< Back March 4, 2019 ROBERTS’ BIPARTISAN PUBLIC HEALTH CARE OPTION RECEIVES HOUSE APPROVAL Coloradans shouldn’t be forced to choose between paying for their health care or their mortgage (Mar. 4) – The House approved a bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, and Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, to create a new affordable and competitive health care option in the state of Colorado that will be available to families and individuals when purchasing health insurance. “The cost of health insurance especially on the Western Slope but all across Colorado continue to skyrocket. This bill is a reasoned, smart approach to try to bring competition to the marketplace to bring down the cost of health care,” said Rep. Roberts. “ This bipartisan bill is a uniquely Colorado solution to the growing health care problems in our state. Too many hardworking individuals and families, especially in rural Colorado, are paying too much for health insurance.” Currently, there are 14 counties in our state with only one option on the individual market and many counties are left with a small number of options for health insurance. This bill will increase competition in the market. The bipartisan HB19-1004 represents significant progress towards developing a publicly supported health insurance option on the market that leverages the efficiencies of our current state infrastructure. This public option will help put affordable health insurance in reach for many hardworking families across our state. “People are deciding whether to pay out-of-control health insurance costs each month or forgo coverage for themselves and their kids,” Roberts said. “Providing families and individuals an affordable option will make a meaningful difference in their lives and ensure they stay in our rural communities. This bill was carefully crafted in a responsible way to create a new, affordable health insurance option in Colorado.” Eagle County has some of the highest health care premiums in the entire country. The bill directs experts at the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and the Division of Insurance to create a proposal for implementing a public option that leverages already-existing state infrastructure. That proposal must be presented to the Joint Budget Committee, House Public Health and Human Services Committee; House Health and Insurance Committee, Senate Health and Human Services Committee and Joint committees during SMART Act hearings later this year. When exploring the creation of a public option, the departments must consider affordability to the consumer, administrative and financial consideration for the state, ease of implementation and impacts to the market as a whole. The bill was approved by a bipartisan vote of 46-18. It now heads to the Senate. The Proposal For Affordable Health Coverage Option bill is part of a larger package of bills that House Democrats have introduced this year to help lower the cost of health care. The House also approved HB19-1131, sponsored by Rep. Sonya Jaquez-Lewis, D-Longmont, to help with prescription drug cost transparency by a vote of 40-23. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back February 9, 2023 House Passes Bill to Address Teacher Shortage DENVER, CO – The House passed legislation today to boost the educator workforce by making it easier for teachers professionally licensed in other states to teach in Colorado. HB23-1064 passed by a vote of 46-16. “We’re one step closer to getting more educators in classrooms across Colorado,” s aid Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs . “We know teachers are working through difficult situations, including burnout, and are still managing to set our students up for success. Our bill works to get more high quality teachers in classrooms by streamlining the process for teachers who are licensed in another state to obtain a teaching license in Colorado.” “Colorado’s teacher shortage is affecting every school district in the state, and our bill works to address educator workforce shortages,” said Representative Mary Young, D-Greeley . “Under this bill, already licensed teachers from other states would have an easier time obtaining a Colorado teaching license. This bill also positively impacts military spouses who relocate to Colorado by removing barriers to entering the educator workforce.” HB23-1064 would create new pathways for out-of-state teachers to gain professional licensure in Colorado. The bill establishes the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, which would create an agreement between Colorado and ten other states where licensed teachers in member states can obtain and easily transfer a teacher’s license from another member state. This bill is designed to increase the teacher workforce by easing the state-to-state licensure process and reduce barriers, so professionally licensed teachers can begin teaching in Colorado classrooms faster. HB23-1064 would be particularly helpful for active military and military spouses who often relocate from state-to-state and the compact was initiated by the Department of Defense with the Council of State Governments and National Council of Teacher Accreditation. Previous Next

School Finance Act will increase average per pupil funding by $780 < Back May 23, 2024 SIGNED! 2024 School Finance Act to Pay Off Budget Stabilization Factor, Increase Education Funding to Historic Levels AURORA, CO – Today Governor Jared Polis signed the 2024 School Finance Act, which sets funding levels for Colorado’s public school districts. Sponsored by Senators Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, and Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, and Representatives Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, and Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, SB24-188 raises the base level of per-pupil funding by $780 to $11,450 per-pupil on average. This year’s School Finance Act increases total funding for public schools by more than $500 million to $9.7 billion and completely buys down the Budget Stabilization Factor, a longstanding goal that helps ensure Colorado students get the quality education they deserve. "Fully funding our schools is one of the main reasons I ran for the state senate, and I am absolutely thrilled that the 2024 School Finance Act will make it happen,” Zenzinger said. “All our students deserve a quality education that meets their needs and prepares them for success. While we have much more to do to truly fully fund our schools, this year’s School Finance Act represents a great start, and will help reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and provide a world class education for our children and youth." “After years of strategic budgeting and planning, the 2024 School Finance Act finally pays off the budget stabilization factor which means schools can increase teacher pay, reduce classroom sizes and better support our students living with disabilities,” said Bird. “This is a record-breaking increase of $780 per-pupil funding which brings the total per-pupil funding to more than $11,450 on average. My passion for public service began with the drive to fully fund our K-12 public schools and support our hardworking educators – this bill fulfills that promise and more to support each and every student in Colorado.” “As Chair of the Senate Education Committee and a former educator, ensuring our schools and students have the resources they need is personal to me, and this year’s School Finance Act will do just that,” said Buckner. “By eliminating the Budget Stabilization Factor and fully funding K-12 education, we’re opening the door to so many more opportunities to improve our schools, support our teachers, and make Colorado the best state in the nation to learn and grow.” “This year’s School Finance Act is historic because it fully eliminates the budget stabilization factor, increases per-pupil funding by nearly $780 on average and supports our rural school districts directly,” said McLachlan. “Our commitment to improving educational outcomes for each and every student is unwavering, and this year we’re stepping up to help recruit, retain, and support the educators who make all the difference in the education our kids receive. I’m beyond proud of our legislative efforts to drive resources to small rural schools and those who serve students with the greatest needs.” Increased Funding for Rural Schools: Colorado’s small and large rural school districts often have a difficult time recruiting and maintaining a high-quality workforce needed to support Colorado students and school functions. In conjunction with legislation passed this year to update Colorado’s school funding formula, the 2024 School Finance Act eliminates rural school districts’ reliance on one-time funding, which makes it difficult for districts to plan ahead using multi-year budgets. Ninth Grade Success Program: This important program helps ninth grade students with the skills they need to successfully reach tenth grade on-track, on-time and with their peers. This year’s School Finance Act increases funding for this program to support our students’ growth and educational trajectory. Support for Students Living with a Disability: The 2024 School Finance Act amends the definition of “concurrent enrollment” to include students in special education. This means students living with a disability and those who receive transition services on their Individualized Education Program can access college-level courses for credit as well as some credential and apprenticeship programs to create stronger workforce pathways and opportunities. Previous Next

< Back May 27, 2021 HOUSE DEBATES, ADVANCES BILL TO IMPROVE COLORADO ELECTIONS House Republicans debate existence of voter suppression, try to disenfranchise students and eligible voters DENVER, CO– The House today advanced legislation to improve Colorado’s gold standard elections system. “Colorado has the most secure election system in the country, and at the same time, we make it easy to vote, which has led to one of the highest voter turnout rates of any state,” said Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver . “One of the reasons for this is that we are always looking at how we can make our system better, and that’s what this bill does. As Republicans in the legislature try to eliminate our universal vote-by-mail ballot and push dangerous lies about the integrity of our elections, Democrats are committed to strengthening our system and making it easier for voters to navigate and ensure their voice is heard.” “Today, we’re taking action to make Colorado’s gold standard election system even better,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton. “This bill improves our dropboxes and expands prohibitions on partisan electioneering at our polling stations. It modernizes the voter registration system to make it easier for individuals to register and helps college students learn where and how they can vote. It’s great to see Colorado’s bipartisan county clerks come together to make recommendations for how we can make our elections more secure and more accessible.” SB21-250, sponsored by Representatives Susan Lontine and Yadira Caraveo, stems from the recommendations and findings of Colorado’s sixty-four county clerks, the Secretary of State, and other stakeholders. It makes clarifications, adjustments, and improvements to ensure Colorado’s election system remains the gold standard. The bill will improve access to drop boxes and Voter Service and Polling Centers, streamline Colorado’s voter registration system, and increase transparency in recall elections. Additionally, it clarifies and expands prohibitions on electioneering within 100 feet of a polling place in order to protect against partisan election interference. Specifically, the bill ensures that voters who are in dropbox lines at 7:00 PM are allowed to drop off their ballots, the same way voters who are in line by 7:00 PM at a voter service and polling center are able to cast a ballot. It also allows greater public input into the location of drop boxes. The bill clarifies what constitutes “electioneering” and ensures that voters may not be challenged for frivolous reasons unrelated to their eligibility. The bill modernizes the voter registration system to create a process for voters to register online with the last four digits of their social security numbers should they not have a driver’s license, requiring that information be matched and checked against the social security database in real time before proceeding to register the voter. The bill also requires institutions of higher education to provide information to enrolled students on their eligibility to vote and how to keep their address up to date so fewer ballots will be returned as undeliverable. Previous Next

< Back February 9, 2022 BILLS TO SAVE COLORADANS MONEY ON FERTILITY TREATMENTS, BOOST HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE ADVANCE DENVER, CO – Two health care bills, one to save Coloradans money on fertility treatments and one to boost the health care workforce, passed the House Health and Insurance Committee today. HB22-1008, Implementation Of Fertility Coverage passed by a vote of 9 to 2. HB22-1050, International Medical Graduate Integrate Healthcare Workforce passed by a vote of 7-4. “We’re working diligently to save Coloradans money on starting or growing their family by expanding health care coverage to include fertility treatments and diagnosis,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper D-Lakewood sponsor of HB22-1008. “We know the high cost of fertility treatments is a barrier for many Coloradans wanting to start a family. This bill will help thousands access more affordable fertility coverage.” HB22-1008 would update legislation passed in 2020 to ensure that insurance plans cover fertility diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, the revised bill language would implement federal requirements for fertility coverage to take place under some Colorado health care plans. Fertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), is often a prohibitively expensive health care treatment for people wanting to start or expand their families. If passed, HB22-1008 would save Coloradans money by covering fertility treatments in large employer plans beginning January 1, 2023. It also applies to individual and small group policies within a 12-month decision from Colorado Health and Human Services (HHS). “Boosting our health care workforce is a top priority this legislative session,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks D-Aurora, sponsor of HB22-1050 . “Colorado’s health care workforce shortage is very real, especially to those living in rural and underserved communities that often lack access to essential and preventative care. This bill aims to address the shortage of doctors, nurses and other critical health care workers by making it easier for qualified International Medical Graduates to enter the workforce and provide everything from routine check-ups to life saving care.” HB22-1050 would improve the integration of International Medical Graduates (IMGs) into Colorado’s health care workforce. IMGs are qualified medical professionals who have completed medical training outside of the United States. However, they often face barriers to re-entering the health care workforce because of licensing requirements. HB22-1050 will create pathways to assist IMGs to navigate re-entry through readiness programs and equalizing licensing programs. Pandemic pressures combined with workforce shortages have caused a strain on Colorado’s health care workers. This bill would combat the shortages by assisting qualified medical professionals to enter Colorado’s healthcare workforce. Previous Next

BOLSTERED ERPO POLICY WILL HELP DE-ESCALATE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND SAVE LIVES < Back April 28, 2023 SIGNED! LANDMARK LEGISLATION TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE COLORADO’S RED FLAG LAW BOLSTERED ERPO POLICY WILL HELP DE-ESCALATE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND SAVE LIVES DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed into law landmark legislation that will expand and strengthen Colorado’s “Red Flag” law. SB23-170 , sponsored by Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, and Senator Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, and House Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, and Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, will expand who is eligible to file for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), which will allow more qualified individuals to intervene before gun violence has a chance to occur. “Red Flag laws are one of the most effective tools we have to prevent gun violence, but unfortunately Colorado’s Red Flag law is tragically underutilized,” Fenberg said. “This new law will strengthen our state’s Red Flag law and increase the number of individuals who can file for an extreme risk protection order, which will create more opportunities for community members to recognize when something is wrong and intervene in a way that will prevent further gun violence and save countless lives across our state.” “This expansion of Colorado’s Extreme Risk Protection Order will improve one of the best tools we have to help prevent more Coloradans from being a victim of the next gun violence tragedy,” Bacon said. “Now, more qualified individuals will be able to file a petition if they believe someone poses a serious threat to the community. This law brings us one step closer to keeping guns out of the hands of those who would do harm to themselves or others.” “Our Red Flag law has already saved lives in Colorado, and this commonsense law will strengthen it so that it can be even more effective,” Sullivan said. “Expanding and improving our Red Flag law will create more opportunities for qualified individuals to assess the danger and act appropriately to prevent further violence and ultimately save more lives.” “Since Colorado passed the Red Flag law in 2019, it has been an effective yet underutilized tool to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals,” Weissman said. “Teachers, licensed mental health professionals, district attorneys, and medical professionals throughout our communities often have insight into the potential dangers that someone poses, making them essential in Colorado’s fight against gun violence. With this bill being signed into law today, we’re improving awareness of this tool and expanding eligibility to file a petition so we can reduce deaths by suicide and protect more Coloradans from the threat of gun violence.” Originally passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Polis in 2019, the Zackari Parrish III Violence Prevention Act is a tool used to temporarily remove firearms from a person who a judge determines is a threat to themselves or others. Currently a petition for removal can only be filed by a family member or a law enforcement officer. SB23-170 will expand the list of individuals eligible to file an ERPO to include District Attorneys and other law enforcement officials, licensed health care providers, mental health professionals, and educators. According to the Associated Press , Colorado has one of the lowest use rates of its Red Flag law. Colorado issued only 3.3 protection orders per 100,000 adult residents through 2021, ranking the sixth lowest among 19 states that have Red Flag laws. In comparison, Florida issues 33.6 protection orders per 100,000 adult residents. Researchers have found that for every 10 to 20 protection orders, one suicide might be averted. Previous Next

< Back April 28, 2021 COLORADO COMEBACK BILLS HIT THE HOUSE FLOOR Affordable housing, creative industries, and small businesses who hire former inmates to get significant boost under state stimulus bills advanced today DENVER, CO– House committees today advanced three Colorado Comeback state stimulus proposals that would provide significant funding for affordable housing; offer grants to artists, venues, and Coloradans in the creative industries, and expand a program that creates jobs by helping formerly incarcerated individuals learn finance skills and start a business. Local governments are on the forefront of building affordable housing, but often lack the tools and resources to increase the available housing stock. HB21-1271 , sponsored by Representatives McCluskie and Jodeh, provides $13 million in incentives and technical assistance to local governments to provide for the rapid deployment of affordable housing projects and to also ensure local communities have the tools and resources they need to help them identify and meet their unique housing needs. The bill passed the Transportation and Local Government Committee by a vote of 9-2. “Coloradans across the state continue to tell lawmakers that housing is too expensive and access to affordable places to live is becoming harder and harder to find,” said Rep. Iman Joden, D-Aurora. “I believe in the American Dream, and for many, secure and safe housing or homeownership is a part of realizing that dream. Allowing this dream to come to fruition shouldn’t be a luxury, but rather something within the reach of all. That’s why we’re giving local governments the tools they need to develop more affordable housing and offering financial incentives to make that happen.” “Many of our rural and mountain town economies depend on access to affordable housing as rising costs are forcing out long-time locals and making it harder for businesses to find workers,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “We have an affordable housing crisis in Colorado and local governments need additional tools and funding to create more housing. I’m excited to see the legislature tackle this issue and take action to foster construction of more affordable places to live for Coloradans.” HB21-1215 , sponsored by Representatives Ortiz and Holtorf, expands an existing pilot program known as the Community Crime Prevention Initiative that provides grants to community-based organizations to reduce crime and recidivism and promote community economic development. The program also trains formerly incarcerated people in business, finance and entrepreneurship and those who graduate receive access to loans to start their own small business. The program was created by the bipartisan bill HB17-1326, establishing the pilot program in North Aurora and Southeast Colorado Springs. HB21-1215 expands the program sites to Grand Junction and Trinidad. The bill passed the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 6-5. “The Justice Reinvestment Crime Prevention Initiative has successfully created jobs and lowered recidivism rates because it focuses on community-led solutions to the root causes of crime,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “Let’s keep up the good work! This bipartisan bill uses state stimulus funds to expand the program to Trinidad and Grand Junction to provide further opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals to learn business, finance, and entrepreneurship skills and find employment, reducing the chance they reoffend and return to prison.” Venues, artists, and so many other culturally vital organizations have struggled to make it through the last year. HB21-1285 , sponsored by Representatives Benavidez and Herod, provides $10M to support artists and cultural organizations that have been impacted by COVID-19 throughout the state. This includes funding for the performance based film incentive, cultural facilities and the CO Creative Industries grant program set up during the 2020 special session. The bill passed the Business Affairs and Labor Committee by a vote of 8-5. “For community cultural centers and festivals, artists and so many others in Colorado’s creative economy, this last year has been devastating,” said Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Commerce City. “Our state stimulus plan provides $10 million to help Coloradans in the arts industry get back on their feet, creating jobs in communities all across our state. I’m proud that this bill will target historically marginalized businesses and individuals to provide them the resources they need to recover financially and thrive.” “The pandemic’s impact on concerts, art festivals, and so much more has meant lost income and wages for tens of thousands of Coloradans,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “By boosting this critical industry, we can help Coloradans recover faster from the pandemic and build back stronger.” Previous Next

< Back March 9, 2020 HOUSE PASSES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS PACKAGE House passes three bills to enhance the Safe2Tell program, allow behavioral analysts in public schools and excuse absences for behavioral health issues DENVER, CO– The House today passed a package of bills, sponsored by Representatives Meg Froelich, Dafna Michaelson Jenet, and Lisa Cutter, to improve the state of behavioral health in public schools and support students with behavioral health issues. All three bills passed with broad bipartisan support. HB20-1005 , sponsored by Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet would make enhancements to Colorado’s Safe2Tell program , including aligning the Safe2Tell program and the crisis hotline more closely to ensure that individuals in crisis can rapidly access crisis counseling. This bipartisan legislation also sponsored by Rep. Kevin Van Winkle came out of the School Safety Interim Committee. The bill was passed by a vote of 60-4. “Improving our Safe2Tell program will ensure that it can continue to save lives and provide a critical resource for our youth,” said Rep. Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “Making the changes necessary to address our youth behavioral health epidemic is like solving a complex puzzle. The bills we passed today to enhance Safe2Tell and ensure that public schools allow excused behavioral health absences to reduce stigma are important pieces of the puzzle, and I’m glad we were able to advance these common sense policies today.” HB20-1058 , sponsored by Rep. Froelich, would require local school boards and other education service providers to adopt a policy that will allow behavior health analysts to provide medically necessary services to students in public schools by July, 2021. The bill was passed by a vote of 64-0. “This bill is the culmination of a great deal of passionate advocacy from concerned parents across the state,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood. “We took an important step forward today and cleared a path towards improving educational and behavioral health outcomes for all of Colorado’s students.” SB20-014 , Sponsored by Reps. Michaelson Jenet and Cutter, would require schools to excuse absences for behavioral health concerns in their attendance policies. This bill came out of the School Safety Interim Committee and passed the Senate and House Education Committee unanimously. The bill was passed by a vote of 64-0.. “It’s time to end the stigma around behavioral health and tackle our state’s mental health crisis head-on.” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “Allowing behavioral health absences will begin to normalize the practice of caring for one’s mental health among our youth and hopefully make a real impact on our soaring rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.” Previous Next

Legislation puts ‘people over parking’ to lower the cost of building new homes, increase Colorado’s housing supply, and reduce harmful air pollution < Back June 30, 2025 Legislation to Save Coloradans Money on Housing by Eliminating Parking Mandates Takes Effect Legislation puts ‘people over parking’ to lower the cost of building new homes, increase Colorado’s housing supply, and reduce harmful air pollution COLORADO - Legislation goes into effect today to make housing in Colorado more affordable and reduce traffic congestion. HB24-1304, also sponsored by Former Rep. Steph Vigil and Former Senator Kevin Priola, eliminates parking mandates that drive up the cost of building new housing, especially multi-family developments. “Parking minimums add to building costs that then get passed down to potential homebuyers and renters, increasing housing costs for everyone,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “Each parking space can add tens of thousands of dollars and reduce the number of units that we can build—restricting supply and driving up costs. This law going into effect, coupled with the other housing legislation that Colorado Democrats passed in recent years, will help alleviate our affordability crisis.” “Parking spots cost tens of thousands of dollars each to build - an unacceptable amount at a time when too many Coloradans are struggling to find housing they can afford,” Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, said. “We must do more to encourage the construction of new housing in our state, including for Pueblo which has a large amount of land devoted to parking that could be redeveloped as housing and businesses. I am incredibly proud of our new law that will make it easier to do just that while reducing traffic, bolstering economic development, and freeing up valuable space for our communities while enhancing our downtowns.” Beginning June 30, 2025, HB24-1304 prohibits a county or municipality within a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) from enacting or enforcing minimum parking requirements for most new multifamily residential properties that are within a quarter mile of a transit stop or station. The law still allows a local government to impose a parking minimum of up to one space per unit on proposed housing developments with more than 20 units or that include any units classified as affordable housing. To impose this mandate, they must show that the parking minimum is required to avoid a substantial negative impact. HB24-1304 does not allow a county or municipality to decrease required parking spaces for people with disabilities and does not prevent a local government from enacting or enforcing a maximum parking requirement or requiring a number of spaces for temporary loading purposes. Lastly, the law required the Colorado Department of Transportation and other state agencies to publish a map of the applicable transit services area and technical assistance materials and best practices for optimal parking supply and management policies by the end of 2024. Parking minimums increase home prices and rents by requiring developers to use valuable space for cars that may not be fully utilized and could instead be dedicated to more housing units. In 2020, new structured parking spaces in Denver cost $25,000 each. The city of Minneapolis, which eliminated parking minimums in 2021 and has enacted a suite of other land use reforms, saw rents increase by just one percent between 2017 and 2022, while rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Denver increased by almost 25 percent over the same time period. Research attributes the significant expansion of the housing supply in Minneapolis, leading to lower rent increases, to the elimination of parking minimums. The oversupply of parking is also directly linked to higher vehicle miles traveled. The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in Colorado, with passenger vehicles such as cars and light-duty trucks contributing nearly 60 percent of the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. Previous Next

< Back April 29, 2019 HEROD BILL TO REFORM PAROLE GETS BIPARTISAN APPROVAL IN THE HOUSE Criminal Justice reforms aim to decrease high statewide recidivism rate (Apr. 29) – With the statewide recidivism rate hovering at 50 percent, the house gave final approval to Rep. Leslie Herod’s bill to reform parole. The bill, SB19-143, will make it harder to deny parole to low-risk offenders, harder to revoke parole for technical violations, and easier for individuals to access reentry services after release. Rep. Herod and House Democrats have a led and passed a number of criminal justice reform related bills this session. “We have a double crisis in the Department of Corrections: a 50 percent failure rate for those released and prison overcrowding,” said Rep. Herod, D-Denver. “This bill will tackle both issues by making it easier for low-risk individuals to be paroled and then access services when they reenter the community.” SB19-143 allows the Department of Corrections to better manage their population when the vacancy rate falls below 3 percent. It will better align parole board decision making with the parole release guidelines for people who have been assessed to be less that high risk. Under the bill, technical parole violations would not be used to send a parolee convicted of certain low level crimes back to prison. The bill passed with a bipartisan vote of 43-22 and now heads back to the Senate for approval of amendments. Previous Next

< Back April 30, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES MCCLUSKIE BILL TO RENEW EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM Only 40 percent of third graders in the state are reading at their grade level now (Apr. 30) – The House gave preliminary approval to a bipartisan bill, sponsored by Rep. Julie McCluskie to renew the Colorado Reading To Ensure Academic Development Act (Colorado READ Act), a K-3 literacy instructional program that began in 2012. “Ultimately, strong readers are more successful in school, and we hope in all aspects of life. This bill builds on and improves the existing READ Act that was passed in 2012,” said Rep. McCluskie, D-Dillon. “We need to see stronger results in early childhood literacy. We worked together with members of the K-12 education community to strengthen and refine the efforts that are already in place. We hope this revitalized READ Act will support better reading growth and achievement.” SB19-199 allocates literacy funding towards evidence-based practices that will get Coloradan kids reading at grade level. The bill puts in place provisions to ensure that Colorado teachers are proficient in evidenced-based literacy and reading training practices. That funding can be used for summer literacy programs, professional development programming and tutoring services. Finally, the bill includes increased transparency measures and reporting requirements to ensure the appropriated funds are used in a manner to get the largest return on investment for Colorado’s early learners. SB19-199 passed by a voice-vote. A final vote will be taken at a later date. Previous Next

Bill aims to create more opportunities for Colorado voters to participate in vacancy elections < Back April 1, 2025 JOINT RELEASE: Bipartisan Legislative Vacancy Reform Bill Introduced DENVER, CO – A bipartisan group of lawmakers yesterday introduced new legislation to reform Colorado’s vacancy process used to replace a senator or representative if they leave office before their term ends. HB25-1315 is sponsored by Representative Emily Sirota, House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, and Senators Mike Weissman and Barbara Kirkmeyer. “This bipartisan legislation will democratize Colorado’s vacancy committee process to boost voter participation and efficiently fill vacancies so all communities maintain representation at the Capitol during the legislative session,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “As lawmaker resignations occur for a variety of reasons, we’ve heard the concerns about our current process and are taking action to increase campaign finance transparency for vacancy elections and limit the time someone can serve before facing an election.” “Vacancies in the General Assembly are an issue I heard about as I traveled the state as the Minority Leader,” said Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-El Paso. “The people want to preserve the vacancy committee process while also having the opportunity to vote for their legislators. This bill will do both. It addresses increased engagement with our grassroots while still allowing the people an opportunity to vote in a November odd-year primary election.” "Increasing strains on legislators leading to more frequent resignations have illustrated the need and opportunity to modernize the vacancy process for the Colorado General Assembly," said Senator Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. "This legislation represents a bipartisan way forward that is consistent with Colorado constitutional requirements, allows more input from voters, and does not excessively burden county clerks responsible for conducting elections. Critically, it will also capture raising and spending of campaign funds by candidates who seek vacancy appointments and run in vacancy elections so that voters can understand what influences may be operating in vacancy situations." “For the past few years, voters have grown increasingly alarmed with our vacancy laws for important elected government offices,” said Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County. “A handful of political insiders should not determine who sits in a state legislative seat for years at a time without voters being able to express their will. I’m pleased to be part of a bipartisan coalition that brings impactful reform to this process. This is an important first step in reforming vacancies for important government offices in Colorado.” HB25-1315 aims to increase transparency in the vacancy committee process and broaden participation amongst voters when a legislative vacancy occurs. Under current law, vacancies in the General Assembly are filled by vacancy committee selection until the next general election. Colorado’s approach offers voters more opportunities to participate in the vacancy process than many other states where governors or small commissions make the appointments. The legislative session begins no later than the second Wednesday of January and wraps up 120 days later. HB25-1315 would affect vacancies in the General Assembly in the following ways: If a lawmaker resigns during session or by July 31 in an even-year, the new vacancy committee process will take place and then the selected candidate would run in the normally scheduled general election that November. If a lawmaker resigns after July 31 in an even-year, the vacancy would be filled first by the vacancy committee. Then there would be a vacancy election in the following odd-year November election. If the seat was already on cycle for that even-year, the general election held in November of that year would continue as normal. If a lawmaker resigns during session or by July 31 in an odd-year, the new vacancy committee process would fill the seat until a vacancy election can occur in November of that year. If a lawmaker resigns after July 31 in an odd-year, the new vacancy committee process would take place and fill the seat until the next general election in the even-year. In any scenario, lawmakers would only be able to serve one year before having to run in an election. To run for the vacancy, candidates could qualify by collecting signatures from 30 percent of the vacancy committee members or at least 200 same-party voters in their district. This process aims to improve ballot access for candidates. Unaffiliated voters and voters of the same party would be allowed to participate in the vacancy election. Vacancy candidates running in both the new vacancy committee process and the subsequent vacancy elections in November will be subject to campaign contribution limits and disclosure laws. Currently, candidates participating in the vacancy process are not subject to campaign finance laws. Under the bill, the number of precinct organizers serving on the vacancy committee would double and automatically include any county commissioners who are members of the political party and reside within the district. If a precinct committee person is appointed to fill an open position on the selection committee, they cannot participate in the process until 91 days after their appointment. Previous Next