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< Back May 7, 2023 Legislation to Save Coloradans Money on Energy Bills, Reduce Price Shocks Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to save Coloradans money on their energy bills and improve pricing stability to prevent unpredictable rate spikes. The bill, sponsored by Representatives Chris deGruy Kennedy and Matthew Martinez, would increase transparency and accountability of investor-owned utility companies before the Public Utilities Commission. “Coloradans are counting on us to address rising and erratic utility costs, and we’re proud to move forward with this solution,” said Joint Select Committee Vice Chair Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “This important legislation sets in motion both short and long-term, cost-saving solutions that increase transparency and accountability to protect Coloradans from rate spikes that leave them choosing between heating their home and putting food on the table while utilities rake in record profits. It also rebalances the relationship between ratepayers and utility companies so Coloradans aren’t subsidizing lobbying, advertising and other expenses that utilities pass on to consumers.” “We’ve spent time with consumer advocates, utility companies, and policy experts as we’ve worked to uncover the root causes for rising utility rates,” said Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista. “Our legislation improves accountability and transparency by creating a fairer utility rate setting process that centers the interests of ratepayers. Coloradans’ voices need to be front and center, and this bill will better align utility and consumer interests so ratepayers aren’t stuck with high, unpredictable utility bills.” SB23-291 , which passed the House by a vote of 64-19, presents a package of reforms to lower utility bills now and in the future. It rebalances the kind of expenses paid by utility shareholders versus ratepayers, aligns incentives on fuel purchasing, and levels the playing field at Public Utilities Commission (PUC) proceedings, where costly infrastructure plans are proposed and approved. The bill would limit utility expenses that can be paid by ratepayers, such as lobbying and advertising, which would be more appropriately paid by company shareholders. It would also create a cost-sharing mechanism to incentivize utilities to save their customers money on fuel costs, and allow the PUC to set a maximum monthly fuel cost to smooth out monthly bills and avoid sudden sharp increases. Additionally, the bill would require utilities to report more detailed justification for their plans when they request a rate increase, which will help regulators and consumer advocates evaluate whether proposed investments are truly in the public interest. In addition, the bill empowers the PUC to reduce utilities’ ability to charge their consumers for expensive consultants and lawyers that argue on behalf of rate increases. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Lorena Garcia and Iman Jodeh to improve maternal health care in Colorado. < Back April 17, 2024 House Passes Legislation to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Address Disparity of Care for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Lorena Garcia and Iman Jodeh to improve maternal health care in Colorado. HB24-1262 includes modifying the midwife licensure process and creating a new professional title, collecting more data on mistreatment during the perinatal period, and requiring advance notice to a patient when a facility reduces or ends maternal health care services. HB24-1262 passed the House by a vote of 48 to 12. “Coloradans increasingly want expanded birth options, especially in Black and Latino communities, but existing barriers prevent community birth facilities from providing these services,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County. “Increasing access to maternal care, including midwives, will allow Colorado parents to choose a birth plan that fits their needs. By giving Coloradans more options for maternal health care, we can reduce the impacts of the maternal mortality crisis and save lives.” “The worsening maternal mortality crisis is a growing issue, especially for Black, Indigenous, and rural parents, and our bill seeks to address these preventable deaths,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “Maternal health deserts and other barriers to maternal health care access prevent parents from receiving necessary, and sometimes life-saving care. By boosting health care provider options and perinatal resources, we can create a health care system that keeps our parents and newborns safe and healthy.” Starting September 1, 2024, HB24-1262 would require any individual who practices certified professional midwifery to have a valid license. The bill would update the title of “direct-entry midwives” to “certified professional midwives” (CPMs) and change the regulation from registration to licensure. The licensure process includes passing an exam, graduating from an accredited midwifery education program, holding a CPM credential from the North American Registry of Midwives, being certified by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross to perform adult and infant CPR, or having an equivalent education that is approved by the director of the Division of Professions and Occupations. The bill would also: Direct the Civil Rights Commission to collect reports of mistreatment in maternity care to help identify ways to address prenatal mistreatment and discrimination, Create an advisory panel to provide recommendations on disciplinary actions against CPMs, Add a midwife who is practicing in a freestanding birth center, in a rural area, or as a home birth provider to the Environmental Justice Advisory Board, Require a health care facility that provides maternal health care services to provide public notice at least 90 days before the discontinuation of these services, Require the Colorado Maternal Mortality Prevention Program to study the availability of perinatal health care, facility and practice closures and the impacts on maternal and infant health, and provide recommendations to the General Assembly, and Add pregnancy as a protected class for the purposes of discrimination in places of public accommodation. The Colorado Maternal Mortality Review Committee made recommendations to combat the maternal mortality crisis, including increasing access to varied health care like midwifery, addressing maternal health workforce shortages, and studying the impact of facility shortages on Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, rural, and immigrant and refugee communities. A 2022 report found that 38 percent of Colorado counties are a maternal health care desert, meaning they don’t have perinatal health care providers or birth centers. A 2023 report found that Black Coloradans are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or within one year postpartum, while Indigenous communities are three times as likely. Previous Next

< Back April 19, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES MULLICA’S BIPARTISAN BILL TO INCREASE HEALTH CARE ACCESS IN SCHOOLS (Apr. 19) – The House final gave approval today to a bill sponsored by Rep. Kyle Mullica to hire more school nurses in schools across Colorado, especially schools in rural areas and in disadvantaged communities. “As a nurse, I see first hand how untrained school staff are administering medication to students with chronic illnesses. This can be dangerous for the staff and especially for the students,” said Rep. Mullica, D-Northglenn.“ This bill would ensure Colorado’s kids have access to health care professionals in their schools. School nurses provide a range of health care services to our students while also handling medical emergencies during the school day.” Rep. Mullica is a trained trauma nurse by profession. HB19-1203 would provide grants to improve the ratio of school nurses to students while also prioritizing nurses in rural areas and lower-income communities. This bill also allows school nurses to partner with local public health agencies so that nurse practitioners can also serve in schools. Currently, there are 632 nurses that serve 910,000 school-aged students. That’s roughly one nurse for every 1,500 to 1,700 students. HB19-1203 passed with a bipartisan vote of 51-13 and now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back May 18, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! BILLS TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE, BETTER PREPARE COLORADO FOR FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES Legislation will save health care workers money, improve hospital readiness, increase emergency PPE stockpile THORNTON, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed into law a slate of bills aimed at supporting health care workers and better preparing Colorado for the next public health emergency. HB22-1298 , sponsored by Representative Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, and Senators Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Boulder County, and Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, will save Colorado’s health care workers money through fee relief for nurses and psychiatric technicians. “We are preparing now for the next public health emergency and making sure we have enough health care professionals to meet demand in Colorado,” said Mullica. “Staffing shortages coupled with pandemic pressures have left our health care workers—my colleagues—feeling overworked and burned out. The four bills signed into law today are designed to build a healthier Colorado by investing in our professional health care workforce and making sure we are not caught flat footed during the next pandemic. From fee relief to stockpiling PPE to investing more than $61 million to train and recruit the next generation of talented nurses, these laws prioritize high quality health care in Colorado.” “Our health care heroes have faced immeasurable challenges over the last two years, but regardless of these challenges, they have stepped up to the plate every day to care for Coloradans,” said Hinrichsen. “That’s why I’m proud to see this bill, which will help alleviate the pressure our essential workers have faced through much deserved fee relief for professional licensing and certification, become law to save Coloradans money and provide the support these workers deserve to move forward.” The new law provides licensure and certification fee relief for nurses, nurse aides and psychiatric technicians, and will save health care workers $11.7 million over two years on their professional licensing and certification. Polis also signed into law SB22-226 , a bipartisan bill sponsored by Mullica and Jaquez Lewis that will bolster Colorado’s health care workforce through a $61 million investment in education, training, recruitment and retention of nurses and health care workers. “As we move forward together, we must invest in Colorado’s health care workforce and better prepare and equip our health care heroes,” Jaquez Lewis said. “This new law will not only result in better quality of care for Coloradans, it will give workers advanced skill sets that help them grow and move forward in their careers.” SB22-226 addresses the shortage of health care workers by assisting with tuition and fees to help people get into high-demand health care fields. These programs require clinical hours at health facilities, currently a major limiting factor in how many students schools can accept. To address this, the bill would also provide funding for health care facilities to increase training slots to build long-term capacity to train new and existing employees. Polis also signed a pair of bills to better prepare Colorado for future public health emergencies. HB22-1352 , sponsored by Mullica and Jaquez Lewis, will require the state to maintain a stockpile of essential materials, including personal protective equipment (PPE). “As we begin to live alongside this disease and balance returning to normal with keeping ourselves, our families, and our communities safe, we must apply the lessons we’ve learned the past few years,” Jaquez Lewis said. “These new requirements will boost our emergency stockpile of PPE so that our health care providers have the critical tools and resources they need, and ensure they are better prepared to respond and keep us safe the next time a public health emergency strikes.” This law will invest nearly $2 million to stockpile medical-grade PPE in Colorado so hospitals, vaccine clinics and other medical sites can have access to the protective equipment they need to keep them safe. Schools, community centers and other organizations can also receive stockpiled PPE. Finally, Polis also signed legislation sponsored by Mullica and Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, to improve hospitals’ and health facilities’ preparedness to meet increased demands for care. HB22-1401 requires every Colorado hospital to establish a nurse staffing plan to meet patient needs when demand surges to ensure that every patient receives the care they deserve. “Every day, Colorado’s nurses go above and beyond to save lives and keep our hospitals running,” said Moreno. “As a result, far too many of our healthcare workers are overworked and burnt out from the demands of their jobs. By requiring hospitals to establish a plan to meet increased demand for patient care, we will combat those feelings of burnout within our nurses and ensure a high level of patient care that Coloradans deserve.” Previous Next

HB25-1239 will expand protections under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act < Back July 23, 2025 Law to Strengthen the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act Goes Into Effect HB25-1239 will expand protections under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act DENVER, CO - On August 6, legislation sponsored by Representative Yara Zokaie, Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker and Senators Lindsey Daugherty and Mike Weissman to strengthen Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws goes into effect. “Under threat from the Trump Administration, it’s more important now than ever that we strengthen Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws,” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins. “When someone is wronged, we have a duty to create a pathway to justice. With this new law going into effect, we’re upholding our shared values of fairness, dignity, and equality under Colorado law and better protecting Coloradans who experience discrimination.” “People with disabilities should have the same rights to seek damages after experiencing discrimination as any other protected group,” said Sen. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “This lawbill ensures that people with disabilities can be compensated for attorney fees, emotional distress, and other noneconomic harms if they experience discrimination or violation of their civil rights.” “This law remedies unreasonable deadlines, barriers to financial compensation and other gaps in the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to strengthen protections for Coloradans who experience discrimination,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “From housing discrimination to inaccessible building entrances, Coloradans with disabilities have faced barriers to access for far too long. This law provides crucial recourse to people with disabilities and other victims of discrimination to ensure they can receive the justice they deserve.” “The cost of hiring an attorney prevents many Coloradans from pursuing justice after facing discrimination,” said Sen. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “People with disabilities who are denied housing or turned away from public spaces deserve a clear path to hold wrongdoers accountable and access the support they need to move forward.” HB25-1239 will expand protections under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) to protect vulnerable communities, especially Coloradans with disabilities. This law stems from a task force established by the legislature in 2023 to study the rights of Coloradans with disabilities and make recommendations. HB25-1239 is the largest expansion of CADA enforcement rights since CADA was passed nearly 70 years ago. This new law will allow victims of discrimination to receive monetary compensation for unfair housing practices, discrimination in places of public accommodation, or a violation of their civil rights under the CADA for all protected classes. Under the law, victims will be able to recover attorney’s fees and costs, and either recovery of actual monetary damages, non-economic damages of up to $50,000, or a statutory fine of $5,000 per violation per aggrieved party. Awards for damages for non-economic loss or injury will be limited to $50,000. A defendant will be entitled to a 50 percent reduction of the amount of the non-economic loss or injury if the defendant corrects the violation within 30 days of the complaint and did not knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly cause the violation. Previous Next

< Back March 3, 2021 MEDIA LITERACY FOR STUDENTS MOVES FORWARD DENVER, CO– The Education Committee today advanced a bipartisan bill to make media literacy resources available to students and to incorporate media literacy into curricula. The committee approved the bill on a vote of 6-3. “In this digital age of social media and 24 hour news, our children have more access to information and misinformation than ever before,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter (D-Jefferson County) . “Today we took an important step towards providing our kids with the tools they need to become responsible consumers of information. What could be more important than making sure we agree on the facts before discussing the best ways to move our communities forward. This isn’t about taking sides or choosing which opinion has more merit– it’s about teaching our kids how to tell facts from fiction.” “It can be challenging for anyone, of any age, to tell the difference between truth, opinion, and lies online and on social media,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, (D-Durango) . “Teaching media literacy in classrooms will empower Colorado’s young people to responsibly assess the information presented to them. Media literacy is good for our communities and our democracy. I’m proud we moved forward on this important proposal today.” HB21-1103 directs the state board of education to ensure media literacy is incorporated into reading, writing and civics standards. It also tasks the Colorado Department of Education with creating an online resource bank of materials related to media literacy and, if resources allow, supporting school districts in implementing media literacy curriculum upon request. Previous Next

Bill carries out recommendations from the Environmental Justice Action Task Force < Back March 21, 2024 Legislation to Address Long-Standing Environmental Injustices in Colorado Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Energy & Environment Committee today passed legislation to help address some of the long-standing environmental injustices that have disproportionately impacted communities of color and low-income communities in Colorado. HB24-1338 , sponsored by Representatives Manny Rutinel and Elizabeth Velasco, would direct the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to carry out recommendations from the Environmental Justice Action Task Force, created by HB21-1266 . “The Environmental Justice Action Task Force spent almost a year meeting with communities and gathering important data points to create a comprehensive checklist of must-dos to clean up our air and support communities disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution,” said Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City. “This bill implements key task force recommendations, including increased oversight of known polluters and better response time to community complaints of air pollution. Our legislation also dives deeper into the cumulative impacts of environmental injustice, so we can better understand and address the burdens on our neighbors of color and low income neighbors affected by harmful pollution.” “Coloradans of color and low-income communities across our state have been disproportionately impacted by poor air quality and other environmental factors that have led to breathing or other health related issues,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “We owe it to our neighbors to implement the recommendations of the Environmental Justice Action Task Force to clean up our air, take air pollution complaints seriously and combat some of the long-standing environmental injustices. Environmental justice is a statewide issue, and we all deserve access to clean air and water. This legislation takes the hard work of the task force and implements it into real, effective policy to make it easier for Coloradans most affected by poor air quality, and water and soil pollution to lead healthy lives.” HB24-1338 passed by a vote of 9-4 and would authorize the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to carry out recommendations of the Environmental Justice Action Task Force and address long-standing environmental injustices. Specifically, this bill would: Increase oversight of petroleum refineries. The bill would fund the hiring of an expert in air pollution control for petroleum refineries. This expert would assess gaps in public health protections and identify the best regulatory tools to fill those gaps. The bill would also require refineries to provide near real-time emissions monitoring and compliance data. Improve response to air pollution complaints. The department’s Air Pollution Control Division would house a new rapid response inspection team to support quicker responses to air pollution complaints by impacted communities. Analyze the cumulative impacts of pollution . The bill would implement recommendations of the Environmental Justice Action Task Force by formally establishing and authorizing the department's Office of Environmental Justice to create at least two Environmental Equity and Cumulative Impact Analyses to analyze the cumulative air, water, soil, and demographic impacts in specific disproportionately impacted communities. Founded in 2021 through HB21-1266, the Environmental Justice Action Task Force hosted several in-person meetings and gatherings with Coloradans in Commerce City, Grand Junction, Greeley, and Pueblo in addition to receiving more than 300 written comments and survey responses. The task force provided its final recommendations to Governor Polis, the legislature and the CDPHE in 2022. Previous Next

< Back January 8, 2020 HOUSE DEMS TO INTRO FIRST 10 BILLS Colorado House Democrats today will introduce their first 10 bills of the Second-session of the Seventy-Second General Assembly. “These ten bills reflect our priorities — to invest in our state’s future, protect the Colorado way of life, and build an economy that works for all,” said Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder). “We’re excited to continue working across the aisle on behalf of all Coloradans to reduce teen nicotine use, make higher education more attainable, improve school safety and expand economic opportunity in rural parts of our state.” The speaker called on members to come to the table to solve problems together in her Opening Day remarks, and the first five bills reflect her and the caucus’s commitment to bringing a diverse array of stakeholders to the table to address the challenges facing Coloradans. HB20-1001 Nicotine Product Regulation The bill would raise the minimum age of sale for cigarettes, tobacco and other nicotine products, including electronic smoking devices, to 21 years of age and add enforcement measures. It would require every retailer of nicotine products to be licensed by the Liquor Enforcement Division of the Department of Revenue, increase compliance checks, prohibit new retail locations within 500 feet of schools and create new fines and penalties for failing to obtain a license or for selling products to people under age 21. It also holds retailers accountable for preventing underage sales by removing the criminal penalty for minors who purchase these products. Sponsors: Reps. Kyle Mullica (D-Northglenn) and Colin Larson (R-Littleton) HB20-1002 Providing College Credit for Work-Related Experience HB20-1002, which advanced from the Making Higher Education Attainable Interim Committee, would require the Commission on Higher Education to create a model to award academic credit for work-related experiences. The credits would be acceptable and transferable across all state institutions, improving access and affordability for non-traditional students. Sponsors: Reps. Barbara McLachlan (D-Durango) and Mark Baisley (R-Roxborough Park) HB20-1003 Improving and Extending the Rural Jumpstart Program By eliminating provisions that limit eligibility for the Rural Jump-Start Program , this legislation would enable more businesses to take advantage of the incentives and benefits offered in distressed areas of rural Colorado. HB20-1003 also extends the program for five years and allows economic development organizations to form Rural Jump-Start Zone programs to authorize new businesses to participate. Sponsors: Rep. Dylan Roberts (D-Avon) and Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction) HB20-1004 Expanding Access to Wildfire Mitigation Assistance HB20-1004, which advanced from the Wildfire Matters Review Committee, would establish a grant program to conduct outreach to landowners in high wildfire hazard areas of the resources available for wildfire mitigation. The bill also extends the income tax deduction for wildfire mitigation efforts to 2024 and allows landowners to deduct 100 percent of their costs, up from 50 percent, up to $2,500. Sponsors: Reps. Lisa Cutter (D-Jefferson County) and Perry Will (R-New Castle) HB20-1005 Improving the Safe2Tell Program The bill, which advanced from the School Safety Interim Committee, would improve the Safe2Tell program by ensuring that individuals in crisis can rapidly access crisis counseling. It would also align the process for routing all types of incoming tips and adjust the annual advertising campaign to raise awareness about the program and reduce its misuse. Finally, it would enhance law enforcement’s ability to prevent imminent physical harm to Colorado’s students. Sponsors: Reps. Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City) and Kevin Van Winkle (R-Highlands Ranch) HB20-1006 Improving Access to Early Childhood Mental Health HB20-1006, which advanced from the Early Childhood Readiness Interim Committee, would create a statewide childhood mental health consultation program to support and expand early childhood mental health services across various early childhood settings around the state, particularly education, health and human services-related environments. Sponsors: Reps. Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon) and Emily Sirota (D-Denver) HB20-1007 Increasing K-12 Educator Diversity The legislation would direct the Departments of Education and Higher Education to investigate barriers to the recruitment and retention of a diverse educator workforce. It would also recommend strategies to achieve a more diverse educator workforce. Sponsor : Rep. James Coleman (D-Denver) HB20-1008 Protecting Consumers in Health Care Cost-Sharing Arrangements to Lower Costs This bill would create a definition for health care cost-sharing agreements that are not traditional health insurance to better protect consumers and help cover or defray medical costs. It requires improved reporting to the Commissioner of Insurance and outlines enhanced procedures for paying medical bills under cost-sharing agreements. Sponsor : Rep. Susan Lontine (D-Denver) HB20-1009 Suppressing Court Records During Eviction Proceedings HB20-1009 would create an automatic suppression of court records while eviction proceedings are ongoing so that they do not become public until after the final court order is entered. It would also remove these court records from public view if an eviction filing is dismissed, ensuring Coloradans and their families can access safe, affordable housing. Sponsors: Rep. Dominique Jackson (D-Denver) HB20-1010 Ending Prison Gerrymandering in Colorado The legislation, for purposes of census redistricting counts, would reassign prisoners in correctional facilities to their last known residence in Colorado prior to incarceration. Prisoners are currently assigned to voting districts based on where they are incarcerated instead of where their lives are based, even though they cannot vote. Sponsors: Rep. Kerry Tipper (D-Lakewood) Previous Next

< Back June 28, 2021 OVER $100M FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, NEW SUPPORT PROGRAMS SIGNED INTO LAW DENVER, CO– Governor Polis today signed four bills into law that will infuse $114 million in state and federal funds into the state’s behavioral health system, prevent substance use disorders, create the 9-8-8 suicide prevention hotline in Colorado and incorporate behavioral health into the state’s response to disasters, such as wildfires, floods or shootings. “As we listened to communities across Colorado about how we could most effectively direct American Rescue Plan Act funds, we consistently heard that we need to fix our state’s behavioral health system,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “SB21-137 sets aside over half a billion dollars to put Colorado on track to make the transformational changes we need to significantly improve access to behavioral health care. At the same time, we’re directing $114 million, right away, to providers, nonprofits and local governments to address Colorado’s behavioral health emergency.” SB21-137 , sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Chis Kennedy, will immediately deploy $114 million in state and federal stimulus funds to various behavioral health grant programs to assist providers, nonprofits and local governments address substance abuse, maternal and child health, and other behavioral health prevention and treatment programs around the state. To help address Colorado’s youth mental health crisis, the law requires CDHS to develop a program to provide emergency resources to licensed providers who face barriers in providing treatment and services to youth whose behavioral health needs require them to be in a residential facility. The bill creates the behavioral health cash fund and sets aside $450 million to be allocated through an interim process that will gather input from experts and craft recommendations. “The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated Colorado’s mental health crisis, and we’re seeing far more fatal drug overdoses and significantly increased demand for behavioral health services in our state,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “The bills Governor Polis signed today will immediately boost our state’s mental health system, prevent people from developing a substance use disorder and help Colorado build back stronger through historic investments that will substantially expand our mental health treatment capacity.” “Preventing substance use disorders will save lives and help our communities recover from the pandemic,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “This has been a deadly year for drug overdoses in our state. Coloradans need more options to reduce opioid use when other treatments may help. With the governor signing HB21-1276 today, we’ll continue critical efforts to improve benzodiazepine prescribing practices, and insurance plans will have to cover more options for pain treatment that will reduce opioid use and prevent substance use disorders.” Governor Polis also signed HB21-1276 , sponsored by Representatives Chris Kennedy and Leslie Herod, which seeks to prevent substance use disorder by increasing access to non-opioid and atypical opioid treatments. It also continues prescribing limits on opioids and puts in place a process to lower new prescriptions for benzodiazepine. In 2020, fatal drug overdoses increased by 59 percent in Colorado. “Colorado is seeing a rise in suicide deaths, and some parts of our state have the highest youth suicide rates in the country,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “One of my priorities this session was to improve crisis support services in Colorado. The two laws Governor Polis signed today will ensure people can get the support they need in the aftertermath of a disaster or tragedy or when they are in crisis.” SB21-154 , sponsored by Representatives Lisa Cutter and Matt Soper, implements the 988 national suicide prevention lifeline network in Colorado. By calling this number, individuals will be provided with crisis outreach, stabilization, and acute care that aims to prevent suicide deaths. The law aims to establish the new hotline by July 2022. HB21-1281 , sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Perry Will, creates the Community Behavioral Health Disaster Preparedness and Response Program in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The program is intended to enhance, support, and formalize behavioral health disaster preparedness and response activities of community behavioral health organizations. The intent of disaster response is to promote individual, family, and community resilience and it helps affected individuals return to a pre-disaster level of activity as quickly as possible. Disaster response methods include triage, basic support, psychological first aid, and making appropriate professional referrals in the community. Community mental health centers are already operating a number of programs that would fall within the scope of this fund, especially as they relate to COVID-19, but funding for these programs is often fragmented. The bill would provide funding to community behavioral health organizations for the disaster response services they provide. Previous Next

< Back February 27, 2020 REP. DONALD VALDEZ’S AMBER ALERT NOTIFICATION READINESS BILL ADVANCES UNANIMOUSLY DENVER, CO– The House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee today voted unanimously to pass Representative Donald Valdez’s bill to ensure Colorado’s AMBER Alert notification system stays up to date with the latest telecommunications technology. The bipartisan bill has already passed the Senate unanimously. “AMBER Alerts help our law enforcement officials protect some of the most vulnerable Coloradans,” said Rep. Donald Valdez, D-La Jara. “It is critical that our state stays up to date with the latest technology to notify Coloradans during an AMBER Alert emergency, and this bill will do just that.” SB20-079 requires the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to send AMBER Alerts using technological applications that promote the largest reach of community notifications. While Colorado’s current method of sending AMBER Alerts meets the criteria, this bill will ensure that Colorado’s AMBER Alert system keeps up with technological advances in the future to ensure the widespread receival of these critical alerts of missing children. Previous Next

< Back September 18, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: COLORADO DEMOCRATS SPEAK OUT ON ALLEGATIONS OF FORCED HYSTERECTOMIES PERFORMED BY ICE DENVER, CO – Democratic members of the House and Senate, with the full support of the Colorado Latino Democratic Caucus, today released the following statement regarding the claims made by Dawn Wooten, a nurse at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Georgia that detainees there have been denied basic medical care and subjected to hysterectomies without their consent. “These whistleblower claims of sterilization surgeries performed on immigrant women without their consent are horrifying and infuriating. If found to be true, these actions represent an unspeakable affront to human decency, dignity and rights. We support calls for Congressional investigations and demand that those responsible are held accountable and swiftly removed from their responsibilities overseeing the detention of immigrants. “Reports of families being separated, women being sexually assaulted, children being kept in cages and now women being sterilized without their consent – the Trump administration repeatedly doubles down on practices that treat undocumented immigrants as less than human. We must work to increase accountability and move towards a system that can enforce our country’s laws while treating immigrants with decency, compassion, and respect. That’s exactly why this year the legislature passed legislation allowing the state to conduct regular and unannounced follow-up inspections of ICE facilities in Colorado, just as it would conduct inspections of any other penal facility in our state. While not an overarching solution to the inhumane treatment of immigrants, this oversight is an important step that we can take at the state level to ensure basic health, and safety standards are met. “Crossing a border without proper documentation does not take away a person’s humanity or basic human rights. We demand a full and fair investigation into these allegations, and if they are found to be true, a swift end to these inhumane practices, accountability for any perpetrators and justice for victims.” Today’s statement is signed by Representatives Lontine, Garnett, Froelich, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Alex Valdez, Woodrow, Coleman, Herod, Sirota, Hooton, Singer, Jaquez-Lewis, Becker, Exum Sr., Snyder, Kennedy, Duran, Cutter, Roberts, Titone, Tipper, Kraft-Tharp, Sullivan, Melton, Michaelson Jenet, Caraveo, Benavidez, Mullica, Bird, Weissman, Buckner, Jackson, Esgar, Buentello, Young, Kipp, McLachlan, McCluskie, and Donald Valdez, as well as Senators Garcia, Fenberg, Todd, Fields, Donovan, Winter, Bridges, Danielson, Moreno, Story, Gonzales, Pettersen, Williams, Lee, Foote, Hansen, Zenzinger, Rodriguez, and Ginal. Previous Next

< 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