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< Back April 19, 2022 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS BILL DENVER, CO – The House Transportation & Local Government Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to provide volunteer firefighters with more resources and tools to combat wildfires. “Colorado’s wildfires are becoming more frequent and destructive — it is critical that we invest our firefighters so they have the tools they need to protect our land, homes and lives,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Littleton. “The work of local fire departments will only become more difficult as climate change continues. So our bipartisan bill provides the funding our local fire departments need to upgrade old equipment, recruit new seasonal firefighters, improve training and address the behavioral health needs of our firefighters.” Resources For Volunteer Firefighters : SB22-002 , sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Perry Will would invest $5 million to better prepare local fire departments and their firefighters for wildfires. Specifically, this bill would make local volunteer fire departments eligible for reimbursement for wildland fire suppression activities, including equipment costs and volunteer firefighter recruitment, training and retention. Local fire departments will also be able to use funds from the Local Firefighter Safety and Disease Prevention Grant Program for the replacement or disposal of damaged or obsolete equipment. The bill also creates the Firefighter Behavioral Health Benefits Trust to provide behavioral health care services to firefighters and paid for by public employers. SB22-002 passed committee unanimously. As climate change elevates the threat of destructive wildfires in Colorado, this bill aims to provide funding to Colorado’s local fire departments so they have the resources needed to purchase necessary equipment, train seasonal firefighters and respond safely to wildfires. Previous Next

“Stop the Bleed” is a straightforward training used to prepare people for life-saving emergency situations < Back August 5, 2024 Rep. Young Meets with Nurses Behind “Stop the Bleed” Legislation GREELEY, CO – Representative Mary Young today met with nurses, Jennifer Landis and Robyn Wolverton, to discuss implementation of the “Stop the Bleed” legislation. “It was fantastic to meet with nurses Jennifer and Robyn – they played a key role in spreading awareness and training educators in Stop the Bleed ,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “We all know time is precious during an emergency and Stop the Bleed training ensures people, including educators, have the resources and training to respond efficiently. I’m beyond grateful to have their expertise in this topic and look forward to hearing about more individuals receiving training to save lives.” In 2023, Representative Mary Young, Mary Bradfield, R-El Paso County and Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, sponsored legislation that requires the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to distribute “Stop the Bleed” kits and training materials to K-12 schools that opt into the program. Bleed control kits and training resources contain first-aid materials for treating blood loss in traumatic injuries. The idea behind this law came from local Greeley nurses, Jennifer and Robyn, who had been providing “Stop the Bleed” training to educators, but were met with funding barriers that made it difficult to sustain the program. HB23-1213 helps to better prepare educators and staff for emergency situations. Previous Next

House Democrats voted to designate January 22 as Reproductive Rights and Justice Day < Back January 24, 2025 House Democrats Recommit to Reproductive Freedom House Democrats voted to designate January 22 as Reproductive Rights and Justice Day DENVER, CO – The Colorado House of Representatives today voted on a resolution to honor the 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade and designate January 22 of each year as "Reproductive Rights and Justice Day”. The vote was 42-18, no House Republicans voted in favor of the resolution. “Colorado has always been a leader on abortion rights, and given the national landscape, we are incredibly proud of our efforts to protect reproductive freedoms in our state,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood. “When Roe fell, millions of Americans lost access to fundamental reproductive health care, including abortion. Thanks to Colorado Democrats and the voters of this state, the right to an abortion is protected in Colorado. We won’t allow MAGA extremists in the legislature to criminalize abortion and strip away your fundamental rights. Colorado Democrats never stop fighting for reproductive justice and we will continue protecting our providers and those seeking essential care in our state.” “Marking January 22 as Reproductive Rights and Justice Day is a solemn reminder that our fight for reproductive justice is not over,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County . “In November, Colorado voters overwhelmingly decided to enshrine the right to an abortion in our state’s constitution. While we’ve made important and meaningful progress to protect abortion in Colorado, we’re reminded of the millions of people who do not have access to fundamental reproductive health care. Abortion is a constitutional right in Colorado, and we will never stop fiercely protecting this freedom that fosters a more equitable future for us all.” SJR25-004 , sponsored by Representatives Meg Froelich and Lorena Garcia, designates January 22nd as “Reproductive Rights and Justice Day” in Colorado. The resolution reaffirms Colorado’s commitment to protecting reproductive rights and access to essential health care, including abortion care. Since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, millions of Americans now live in states where abortion care is either banned or severely restricted. Colorado leads as a beacon and a safe haven for care, ensuring that safe and legal reproductive health care remains accessible. Coloradans overwhelmingly support access to the full spectrum of reproductive care. In November, voters enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution. Given the federal attacks on reproductive justice, Colorado Democrats championed laws that improved protections for patients and providers, closed access gaps related to sexually transmitted infections and abortion care and improved access to contraceptives. In 2022, Colorado Democrats passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA), which Governor Polis signed into law. This landmark legislation updated Colorado’s laws to protect reproductive rights and established a fundamental right to choose to continue a pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion. Previous Next

< Back April 13, 2023 House Advances Bill to Protect Patients from Harmful Medical Billing Practices DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation in a preliminary vote to cap interest rates on medical debt and protect Colorado patients from deceptive medical billing practices. “Medical debt is a barrier that prevents Coloradans from seeking the health care they need to stay alive and improve their health and wellbeing,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora . “The average Coloradan with medical debt owes over $2,000, which is an insurmountable cost for those that are already struggling to put food on the table or afford necessities. By improving patient protections, Colorado patients can make health care decisions that are best for their health.” “Debt collectors shouldn’t be able to excessively profit off the health care that Colorado patients need to survive,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “People are often surprised when they’re served hospital bills after receiving life-saving health care and can’t pay off the amount in full. Setting a ceiling for medical debt interest rates means that Coloradans can seek the care they need without worrying about snowballing debt impacting every part of their budget.” SB23-093 boosts patient protections from high interest rates for medical debt and confusing debt collection practices that lead to long-lasting debt and financial instability. It establishes new protections for Colorado consumers burdened with medical debt by: Capping the medical debt interest rate at three percent. Prohibiting reporting the debt to a consumer reporting agency until a certain amount of time after an individual fails to fulfill the terms of a payment plan. Pausing collections on medical debt during any appeal proceedings. Requiring medical debt creditors or debt collectors to verify total debt owed upon request by a patient and to provide a copy of a payment plan, thereby helping consumers know how much to properly budget for debt payments. Requiring a health care provider or health care facility to provide, upon request, an estimate of the total cost of medical services to a person who intends to self-pay for the service, and Reinstating the attorney general’s authority to protect consumers from deceptive trade practices related to billing practices and surprise billing. Debt incurred from medical costs can be financially devastating for patients. When combined with high interest rates and complicated collections practices, consumers may never be able to pay off their medical debt. According to a 2022 report from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Coloradans overall held more than $1.3 billion in medical debt and over 12 percent of Coloradans have medical debt in collections. Previous Next

SB23-279 will prohibit the possession, sale, or transfer of unserialized firearms, frames, and receivers < Back June 2, 2023 SIGNED! Legislation to Prevent Gun Violence, Crack Down on Ghost Guns Becomes Law SB23-279 will prohibit the possession, sale, or transfer of unserialized firearms, frames, and receivers DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation aimed at preventing further gun violence and cracking down on “ghost guns” into law. Sponsored by Senators Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, and Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and Representatives Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, and Junie Joseph, D-Boulder, SB23-279 prohibits the possession, sale, or transfer of an unserialized firearm, frame or receiver. It also prohibits manufacturing a frame or receiver, unless done by a federally licensed firearm manufacturer, including via a 3D printer. Ghost guns are unregulated, untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home, often through DIY kits or downloadable blueprints. They are designed to avoid all gun laws, and are available to purchase without a background check, serial number, sale record, or other protections. “Ghost guns are untraceable, unserialized weapons that anyone can make or assemble in their own home - and they’re extremely dangerous,” Fields said. “We worked hard this session to make Colorado safer and prevent gun violence, and this new law is a big step towards reaching that goal. I’m proud to champion this legislation that will prevent ghost guns from causing further violence in our communities and create a safer Colorado for us all.” "Colorado Democrats have passed significant gun violence prevention legislation in recent years, but ghost guns bypass these life-saving firearm protections and make our communities more vulnerable to gun violence,” Boesenecker said. “Unserialized guns allow for dangerous individuals to possess a firearm and makes it harder for victims to seek accountability for gun crimes. With this new law, Colorado is cracking down on unserialized firearm parts so we can save more lives from senseless gun violence and improve accountability for victims and their families." “Right now it’s far too easy for young people in Colorado and others who shouldn’t possess firearms to access them, and ghost guns are a huge part of that problem,” Hansen said. “Nearly anyone can order the parts or have them 3D printed, and within minutes have access to a fully functional, untraceable firearm. By cracking down on ghost guns, we will get these dangerous weapons out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them, reducing gun violence and increasing safety across our state.” "Too many Coloradans have been affected by gun violence, and ghost guns are becoming increasingly prevalent in crime scenes,” Joseph said. “Through DIY kits or 3D printers, anyone can access a ghost gun on demand without going through the background check process. Our new commonsense law will prevent ghost guns from being in the hands of those seeking to harm themselves or others and keep our communities safer by limiting access to dangerous and untraceable firearms." Under the bill, if an individual has an unserialized firearm, frame or receiver, they have until January 1, 2024 to have it serialized. It also prohibits the possession of a “machine gun conversion device” which turns a firearm into a machine gun and imposes the same penalties as in current law for possessing a machine gun. Previous Next

< Back July 10, 2020 GOVERNOR SIGNS BILLS TO SUPPORT RESTAURANTS, BARS, SMALL BUSINESSES DURING COVID Gov signs two bills to provide greater flexibility to brewpubs and restaurants, bars, hotels or other establishments selling alcoholic beverages. Denver, CO — Today, at the Englewood Grand bar, Governor Jared Polis signed two bipartisan bills to continue to allow establishments to deliver and offer takeout of alcoholic beverages and provide brewpubs with greater flexibility in selling the beer and malt liquor they produce at separate locations. SB20-213 , sponsored by Reps. Dylan Roberts and Colin Larson, allows licensed alcohol dealers to deliver alcohol or to provide it as takeout for their customers. Consumers must be at least 21 years old when they pick up alcohol from a licensed establishment. The order cannot have more than 750ML of spirits and no more than 72 fluid ounces of malt liquors, including hard cider. Deliveries must be made by a person who is 21 or older. “The restaurant and service industry has been hit harder by the pandemic than almost any other industry in our state,” said Rep. Roberts, D-Avon. “Having the flexibility to sell alcohol for delivery and to-go has been a lifesaver for many restaurants in my district and across the state – for many, it was the sole reason they were able to stay in business. I am thankful that the governor signed my bill into law today because this will provide restaurants continued flexibility and revenue as we continue through these turbulent times.” SB20-194 , sponsored by Reps. Matt Gray and Kevin Van Winkle, will allow owners of more than one brewpub to sell beer manufactured at one brewpub at a different brewpub under their ownership. This only applies to sales of beer to be consumed off premises. As of March 2020, there are 180 licensed brewpubs in Colorado. This new law will provide them with greater flexibility as they navigate the new reality imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Coloradans love their craft beer, and takeout from our brewpubs has fortunately continued throughout the pandemic,” said Rep. Gray, D-Broomfield. This bill removes an arbitrary restriction from state law to give people more choice and brewers more opportunity. It’s a win-win, and I’m grateful to the Governor for signing it.” Previous Next

< Back May 4, 2022 BIPARTISAN COMMUNITY SAFETY INVESTMENT ACT PASSES COMMITTEE DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee today passed two bipartisan bills that will improve public safety and prevent crime. “This legislation will address the rising crime we’re seeing in our communities and across the nation that has come as a result of the pandemic and the strain of the economic disruptions that followed,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver. “This bill focuses on proven strategies such as co-responder models and violence interruption programs to prevent crime before it happens and reduce recidivism. It also provides significant resources to law enforcement to recruit, train and retain a high quality, diverse workforce that reflects the communities they serve.” SB22-145 , the Community Safety Investment Act, is sponsored by Representatives Alex Valdez and Perry Will. The bill will establish critical crime prevention programs and address workforce shortages in law enforcement. Research shows that crime prevention strategies that include collaboration between communities and local law enforcement are most effective. The bill will create three grant programs within the Department of Public Safety: The first grant program will provide $7.5 million over two years to community-based organizations and local law enforcement agencies to implement collaborative, data-driven intervention strategies such as co-responder programs, violence interrupter programs, early intervention teams, and restorative justice services in identified high-crime areas. The second grant program will provide law enforcement agencies with $3.75 million over two years to help recruit and retain staff, as well as improve training curriculums, including mental health training. The third grant program – the State’s Mission for Assistance in Recruitment and Training (SMART) policing grant – will provide $3.75 million over two years to help local law enforcement agencies recruit and train officers that better represent the communities they serve. The bill also establishes a front-end stakeholder crime prevention forum, and provides funding for oversight and administration within the Colorado Department of Public Safety which will administer the grant programs. It passed 8-3. “SB22-005 will help law enforcement departments recruit and retain qualified peace officers and will provide additional resources to help officers when they experience traumatic events,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “We’ve heard the tragic stories from officers who have witnessed horrific situations while serving their communities. It’s time we support them with the counseling services and peer support they need.” SB22-005 , sponsored by Representatives Dylan Roberts and Dan Woog, would direct $5 million to a program that helps law enforcement agencies retain and recruit qualified and trained POST-certified officers. The funding would expand access to behavioral health and counseling support for law enforcement officers to support peace officers and prevent peace officer suicide deaths. The bill passed 9-1. Previous Next

Pipeline safety legislation, sponsored by Representatives Tammy Story and Kyle Brown, passed the House Energy & Environment Committee today. < Back April 18, 2024 Story, Brown’s Pipeline Safety Bill Passes Committee DENVER, CO – Pipeline safety legislation, sponsored by Representatives Tammy Story and Kyle Brown, passed the House Energy & Environment Committee today. HB24-1357 would address transparency and enforcement concerns about the Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) Pipeline Safety Program. “This bill is about keeping our neighbors and environment safe from dangerous pipeline leaks,” said Rep. Tammy Story, D-Conifer. “A recent state audit confirmed – pipeline operators are not being held to a high safety standard, jeopardizing people’s lives and livelihoods. We’re stepping up to ensure the Pipeline Safety Program is working as intended by increasing transparency requirements and establishing a minimum penalty amount for violators. Public health and safety is a top priority and this bill would require pipeline operators to check for and fix leaks in a timely manner.” “Damaged or leaky pipelines can pose a risk to public health and safety, and add powerful greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere that contribute to climate change,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “This legislation ramps up the state’s enforcement, reporting and transparency regulations on pipeline operators so we can keep our communities safe. Minimum penalties for pipeline operators who violate the law will also help deter noncompliance. We’re serious about improving pipeline safety, and this bill gives the state the tools it needs to hold pipeline operators accountable.” HB24-1357 , which passed committee by a vote of 9-3, would require minimum penalty amounts for failure to follow rules designed to protect public health and safety. This bill would also limit the PUC's discretion for reducing or eliminating fines on violators and increase maximum penalty amounts. In 2023, the Office of the State Auditor produced a report that detailed six years of systemic failure of the Pipeline Safety Program, including failure to enforce safety requirements for 94 percent of instances of operator noncompliance. In addition to improving the efficacy of enforcement, this bill would also update pipeline reporting and transparency measures. Specifically, it would require the PUC to develop a user-friendly, public-facing website for pipeline safety data, including leak information, public complaints, and follow-up actions taken by the PUC in response. HB24-1357 would also improve public safety by requiring the PUC to engage in rulemaking to require pipeline operators to utilize advanced leak detection technologies, prioritize and fix leaks based on severity, and address owner responsibilities for abandoned or decommissioned pipelines. Previous Next

Democratic Leadership and Joint Budget Committee members today responded to the Trump Administration’s immediate freeze of federal funding. < Back January 28, 2025 JOINT RELEASE: Democratic Leadership, JBC Members Release Statement on Trump’s Federal Funding Freeze DENVER, CO – Democratic Leadership and Joint Budget Committee members today responded to the Trump Administration’s immediate freeze of federal funding. Statement from Speaker Julie McCluskie, President James Coleman, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, Senators Jeff Bridges and Judy Amabile, and Representatives Shannon Bird and Emily Sirota: “Today’s freeze on federal funding is a reckless decision that is already causing immediate and far reaching harm to Coloradans across the state. We are still working to understand the breadth of the impacts, but we know that critical food, housing, health and behavioral health care, child care, and anti-poverty services are currently in limbo, causing chaos and uncertainty for Coloradans, safety net service providers, and state and local governments, including law enforcement. Republicans and Democrats must be clear-eyed in this moment that this funding freeze is a brazen abuse of power that will likely have significant economic impacts and cause irreparable harm to Colorado kids, families, seniors, and everyone who calls our state home. We are proud that Colorado will be joining states from across the nation in a lawsuit that will attempt to blunt the impact of this funding freeze on people’s lives. We stand ready to assist in any way we can to prevent further harm.” Previous Next

< Back June 7, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! CLEAN WATER FOR SCHOOLS AND DAYCARE CENTERS DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill to build a healthier Colorado by eliminating lead from drinking water in schools and childcare centers. “Clean, lead-free drinking water in schools and childcare centers cuts down the risk of dangerous, lifelong impacts to children’s health and well-being,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Our law takes bold action to test for lead, replace fixtures and install updated equipment to ensure the drinking water consumed by kids in school or childcare centers is clean. Colorado’s youngest learners deserve clean water, and this law ensures facilities that care for children have appropriate and updated water filtration systems.” “In far too many communities in Colorado, lead in drinking water at our schools is a problem, especially in disadvantaged regions of the state,” said Senator Faith Winter, D-Westminster. “No matter where you live, you should have clean water to drink. This law will equip us with better tools to detect unsafe drinking water in schools and daycare centers so that our kids know the water they drink is safe and healthy.” “Every child should have clean water to drink, period,” said Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. “Unfortunately, far too many students face the threat of drinking water at school contaminated with lead, and that is simply unacceptable. This law takes important steps to ensure drinking water at schools is safe and clean, which will ultimately help improve health and educational outcomes for Colorado’s future leaders.” HB22-1358 , sponsored by Representative Emily Sirota and Senators Faith Winter and Rhonda Fields, would provide resources to school districts and childcare centers to install filters and clean water devices to eliminate lead children’s drinking water. The law provides school districts and child care centers $18 million to test for the presence of lead, and install clean sources of drinking water, such as faucet filters or bottle filling stations. Many Colorado schools do not test for lead and do not know if their water is contaminated. Samples that have been taken have found elevated levels of lead in the drinking in Colorado schools. Elevated levels of lead in children’s blood leads to life-long damage, including memory loss, fatigue and learning challenges. Previous Next

< Back June 29, 2021 GOV SIGNS $50M FOR WORKFORCE PROGRAMS AND CRITICAL EDUCATION BILLS DENVER, CO — Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to provide a $50 million boost to the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative to be allocated to institutions of higher education across the state. He also signed important education bills that will set Colorado on the path to creating a more equitable school finance formula, improve diversity in the educator workforce and protect borrowers with private higher education education loans. “As a refugee, I’ve seen first-hand in our communities how we can foster economic opportunity and success by helping workers learn new skills and complete postsecondary education programs,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “This funding will offer more Coloradans the opportunity to enter or return to higher education initiatives. Colorado’s institutions of higher education and postsecondary degree programs have a critical role to play in our recovery to revitalize our workforce, support businesses looking for workers and help workers thrive. I’m also proud that Governor Polis signed my bill to help improve diversity in Colorado’s educator workforce so that more students have a teacher that reflects their background and experiences.” “With the legislature significantly increasing school funding and boosting resources for schools with more at-risk and underserved students, this has truly been a historic year for school finance in Colorado,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “Colorado is going to take a thoughtful approach to make our school finance formula more equitable and really dig deep to see how we can better identify underserved students and students living in poverty and provide districts the funding they need to set every Colorado student up for success.” HB21-1330 , sponsored by Representative Julie McCluskie and Naquetta Ricks, uses federal funds to provide a $50 million boost to the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative to be allocated to institutions of higher education across the state. The funding will increase access to robust pathways for workers to obtain news skills, earn higher wages and be prepared for the in-demand careers of the future. The bill seeks to rebuild and revitalize the state’s workforce by supporting students to complete their postsecondary credentials. The funding boost will be used to reverse the significant decline in enrollment in public higher education institutions, high rates of job loss and continuing unemployment, and the overall disruption to the workforce caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill also provides $1.5 million in grant funding to school districts to increase the number of students who complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) student aid applications before graduating high school. HB21-1325, sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Leslie Herod, creates a bipartisan interim committee to recommend changes to the school finance formula. The legislature set aside $90 million in the State Education Fund for the committee to use to implement the changes they recommend. Under the law, the committee shall consider how to modernize the formula to make it more transparent, equitable and student-centered. It must also look at improved methods of identifying students living in poverty and how to appropriately address small, remote and rural district funding. HB21-1010 , sponsored by Representatives Naquetta Ricks and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, takes a significant step toward improving Colorado’s educator diversity by creating a workgroup that would research ways to recruit, prepare, and retain educators from diverse backgrounds and make further policy recommendations to the legislature. A diverse educator workforce that reflects the identities of the students they teach can have an important impact on learning. “Colorado students will be better prepared for success by having educators that identify with their personal experiences,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez. “We know that there aren’t enough people of color teaching in Colorado, and this effort will help our state do better. I’m also excited that borrowers with private student loans will now have enhanced consumer protections that are equal to those for federal student loan borrowers.” “Student loans are crushing far too many Coloradans with burdensome debt and payments that they are struggling to make every month,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. “Today, we are bringing new consumer protections to the private student loan market in Colorado to help level the playing field, make higher education more attainable and provide new recourse to borrowers harmed by predatory practices.” SB21-057 , sponsored by Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Matt Gray, provides protections – similar to the protections granted for federal loans – to students who take out private loans for postsecondary education. Statewide, Colorado borrowers currently owe $9.1 billion in private student loan debt and that number is growing as the private student loan market grows. High rates of debt accumulation, especially as the cost of college has risen, widens an already large intergenerational debt and wealth gap between families of color and white families. Previous Next

< Back April 21, 2022 SIGNED! BILL TO END TRANSCRIPT WITHHOLDING BECOMES LAW DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill to prohibit post-secondary institutions from withholding transcripts and diplomas because a student owes a debt to the institution. “Withholding transcripts from students trying to enter the workforce is an unnecessary obstacle that disproportionately impacts low-income students and students of color,” said Sen. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood. “We’re breaking down this barrier by prohibiting higher education institutions from withholding transcripts and diplomas from students who have unpaid debts when they are applying for a job or seeking further education, setting our students up for success and helping to strengthen our workforce.” “Today, we’re breaking down barriers to earning a degree and entering the workforce that disproportionately affects low-income students and students of color,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “Eliminating this debt collection tool means more Coloradans can go back to school, earn their degrees and accomplish their career goals. Transcript withholding has been used to prohibit Coloradans from enlisting in the military, beginning nursing school and completing their degree – not anymore. I am proud Governor Polis signed this bill into law to prepare our students for success.” “As Coloradans we believe in the values of responsibility and opportunity,” said Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village. “If a student owes a college or university money, they ought to pay that money back. But when a student needs proof of their academic record to pursue a career and get a good paying job so that they can afford to pay off what they owe, colleges and universities have a responsibility to provide that transcript. Holding transcripts for ransom is a harmful debt collection practice that has become all too common, and I am proud that we’ve finally put a stop to it here in Colorado.” “Transcript withholding will no longer be a barrier for graduates entering the workforce,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “When postsecondary institutions withhold student degrees and transcripts, we limit the number of talented Coloradans who can begin high-demand, high-skilled jobs. Graduates have done the work and earned the credits, now they can begin their careers.” HB22-1049 will protect students from transcript withholding when students owe an unpaid debt. It also prohibits institutions from charging a higher fee or providing less favorable treatment in response to a transcript or diploma request because a student owes a debt. The bill also protects students with debt from tuition, financial aid funds, and room and board fees from having their transcript withheld when they apply for a job, credit transfer or financial aid. Debts protected by the bill range from unpaid fees to parking tickets, library fees and other minor costs students may not realize they owe. It also protects transcript withholding for those pursuing opportunities in the military and post-secondary institutions. Over 6.6 million students are impacted by transcript withholding. This bill will alleviate this financial strain on students’ and ensure they are set up for educational success. Previous Next