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< Back October 30, 2019 OPIOID AND OTHER SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS STUDY COMMITTEE ADVANCES FIVE BIPARTISAN PROPOSALS Bills address five critical areas: prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery and SUD treatment in the criminal justice system DENVER, CO– The Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee today advanced five bipartisan bills to combat the opioid epidemic. Each bill addresses a specific area of focus in slowing the opioid crisis. “The opioid epidemic is devastating communities across Colorado, and our state’s response must meet the urgency this crisis demands,” said Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee Vice Chair Rep. Chris Kennedy (D-Lakewood). “These bipartisan bills build on legislation we previously passed and advance a comprehensive set of policies in each of five categories– prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery and treatment for substance use disorders in the criminal justice system.” “It’s been my honor to chair the Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee for the last three years to bring forth policies that are leading the nation to address the public health crisis we face,” said Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee Chair Senator Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood). “This year’s package builds on our previous success and each piece of legislation is essential in addressing the gaps we see in the continuum of care needed to move people into recovery here in Colorado. There is not one silver bullet to address the opioid epidemic; it’s a complex, enormous problem. While today we passed the most impactful package we’ve seen yet, I know that our work isn’t done, and we are committed to continuing the work to address this crisis.” “Working to turn the tide in the deadly opioid epidemic has been one of my top priorities, and I’m proud of our committee’s bipartisan work to craft and move forward these incredibly important proposals,” said Rep. Bri Buentello (D-Pueblo). “From increasing access to treatment, recovery and prevention services to changing how insurance companies cover non-opioid pain treatments, we can make real progress and aggressively combat this crisis.” “Tackling substance use disorder in our criminal justice system is critical to ensuring successful recoveries and for providing treatment services to those who need them,” said Rep. Leslie Herod (D-Denver). “I’m proud of our bill that would seal records for people who successfully complete treatment programs and which would make medically assisted treatment available to individuals in our criminal justice system.” Prevention of Substance Use Disorders: The first bill the committee passed focuses on prevention efforts. The bill would encourage best practices in healthcare settings to prevent opioid misuse, increase access to alternatives to opioids, expand continuing education for opioid prescribers and support local public health departments in their delivery of prevention services. It would also establish screening and brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) as a health care standard and improve the utilization of evidence-based prevention programs. The bill would make several changes to insurance plans, prohibiting insurance carriers from requiring copayments that exceed the charges submitted by a physical therapist, occupational therapist or acupuncturist. It requires the Commissioner of Insurance to establish diagnosis for which alternatives to opioids are appropriate. Furthermore, it requires health benefit plans to cover a minimum number of physical therapy, occupational therapy and acupuncture per yearIt would require insurance companies to make the atypical opioid or nonopioid medication available at the lowest cost-sharing tier applicable and prohibit them from limiting or excluding coverage for an atypical opioid. The bill also includes several provisions to improve opioid prescribing best practices. It continues the prescribing limitations currently in place, requires new rules to establish competency-based continuing education for prescribers and modifies requirements for adding information to the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). Harm Reduction: The second bill aims to lower the rate of opioid overdoses and related deaths and better prevent the spread of communicable diseases. It would extend civil and criminal immunity for a person who acts in good faith to administer an opiate antagonist, such as naloxone, that has expired. Opiate antagonists that are beyond their expiration date can still be effective in reversing an overdose, but some providers are hesitant to administer them out of concern for their liability even though these expired medications can still save lives. The bill would also require insurance plans to reimburse hospitals that provide a covered individual with an opiate antagonist when discharged. To help prevent communicable diseases, the bill would allow pharmacists to provide syringes and removes a regulatory barrier to operating syringe exchange programs. Treatment in the Criminal Justice System: The third bill the committee advanced would help combat substance use disorders in the criminal justice system. It would require the department of corrections and other agencies to make medication assisted treatment (MAT), continuity of care and community resources available prior to release. It would also allow safe stations (police stations, sheriff’s offices, and fire stations) to receive any controlled substance for disposal and refer individuals with SUD to treatment. Under the bill, if an individual enters or successfully completes a SUD treatment program, their records may be sealed. The bill also appropriates funding to criminal justice diversion programs. Treatment of Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders: The fourth bill would make changes to insurance plans, managed care entities and pharmacy benefits to increase access to SUD treatment. Under the bill, insurance carriers must provide coverage for SUD treatment in accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) or an alternate nationally recognized criteria if ASAM criteria is no longer available, relevant, or follow best practices. Carriers are also required to provide coverage for naloxone, without prior authorization, deductibles, copayment, coinsurance or other cost-sharing requirements. Carriers must report the number of in-network providers who are licensed to prescribe MAT to the commissioner of insurance. The commissioner of insurance may also review and revise the essential health benefits package for MAT.The bill further increases access to treatment by requiring managed care entities to provide care coordination for the full continuum of SUD treatment and recovery. It would prohibit denying access to MAT or SUD treatment services, including recovery services, to individuals who are participating in MAT provided by a recovery residence and entities contracting with the Office of Behavioral Health. Pharmacies would be able to receive an enhanced dispensing fee for the administration of all injectable medications for MAT. The legislation would require an updated community assessment every two years on the sufficiency of SUD services in the community. With SUD impacting families in many different ways, the bill would also require a study of state child care and treatment to make findings and recommendations concerning gaps in family-centered SUD treatment. The study would also look to identify alternative payment structures for funding child care and children’s services alongside SUD treatment of a child’s parent. Finally, the bill would increase access to treatment in rural communities by expanding the provider workforce. It increases funding to the Colorado Health Service Corps Fund for loan forgiveness and scholarships for individuals serving in areas with healthcare workforce shortages. It would also continue a grant writing program to help local communities access federal and state money to address the opioid epidemic, and requires the Office of Behavioral Health to implement a program for training and community outreach related to alcohol and SUD treatment. SUD Recovery: The final bill advanced today seeks to increase access to recovery services. It increases funding for housing assistance by $4 million to $5 million total and extends the funding for an additional fiscal year. It would also appropriate $2 million to the Office of Behavioral Health in the Department of Human Services to expand the Individual Placement and Support Program, a program that helps people with mental illness and/or substance use disorders find and keep jobs. The bill supports recovery community organizations by appropriating $3.5 million to create the Recovery Support Services Grant Program and appropriates $250,000 to the Department of Labor and Employment to support individuals in recovery by providing peer coaching. The bill also seeks to help policymakers better understand the connection between prenatal substance exposure and health outcomes by authorizing a statewide perinatal substance use data linkage project. It would also modify the how determinations of child abuse, neglect, or dependency are determined in situations involving alcohol or substance exposure. Finally, the bill would continue the Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee for four additional years, meeting every other year beginning in 2021. It would require the State Substance Abuse Trend and Response Task Force to bring stakeholders together to review progress on bills introduced by the opioid committee and passed by the General Assembly and to generate policy recommendations. Furthermore, it would require the Center for Research into Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Support Strategies to conduct a comprehensive study of Colorado’s SUD treatment and recovery services to inform a state plan for the delivery of services for individuals at risk of relapse. Brief, comprehensive summaries of the legislation advanced today can be found here . Previous Next

< Back February 22, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES SULLIVAN, GARNETT’S LIFE-SAVING EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER BILL Bill Named in Honor of Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Zackari Parrish III (Feb. 21) – Tonight, the House Judiciary committee approved the Extreme Risk Protection Order bill sponsored by Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial and Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver. This bill would provide a critical tool to help prevent gun violence and suicide and protect families and first responders. The bill has been in the works for over a year and includes input from law enforcement, advocates for gun violence prevention measures, the mental health community and elected officials on both sides of the aisle. “I remember testifying at the capitol in 2013 and in the years since and being hopeful that the right thing was being done,” said Rep. Sullivan. “Today, I felt that hopefulness come once again – that I was sitting in a place where we were going to do the right thing. This is our chance to do the right thing and put us on the path to saving lives and bringing safety back to our communities.” Rep. Sullivan’s son Alex was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting on his twenty-seventh birthday. HB19-1177 will give law enforcement another tool to help keep our communities safe. Through this bill, family or law enforcement can petition a judge for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) for someone who is exhibiting violent or dangerous behavior or at significant risk of causing personal injury to themselves or others. If approved, a temporary order would be placed for up to two weeks and then the court would hold a hearing to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for a full ERPO. During this hearing, respondents will be provided legal counsel at no cost to ensure due process rights are protected. If the judge determines, by a clear and convincing evidence standard, that the respondent poses a significant risk of causing personal injury to themselves or others, the protection order may be approved for up to 364 days. The respondent can also request to have the order terminated at any point during the 364-day time period. “Robust due process protections, a process for families and law enforcement to intervene to avoid the escalation of conflicts before they turn into tragedies, providing legal counsel to the respondent — our approach to the Extreme Risk Protection Order is unique and represents a Colorado solution,” said Rep. Garnett. “Together, we can save lives. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill.” The bill, which was also introduced during the 2018 legislative session and passed the House, is named in honor of Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Zackari Parrish III, who was killed in the line of duty New Year’s Eve in 2017 by an individual in the middle of a mental health crisis Deputy Sheriff Parrish would have been thirty-one years old today. Last week, law enforcement officials, including Deputy Parrish’s Sheriff, Tony Spurlock, and Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, spoke in favor of the bill at a press conference. Pelle’s son Jeff is a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy who was also seriously injured responding to the same call with Deputy Parrish. It would also have been the birthday of two of the students murdered last year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, California. A number of young people testified in support of this life-saving legislation. One student described her generation as the “active-shooter generation.” Attorney General Phil Weiser submitted a letter in support of the legislation. Former U.S. Attorney John Walsh explained to the committee how the language in the bill is legal under the second, fourth, and fifth amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Testimony in support of the bill included survivors and their families as well as gun owners and members of law enforcement. Thirteen states have enacted bipartisan ERPO laws (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington). At least 29 other states and Washington, D.C. have considered ERPO laws. Colorado lost over 1,100 people to suicide in 2017. Studies show that access to a gun in a home triples the risk of death by suicide. Indiana’s firearm suicide rate decreased by nearly eight percent in the ten years after their ERPO legislation was enacted. HB19-1177 was approved on a vote of 7-4 and now goes to the House Appropriations Committee. Previous Next

< 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

The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation to strengthen victim protections by preventing insurance companies from receiving victim restitution payments. HB26-1017, sponsored by Representatives Cecelia Espenoza and Yara Zokaie, passed by a vote of 7-4. < Back February 4, 2026 Bill to Strengthen Victim Protections Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation to strengthen victim protections by preventing insurance companies from receiving victim restitution payments. HB26-1017, sponsored by Representatives Cecelia Espenoza and Yara Zokaie, passed by a vote of 7-4. “We’re prioritizing victims in Colorado law by removing insurance companies from the definition of victim in criminal restitution payments,” said Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, D-Denver. “This bill would clarify that unless an insurer is a direct victim, the method of seeking financial recovery is in civil courts.” “Restitution often becomes an unpayable debt that traps families in cycles of poverty and makes successful reentry harder,” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins. “Insurance companies aren’t crime victims, and our bill makes them ineligible to receive restitution in criminal contexts. Insurance companies are sophisticated financial institutions that are structurally designed to absorb risk and loss, and granting them restitution serves no rehabilitative purpose." Currently, Colorado statute allows insurers of a victim of a crime to receive restitution payments in criminal cases. HB26-1017 would prohibit insurance companies from receiving these restitution payments. Insurers would be able to recover losses through the civil court system. Last year, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that a defendant in a drunk driving car accident incident was not liable for paying a car insurance company for damages to the victim’s car, however multiple judges have questioned whether lawmakers intended to allow insurance companies to seek restitution payments when they passed a 2003 law to clarify when it is appropriate for an insurance company to pursue crime victim restitution or a civil lawsuit. HB26-1017 would clarify in Colorado statute that insurers could not receive criminal restitution payments. Previous Next

< Back September 15, 2020 ESGAR NAMED ALLIANCE’S LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR PUEBLO, CO– Today, on Tuesday, September 15 at 1:30 PM, Representative Daneya Esgar will be awarded Alliance’s Legislator of the Year Award during a ceremony held at Pueblo Diversified Industries. She will be recognized for her “consistent and thoughtful leadership to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families.” Alliance members voted unanimously to present her with this award, citing her work on attempting to end the IDD waitlist, her sponsorship of the 2020 IDD Awareness Day Tribute, and her efforts to ensure that crucial programs, like the Children’s Extensive Supports and Supported Living Services waivers, were fully funded through a difficult budget year. In advance of receiving the award, Representative Esgar released the following statement. “I am immensely proud and truly humbled to be receiving this award today,” said Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have been at the forefront of my mind since I became a policymaker. This was a difficult year for all of our budget priorities, and while I’m proud of the work we did to maintain crucial funding for many programs that benefit the IDD community, I know that we have a great deal of work left to do. Receiving this award has only invigorated me to continue my partnership with Alliance and our work to improve the lives of countless Coloradans living with disabilities.” Alliance is a nonprofit, statewide association of Community Centered Boards (CCBs) and Program Approved Services Agencies (PASAs) that is dedicated to strengthening services and supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Alliance members provide services to over 20,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Colorado and employ thousands of people to support them in every Colorado community. Visit their website: www.alliancecolorado.org Previous Next

< Back May 3, 2021 BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENSURE REDISTRICTING PROCESS GOES SMOOTHLY ADVANCES Bill would adjust the procedures of Colorado’s Redistricting Commissions in the wake of COVID-19 related delays. DENVER, CO– The House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee today passed Majority Leader Daneya Esgar’s bipartisan bill to propose alternative procedures for Colorado’s bipartisan Redistricting Commissions given the delay in the Census data necessary to redraw Congressional and state legislative districts. The bill passed by a vote of 10-1. “By passing Amendments Y and Z, our voters spoke with one clear voice to prevent gerrymandering in Colorado’s 2021 redistricting process,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “None of us could have predicted a global public health emergency would delay the Census’ delivery of population data, but today’s bill works to ensure our redistricting process continues in a timely way despite the challenges. I’m proud of the bipartisan work we have done to guarantee fair and balanced maps for Colorado.” Amendments Y and Z established a clear timeline for Colorado’s electoral redistricting efforts. These dates, mandated in the constitution, require the Commissions to use “necessary census data” to accurately draw electoral districts for the state. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a delay in the ability of the United States Census Bureau (Census Bureau) to deliver to the state the population and demographic data necessary to redraw election districts. This delay prevents both the independent redistricting commissions (both Congressional and legislative) from completing their work by the deadlines in the constitution. SB21-247 , an Executive Committee bill sponsored by Minority and Majority Leaders in both the House and Senate, is intended to give the Commission the flexibility it needs to draw fair electoral maps in the face of these delays. Only as it applies to the current redistricting cycle, the bill amends the definition of “necessary census data” to allow the preliminary plans to be developed using state apportionment data that was released on April 26, and other population and demographic data from federal or state sources that are approved by the commissions. The three staff plans to be drafted by nonpartisan staff, one of which will be submitted to the Supreme Court for approval, have to be drawn using final census data. The bill also requires a public hearing on maps being drawn with final census data once it is made available. This bill will serve as the basis for an interrogatory to be submitted to the Supreme Court this week regarding these alternative procedures for redistricting. Previous Next

The House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee today passed legislation to remove restrictions that require minimum lot sizes of over 2,000 square feet for single-family homes. HB26-1114, sponsored by Representatives Rebekah Stewart and Steven Woodrow, passed by a vote of 9-4. < Back February 18, 2026 Bill to Build More Housing that Hardworking Coloradans Can Afford Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee today passed legislation to remove restrictions that require minimum lot sizes of over 2,000 square feet for single-family homes. HB26-1114, sponsored by Representatives Rebekah Stewart and Steven Woodrow, passed by a vote of 9-4. “Every Coloradan deserves a fair shot at homeownership, and our legislation would open up more housing options that families, young professionals and aging Coloradans can realistically buy,” said Rep. Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood. “Open land can be hard to come by in the Denver Metro Area, and it is getting increasingly difficult for affordable housing developers to find lots that meet the minimum lot size requirements. Our communities elected us to make our state a more affordable place to live, and this bill would eliminate barriers to get more housing opportunities built in our neighborhoods that Coloradans can afford.” “If we want to solve the housing crisis, we have to make it easier to build housing that Coloradans can actually afford, and smaller lot sizes mean smaller price tags,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “We know that arbitrary rules, like strict lot size restrictions, are often in place just to keep more housing from being built. Our legislation would allow single-family homes to be built on smaller plots of land to reduce urban sprawl and help more Coloradans realize their dream of becoming homeowners.” Beginning October 1, 2031, HB26-1114 would prohibit subject jurisdictions from requiring that a lot size for a single-family dwelling be greater than 2,000 square feet. A 2025 report by the National Zoning Atlas found that 98-percent of land that allows single-family housing has a minimum lot size requirement, with 86-percent of that land having a two-acre minimum lot size mandate. Rep. Woodrow sponsored a 2024 law to support local governments with their efforts to build more housing near public transit, cycling and walking corridors, places of employment and other centers of community. He also sponsored a law to eliminate parking minimum requirements for most new multi-family residential properties within a quarter mile of a transit stop or station to drive down housing costs and reduce traffic. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Representative Tisha Mauro, to attract businesses, create good-paying jobs and support local economies. < Back May 19, 2025 SIGNED! Mauro’s Bipartisan Bill to Attract Businesses and Jobs to Colorado PUEBLO, CO — Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Representative Tisha Mauro, to attract businesses, create good-paying jobs and support local economies. “This law will drive more business to Colorado and create good-paying jobs by lowering electrical utility rates for businesses,” said Rep. Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo. “Our bipartisan law allows more businesses to save money with lower rates by increasing the eligible project size and the number of projects that can benefit from the Economic Development Rate. By attracting more businesses to operate in Pueblo and other Colorado communities, we can create more good-paying jobs, lower electric rates for businesses and boost local economies.” The legislature created the Economic Development Rate in 2018, which allows electric utilities to offer lower rates for up to 10 years to commercial and industrial users who do business in Colorado. HB25-1177 , also sponsored by Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, will make adjustments to the Economic Development Rate ( EDR) Tariff to expand competitive electric rates to businesses by: Increasing the maximum project size without requiring approval from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) from 20 megawatts to 40 megawatts, Expanding the maximum timeframe for rate eligibility from 10 years to 25 years, and Establishing 120-day deadlines for PUC action for projects larger than 40 megawatts to ensure timely review and approval. To be eligible for the EDR, businesses will have to undergo a societal economic benefit test, which takes into account the economic benefits that the EDR provides for the surrounding community. Additionally, businesses would be required to have an evaluation of the marginal cost to ensure other ratepayers in the utility’s territory aren’t negatively impacted. Previous Next

Speaker Julie McCluskie today delivered remarks at the Elevating Rural Colorado Partnership celebration in Keystone, CO, and discussed recent efforts to boost career pathways in rural Colorado and support rural public schools. < Back July 22, 2024 McCluskie Addresses Elevating Rural Colorado Partnership Education Celebration KEYSTONE, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie today delivered remarks at the Elevating Rural Colorado Partnership celebration in Keystone, CO, and discussed recent efforts to boost career pathways in rural Colorado and support rural public schools. The event, organized by Colorado Succeeds, the Colorado Education Initiative, Empower Schools, and Lyra Colorado, celebrated five years of progress and partnership to boost rural education opportunities. “From new, low-cost pathways to higher education and good paying jobs to significant new funding for rural public schools, there are so many incredible success stories to celebrate for the high country,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Students in our communities will soon see more resources in their classrooms, and many are already taking advantage of new opportunities we’ve created to complete skills training and degree programs that will set them up for success.” Speaker McCluskie has been a champion of legislation to create new, affordable pathways to complete higher education degrees and programs in rural Colorado that set up students to thrive. She sponsored legislation to create the Opportunity Now Grant program, which funds collaborative efforts with higher education, businesses, trade associations and unions to create new training and degree programs in growing industries with workforce shortages. The Speaker has also led efforts to fully fund public schools and significantly increase funding for rural schools and districts that serve more at-risk, English language learners, and special education students. This year, she passed a new School Finance Formula, which changed how schools are funded for the first time in nearly 30 years. This will result in a 12 percent ($5.2 million) increase in funding for Summit County Schools when the new formula is fully implemented, according to the school finance simulator tool developed by nonpartisan staff at the legislature. Previous Next

SB25-129 and SB25-130 would protect patients and providers from hostile out-of-state action and ensure that emergency abortion and miscarriage care remain protected < Back February 5, 2025 JOINT RELEASE: Colorado Democrats Introduce Pair of Bills to Strengthen Protections for Reproductive Health Care DENVER, CO – Colorado Democrats today introduced two bills to protect Coloradans’ rights and freedoms by strengthening legal protections for reproductive health care. SB25-129 , sponsored by Senators Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Faith Winter, D-Broomfield, and Representatives Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, and Junie Joseph, D-Boulder, would strengthen Colorado’s shield law to protect patients and providers from out-of-state attacks on accessible reproductive health care. “We have worked hard in Colorado to protect the freedom to decide what to do with our futures and our bodies, and we won’t allow anyone to put these freedoms in danger,” said Cutter. “As attacks on reproductive rights continue across the country, we are working to implement strong and responsive laws in Colorado to shield patients and providers from hostile out-of-state action.” “We’re standing up to protect our patients and providers from far-reaching civil, out-of-state, and Trump administration threats to restrict abortion, and also health care for LGBTQ+ Coloradans,” said McCormick. “New legislation will expand Colorado’s shield laws to include telehealth and prescription label privacy. Our bill will also strengthen Colorado’s ability to fight back legally against hostile attacks on reproductive freedoms and health care.” “Colorado is a beacon for reproductive freedom and access to abortion in our region,” said Winter. “Strengthening our shield law would expand protections for patients, providers, and helpers against interstate criminal and civil threats. These measures, like prescription label privacy, telehealth protections, and robust legal safeguards, will ensure that Colorado remains a national leader for reproductive justice and freedom.” “Colorado has consistently led the nation in protecting abortion rights. Now, we are taking further steps to safeguard our providers and patients from external threats that endanger reproductive freedom and access to essential health care,” said Joseph. “By strengthening Colorado’s shield laws, we can enhance protections for both patients and providers, standing firm against any attempts to undermine bodily autonomy. I am proud to be spearheading this legislation to safeguard abortion access and LGBTQ+ rights for the people of Boulder and Colorado. This bill reaffirms our commitment to upholding reproductive health care rights amidst growing challenges.” The bill protects providers by allowing a provider’s name to be excluded from a medication abortion label and requiring subpoena requests to include an affirmation that they do not pertain to legally protected health care. The bill would also prohibit attorneys, Colorado residents and entities, and local agencies from complying with hostile out-of-state investigations. Finally, the bill would protect patients using telehealth and strengthen enforcement and compliance mechanisms. SB25-130 , sponsored by Senators Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, and Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, and Representatives Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, and Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins, would ensure emergency access for pregnant people who need abortion or miscarriage care and create clarity for emergency patients and providers. “The people of Colorado deserve safe and accessible access to abortion and miscarriage care without exception, especially when lives are at stake in emergency situations,” said Gonzales. “We owe it to all Coloradans, and particularly the Coloradans most negatively impacted by barriers to reproductive care, to ensure that emergency care is always granted, no questions asked.” “The Trump administration continues to erode federal protections surrounding reproductive health care, and Colorado must protect life-saving emergency care for pregnant people,” said Froelich. “Since Roe was overturned, hospitals and physicians around the country have been experiencing dangerous ambiguity when it comes to the type of life-saving care they’re legally allowed to provide, specifically for abortion and miscarriage care. In Colorado, we’re ensuring emergency providers have the clarity they need to do their job and save lives.” “States with the most restrictive abortion bans have challenged and disrupted our federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which has resulted in devastating loss of life,” said Weissman. “As a part of our efforts to protect Coloradans’ fundamental freedoms in volatile times, it is imperative that we clarify to patients and providers alike that emergency care in Colorado will remain comprehensive and accessible.” “In states where reproductive health care is restricted, pregnant people are having a hard time receiving emergency abortion or miscarriage care until it’s too late – we cannot let this happen in Colorado,” said Zokaie. “This bill eliminates any dangerous ambiguity around the physician and hospital duty to provide emergency care to patients so no one is denied life-saving care. Our state has been a long-time leader in abortion care because Coloradans understand that access to reproductive health care saves lives.” The federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) is a nearly 40-year-old law that requires hospitals to provide emergency medical treatment, including abortion and miscarriage care regardless of ability to pay. However, the Supreme Court is allowing states to deny pregnant people abortion care in life-threatening emergencies by sending cases back to lower courts. In response to threats to these federal protections, this bill would ensure that life-saving emergency care will be protected in Colorado. Both bills have been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and will be scheduled for hearings in the coming weeks. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to extend worker protections to public sector employees and support Coloradans living with a disability. < Back April 29, 2023 Legislation to Support Workers and Coloradans Living with a Disability Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to extend worker protections to public sector employees and support Coloradans living with a disability. SB23-111, sponsored by Representatives Steven Woodrow and Brianna Titone, passed the House by a vote of 43 to 19. HB23-1296, sponsored by Representatives David Ortiz and Leslie Herod, passed the House by a vote of 48 to 14. “Colorado’s public employees keep our communities safe and thriving, and they deserve the same workplace protections as their private sector counterparts,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, sponsor of SB23-111. “With this legislation, public workers will be free to discuss workplace issues, join an employee organization, and participate in our political process without fear of retribution. No one should be retaliated against for exercising their First Amendment rights, and I’m grateful we were able to get this done for Colorado’s public workers.” “Our first responders, teachers, public defenders and other public workers deserve the same workplace protections and rights already guaranteed to private sector workers,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada, sponsor of SB23-111 . “This legislation stands up for public workers and allows them to exercise their rights without employer retaliation. Colorado’s public workers are valued members of our community, and this bill allows them to make their voice heard.” SB23-111 aims to extend employee protections and rights for Coloradans working in the public sector. This legislation would give public employees the right to discuss views on employee representation or workplace issues, engage in mutual aid, participate in the political process while off duty and out of uniform and organize, join or assist in an employee organization. Private sector employees already have the concerted activity protections outlined in this legislation. SB23-111 aims to align public and private sector employee benefits to ensure every Colorado worker has equalized protections and rights. “Colorado needs to step up and do more to improve basic access for those living with a disability,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton, sponsor of HB23-1296 . “Basic access is a right, not a privilege, and this legislation brings us closer to achieving basic access for each and every Coloradan. Through a diverse taskforce, we can bring forward meaningful ways to improve accessibility to employment, government services, housing and the outdoors for the twenty-percent of Coloradans who live with a disability.” “Coloradans living with a disability face significant barriers to securing housing, participating in the public process of government, and enjoying our great outdoors, ” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, sponsor of HB23-1296. “From employment to housing and the great outdoors, our legislation creates a taskforce to examine accessibility barriers and uncover solutions to enable all Coloradans to thrive. If we can work toward securing basic access for Coloradans living with a disability, we can strengthen our communities.” HB23-1296 , would create the Rights of Coloradans with Disabilities task force to study issues concerning Coloradans’ with disabilities. This important task force would include four different subcommittees focused on state and local government, housing, the rewrite of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act and accessibility in housing and the outdoors. This legislation aims to ensure basic civil rights of individuals with disabilities in these four key areas by providing essential research and information to make Colorado more accessible for all. 20-percent of Coloradans live with a disability and this legislation works toward protecting civil liberties and expanding necessary data to provide basic access to housing, employment, recreation and government services. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to support Coloradans seeking homeowners insurance in wildfire prone areas and promote the development of clean, thermal energy technology. < Back April 19, 2023 House Advances Property Insurance of Last Resort, Pathways for Thermal Energy Technology DENVER, CO – The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to s upport Coloradans seeking homeowners insurance in wildfire prone areas and promote the development of clean, thermal energy technology. “Wildfires are becoming more frequent and destructive in Colorado, and we need to ensure our neighbors and communities are protected,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of HB23-1288. “Through this legislation, we’re creating a FAIR insurance plan especially for Coloradans living in wildfire prone areas to insure their homes, businesses and livelihood. Property owners are already struggling to find insurance, and we are hearing from constituents that some may not be able to purchase insurance at all. We’re committed to doing everything we can to help property owners insure their structures as climate change continues to drive increasingly destructive natural disasters.” “In Colorado, we’re taking big steps to not only mitigate wildfires, but make it possible for homeowners in disaster prone areas to purchase property insurance,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB23-1288. “Unfortunately, many homeowners living in wildfire or flood prone areas are struggling to purchase insurance that will protect their home or business – this legislation fixes that by creating the FAIR insurance plan. We need to prepare for potential impacts to the insurance market from the next big fire, and our bill steps up to fill potential gaps in insurance coverage so Coloradans always have an option to insure their properties.” Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan Association: HB23-1288 would create a nonprofit, unincorporated legal entity, to ensure Coloradans with homes and commercial properties located in wildfire zones can receive homeowners or commercial insurance. As destructive wildfires become more frequent in residential areas, many Coloradans struggle to find a private insurer that will cover their property at all. This bill would make sure Coloradans can find a carrier to insure their homes and commercial spaces as wildfires grow in frequency and destruction across Colorado. “ Thermal energy heating and cooling systems are already being used across Colorado, and this bill creates a pathway so more Coloradans and businesses can take advantage of this cost-saving technology,” said Rep. Sheila Lieder, D-Littleton, sponsor of HB23-1252. “This legislation would make it easier to develop, expand and deploy clean, reliable thermal energy technology, creating good paying jobs, saving money on energy bills and helping to improve our air quality.” “Thermal energy is the heat beneath our feet, and it can play an important role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of HB23-1252. “Our legislation works to expand avenues for thermal energy technologies in homes and businesses across the state, saving Coloradans’ money and creating new jobs in emerging fields. Attracting and adopting clean technologies like thermal energy is key to helping Colorado reach its climate goals.” Including Thermal Energy As A Clean Heat Resource: HB23-1252 would continue Colorado’s work to reduce emissions from gas utilities by providing a pathway for wider adoption of thermal energy as a clean heat resource. This bill aims to assist in the transition away from expensive fuel commodities like natural gas and lower utility costs for Coloradans. Thermal energy systems heat and cool buildings by circulating non-combustible fluids through a pipe network. Defining thermal energy as a clean heat resource allows the state to expand its usage, create new job opportunities, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and save Coloradans money on their utility bills. Previous Next