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< Back May 15, 2021 DEMS ADVANCE TAX FAIRNESS PACKAGE Bills would limit subsidies for the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations to provide tax assistance to hardworking Coloradans and small businesses DENVER, CO– The House Finance Committee today advanced legislation that would provide economic assistance to hardworking families and small businesses. The two bills boost the state Earned Income Tax Credit, fund the state Child Tax Credit, and raise the exemption for business personal property taxes by limiting loopholes for the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations. “We have a choice to make–we can create a fair tax system that supports the families, workers and small businesses who are being left behind in our recovery, or we can continue outdated and ineffective tax windfalls for the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Low wage workers and small businesses are falling behind as special interests protect their ineffective and outdated tax subsidies. As we emerge from this pandemic, we have to do everything possible to help all Coloradans recover as quickly as possible and build back stronger.” “This pandemic and recovery have not treated all Coloradans the same; the wealthy and largest businesses have fully recovered as middle and lower-income workers are falling behind,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “Colorado’s billionaires grew their wealth by $10 billion since the pandemic began. We can either create a fairer tax code that lowers taxes on small businesses and increases assistance to hardworking families, or we can continue outdated loopholes that only benefit a few of the most prosperous corporations and wealthiest individuals. The choice is clear to me.” HB21-1311 would boost the incomes of over 300,000 hardworking Coloradans by increasing the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to 20 percent of the federal credit and by funding the state’s Child Tax Credit, which was created in 2013, but has never been funded. In order to provide this relief, the bill closes loopholes primarily used for tax avoidance or which only benefit three-tenths of a percent of the wealthiest tax filers, such as eliminating at the state level business meals deduction expanded by the Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and requiring filers to report financial accounts held in foreign tax shelters. HB21-1312 would eliminate business personal property taxes (BPPT) for over two-thirds of the businesses that remit BPPT. Currently, businesses with under $7,900 in business personal property do not have to pay BPPT. The bill increases this exemption to $50,000. In addition to providing an important tax cut to tens of thousands of small businesses, raising the exemption means businesses will no longer have to complete and submit burdensome paperwork needed to claim the BPPT exemption. In order to provide this relief, the bill modifies ineffective tax subsidies for the largest businesses, such as strengthening the criteria insurance companies must meet in order receive a 50 percent discount on their insurance premium tax rate. Many of the tax expenditures that these bills seek to close or limit have been identified by the State Auditor as ineffective and only benefit a small number of businesses and Colorado’s wealthiest residents. The bills seek to narrow expenditures that benefit only a few individuals and large businesses in order to provide broad tax relief to large numbers of hardworking Coloradans and small businesses. For fact sheets or to learn more about the bills visit taxjustice.co Previous Next

Speaker Julie McCluskie today met with the Lake County Board of Commissioners in Leadville for a presentation on the county’s legislative priorities. < Back August 13, 2024 McCluskie Meets with Lake County Commissioners LEADVILLE, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie today met with the Lake County Board of Commissioners in Leadville for a presentation on the county’s legislative priorities. The commissioners’ legislative priorities included school finance, improving access to grant opportunities for local governments, and a desire to engage with implementation of recent legislation. Commissioners also focused on funding for public safety and courthouses, housing affordability, and improvements to human services benefits delivery. “I always enjoy meeting with our county commissioners and hearing their priorities for the upcoming legislative session,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I’m committed to supporting our schools, local governments and Lake County residents, and I’m excited to continue working to invest in K-12 education and make our communities more affordable. I look forward to collaborating with the board of commissioners during the legislative session next year on these important priorities for Lake County.” Speaker McCluskie sponsored the new school finance formula, which significantly increases funding for rural schools and districts that serve more at-risk and special education students. The new formula will increase funding for Lake County R-1 by 14.4 percent a year by the time it is fully implemented. She has also sponsored legislation to protect residents in mobile home communities, increase housing affordability , and make it easier for high country communities to access Prop 123 affordable housing funds. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed three bills to protect and conserve Colorado’s water resources. < Back May 15, 2025 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! Bills to Protect Colorado’s Water DILLON, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed three bills to protect and conserve Colorado’s water resources. HB25-1115 will improve how Colorado measures snowpack and our water supply HB25-1311 will phase out sports betting tax incentives to capture more revenue for water conservation, and SB25-040 studies the future of severance tax revenue to create a sustainable funding stream for water projects. “Water is a part of our Western identity, and we must take steps now to preserve and protect the water resources we have,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of HB25-1115 and HB25-1311. “To effectively manage Colorado's water supply, we need all the research and data available to inform our decisions. These bipartisan laws increase funding for essential water conservation efforts and research. We’re taking action now to better protect the freshwater Coloradans rely on for outdoor recreation, agriculture and household use.” “Securing our state’s water future is one of the most pressing issues facing Colorado, especially for the rural and mountain communities I represent,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, sponsor of HB25-1115, HB25-1311, and SB25-040. “I’m proud to have sponsored these bipartisan laws, which will ensure we have accurate data and sustainable funding sources to conserve and manage Colorado’s water supply. We’re working today to make sure that our communities have the water we need for generations to come.” HB25-1115 , also sponsored by Representative Matt Soper, R-Delta, will help protect and preserve Colorado’s fresh water resources by empowering the Colorado Water Conservation Board to to oversee a statewide water supply measurement and forecasting program. This statewide approach includes collecting and disseminating data on snowpack levels and investigating the latest advances in snowpack measurement and water supply forecasting. When voters approved Proposition DD in 2019, they legalized sports betting and set an effective tax rate of 10 percent on betting to be used for industry regulation, gambling addiction services, and water projects. However, casinos are only paying an effective 5.89 percent tax rate due to allowable deductions for payouts to customers, federal excise tax, and “free bets”. HB25-1311 , also sponsored by Representative Soper, will bring sports betting companies closer to the voter-approved effective tax rate of 10 percent by prohibiting sports betting operators from deducting “free bets” as a tax write-off, increasing funding for the Colorado Water Plan by a projected $3.2 million in the 2025-2026 fiscal year and $12.9 million in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. “This new law sets Colorado on the right path for creating reliable and sustainable funding for our future water projects,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, sponsor of SB25-040. “Every sector of our economy relies on water, and we’re taking the step now to preserve and conserve this precious resource.” “From agriculture, recreation and household use – the Colorado way of life depends on our freshwater resources,” said Rep. Matt Martinez, D-Monte Vista, sponsor of SB25-040. “Our new bipartisan law will make sure Colorado has a sustainable and dependable funding stream dedicated to water projects for generations to come.” SB25-040 will help Colorado create a sustainable and reliable funding stream for water projects. This new law permits the Department of Natural Resources to study the future of severance tax revenue and energy grants. Severance tax revenue is volatile and incredibly unpredictable; this law will help Colorado identify new, reliable ways to fund water projects. The task force must develop and deliver recommendations by July 2026. Previous Next

< Back July 20, 2021 GOVERNOR POLIS, SPEAKER GARNETT KICK OFF EFFORTS TO BUILD MEMORIAL STATUE OF ARMY GENERAL & COLORADO HERO MAURICE ROSE DENVER — Governor Polis and Speaker Garnett today held a dedication ceremony to kick off efforts to build and erect a memorial statue honoring Colorado’s 2-star General Maurice Rose. The Speaker signed HJR21-1012 , a resolution he sponsored with Representative Patrick Neville, Senate President Leroy Garcia and Senator Jerry Sonnenberg, which established the process to build the statue honoring General Rose. “We are proud to honor the life and memory of General Maurice Rose, a true hero who sacrificed so much for our country. General Rose is a towering figure in Colorado’s history of military service and we are commemorating his life, achievements, and sacrifice through a monument which will stand tall in Veterans Memorial Park,” said Governor Jared Polis. “General Maurice Rose was one of the most decorated military commanders in our nation’s history, and I couldn’t be more proud to help memorialize a true Colorado hero at our state capitol,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “After attending Denver East, General Rose went on to serve his nation and become the highest ranking and most distinguished Jewish American soldier in United States history. I’m proud that school groups and visitors to the capitol will tour the newly renamed Lincoln Veterans’ Memorial Park and learn about the life and legacy of General Rose.” The project envisions a 10 ft bronze statue to honor Colorado’s 2-star General Maurice Rose, the highest-ranking US serviceman killed as a prisoner of war in WWII, and highest ranking and most distinguished Jewish-American soldier in US history. The most decorated Armored Battlefield Commander in US military history, Major General Rose was awarded: The Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Legion of Merit with an Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star with an Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster, French Legion of Honor, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm. Today’s signing of HJR21-1012 kicks off the effort to build, erect, and maintain the memorial of General Rose. Funding is anticipated to be a community-driven initiative via www.RoseMonument.org . Internationally acclaimed sculptor George Lundeen of Loveland is the commissioned artist, and the statue will require approximately six months to complete once funds are raised. Previous Next

< Back May 20, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: INCENTIVES FOR AFFORDABLE, INNOVATIVE HOMES SIGNED INTO LAW Legislation invests $40 million of federal pandemic relief dollars to construct new, affordable, innovative homes that will save people money, increase housing supply and create jobs Grand Junction, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation sponsored by Representative Kyle Mullica and Senator Jeff Bridges that will jumpstart construction of new, affordable homes to save Coloradans money on housing, increase the housing supply and create jobs. HB22-1282 was developed based on recommendations from the state’s Affordable Housing Task Force . “The legislation Governor Polis signed today will make housing more affordable in communities across our state and save people money on housing,” said Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton. “Nearly every community in our state is looking at how to reduce the cost of housing. This $40 million investment will attract and expand businesses that build high quality innovative homes that cost less. This will save families money on new homes, expand our supply of affordable homes, and create jobs all across Colorado.” “Hard working Colorado families deserve to have a home they can afford,” said Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village. “But too many Coloradans are getting priced out of the neighborhoods where they work and currently live. This new law will create good-paying jobs while quickly increasing our housing stock with quality, affordable homes that will help drive down housing costs and get roofs over heads as quickly as possible. I am proud to champion this critical legislation as we continue fighting to make sure every Colorado family has a place they can afford to call home.” “This session, we made the largest investment in the state’s history to reduce the cost of housing, help develop more homes, and save families money,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, Chair of the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force . “I’m proud Governor Polis signed HB22-1282, one of our Task Force recommendations, today to boost the construction of affordable, innovative homes, which will be manufactured right here in Colorado, create jobs, and support rural economies all while significantly increasing our supply of affordable homes.” HB22-1282 deploys $40 million to attract, encourage and support the construction of innovative forms of affordable housing to be built all across Colorado. Examples include modular, pre-fabricated, manufactured and other innovative forms of housing. The funding could be used to build or expand factories, hire additional workers, and expand manufacturers’ ability to produce and construct innovative homes. This will quickly boost the affordable housing stock in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, as well as increase the rate of homeownership in communities that have traditionally lacked access to this important wealth-building tool. The legislation will also create jobs by incentivizing new innovative housing companies to manufacture and place their homes in Colorado. Additionally, HB22-1282 will expand Colorado’s workforce by helping current housing manufacturing companies expand their capacity, operations and number of employees to meet affordable housing demands. Previous Next

< Back May 19, 2020 GOV. POLIS AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON THE DISBURSEMENT OF FEDERAL CARES ACT FUNDS TO IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO THE COVID-19 HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CRISIS DENVER – Governor Jared Polis, in collaboration with legislative leadership, announced today the allocation of $1.674 billion in federal funds from the CARES Act that will immediately support the State’s robust response to the COVID-19 crisis as well as key investments needed for economic recovery. “COVID-19 has taken the lives of too many Coloradans and disrupted our way of life, and this has been a very challenging time for our entire state. I am grateful for the support we have received from the federal government, but there will still be hardship ahead. This immediate disbursement ensures that no Coloradan has to go without a hospital bed when they need one, that the state can continue to scale up testing and containment, and protect our most vulnerable. It allows parents to return to work by ensuring that our schools have needed resources to adapt to our new reality and helps our frontline local governments in their coronavirus response. My administration is working closely in a bipartisan way with the federal delegation and legislative leadership to do everything in our power to help Coloradans overcome this generational challenge. The steps we are taking now will allow us to increase much needed economic activity in our state,” s aid Gov. Polis. “This agreement quickly channels over $1.6 billion directly to our school districts, universities and local governments to help them retain first responders, support our health care workforce, protect our veterans and seniors and rapidly expand contact tracing so we can safely restart our economy. Schools and universities can use it to help them prepare for the fall so parents can go back to work and we can rebuild our workforce. I look forward to the bipartisan work ahead to allocate the remaining funds and pass legislation that helps Coloradans and small businesses get through this crisis.” Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “The CARES Act funding is an indispensable lifeline for our state––helping us ease the immediate economic and public health pains caused by COVID-19. But it’s nowhere near enough in terms of recovery,” said Senate President Leroy Garcia. “As members of the legislature, we will continue working hard alongside the Governor and the Joint Budget Committee to protect Coloradans during this challenging time. However we need Congress to do much more, especially for those communities like mine in Pueblo that the CARES Act explicitly left behind.” Governor Polis signed an Executive Order today authorizing the following transfers: For Medical expenses and Public health expenses incurred or expected to be incurred in the State’s Disaster Emergency Fund, $48 million transferred for FY 2019-20 and $157 million set-aside for FY 2020-21. This includes amounts expected to be distributed to local public health agencies for COVID-19 response. For Expenditures to comply with public health measures pertaining to maintaining veterans living facilities, State prisons and other State facilities with congregate care , including sanitation and effectively implementing social distancing measures , $2 million transferred for FY 2019-20 and $8 million set-aside for FY 2020-21. These funds will be available to improve the safety of our prisons, veterans living facilities, youth services centers, and mental health facilities. For Expenditures incurred to respond to second-order effects of the emergency, including caseload increases for at-risk pupils and human services programs during the COVID-19-driven recession, $2 million transferred for FY 2019-20 and $57 million set aside for FY 2020-21. For Expenses to respond to second-order effects of the emergency, including payments for emergency rental and mortgage assistance, as well as additional direct assistance where appropriate, for individuals that have been economically impacted by COVID-19, with preference given to individuals that are ineligible for other forms of assistance such as unemployment insurance, food benefits, or direct federal stimulus payments, $10 million transferred for FY 2019-20. For Expenses associated with the provision of economic support in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency, including payments to stimulate the economy by supporting Colorado’s workforce with school-aged children, $500 million transferred to local school districts and proportionally by student population to the Charter School Institute and the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind and $25,000 to each Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) in the state for a total of $510 million above the Constitutionally required state share of public school finance to increase free instructional hours for our kindergarten through 12th grade education system while complying with COVID-19 public health orders, including facilitating distance learning and social distancing for in-person contact hours, and mitigating lost learning, and $450 million transferred to public institutions of higher education to increase student retention and completions, given Colorado’s critical shortage of skilled workforce. For Payroll expenses and other necessary State expenditures for public safety, public health, health care, human services, and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency , $85 million set aside for FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21, including at the Office of the State Controller for expenses related to accounting for and monitoring the use of federal funds related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Expenses of local governments that did not receive a direct distribution of funds in the CARES Act to facilitate compliance with COVID-19-related public health measures , $275 million for FY 2019-20 and FY 2020-21. These resources will support local communities both directly, as funds flow from State agencies to local partners, and indirectly. A significant portion of the allocation for the public health response will flow directly to local county public health agencies to ensure we have a robust statewide response through testing and contact tracing. In addition to these funds, our local communities are receiving significant federal resources, including $125 million to Colorado communities from the Department of Health and Human Services, more than $16 million in Community Development Block Grants, $8 million in Community Services Block Grants, and an estimated $30 million to local governments for COVID-19 testing. In addition to these funds, the state of Colorado has already received or is expected to receive, several direct transfers to fulfill critical needs including $2.25 million and as much as $8 million for crisis counseling and mental health support, $15.4 million in LEAP funds to help Coloradans pay their home heating bills, and $9.1 million in Byrne Justice Assistance grants to support local law enforcement adopt to COVID-19. The administration looks forward to engaging with the legislature on how to best serve Coloradans with these funds. The Governor sent a letter to the legislature today. The remaining $70 million in unallocated funds will be transferred to the General Fund for appropriations for when the legislative session resumes. Previous Next

< Back March 17, 2020 COLORADO SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS INTERROGATORY OF THE GA DENVER, CO — The Colorado Supreme Court today announced that it would take up the question of whether, under the current circumstances of a declared disaster emergency, the General Assembly can suspend the legislative session and pick up where it left off at a later point. The court accepted the bipartisan interrogatories passed by the General Assembly on Saturday, and the court will be accepting briefs on the case over the next week. “The Constitution gives the legislature 120 calendar days to accomplish the important work our constituents elected us to do,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “We are in an impossible situation of either not taking care of the public’s needs by not passing critical legislation, or not taking care of the public’s needs by continuing our work in the middle of a public health emergency. I’m glad that the court has acted rapidly to take up this question, and hope they will see the wisdom in allowing us to suspend operations during this crisis and come back to continue our work when appropriate.” “We are grateful that the court has taken up our request with such speed and urgency,” said President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo. “It is imperative that we get an answer regarding if the Legislature is Constitutionally permitted to suspend the counting of legislative days during a state emergency. The work we do on behalf of Coloradans is critical to the wellbeing of our state, and we sincerely hope to continue our efforts once public safety is secured.” HJR20-1006 asks the Colorado Supreme Court to answer the following question: Does the provision of section 7 of article V of the state constitution that limits the length of the regular legislative session to “one hundred twenty calendar days” require that those days be counted consecutively and continuously beginning with the first day on which the regular legislative session convenes or may the General Assembly for purposes of operating during a declared disaster emergency interpret the limitation as applying only to calendar days on which the Senate or the House of Representatives, or both, convene in regular legislative session? The Interrogatory argues that “If the General Assembly is required to adjourn for a significant period of time to protect the public health[…] legislators will be unable to serve their constituents by debating and acting on many of the bills introduced during the 2020 regular legislative session, and the citizens who elected those legislators to act on those bills will be deprived of representation by their chosen representatives[…]” The Interrogatory asks the court to determine if the General Assembly should be forced to either reduce the length of the session and thereby fail to meet its responsibility to serve the citizens of the state by passing legislation in the public interest, or jeopardize the constitutionality of that legislation, including the state’s annual budget. Interested parties may file a brief by 5:00 PM on Tuesday March 24, and the Colorado Supreme Court case number is 2020SA100. Previous Next

< Back March 2, 2022 HOUSE ED PASSES BILL TO SAVE EDUCATORS MONEY AND ADDRESS TEACHER SHORTAGE DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed legislation to prepare students for success and address the teacher shortage by saving new educators money on preparation programs. “This has been an incredibly challenging year for students, teachers and parents, and one way we can prepare our students for success is by making sure that every classroom has a qualified educator,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “Our legislation will address the educator shortage by saving educators money as they go through their preparation programs and by removing unnecessary red tape that makes it harder to become a teacher in Colorado.” “All across Colorado, and especially in rural areas, schools are struggling to attract and retain quality educators,” said House Education Committee Chair Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “To prepare our students for success, we must address the educator shortage that is impacting our districts. That’s why we are going to save prospective educators money on their preparation programs and practice exams and create new pathways to enter the educator workforce.” HB22-1220 passed by a vote of 8-1 and is sponsored by Representative Cathy Kipp and House Education Committee Chair Barbara McLachlan. The bill includes multiple strategies to address the teacher shortage to help ensure every student in Colorado has access to high quality public education that will prepare them for success. The legislation creates two stipend programs that will save student educators almost $20 million as they pursue the 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 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

< Back May 27, 2020 BILL INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE EARNED PAID SICK DAYS TO ALL HARDWORKING COLORADANS SB 20-205 promotes transparency and protections for consumers, customers & employees DENVER –– Today, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg and Senator Jeff Bridges, alongside Speaker of the House KC Becker and Representative Yadira Caraveo, provided a comprehensive overview of their newly introduced bill, SB20-205 which empowers all Colorado workers to protect themselves and their coworkers by earning paid sick days. “In this new reality, we must ensure that people are able to prioritize and protect the health of themselves, their families, and their communities,” said Majority Leader Fenberg, (D-Boulder). “Currently nearly half of Colorado workers are not able to earn a single sick day. To keep our communities safe, our businesses open and our economy on the road to recovery, we need to ensure that all workers can stay home when they are sick.” “We are focusing on how we can help Coloradans safely get back to work as we protect our most vulnerable and prioritize the health and safety of all,” said Speaker KC Becker, (D-Boulder) . “Too many of those on the frontlines of this pandemic, our health care workers, food service workers who are restocking grocery stores, and so many other essential workers, don’t have paid sick leave. If Coloradans return to work sick, then we will reverse the progress we’ve made and our economic crisis will worsen. Paid sick leave will lead to healthier communities, stronger businesses, and a safer road to recovery.” “In many ways the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that we don’t have many of the necessary provisions in place to protect Coloradans,” said Sen. Bridges, (D-Greenwood Village). “When people are going to work sick it hurts all of us. That’s why we are sponsoring this legislation to ensure no Coloradan has to choose between their health and their income.” “As a pediatrician, I see and treat sick children all day long,” said Rep. Caraveo, (D-Thornton). “COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease that can affect an entire family. When people have paid sick days, it means that they are more likely to go to the doctor and get the care they need to prevent further spread of the disease to the rest of their family and loved ones. If we’re faced with anything like this again, Coloradans need to have access to paid sick days for the health of us all.” Currently, 40% of Colorado’s workforce are not afforded the opportunity to earn paid sick days–– creating a “work while sick” culture in Colorado that increases the deadly transmission of viruses such as COVID-19. SB20-205 will allow those who are feeling ill to protect their coworkers, customers, and loved ones by staying home, without the fear of losing their income. Earned sick days are a paid, job-protected benefit to ensure people can stay home to care for themselves or a family member during a short-term illness. Under SB20-205 , employees will earn a sick day for every 26 hours worked. Most employees in Colorado will be able to earn a maximum of 80 hours of paid sick time per year, and businesses with 50 or fewer employees will be able to earn a maximum of 40 hours. Employers are not required to pay the balance of sick days to employees when they leave, and because days are earned by employees, there will be a gradual phase of this benefit. Studies show that employees working while sick costs the national economy approximately $160 billion per year—and that was before coronavirus. Studies also show that providing paid sick days allows businesses to benefit from higher employee productivity, healthier workplaces, and lower employee turnover. Previous Next

HB24-1051 would prohibit towing companies from patrolling parking residential lots < Back February 6, 2024 Legislation to Combat Predatory Towing, Ramp Up Consumer Protections Clears Committee DENVER, CO – The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation to crack down on predatory towing, improve industry transparency, and ramp up consumer protections. HB24-1051 passed by a vote of 7 to 3. “Imagine waking up to find, through no fault of your own, that your car has been towed – this is an expensive and devastating reality for thousands of Coloradans across our state,” said Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “While the Towing Bill of Rights laid a strong foundation to protect vehicle owners, we’re doing more to improve transparency within the towing industry and prohibiting predatory towing companies from patrolling parking lots to look for vehicles to profit on. This important legislation puts consumers first by requiring property owners to authorize residential non-consensual tows and gives the Public Utilities Commission new tools to hold bad actors accountable.” “Towing companies have a massive advantage over everyday Coloradans, and we need to do more to level the playing field,” said Rep. Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo. “Our legislation works to dismantle financial incentives for predatory towing practices, specifically patrolling parking lots, and drastically improves consumer protections. Under this bill, if a vehicle is illegally towed, the towing company would have to make it right by returning the vehicle within 48 hours at no cost to the owner. This legislation also institutes new towing transparency and oversight measures so we can prioritize consumers.” HB24-1051 would improve oversight, transparency and fairness in the towing industry in Colorado. Specifically, this bill would direct the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to promulgate new rules for towing carriers, including requiring carriers to disclose additional information necessary for effective oversight and meaningful reporting. It would also end the practice of towing carriers patrolling, monitoring or policing properties to enforce parking restrictions on behalf of property owners. Importantly, HB24-1051 changes the incentive structure for towing companies and property owners by requiring the property owner, not the vehicle owner, to authorize and pay for non-consensual tows in certain circumstances. Unauthorized vehicles would still be towed at the expense of the vehicle owner. Another portion of the bill aims to ramp up consumer protections by requiring companies to return a wrongfully towed vehicle to the original location within 48 hours and at no charge, and improving parking lot signage to explain towing regulations clearly in both English and Spanish. In an effort to improve long-term transparency in the towing industry, HB24-1051 would allow the Public Utilities Commission to suspend or revoke a towing carrier permit in certain circumstances and the bill would address conflicts of interest for members of the Towing Task Force . Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to improve health outcomes for those living with sickle cell disease. < Back May 3, 2024 Bill to Support Coloradans with Sickle Cell Disease Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to improve health outcomes for those living with sickle cell disease. SB24-042 , sponsored by Representative Regina English and Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, would provide outreach and support to individuals living with sickle cell disease. “This bill would establish the Arie P. Taylor Sickle Cell Disease Outreach Program, to provide critical outreach and support to Coloradans living with sickle cell disease,” said Rep. Regina English, D-Colorado Springs. “ Sickle cell disease disproportionately impacts Black communities and can cause joint pain, prolonged fatigue and reduce oxygen flow. With this bill, we can make it easier for people to access critical health care as we work toward closing the gap to accessing health care experienced by marginalized communities.” “Long-standing inequities in our health care system have left many Black Coloradans without access to the care they need, let alone specialized care,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “Our bill would establish the Arie P. Taylor Sickle Cell Disease Outreach Program to connect Coloradans living with sickle cell disease with health care resources and support. Sickle cell disease is genetic, impacting Black communities at a higher rate with prolonged fatigue and pain. Named after Colorado’s first Black female legislator and one of my predecessors in the House, the new program honors Ms. Taylor’s legacy by providing individualized support to our community and works to bridge the health care gap, especially for those who have been underserved for far too long.” SB24-042 , passed the House by a vote of 61 to 3, would work to improve health outcomes for Coloradans living with sickle cell disease. This bill would create the Arie P. Taylor Sickle Cell Disease Outreach Program within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to provide support to individuals living with sickle cell disease. Outreach and support services would be administered by a nonprofit organization contracted through CDPHE. Sickle cell disease is an inherited red blood cell disorder that causes red blood cells that carry oxygen to stick together after the oxygen is released, causing blockages in the small blood vessels, anemia, and severe pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sickle cell disease occurs among about 1 out of every 365 Black or African-American births and occurs among about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic-American births. Previous Next

On January 1, a new law goes into effect to expand the state Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, putting more money back into the pockets of hardworking Coloradans. HB23-1008 also goes into effect, closing tax loopholes in order to expand access to healthy foods in lower-income and under-served communities and help small food retailers and small family farms. < Back December 18, 2023 Laws to Put $170M Back into the Pockets of Hardworking Coloradans, Boost Food Assistance Go Into Effect DENVER, CO - On January 1, a new law goes into effect to expand the state Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, putting more money back into the pockets of hardworking Coloradans. HB23-1008 also goes into effect, closing tax loopholes in order to expand access to healthy foods in lower-income and under-served communities and help small food retailers and small family farms. “This bipartisan new law will put $170 million dollars back into the pockets of hardworking families,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, sponsor of HB23-1112. “These tax credits will boost the incomes of hundreds of thousands of Coloradans and help vulnerable families afford basic necessities as we continue to tackle the high cost of living in our state. I’m proud of our efforts to create a more fair tax system that supports the Coloradans who need it the most.” “Colorado’s working families deserve a break,” said Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver. “These critical tax credits will put more money in their pockets, and make it easier to pay for necessities like groceries and rent. I’m proud to champion this legislation that will lift folks out of poverty and will make life easier for Colorado families.” “This law will put more money back into the pockets of hardworking Coloradans, boosting our local economies,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley, sponsor of HB23-1112 . “These extra dollars could make a world of difference for low-income working people. I’m proud that the legislature came together in a bipartisan way to reduce taxes for working families and boost the incomes of the Coloradans who are feeling the brunt of our cost of living crisis.” “Boosting tax credits for hardworking Colorado families just makes sense,” said Sen. Chris Kolker, D-Centennial. “This new law eases the burden people across our state face, and will help them build better futures for themselves and their families. I am proud to see this critical support go into effect, and look forward to the benefits and security it will bring to working families all across Colorado.” HB23-1112 expands the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) and returns nearly $170 million more to hardworking families. The law increases the Colorado EITC from 25 percent to 38 percent of the federal EITC for tax year 2024, an almost four-fold increase from where it stood in 2020. By increasing the EITC and CTC, families will see hundreds of additional dollars back in their wallets. During the 2023 special legislative session, Colorado Democrats also passed HB23B-1002 , which increased the state EITC for tax year 2023 from 25 to 50 percent, one of the highest state matches in the country. A refundable tax credit available to certain families with children under the age of 6, the Colorado Child Tax Credit will now range from $200 to $1,200 depending on income and filing status starting in tax year 2024, with the tax credit ranging from 20 to 70 percent of the federal CTC depending on marital status, number of qualifying children and income. The federal Child Tax Credit has lifted over 57,000 Colorado kids out of poverty and helped over 630,000 families across the state, while the federal Earned Income Tax Credit has helped cut the national poverty rate in half . The bill builds on legislation passed by Colorado Democrats in recent years to make Colorado more affordable for working-class families. The General Assembly passed HB20-1420 and HB21-1311 , which at the time doubled the state's Earned Income Tax Credit and funded the Child Tax Credit, saving hundreds of thousands of Colorado families money. “All Coloradans deserve access to healthy and nutritious foods, and with this law going into effect, more lower-income and underserved Coloradans will more easily be able to access locally sourced foods,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB23-1008 . “One in three adults living with children have reported missing meals or eating smaller portions so they can provide their kids with enough food. We’re ending a tax loophole that benefited wealthy corporations to connect everyday Coloradans with fresh produce and groceries and support our small Colorado farmers and food producers.” “Working people in my district and across the state don’t get a tax break on their lunches, and too many of them don’t have enough to eat at all," said Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. “I am happy to close this tax loophole that only benefits the wealthiest Coloradans, and redirect the funds toward addressing food insecurity so that more Coloradans can afford to put food on the table.” “Family owned farms and food retailers need our support more than corporate boardrooms," said Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo. “This new law will reduce hunger and strengthen local supply chains in urban and rural parts of Colorado, with a minimal impact on state finances.” For income tax years 2024 through 2030, HB23-1008 ends the state tax loophole that allows corporations to deduct business meal expenses from their taxes. Ending these tax deductions supports efforts to reduce food insecurity for hard-working Coloradans and fund a tax credit to help our local farmers and food retailers acquire necessary equipment and better access market opportunities. HB23-1008 creates an income tax credit for small food retailers and small family farms worth up to 85% of the cost of new systems, equipment, and food distribution for tax year 2024 and 75% of the costs for subsequent tax years. Partnerships between Colorado food producers and small retailers boost revenue and cycle money into local economies. This law builds off HB22-1380 , a bipartisan law passed by the General Assembly in 2022 to save Coloradans money on healthy foods. The funding allocated by the 2022 legislation supports programs including the Community Nutrition Incentive Program, which assists women, children, and older Coloradans in subscribing to weekly produce deliveries from a local farm; the Double Up Food Bucks Program, which doubles the value of SNAP benefits in participating markets and stores for fruits and vegetables; and the Community Food Access program, which allows more small retailers to acquire equipment to store and sell produce and supports small family farms in connecting their crops to market demands. On August 8, 2023, $250,000 was allocated by this law to the Department of Public Health and Environment to connect low-income communities throughout the state with healthy eating program incentives and improve access to fresh, Colorado-grown produce. Previous Next