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Representative Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, and Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, today released the following joint statement calling on CommonSpirit Health, which operates Mercy Hospital, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Colorado to reach an agreement that maintains in-network service consumers in Southwest Colorado: < Back May 3, 2024 McLachlan and Simpson Joint Statement on CommonSpirit Health and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Impasse DURANGO, CO - Representative Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, and Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, today released the following joint statement calling on CommonSpirit Health, which operates Mercy Hospital, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Colorado to reach an agreement that maintains in-network service consumers in Southwest Colorado: Coloradans in our communities must have access to hospital care and medical services within a reasonable distance from home, and this impasse puts critical care out of reach for consumers in Southwest Colorado. Coloradans in rural communities often have to travel hours for care, but forcing patients to drive to Colorado Springs or Grand Junction to receive treatment is not an appropriate alternative. It’s time for Anthem and CommonSpirit to put patients before profits and come to an agreement that continues in-network coverage for facilities such as Mercy Hospital in our communities. Previous Next

< Back May 12, 2021 HOUSE BILL WOULD BOOST WILDFIRE AND DISASTER MITIGATION DENVER, CO– The House today advanced HB21-1208 , legislation that would help Colorado communities prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change and related natural disasters. “As the changing climate threatens structures, livestock, and Coloradans across our state, we have to take action now to help build more resilient communities,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “This bill will help local governments and communities draw down significant federal resources to protect against natural disasters like wildfires and droughts that are devastating our state, forcing Coloradans from their homes, and harming industries that create jobs. Our local communities desperately need a consistent, ongoing source of revenue to fund mitigation resources to fund mitigation projects so they can be better prepared to weather increasingly severe droughts, fires, and record temperatures.” “By investing in natural disaster and wildfire mitigation, we can prevent some of the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in damages and losses consumers and property owners face each year in Colorado,” said Rep Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. “Climate change is making natural disasters worse and worse each year, burning people’s homes and threatening job creating industries that rely on our beautiful environment.” HB21-1208, sponsored by Representatives Lisa Cutter and Matt Gray, would create a natural disaster enterprise to draw down federal funds to help Colorado communities mitigate the impact and reduce the threat of climate-related natural disasters, such as wildfires. The bill establishes a small $2 per year flat fee on some disaster related insurance policies that will be leveraged for three times as much federal funding. The funding will be used to finance disaster mitigation projects in communities that are actively working to increase their resiliency.. The grant program will also provide technical assistance to local governments to help them address and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed into law bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Matthew Martinez and Senator Dylan Roberts that creates a refundable state income tax credit for a farm or ranch that uses certain stewardship practices that benefit the environment, such as improving soil health and water efficiency. < Back May 24, 2024 Signed! Bipartisan Bill to Support Farmers and Ranchers Becomes Law ALAMOSA, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed into law bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Matthew Martinez and Senator Dylan Roberts that creates a refundable state income tax credit for a farm or ranch that uses certain stewardship practices that benefit the environment, such as improving soil health and water efficiency. “With the help of this law, we are ensuring that our farmers and ranchers are recognized and benefit from the work that they do to keep our lands thriving and conserving water as they utilize practices that improve soil health,” said Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista. “This tax credit will benefit our agriculture producers who invest in stewardship practices on their lands, saving them money while they produce and support agricultural systems for our state.” “As Colorado continues to face drought, we must ensure we’re balancing the needs of our agricultural industry with stewardship practices that benefit the environment,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco. “This new law creates tax credits that will help improve soil health and water efficiency while supporting Colorado’s family farms and ranches. I’m proud to see this bipartisan policy – one of many we passed this year to support rural Colorado and our agriculture industry – signed into law today.” HB24-1249 , also sponsored by Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, and Senator Rod Pelton, R-Cheyenne Wells, creates a new refundable income tax credit from 2026 through 2030 for farms and ranches that engage in agricultural stewardship practices. These stewardship practices can include rotational grazing, reductions in tilling soil, compost application and other practices that increase soil health, improve water efficiency, or create more diverse and thriving ecosystems while maintaining the productivity of the farm or ranch. Under this law, farmers and ranchers are eligible for a refundable income tax credit determined by the number of stewardship practices that the farm or ranch uses. The tax credit amounts are: Up to $75 per acre for one stewardship practice, with a maximum yearly credit of $150,000, Up to $100 per acre for two stewardship practices, with a maximum yearly credit of $200,000, and Up to $150 per acre for three or more stewardship practices, with a maximum yearly credit of $300,000. Previous Next

< Back November 12, 2019 REP. ESGAR TAKES HELM OF JBC DENVER, CO– Representative Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo) today took the gavel of the Joint Budget Committee after serving as the committee’s vice-chair during the last legislative session. The JBC is responsible for authoring the Long Bill, which sets the state’s annual budget and departments’ spending priorities. “I’m honored to have the privilege to lead the Joint Budget Committee as we work to craft a budget that balances our state’s many competing priorities,” said JBC Chair Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo). “I’m committed to working with Governor Polis and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to write a balanced budget that invests in our state’s future, strengthens our economy so that it works for everyone and protects our Colorado way of life.” “Representative Esgar is a respected voice on budget issues in the legislature and is well known in Southern Colorado for fighting for her constituents and standing up for their priorities,” said Colorado House Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder). “She will be an excellent JBC chair this session, and I know she will continue to produce results for Coloradans in all parts of our state.” The JBC is meeting this week to receive testimony on state departments’ budget requests. Tomorrow, Governor Polis will present his budget to the committee. The committee will continue to hold hearings and craft the state’s budget as the legislative session convenes in January. Rep. Esgar represents parts of Pueblo, Pueblo West, Beulah, Rye and Colorado City. The granddaughter of steelworkers, she was born and raised in Pueblo. Rep. Esgar is a graduate of Pueblo City Schools and Colorado State University-Pueblo. She has worked as a television news producer and a community organizer focusing on poverty and communities of color in Pueblo. Rep. Esgar is known for her work on issues of equality, education, justice, and poverty. She lives with her wife, Heather Palm, in Pueblo. Previous Next

< Back February 19, 2020 BILL TO ABOLISH COLUMBUS DAY PASSES THE HOUSE DENVER, CO — The Colorado House today passed a bill to remove state recognition of Columbus Day, a holiday named after the perpetrator of numerous crimes against humanity, and instead create a holiday that recognizes humanitarian Frances Xavier Cabrini. The new holiday would be the first state holiday named after a woman and would honor Cabrini’s tireless work on behalf of Colorado’s children. The bill was approved by a vote of 37-26. “I’m glad to finally see the House vote to end our state’s recognition of a holiday that brings pain to indigenous people in Colorado every year,” said Rep. Adrienne Benavidez (D-Adams County). “I’m proud that we were able to get this done after so many years trying — this is a momentous day. I’m especially glad that at the same time as we ended our recognition of Columbus, we were able to take a step towards establishing the first state holiday in Colorado to honor a woman.” “I’m proud to see the House vote to set the historical record straight,” said Rep. Kyle Mullica (D-Northglenn). “The legacy and memory of Columbus are a very present source of pain for many communities in our state, and I’m glad we took a step towards putting this pain behind us.” HB20-1031 would establish Cabrini Day on the first Monday in October as a state holiday. It would be a paid holiday for state employees, and the bill would remove state sanction of Columbus day, which occurs one week later. The holiday would recognize Cabrini’s humanitarian values and lifelong dedication to service, especially to the Italian American immigrant community, who faced discrimination and difficulty as they immigrated to America. She worked tirelessly to support the Italian-American community in the United States, including through several projects in Colorado. In 1904, Cabrini established Denver’s Queen of Heaven Orphanage for girls. In 1910, she founded a summer camp for the orphanage’s residents in Golden, Colorado. Currently, a shrine stands in her honor in the original location of the summer camp in Golden. The shrine includes the “Stone House”, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Columbus Day is one of the few holliday’s named after a person, and its continued existence perpetuates the pain and suffering he inflicted. He was responsible for the kidnapping, rape and murder of thousands. Over 50,000 indiginous people commited suicide rather than comply with his rule, and within two years of his landing in the bahamas, over 125,000 people died, half the population. The bill aims to end the state sanctioned pain this holliday The bill passed on Third Reading this morning; the bill will now move onto the Senate. ### Previous Next

The Education Committee today passed legislation to strengthen career pathways for public service. < Back February 18, 2026 Legislation to Strengthen Career Pathways Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The Education Committee today passed legislation to strengthen career pathways for public service. HB26-1136 would streamline skills-based learning and higher education curriculum to better prepare students for a career in public service in Colorado’s state agencies after graduation. “Equipping students with the tools and resources they need to secure a good-paying job after graduation is our mission,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “The Pathways to Public Service Program formalizes partnerships between higher education institutions and state agencies to create stronger public service career pathways for students. With this bill, we’re establishing a talent pipeline from higher education to a lifelong career in public service. By relying on specialized curriculum and skills-based learning, we can help more students uncover a rewarding career path with limitless opportunities.” “When we strengthen the career pathways to public service, we can help more talented students pursue a lifelong career with the State of Colorado,” said Rep. Matt Martinez, D-Monte Vista. “This bill establishes the Pathways to Public Service Program to streamline the curriculum and skill-based learning students need to jump into a public service career after graduation. Our legislation firms up the connections between state agencies, higher education institutions and workforce readiness programs to foster strong career pathways so that students can feel confident entering the workforce.” The Pathways to Public Service Program ( HB26-1136 ) passed committee by a vote of 8-5. To strengthen career pathways, this bill would streamline skills-based hiring programs and establish stronger partnerships between state agencies and higher education institutions. This bill would create the Pathways to Public Service Program within the Colorado Department of Personnel to establish a basecamp for Coloradans seeking a career in public service. Under the bill, state agencies would work alongside higher education and workforce readiness programs to identify curriculum and coursework that would make it easier for students to enter a career in state government after graduation. The State of Colorado is one of the largest employers in Colorado, employing more than 122,600 people in 2023. 33 percent of the state workforce is located outside of the Denver Metro Area, serving communities directly where individuals access state services. State employees serve in diverse skill areas that support Coloradans, including public safety, healthcare, wildlife and natural resource management and many others. Previous Next

New medical school will strengthen Colorado’s health care workforce, increase access to care for Coloradans < Back September 30, 2024 Lieutenant Governor Primavera Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Medical School at University of Northern Colorado GREELEY - Today, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera celebrated the groundbreaking for the College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). This new Medical school, the third medical school in the state, will help support Colorado’s healthcare workforce, ensuring that Coloradans have access to high-quality care. The Lt. Governor joined UNC President Andy Feinstein, Greeley Mayor John Gates, UNC Board of Trustees Chairman Dick Monfort, and other community leaders for the groundbreaking. “I am thrilled to be here at my Alma Mater to celebrate this monumental opportunity for our students, our economy, and our future healthcare workers. The new College of Osteopathic Medicine at UNC will train 150 new doctors each year, ensuring our healthcare workforce is able to provide Coloradans with the high-quality care they deserve. As our state continues to grow, it is critical for communities in every corner of the state to have highly skilled providers to care for us and our family members,” said Lt. Governor Primavera. This new medical school will attract students from across the country to Colorado, strengthening the healthcare workforce and supporting Colorado’s economy. On May 1, 2024, Governor Polis signed HB24-1231 , sponsored by Representatives Mary Young and Lindsey Daugherty and Senators Barbara Kirkmeyer, and Kyle Mullica providing funding for Colorado’s third medical school, new veterinarian training facilities at CSU, and program expansions at MSU and Trinidad State. “I’m thrilled to be here as we begin construction on the new college of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Northern Colorado,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “This new medical college will serve as a strong economic driver for Greeley, as well as the surrounding communities, and help meet the medical workforce needs of our rural and underserved neighborhoods. At the legislature, we’ve taken historic steps to increase access to affordable health care and address our workforce shortages in the industry. Today is a historic day as we invest in the future of higher education health care projects and programs that will serve generations to come.” “Across the state, Colorado is experiencing a shortage of critical health care providers, which is why we are standing up a new medical college in Greeley to train the next generation of professionals in these fields,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony for the osteopathic medical college means we’re one step closer to training more critical health care providers in our state. I’m proud of our work to lower barriers for Coloradans who want to enter these professions and better serve our communities.” “This new medical school will be a hub that helps Coloradans get the training needed to provide care and serve their communities, filling critical health care jobs around the state. This groundbreaking is another important step and I can’t wait to see the doors open on this facility,” said Senator Barb Kirkmeyer. "Colorado is facing a critical shortage of healthcare providers, leading to gaps in care, longer wait times, and limited access to essential services in both rural and urban areas," said Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton. "As the only practicing nurse at the Colorado State Capitol, I’ve seen firsthand how urgent it is to strengthen our healthcare workforce. The establishment of the College of Osteopathic Medicine will be a game-changer in this effort. It will play a pivotal role in addressing our state’s healthcare challenges and ensuring that every Coloradan has access to the quality care they deserve to lead healthy, thriving lives." Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to prohibit the term “excited delirium” from being used in law enforcement and other first responder training or incident reports, or listed as a cause of death on a death certificate. HB24-1103 passed by a vote of 42-19. < Back February 13, 2024 House Approves Legislation to Bar the Use of “Excited Delirium” DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation to prohibit the term “excited delirium” from being used in law enforcement and other first responder training or incident reports, or listed as a cause of death on a death certificate. HB24-1103 passed by a vote of 42-19. “An excited delirium diagnosis has typically been made when someone is in the middle of a crisis, and the response has led to avoidable and unnecessary repercussions, and sometimes death,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Medical professionals have spoken out about their skepticism of this term and making decisions based off a debunked diagnosis distracts us from solving the real issue at hand. Our legislation would ensure that we aren’t training law enforcement or emergency responders on excited delirium so we can focus on effective de-escalation responses.” “Excited delirium has historically been used to justify excessive force against Black Coloradans and people of color while avoiding accountability for the harm caused,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “By removing the term from law enforcement and first responder trainings, incident reports, and death certificates, we can hold people accountable for aggressive, and often lethal, interactions.” HB24-1103 would prohibit the term “excited delirium” from being used in law enforcement and other first responder training or incident reports, or listed as a cause of death on a death certificate. The bill would also bar the terms “excited delirium syndrome”, “hyperactive delirium”, “agitated delirium”, and “exhaustive mania”. Last year, a 9NEWS investigation tied more than 225 deaths across the U.S. to the use of the term, including the death of Elijah McClain in Colorado. His death in 2019 gained national attention when paramedics injected him with a lethal amount of ketamine after believing he exhibited “excited delirium.” The paramedics and a police officer involved in the incident have since been convicted of criminally negligent homicide. In December 2023, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board unanimously voted to remove the term “excited delirium” from training documents. Organizations like the American Medical Association, the National Association of Medical Examiners, and the American College of Emergency Physicians have spoken out against the term. California passed legislation last year to ban the term from being used on a law enforcement officer’s incident report, on a death certificate or autopsy report, and in testimony in civil court. Rep. Herod also sponsored a 2021 law that prohibits law enforcement from compelling, directing, or influencing a paramedic to administer ketamine. The law set forth strict requirements before a paramedic can administer ketamine in a prehospital setting. Previous Next

< Back April 7, 2022 HOUSE ED COMMITTEE CLEARS BILL TO IMPROVE STUDENT AND WORKFORCE SUCCESS DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed a bill to improve postsecondary student outcomes through data transparency. This bill was developed based on recommendations from the state’s Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force and will invest $3 million to prepare students for success and boost Colorado’s workforce. “With the proper data, we can improve outcomes for our students as they move through postsecondary education and into their careers,” said Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “Our bipartisan legislation invests to create modern, sophisticated data systems that track student success in a multitude of ways to better prepare them for the workforce. Colorado’s workforce is constantly changing and pathways to new, high-demand careers are opening every day. With this bill, we will be able to adapt educational experiences to meet economic demand.” Postsecondary Student Success Data System: Sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Perry Will, this bill will collect student success data to better inform the educational pathways needed to prepare them for the workforce. HB22-1349 invests federal funds to create a public-facing, interactive data system to track student progression from higher education into the workforce. This data system will make transparent student workforce success metrics for all state higher education institutions. The data and information collected will then be used to create better pathways for entering high-demand careers through developing curricula and programs that reflect the needs of Colorado’s economy. Based on recommendations from the Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force , the Colorado Commission on Higher Education will also determine new, dynamic ways to measure student success that could include credential completion rates, postsecondary employment outcomes and price to earning premiums among other factors. HB22-1349 passed committee unanimously. Previous Next

< Back June 11, 2020 HOUSE PASSES BILL TO STOP CORPORATE TAX HANDOUTS, PROVIDE $1B TO K-12 INSTEAD DENVER, CO — The House today passed HB20-1420, sponsored by Representatives Emily Sirota and Matt Gray, by a vote of 39-26, with House Republicans standing with special interests at the expense of Colorado’s teachers and students. HB20-1420 ends state tax handouts for corporations and the very wealthy in order to protect funding for K-12 education. The bill preserves economic relief for hardworking Coloradans and small businesses and invests $1 billion to K-12. “We need to make a choice; we can either give taxpayer funded handouts to corporations and wealthy individuals who don’t need them, or we can protect our students and underpaid teachers,” said Rep. Sirota, D-Denver. “Colorado can’t afford to follow politicians in Washington who want companies making $25 million or more to get economic relief while our schools struggle to retain teachers.” “We had to close a $3.3 billion hole in our $12.5 billion budget, and that has meant painful cuts to education that no one wants to see,” said Rep. Gray, D-Bloomfield. “The Fair Tax Act gives hardworking families a boost and invests $1 billion in our schools to protect our students and teachers from these severe cuts while preserving economic relief for those who need it most.” Several provisions in Colorado’s tax code follow federal law and cost the state hundreds of millions a year, but primarily benefit the wealthy. This legislation makes means-tested changes to eliminate state handouts for special interests and the wealthiest individuals while protecting them for hardworking families to avoid devastating cuts to education. CARES Act Loopholes: Eighty-two percent of the benefits from a provision of the CARES Act that allows for the deduction of excess business losses (CARES Act Section 2304) goes to filers with incomes above $1 million. Only three percent of the benefits go to filers with incomes under $100,000. The bill preserves relief for hardworking Coloradans under that threshold while eliminating it for millionaires. The bill also limits the amount of net operating loss deductions a company can claim in one year to $400,000, preserving the deduction for 98 percent of filers while capping them for the wealthiest businesses. Finally, it rejects a CARES Act hand out of interest expense deductions (CARES Act Section 2306) for corporations larger than $25 million, saving the state $2 million a year. Trump Tax Scam “Pass Through” Loophole: The 2017 federal tax bill, pass-through businesses can take a 20 percent deduction off their qualified business income (QBI), essentially reducing the amount of taxable income. In Colorado, a quarter of the benefit of this tax break goes to households with incomes above $1 million, while households with incomes below $75,000 receive only 11 percent of the benefit. The average millionaire gets nearly a $9,000 break from the state while someone making $30,000 to $40,000 may get $70 or $90. The bill preserves the relief for hardworking Coloradans making under $75,000 while eliminating it for those who don’t need it. Insurance Company Handouts: The bill removes a tax break for insurance companies who maintain an in-state office. Just 85 insurance companies in Colorado get a 50 percent tax break averaging $1 million because of an outdated provision that the State Auditor has found is ineffective at its intended purpose. Capital Gains: Colorado allows a tax break for income on investments in personal property and other capital gains, even if that property isn’t in Colorado. It costs the state $8-$20 million a year, and only 0.2% of all Colorado tax filers get this benefit. The very wealthiest 0.1 percent of Americans—taxpayers with AGI over $2 million—received almost half, or 49 percent, of all capital gains income. Previous Next

The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to require Colorado’s largest employers to offer health care or contribute more to Colorado’s Medicaid program and safety net to help cover the cost of providing Medicaid to their employees. < Back March 24, 2026 Colorado Democrats Pass Bill to Require Largest Corporations to Pay Fair Share of Employee Health Insurance DENVER, CO – The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to require Colorado’s largest employers to offer health care or contribute more to Colorado’s Medicaid program and safety net to help cover the cost of providing Medicaid to their employees. “Colorado taxpayers should not subsidize the nation’s largest corporations by way of our state providing Medicaid for their employees,” said Rep. Lisa Feret, D-Arvada. “Every year, Colorado’s largest corporate employers rake in record-breaking profits and report sky high stock prices, yet they are forcing taxpayers to pick up the tab for their health insurance costs. This bill requires the largest corporate employers to pay their share of employee health insurance costs, or contribute more to Medicaid, so we can prevent further cuts to our safety net. We’re facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit, and this bill would help protect and increase health care coverage for Coloradans.” HB26-1327 passed committee by a vote of 8-5. This bill would ensure Medicaid remains a safety net for workers rather than a subsidy for some of Colorado’s largest corporate employers. To lower Medicaid costs for the state of Colorado, HB26-1327 would offer options to large corporations to expand employee health care coverage. Under this bill, the annual fee on corporations would be $2,300 per employee who is enrolled in Medicaid, which is approximately half the cost of Medicaid benefits to account for the fact that some employees are part-time. By March 2028, HB26-1327 would require the state to identify large employers who are subject to the new fee. Only employers with more than 500 employees who are enrolled in Medicaid and meet an established hourly threshold must pay the fee or demonstrate that they provide affordable health coverage to their employees. This threshold is employees working more than 20 hours per week or more than 80 hours per month. An employer is exempt if it offers affordable health coverage to this population of workers. Franchisees, nonprofits, public employers, or employers that include health care coverage in their collective bargaining agreements with employees are also exempt. Revenue from this fee will be used to cover care for adults on Medicaid and increase reimbursement rates for providers who accept Medicaid patients. It is estimated that at least 37,200 Medicaid-enrolled workers in Colorado are employed by corporations that would be subject to the fee. This bill would set up penalties for large employers who fail to pay their fair share or offer alternative, affordable care options to their employees. Under H.R.1, corporations received a massive tax cut, paying nearly 40 percent less in income tax this year. Next year, corporations will pay $1 billion less in taxes than they did before Congress passed H.R.1. H.R. 1 paid for these massive tax giveaways in part by significantly reducing the federal contribution to Medicaid by scaling down provider fee financing over the coming years. In Colorado, this will reduce annual federal support for hospitals and Medicaid benefits by more than $300 million. At the same time, Medicaid costs in Colorado have skyrocketed by nearly $1 billion a year while providing roughly the same services to roughly the same eligible population. Lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee must close a $740 million gap in the state’s budget to meet its constitutionally required balanced budget. The nation's largest corporations, while projecting to attain record profits, have an average of 30-40 percent of employees enrolled in Medicaid. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 75 percent of Medicaid recipients in Colorado are working. Previous Next

< Back August 24, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: SB19-181 SPONSORS TESTIFY AT COGCC DENVER, CO – After testifying in front of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) during their pivotal rulemaking process for SB19-181, bill sponsors Speaker KC Becker, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, Rep. Yadira Caraveo, and Sen. Mike Foote today released the following statement: “We worked with a broad coalition of stakeholders to pass SB19-181, which represented the most sweeping reforms to Colorado’s oil and gas industry in decades. We greatly appreciated the opportunity today to continue engaging in these reforms and ensure the intent of the legislature is interpreted appropriately. We are grateful to the Commission and their staff for developing the draft rules to change the mission and fundamentally alter the way the Commission regulates the oil and gas industry. It is a monumental task and we value their careful deliberation during this process. “As we’ve made clear in the past, our intent with SB19-181, was to prioritize public health, safety and welfare, and the environment instead of “fostering” development of the industry. If a proposed oil and gas development cannot occur in a manner that is consistent with this new mission, it should not be approved. We believe this will and should represent a sea change in our state’s oil and gas industry, not just a course correction. “During this rulemaking process, the portion of this bill that has generated the most debate is the role of local governments in regulating oil and gas production in Colorado. SB19-181 makes it crystal clear that while both the COGCC and local governments have the authority to regulate surface oil and gas operations, local government regulations can only be stricter, or more protective, than state regulations. While the COGCC is now charged with creating a statewide standard to protect public health, safety and welfare, and the environment, local governments have the ability to go above and beyond this statewide ‘floor’. “We understand that there has been some opposition to this specific provision, and as elected representatives in a democracy, we welcome policy debates. However, disagreeing with a piece of legislation does not give an industry the ability to change a bill’s intent after it has become law. We look forward to seeing the COGCC continue to implement this critical piece of legislation and ensuring that health, safety and welfare, and the environment are our top priorities.” Previous Next