The House today passed legislation to improve wildfire mitigation in rural communities < Back April 30, 2024 Legislation to Improve Wildfire Mitigation in Rural Communities Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to improve wildfire mitigation in rural communities. HB24-1006, sponsored by Representatives Elizabeth Velasco and Marc Snyder, would make it easier for rural communities to locate and apply for state and federal wildfire prevention grants. “Rural communities like mine are often most at risk for wildfire-related damage and displacement,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs . “This bill would connect rural communities to state and federal wildfire mitigation grants and assist with the application process. From improved emergency response efforts to risk management, there are many things that communities can do to ease the impact of wildfires. This bill uplifts rural communities and connects them to the resources they need to mitigate wildfires and keep their homes and businesses safe.” “Rural communities often have fewer resources to mitigate destructive wildfires, which can leave communities in disarray,” said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs. “This bill makes it easier for our rural communities to find and apply for state and federal wildfire mitigation grants. From wildfire prevention tactics to increased emergency response efforts, there are many wildfire mitigation efforts that can keep our communities safe and better prepared.” HB24-1006 , which passed by a vote of 57 to 7, would he lp rural communities find and apply for state and federal wildfire mitigation grants. Specifically, this bill would establish a rural grant navigator program within the Colorado State Forest Service to aid rural communities in locating and applying for wildfire mitigation grants. Grants can help communities obtain the resources they need to combat wildfires through prevention tactics, response efforts, and risk management. Previous Next

< Back July 2, 2021 LANDMARK ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LEGISLATION SIGNED DENVER, CO– Governor Polis today signed HB21-1266, Representatives Dominique Jackson and Mike Weissman’s bill to promote environmental justice in Colorado and help our state meet our emissions reduction goals. “Environmental Justice means making sure that our solutions to tackling climate change acknowledge and address the systemic disparities of years of pollution and the impacts of climate change,” said Representative Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora. “This new law takes concrete steps to help us improve air quality and meet our emissions reductions goals while giving disproportionately impacted communities a seat at the table where these decisions are being made. With these new steps, Colorado will set an example for the nation on how best to address pollution and climate change in a holistic and just way.” “Today marks an important step toward guaranteeing true environmental justice in Colorado,” said Representative Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “Communities of color, low income Coloradans and other groups uniquely affected by pollution and the effects of climate change deserve to have their voices heard and their needs met as we work toward cleaner air and a greener state. I’m enormously proud of and grateful for the tireless advocacy and hard work that was required to make this new law a reality.” HB21-1266 supports communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution by creating the Environmental Justice Advisory Board and Ombudsperson within the Department of Public Health and Environment. The law eliminates the “polluter pay loophole” that exempts greenhouse gas emissions from pollution fees, and directs the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) to update permitting requirements for sources that affect disproportionately impacted communities, and requires electric utilities to file clean energy plans with the Public Utilities Commission. Utilities with significant emissions are required to reduce emissions at least 80% by 2030, the oil and gas sector is required to reduce emissions by 36% by 2025 and 60% by 2030 and the industrial and manufacturing sectors are required to reduce emissions by at least 20% by 2030. The law also codifies outreach best practices to impacted communities and requires the development of a comprehensive, statewide environmental justice plan. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to require Colorado’s largest employers to offer affordable healthcare or help cover the cost of employees’ Medicaid premiums. < Back May 5, 2026 Bill to Require Largest Corporations to Pay Fair Share of Employee Health Insurance Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to require Colorado’s largest employers to offer affordable healthcare or help cover the cost of employees’ Medicaid premiums. “Colorado taxpayers should not have to subsidize health care costs for the nation’s largest corporations,” said Rep. Lisa Feret, D-Arvada. “Year after year, the largest corporate employers rake in record-breaking profits, yet 30-40 percent of their workforce relies on Medicaid for healthcare. This bill requires the largest corporate employers to help by offering affordable health insurance to employees or pay a fee to support Medicaid premiums.” HB26-1327 passed the House by a vote of 35-30. HB26-1327 would offer large corporations the option to either provide health insurance coverage or pay a fee. The fee would be managed by the Large Employer Health-care Support Enterprise Board, consisting of a range of perspectives from companies, chambers, labor, healthcare providers, medicaid recipients and insurance experts. The funds will be used to protect Medicaid funding and boost access to employer-sponsored health care. Only employers with more than 500 Medicaid-enrolled employees must pay the fee. The bill exempts any disabled Medicaid members from being counted towards the fee. An employer is exempt if it offers affordable health coverage to employees working more than 20 hours per week or more than 80 hours per month. Franchisees, nonprofits, public employers, or employers that include health care coverage in their collective bargaining agreements are also exempt. The enterprise board would determine the fee amount each employer must pay by reviewing relevant employer data. Revenue from this fee will be used to help fund Medicaid and reimburse large employers’ costs for workers who choose to buy into an employer-sponsored plan. An employer may request reimbursements from the enterprise fund to cover costs related to part-time employee healthcare. An estimated 37,200 Medicaid-enrolled workers in Colorado are employed by corporations that would be subject to the fee. This bill would set up penalties for large employers who fail to pay their fair share, evade the fee by way of reclassifying employees or offer alternative, affordable care options to their employees. Medicaid costs in Colorado have skyrocketed by nearly $1 billion a year while providing roughly the same services to roughly the same eligible population. Lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee were forced to close a $1.2 billion deficit in the state’s budget to meet its constitutionally required balanced budget. This includes a $270 million cut to Medicaid, in addition to the $90 million that was already cut from the program earlier this year. The nation's largest corporations are on track to attain record profits and have an average of 30-40 percent of employees enrolled in Medicaid. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 75 percent of Medicaid recipients in Colorado are working. Previous Next

< Back March 26, 2019 BECKER-CARAVEO BILL TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF COLORADANS & GIVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES A VOICE TAKES NEXT STEP (Mar. 25) – The House Finance committee passed a bill to update Colorado’s antiquated oil and gas laws to protect families and individuals from residential drilling by putting health and safety first, empowering local communities, and protecting Colorado’s clean air and clean water. “Oil and gas drilling is happening in neighborhoods at unprecedented levels and if industry continues to ignore the Coloradans who are raising issues around drilling–as they have been for years–they will continue to be in the same position,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “I’m proud of this bill and the stakeholder work that has gone into it because it will finally put health and safety first, protect our air, water and enhance our way of life.” “As a pediatrician and legislator, I support this bill because we should be protecting the health and safety of the children I care for in my clinic every day,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton, the legislature’s only doctor and the co-prime sponsor of the bill. “ We shouldn’t prioritize well sites over of the health of wheezing infants. Flow lines shouldn’t be more important than the cardiovascular systems of seniors. That’s why this bill gives tools to local governments to decide what is the right balance between responsible resource extraction and the health of Coloradans.” The bill directs the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to regulate oil and gas development to protect public welfare, and clarifies that local governments have the same authority to regulate the oil and gas industry as they have with every other industry in Colorado – including the mining industry. The bill also removes the prohibition against local governments requiring oil and gas companies to cover the direct costs of regulating, monitoring and permitting the sites in their communities. The bill addresses emissions and air quality by requiring increased monitoring and implementing a rule-making process to reduce emissions to better meet federal regulations. A “brown cloud” returned to Denver earlier this month and reports showed that the air quality was worse than that of Beijing. SB19-181 would also ensure that taxpayers are not footing the bill for cleaning up orphan oil and gas wells that have been abandoned but not adequately plugged. Current bonding requirements are often found to be inadequate to cover the cost of clean-up when a company abandons a well. Clean-up costs for just one abandoned well costs an average of $82,000. Currently, there are more than 260 known orphan wells and 365 associated known orphan well sites in 31 Colorado counties. Finally, SB19-181 also provides increased protections for property owners with regard to forced pooling. Under current law, just one mineral rights owner can start the process of “force pooling” other mineral interest owners and require development of those resources – against the will of the majority of the owners. This bill would raise the threshold and put more transparency and guardrails on the process. The arguments peddled by the oil and gas industry are misleading. The sponsors and proponents of the bill made clear during the hearing that this bill is not a reiteration of Proposition 112, nor is it a moratorium or a ban on drilling. SB19-181 passed the House Finance Committee on a vote of 7-4 and now goes to the Appropriations committee. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Lisa Feret to reduce workplace violence for health care workers. SB25-166 passed by a vote of 53-10. < Back April 17, 2025 Feret Bill to Reduce Workplace Violence Against Health Care Workers Passes DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Lisa Feret to reduce workplace violence for health care workers. SB25-166 passed by a vote of 53-10. “Health care workers are far more likely to experience workplace violence than any other profession, necessitating this legislation to keep Colorado health care workers safe,” said Rep. Lisa Feret, D-Arvada. “Health care workers should never have to worry about their physical and emotional safety on the job, and this bill gets us one step closer to providing the safety and security they deserve.” SB25-166 would add a workplace violence performance metric to the state’s quality incentive program and empower the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to consult with stakeholders to address workplace violence. In consultation with stakeholders, HCPF would develop workplace violence performance metrics, explore funding opportunities, and provide legislative recommendations. The group would include Medicaid providers, hospital associations, rural hospital representatives, nurse representatives, and relevant state agencies. HCPF would be required to consult with the Department of Public Health and Environment and other stakeholders by September 1, 2025. The bill would also empower HCPF to assess hospitals’ adoption of a formal workplace violence policy. Health care and social service workers experience the highest rates of workplace violence-related injuries and are five times more likely to be injured on the job compared to other industries. Previous Next

HB26-1283 would prohibit employers from confiscating and sharing an employee’s ID with federal law enforcement agencies < Back April 22, 2026 House Passes Bill to Protect Vulnerable Workers DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to prohibit employers from confiscating identification documents. HB26-1238 passed by a vote of 41-23. “With the passage of this bill, we’re one step closer to establishing clear, legal protections for workers who fear retaliation from their employer,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “HB26-1283 safeguards vulnerable employees, especially those in the construction, service, agriculture, or hospitality industries, from having their personal documents unlawfully shared with federal law enforcement agencies. This bill strengthens protections for immigrant workers and keeps Coloradans safe on the job.” “You need your ID for everything from renting an apartment and driving a vehicle to accessing health care,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “This bill protects workers by restricting an employer from confiscating employees’ and applicants’ personal IDs for more than ten hours. Threats and harassment on the job should never be tolerated, and this bill protects all workers, especially if their employer threatens unlawfully to report them to federal authorities.” HB26-1283 would prevent employers from seizing, demanding, confiscating, retaining or otherwise requiring an employee to surrender their government-issued identification card (ID) for more than a short period of time (up to ten hours), and except for lawful purposes like employment verification or when otherwise required by federal law. To enforce these provisions, the bill creates criminal penalties for unlawful confiscation and allows workers to pursue civil action and have their ID documents returned if their documents were unlawfully seized. Under the bill, employers must advise their employees of these protections. This bill also strengthens protections for employees if their employer unlawfully turns over their ID to federal immigration enforcement authorities or threatens to do so. If an employer holds an employee’s ID or personal document with the intent of harassing or intimidating the employee, they could be charged with a bias-motivated crime. HB26-1238 helps protect immigrant communities, especially for workers employed in the service industry, hospitality, agriculture and construction. In recent years, Colorado Democrats have passed legislation to strengthen existing data privacy and protections guaranteed to all Coloradans, including SB25-276 , which prohibits public employees from sharing personally-identifying information related to immigration status with federal immigration enforcement. Previous Next

Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo, today released the following statement on the Pueblo City Council voting down an ordinance that would have outlawed abortions in Pueblo: < Back October 16, 2024 Rep. Mauro Statement on Pueblo City Council Vote on Abortion Access PUEBLO, CO - Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo, today released the following statement on the Pueblo City Council voting down an ordinance that would have outlawed abortions in Pueblo: “Women in Pueblo deserve access to reproductive health care and the freedom to make their own choices. Last night, our city council defeated a dangerous ordinance that would have banned abortion in Pueblo and put women’s health at risk. I am committed to doing everything I can at the state capitol to protect Coloradans’ freedoms and the right to choose from extreme politicians who would take us backwards.” Previous Next

< Back April 5, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES BIPARTISAN, HISTORIC BUDGET FOR ALL ‘Long bill’ now goes to conference committee (Apr. 5) – The House of Representatives approved the state budget package for fiscal year 2019-20, which will begin on July 1, 2019. Yesterday, Speaker KC Becker, Majority Leader Alec Garnett, and Joint Budget Committee members Rep. Daneya Esgar and Rep. Chris Hansen, reached a bipartisan agreement with the leadership of all four legislative caucuses on a total of $300 million in transportation funding. “We are proud to put forward a responsible bipartisan budget that works for all of Colorado,” said Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo, vice-chair of the JBC. “Hardworking families and individuals will be well served by the historic investments we are making in education, transportation, mental and behavioral health and other priorities.” “Coloradans can be proud of this carefully balanced and comprehensive budget,” said Rep. Hansen, D-Denver. “While some in Washington push economically destructive trade wars, my colleagues and I were able to put forward a budget that makes historic, bipartisan investments in education, transportation and ensures kids and parents have access to full-day kindergarten.” Highlights from SB19-207, the “long bill” approved today, include: A total increased investment in K-12 education of $335.9 million, including funding for the implementation of full-day kindergarten as well as a $77 million boost in the budget stabilization factor buy-down. An additional $120 million investment in higher education to keep tuition flat for Colorado’s college students. Adds $1 million to help expand critical family planning services. Funds an additional $5 million for 42 new inpatient psychiatric beds at Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP). Increases broadband deployment grants by $18.7 million. “I thank the members of the JBC for their work on this responsible, bipartisan budget that will help invest in our future, expand opportunity for hardworking people in every corner of our state and enhance our unique quality of life,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “We’re making significant investments in education, higher-ed, transportation and other top priorities.” The “long bill” also includes: A $15.4 million placeholder for competency restoration (covers the state’s cost to reduce wait times for court-ordered mental-health evaluations). Adds $142,792 for management and maintenance costs for the new Veterans One-Stop (OneSource) Center in Grand Junction. The goal of the center is to improve services for Western Slope veterans by creating a hub for veterans’ organizations in the region. The facility will bring together, under one roof, multiple regional organizations that serve veterans’ needs. Adds $2.3 million cash funds for 20 new State Troopers and civilian staff to help make our roads safer. Approves 56 projects in the capital maintenance backlog, a $171 million investment for capital overall. The bipartisan bill was approved on a vote of 42-22. The “long bill” now goes to joint conference committee. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to blunt health insurance rate increases and reduce the number of Coloradans who could lose their health insurance coverage due to Congress’ continued refusal to extend premium tax credits. < Back May 11, 2026 House Advances Bill to Limit Premium Increases, Protect Access to Healthcare DENVER, CO — The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to blunt health insurance rate increases and reduce the number of Coloradans who could lose their health insurance coverage due to Congress’ continued refusal to extend premium tax credits. “With Congress’s failure to extend premium tax credits, we are doing what we can to prevent premiums from skyrocketing and protect access to healthcare for Coloradans,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “If we do not act, Congress’s failure will lead premiums to jump, and more Coloradans will lose coverage, increasing costs for everyone with insurance. Until Congress steps up, this bill helps keep Coloradans insured. We’re all just one illness or accident away from unexpected medical costs – and this bill keeps premium costs down.” “While only Congress can fully address premium hikes, we’re building on our work to prevent premium increases and safeguard access to life-saving health care,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “Without this bill, everyone’s costs will go up. Coloradans will experience massive premium increases, more Coloradans will lose insurance and care altogether, and our safety net providers and emergency rooms will become strained. While this bill is only a one-year fix, we need to protect healthcare coverage for Coloradans now while we continue working toward a long-term solution.” SB26-178 would save Coloradans money and maintain health insurance coverage. SB26-178 would only apply for the 2027 plan year. This bill comes after last year’s HB25B-1006, also sponsored by Representatives Brown and Gilchrist, which softened health insurance rate increases and helped prevent 70,000 Coloradans from losing their health care plan in the 2026 plan year. Without SB26-178, Coloradans who purchase their own health insurance will experience an average premium increase of $2,000 annually, with Colorado families on the Western Slope experiencing an average premium increase of $4,000 annually. Additionally, 22,000 Coloradans could lose their health insurance coverage. These bills come in response to Congressional Republicans’ continued refusal to reinstate the enhanced premium tax credits for people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. To sustain these affordable health insurance programs, SB26-178 would invest one-time funds in the Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise (HIAE). Funding would come from a $40 million transfer from reserve funds held in the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund and up to $100 million in revenue bonds issued by the HIAE. Space in the reserve has been freed up by the value of the renovated Capitol Annex building. The bill would also allow for the HIAE to invest enterprise funds and would restructure a tax credit incentive to boost donations to the HIAE. Using these new funds and tools, the bill would: Boost funds in the health insurance affordability cash fund to blunt serious increases in insurance premiums and protect coverage, Implement cost-savings measures to aim to reduce statewide average premium increases by eighteen percent, and Support existing affordability programs, including on-exchange subsidies and the OmniSalud program, to maintain or expand coverage. Previous Next

< Back April 26, 2022 HOUSE PASSES BIPARTISAN BILLS TO SAVE COLORADANS MONEY ON HEALTH CARE Legislation would boost hospital transparency and improve protections from surprise medical bills DENVER, CO – The House passed two bipartisan bills sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar that will increase hospital billing transparency and save Coloradans money on health care. HB22-1285 passed the House today by a vote of 63 to 1 and would increase hospital pricing transparency practices. HB22-1284 passed the House yesterday by a vote of 63 to 0 and will improve surprise medical billing protections in Colorado. “These bills work to save Coloradans money on health care by improving hospital price transparency and protecting patients from surprise billing,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Hospitals are required to be open and honest about what they’re changing patients, and our bill not only ensures transparency but limits the hospital’s ability to collect medical debt if they’re not in compliance. Coloradans deserve to know what they’re getting when it comes to health care, and our legislation protects them against surprise medical bills that are often outrageously expensive.” HB22-1285 , sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Representative Patrick Neville, would save Coloradans money on their health care costs by increasing hospital transparency and prohibiting hospitals that are out of compliance with federal price transparency laws from referring medical debt to collections. In July 2021, President Biden signed an executive order that directed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop detailed rules to increase hospital billing transparency. Hospitals must now publicly post their “standard charges,” which are the gross charges, discounted cash prizes, payer-specific negotiated charges, and de-identified minimum and maximum negotiated charges so that consumers can make informed decisions when shopping for health care services. Under the bill, hospitals that are not in compliance with federal hospital price transparency regulations will be prohibited from referring, assigning or selling medical debt to collectors, and they will be prohibited from using the courts to obtain a judgment for an outstanding medical debt. The bill would award damages to patients if the courts find that the hospital has violated the provisions of the bill. HB22-1284 , sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Representative Marc Catlin, would improve Colorado’s surprise medical billing protections by aligning them with recently passed federal legislation. The bill provides clarity to consumers, providers and insurance carriers about how to move forward with surprise billing protections. It adds balance billing protections for post-stabilization services to ensure that patients are protected from surprise bills until they can consent and be safely transferred to an in-network facility. It mirrors the federal law’s notice and consent requirements to ensure that out-of-network providers and facilities provide notice to a consumer before a scheduled service, including an estimate of the total charges the consumer will be responsible for. Finally, it updates Colorado laws to allow for a 90-day period of continued coverage at in-network rates for transitional care. Previous Next

The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to make prescription drug labels more accessible to blind or vision and print-impaired Coloradans. HB24-1115 passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. < Back March 12, 2024 Prescription Label Accessibility for Blind Coloradans Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to make prescription drug labels more accessible to blind or vision and print-impaired Coloradans. HB24-1115 passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. “The information on prescription labels provides important details that enable patients to safely and effectively take medication. Vision and print-impaired and blind Coloradans deserve for this information to be shared with them in a way they can understand,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “The inaccessibility of this information can lead to negative health consequences and prevents Coloradans with disabilities from having agency over their health care. With this legislation, we’re ensuring that prescription labels will be accessible to visually and print-impaired and blind Coloradans.” “Current Colorado law does not require prescription label information to be available in a way that is accessible to blind or visually and print-impaired Coloradans,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “The efficiency of prescription medication depends on the frequency and dosage. This bill will increase reading accessibility of prescription labels so blind and vision and print-impaired Coloradans can access this critical information.” HB24-1115 would require a pharmacy to provide blind or vision and print-impaired Coloradans with access to prescription drug label information by providing: An electronic label, like a QR code, on the container that can transmit the label information and instructions to the person’s accessibility device, A no-cost prescription drug reader that provides the label information in an audio format, Prescription drug label information in braille or large print, or Any other method recommended by the US Access Board. Small pharmacies with less than two pharmacists may request the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy for exemption if they believe it will greatly burden their business. The bill also allows Colorado patients to sue non-compliant pharmacies on the basis of disability discrimination. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Steven Woodrow and Iman Jodeh to encourage responsible gun ownership by requiring gun owners to have liability insurance for their firearms. HB24-1270 passed by a vote of 33-29. < Back April 20, 2024 House Passes Bill to Promote Responsible Gun Ownership With Firearm Insurance Coverage DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Steven Woodrow and Iman Jodeh to encourage responsible gun ownership by requiring gun owners to have liability insurance for their firearms. HB24-1270 passed by a vote of 33-29. “The costs of gun violence are staggering, and taxpayers are often left footing the bill. This legislation helps cover costs while promoting responsible gun ownership and safer communities,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “This bill would require gun owners to hold liability insurance for their firearms, which many already do through their homeowners’ or renters’ policies. HB-1270 incentivizes responsibility while ensuring victims of gun accidents are compensated.” “We require people to hold homeowners and car insurance, and deadly weapons should not be treated differently,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “Our bill adds more protections and strengthens guardrails to increase and promote responsible gun ownership and prevent crime. Colorado has a serious history of gun violence, and this bill is one step that we can take to encourage safe firearm handling to save lives and keep our communities safe.” Starting January 1, 2025, HB24-1270 would require gun owners to have liability insurance that covers losses or damages to a person who is injured from the accidental or unintentional discharge of a firearm. Failure to have a firearm liability insurance policy is a civil infraction. The bill allows this coverage to be included under the gun owner’s homeowners, condo unit, or renters policy. A 2023 study found that 75 percent of American consumers believe that gun owners should be required to hold liability insurance for their guns. Previous Next