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< Back March 3, 2022 JUDICIARY PASSES BILL TO PREVENT IDENTITY-BASED CRIMES DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Jennifer Bacon and Dafna Michaelson Jenet to prevent identity-based crimes and build safer Colorado communities. The bill is part of the public safety package. “We've seen a scary increase in threats and crimes targeting specific communities, and this cannot continue,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “Improving public safety is a top priority, and identity-based crimes have no place in Colorado. Our legislation will help law enforcement develop the tools and strategies they need to prevent and solve serious crimes that impact our entire community’s sense of safety.” “Crimes that target specific communities cannot be tolerated,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “We need new strategies and resources to counter violent threats that make entire communities feel unsafe. The legislation we are advancing will focus on preventing and intervening in identity-based violence by developing new capabilities and collaboration with community organizations and law enforcement.” HB22-1234 , which passed by a vote of 7-4, creates a grant program to prevent identity-based violence. The grants will focus on building strong communities and preventing acts of violence that target a specific population of people, and on building awareness of these crimes to prevent them from happening in the first place. The bill positions law enforcement to develop the strategies needed to solve serious crimes that have widespread ramifications on a community’s sense of safety. This could include projects that strengthen local collaboration and capabilities to prevent and intervene in identity-based violence. The bill is supported by the Department of Public Safety, One Colorado, the Counter Terrorism Education Learning Lab, the Center on Colfax, and Out Boulder County. Previous Next

The House Finance Committee today passed legislation to create a Chicana/o license plate. HB24-1105 passed by a vote of 9-2. < Back February 29, 2024 Legislation to Create the Chicana/o License Plate Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Finance Committee today passed legislation to create a Chicana/o license plate. HB24-1105 passed by a vote of 9-2. “The Chicano/a community has a rich history in Colorado and we have made significant contributions to the social, political, and cultural landscape in our state,” said Rep. Tim Hernández, D-Denver. “Coloradans who support this license plate will donate to local non-profits that provide essential services and resources to the Chicana/o community, from youth violence prevention programs to higher education support. I’m proud to sponsor legislation that can celebrate and honor our people.” Beginning on January 1, 2025, HB24-1105 would add the Chicana/o special license plate as an option when obtaining a Colorado license plate. Before an applicant can receive this license plate, they would be required to provide a certification that proves that they donated to a non-profit organization that: Provides Chicana/o youth leadership training, Promotes and facilitates access to higher education for Chicana/o students, Provides Chicana/o youth violence prevention programs, Works to increase the social, political, and economic well-being of the Chicana/o community, or Provides ethnic studies educational programs, including those related to Chicana/o history, institutional racism, and immigration. Artists across Colorado have submitted designs to be used for the license plate art. Previous Next

2023 School Finance Act increases average per pupil K-12 public school funding by a record 10.6 percent < Back May 15, 2023 SIGNED! Bipartisan Bills to Make Record Investment in K-12 Public Schools, Improve Math Scores & Support Special Education Become Law 2023 School Finance Act increases average per pupil K-12 public school funding by a record 10.6 percent THORNTON, CO – Three bills to invest in public schools and set students up for success were signed into law by Governor Polis today. SB23-287, the bipartisan School Finance Act sponsored by Senator Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, and Reps. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, and Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, raises the statewide average of per pupil funding to $10,614 and reduces the Budget Stabilization Factor by $180 million, while committing lawmakers to fully eliminating the Budget Stabilization Factor for the 2024-2025 school year. “Every Colorado student deserves a quality education that meets their individual needs and prepares them for success,” said Zenzinger, sponsor of SB23-287 and SB23-099. “Education is my number one priority at the legislature, which is why I am so proud of the major step forward we’re taking today on the path to fully funding public education in Colorado. We have more work ahead of us, but this year’s School Finance Act contains the largest commitment to public education in Colorado history, something our schools desperately need and deserve.” “As a former teacher, I know firsthand how crucial it is to properly invest in our students and schools to provide the necessary resources to allow them to thrive,” said McLachlan, sponsor of SB23-287 and HB23-1231. “These new laws increase per pupil funding, commit to buying down the Budget Stabilization Factor over the next two years, and provide after-school math lesson opportunities. Addressing the Budget Stabilization Factor was one of the main reasons I ran for office, and I’m proud that the School Finance Act makes significant progress to properly fund our schools. Colorado students deserve a quality education, and these new laws will boost math performance and allow our students to better succeed in school through increased funding.” “Today, Colorado is taking a critical step in providing robust funding for our schools to help students learn and thrive,” said Kipp, sponsor of SB23-099 and SB23-287. “Our new laws will fund special education services within our schools and invest $665 million more annually in Colorado’s K-12 public schools to reduce classroom sizes, increase teacher pay and ensure schools have the resources they need to provide every student the high quality education they deserve. These laws will create a better learning environment for all of our students while better supporting schools and educators.” SB23-287 also includes a $30 million one-time appropriation for rural schools, and brings total K-12 funding for the 2023-24 budget year to more than $9.1 billion. This funding can be used to reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and provide individualized support to help students learn. The bill will also create a task force charged with examining Colorado's public school financing system and making recommendations that would make the school finance formula more transparent, equitable, and student-centered. Polis also signed bipartisan legislation sponsored by McLachlan and Senator Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, to improve Colorado students' math performances from pre-K to 12th grade. Also sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Lundeen and Rep. Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, HB23-1231 provides robust support for students, families, and teachers through evidence-informed tools and programs to expand time-on-task math engagement for students and training for educators and parents. The new law makes it easier for students to get the support they need to improve their math skills both in and out of school. “Colorado kids deserve the best possible education, but right now too many of our students are failing to earn a passing grade when it comes to their math skills,” said Marchman. “As a math teacher I know firsthand how crucial these skills are, which is why I am proud to see this bill signed into law. Resources like after-school programs and specialized training will give parents and educators the tools they need to get our kids caught up, and will help ensure that students of all ages are getting the high-quality education they need to thrive.” HB23-1231 permits the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to provide free math training and technical assistance for teachers to incorporate math education tools in the classrooms and identify areas of improvement for students. The new law will enable schools to send notifications to parents and caregivers if their students are underperforming or struggling in math, and incorporates a train-the-parent model to increase understanding of math concepts at home. It also creates a new state-based grant program focused on after-school math and STEM improvement. In addition, HB23-1231 integrates early numeracy into universal preschool quality standards and establishes a Ninth Grade Success Grant Program to help students tackle math concepts at a critical point in their education. Finally, Polis signed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Zenzinger and Kipp that will boost funding and improve special education in Colorado. Also sponsored by Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, and Rep. Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, SB23-099 will increase the required annual appropriation to CDE by an additional $40 million, and will help bring down student-teacher ratios, decrease class sizes, and help schools provide tailored assistance for students within special education to support their learning needs and ensure they receive the quality education they deserve. SB23-099 builds off the success of last year’s SB22-127 , which dramatically increased funding for more than 100,000 Colorado special education students, from about $220 million per year to more than $300 million per year moving forward. Previous Next

The House today passed a bill that would expand housing application savings and protections for Colorado renters. < Back March 26, 2025 Lindsay, Zokaie Bill to Protect Renters Passes House DENVER, CO - The House today passed a bill that would expand housing application savings and protections for Colorado renters. “This bill will make the housing search process more affordable for Colorado renters,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora. “Colorado Democrats are committed to protecting renters and making Colorado a more affordable place to live. This legislation saves renters money on rental application fees and helps low-income renters find safe and stable housing.” “This bill supports people of color, women, and low-income Coloradans who have no credit score or a weakened credit history by helping them secure safe and affordable housing,” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins. “Searching for housing shouldn't be expensive, but currently Coloradans are paying duplicative fees just to have their same personal information collected and shared with potential landlords. With this legislation, we’re allowing tenants to receive and share their own screening reports and expanding protections for Coloradans on housing subsidies." HB25-1236 specifies that a prospective renter who receives a housing subsidy cannot be required to include a credit history report, a credit score, or an adverse credit event in their tenant screening reports. The bill also expands the definition of an “adverse credit event” to include past late rent payments and collections. The bill would remove a requirement that reports received by landlords from tenants be made directly available by reporting agencies, creating more options for providing this information. It would also expand the number of days that a prospective renter can reuse a rental application from 30 days to 60 days, reducing the number of times that this report must be purchased throughout a person’s housing search. Colorado Democrats passed a law in 2023 that allows prospective renters to reuse a rental application for up to 30 days without paying additional fees. Additionally, the law minimizes the number of times a credit score is pulled, protecting a potential renter’s credit score from being continuously damaged from credit score inquiries. Previous Next

< Back May 4, 2022 PROPERTY TAX BILL IMPROVES ASSESSMENT PROCESS DENVER, CO – The House State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Representative Patrick Neville to make the property tax assessment process more transparent and accountable for all property owners. “From sending every taxpayer $400 or $800 early refund checks to reducing property taxes for families and businesses and free universal preschool, we’re making tremendous progress saving people money,” said Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This week, we announced property tax relief that will save homeowners $274 on average. The bill we passed today makes important reforms to improve the transparency and accountability of the property tax assessment process to protect homeowners and businesses from errors that can cost them money.” “This bipartisan legislation will give homeowners and business owners more information about how their property values are assessed and more time to address errors that can increase their tax bills,” said Rep. Patrick Neville, R-Castle Rock. “This effort will protect taxpayers, increase transparency, and improve how property values are assessed and appealed in Colorado.” HB22-1416 , which passed by a vote of 9-0, reforms the property tax assessment process. The bill would provide taxpayers with more information about their valuations and a longer period of time to appeal their values. Under the bill, the timeline to appeal property values would be extended by one week. It requires county assessors to provide property owners an estimate of their tax liability as well as information about how they can protest their assessed property values. Property owners would have the opportunity to fast track their appeal if the assessor is provided all the necessary information. Additionally, the bill would require property tax administrators to publish the assessors’ handbook, which includes appraisals procedures, and allow for public comment and review on the handbook and proposed changes. For commercial properties, the bill improves transparency in how they are valued by requiring the notice of valuation to notify property owners that they can obtain details from their assessor about how their property was valued. Previous Next

A new law goes into effect on August 7 to grant funding to community-based organizations that provide crucial services to new immigrants. < Back July 29, 2024 Law Goes Into Effect to Support New Immigrants DENVER, CO - A new law goes into effect on August 7 to grant funding to community-based organizations that provide crucial services to new immigrants. “Diversity makes our Colorado communities stronger. We must set up new immigrants for success so they can create a better and safer life for themselves and their families,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “By strengthening Colorado’s existing community-based resources, new immigrants will have a better chance of building a thriving life, just like the generations of immigrants before them did.” “Colorado’s immigrant communities make our state stronger,” said Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. “With the recent increase of new immigrants to our state, community organizations and local governments are struggling to keep up with the high demand for services. Increasing access to resources like employment and housing services will help new immigrants build successful lives in Colorado.” “Colorado has seen a significant increase in new immigrants, and counties and organizations across the state are struggling to keep up with the demand for necessary services and resources,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County. “Resources like referrals to housing, employment assistance, and school enrollment support have a significant impact on new residents achieving stability here. With our new law going into effect, we can better support the good work that community organizations are already doing to aid new immigrants as they transition to life in Colorado.” “Colorado has seen a recent influx of new immigrants, and they often arrive with very little and no knowledge or connections to help them integrate,” said Senator Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “This critical law will better resource existing community-based organizations so they can support new immigrants and provide them with the tools they need to thrive in Colorado.” HB24-1280 creates the Statewide Welcome, Reception, and Integration Grant Program to grant funds to community-based organizations that provide services to new immigrants within their first year in the United States. Grant money can be used for: Conducting an intake and assessment of needs, Providing cultural orientation and case management, Services or referrals to employment services, immigration legal assistance, housing-related services, transportation services, financial orientation, mental and physical health services, interpretation and translation services, and English as a second language courses, Distributing emergency and transitional supplies, and Assisting new immigrant parents to enroll their kids in public schools or summer programs. Previous Next

< Back May 10, 2021 COLORADO PROUD GETS A BOOST DENVER, CO– The House Agriculture, Livestock, and Water Committee today passed legislation by a vote of 11-0 to help Colorado agriculture producers increase sales in markets across the globe. “CO Proud promotes buying locally grown, raised, and processed food and Rural agricultural products. It teaches and educates consumers that when they buy Colorado Proud they are receiving high-quality fresh products and helping Colorado’s economy, farmers, ranchers, greenhouses, manufacturers and processors. Colorado Proud has helped our state’s agriculture producers sell their products all across Colorado, the US and the world,” said Rep Donald Valdez, D- La Jara. “This bill is going to help rural Colorado recover faster from the pandemic and build back stronger. I’m proud that we were able to come together in a bipartisan way to give Colorado Proud a boost and help our farmers sell their goods in markets all across the globe.” Colorado’s robust agricultural sector has been the backbone of our economy for decades, and the pandemic has burdened the industry with unique challenges that require additional resources to overcome. To accelerate the economic recovery of our agricultural and rural communities, SB21-203 , which is sponsored by Representatives Donald Valdez and Rod Pelton, provides $2.5 million to the Department of Agriculture for the Colorado Proud program. Colorado Proud provides new opportunities for Colorado’s food and agricultural producers to increase sales globally and helps support the growth and resiliency of Colorado food systems. Previous Next

< Back February 1, 2019 REP. MCCLUSKIE INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR COLORADANS Reinsurance is a proven approach to helping cut health care costs (Feb. 1) – Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, introduced a bipartisan bill today to lower health care costs for Coloradans across the state. Coloradans on the individual market are struggling to keep up with the out-of-control costs of health care, particularly in rural areas of the state. By establishing a reinsurance program Colorado can stabilize the individual marketplace, increase health insurance participation and share the risks more broadly. “I heard in my own community–and in mountain and rural communities across the Western Slope–that access to affordable health care is the single greatest challenge for hardworking families,” said Rep. McCluskie. “The time for action is now, and we must continue working across the aisle to help lower the high cost of health care in our state.” Rising health care costs are driven in part by the underlying cost of care but are exacerbated by an insurance market that assigns the highest risks and highest costs to the individual market. This is particularly the case on the Western Slope and in rural Colorado, causing families and individuals to forgo health insurance coverage and putting them at major risk of medical debt if emergencies arise. Rep. McCluskie introduced the bipartisan bill in the House with Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction. Senator Kerry Donovan, D-Vail and Senator Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale are the Senate sponsors. This bipartisan HB19-1168 aims to reduce insurance premiums for individuals and families by January 2020 to provide much-needed relief to Coloradans, many of whom are paying up to a third of their income on monthly premiums. Our state, especially the Western slope, has some of the highest health insurance costs in the country. Reinsurance can be considered insurance for Colorado’s health insurers. The bill will establish three tiers, from the highest cost areas of the state to the lowest cost areas, in order to pass savings on to Coloradans. The first tier, consisting of regions in the state with the highest costs, will experience the greatest reduction in premiums, by 30 to 35 percent. The second tier will experience reductions in premiums by 20 to 25 percent. Finally, the third tier, regions with the lowest costs, will experience reductions in premiums by 15 to 20 percent. How a reinsurance program works: The reinsurance program will pay a percentage of claims, also known as the coinsurance rate, once the claim reaches the minimum amount required in order to be eligible for reinsurance coverage. This minimum amount is called the attachment point. The program will continue to pay up to an identified claim amount called the reinsurance cap. Claims costs exceeding the cap are not eligible for reinsurance coverage. By insuring this middle range of claims the bill will help reduce risk in the market. As a result, reinsurance helps drive down costs across the board. The initial premium savings for Coloradans comes from a reduction in the amount paid to hospitals and other providers, which leads to a reduction in the amount paid by health insurers. These savings are then passed along to people purchasing insurance on the individual marketplace. The state will request a section 1332 waiver from the federal government to implement and help fund the reinsurance program, like eight other states have done to implement similar programs. Previous Next

< Back March 8, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: INNOVATIVE BILLS TO SAVE PEOPLE MONEY ON HOUSING INTRODUCED Legislation will invest $65 million in pandemic relief funds to spur development of innovative housing and expand access to “missing middle” workforce housing DENVER, CO – Legislation to save people money on housing by building thousands more innovative homes, such as factory-built homes, and expanding access to critical workforce housing were introduced in the House and Senate yesterday afternoon. “This legislation is going to save people money on housing by boosting the construction of innovative housing units across Colorado,” said Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Federal Heights. “The homes we’re looking to promote with this bill can be built quickly, are affordable, and will create new manufacturing and construction jobs in Colorado. This bill will lead to thousands of new affordable homes across the state that will increase Colorado’s homeownership rate and drive down housing costs for hardworking families.” “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, where they grew up, or really anywhere in the state. This bill will create good-paying jobs while quickly increasing our housing stock with quality, affordable homes that will help drive down the cost of housing and get roofs over heads as quickly as possible. I am proud to sponsor this critical bipartisan legislation as we continue fighting to make sure every Colorado family has a place they can afford to call home.” Innovative Housing Incentive Program: HB22-1282 , sponsored by Representatives Kyle Mullica and Mike Lynch, and Senators Jeff Bridges and Rob Woodward, 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. 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 affordable housing. The legislation will also create jobs by incentivizing new innovative housing companies to manufacture and place their homes in Colorado. “The lack of affordable workforce housing is devastating communities, employers and middle income Coloradans across the state, which is why I’m so excited to sponsor legislation that will inject funding into the state’s Middle Income Access Program,” said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs. “The Middle Income Access Program has a successful track record of leveraging funds to foster the development of affordable workforce housing. This bill makes a meaningful investment to build off of that success, saving people money on housing through the creation of workforce housing across the state.” “Coloradans across the state are struggling to afford a place to live, and the time to act is now,” said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “This bill will improve support systems for middle income families whose modest resources squeeze them between skyrocketing housing costs and ineligibility for assistance, save people money, and help more Colorado families thrive.” CHFA Middle Income Access Program: SB22-146 , sponsored by Senators Rachel Zenzinger and Denis Hisey and Representatives Marc Snyder and Marc Catlin, will expand critical workforce housing so that more Coloradans and communities have access to affordable housing where it’s needed most. The legislation provides $25 million for the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority’s Middle-Income Access Program , which serves middle income families and individuals with incomes too high to qualify for low income housing tax credits. Typically, the missing middle is made up of renters whose income is between 80 percent and 120 percent of area median income. Previous Next

Rep. Titone was integral in passing a right to repair for agriculture equipment during the 2023 session < Back February 5, 2024 Titone Recognized as Rocky Mountain Farmers Union ‘Legislator of the Year’ DENVER, CO – Representative Brianna Titone was named ‘Legislator of the Year’ by Rocky Mountain Farmers Union today for her crucial work in securing the first and only right to repair agriculture equipment law in the nation. “It’s an incredible honor to be selected as Legislator of the Year by Rocky Mountain Farmers Union,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada . “At its core, right to repair empowers people to fix their own equipment, saving them time, money and resources along the way. Thanks to legislation we passed last year, Colorado’s farmers and ranchers have the freedom to fix their own equipment and save thousands of dollars on costly repairs. This right to repair agricultural equipment law is a huge step forward in my ongoing legislative efforts to equip Coloradans with the tools to fix their own stuff when it breaks.” During the 2023 legislative session, Rep. Titone spearheaded HB23-1011 , which requires agricultural equipment manufacturers to comply with existing consumer right to repair laws. Specifically, agricultural equipment manufacturers need to provide necessary parts, software, firmware, tools or documentation to independent repair providers and owners at a fair and reasonable price. Agriculture is one of the largest and leading industries in the state of Colorado. HB23-1011 was supported by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the Corn Growers, Wheat Growers, Wool Producers, Fruit and Vegetable Producers, the Cattleman, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. In addition to HB23-1011, Representatives Titone and David Ortiz, D-Littleton, passed two trailblazing right to repair laws specifically for wheelchair users in 2022. These laws require wheelchair manufacturers to provide parts and software to consumers and eliminate the need for prior authorization to repair powered wheelchairs and other complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) for Medicaid recipients. Previous Next

< Back February 26, 2019 GRAY & JAQUEZ LEWIS ELECTRIC VEHICLE BILL ON THE MOVE Bill will help consumers and reduce carbon pollution emissions (Feb. 25) – The House Energy and Environment committee approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Longmont, and Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield, that would extend the Electric Vehicle tax credit from 2022 to 2025 as it is currently set to expire in 2021. “We need to usher these vehicles at a time where they are the rule, not the exception,” said Rep. Gray. “We need to make sure we are supporting these vehicles, getting more of them on the road, and making a cleaner future for our state.” The state innovative motor vehicle income tax credit is intended to reduce the cost of alternative fuel vehicles and incentivize their purchase. This tax credit is especially accessible because customers may work with the auto dealer to receive the tax credit immediately at the time of purchase. Colorado is widely considered to be one of the best states to buy an electric vehicle. “The next several years are a critical time for the adoption of cleaner vehicles. The irrefutable scientific data says we must act now. More people driving cleaner cars will lead to cleaner air, improve public health and help protect our Colorado way of life,” said Rep. Jaquez Lewis. “This bill extends the innovative motor vehicle tax credits for the cleanest vehicles on the market. More Coloradans will be able to purchase or lease these vehicles and our communities will benefit from this growing technology.” 2018 was the fourth-hottest year on record and the five hottest years on record occurred in the past five years. Cars and trucks account for one-fifth of the United States carbon pollution emissions. The bill modifies the amount of the tax credit and extends the number of years the credit is available for the purchase or lease of an electric motor vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric motor vehicle, an original equipment manufacturer electric truck and plug-in hybrid electric truck. The Auto Alliance has estimated that Colorado has just over 7,200 electric vehicles registered in Colorado. While small, support from this tax credit will help more drivers make the decision to go electric and thus reduce the amount of harmful carbon emissions in our atmosphere. HB19-1159 was approved by a vote of 7-4 now goes to the Finance committee. Previous Next

< Back July 2, 2020 BILLS TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SIGNED INTO LAW DENVER, CO — During a virtual bill signing ceremony today, Governor Jared Polis signed into law three bills to hold corporate polluters accountable, enhance public notification requirements when toxic chemicals are emitted by polluters, and improve the energy efficiency of new public school constructions. HB20-1265 , sponsored by Representatives Adrienne Benavidez and Alex Valdez, will inform Colorado communities when toxic chemicals are emitted from many refineries, factories, coal plants and other facilities. These air toxins heavily impact the communities that live close by and can cause a number of health complications. This new law requires facilities to conduct outreach in English and Spanish and notify the surrounding communities when they release toxic levels of benzene, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide into the air. The requirement applies to both anticipated or unanticipated incidents, including as a result of a malfunction, start-up, shutdown, upset or emergency. “The new law signed today will protect the rights of all Coloradans to breathe clean air and ensure they are empowered with clear information about the activities of their industrial neighbors,” said Rep. Benavidez, D-Adams County. “The often low-income, often non-English speaking communities that are directly affected by toxic emissions have a right to know when polluters release deadly chemicals into the air their children breathe. This common sense new law requires notification and will help ensure Coloradans have the information they need.” “This new law came about through the power of an organized community demanding change,” said Rep. Valdez, D-Denver. “Notifying communities when dangerous levels of toxins have been emitted is a reasonable requirement for industry, but it will go a long way towards empowering our neighborhoods, our families, and our state with crucial information. I’m proud of the work we’ve done here.” The second bill signed into law, HB20-1143 , sponsored by Reps. Dominique Jackson and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, would hold polluters accountable by increasing criminal penalties for the pollution of state waters and raising the maximum daily fine for civil air and water quality violations. The bill would also give the Attorney General and District Attorneys jurisdiction over water quality violations. “By increasing the consequences for polluters, today we took an important step towards ensuring corporate accountability and protecting our environment,” said Rep. Jackson, D-Aurora. “All Coloradans have the right to clean air and water, and this will go a long way to guarantee that the bad actors infringing on this right are held accountable.” “Far too many people of color and low-income Coloradans deal with the health impacts of air and water pollution in their communities every day,” said Rep. Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “This new law provides more tools to crack down on polluters and encourage them to take community health and safety more seriously. There is no excuse for polluting the air our communities breathe and the water our children drink.” Finally, Governor Polis signed SB20-124 , Representative Bri Buentello’s bipartisan bill to help Colorado’s public schools become more energy efficient. Under current law, the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program uses a specific set of guidelines when reviewing applications for grant funding for capital repairs or improvements. This new law will add a guideline for the BEST program to consider when looking at grant applications that they consult with the local electric utility on energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, and distributed generation opportunities. “As a teacher, I know firsthand how much Colorado’s schools need the type of support provided by BEST grants,” said Rep. Bri Buentello, D-Pueblo. “In addition to considering things like health and safety issues and broadband connectivity, the BEST program will now take into account the energy efficiency of schools applying for grant funding. Helping our schools become energy efficient will save school districts crucial funds and go a long way towards protecting the environment that Colorado’s children will grow up with.” Previous Next