legislation to Reduce Competency Waitlist Becomes Law DENVER, CO – Governor Polis today signed into law legislation that will reduce Colorado’s competency waitlist and improve efficiency and effectiveness in the competency system. Last year, Colorado had 448 people who were deemed to be incompetent to proceed by a court and were waiting to receive competency restoration services before proceeding to trial, with an average wait time of 66 days. HB24-1355 , sponsored by Representatives Javier Mabrey, D-Denver, and Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, and Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, aims to reduce this competency waitlist through the creation of the Bridges Wraparound Care Program, which will refer eligible individuals with mental health struggles from the criminal justice system into wraparound care services. “The waitlist for competency services is so long that people who have not yet been found guilty of a crime are in jail longer than people who have been convicted,” said Mabrey. “This legislation will help address Colorado’s broken competency system so we can provide mental health services to people who need them. Not only will this better serve our most vulnerable, but it will also make our communities safer.” “Colorado’s exorbitantly long competency waitlist is a long-standing issue, and I’m proud that this year we’re advancing policy to start addressing the problem,” said Michaelson Jenet. “When individuals languish on the competency waitlist, they’re not receiving the treatment they need and their likelihood to reenter the criminal justice system greatly increases. The Bridges Wraparound Care Program offers folks a path forward that ensures their needs are being met while helping break the cycle of reoffense and reentry in our criminal justice system.” “People with mental health struggles are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system, and they desperately need services,” said Amabile. “When a mental health disorder is left untreated, Coloradans are often sent to jail for a relatively low offense, limiting their ability to rehabilitate. Routing people to diversion programs instead of the competency system connects them to mental health services that can help prevent a crisis and reduce recidivism.” A defendant is deemed eligible for the Bridges Wraparound Care Program if a district attorney and defense counsel agree that there is reasonable cause to believe the defendant will be found incompetent and if the defendant does not pose a risk to public safety. Allowing eligible defendants to participate in the program will give them access to critical behavioral health services while helping reduce Colorado’s recidivism rates. Under HB24-1355, if a defendant in the Program complies with their individualized care plan for a specified amount of time, the court must dismiss the charges against the defendant. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to ensure that surviving spouses will receive lifetime death benefits if their spouse is killed on the job. < Back February 12, 2024 House Passes Bill to Secure Death Benefits for Surviving Spouses DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation to ensure that surviving spouses will receive lifetime death benefits if their spouse is killed on the job. “When the surviving spouses of firefighters, Colorado State Patrol officers, and other first responders remarry, they lose the death benefits they are entitled to,” said Rep. Sheila Lieder, D-Lakewood. “Death benefits for spouses are crucial in supporting widows and widowers during these times of need. Our legislation ensures that surviving spouses will continue to see death benefits, even if they remarry, to help them heal from the trauma of losing their spouse while allowing them to move forward with their life.” HB24-1139 , also sponsored by Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, passed by a vote of 56-8. Currently, a surviving spouse may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation death benefits for the rest of their life, but if they remarry, they forfeit the right to these benefits. This bill would ensure lifetime workers’ death benefits for surviving spouses of state employees with high-risk jobs, even if they remarry. The bill defines a job with high-risk classification as State Troopers, Colorado Bureau of Investigations officers, corrections officers, community parole officers, state firefighters, port of entry officers, parks and wildlife officers, and CDOT safety and maintenance workers. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation, sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, on a preliminary vote that would improve support for children as they navigate trauma, maltreatment, and abuse. < Back February 20, 2026 House Advances Bill to Improve Support for Vulnerable Colorado Kids DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation, sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, on a preliminary vote that would improve support for children as they navigate trauma, maltreatment, and abuse. “Colorado kids deserve to have a strong foundation to build a successful future, and our bill would strengthen their support system within child advocacy centers so we can build on the trauma-informed care that they receive,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “Child advocacy centers are a crucial lifeline for kids who are facing alleged abuse, and by defining them in statute, we can better connect kids with the services they need in critical moments. This bipartisan bill would ensure consistency, transparency and accountability across the state and improve protections for children and their hardworking advocates.” HB26-1142 , also known as the Colorado Child Advocacy Center Act, would reinforce the expectations that child advocacy centers (CAC) coordinate with law enforcement and adopt trauma-informed practices as they move through investigation, treatment, and prosecution processes. Further, the bill moves CACs to a multidisciplinary investigative board that must include a member of a law enforcement agency, a district attorney or assistant district attorney, a member of the county department’s child protective services unit, a local mental health provide, a local health care provider, a victim advocate and a CAC staff. The bill would also allow county departments of human services and CAC multidisciplinary team members to share relevant information with the purpose of protecting a child in a maltreatment case. It would also offer civil and criminal immunity for CAC advocates for sharing relevant information between multidisciplinary teams and county departments and civil immunity for CAC board members, staff and volunteers for actions taken in good faith. Adding clarity around information sharing and confidentiality would boost advocates’ confidence and help encourage collaboration while protecting children. CACs provide services to children and their families in the case of abuse. These services can include medical evaluations, mental health treatment, assistance navigating the judical system and child abuse prevention. There are 19 CACs across the state that have served nearly 6,000 Colorado kids . The bill was also sponsored by Representative Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction. Previous Next

The House Energy & Environment Committee today passed legislation to protect electric vehicle (EV) drivers by improving charging infrastructure and oversight. < Back March 6, 2025 Committee Passes Bill to Protect Consumers, Improve EV Oversight DENVER, CO – The House Energy & Environment Committee today passed legislation to protect electric vehicle (EV) drivers by improving charging infrastructure and oversight. HB25-1267 passed committee by a vote of 8-3. “EVs are wildly popular in Colorado and it’s important that our EV charging stations are reliable and accurate,” said Rep. Amy Paschal, D-Colorado Springs . “Certain consumer protections already exist at the pump for those who drive gas-powered vehicles, and this bill ensures those protections are extended to EV drivers as well. Demand for EVs is only increasing in Colorado, and we need to make sure drivers are receiving the amount of electricity they pay for.” “EVs are everywhere in Colorado, which means we should be paying attention to our charging station infrastructure to ensure drivers get what they pay for,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “Our bill ramps up consumer protections by allowing the state more oversight surrounding EV charging stations to help ensure they’re accurate and reliable. Colorado’s EV market share is number one in the county, our state must have reliable infrastructure to not only meet demand but meet our climate goals.” HB25-1267 aims to improve oversight of retail EV charging stations to ensure consumers receive the energy they pay for. To accomplish this, the bill creates a new retail EV charging station oversight program within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to establish and oversee minimum standards for charging stations. The state already monitors gas pumps to ensure consumers receive the amount of gas they are paying for – this bill extends the same consumer protection protocols for EV drivers The popularity of EVs in Colorado continues to grow. Colorado recently became number one in the country for market share of new EVs, surpassing California. This legislation also aims to help Colorado meet current and future EV infrastructure demand by modifying the EV grant fund. This includes updated policies, procedures and utility oversight of public charging stations. In 2023, Colorado Democrats championed an expansive tax credit package that included incentives for EV buyers in an effort to reach our state’s climate goals of reducing greenhouse emissions by 50-percent by 2030. Previous Next

< Back April 21, 2022 BILL TO SAVE TEACHERS MONEY ADVANCES HOUSE Legislation would distribute more than $50 million in federal pandemic relief funds to save teachers money DENVER, CO – The House passed a bill today on a preliminary vote to save teachers money and prepare our students for success. This bill will invest more than $50 million of federal pandemic relief funds to build stronger schools and boost Colorado’s teacher workforce. “Colorado is facing a critical teacher shortage and pandemic pressures have heightened the situation,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “Our bill saves teachers money through loan forgiveness and student educator stipends so more talented educators can enter the profession without the financial burden. To prepare students for success, we need more teachers in the classroom and this bill will boost their workforce.” “We are taking a multi-pronged approach to address Colorado’s teacher shortage and that includes breaking down financial barriers to entering the profession,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “Our bill saves our educators money by providing loan forgiveness to new teachers and creating stipends for student educators. Investing in our teachers builds stronger schools, improves educational outcomes and better prepares students for the road ahead. I am proud to sponsor this legislation that invests more than $50 million to boost Colorado’s teacher workforce.” HB22-1220 , sponsored by Representatives Cathy Kipp and Barbara McLachlan includes multiple strategies to address the teacher shortage. As amended, the bill now includes $10 million for student loan forgiveness to teachers who recently entered the profession. Modeled after an existing student loan forgiveness program, this program will provide up to $5,000 of loan forgiveness to educators who entered the profession during the pandemic, reducing the financial burden for up to 2,000 educators. The legislation creates and fully funds two stipend programs for two years that will save student educators over $20 million a year as they pursue educator preparation programs. It also creates new options to assess prospective educators and allows more prospective educators to obtain temporary educator licenses, breaking down unnecessary barriers to enter the educator workforce. The program anticipates supporting over 1,300 student educators. The bill expands opportunities for all teacher candidates and reduces red tape. It would make student teaching a paid position for income-eligible students. These educators would no longer need to work second or third jobs while finishing their teaching programs. The bill also creates a stipend program to pay for teacher competency exams, which can cost educators hundreds of dollars while they complete their licensure program. The bill expands the measures used to examine competency, creating a new pathway to initial licensure for prospective educators that expands how prospective educators can prove their competency. The legislation builds on laws passed in recent sessions to address the educator workforce challenges, such as SB21-185, which invested $15 million into two new programs to recruit and retain educators. It also follows on bills passed earlier this session to encourage retired educators to return to school districts. Previous Next

The House today passed Representative Martinez’s bipartisan bill to help graduating high school students afford the training they need to land jobs in good-paying, in-demand fields. < Back May 3, 2023 House Passes $1,500 Skills Training Scholarships for High School Students DENVER, CO – The House today passed Representative Martinez’s bipartisan bill to help graduating high school students afford the training they need to land jobs in good-paying, in-demand fields. “This legislation provides a $1,500 scholarship to graduating students for universities and community colleges, trade schools, apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training so they can begin their next step after graduation,” said Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista. “By saving students money as they pursue their degrees, this bill removes the financial barriers that can prevent high school graduates from entering growing industries. This effort will boost our economy, grow our workforce, create affordable pathways to in-demand careers and help students thrive.” Scholarship for High School Seniors: SB23-205 , sponsored by Representatives Matthew Martinez and Don Wilson, passed the House by a vote of 59 to 4 and would create a Universal High School Scholarship Program to make it easier and more affordable to access postsecondary education and training opportunities for Colorado students. The program will provide each qualifying applicant with a scholarship up to $1,500 to take to an approved training provider in Colorado, from apprenticeships and on-the-job training to trade school, community colleges, colleges and universities. This transformative financial support has the capacity to serve 15,000 graduating students in the class of 2024, more than 25 percent of all high school graduates statewide. Scholarships are available to Colorado residents who graduated from a Colorado high school or earned a high school equivalency credential in the 2023-2024 academic year, completes the state or federal financial aid application, submits the scholarship application, and has not received a grant or other scholarship. Previous Next

< Back January 26, 2023 Committee Passes Bill to Boost Access to Tax Credits DENVER, CO - The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today passed legislation requiring employers to provide information on the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit to their employees. “Between a global pandemic and the economic turbulence that followed, many working-class families are still struggling to pay for critical necessities,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley/Evans. “This bill aims to expand awareness of the tax credits we’ve recently increased in order to boost the incomes of more hardworking Coloradans. We’ve built the infrastructure, and now we’re spreading the word so that every Coloradan who is eligible for financial assistance through our tax code knows they can claim their Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.” “One of our top priorities this session is to make Colorado more affordable,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “Under this bill, employers will provide important information to their employees that will connect them with the economic assistance that they are eligible for. Colorado Democrats boosted tax credits for hardworking people by closing loopholes that primarily benefited the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations, now we’re making sure people know they are available to them.” HB23-1006 , which passed by a vote of 11-0, instructs employers to provide information about federal and state earned income tax credits and child tax credits to their employees. The notice must be provided at least once a year in English or any other language used to communicate with the employee. This bill builds on legislation passed by the General Assembly in recent years to make Colorado more affordable for working-class families. Representatives Mary Young and Lindsey Daugherty previously passed SB22-182 to help Coloradans file for and receive their earned income tax credits and child tax credits. Colorado Democrats passed HB20-1420 and HB21-1311 , which doubled the state's Earned Income Tax Credit and funded the Child Tax Credit, saving hundreds of thousands of Colorado families money. ### Previous Next

< Back April 24, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES ROBERTS-JACKSON STUDENT LOAN SERVICER ACCOUNTABILITY BILL Coloradans issued over 1000 complaints against loan services in 2017 (Apr. 24) — The House approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts and Rep. Dominique Jackson that would help prevent fraud and misconduct, and improve transparency on student loan servicers. “By passing this bill we can ensure borrowers are not steered away from the best borrowing option for them and are not the victims of deception,” said Rep. Roberts, D-Avon. “This is one of the most pressing issues for my generation and people my age are growing frustrated with the inaction of their elected leaders on this issue. Student debt in Colorado has ballooned from $19 billion to over $27 billion in just three years – we can no longer wait to act. This is a crucial step that we can take for generations and generations to come and help borrowers repay their loans as quickly as possible.” This bill would include student loan servicers in the Uniform Consumer Credit Code to establish licensing requirements for these service providers. It also empowers the Colorado Attorney General’s office to field, review, and attempt to resolve any complaints by borrowers against service providers. “I put myself through undergraduate school and a very expensive graduate program. I took out a lot of student loans,” said Rep. Jackson, D-Aurora, told the committee. “It’s not just my colleagues’ generation, it’s mine too. I don’t get to retire because I have this debt and I feel like I will die with this student loan debt.” In 2017, Coloradans issue over 1,000 complaints against loan service providers. That is a 78 percent increase compared to previous years, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. SB19-002 passed on a vote of 40-24 with every House Republican voting to leave student loan borrowers unprotected from fraud and misconduct. The bill goes back to the Senate for approval of amendments. The Senate approved the bill on a bipartisan vote of 27-8 in March. The Senate sponsors are Sen. Faith Winter and Sen. Steve Fenberg. Previous Next

Legislation requires HOAs to provide homeowners with a slate of water-wise landscape designs for lawn replacement < Back May 17, 2023 Signed! Bipartisan Bill to Encourage Water Efficient Landscaping Legislation requires HOAs to provide homeowners with a slate of water-wise landscape designs for lawn replacement BOULDER, CO – Today Governor Polis signed into law Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Longmont, and Representatives Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, and Mandy Lindsay’s, D-Aurora, bipartisan bill to reduce barriers for Colorado homeowners in homeowners associations (HOAs) who wish to replace their lawns with water-wise landscaping. Also sponsored by Senator Perry Will, R-New Castle, SB23-178 promotes water-wise landscaping, emphasizing native plants that better sustain Colorado’s local ecosystems while requiring little or no irrigation. Many homeowners in HOAs want to replace their lawn and save water, but are deterred by obscure HOA approval processes. The bill streamlines this by requiring HOAs to select and pre-approve water-wise landscape designs for homeowners to choose from, as an alternative to getting HOA permission for their own design. “Colorado, like many states in the West, is experiencing prolonged drought. Combined with chronic water overuse, the American West is running out of water,” Jaquez Lewis said. “By making it easier for Colorado homeowners to replace their water-guzzling lawns with water-wise landscapes, we can drastically cut down on our overall water usage while maintaining beautiful, unique yards natural to Colorado's climate.” “As Colorado combats historic drought conditions, water-wise landscaping is a great place to cut back our freshwater usage,” said McCormick. “This law allows almost 3 million Coloradans living in HOAs to have drought-tolerant landscaping options for their lawns, which saves them money and conserves our most precious resource. Beautiful yards don’t have to be water-intensive lawns, and this law reduces barriers to having landscaping that’s eco-conscious, sustainable and biodiverse.” “There are many homeowners who are interested in replacing their water-intensive lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping, but until now it didn’t align with their HOA regulations,” said Lindsay. “Under our new law, homeowners living in HOAs can install and enjoy water-wise yards that require less maintenance than traditional turf lawns and utilize native plants to contribute to our state’s beauty. As we face drought head on, cutting back on our freshwater usage is good for the planet and our wallets.” The bill also prevents an HOA from requiring hardscape on more than 20 percent of a landscape area, and prevents an HOA from prohibiting vegetable gardens in a homeowner’s yard. About half of the water used in single-family homes in Denver goes toward “outdoor use,” according to Denver Water . Last year, the legislature passed legislation to create the Turf Replacement Program , which provides financial incentives for voluntary replacement of irrigated turf with water-wise landscaping. SB23-178 complements that initiative by helping homeowners who may not need financial incentives but are hindered by other barriers. Previous Next

The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Lindsay Gilchrist to save Coloradans money on health care. < Back January 29, 2025 Legislation to Save Coloradans Money on Mental Health Care Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Lindsay Gilchrist to save Coloradans money on health care. The bill would reduce health care costs for families by standardizing insurance coverage determinations to ensure that mental health care is based on clinical evidence, not profit margins. HB25-1002 passed by a vote of 13-0. “Coloradans, especially our youth, struggle to access mental health care, and it’s crucial that we increase access to evidence-based mental health care so people can receive the care and treatment they need,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Colorado Democrats have worked hard to improve access to mental health care that Coloradans can afford. This bill will make sure Colorado families get the health care they pay for.” “Inconsistent mental health care coverage leads to delays, denials and treatments being cut short – this bill aims to bridge the gap so Coloradans can receive the care they need when they need it,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “Coloradans are nine times as likely to be forced to seek care from an out-of-network provider for mental health care than for primary care – which drives up costs for Coloradans and undermines the importance of mental health care. Our bill standardizes insurance coverage surrounding mental health care, saves Coloradans money and will improve the overall quality of life of those impacted.” HB25-1002 would make sure that insurance companies use transparent, evidence-based criteria when deciding whether mental health care should be covered under an insurance plan. This bill would also codify the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act into state law, requiring mental health services to see the same amount of coverage as physical health services. The goal of HB24-1002 is to ensure that insurance providers are covering mental health care and to limit gaps in insurance coverage for Coloradans. The bill also clarifies state law around mental health parity and requires the use of clinical standards from select national organizations to ensure parity. Previous Next

< Back March 12, 2019 HOUSE PASSES REP. VALDEZ’S BILL TO ADDRESS ANIMAL CRUELTY (Mar 12) – The House passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, that seeks to provide more mental health treatment for people convicted of animal cruelty and also bar people convicted of certain kinds of animal cruelty from possession of a pet animal for a period of time while they receive treatment. “The goals of this bill are to remove animals from abusive situations and to identify behaviors that could lead to worse crimes,” said Rep. Valdez. “We should help offenders get the treatment they need so they can re-emerge as productive members of society.” Through HB19-1092, the judge can order the animal cruelty offender to complete a mental health treatment program. “There is absolutely a correlation between crimes against animals and violent crimes such as mass shootings or domestic terrorism,” said Rep. Valdez. A 2014 study of mass school shootings found that 43 percent of shooters had a history of animal abuse. This bill aims to find the underlying causes of the acts of animal cruelty and treat those issues. The bill passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 55-7. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next