< Back February 28, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES JACKSON-GALINDO BILL TO HELP RENTERS Colorado ranks among lowest when it comes to renters rights (Feb. 27) – The House Transportation and Local Government committee approved Rep. Dominique Jackson and Rep. Rochelle Galindo’s bill to allow sufficient time for tenants to make their rent payment or remedy a lease violation before getting evicted. “This bill will give people time to find the resources they need to stay in their homes, and that helps the renter as well as the landlord,” said Rep. Jackson, D-Aurora. “Rental assistance is available, but people need more time to get that assistance. Homelessness is already a problem. Let’s help keep people housed.” Current state law does not allow sufficient time for tenants to make their rent payment or remedy a minor lease violation. Right now, Coloradans can have an eviction filed against them within three days of missing a payment. Three days is not enough time to find a new place to stay, to move out, or to find pro-bono legal resources to help postpone an eviction and leads to instability and homelessness or even job loss. Forced moves or evictions have a domino effect in communities across Colorado leading to homelessness, poverty and job loss. Housing instability benefits no one and often destabilize families, children’s education and local communities. “Hardworking families and individuals struggling to get ahead are being evicted for owing as low as $40. This bill ensures a tenant has sufficient time to make their rent payment,” said Rep. Galindo, D-Greeley. “ This bill will help prevent the downward spiral into poverty that is so often associated with an eviction.” Under HB19-1118, tenants will now receive 10 days to pay their rent or address a minor lease issue before an eviction is filed against them, up from three days. Having an eviction record can make it close to impossible for an individual or family to secure housing in the future. Twenty-eight states give more notice before eviction than Colorado in the case of unpaid rent and 36 states provide more notice in the case of other lease violations. The bill passed committee on a vote of 7-4 and now goes to the House floor. Previous Next

Democratic members of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) today released the following statements after the Legislative Council Staff and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting delivered the June quarterly economic forecasts. < Back June 20, 2024 Economic Outlook Shows Continued Economic Growth in Colorado DENVER, CO – Democratic members of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) today released the following statements after the Legislative Council Staff and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting delivered the June quarterly economic forecasts. “Our economy continues to do better than the rest of the country, and slowing prices, lower taxes, and increased wages mean Coloradans can keep more of their hard-earned money,” said JBC Chair Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “I’m proud that teacher pay is reaching all time highs from our work to increase funding for our public schools and eliminate the budget stabilization factor. Additionally, we’re seeing a faster decrease in our inflation rate than most other states across the nation. We will continue responsible budget decisions to make Colorado more affordable, boost our economy and reduce the cost of housing, health care and child care.” “Colorado’s economy continues to outperform the nation’s with a strong labor market and low inflation rate,” said JBC Vice Chair Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “I’m proud that this year we were able to take bold action to set Colorado up for success by eliminating the budget stabilization factor, expanding access to behavioral health resources, and building safer communities. Going forward, however, the JBC will have to work carefully within the predicted constrained budget to ensure we continue to live within our fiscal means and deliver the essential services Coloradans rely on.” “I’m encouraged by Colorado’s promising economic outlook, and I am excited to continue our work to make our state more affordable and build an economy that works for all families in our state,” said JBC Member Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “While housing costs and price increases are slowing, they are still too high. This year, we passed breakthrough legislation to reduce the cost of housing and boosted tax refunds and credits for hardworking people and families by thousands of dollars. I remain concerned that irresponsible property tax cuts being proposed will require enormous state backfill and will put these and other critical investments, like education funding, at risk. I look forward to crafting a responsible budget that addresses the needs of our most vulnerable Coloradans and makes Colorado more affordable.” Today’s economic outlook shows a sustained, strong Colorado economy with low unemployment rates, job growth, and slowing price increases,” said JBC Member Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. “However, the forecast also contains a cautionary prediction of a challenging budgetary landscape for the 2025 legislative session. The JBC will have its work cut out for it to deliver results for Coloradans while ensuring our state remains on strong financial footing in the years to come.” Colorado’s economy continues to grow and outperform the nation’s economy. Colorado’s unemployment rate of 3.7 percent remains lower than the national average of 4 percent. Wage growth for the mountain region, which includes Colorado, is at 5.9 percent compared to 5.2 percent nationwide. The national inflation rate has stabilized at 3.3 percent, down from a peak of 8.2 percent in March 2023. The Legislative Council Staff (LCS) forecast anticipates General Fund revenues to be $17 billion in FY 2024-2025 and $18.37 billion in FY 2025-2026 – a $1.64 billion decrease for FY 2024-2025 and a $1.28 billion decrease for FY 2025-2026 as compared with the earlier March revenue forecast. The Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) anticipates that General Fund revenue will be $17.4 billion for FY 2024-2025 and $18.1 for FY 2025-2026 – a $677 million decrease for FY 2024-2025 and a $1.05 billion decrease for FY 2025-2026 as compared with the March revenue forecast. The forecast anticipates continued modest growth and the risk of a near-term recession has decreased. Factors that could improve the forecast include a fast resolution to inflationary pressures, more accommodative monetary policy from the Federal Reserve, and a resolution to international conflicts that impact our country and state’s economy. Risks that could negatively impact the forecast include deteriorating household finances hurting consumer consumption, high borrowing costs discouraging investment, accelerating unemployment, and poor global economy impacts on U.S. growth. Previous Next

Today the bipartisan 2026 School Finance Act was signed into law. SB26-023, sponsored by Senator Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, and Representatives Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, and Emily Sirota, D-Denver, drives $180 million more to Colorado’s K-12 public schools for the 2026-27 school year. < Back May 28, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: 2026 School Finance Act Signed Into Law DENVER, CO – Today the bipartisan 2026 School Finance Act was signed into law. SB26-023 , sponsored by Senator Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, and Representatives Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, and Emily Sirota, D-Denver, drives $180 million more to Colorado’s K-12 public schools for the 2026-27 school year. “As Chair of the Senate Education Committee, upholding our promise to Colorado students, teachers, and schools is my number one priority,” said Kolker. “During an extremely challenging budget year, we worked hard to ensure we don’t backslide on the important progress we’ve made to eliminate the Budget Stabilization Factor and drive more funding to our schools. While there is much more work to do to ensure Colorado is a national leader in public education funding, I’m proud that despite budgetary constraints we were successfully able to increase per pupil funding and protect funding for Colorado’s public schools.” “The 2026 School Finance Act, which makes meaningful investments in K-12 education and keeps the student-centered formula in place, is now law,” said Sirota. “We were forced to make painful decisions because of our TABOR limit and Colorado’s budget deficit. However, we were able to protect core education funding. We’ve taken bold action to drive more dollars to our public schools, and I’m deeply proud of that work. This year’s school finance act builds upon Colorado Democrats' mission to fully fund our schools, increase teacher pay and set our students up for a lifetime of success.” “As any teacher will tell you, fully funded schools make all the difference to our students, and I’m thrilled to help deliver record funding to K-12 education with the 2026 School Finance Act,” said Lukens. “Despite budgetary constraints, we still delivered record investments in K-12 education and increased per-pupil funding. The 2026 School Finance Act boosts per-pupil funding by $449, bringing the total per-pupil funding to $12,325. There is more work to be done to fully fund our schools, but this year’s school finance act is an important step in the right direction.” Also sponsored by Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, SB26-023 sets statewide per pupil funding at $12,325 for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, an increase of $449 as compared to FY 2025-2026 funding levels, bringing total K-12 funding for the upcoming fiscal year to $10.2 billion and increasing total program funding by $180.79 million. The General Fund contribution to K-12 education is increasing significantly thanks to the Kids Matter Fund created by Democrats last year, which is forecast to invest more than $216 million in Colorado’s schools next year. Under SB26-023, the new school finance formula ( HB24-1448 ) is implemented at 30 percent and includes a three-year averaging model to help stabilize school funding in a declining enrollment environment. This follows requirements in last year’s School Finance Act that phased in the implementation of the new school funding formula at 15 percent per year for six years, and then 10 percent for the final seventh year of implementation. This year, Democrats also increased funding by $14 million to continue free preschool access for all Colorado kids and increased funding by $38 million to implement the voter-approved Proposition MM to preserve access to free school meals for students. Since the 2020-2021 academic year, Democrats have increased total program funding from $7.2 billion to $10.2 billion for the upcoming year despite a declining enrollment environment. Per-pupil funding has increased from $8,100 to $12,300 in that time as well. Previous Next

The Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee today advanced bills to facilitate the removal of harmful mining waste, protect fish and wildlife habitats, and explore a sustainable funding plan for future water projects. < Back September 18, 2024 JOINT RELEASE: Water and Agriculture Review Committee Advances Bills to Remove Mining Waste, Protect Habitats, and Plan for Future Water Projects DENVER, CO – The Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee today advanced bills to facilitate the removal of harmful mining waste, protect fish and wildlife habitats, and explore a sustainable funding plan for future water projects. Bill 4 , sponsored by Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, and Representatives Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, and Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, would create a new permit process in the Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to facilitate the removal of mining waste piles and refuse, both of which have significant negative impacts on the environment. The new reclamation-only permit would lower barriers to cleanup efforts to reduce the backlog of over 20,000 abandoned mines in Colorado. Also sponsored by Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, the bipartisan bill would enter Colorado into the Interstate Mining Compact. States in the compact agree to establish a program for the conservation and use of mined lands, including the conduct of mining and handling of waste. “Waste and runoff from mine tailings can have detrimental impacts on downstream waters,” said Bridges, sponsor of Bill 4. “The bill we advanced today will promote the cleanup of pollution-causing tailings while expanding economic opportunities for the companies that do these cleanups. By making a simple change to permitting processes and entering Colorado into the Interstate Mining Compact, we can expedite mining reclamation and ensure our environment remains clean and safe for generations to come.” “Colorado’s outdoors is part of our identity, and without resources for our water and agricultural lands, our identity and way of life is threatened,” said Chair McCormick, sponsor of Bills 4 and 12. “One of our new bills will add Colorado as a member of the Interstate Mining Compact and will incentivize the cleanup of abandoned mines to improve and protect our precious waters. We also moved forward with legislation that would create the Future of Severance Taxes and Water Funding Task Force to help secure water funding.” “From agricultural needs to recreational use, access to clean water is crucial for Southwest Colorado,” said Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, sponsor of Bills 4, 12, and 13. “As a member of the Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee, I’ve heard from organizations and community members throughout the state about concerns and requests for policy solutions that can help support Colorado’s agricultural sector. Today, we advanced legislation that will improve water quality, identify possible funding sources to support important water projects, and continue funding for the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program to support rural Colorado.” The committee also advanced Bill 12 , sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, Senator Simpson, and Representatives McCormick and Martinez, which would create the Future of Severance Taxes and Water Funding Task Force in the DNR. The nine-member task force created by the bill would hire a contractor to conduct a study and develop recommendations to present to the legislature. The contractor would explore options to continue funding water needs for the state while severance tax revenue is expected to decrease. “Protecting Colorado’s vital resources and habitats is one of my top priorities,” said Roberts, sponsor of Bills 12 and 13. “The legislation we’re advancing today will explore how we can future-proof funding sources for critical water projects and make permanent our financial support for fish and wildlife habitats throughout the state. Colorado’s natural resources power everything we do, from agriculture to our outdoor recreation economy, and I’m excited about the potential of these new bipartisan bills to secure funding and support critical preservation projects.” Sponsored by Roberts, Senator Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, and Representatives Martinez and Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, Bill 13 would make permanent the Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program and the Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee. The program provides funding for Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) efforts to work with private landowners, local governments, and conservation organizations to protect fish and wildlife habitats. Funding comes from the CPW’s habitat stamp sales, which must be purchased in order to buy a hunting or fishing license. The Committee is charged with reviewing relevant habitat projects and making recommendations to the CPW. “The Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program is a great tool to raise funding for critical habitat conservation projects,” said Marchman, sponsor of Bill 13. “This program and its accompanying committee have had proven success in past years, which is why I’m excited that we’re now bringing forward legislation to make them permanent. Fish and wildlife habitat conservation is an important way for us to invest in Colorado's future and ensure our natural spaces remain natural.” The committee also approved five additional bills. The bills will now go to the Legislative Council for approval before being introduced next session. Once introduced in the 2025 session, interim bills will follow the legislative process in the same manner as all other bills. Previous Next

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

< Back May 8, 2019 STATEMENT FROM HOUSE SPEAKER KC BECKER AND MAJORITY LEADER ALEC GARNETT ON THE HIGHLANDS RANCH SCHOOL SHOOTING (May 8) – House Speaker KC Becker and Majority Leader Alec Garnett issue a statement on the Highlands Ranch School Shooting: “Our hearts break for the victims of the shooting in Highlands Ranch and their families. We are thankful to our first responders but tragically, a life was lost and the lives of many of these children – some as young as five or six – will never be the same. We are still learning more about this situation but what we do know is that Coloradans should not be forced to live with this reality. Students should be concentrating on their education – not active shooter drills. Like many parents, we are deeply concerned about the lasting effects these violent and tragic events will have on our children, their classmates and our communities. And like many parents, we are heartbroken by once again having to talk to our children about mass shootings. Coloradans must refuse to live with the status quo. The state legislature has pursued solutions to gun violence and mental health and will continue to do so to address this crisis, but Washington must also step up to do its job to keep our communities safe.” Previous Next

< Back April 12, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES BILLS TO HELP PEOPLE SAVE MONEY ON HEALTH CARE (Apr. 12) – The House approved a set of bills that looks to curb the cost of insulin, invest more in primary care and decrease the maternal mortality rate. Rep. Dylan Roberts and Rep. Yadira Caraveo sponsored a bill to reduce the price of life-saving insulin for people with diabetes in Colorado. Over 420,000 Coloradans have diabetes and an additional 20,000 Coloradans are diagnosed with diabetes every year. “A small vial of medicine has such a large impact on someone’s life. For people with Type 1 Diabetes, insulin is the same as oxygen, you need it to survive,” said Rep. Roberts, D-Avon. “This is a life-saving and life-sustaining drug but the skyrocketing cost of insulin is outrageous and it is literally putting people’s lives at risk.” HB19-1216 caps the total co-pay that patients will pay for insulin to $100 per one-month supply, regardless of how much insulin is being dispensed. This is down from an average out-of-pocket cost of $600-900 per month that Coloradans currently face. “ Colorado’s kids are paying for this with their fingers, toes, kidneys, hearts and with their lives,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton, who is the only medical doctor in the legislature. “The game is rigged against consumers, patients and parents. This bill will put tools in place to investigate the high cost of this life-saving drug.” The bill also directs the Colorado Attorney General’s office to investigate business practices, organization, pricing and data of pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, insurance carriers and any other entity that influences insulin costs. It also directs the office to create a report that explores possible legislative solutions. The report will be submitted to the governor, the commissioner of insurance, and the House and Senate judiciary committees in 2020. The cost of insulin rose by 45 percent between 2014 and 2017 and by over 700 percent over the last 20 years while the actual product of insulin has not changed in any significant way since 1996. One-in-four type-1 diabetics report rationing their insulin due to the high cost of the drug. A bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, also passed that looks to address the increasing rate of maternal deaths. This bill will allow the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) to review cases of maternal deaths in a timely manner to then work on ways to lower these deaths. “Colorado’s maternal mortality has increased at an alarming rate – it’s doubled since 2008. Eighty percent of these maternal deaths could have been avoided,” said Rep. Buckner. “ It is past time that we work together to stop what is preventable and save lives.” HB19-1122 also imposes diversity requirements for the committee as the maternal mortality rate is higher among African-American women and women in urban areas. The House also gave approval to a bipartisan bill with Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, and Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton, to lower health care costs and improve the quality of care that Coloradans receive. “Lowering the cost of health care for hardworking families is a top priority for us at the legislature,” said Rep. Froelich. “Robust primary care practices produce better health outcomes and reduce costs.” Colorado only invests roughly seven to ten percent of its health care dollars on primary care. HB19-1233 establishes a primary care payment reform collaborative in the Division of Insurance in the Department of Regulatory Agencies. It also requires the commissioner of insurance to establish affordability standards for premiums, including adding targets for carrier investments in primary care. Finally, it requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and carriers who offer health benefit plans to state employees to set targets for investment in primary care. The goal of primary care is to achieve better health outcomes by improving the quality and consistency of care so that both patients and the health care system can see a reduction in costs. Primary care visits comprise 53 percent of all health care appointments. All bills were approved on a voice-vote. A will be done at a later date. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill into law to bring down costs and improve price transparency for Coloradans by cracking down on ‘junk fees’. < Back April 21, 2025 Signed! New Law Cracks Down on ‘Junk Fees’ to Save Coloradans Money DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill into law to bring down costs and improve price transparency for Coloradans by cracking down on ‘junk fees’. “Hidden ‘junk fees’ often add up to hundreds of dollars in monthly expenses for Coloradans, and this new law cracks down on these surprise costs to save people money,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Whatever the ‘junk fee’ is disguised as, the goal is to hike up prices and drain money out of the pockets of hardworking Coloradans to increase corporate profits. With this bill being signed into law today, we’re putting an end to junk fees so Coloradans know the upfront cost of products, goods and services.” “Unexpected, undisclosed fees cost consumers hundreds of dollars every month,” said Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “These ‘junk fees’ can make informed budgeting decisions feel impossible for consumers. Our legislation will increase transparency for consumers, helping them make informed purchase decisions and ultimately save more of their hard earned money.” “It is estimated that ‘junk fees’ add up to $90 billion per year in our country, costing households more than $650 annually that could be better spent on groceries, health care, and child care,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “Junk fees are often not disclosed until a consumer is ready to check out or after they’ve paid a non-refundable security deposit, which means Coloradans end up paying higher prices than they are expecting. Addressing junk fees in our state has been one of my biggest priorities, and I’m proud of this new law to ensure honest pricing so Coloradans can make buying decisions that fit their budget.” “Opaque or dishonest fees cost Americans up to $90 billion per year, taking an average of $650 annually out of the pockets of working families that could be better spent on household essentials like health care and child care,” said Sen. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “Honest, upfront business owners deserve a fair playing field and consumers deserve price transparency in order to make informed financial decisions.” HB25-1090 standardizes transparent prices upfront, in many cases prohibiting pricing information from being offered or advertised unless the final total price is disclosed. Additionally, the law prohibits the misrepresentation of pricing information, requires the purpose of a fee that is not part of the total price to be disclosed, and restricts the fees landlords can charge for utilities and third-party services to ensure tenants are not charged additional fees. The law includes specific exemptions for these requirements for certain industries and scenarios. On January 15, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a letter to Governor Polis to provide information about the efforts they have made to address junk fees and called for the passage of legislation like HB25-1090, which works to combat these unforeseen costs. The FTC and the Colorado Attorney General have announced they are taking action against the nation’s largest multi-family rental property managers for using deceptive advertising and failing to disclose recurring fees. Previous Next

< Back April 26, 2021 TAX RELIEF EXTENSION FOR RESTAURANTS, BARS, AND OTHER FOOD VENDORS GETS COMMITTEE APPROVAL DENVER, CO– The House Finance Committee today advanced Representative Kyle Mullica’s bill to allow restaurants, bars, and mobile food vendors to continue to claim a temporary net sales tax reduction for a few more months. The bill is part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus , a package of legislation that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. The bill passed committee by a bipartisan vote of 11-0. “It’s no secret that restaurants, bars, and other food service establishments were among the hardest hit by the pandemic, and we’re committed to doing what we can to lend them a hand,” said Representative Kyle Mullica, D-Northglenn. “The temporary sales tax relief we’re extending today eased burdens on beloved restaurants and bars across the state throughout the winter months. As the end of this pandemic nears and patrons start to safely return to these establishments, it just makes sense to continue allowing restaurants to take full advantage of this relief during their peak season.” HB21-1265 , also sponsored by Rep. Kevin Van Winkle R-Highlands Ranch, continues a successful sales tax assistance effort passed during the 2020 special session. It allows restaurants, bars, caterers, and food service contractors (such as airline food service contractors and food concession contractors at sporting events) to deduct up to $70,000 in net taxable sales from their monthly state sales tax return for five different locations and retain the resulting sales tax revenue during the months of June, July, and August 2021. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation that would save older Coloradans money on their property taxes by making the savings from the senior homestead property tax exemption portable between primary residences for the next two years. SB24-111, sponsored by Representatives Sheila Lieder and Mary Young, passed by a vote of 60-3. < Back May 8, 2024 Lieder, Young Bill to Save Older Coloradans Money, Make Senior Homestead Property Tax Exemption Savings Portable Passes DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation that would save older Coloradans money on their property taxes by making the savings from the senior homestead property tax exemption portable between primary residences for the next two years. SB24-111, sponsored by Representatives Sheila Lieder and Mary Young, passed by a vote of 60-3. “The Senior Homestead Exemption helps seniors, Gold Star families, and veterans afford housing on their fixed income, and our legislation would expand eligibility so more people save money,” said Rep. Sheila Lieder, D-Littleton. “We’re making the savings from this exemption portable so seniors have the freedom to move or downsize without losing this important cost-saving benefit, making larger homes available for new families. This bill is a major priority of mine and I am proud to carry this bill that will help address the housing affordability crisis.” “Seniors increasingly want to age in place, and moving may allow them to be closer to family and benefit from downsizing,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “This is a straightforward, commonsense bill that makes this senior tax exemption portable, giving seniors the freedom to move closer to family or downsize and preventing seniors who want to move from losing eligibility for tax relief.” SB24-111 would create a new subclass of property called "qualified-senior primary residence real property" for an individual who has previously qualified for a senior homestead exemption. For this new subclass of property—qualified-senior primary residence real property—the bill sets the assessed value of the property as the actual value minus 50 percent of the first $200,000 of that actual value, which is consistent with the relief provided under the current senior homestead exemption. Under this bill, eligible seniors will benefit from this relief during the 2025 and 2206 property tax years. This bill helps provide financial sustainability and housing security to seniors who no longer qualify for the senior homestead exemption because they moved residences. In a Colorado Coalition for the Homeless report, Colorado was ranked first for housing instability for older adults. Previous Next

< Back February 11, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES VALDEZ BILL TO IMPLEMENT SAFE PRODUCE SAFETY STANDARDS (Feb. 11) — A bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Donald Valdez, D-La Jara, that would provide the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) the authority to monitor the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption passed the House Rural Affairs and Agriculture Committee today. “This bill is so important for our farmers, our ranchers, and our next generation of producers,” said Rep. Valdez. “It is vital that we continue knowing where our food comes from.” Currently, food is inspected by the federal government under the Food Safety Modernization Act. HB19-1114 will bring the food inspection to the CDA Produce Safety Program once the federal program expires in two years. CDA wants to take over food inspections because they will have a better understanding of Colorado and the needs of Colorado farmers and consumers. After hearing testimony in support from farmers the bill will directly impact, HB19-1114 unanimously passed the committee 11-0 and now heads to House floor. Previous Next

< Back May 7, 2022 ESGAR’S MONUMENTAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING EXPANSION BILL MOVES FORWARD Legislation would expand collective bargaining rights to more than 36,000 public service workers and builds upon the 2020 state workers bill DENVER, CO – The House today on a preliminary vote passed Majority Leader Daneya Esgar’s monumental collective bargaining bill. SB22-230 would expand collective bargaining rights to more than 36,000 county workers, more than doubling the number of public workers in Colorado entitled to negotiate for better pay, benefits and working conditions. SB22-230 ensures that county workers would receive recognized collective bargaining rights that private-sector and state employees in Colorado already have. “This bill stands up for the thousands of county workers who carried us through the pandemic by providing critical services that kept our communities safe,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Extending collective bargaining rights to nearly 40,000 public service workers across the state means hardworking Coloradans will have the right to join together to improve their workplace conditions, negotiate for better benefits and have the choice to form a union. This bill is about making sure the workers who serve the public have a seat at the table to discuss decisions that directly impact their lives and the lives of their families.” SB22-230 builds upon the state workers bill from 2020 , also sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar. This bill extends collective bargaining rights to county workers, more than doubling the current number of public workers with recognized collective bargaining rights in Colorado. The Collective Bargaining by County Employees Act would give public service workers who choose to form a union a seat at the table to collectively bargain on issues like working conditions, job safety, pay and benefits, and to collaborate with management to address shared challenges like staff shortages, high turnover, and improving public services. This bill is a historic step forward in Colorado’s labor and workers’ rights movement. Right now, only four out of Colorado’s 64 counties recognize their workers’ right to collectively bargain. The Collective Bargaining by County Employees Act would guarantee Colorado statutory county workers in counties with over 5,000 residents the ability to organize and form a union to advocate for safer workplaces and better public services if they so choose. Additionally, the Collective Bargaining by County Employees Act would extend protections to workers who are currently vulnerable to retaliation, discrimination, and coercion for exercising basic union rights. Previous Next