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SB25-002 will increase the supply of affordable housing by reducing regulatory barriers on factory-built structures like tiny homes and modular housing < Back May 8, 2025 Signed! Bill to Reduce Housing Costs, Boost Stock of Factory-Built Housing SB25-002 will increase the supply of affordable housing by reducing regulatory barriers on factory-built structures like tiny homes and modular housing DENVER, CO – Legislation sponsored by Senators Tony Exum, D-Colorado Springs, and Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, and Representatives Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, and Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood, to reduce housing costs by boosting the stock of affordable factory-built housing was signed into law today. SB25-002 will increase the stock of affordable housing by reducing regulatory barriers to the construction, installation, and inspection of factory-built structures like tiny homes and other types of modular housing. Modular housing is usually less expensive than traditional, stick-built homes constructed on-site and can be assembled faster, which can help expand permanent housing opportunities and build more affordable housing options. “Right now, the people that keep our communities running – teachers, nurses, and firefighters – can’t afford to live where they work,” said Exum. “Expanding opportunities for them and their families to thrive and grow together in a stable, safe environment is vital to strong, lasting success for Colorado communities.” “Our law will improve coordination between state and regional partners and cut down on duplicative steps to build more affordable housing in our communities,” said Boesenecker. “Modular homes are a high-quality alternative to traditional housing construction materials, but are faster to assemble and cheaper to build. This law allows us to strategically use tools that have proven to create more affordable housing options for hardworking Coloradans.” "Every Coloradan should be able to afford to live where they work," said Bridges. "We have an affordability crisis here in Colorado, and while there's no silver bullet for housing, there are silver BBs. This is one of them. This legislation will increase Colorado's housing stock by bringing down construction costs, giving more folks the opportunity to live where they work, raise a family, and call Colorado home.” “Modular homes are a creative and proven solution to drive down housing costs and allow more Coloradans to realize their dream of homeownership,” said Stewart. “Construction costs, miscommunication and doubling up on regulation have been significant barriers to building affordable housing, and this law aims to streamline regulations to fully benefit from the potential of modular housing. With this new law, we can make high-quality housing more affordable across Colorado.” This bill directs the State Housing Board in the Department of Local Affairs to develop regional building codes for factory-built structures by July 1, 2026. The new building codes supersede current regulations only for factory-built structures. Previous Next

HB23-1286 increases the fines for injuring or killing a law enforcement K-9 < Back April 24, 2023 Duran Bill to Support Police Working Animals Passes House HB23-1286 increases the fines for injuring or killing a law enforcement K-9 DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Representative Ryan Armagost that would increase fines for injuring or killing service animals, police K-9s and horses. HB23-1286 passed by a vote of 61 to 3. “Police K-9s are valued members of the team that works to respond to tragedy and keep our communities safe,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge . “Our legislation makes it clear – if you severely injure or kill a service or police animal, you will face fines. Animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Colorado. We support our K-9 heroes, especially those recently lost in the line of duty, because they are valued members of our homes and families.” HB23-1286 aims to increase fines for injuring, killing or displaying cruelty to service animals, certified police working dogs and horses. Under this legislation, there would be a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 and a requirement to complete appropriate treatment programs for subsequent convictions of cruelty to animals. Additionally, under this legislation, there would be a $2,000 minimum fine for subsequent offenses of cruelty or aggravated cruelty against service animals, certified police working dogs and horses. HB23-1286 would also order restitution be paid toward vet services or the governmental or police agency if a service animal,certified police working dog, or police working horse is killed or injured. Police K-9s across the state provide crucial support to officers. In 2022, K-9 Jinx of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office was killed in the line of duty. Earlier this year, K-9 Graffit , of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was killed in the line of duty. Previous Next

< Back February 15, 2023 Bill to Improve Judiciary Training in Assault, Domestic Violence Cases Advances DENVER, CO - The House Judiciary Committee today passed a bill to better equip the judicial system and judicial personnel with the tools needed to understand the complex issues that victims of crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence face. “As a survivor of domestic violence, I know how difficult and distressing it can be for victims to come forward with their story,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D- Wheat Ridge . “Victims of crimes like domestic violence or sexual assault are often forced to relive their trauma while navigating the judicial system in order to hold their aggressor accountable. This bill is essential in understanding how to create a judicial system that incorporates trauma-informed practices and training to better protect and support victims and survivors.” HB23-1108 , a bipartisan bill that passed out of committee by a vote of 11-2, 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

< Back June 30, 2020 HEMP POLICY STREAMLINING BILL BECOMES LAW BROOMFIELD, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed into law Representative Barbara McLachlan’s bill supporting Colorado’s agricultural producers by streamlining state hemp policy and aligning it with federal policy, and securing Colorado’s position as a leader in the development of hemp markets . “Colorado’s farmers are growing hemp on tens of thousands of acres across our state,” said Rep. McLachlan, D-Durango. “Now that the federal government has finally recognized the agricultural importance of hemp, we’re bringing our state laws into alignment and streamlining regulations for our industrial producers. Colorado has never been afraid to lead the way and set an example for the rest of the country, and our hemp production industry is no different.” Between February 28, 2019, and February 27, 2020, Colorado registered 2,748 properties and 2,037 growers to grow industrial hemp outdoors on 86,880 acres and indoors on 16.3 million square feet. Since 2013, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has regulated industrial hemp under state law. However, in 2018, the federal Farm Bill normalized hemp production by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act and adding regulatory requirements for states, including a provision that requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to approve state regulatory plans. The CDA will submit its hemp management plan to the USDA for approval later this year. SB20-197 changes Colorado’s statutes and brings them into alignment with the new federal laws surrounding hemp. Among other changes, this new law will improve oversight by redefining the makeup and authority of the Hemp Advisory Committee, improving and modernizing testing requirements for hemp samples and hemp plots, and specifying unlawful acts and establishing penalties for the industry. Previous Next

< Back Rep. Mike Weissman: ‘Dobbs’ anti-abortion decision joins shameful Supreme Court rulings Jun 25, 2022 See more The following op-ed was published in The Aurora Sentinel. “I am no longer a person”. “I cried for hours this morning.” “I don’t know what it is to be American.” These were the reactions of several women friends I talked to about to the radical, dangerous Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last Friday. In overturning 50 years of settled law, the Court did two kinds of grievous harm: first, to every woman in our country and second, to its own legitimacy. The first harm is obvious. By throwing out long-standing law that the U.S. Constitution protects abortion rights, Dobbs instead subjects women to the whims of politicians in state legislatures, some of whom are even more radical and dangerous than the Court’s decision itself. “Trigger” bans are already going into effect, extremist laws have recently been passed in states like Oklahoma, and vigilant enforcement mechanisms have been passed in states like Texas. These are not laws that women should be subjected to in any free society. It is important to note that abortion remains legal, available and safe in Colorado. Fortunately, this is the case in some other states as well, states whose laws respect women’s autonomy. But Dobbs means that a woman’s right to control her own body and life now depends on what state she lives in. The radical justices who overturned Roe may believe their decision will reduce abortions. However, their decision will mostly make access to abortion less equal. Women with means living in restrictive states will travel to other states to exercise their right to bodily autonomy. Women with lesser means may rely on financial support from abortion funds, which have attracted much new notice for precisely this reason, or may have to self- manage an abortion without support from a medical professional. Even in the least trying of circumstances, women in restrictive states will pay for the Court’s decision in time away from home and work and certainly in emotional turmoil for being put through such travails by their own government. That travail and turmoil is the basis of the second grievous harm of the Court’s decision – to its own legitimacy. We’ve been here before, and the injuries have been very slow to recover from. The 1857 Dred Scott case helped precipitate the Civil War. The 1896 Plessy case upheld the Jim Crow-era “separate but equal” doctrine. Numerous early 20th century cases exemplified by the Lochner decision struck down worker protection laws during a period of rapid industrialization and dangerous working conditions. During World War II, Korematsu upheld internment of Japanese Americans in camps, some of which were here in Colorado. More recently, Bowers v. Hardwick upheld criminalization of consensual sexual activities between adults. Dobbs now joins this shameful history of cases that have departed from our nation’s core principles. Americans’ opinions about abortion rights vary, but very few people would agree with the idea that the U.S. Constitution should offer zero protection at all, leaving the matter entirely to the whims of radical state politicians who could criminalize medical providers, those who assist women in obtaining abortions, or even pregnant women themselves. Yet in substituting their own feelings about abortion rights for decades of settled law, that is exactly what the Court majority has done. A Court that acts in this way cannot be counted on to safeguard other rights that Americans enjoy. For example, last week, days before Dobbs, the Court’s Vega decision weakened the landmark, decades-old, Miranda case concerning the right against self-incrimination. The most radical members of the Court are, at least, not hiding the ball. In a concurring opinion, Justice Thomas explicitly urged reconsideration of cases affirming the Constitutional rights to use contraception, to consensual sexual activities between adults, and to marriage equality. In the face of a Court bent on eliminating Constitutional rights, state legislatures matter more than ever. In Colorado, our legislature acted this year to protect abortion rights in state law, and I was proud to support this. In Colorado today, women still have sovereignty over their own bodies and lives. Tragically, this is not true in all other states. In the face of decisions like Dobbs, I’m sure my friend isn’t the only one struggling with “what it is to be American” right now. She added, “my heart is in pain” due to the decision. Mine is too. But as a man who believes women are his equals under the law, as an attorney, and as a state legislator, I will find resolve in that pain for the struggles that now lie ahead. State Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, represents House District 36. Previous Next

< Back May 9, 2022 HOUSE PASSES TWO BILLS TO SAVE COLORADANS MONEY ON HOUSING Legislation would invest $185 million of federal pandemic relief dollars toward creating more affordable housing and empowering mobile homeowners to purchase their parks DENVER, CO – The House passed two bills today to make housing more affordable. SB22-159 and SB22-160 are part of a package of bills recommended by the Transformational Affordable Housing Task Force to invest $185 million to save Coloradans money on housing. SB22-159, sponsored by Representatives David Ortiz, D-Littleton and Perry Will R-New Castle, passed the House by a vote of 42 to 23. Despite bipartisan sponsorship, 23 House Republicans voted against this bill which would allocate $150 million to build more affordable housing, a record setting investment for the state of Colorado. “Today, we passed the largest affordable housing investment in state history and I’m proud of the bipartisan work we’ve done this session to save Coloradans money on housing,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton, sponsor of SB22-159 . “However, I’m disappointed my Republican colleagues voted against building more homes in Colorado when more home construction is exactly what we need to bring down housing costs. This legislation invests $150 million to create, modify and improve Colorado’s affordable housing stock and is self-sustaining so Coloradans now and in the future can save money on housing. I’m proud to send this bill forward because it fulfills our promise to make housing more affordable for Coloradans across the state.” Revolving Loan Fund Invest Affordable Housing : SB22-159 , sponsored by Representatives David Ortiz and Perry Will would invest $150 million to create the Transformational Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Program to develop and integrate housing-related infrastructure, provide gap financing for affordable housing development projects, and preserve and rehabilitate existing affordable housing. “Resident owned communities are the key to keeping more Coloradans living in mobile parks housed,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of SB22-160 . “Mobile homeowners often face an uphill battle when it comes to fighting lot-rent price increases, so our legislation invests critical resources to empower mobile homeowners to purchase the land their homes sit on. This bill keeps mobile homes affordable, protects our neighbors and keeps our communities whole.” “Despite their name, mobile homes are difficult and expensive to move, which is why empowering mobile homeowners to buy the land their homes sit on saves them money and keeps them housed. Our bill expands critical protections for mobile home park residents so they can invest in their own communities,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora, sponsor of SB22-160 . Loan Program Resident Owned Communities : SB22-160 , sponsored by Representatives Andrew Boesenecker and Mandy Lindsay, passed the House by a vote of 41 to 24. This bill would invest $35 million into the newly created Mobile Home Park Resident Empowerment Loan and Grant Program Fund. The Fund will provide financing to eligible mobile home homeowners so they can purchase the land under their homes and convert into a resident-owned community. Additionally, the bill establishes a mechanism for nonprofits to receive grant funding to provide technical assistance to homeowners and help them build the capacity, resources, and know-how to organize and purchase their mobile home park. This bill will provide a critical financial tool for mobile homeowners across the state at risk of displacement or exorbitant lot rent increases that often occur when a park is sold from one for-profit owner to another. Previous Next

Governor Polis signed legislation, sponsored by Representatives Meghan Lukens and Mary Young, that will boost the educator workforce by making it easier for teachers professionally licensed in other states to teach in Colorado. < Back March 11, 2023 Bill to Address Teacher Shortage Signed Into Law DENVER, CO – Governor Polis signed legislation, sponsored by Representatives Meghan Lukens and Mary Young, that will boost the educator workforce by making it easier for teachers professionally licensed in other states to teach in Colorado. “With our bill that Governor Polis signed into law, we’re taking important steps to address Colorado’s dire teacher shortage,” said Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs . “The number one determining factor to a student's success is the teacher in the classroom. This law works to get more high quality teachers in classrooms by streamlining the process for teachers who are licensed in another state to obtain a teaching license in Colorado. I’m proud to support educators, families and most importantly–students.” “Colorado’s teacher shortage is affecting every school district in the state, and our law works to address educator workforce shortages,” said Representative Mary Young, D-Greeley . “Under this law, already licensed teachers from other states would have an easier time obtaining a Colorado teaching license, saving them money and getting them in classrooms faster. This is also good news for military spouses who relocate to Colorado because it removes barriers to entering the educator workforce.” HB23-1064 creates new pathways for out-of-state teachers to gain professional licensure in Colorado. The bill establishes the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, which would create an agreement between Colorado and ten other states where licensed teachers in member states can obtain and easily transfer a teacher’s license from one member state to another. This law is designed to increase the teacher workforce by easing the state-to-state licensure process and reducing barriers, so professionally licensed teachers can begin teaching in Colorado classrooms faster. HB23-1064 will be particularly helpful for active military and military spouses who often relocate from state-to-state, and the compact was initiated by the Department of Defense with the Council of State Governments and National Council of Teacher Accreditation. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Jenny Willford and Lorena Garcia that would improve price transparency and allow Colorado families to request refunds on waitlist fees, application fees, and deposits if they don’t enroll their child in a child care center. SB25-004 passed by a vote of 38-22, with all House Republicans present opposing the effort to protect parents from out of control child care fees. < Back March 13, 2025 House Passes Bill to Save Coloradans Money on Child Care DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Jenny Willford and Lorena Garcia that would improve price transparency and allow Colorado families to request refunds on waitlist fees, application fees, and deposits if they don’t enroll their child in a child care center. SB25-004 passed by a vote of 38-22, with all House Republicans present opposing the effort to protect parents from out of control child care fees. “It’s expensive to raise children in 2025, and families shouldn’t have to shell out thousands of dollars on waitlist fees and deposits for child care centers that don’t even offer their child a spot,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “This bill allows families to recover some of the fees associated with the application and waitlist processes to save hardworking families money on child care. Colorado Democrats are committed to making our state a more affordable place to live, and this legislation is one of the many steps we’re taking to save Coloradans money.” “Families shouldn’t have to budget for thousands of dollars worth of child care deposit and waitlist fees,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County. “It can be difficult to clear a child care waitlist, which is why some families are spending thousands of dollars on numerous child care deposits and waitlists despite the uncertainty of whether or not their application will be accepted. Our legislation would allow families to receive a refund for fees and deposits if they are not offered enrollment within six months, allowing families to save their hard-earned money.” SB25-004 would require child care centers to provide a transparent fee schedule upon registration, when joining a waitlist, or at the request of a family. The bill would also require application fees, waitlist fees, or deposits to be refundable after six months if a child is not admitted and remains on the waitlist. Centers would be able to keep costs associated with an administrative fee, which would be determined by the Department of Early Childhood in consultation with families in child care programs, licensed child care providers, and other stakeholders. Previous Next

< Back February 3, 2020 COMMITTEE APPROVES PROPOSAL TO STUDY ORGANIC WASTE AND INCENTIVIZE COMPOSTING DENVER, CO — Reps. Lisa Cutter and Meg Froelich’s bipartisan bill, HB20-1047 , today was approved by the House Energy and Environment Committee. The bill was approved by the bipartisan Zero Waste and Recycling Interim Study Committee in October and would call for the creation of a statewide organics management plan. The bill passed committee 7-2 and now moves onto the Appropriations Committee. “Composting is a win-win-win — it prevents landfill overuse, improves soil health, and boosts the carbon storage ability of our agricultural lands,” said Rep Cutter (D-Jefferson County). “Caring for our environment and protecting the Colorado Way of Life require us to take a serious look at waste and how it is disposed of. The study put forth by this bill would give our state the crucial information we need to get even closer to our zero waste goal.” “Increasing compost use in agriculture and other sectors is a wonderful way to pull carbon from the atmosphere using natural processes,” said Rep. Froelich (D-Englewood). “This bipartisan bill, which is the result of months of work and stakeholding in the Zero Waste Interim Committee, will give us the information we need to continue our multifaceted approach to tackling climate change. I’m proud to see it move forward today and will continue to work to see it enacted.” As mentioned, HB20-1047 would establish a statewide organics management plan to study the way Colorado disposes of organic waste and encourage the use of composting as a means of carbon storage. In addition to the environmental benefits, compost use could help agriculture producers improve soil health, leading to enhanced crop value and production. If this bill is enacted, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) would consult with a diverse set of stakeholders and submit their management plan by February 1, 2023 to the House Energy and Environment Committee, House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee, Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. Previous Next

< Back April 1, 2019 HOUSE SENDS LIFE-SAVING EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER BILL TO GOVERNOR’S DESK Bill named in honor of Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Zackari Parrish III (Apr. 1) – The House gave final approval today to the Extreme Risk Protection Order bill sponsored by Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, and Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver. This life-saving bill would provide a critical tool to help prevent gun violence and suicide and protect families and first responders. The bill has been in the works for over a year and includes input from law enforcement, the mental health community, advocates for gun violence prevention and elected officials on both sides of the aisle. “Today, the House and the legislature stood up and did the right thing,” said Rep. Sullivan. “One of the reasons I ran for office was so I could tell all of you about my son Alex who lit up rooms and was beloved, and so I could tell all of you about other victims and families of gun violence. This bill will give law enforcement and families the tools that they need to stop tragedies from constantly happening and save lives.” Rep. Sullivan’s son, Alex was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting on his twenty-seventh birthday. Sullivan wears Alex’s jacket every day and wore it during the course of the debate in the House. “Colorado took a big step forward today. Today, we rejected the status quo and finally put forward meaningful change that can truly save a life,” said Majority Leader Garnett. “I am grateful for the support of Rep. Sullivan, who championed this carefully crafted bill and all those who stood shoulder to shoulder with us every step of the way. This bill is supported by the majority of Coloradans because it will help save the lives of law enforcement and members of our communities.” HB19-1177 will give law enforcement another tool to help keep our communities safe. Through this bill, family members or law enforcement can petition a judge for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) for someone who is exhibiting violent or dangerous behavior or is at significant risk of causing personal injury to themselves or others. If approved, a temporary order would be placed for up to two weeks and the court would hold a hearing to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for an ERPO. During this hearing, respondents will be provided with legal counsel at no cost to ensure due process rights are protected. If the judge determines, by a clear and convincing evidence standard, that the respondent poses a significant risk of causing personal injury to themselves or others, the protection order may be approved for up to 364 days. The respondent can also request to have the order terminated at any point during that time period. The bill, which was also introduced during the 2018 legislative session and passed the House with bipartisan support, is named in honor of Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Zackari Parrish III, who was killed in the line of duty New Year’s Eve in 2017 by an individual in the middle of a mental health crisis. Law enforcement officials, including Deputy Parrish’s Sheriff, Tony Spurlock, and Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, testified at a Feb. 21 House hearing on the bill. Pelle’s son Jeff is a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy who was also seriously injured responding to the same call with Deputy Parrish. Attorney General Phil Weiser submitted a letter in support of the legislation. Former U.S. Attorney John Walsh explained to the committee during the hearing how the language in the bill is legal under the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Hours of testimony during House and Senate committee hearings in support of the bill included survivors and their families as well as gun owners and members of law enforcement. Fourteen states have enacted bipartisan ERPO laws (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington). At least 29 other states and Washington, D.C. have considered ERPO laws. A U.S. Senate committee held a hearing on an ERPO bill this March. Colorado lost over 1,100 people to suicide in 2017. Studies show that access to a gun in a home triples the risk of death by suicide. Indiana’s firearm suicide rate decreased by nearly eight percent in the ten years after their ERPO legislation was enacted. The House concurred with Senate amendments to the bill and it was approved on a final vote of 38-25. The bill now goes to Gov. Polis for his signature. 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

< Back April 22, 2019 HOUSE GIVES UNANIMOUS APPROVAL TO MCLACHLAN’S BIPARTISAN WILDFIRE MITIGATION BILL Wildfires continue to threaten homes across Colorado (Apr. 22) – The House gave unanimous approval to Rep. Barbara McLachlan’s bipartisan bill to mitigate the impacts of wildfires on Colorado’s mountain communities. “This bill will help address a need that encompasses our entire state. It’s no longer a question of ‘if’ wildfires will happen, it’s a matter of when they will happen,” said Rep. McLachlan, D-Durango. “We have small businesses, homes and hardworking people who depend on having healthy forests. It’s clearly important to fight wildfires and it is also important to take steps to mitigate the scope and severity of wildfires.” Rep. Barbara McLachlan is Chair of the House Education Committee and is a member of the House Rural Affairs and Agriculture committee. HB19-1006 creates a grant program to help with wildfire mitigation efforts in high-risk areas across the state where residential areas are approaching forest land, known as wildland-urban interface areas (WUIs). Colorado has the third highest percentage of households deemed high or extreme risk from wildfires in the entire country. The bill was approved unanimously by the House. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next