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< Back February 13, 2020 HB20-1155 CREATES MORE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OPTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS DENVER, CO– The House Committee on Energy and Environment today passed Representatives Mike Weissman and Alex Valdez’s bill to give home buyers more options with regards to energy efficiency products in new homes, such as electric vehicle charging, electric water heating and solar panel systems. The bill passed 8-1. “Homebuyers often want more options to improve energy efficiency, but installing wiring and other retrofits after a home is built can be expensive,” said Rep. Weissman, D-Aurora. “This bill gives homebuyers more options to pay upfront for the products they want, saving consumers money and time while improving the energy efficiency of new homes.” “This bill would require home builders to offer to install charging stations for electric vehicles, pre-wiring for electrical heating or hot water boilers and other energy efficiency options,” said Rep. Valdez, D-Denver. “This is how we, as Coloradans, can take part in moving towards carbon-free homes while saving money in the process.” HB20-1155 requires single-family home builders to make a non-mandatory offer to install or pre-wire homes for electric vehicle charging, electric heating, or electric water appliances. The home buyer would pay for the installation, and the bill does not mandate that a builder build or install anything that a buyer doesn’t want. Current law asks home builders to offer, if a buyer wants, to pre-wire for solar or thermal systems. This would expand that to electric vehicle charging, heating and water. It is less expensive to install or pre-wire for energy efficient appliances and vehicles when a home is being built than to retrofit a new home after it’s been purchased. Homebuyers can save money on electric vehicle charging if it’s installed when they build their homes. Together, these options will lead to more homes having energy efficient appliances, reducing the direct use of fossil fuels. Previous Next

Legislation aims to leverage hundreds of millions of federal dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act and position state to meet climate goals < Back May 22, 2024 Governor Signs Bills that Revitalize Colorado’s Community Solar Program, Modernize Electric Grid Legislation aims to leverage hundreds of millions of federal dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act and position state to meet climate goals BOULDER, CO – Today, Governor Jared Polis signed two pieces of legislation that revitalize Colorado’s community solar program , set new standards for equitable clean energy policy, and modernize Colorado’s energy distribution systems. SB24-207 , sponsored by Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, and Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, as well as Representatives Alex Valdez, D-Denver, and Matt Soper, R-Delta, is a bipartisan law that will put Colorado in a strong position to leverage hundreds of millions of federal dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act to expand access to the clean energy transition, upgrade Colorado’s electric grid, and reduce energy costs. “Colorado has ambitious goals of rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, electricity generation, building heating and cooling, water heating, and industrial fuel uses,” said Fenberg. “Our bills remove barriers to renewable energy, so every Coloradan who wants to access clean energy will be able to do so at a cost that won’t break the bank. With unprecedented federal funding opportunities through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, now is the time to revitalize Colorado’s grid and solar programs to meet our climate goals.” “Colorado is committed to meeting our renewable energy goals, and this new law will make it easier for Coloradans to harness renewable energy power, no matter what their living situation is,” said Valdez. “This is an exciting bipartisan bill that allows Coloradans to utilize solar power even if they don’t have rooftop access of their own, saving them money and helping Colorado transition to green energy.” “After the major power outages at the beginning of April, it was clear that utilities need to do more to guarantee energy resiliency during extreme weather or natural disasters,” said Hansen. “We need a strong electricity system to make sure we can reduce emissions, lower consumer costs, and improve reliability. A part of this also includes making Colorado’s community solar program more accessible to lower-income individuals and renters. Together, these policies will support our transition to clean energy while saving folks money on their energy bills” Community solar projects generate electricity that flows directly to the electricity grid. Community solar subscribers pay for a share of the electricity generated by the project, and then receive bill savings on their electricity bill in the form of a monthly credit. Community solar paired with storage alleviates stress on the grid and avoids costly transmission system upgrades. Colorado was the first state in the nation to pass community solar legislation - however, only one percent of Xcel’s customers are able to participate in community solar due to the program’s outdated design and limited size. The law improves the future of community solar in Colorado by: Requiring investor-owned utilities to continue allowing for the development of community solar projects; Reserving at least 51 percent of community solar projects for income-qualified residential subscribers; Delivering income-qualified residential customers a 25 percent bill credit discount, which increases to up to 50 percent with federal tax credits; Adopting subscriber enrollment methods and consumer protections; and Giving the Public Utilities Commission discretionary authority to evaluate community solar program requirements in 2028 and beyond. In order to accomplish Colorado’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meet state and federal decarbonization targets, Colorado’s electric grid needs updating. The second law, SB24-218 , also sponsored by Fenberg and Hansen, as well as Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Representative Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, includes a suite of policy changes to modernize and prepare the electric grid for the future. Improving the distribution system helps communities and utility consumers electrify heating and cooling in buildings, accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and solar energy, and reduce air pollution. “Colorado Democrats are making significant progress on environmental protections, and this law helps our state prepare for more electrification,” said Duran. “It’s crucial that we continue our efforts to combat climate change, which is why we passed this law to better expand our capacity to distribute electricity, support our workers, and create jobs.” “Addressing the threats of climate change is a top priority of mine at the Capitol, and I am proud that our legislation is now Colorado law,” said Brown. “Renewable energy is on the rise, and we have to ensure our infrastructure is up-to-date to accommodate our new energy systems. This new law will boost our economy and modernize our electrical grid to ensure a safe and smooth transition to renewable energy.” Coloradans have faced delays when installing electric vehicle chargers or rooftop solar, and delays in meeting our larger transportation and building electrification goals will persist if the distribution system isn’t updated. The law directs investor-owned utilities with more than 500,000 customers (qualified utility) to modernize the electric grid to the benefit of customers and to achieve state energy goals by: Improving distribution system planning to ensure investments meet transportation and building electrification goals, support distributed energy resources, and prepare for a changing energy marketplace; Addressing the cost allocation for infrastructure upgrades to avoid one customer paying for the cost of a system upgrade that would support state electrification goals and benefit other customers; Providing a long-term structure for how utilities will recover costs for distribution system upgrades while maintaining rate stability; Making workforce investments to provide the skilled workforce required to achieve these infrastructure upgrades; Clarifying the process and timeline for accommodating beneficial electrification loads and connecting customer-sited distributed energy resources to the qualified utility electrical grid; Establishing a Virtual Power Plant program that can help save customers money by taking advantage of distributed energy resources; and Expanding the undergrounding of powerlines and other community benefit investments to avoid the risks of wildfires and power outages during severe weather events. 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< Back April 7, 2022 HOUSE ED COMMITTEE CLEARS BILL TO IMPROVE STUDENT AND WORKFORCE SUCCESS DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed a bill to improve postsecondary student outcomes through data transparency. This bill was developed based on recommendations from the state’s Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force and will invest $3 million to prepare students for success and boost Colorado’s workforce. “With the proper data, we can improve outcomes for our students as they move through postsecondary education and into their careers,” said Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “Our bipartisan legislation invests to create modern, sophisticated data systems that track student success in a multitude of ways to better prepare them for the workforce. Colorado’s workforce is constantly changing and pathways to new, high-demand careers are opening every day. With this bill, we will be able to adapt educational experiences to meet economic demand.” Postsecondary Student Success Data System: Sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Perry Will, this bill will collect student success data to better inform the educational pathways needed to prepare them for the workforce. HB22-1349 invests federal funds to create a public-facing, interactive data system to track student progression from higher education into the workforce. This data system will make transparent student workforce success metrics for all state higher education institutions. The data and information collected will then be used to create better pathways for entering high-demand careers through developing curricula and programs that reflect the needs of Colorado’s economy. Based on recommendations from the Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force , the Colorado Commission on Higher Education will also determine new, dynamic ways to measure student success that could include credential completion rates, postsecondary employment outcomes and price to earning premiums among other factors. HB22-1349 passed committee unanimously. Previous Next

< Back May 13, 2021 GARNETT, SIROTA ADVANCE BILL TO CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DENVER, CO– The House Education Committee today advanced Speaker Alec Garnett and Rep. Emily Sirota’s bill to create a new, cabinet-level state agency focused on early childhood education and care, setting up the framework for universal pre-K in Colorado. The bill passed by a vote of 7-2. “Every parent in Colorado wants to give their kids the best possible shot at success, and we know that starting with high quality early childhood education is the best way to do so,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver . “Guided by the input of parents, advocates, and educators, this bill seeks to create an innovative new agency that will help ensure Colorado families can access affordable, quality preschool education and early learning services. We’re building back stronger for our youngest Coloradans too.” “The early childhood years are without a doubt the most crucial in a child’s cognitive development, and yet far too often this is also when families have the least support and children face the greatest barriers to opportunity,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “This bill helps solve this problem by laying the groundwork for universal pre-K and streamlines our early childhood efforts into one agency that will have the resources and funding necessary to help our youngest Coloradans succeed.” Based on the recommendations of the Early Childhood Leadership Commission, HB21-1304 creates the Department of Early Childhood as a new, cabinet-level state agency with a mission to expand access to high-quality, voluntary, affordable early childhood opportunities, support parents in accessing programs and services, promote equitable delivery of resources, and unify the fragmented administration of early childhood services to reduce duplicative oversight and administrative burden on families, providers, and educators. The bill also requires the creation of a plan to implement voluntary universal preschool statewide in alignment with Proposition EE, and streamlines existing and new funding sources for early childhood education and care programs. Under this legislation, the Governor would submit the community-informed transition plan to the Joint Budget Committee in November as part of his 2022 budget request, to be considered for further legislative action by the General Assembly in the 2022 session. Previous Next

< Back May 13, 2021 PROTECTIONS FOR ENERGY & TELECOM UTILITY CONSUMERS PASS COMMITTEE DENVER, CO– The House Energy and Environment Committee today passed legislation that would extend, improve, and rename the Office of Consumer Counsel, a division of the Department of Regulatory Agencies that represents the public interest in proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission, federal agencies, and the courts. “Each year, the newly renamed Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate saves Coloradans over $100 million, protecting everyone in our state from unfair utility rate increases or bills that should never have been sent,” said Majority Leader Danaya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “By finally providing the Office with adequate resources, we will empower them to serve as our watchdog and stop utilities from taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers. This bill will make sure that Colorado consumers always have a voice at the Public Utility Commission.” SB21-103 , which is sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar, would extend the OCC for seven years and change its name to the Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate. It would also implement the recommendations of the sunset review to clarify that the OCC can participate in hearings before state agencies, engage on telecom issues before the PUC, conduct its own legislative affairs (separating the department from DOLA’s legislative efforts), and request and obtain documents that are critical for its work, particularly documents that may bring to light utility practices that increase costs on Colorado consumers. The Office of Consumer Council is the voice of residential, small business, and agriculture consumers of electric and natural gas proceedings before the PUC, federal agencies, and the courts. It advocates for safe, reliable and affordable utility services and achieves savings for consumers through participation in regulatory hearings and through settlements with utility companies that result in rate reductions, refunds, or reductions in proposed rate increases. The OCC has saved consumers $1.7 billion over the last 30 years and has saved consumers $113 million on average per year during the last five years. It has returned more than $63 in savings for every dollar it takes in to finance its operations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the OCC has taken action to protect energy consumers. It worked to establish shut-off moratoriums; advocated for a moratorium on late fees, reconnection fees, and deposit requirements; and helped ensure that utilities extend repayment plans. Previous Next

< Back Meg Froelich Chair of the Transportation, Housing, & Local Gov Committee Representative Meg Froelich is Chair of the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee and a member of the State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee and represents House District 3, which includes Sheridan, Englewood, Cherry Hills Village, and Denver. Rep. Froelich is passionate about the health of all Coloradans, and endeavors to be a voice for the most vulnerable people in our communities as well as domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. During the 2022 legislative session, Rep. Froelich sponsored the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) to safeguard all reproductive rights, including abortion. She also sponsored key legislation to protect those from out-of-state who are seeking reproductive and gender affirming care in Colorado. As a member of the Energy & Environment Committee, Rep. Froelich is passionate about preserving Colorado’s air, land and water, reducing pollution and protecting pollinators.

< Back Kyle Brown JBC Member Representative Kyle Brown serves as a member of the Joint Budget Committee and previously served as Chair of the Health & Human Services Committee. He represents House District 12, which includes Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Boulder, Gunbarrel, and Niwot. A Colorado native, Kyle has dedicated his career to improving the lives of Colorado families. He earned a Ph.D. in Genetics from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Georgetown University. His background in science and public policy informs his evidence-based approach to solving Colorado’s toughest challenges. Before joining the legislature, Kyle served on the Louisville City Council, where he championed affordable housing, climate action, and community recovery following the Marshall Fire and COVID-19 pandemic. As Deputy Commissioner for Affordability Programs at the Colorado Division of Insurance, he helped design and implement the Colorado Option, lowering costs and improving access to care statewide. He has also advised progressive U.S. Senators and Colorado governors on health care, education, and economic security. In the legislature, Kyle continues to lead efforts to lower health care costs, expand access to care, and strengthen mental health services. He is a strong advocate for reproductive rights, affordable prescriptions, and a fair, transparent insurance system. Kyle lives in Louisville with his wife and children.

< Back Monica Duran Majority Leader Representative Monica Duran is House Majority Leader and represents House District 23,of Lakewood, Lakeside, Applewood, and Mountain View. Previously House Co-Whip, Majority Leader Duran fights to ensure that our most vulnerable do not slip through the cracks. As a survivor of domestic violence, she has championed legislation related to domestic violence, animal welfare, and supporting working families. She has led legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to reduce gun violence in our communities in addition to legislation to improve wages for home care workers, support survivors of crime and violence and protect children.

After a long-fought scrimmage that embroiled lawmakers, their states, and two Presidential Administrations, the US Air Force will permanently base Space Command in Colorado Springs. The reversal of former President Donald Trump’s decision to move Space Command out of our state speaks to Senator John Hickenlooper’s leadership throughout the basing decision process and, ultimately, the current Administration’s decision to put national security before politics. < Back Rep. Marc Snyder: Keeping Space Command in Colorado Good for National Security Nov 1, 2023 See more This op-ed was originally posted in the Gazette After a long-fought scrimmage that embroiled lawmakers, their states, and two Presidential Administrations, the US Air Force will permanently base Space Command in Colorado Springs. The reversal of former President Donald Trump’s decision to move Space Command out of our state speaks to Senator John Hickenlooper’s leadership throughout the basing decision process and, ultimately, the current Administration’s decision to put national security before politics. In early 2021, the Trump administration announced Space Command would be re-headquartered thousands of miles away from its preliminary headquarters in Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama. Proponents of keeping Space Command in Colorado have argued that the move of a defense base of this gravity would have taken over a decade to complete and shipped off thousands of high-ranking military officials and jobs. It also cast doubt on the integrity of the Pentagon’s basing process and jeopardized our military readiness at a time when space is increasingly important to our national security. Senator Hickenlooper has long emphasized that the basing decision should center on operational readiness, not politics. Yet despite clear evidence that keeping the base in Colorado would help us reach readiness quicker, partisan politics got in the way, and their indifference to choosing the best option for our country was on full display. This is precisely what Alabama lawmakers did when one blocked the Department of Defense from routinely reallocating funds as a part of a political battle to secure a favorable outcome for Alabama. Senator Hickenlooper rightly highlighted this misuse of political power to regulate defense spending, stating that this action penalized troops for political interests. He also called out the lawmakers for intertwining special interests and blowing smoke to force a decision. In the end, President Biden ultimately sided with the evidence and decided that the Peterson Space Force in Colorado Springs was the best location for Space Command. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the objective analysis from General James Dickinson, who argued that moving the headquarters would threaten our military readiness, which would far outweigh any minor benefits of moving to Alabama. Although this decision was made based on preparedness, not political gains, one would be remiss to overlook the economic benefits of keeping Space Command in Colorado Springs. The governor’s office estimated that over 274,000 people in Colorado are employed in national security aerospace, and the state leads the nation in private aerospace employment per capita. This decision preserves the nearly 1,400 jobs and $1 billion annual economic impact reliant directly on Space Command’s base in Colorado Springs. That’s a huge impact on our city’s and our state’s economy. Leaders in the business community have applauded the decision, stating that keeping the headquarters in our state will protect our jobs, continue to boost the economy, and not displace Space Command’s military and civilian workforce and their families. During a fraught geopolitical moment in history – one in which China and Russia have proven their aerospace capabilities – our lawmakers should know better than to pit party politics against national security decisions. Using political tools to control national defense spending to further political interests is not how lawmakers should legislate nor how government should be run. Thankfully, Colorado’s senators recognize that their job is to always put the well-being and safety of the general public first, and they fought hard to ensure US Space Command kept its home in our state. Previous Next

< Back Emily Sirota JBC Member Emily Sirota represents House District 9 in the Colorado Legislature as a social worker and proud progressive Democrat with years of experience working in government and in the southeast Denver community. Rep. Sirota serves on the Joint Budget Committee and chairs the Appropriations Committee. Before her election to the Colorado House of Representatives, Emily helped run an early learning center in Denver. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Indiana University and received her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver. Emily has previously worked in community organizing and policy development for Colorado non-profit organizations. Emily also served as a policy aide to a Democratic U.S. Senator, a Democratic congressman and a Democratic governor. In those roles, she worked on health care and budget policy, and helped oversee a program to expand health care benefits for workers and small businesses. As a Representative for House District 9, Emily has championed worker's rights, campaign finance and election reform, a healthy and vibrant public education system, environmental justice, and fiscal policy that prioritizes regular Coloradans, not the billionaires. Emily is married to writer David Sirota, and they are the proud parents of two amazing kids and their dog, Grover.

< Back Amy Paschal Rep. Amy Paschal represents House District 18, which includes Southwest Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Cascade, and Green Mountain Falls. She serves on the Transportation, Housing & Local Government, the Energy & Environment, and the Joint Technology committees. She is a mom and a software engineer. Her priorities at the Colorado Capitol are affordable housing and education, sustainable infrastructure, wildfire safety and environment stewardship. Rep. Paschal vows to protect reproductive rights. Her experience as an election judge has made her passionate about protecting democracy through fair, secure and accessible elections.

< Back Chad Clifford Rep. Chad Clifford represents House District 37, including Centennial, Greenwood Village, Foxfield, and areas of Unincorporated Arapahoe County. He serves as the Vice-Chair of the State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and a member of the Judiciary Committee. Rep. Clifford has experience as a police officer, business owner, Government Operations Lead for the American Red Cross, and volunteer in his community. He joined the legislature in 2024 and has passed legislation to create the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office, created workplace protections from egregious training repayment schemes, and removed record sealing fees to make it easier for people with a criminal record to move forward in life. His focus at the Capitol is to represent the people of House District 37 and advocate for the unique needs of the district.