< Back March 10, 2021 HOUSE ED ADVANCES SCHOOL FUNDING FIX Bill would help ensure fair and sufficient public school funding in every Colorado community DENVER, CO — The House Education Committee today passed HB21-1164, sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar and Speaker Garnett, which would correct an error in Colorado’s property tax system to help ensure fair, equitable and sufficient public school funding across the state. “This is the year we start to correct our broken education funding system to ensure that every child in our state has access to the education they need to thrive,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “All Colorado students and taxpayers deserve a fair and sufficient share of our public education budget. By passing this bill, we can correct an error that reversed the will of voters and which led to enormous inequities in how we fund public schools. This bill sets us on a long overdue path to ensure that every school district has the resources they need to offer the quality education every student deserves.” “It’s past time to fix some of the structural inequities in Colorado’s K-12 school finance system,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Our current school district mill levies were misapplied and don’t comply with the will of the voters to invest in their local schools. Year after year, this error has forced the state to backfill disproportionately more funding to our wealthiest districts while many districts struggle to appropriately fund education. By fixing this mistake, we can slowly make school district funding more fair and bring it in line with what voters have approved.” HB21-1164 forms the basis of a constitutional question to be sent to the Colorado Supreme Court as an interrogatory. The purpose is to align Colorado’s property tax system with original voter intent in local school districts’ “de-Brucing” elections. Between 1994-2002, taxpayers across the state voted to get out from under TABOR imposed caps on school district revenue. Despite the will of the voters to support their local schools, the Colorado Department of Education incorrectly interpreted TABOR and artificially required school districts to collect less revenue. In fact, in 2009, the Colorado Supreme Court held that these mandated reductions were erroneous in its ruling in Mesa Board of County Commissioners v. State . The result has been escalating inequities in school funding across the state, and precious state dollars used to backfill wealthy districts while the system overall is severely underfunded. The 2020 School Finance Act (SFA) took the first step to correct this error. The 2020 SFA aligned statute with the Mesa ruling, treating past tax rate reductions as a mistake if they were enacted to comply with the TABOR limit after local voters had waived that limit. This action reset all district total program mill levies to the rate in place at the time of the successful de-Brucing election, while enacting mill levy “credits” at 100 percent of the difference between the old levy and the corrected levy in order to negate potential impacts to taxpayers during the COVID pandemic. HB21-1164 directs CDE to implement a correction plan for the erroneous reductions in total program mill levies by beginning to incrementally phase out mill levy credits starting in FY 2021-22. This timeline was chosen intentionally to ensure no district has to phase out credits faster than 1 mill per year. Previous Next

House Finance Committee today passed legislation to support and maintain Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK) program. < Back April 17, 2023 Legislation to Support Universal PreK Passes Committee DENVER, CO – House Finance Committee today passed legislation to support and maintain Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK) program. HB23-1290, sponsored by Speaker Julie McCluskie and Representative Emily Sirota, would refer a measure to the ballot to allow the state to direct all the revenue collected under a sales tax on tobacco and other tobacco products, including vapes, to support Colorado’s early childhood learners instead of refunding nearly $24 million to the tobacco industry. “When Colorado voters approved Proposition EE in 2020, they overwhelmingly supported funding nicotine cessation programs, affordable housing, rural K-12 funding, and universal preschool,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Universal preschool saves families money, supports our youngest learners and sets our students up for success. The revenue collected from the tax on nicotine products has come in higher than originally predicted, and our legislation will allow voters to confirm their commitment to see preschool provided to all children in the state. Putting these funds towards young Coloradans’ lifelong success is one of the smartest investments we can make in our state’s future.” “Beginning this fall, funds collected from the voter-approved Proposition EE will begin supporting voluntary, universal preschool and educating our youngest learners,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Our legislation asks voters if the state may keep all revenue collected from the special tax on nicotine and utilize these funds for universal preschool programs. Colorado voters clearly understand the need for free, universal preschool and the benefit that 15 hours of quality UPK programming will have for our youngest learners, and we now ask voters to continue to meet that need.” HB23-1290 passed by a vote of 6 to 5 and helps Colorado rise to the challenge of providing early education to every child in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten. The demand for universal preschool is clear: more than 29,000 families and over 1,800 early care and education providers have already signed up to participate in the first year of Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program. Specifically, this bill would refer a measure to the ballot that asks voters to approve of the state keeping the excess revenue collected on tobacco and other tobacco products, including vapes, to fund universal preschool in Colorado. In 2020 Colorado voters approved Proposition EE, which created new excise taxes on cigarettes, tobacco products and nicotine products to fund Colorado’s priorities - nicotine cessation programs, affordable housing, rural K-12 schools, and Universal Pre-K. The new tax rates will phase in over the next few fiscal years through 2027. When originally approved by voters with overwhelming support, it was estimated this measure would raise $186.5 million in new tax revenue in the first year (FY 2021-22). However, actual revenues from the new tobacco taxes exceeded that predicted amount by $22 million. If passed, voters will see a measure on their 2024 ballots confirming the original intent of the voter-approved Proposition EE and clarifying that the voters want the state to retain the full amount of nicotine sales tax revenue and put it toward universal preschool. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation sponsored by Representative Javier Mabrey, Majority Leader Monica Duran, and Senators Julie Gonzales and Nick Hinrichsen, that will prevent evictions and keep Coloradans safely housed by outlining the conditions when landlords would have grounds to file for evictions or “no-fault” lease terminations. < Back April 19, 2024 SIGNED! Gov. Polis Signs Bill to Prevent Evictions, Homelessness DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation sponsored by Representative Javier Mabrey, Majority Leader Monica Duran, and Senators Julie Gonzales and Nick Hinrichsen, that will prevent evictions and keep Coloradans safely housed by outlining the conditions when landlords would have grounds to file for evictions or “no-fault” lease terminations. “Our ‘For Cause Eviction’ legislation clearly defines in state law when and why landlords can evict tenants to prevent discriminatory and retaliatory evictions,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “This new law will create stability for landlords and renters because it does not prevent landlords from evicting tenants who have violated their lease or are behind on their rent, or where a landlord is getting out of the business. With this legislation becoming law, we will save Colorado families money and help keep roofs over their heads and roots in their community.” “Too many families know firsthand the fear and uncertainty that comes with being evicted from their home, as well as all the difficult consequences that arise because of it,” said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. “We must do more to protect vulnerable renters from being evicted without reason. Our new ‘for cause’ eviction law will improve housing stability, prevent displacement, and keep more of our neighbors in their homes, and I am pleased to see it get signed into law.” “Unnecessary and arbitrary evictions have devastating consequences for Coloradans, which is why we passed legislation to clearly outline reasons landlords can file for an eviction,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “Evictions make renters more vulnerable to homelessness, and having an eviction on your record can make it nearly impossible to find housing. I’m excited that our legislation to prevent Coloradans from being displaced is now Colorado law so hardworking Coloradans can remain safely housed.” “Imagine being a respectful neighbor, paying your rent on time, and doing everything right. But your roof leaks, your landlord won’t fix it, and you’re struggling to make ends meet. Do you report it to your local housing authority, so there will be accountability on the landlord to fix it? Or do you keep quiet, knowing that, if you do that, your landlord might not renew your lease? This is just one example of the many cases this bill addresses, to ensure that tenants who are doing the right things don’t lose their housing for arbitrary reasons. It creates stability and financial security for good tenants and their families,” said Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo. Currently, Colorado law exposes renters to possible arbitrary, retaliatory or discriminatory evictions. The ‘For Cause Eviction’ legislation would prevent a landlord from evicting a tenant unless there is cause for eviction. Under HB24-1098 , the reasons a landlord could lawfully evict a tenant include failure to pay rent in a timely manner, destruction of property, interfering with the right to quiet enjoyment, or a substantial violation of the rental agreement. The law also includes allowable reasons for a no-fault lease non-renewal, including substantial repairs or conversion of a residential premises, and selling the property. Some exceptions to the ‘For Cause Eviction’ law include rentals within the landlord’s primary residence, short-term rentals, mobile homes and for employers who provide housing to employees. Evictions threaten the health and safety of Coloradans, with research showing that individuals who experience an eviction are more likely to report poorer physical or mental health outcomes . In 2023, Denver set a new record of annual evictions, reaching nearly 13,000 filings. Previous Next

< Back June 27, 2019 DEMOCRATIC LATINX LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS RESPONDS TO SUPREME COURT DECISION TO REFER CITIZENSHIP QUESTION ON 2020 CENSUS BACK TO LOWER COURTS (June 27) – The members of the Colorado Democratic Latinx Legislative Caucus issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision this morning to refer the addition of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census back to the lower courts. Latinx are the second largest population group in the country and represent over 21 percent of Colorado’s population. “Over the course of the litigation around placing a citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. Census, it became clear that the Trump administration proactively sought to limit the political power of Latinx communities and other communities of color. That is unacceptable and wrong. Today’s Supreme Court decision rightly determined that the administration hasn’t shown enough justification for adding the question, but the fight isn’t over – a lower court will still have to weigh in. “However this ultimately turns out, it will be more important than ever to stand up and be counted in the census. For every person who sits out the census, our state and our communities stand to lose critical federal funds for major programs such as health care, transportation, and education. Our representational democracy is also at stake, because the census counts play a central role in determining how many Congressional representatives Colorado deserves. We know this fight is not over. In order to protect our communities, our future, and our Colorado way of life, we ask our communities to stay vigilant as we watch the proceedings of the lower courts and to stand up and participate in the census.” Valid census data is tied to billions of dollars of federal funding allocations for Colorado. For example, the state received over $93 million in federal funding for Head Start programs supporting early childhood education and nearly $34 million in Community Development Block Grants for FY16 due to accurate Census data. Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Meghan Lukens to improve access to housing for survivors of domestic violence. HB24-1431 passed by a vote of 54-8. < Back April 25, 2024 Bipartisan Lukens Bill to Improve Access to Safe Housing Passes DENVER, CO - The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Meghan Lukens to improve access to housing for survivors of domestic violence. HB24-1431 passed by a vote of 54-8. “Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness, especially for women and children, and it's critical that they have a safe place to call home when they leave their abuser,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “This important bipartisan legislation would connect victims of domestic and sexual violence to stable housing, helping some of our most vulnerable Coloradans when they are at risk for further violence.” HB24-1431 , also sponsored by Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, would create the Stable Housing for Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence Program. The program would coordinate with community-based organizations to provide short-term assistance payments to survivors of abuse and interpersonal violence so they can secure safe housing. A 2023 study found that survivors who received housing support reported a decrease in physical, psychological, and economic abuse for themselves and their children. 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

The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to preserve Colorado’s fresh water. < Back April 20, 2023 Water Conservation Legislation Moves Forward DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to preserve Colorado’s fresh water. HB23-1242 would require oil and gas operators to reduce, reuse and recycle water in their drilling operations. “Fresh water in Colorado is limited, and we’re working toward solutions that preserve this precious resource across our state,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins . “This legislation creates tools to increase the recycling and reuse of produced water in oil and gas operations. As we continue to combat the worst drought conditions of our lifetime, it’s vital for us to use every method at our disposal to preserve our water.” “Freshwater is precious, and we’re taking necessary steps to conserve it in Colorado,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “This legislation improves transparency and reporting in oil and gas operations that will help transition from using fresh water to recycled water. Clear actions outlined in this bill will save billions of gallons of water in Colorado and are essential to address these long term drought conditions that impact our day to day lives.” HB23-1242 directs the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) in the Department of Natural Resources to adopt rules requiring operators to reduce, reuse, and recycle water used in oil and gas operations, and ensures operators regularly report the volume and source of the water used to the COGCC. Colorado and the entire west are facing the worst drought conditions in 1,200 years . Last year, oil and gas operations used nearly 24 million gallons of freshwater per well. Requiring oil and gas operators to use recycled water in lieu of using fresh water will save billions of gallons of fresh water for farmers and Colorado communities. HB23-1242 also establishes new transparency and reporting requirements for all water used, recycled, and disposed of by oil and gas operators. This reporting will enhance the Commission's and public’s understanding of how water is managed and disposed of in oil and gas operations. The bill also creates the Colorado Produced Water Consortium in the Department of Natural Resources to make recommendations for the recycling and reuse of significant water in oil and gas operations in line with the COGCC’s mission. Previous Next

< Back April 30, 2022 RECYCLING IMPROVEMENT BILL WILL SAVE COLORADANS MONEY Bipartisan legislation would ease recycling for all Coloradans, improve Colorado’s waste diversion and cut down on excessive packaging DENVER, CO – The House today passed a bipartisan bill on a preliminary vote to transform Colorado’s recycling and waste diversion. The Producer Recycling Responsibility Program, sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Senators Kevin Priola and Julie Gonzales, would make recycling easier, more effective and save Coloradans money. “Colorado’s waste diversion rates are terrible and that’s through no fault of everyday Coloradans,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D- Littleton. “It’s time to rethink the way we recycle and our bipartisan bill would create an easier and more consistent recycling system to combat climate change, improve waste diversion, create a circular economy and save Coloradans money. It’s clear, our current recycling system isn’t working – and this bill revamps the way Colorado diverts waste to protect our planet.” The Producer Recycling Responsibility Program: HB22-1355 , would transform Colorado’s fractured approach to recycling by requiring producers to contribute, based on their product’s packaging, to a producer responsibility organization to create more coordinated management of a statewide recycling system. This bill aims to distribute the recycling responsibility from consumers and local governments to producers. Under the bill, producers will pay a fee based on the material used to package their products including cans, bottles, boxes, containers and shrink wrap. Revenue generated from producers would be used toward expanding Colorado’s recycling infrastructure, making it easier for Coloradans across the state to access reliable, no-cost curbside recycling. Colorado’s recycling programs are disjointed resulting in inconvenient, inconsistent and costly waste diversion. As a result, Colorado only diverts 15 percent of all recyclable materials from landfills every year, less than half the national recycling rate. Colorado also buries more than 5.9 million tons of recyclable materials in landfills that are worth $100 million. By increasing Colorado’s recycling rates, we can create a more reliable supply of materials for new products that support local communities and create a circular economy to save Colorado businesses and households money. This bill would centralize Colorado’s recycling system to save Coloradans money, remove barriers for consumers and expand recycling services and access for everyone, including Coloradans living in rural communities. HB22-1355 is based on successful international producer responsibility programs that have resulted in recycling rates of 70-80 percent in Canada and some European countries. Previous Next

The House today passed HB26-1028 to support students who speak more than one language. < Back April 22, 2026 Velasco, García Bill to Recognize Bilingual Students Passes House DENVER, CO — The House today passed HB26-1028 to support students who speak more than one language. “When our schools are tailored to students, we equip them with the resources and tools they need to not only get by, but thrive,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “Our bill would make it easier for high school students to earn a bilingualism endorsement to share with colleges and future employers. In Colorado, we celebrate the diversity and cultural richness that make our state great, and by improving the language proficiency designations, we can make it easier for multilingual students to showcase their skills.” “Colorado’s public schools educate thousands of multilingual students, and this bill gives them the recognition they deserve,” said Rep. Lorena García, D-Unincorporated Adams County. “Soon, multilingual high school students in Colorado will have new opportunities to receive a bilingualism endorsement on their diplomas. Speaking more than one language can give students a competitive edge when it comes to college applications or landing their dream internship, and this bill helps multilingual students excel.” HB26-1028 , which passed the House by a vote of 44-20, would expand access to language proficiency designations to improve educational outcomes for high school students who speak more than one language. This bill would create a diploma endorsement for bilingualism, which would require students to speak, listen, and understand another language in addition to English. The bill also expands access to the State Seal of Biliteracy, which requires students to showcase their language skills more rigorously through writing exams and reading comprehension. Colorado's public schools educate 114,482 multilingual students, and this bill would help students display their language skills and set them on a strong pathway for future careers. Previous Next

< Back February 18, 2020 BUENTELLO’S BILL TO SAVE MORE VETERANS MONEY ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE MOVES FORWARD DENVER, CO — Rep. Bri Buentello’s bipartisan bill to make it easier for service members, their families and veterans to receive in-state tuition at Colorado community colleges today was unanimously approved by the House Education Committee. “If you served our country and you want to go to school in Colorado, you should be able to receive in-state tuition without going through red tape,” said Rep. Bri Buentello, D-Pueblo. “Recently discharged members of the military, veterans or military members and their families who move frequently often face significant bureaucratic hurdles when seeking to qualify for in-state tuition, and today we took an important step towards ending that.” HB20-1275 allows an active or honorably discharged member of the United States armed forces or one of their dependents to be eligible for in-state tuition status at a community college regardless of whether the person satisfies Colorado domicile or residency status. According to militaryspouse.com , military families relocate on average once every two to three years, leading to increased difficulties in satisfying residency requirements. Previous Next

Democratic Leadership and Joint Budget Committee members today responded to the Trump Administration’s immediate freeze of federal funding. < Back January 28, 2025 JOINT RELEASE: Democratic Leadership, JBC Members Release Statement on Trump’s Federal Funding Freeze DENVER, CO – Democratic Leadership and Joint Budget Committee members today responded to the Trump Administration’s immediate freeze of federal funding. Statement from Speaker Julie McCluskie, President James Coleman, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, Senators Jeff Bridges and Judy Amabile, and Representatives Shannon Bird and Emily Sirota: “Today’s freeze on federal funding is a reckless decision that is already causing immediate and far reaching harm to Coloradans across the state. We are still working to understand the breadth of the impacts, but we know that critical food, housing, health and behavioral health care, child care, and anti-poverty services are currently in limbo, causing chaos and uncertainty for Coloradans, safety net service providers, and state and local governments, including law enforcement. Republicans and Democrats must be clear-eyed in this moment that this funding freeze is a brazen abuse of power that will likely have significant economic impacts and cause irreparable harm to Colorado kids, families, seniors, and everyone who calls our state home. We are proud that Colorado will be joining states from across the nation in a lawsuit that will attempt to blunt the impact of this funding freeze on people’s lives. We stand ready to assist in any way we can to prevent further harm.” Previous Next

< Back February 27, 2020 REP. SULLIVAN’S BILL TO CONNECT STUDENTS WITH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS MOVES FORWARD Bipartisan legislation would connect students and school personnel with apprenticeship programs to facilitate placement in apprenticeships DENVER, CO— The House Committee on Education today advanced Representative Tom Sullivan’s bipartisan legislation to connect students and school personnel with apprenticeship programs. The bill passed out of committee unanimously. “Last year, we created the state’s first apprenticeship directory to collect and make available information about the hundreds of apprenticeships open to Coloradans,” said Rep. Sullivan, D-Centennial. “These programs are so important for teaching students the skills they need to work in good-paying jobs. This bill would ensure that we’re doing all we can to connect students and school personnel with these critical apprenticeship programs.” SB20-081, which is also sponsored by Representative Colin Larson, R-Littleton, would ensure that apprenticeship programs can better connect with interested students through school personnel. Currently, the state’s apprenticeship directory does not include contact information for schools. By adding that information, apprenticeship programs will be able to reach more students who may have an interest in learning a trade. The bill will help students and parents know who to talk to at their school if they are interested in these programs and who can help them determine which program might be right for them. It also aims to raise awareness of the availability of apprenticeship programs among school administrators who may not currently know that the directory exists. Previous Next