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< Back April 28, 2022 TRANSFORMATIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BILLS ADVANCE HOUSE Legislation would fund the responsible gaming program and water preservation efforts DENVER, CO – The House Finance Committee passed Speaker Alec Garnett’s bill today to promote responsible gaming and support Colorado’s watersheds. HB22-1402 would allocate more than $3 million to create a grant program to provide services to Coloradans experiencing problem gaming and boost funding for the Colorado Water Plan. “In the last two years, Colorado’s gaming industry has experienced significant growth and the excitement of sports betting has raised limits and boosted state revenue,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “As Colorado’s gaming industry adapts, it is our responsibility to make sure Coloradans have the recovery and treatment resources they need to combat a gaming problem – this bill does that and more. It takes us one step closer to the original goal of legalizing sports betting in Colorado which is to provide proper funding to the Colorado Water Plan; and thanks to the increase in revenue, we can direct millions toward preserving Colorado’s watersheds and building a safer, healthier Colorado for everyone.” Responsible Gaming Grant Program: HB22-1402 , sponsored by Speaker Alec Garnett, passed committee by a vote of 9-2. The introduction of sports betting in Colorado in 2020 has led to major growth in the gaming industry, partly due to higher limits and additional games. This bill provides more funding for the responsible gaming grant program in the Department of Revenue (DOR) to promote responsible gaming and address problem gaming. The grant program will distribute funding to help Coloradans struggling with gaming problems with prevention, recovery and treatment resources. The grant funding can also be used for research purposes to aid the DOR in providing better support for Coloradans recovering from a gaming problem. The bill also allocates more funding for the Colorado Water Plan by limiting the number of free bets that Sports Betting Operators can offer tax-free. Under the bill with fewer tax-free bets, the additional money raised from taxes on gaming will be allocated toward improving Colorado’s watersheds and environment. Previous Next

< Back May 26, 2022 SIGNED! Bill to Provide Free Transit Services During Ozone Season, Improve Air Quality Becomes Law DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed into law legislation that will create the Ozone Season Transit Grant Program to provide grants to the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and transit associations that offer free transit rides during ozone season which will save Coloradans money on transportation and improve Colorado’s air quality. SB22 - 180 is championed by Senators Faith Winter, D-Westminster, and Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, and Representatives Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, and Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. “Last summer Colorado had the worst air quality in the world, and we are taking immediate action to address it,” said Winter. “This new law will reduce local air pollution by offering free transit rides during peak ozone season, encourage transit ridership, and help us further our climate goals while giving Colorado families cleaner, healthier air to breathe.” “Denverites face some of the worst air quality in the world during the ozone season,” said Bacon. " Our law will help improve air quality by making public transit including buses, trains and the light rail free during peak ozone season, typically experienced in Colorado during the summer months. The goal is to incentivize Coloradans to use the public transit system, which will cut down on harmful emissions and help clean up our air while also supporting communities. This will increase access to transit and save riders money, as well.” “The top emitter of carbon is our transportation sector, and a key way to address it is by getting more folks to utilize our transit system,” Hinrichsen said. “This new law will increase access to public transportation while reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted during peak ozone season – an important step we must take to build a healthier Colorado for all and move our state forward." “Reducing vehicle emissions will help improve Colorado’s air quality,” said Gray. “This law increases multimodal transportation options and incentivizes ridership on our transit system in order to cut down on harmful emissions during the summer months. Together, we are improving the air we breathe to build a healthier Colorado for all.” SB22-180 invests $30 million into a transit services pilot project in the Department of Transportation to increase ridership on state-run transit services, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and reduce ground-level ozone. The top emitter of carbon pollution in Colorado is the transportation sector which includes personal vehicles. Free transit has increased transit use and can help rebuild ridership. The law allocates $28 million to provide grants to RTD and other transit agencies to offer 30 days of free transit during ozone season. The law also invests $10 million in the successful Main Street Revitalization Grant Program to fund projects that increase the use of transit and create better pathways for bikers and pedestrians. Previous Next

< Back Kyle Brown JBC Member Representative Kyle Brown serves as a member of the Joint Budget Committee and previously served as Chair of the Health & Human Services Committee. He represents House District 12, which includes Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Boulder, Gunbarrel, and Niwot. A Colorado native, Kyle has dedicated his career to improving the lives of Colorado families. He earned a Ph.D. in Genetics from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Georgetown University. His background in science and public policy informs his evidence-based approach to solving Colorado’s toughest challenges. Before joining the legislature, Kyle served on the Louisville City Council, where he championed affordable housing, climate action, and community recovery following the Marshall Fire and COVID-19 pandemic. As Deputy Commissioner for Affordability Programs at the Colorado Division of Insurance, he helped design and implement the Colorado Option, lowering costs and improving access to care statewide. He has also advised progressive U.S. Senators and Colorado governors on health care, education, and economic security. In the legislature, Kyle continues to lead efforts to lower health care costs, expand access to care, and strengthen mental health services. He is a strong advocate for reproductive rights, affordable prescriptions, and a fair, transparent insurance system. Kyle lives in Louisville with his wife and children.

< Back Emily Sirota JBC Member Emily Sirota represents House District 9 in the Colorado Legislature as a social worker and proud progressive Democrat with years of experience working in government and in the southeast Denver community. Rep. Sirota serves on the Joint Budget Committee and chairs the Appropriations Committee. Before her election to the Colorado House of Representatives, Emily helped run an early learning center in Denver. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Indiana University and received her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver. Emily has previously worked in community organizing and policy development for Colorado non-profit organizations. Emily also served as a policy aide to a Democratic U.S. Senator, a Democratic congressman and a Democratic governor. In those roles, she worked on health care and budget policy, and helped oversee a program to expand health care benefits for workers and small businesses. As a Representative for House District 9, Emily has championed worker's rights, campaign finance and election reform, a healthy and vibrant public education system, environmental justice, and fiscal policy that prioritizes regular Coloradans, not the billionaires. Emily is married to writer David Sirota, and they are the proud parents of two amazing kids and their dog, Grover.

< Back Yara Zokaie Yara Zokaie is the State Representative for House District 52 in Fort Collins. Representative Zokaie is a first generation child of immigrants and the first Iranian American to serve in the Colorado General Assembly. Rep. Zokaie serves on the House Judiciary and Finance Committees. Representative Zokaie is an attorney with a masters in taxation and former Deputy Assessor. As a tax attorney, she has represented hundreds of individuals and small businesses against the IRS and Colorado Department of Revenue. Rep. Zokaie also founded a non-profit that worked to bring resources to marginalized communities in Northern Colorado, including COVID vaccinations during the pandemic and voter registration drives. Rep. Zokaie is committed to using her expertise to champion policies that bring meaningful and lasting improvements to the lives of working class families and marginalized communities. Her priorities include strengthening public education, supporting workers’ rights, creating affordable housing, increasing access to affordable health care, addressing climate change, and creating an equitable tax code. Representative Yara Zokaie is a mother to three young boys, and enjoys spending her free time with her family and crafting for her children’s school parties and projects.

< Back Sean Camacho A Colorado Springs native, Rep. Sean Camacho grew up in a working-class, military family At 18, he earned admission to the Air Force Academy, deployed four times, and used the GI Bill to go to law school. Now, he is raising his two young boys with his wife, Jess, in Denver while practicing law and continuing to serve as an Air Force Reservist. Outside of his legal work, he has advocated for important Democratic issues, helped lead non-profits, assisted veterans and individuals in protecting their rights, and helped at-risk youth develop plans for a successful future. Rep. Camacho represents diverse communities in eastern and central Denver, including Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, Hale, Montclair, Lowry, and Windsor Gardens.

< Back Tammy Story Representative Tammy Story is Chair of the Capital Development Committee, member of the House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee and a member of the House Education Committee. She represents House District 25 which includes Evergreen, Conifer and parts of Jefferson County. In 2018, Tammy was elected to be the Colorado State Senator for District 16 and has continued her work at the capitol in the House. Her legislative priorities are education funding, student success and teacher pay. In addition to education, Rep. Story has championed multiple bills to mitigate wildfires, create healthier forests, improve natural gas pipeline safety and advocate for safe environmental policy.

< Back Tisha Mauro Representative Tisha Mauro is the Vice-Chair for the Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee and a member of the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee. Representative Mauro represents House District 46 which spans the majority of Pueblo County, including Avondale, Beulah, Colorado City and Rye. Rep. Mauro’s focus is on legislation that conserves and protects Colorado’s water, land and air. As a chile farmer herself, she’s an advocate for the workers, small business owners, farmers, and ranchers who keep local economies running. In the last three legislative sessions, Rep. Mauro has championed legislation to expand and improve EV charging stations across the state, increase railroad safety for railroad workers and local communities, prevent and respond to wildfires, and incentivize economic development and investment in Southern Colorado.

< Back William Lindstedt Chair of the Finance Committee State Representative William Lindstedt is currently in his second term serving the people of the City and County of Broomfield and parts of Adams and Weld County in the Colorado House of Representatives for House District 33. He is the Chair of the Finance Committee and sits on the Business Affairs and Labor Committee. He’s a former assistant bench jeweler, public transit outreach advocate, community organizer, staffer in the Colorado House Majority, and former member of the Broomfield City Council. While serving on the Broomfield City Council during the COVID-19 pandemic, he championed assistance for local small businesses negatively impacted and emergency housing assistance for people struggling. He has helped create Broomfield’s Housing Authority, authored municipal campaign finance reform to limit the influence of big money in local politics, and made it easier for residents to vote by adding additional ballot drop boxes across the community. William also served as Chairman of the Broomfield Transportation Forum and as a Board Director of the Denver Regional Council of Governments. William grew up in Broomfield in a broken home. He knows what it’s like to need a hand up and how important community is to success. He now lives near where we grew up in Broomfield with his fiancee, Bria, and their retired racing greyhound, Pax.

< Back Steven Woodrow Steven L. Woodrow represents House District 6 located in east-central Denver--The Fightin’ 6th! A class action attorney by trade, Rep. Woodrow brings to the General Assembly his experience as a litigator and detailed understanding of law and policy, to examine an issue, understand where commonalities lie between parties, and execute a plan to bring a favorable resolution for his constituents and community. He is the Vice-Chair of the Business Affairs & Labor Committee and a member of the Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee. Steven was raised outside of Detroit by his hardworking, widowed mother, a public school teacher, who taught him and his sister the importance of a strong work ethic, even in times of struggle. This allowed him to matriculate at the University of Michigan and the Chicago-Kent College of Law, successfully argue multiple landmark appeals, and to head his own consumer protection practice which he started in 2015. Representative Woodrow is a passionate advocate for social, racial, environmental, and economic justice for all Coloradans--believing that healthcare is a human right, every child deserves an excellent education, the American Dream should be accessible for all, and clean air, water, and soil essential. One is never surprised to see him standing strong with those who need help, regardless of age or status and fighting for what is right and true. His goal is to leave every situation and every interaction #BetterThanWeFoundIt .

< Back Sheila Lieder Representative Sheila Lieder is the Vice-Chair of the Health & Human Services Committee and a member of the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee. She represents House District 28, which includes parts of Littleton, Lakewood, and Morrison in Jefferson County. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2022 and re-elected in 2024, Rep Lieder's career reflects a strong commitment to fairness, dignity, and opportunity for all working families. At the Capitol, Rep. Lieder supports accessible and affordable healthcare, improving Colorado’s public schools, expanding workers’ rights, ensuring that seniors can afford their needs, and both veterans and active-duty service members. She also aims to prepare the next generation for success by creating pathways to good-paying jobs and opportunities for students entering the workforce. During her time as a state representative, Rep. Lieder has contributed to Colorado’s economic growth. She led efforts to create new job opportunities in the rapidly growing field of thermal technology, helping Colorado become a leader in this area. She has also expanded apprenticeship programs that connect Coloradans to in-demand careers. Recently, she has worked to ensure every public school has heating and air conditioning, addressing the impact of automation and Artificial intelligence on sectors like trucking, and increased protections for minor workers on the job. Rep. Lieder continues to bring the values of hard work, fairness, and community to the legislature. She advocates for policies that support working families and strengthen opportunities across Colorado.

< Back Shannon Bird Rep. Bird represents House District 29, which includes both the Adams County and Jefferson County portions of the city of Westmister. Originally elected in November of 2018, she is now serving in her fourth term in the General Assembly. Representative Bird has previously served as a member of the Joint Budget Committee, the Appropriations Committee, the Chair of the House Finance Committee, the Business Affairs & Labor Committee, the Pension Commission, the Pension Review Subcommittee and the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy. Growing and maintaining a strong state economy, housing affordability and high quality public education are Representative Bird’s three policy priorities. A few examples of her work in these areas include legislation that doubled the state’s annual tax credit for affordable housing, Colorado’s Occupational Credential Portability Program, which allows licensed professionals moving to Colorado to have an easier time transferring their licenses so that they can begin working sooner and the Small Business Recovery Loan Program, which established a $50 million low interest rate loan fund for Colorado small businesses recovering from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic recession. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where she earned a B.A. in Economics. She later graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver, earning both an MBA and an MS in Finance. Representative Bird completed her education by earning a J.D. at the University of Denver College of Law. Representative Bird has served her community in numerous ways. She was the citizen chairperson for her school district’s bond and mill levy override campaign; served as board chair of the Five Star Education Foundation and also served on the Westminster City Council just prior to being elected to the Colorado General Assembly. She and her husband David are the proud parents of two children who attend Adams 12 public schools. Representative Bird also manages a menagerie of cats! In her free time, she is an avid reader, who loves to take long walks with friends and spend time with her family.