The Colorado Children’s Campaign and the Colorado Community College System this week lauded Speaker Julie McCluskie with their legislator of the year awards. < Back September 11, 2024 McCluskie Earns Legislator of the Year Awards from Community Colleges and Children’s Campaign DILLON, CO – The Colorado Children’s Campaign and the Colorado Community College System this week lauded Speaker Julie McCluskie with their legislator of the year awards. “From our youngest learners to Coloradans completing degrees in higher education, everyone in our state should have an opportunity to learn, thrive and pursue their dreams,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I’m so proud of our historic legislation to increase funding for K-12 public schools and direct more resources to rural schools, at-risk students, and special education. In recent years, we’ve made tremendous strides to bring down the cost of a community college degree and connect aspiring students with affordable pathways to good jobs in growing industries. I deeply appreciate the work of Colorado’s higher education institutions, education advocates and lawmakers from both parties who worked together to deliver these breakthrough results for Colorado.” This year, speaker McCluskie sponsored and the legislature passed a new school finance formula , which significantly increases funding for rural schools and districts that serve more at-risk and special education students. The prior formula, which had not been significantly changed in nearly 30 years, did not prioritize student needs or rural schools. Under the new formula, a greater emphasis is now placed on the student characteristics in each district. 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. Speaker McCluskie sponsored SB24-164 , which makes it easier to transfer college credits, improve transparency in higher education reporting, and ensure rights for students enrolled in postsecondary institutions. Previous Next

< Back May 10, 2022 HOUSE PASSES BILL TO SUPPORT PEACE OFFICERS’ MENTAL HEALTH DENVER, CO – The House today passed Representative Dylan Roberts’ bill to direct additional resources to expand access to behavioral health care for peace officers. “SB5 is such an important bill to support our law officers because it will provide them with the resources they may need after experiencing difficult situations while serving their communities,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “This bill will help law enforcement departments recruit and retain qualified peace officers, and it ensures that we have their backs when they need help.” SB22-005 , sponsored by Representatives Dylan Roberts and Dan Woog, passed by a vote of 55-5. It would direct $3 million to a program that helps law enforcement agencies retain and recruit qualified and trained POST-certified officers. The funding would expand access to behavioral health and counseling support for law enforcement officers to prevent peace officer suicide deaths. Previous Next

< Back April 29, 2022 TWO WILDFIRE PREVENTION BILLS PASS THE HOUSE DENVER, CO – The House passed two bills today to prevent wildfires. These bills aim to boost local fire department funding, prevent uncontrolled burns and build a safer Colorado. “In an instant, a controlled burn can take a turn and spark a devastating wildfire,” said Rep. Tony Exum, D-Colorado Springs, sponsor of HB22-1132. “This bill requires Coloradans to report their controlled burn plans to their local fire departments. During my career as a firefighter, we worked closely with community members and this bill will give local departments the knowledge they need to prevent uncontrolled burns in their communities and help prevent sweeping wildfires. “Wildfire season in Colorado is no longer just in the summer and our bill provides volunteer firefighters with updated equipment, access to behavioral health resources and other support they need,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Littleton, sponsor of SB22-002 . “Many of our brave firefighters are volunteers, and it is incumbent on us to support them as they work so hard to protect us, particularly as wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity.” Notification and Services For Wildfire Mitigation: HB22-1132 , sponsored by Representatives Tony Exum and Richard Holtorf would require Coloradans to notify their local fire department or other governing authority before conducting a controlled burn. HB22-1132 passed by a vote of 56 to 6. Under the bill, after fire departments are alerted about the time, date and location of a burn, they will determine if firefighters need to be on standby at the burn site. This bill aims to prevent uncontrolled burns that could spark a devastating wildfire. Resources For Volunteer Firefighters: SB22-002 , sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Perry Will advanced in the House on a preliminary vote and would invest $1 million to better prepare local fire departments and their firefighters for wildfires. SB22-002 passed by a vote of 58 to 4. Specifically, this bill would make local volunteer fire departments eligible for reimbursement for wildland fire suppression activities, including equipment costs and volunteer firefighter recruitment, training and retention. Local fire departments will also be able to use funds from the Local Firefighter Safety and Disease Prevention Grant Program for the replacement or disposal of damaged or obsolete equipment. The bill also creates the Firefighter Behavioral Health Benefits Trust to provide behavioral health care services to firefighters and paid for by public employers. Previous Next

< Back February 23, 2022 FAMILY AFFIRMATION ACT AND BILL TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES PASS COMMITTEE DENVER, CO – Two bills to protect LGBTQ+ Coloradans and affirm the rights of LGBTQ+ parents today passed the committee on Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services. “Under current law, Colorado doesn’t automatically recognize the parent-child relationship for children conceived through assisted reproductions which makes things complicated for non-traditional and LGBTQ+ families,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper D-Lakewood . “This bill would create a process establishing a legal parent-child relationship and expediting the adoption process so families can spend more time with their newborn and less time on expensive paperwork.” “Since I gave birth to our child, my wife would have to go through the lengthy, expensive and complicated adoption process to be legally recognized as Marlo’s mom even though she is Marlo’s biological parent,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “With this bill, parents who conceive using assisted reproduction will have fewer hoops to jump through to be legally recognized as the parent of their child. At the end of the day, Marlo is a child that we brought into this world together, and we shouldn’t have to go through background checks, court appearances and so much more for that to be recognized under the law.” HB22-1153, sponsored by Representatives Kerry Tipper and Daneya Esgar, would create an accessible and streamlined adoption process for parents conceiving through assisted reproduction. Some parents, often LGBTQ+ couples, who conceive using assisted reproduction must currently go through the legal adoption process to be recognized as legal parents. This lengthy, expensive and complicated process is necessary just to be recognized as the legal parent of their child. Currently, Majority Leader Esgar’s wife, Heather, is going through the process of adopting her child, Marlo, who the Majority Leader carried and who is Heather’s biological child. The adoption process currently requires home visits, court appearances, criminal record checks and countless complicated forms to legally confirm the parent-child relationship. This is all required for a parent to legally adopt their child. This makes parenting exponentially more expensive and time consuming for LGBTQ+ and other non-traditional families. The bill would create a process for families to establish a legal parent-child relationship that must be recognized nationwide and instruct courts to confirm the adoption within 30 days. HB22-1157, sponsored by Representatives Karen McCormick and Brianna Titone, would require the Department of Public Health and Environment to collect health access data that has been voluntarily provided on Colorado communities that have been historically underserved and face disproportionate health impacts. The bill would facilitate the Health Equity Commission to establish a data advisory committee to provide recommendations on a process to collect statewide data on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity and disability to better address health inequities across the state. “In order for Colorado to make informed health care decisions, we need to ensure we have the data of our state’s LGBTQ+, disability and underserved communities,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “This bill would facilitate the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity, among other demographic information, so we can better support our state’s health care needs. This is an important step in building an equity-based health care system that works to meet the needs of everyone.” “We’re working hard to build a healthier Colorado and that means meeting the needs of our underserved and underrepresented communities,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “By collecting statewide data on ethnicity, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation and other critical demographic information, we can make better and more informed health care decisions for our state that will drive better outcomes." Previous Next

< Back May 1, 2019 REP. FROELICH’S BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENHANCE YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES GOES TO GOVERNOR’S DESK (May 1) – The House voted in strong bipartisan support to pass Rep. Meg Froelich’s Child & Youth Behavioral Health System Enhancements to curb youth suicide in Colorado by making it easier for families to locate and access the behavioral healthcare they need. “We have a mental health crisis in Colorado, one that knows no party lines,” said Rep. Froelich, D-Englewood. “Unfortunately, there are kids that are in pain and are not getting the timely and appropriate help they need. We need to provide more resources for teens, kids and their families to access the services they need to get help.” SB19-195 would create the Office of Children and Youth Behavioral Health Policy Coordination in the Office of the Governor, a central agency to coordinate mental and behavioral health resources statewide. Additionally, it would create a commission to study and recommend how to best coordinate and provide such services. The bill would also standardize the screening and assessments that doctors use to identify potential behavioral concerns. Nearly 9 out of every 100,000 teenagers in the United States between the ages of 15 and 19 die by suicide. In Colorado, that number is nearly twice the national average at 17.6 out of every 100,000 teenagers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Help is available. If you are struggling, please text TALK to 38255 or call 844-493-8255. SB19-195 passed with a bipartisan vote of 52-13. It now heads to the Governor’s desk. Previous Next

< Back February 16, 2019 COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL EDUCATION BILL MOVING THROUGH HOUSE Bill to allow students to access the skills and information they need to keep themselves & their peers safe approved on second reading (Feb. 15) – The House approved Rep. Susan Lontine and Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s bill on second reading to expand the content in the comprehensive sexual education that many students in Colorado already receive. This bill does not require schools to teach sex education, however, existing law requires that if they do provide sex education it must be comprehensive. The bill adds consent, defining a healthy relationship, and sexual orientation to the current standards. “Colorado’s students deserve access to age-appropriate, accurate and comprehensive information regarding sex education to keep themselves and their classmates healthy and safe,” said Rep. Lontine, D-Denver. “It’s important that students are taught about consent at a young age so they can advocate for themselves.” Colorado does not have a mandatory sex education requirement. However, existing law does provide a set of standards if school decides to teach about sex education. This bill would increase the ranges of topics to include birth control and pregnancy, abstinence, STD prevention, consent, healthy relationships and sexual orientation. “As a doctor in a clinic, I only have the ability to affect one child and one life at a time,” said Rep. Caraveo, D-Denver . “Schools have the ability to improve the health of hundreds of kids at a time through the ability to provide comprehensive sex ed that will prevent countless young people from facing life altering illnesses or unplanned pregnancies.” This bill would also allocate $1 million in funds to an existing grant program administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for teaching comprehensive sex education. Rural schools and public schools that do not have the resources to offer sex education will be prioritized for receiving this grant money. Some of the common misconceptions about this legislation are around the opt-out options already in place, the content around LGBTQ inclusion, and the definition of a healthy relationship. “I think about this bill and I think about all of the unnecessary hurt that this could have prevented for my mother. That if she had the opportunity in school for somebody to talk to her about healthy relationships, to answer questions about what she was going through. To show her that she’s normal – that nothing is wrong with her – . what could that have done for her?” said Rep, Kyle Mullica, D- Northglenn during a moving speech on the House floor. “And I think about what this bill can do for our LGBTQ students today and the unnecessary pain that it can prevent today.” House Republicans attempted to sabotage this bill on the House floor by introducing a number of politically charged amendments that would have gutted the bill and reflected how out of step they are with everyday Coloradans and students. The bill was approved in an initial House floor vote 35-20 and now will need to be approved by a recorded vote on third reading in the House. ATTACHED: Headshots of Rep. Lontine, Rep. Caraveo and Rep. Mullica ### About the Colorado General Assembly House Democrats Colorado’s 65-member House of Representatives includes 41 Democrats. For current and past House proceedings, go to Comcast Channel 165 or coloradochannel.net . Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/COHouseDems , on Twitter @COHouseDem , and on Instagram @COHouseDemocrats or visit our website at cohousedems.com Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation into law to boost the incomes and working conditions for home care workers and increase access to care. < Back May 28, 2025 Bill to Boost Incomes, Address Home Care Workforce Shortage Becomes Law DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation into law to boost the incomes and working conditions for home care workers and increase access to care. “This law uplifts the voices of home care workers, who are more often women and women of color, to ensure they have safe working conditions and earn a livable wage,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “We’re implementing recommendations crafted by care workers, employers and direct care consumers to create a home care industry that works for all Coloradans. I’m proud to stand by both home care workers and patients to improve everyday life for our residents.” “We must do better to support the essential workers who provide in-home care, which offers dignity and independence to so many Coloradans,” said Sen. Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge. “I sponsored the 2023 legislation that created this oversight board, and now it’s time to act on their recommendations. These workers deserve more than our gratitude – they deserve fair pay, stronger protections, and clear access to information on their rights and the compensation they’re entitled to.” “We’re supporting the direct care workforce to ensure Coloradans have access to the quality health care that they deserve,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Our state is falling behind when it comes to providing in-home care services for aging Coloradans, which is why we’re addressing the home care workforce shortage. This law works to respond to the needs of our care workforce to support working families and create a strong, qualified in-home care workforce.” “In-home care workers care for our parents, our grandparents, our loved ones with disabilities, and so many others who deserve to live safely and with dignity in their own homes,” said Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. “While these care providers take care of our family and friends, they often face low pay and poor working conditions, making it hard to stay in the profession. As a result, Colorado is facing a shortage of in-home care workers. This new law is about honoring their work, improving their livelihoods, and ensuring that those who care for others are cared for themselves.” HB25-1328 implements recommendations from the Direct Care Workforce Stabilization Board, including: Requiring the board to investigate how health care benefits for direct care workers compare to other industries and how to reduce costs, Establishing a free “Know Your Rights” training, including information regarding wages, rules for travel time, how to file a complaint, current state and federal laws and where they can find more information, Investigating violations related to training and labor standards and fining employers who violate direct care workforce regulations, and Creating a website and communication platform that includes various trainings, information on worker’s rights, access to benefits, recruitment opportunities and other information. Increasing the minimum wage for direct care service workers to $17 per hour starting July 1, 2025, and recommending future minimum wage increases. The Direct Care Workforce Stabilization Board was created by legislation , sponsored by Majority Leader Duran and Sen. Danielson, to make recommendations to improve working conditions for direct care workers and address the workforce crisis. Rep. Sirota and Sen. Bridges sponsored a 2024 law creating a state income tax credit for child care workers and direct care workers to boost incomes and address workforce shortages. Previous Next

< Back May 16, 2019 GOV SIGNS JAQUEZ LEWIS BILLS TO HELP LOWER COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS Fort Collins Reps. Arndt and Kipp’s health care and education bills also signed into law (May 16) – Gov. Jared Polis signed two bills in Fort Collins today sponsored by Rep. Sonya Jaquez Lewis to help lower the cost of prescription drugs for Coloradans. The first bill will help reduce the price consumers pay for prescription medications. The bill, SB19-005, will allow the wholesale importation of prescription pharmaceutical products from Canada for resale to Colorado pharmacies. “As a pharmacist, I know there are many Coloradans who are having to choose between feeding their families or the life-saving drugs they depend on,” said Rep. Jaquez Lewis, D-Boulder County. “We’ve seen drug price increases of nearly 500 percent. That’s unacceptable and those prices are drowning patients. The ability to import prescription drugs from Canada will help lower the cost of health care for hardworking families.” Jaquez Lewis is a licensed pharmacist. Sen. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins, and Sen. Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, are the Senate sponsors of the bill. SB19-005 creates the “Colorado Wholesale Importation of Prescription Drugs Act” where the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing will apply for a waiver under federal law to contract with a vendor. The vendor will design and implement a program to import prescription pharmaceutical products from Canada for sale to Colorado pharmacies. The program design must ensure both drug safety and cost savings for Colorado consumers. The House amended the bill to rename it after former State senator Irene Aguilar, D-Denver. Gov. Polis also signed HB19-1131 which requires drug manufacturers to provide, in writing, the wholesale cost of a prescription drug to a prescriber, as well as give the names and wholesale acquisition costs of at least three generic prescription drugs, if they exist. This will help prescribers see the transparency of prescription costs, which can be shared with the consumer. “This new law is all about shining a light on the cost of prescription drugs,” said. Rep. Jaquez Lewis. “ The law requires pharmaceutical reps, when they are talking to a doctor or prescriber, to share the cost of a drug. The more you know, the better off you’ll be. The more prescribers know about the cost of drugs, the better choices they can offer patients who are concerned about high prescription drug costs or are having trouble paying for the medications.” Gov. Polis also signed HB19-1222, sponsored by Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins and Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. This new law will allow funds in the advanced placement exam fee grant program to also be available to reduce or eliminate fees for the international baccalaureate exam for low-income students. The Gov then signed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Jeni Arndt, D-Fort Collins HB19-1291 concerning the supervision of insurers and establishing certain disclosure requirements for insurers. The bills were signed at the CSU Health and Medical Center in Fort Collins. Previous Next

The House Finance Committee today passed legislation that would allow notifications for vehicle registration, license plate renewals, and other motor vehicle transactions to be sent electronically. HB24-1089 passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. < Back March 11, 2024 Hamrick Bill Improves DMV Process, Allows Electronic Communications DENVER, CO - The House Finance Committee today passed legislation that would allow notifications for vehicle registration, license plate renewals, and other motor vehicle transactions to be sent electronically. HB24-1089 passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. “Electronic communication is the norm, and Coloradans should be given the option to receive DMV transactions and notifications electronically,” said Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial. “Printing and mailing these communications cost counties hundreds of thousands of dollars every single year. With this bill, we can save counties money while making it easier for Coloradans to navigate the DMV.” HB24-1089 , also sponsored by Representative Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, would create an opt-in option for electronic notifications for transactions and notices, including vehicle registration expiration, plate or placard renewal, fleet vehicle registration renewal, dealer license plate and depot tag issuance, and missing documentation. The bill would not allow for the revocation of a vehicle registration or license plate to be sent electronically. Previous Next

SB26-040 would update the Prop 123 Affordable Homeownership Program to better meet the needs of hardworking Coloradans < Back April 21, 2026 Legislation to Create More Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities Passes DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to update the Affordable Homeownership Program that was created by voter-approved Proposition 123 . SB26-040, sponsored by Representatives Katie Stewart and Lesley Smith, passed by a vote of 44-20. “Our bipartisan legislation will help more hardworking Coloradans qualify for down payments and other financial assistance to save Coloradans money on housing,” said Rep. Katie Stewart, D-Durango. “While Prop 123 housing projects have shown great success in delivering affordable housing across Colorado, the program isn’t working for every community. By creating more flexibility in this Prop 123 program, our bipartisan bill would make it easier to support hardworking people, especially in rural resort communities like mine.” “Homeownership is a cornerstone of economic stability and wealth building for hardworking people, and our bill uses existing tools to make homebuying a more realistic goal for Coloradans,” said Rep. Lesley Smith, D-Boulder. “Increasing land and labor costs, paired with high interest rates, are making it difficult to build Prop 123 housing with the current eligibility requirements. We want to ensure that this program creates affordable housing options in our communities. This bill makes it less expensive for more hardworking Coloradans to purchase a home.” SB26-040 would expand eligibility for qualified buyers and make practical updates to better serve every Colorado community and meet the reality of the 2026 housing market. The bill would increase the allowable income threshold to qualify for the program to less than or equal to 120 percent of either the statewide Area Median Income (AMI) or the local AMI. This would allow more people to qualify for the program, particularly in rural communities. Rising interest rates and insurance costs have also made it harder for Coloradans to meet the requirement that combined housing costs cannot exceed 35 percent of their income. This bill would create a process to allow some homeowners to spend more than 35 percent of their income on housing when a qualified buyer is not found after six months of advertising, further expanding the availability of the program for Colorado families. Additionally, the bill would allow eligible organizations to temporarily rent units if they cannot be sold in a timely manner and create more flexibility in the program rules. These updates would provide the flexibility for the Affordable Home Ownership Program to adapt to the needs of communities across Colorado, and help ensure that the program is working as intended and serving as many Coloradans as possible. Previous Next

< Back August 10, 2021 CO HOUSE LEADERSHIP APPLAUDS SENATE PASSAGE OF FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL DENVER, CO– Speaker Alec Garnett and Majority Leader Daneya Esgar released the following statements after the U.S. Senate gave approval to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bill to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in American infrastructure. “I’m heartened to see Washington politicians putting partisanship aside to make a much needed investment in our country’s infrastructure,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “The bill championed by President Biden and passed by the Senate today will direct billions of dollars toward necessary improvements to our roads, bridges, rail, public transit, the electric grid, water systems, and broadband. The work we did at the state level this year, like passing SB-260, will allow Colorado to quickly and sustainably capitalize on this funding. I will continue to monitor the progress of this bill and look forward to its final passage.” “Today’s bipartisan bill passage is a win that every Coloradan can celebrate,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This historic investment in American infrastructure will create jobs, modernize our country’s transportation and keep us better connected. I’m particularly excited to see this bill direct robust funding toward passenger rail, bringing us one big step closer to making projects like Front Range Rail a reality.” Previous Next

< Back May 30, 2019 GOV SIGNS BILL TO ENCOURAGE MORE GIRLS IN STEM INDUSTRY (May 30) – Gov Polis signed a bill sponsored by Rep. Daneya Esgar and Rep. Lisa Cutter that would encourage young girls to go into the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field. “This new law will help get Colorado’s kids ready for jobs that haven’t even been imagined yet. Right now, we can’t see the full extent of the gender gap in computer science classrooms because Colorado doesn’t gather that information,” said Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo. “If we start gathering this information, we can find the solutions to this challenge.” HB19-1277 provides computer science classroom participation data to understand the extend the gender gap in Colorado. The new law would also provide $250,000 per year to grant funding for three schools and districts who want to offer computer science courses and afterschool programs with an emphasis on participation by underrepresented groups, such as women. “We need to encourage our students, especially our young girls and underrepresented students to get involved in tech and science, which offer high paying jobs,” said Rep. Cutter, D-Evergreen. “This new law is a responsible investment in the future of our children and the future of our state.” Previous Next