< Back May 6, 2022 HOUSE PASSES PROPERTY TAX RELIEF Proposal will save the average homeowner $274 on property taxes DENVER, CO – The House today unanimously passed legislation to lower property taxes, save the average homeowner $274 and prevent many small business owners from seeing their property taxes go up at all. “From sending every taxpayer an early $400 or $800 refund check to lowering the cost of housing, health care and prescription drugs, we’ve been hard at work saving Coloradans money everywhere we can,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “The legislation we passed today will prevent tax increases on many small businesses. It builds on our earlier work to lower property taxes for homeowners and businesses and will save the average homeowner $274 on their property taxes.” “I’m excited to sponsor a bill for a $700 million property tax decrease and a net overall tax decrease of $500 million,” said Rep. Patrick Neville, R-Castle Rock. “Rising property values bring a price tag of higher property taxes. I dislike taxes in general, but property taxes are the worst kind of tax. Lowering property taxes will help with the inflationary pressures families are experiencing and is much needed in Colorado.” SB22-238 , sponsored by Representatives Mike Weissman and Patrick Neville, will provide $700 million in property tax relief over two years for homeowners and businesses, helping save families money on housing and cutting costs for businesses statewide. The bill allocates $500 million in 2023 to reduce the residential property from 6.95 percent to 6.76 percent and the nonresidential property tax rate from 29 percent to 27.9 percent. The bill also reduces the taxable value for residential properties by $15,000 and commercial properties by $30,000. The bill provides these savings while mitigating the impact to schools and local governments from the reduction in revenue. Further, SB22-238 provides an additional $200 million in 2024 to extend the property tax relief enacted last year by SB21-293. These savings will reduce property taxes for homeowners by an average of $274 in 2023 on a $500,000 home, and will provide significant savings for every business in the state. The House also unanimously passed HB22-1416 , sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Representative Neville. The bill reforms the property tax assessment process. The bill would provide taxpayers with more information about their valuations and a longer period of time to appeal their values. “By reforming the property tax assessment process, we’ll protect homeowners and business owners and make it easier for people to appeal valuation decisions that impact how much they have to pay,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D–Pueblo. “This bipartisan legislation will make the property tax assessment process more fair and transparent to ensure property owners can address errors that can cost them money.” Under the bill, the timeline to appeal property values would be extended by one week. It requires county assessors to provide property owners an estimate of their tax liability as well as information about how they can protest their assessed property values. Property owners would have the opportunity to fast track their appeal if the assessor is provided all the necessary information. Additionally, the bill would require property tax administrators to publish the assessors’ handbook, which includes appraisals procedures, and allow for public comment and review on the handbook and proposed changes. For commercial properties, the bill improves transparency in how they are valued by requiring the notice of valuation to notify property owners that they can obtain details from their assessor about how their property was valued. Previous Next

After a long-fought scrimmage that embroiled lawmakers, their states, and two Presidential Administrations, the US Air Force will permanently base Space Command in Colorado Springs. The reversal of former President Donald Trump’s decision to move Space Command out of our state speaks to Senator John Hickenlooper’s leadership throughout the basing decision process and, ultimately, the current Administration’s decision to put national security before politics. < Back Rep. Marc Snyder: Keeping Space Command in Colorado Good for National Security Nov 1, 2023 See more This op-ed was originally posted in the Gazette After a long-fought scrimmage that embroiled lawmakers, their states, and two Presidential Administrations, the US Air Force will permanently base Space Command in Colorado Springs. The reversal of former President Donald Trump’s decision to move Space Command out of our state speaks to Senator John Hickenlooper’s leadership throughout the basing decision process and, ultimately, the current Administration’s decision to put national security before politics. In early 2021, the Trump administration announced Space Command would be re-headquartered thousands of miles away from its preliminary headquarters in Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama. Proponents of keeping Space Command in Colorado have argued that the move of a defense base of this gravity would have taken over a decade to complete and shipped off thousands of high-ranking military officials and jobs. It also cast doubt on the integrity of the Pentagon’s basing process and jeopardized our military readiness at a time when space is increasingly important to our national security. Senator Hickenlooper has long emphasized that the basing decision should center on operational readiness, not politics. Yet despite clear evidence that keeping the base in Colorado would help us reach readiness quicker, partisan politics got in the way, and their indifference to choosing the best option for our country was on full display. This is precisely what Alabama lawmakers did when one blocked the Department of Defense from routinely reallocating funds as a part of a political battle to secure a favorable outcome for Alabama. Senator Hickenlooper rightly highlighted this misuse of political power to regulate defense spending, stating that this action penalized troops for political interests. He also called out the lawmakers for intertwining special interests and blowing smoke to force a decision. In the end, President Biden ultimately sided with the evidence and decided that the Peterson Space Force in Colorado Springs was the best location for Space Command. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the objective analysis from General James Dickinson, who argued that moving the headquarters would threaten our military readiness, which would far outweigh any minor benefits of moving to Alabama. Although this decision was made based on preparedness, not political gains, one would be remiss to overlook the economic benefits of keeping Space Command in Colorado Springs. The governor’s office estimated that over 274,000 people in Colorado are employed in national security aerospace, and the state leads the nation in private aerospace employment per capita. This decision preserves the nearly 1,400 jobs and $1 billion annual economic impact reliant directly on Space Command’s base in Colorado Springs. That’s a huge impact on our city’s and our state’s economy. Leaders in the business community have applauded the decision, stating that keeping the headquarters in our state will protect our jobs, continue to boost the economy, and not displace Space Command’s military and civilian workforce and their families. During a fraught geopolitical moment in history – one in which China and Russia have proven their aerospace capabilities – our lawmakers should know better than to pit party politics against national security decisions. Using political tools to control national defense spending to further political interests is not how lawmakers should legislate nor how government should be run. Thankfully, Colorado’s senators recognize that their job is to always put the well-being and safety of the general public first, and they fought hard to ensure US Space Command kept its home in our state. Previous Next

HB25-1320 will drive $256 million more to Colorado’s K-12 public schools for the 2025-26 school year < Back April 7, 2025 2025 School Finance Act Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed the 2025 School Finance Act to implement the new school funding formula and sustainably drive more funding to Colorado’s K-12 public schools. “This year’s School Finance Act delivers for our K-12 public schools – it drives $256 million more to school districts compared to last year, while creating a sustainable funding model for our schools,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon . “Under this bill, the vast majority of districts will receive additional funding despite nearly universal declining enrollment, and no district will drop below the amount of funding they received this school year. Our students deserve a school finance formula that focuses on them, and that’s what we’ll deliver.” “From eliminating the budget stabilization factor to driving more funding than ever before to Colorado’s public schools, we’re committed to investing in public education,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs . “As a teacher, I know how important adequate school funding and reducing classroom sizes are to creating an environment where students thrive. This year’s School Finance Act invests $256 million more in Colorado’s public schools than last year and increases funding by $380 on average per student. I’m incredibly proud to sponsor this bill that will increase funding for our public schools and drive funding to the students who need it the most.” Colorado lawmakers have worked diligently to drive record-breaking funding to Colorado’s K-12 public schools. Since 2019 when voters gave Democrats the trifecta, total funding for schools has increased by over $3 billion while Colorado schools have lost tens of thousands of students in that time, even after accounting for increased student counts from full day kindergarten. Since the 2018-2019 school year, average per pupil funding has increased from $8,123 to $11,852 next year. The 2025 School Finance Act ( HB25-1320 ) passed committee by a vote of 13-0. This bill would drive $256.7 million more to Colorado’s public schools than last school year, bringing the 2025-26 school funding total to a record $10.35 billion despite Colorado facing a declining student enrollment environment. HB25-1320 acknowledges unique challenges for rural and remote districts, increases education funding to keep up with inflation and prioritizes sustainable funding for years to come. In last year’s School Finance Act , lawmakers delivered on their promise to pay off the Budget Stabilization Factor. At the same time, HB24-1448 modernized the school funding formula used to determine the total program funding for Colorado’s K-12 public school districts for the first time in 30 years. This legislation created a more student-centered formula designed to drive more resources to rural and underserved districts, as well as students living with a disability, at-risk students and English Language Learners (ELLs). For the 2025-2026 school year, HB25-1320 will: Provide $82.5 million more for public schools next year than the old formula and five-year averaging would have. Increase per pupil funding by $400, bringing the total per pupil funding to $11,852. Ensure that 157 of 178 districts will see an average 2.9 percent increase in funding, while the remaining 21 districts with significantly declining enrollment are held harmless. HB25-1320 will implement the new school funding formula at 15-percent per year for six years, and then 10-percent for the final seventh year of implementation, while still maintaining the four-year averaging model for the 2025-26 school year. To help stabilize school funding in a declining enrollment environment, the bill includes a three-year averaging model in 2026-27 if the new funding formula is implemented at 30 percent, otherwise it will remain at four-years. Given the tight budget conditions, largely driven by increased Medicaid costs, Colorado lawmakers have had to address a $1.2 billion shortfall in the state budget. However, HB25-1320 is designed to give the legislature the flexibility to continue increasing school funding while adapting to changing budget realities. To maintain the financial health of the State Education Fund (SEF), HB25-1320 provides the flexibility to adjust the percentage of the formula implemented each year or the averaging components of the formula to ensure a healthy reserve in the fund’s balance. Previous Next

< Back April 29, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES EXPANSION OF RURAL BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE House Democrats have long been working to expand rural broadband access (Apr. 29) – The House approved Rep. Dylan Roberts’ bill to expand the broadband infrastructure in Colorado, especially in rural areas. In parts of rural Colorado, broadband services are inadequate and in some instances nonexistent. “Access to the internet is an indispensable part of our lives and it’s important we create equity between the rural and urban areas,” said Rep. Roberts, D-Avon. “Improving broadband infrastructure will help close the digital divide in communities from the Eastern Plains to the Western Slope. We can save millions of dollars on new infrastructure if we allow electrical easement holders to deliver internet services to communities through already-existing transmission corridors. That’s what this bill allows.” Rep. Roberts is the Chair of the Rural Affairs and Agriculture committee and the Capital Development committee. This bill allows electrical easement holders to lease existing fiber resources on these easements for the purpose of delivering broadband internet services to communities. It will allow the utilization of dark fiber by providers to connect areas without having to spend money on costly new infrastructure or easement negotiation. Similar legislation has been passed in Indiana, Missouri and Tennessee. SB19-107 passed the Senate on a 35-0 vote and passed the House today with a bipartisan vote of 62-2. It now heads back to the Senate for approval of amendments. The Senate co-prime sponsor is Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail. Previous Next

< Back April 11, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES ROBERTS-JACKSON STUDENT LOAN SERVICER ACCOUNTABILITY BILL Coloradans issued over 1000 complaints against loan services in 2017 (Apr. 11) — The House Education committee approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, and Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora, that would help prevent fraud and misconduct, and improve transparency on student loan servicers. “In passing this bill we can ensure borrowers are not steered away from the best borrowing option for them and are not the victims of deception,” said Rep. Roberts. “This is one of the most pressing issues for my generation and people my age are growing frustrated with the inaction of their elected leaders on this issue. Student debt in Colorado has ballooned from $19 billion to over $27 billion in just three years – we can no longer wait to act. This is a crucial step that we can take for generations and generations to come and help borrowers repay their loans as quickly as possible.” This bill would include student loan servicers in the Uniform Consumer Credit Code to establish licensing requirements for these service providers. It also empowers the Colorado Attorney General’s office to field, review, and attempt to resolve any complaints by borrowers against service providers. “I put myself through undergraduate school and a very expensive graduate program. I took out a lot of student loans,” said Rep. Jackson told the committee. “It’s not just my colleagues’ generation, it’s mine too. I don’t get to retire because I have this debt and I feel like I will die with this student loan debt.” In 2017, Coloradans issue over 1000 complaints against loan service providers. That is a 78 percent increase compared to previous years, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. SB19-002 passed the committee on a vote of 8-5 with every House Republican voting to leave student loan borrowers unprotected from fraud and misconduct. The bill now heads to the House Finance committee. The Senate approved the bill on a vote of 27-8 in March. The Senate sponsors are Sen. Faith Winter and Sen. Steve Fenberg. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to save consumers money and combat electronic waste. < Back May 28, 2024 Signed! Right to Repair Electronic Equipment DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to save consumers money and combat electronic waste. HB24-1121, sponsored by Representative Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow and Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, would extend the current right to repair laws to certain electronic equipment, including cell phones, gaming systems, computers and televisions. “Cell phones are a part of our daily lives, we should have more choices on how to fix them when they break,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada . “This new law will give consumers more options to fix their broken electronics, saving them money and time on costly repairs. Right to repair laws, like this one, are important for empowering consumers and keeping e-waste out of our landfills. From tractors to mobility devices, I’m proud to carry another consumer-focused right to repair law through the legislature and save Coloradans money.” “Accidents happen, people drop their phones and break their screens every day, but because of ‘parts pairing’ and repair restrictions, owners aren’t allowed to fix their devices,” said Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County . “Colorado has led the nation in expanding right to repair laws, from agricultural equipment to wheelchairs to now electronics. This legislation is good for consumers, small businesses, and our economy.” “Consumers should have the right to fix their stuff—computers and cell phones included,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver . “This law strengthens our state’s right to repair laws so that consumers can access the tools and tech they need. This law saves Coloradans money while reducing waste and pollution.” “Manufacturer-imposed repair restrictions affect a wide variety of products from tractors to cell phones, resulting in surging costs, monopolistic business practices, and thousands of electronic devices thrown out every day,” said Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you can’t repair something that’s yours, do you really own it? I would argue no, which is why this legislation is so important. Right to repair laws are essential for empowering consumers and ensuring a fair market.” HB24-1121 will require certain digital electronic equipment manufacturers to comply with existing consumer right to repair laws. Specifically, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) such as Amazon, Apple, Google, and others would need to provide software and physical tools to consumers and independent repair providers upon request so they can fix their broken electronics. Under this law, OEMs can charge a fee for physical tools but software tools must be made available free of charge for the consumer. This law aims to save electronics consumers money on necessary equipment repairs while speeding up the repair process. HB24-1121 also prohibits parts pairing, a technology used by manufacturers to program certain parts together which restricts the consumer's ability to independently repair their devices and allows OEMs to monopolize replacement parts. Last year, Rep. Titone championed a first-in-the-nation law for the right to repair agricultural equipment. This law saves farmers and ranchers money and time on costly agricultural equipment repairs. In 2022, Representatives Titone and Ortiz passed two trailblazing right to repair laws specifically for wheelchair users. These laws require wheelchair manufacturers to provide parts and software to consumers and eliminate the need for prior authorization to repair powered wheelchairs and other complex mobility devices for Medicaid recipients. These laws provided the framework for HB24-1121. Previous Next

< Back April 13, 2022 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES BILL TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS Legislation would distribute $35 million from the transformative Economic Recovery and Relief Funds to support nonprofits serving communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic DENVER, CO – The House Transportation & Local Government Committee today passed a bill that would boost funding for community-based nonprofit social service organizations, specifically those that provide critical support to communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. “During the pandemic, our nonprofits went above and beyond to provide necessary resources and services to their communities, it’s time they receive extra support,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “This bill directs $35 million in pandemic recovery funds to our nonprofits so they can continue to positively impact our neighbors and build stronger communities. We’re thankful for our nonprofits and we’re proud to provide them with support to keep their doors open and serve our communities in need.” “Nonprofits are at the heart of nearly every community, but many of them are struggling to stay afloat,” said Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder. “Our legislation invests in local nonprofits, many of which stepped up to provide food service, youth resources and COVID emergency information, during the pandemic. When the world came to a halt, Colorado’s nonprofits worked tirelessly to meet the needs of their community and I’m proud to sponsor legislation that supports their efforts.” HB22-1356 , sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod and Edie Hooton, will provide $35 million in federal pandemic relief funds to nonprofit social service organizations that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Small community-based nonprofits have played an important role in delivering critical services to families and communities that were directly impacted by the pandemic. These organizations continue to fill critical gaps, but face significant challenges as they respond to longstanding community needs that were only exacerbated by the pandemic. HB22-1356 passed committee by a vote of 10-3. Financial constraints often limit these organizations’ ability to serve additional Coloradans and those constraints are more challenging under recent economic conditions. The grants are designed to support small community-based nonprofits that largely serve individuals who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and experienced significant financial pressures. Eligible entities will be able to apply for grants as large as $100,000 to expand program capacity, foster professional development for employees or engage in strategic planning to grow their organization and maximize the use of funds. During the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly set aside $700 million in federal pandemic relief funds to use for economic recovery and relief initiatives in the years ahead. This legislation uses $35 million of this funding to support essential organizations that are doing critical work in Colorado communities to help families recover from the pandemic. Previous Next

The House Education Committee today passed legislation to prevent youth overdoses and save lives. < Back February 8, 2024 Bill to Prevent Youth Overdoses and Save Lives Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed legislation to prevent youth overdoses and save lives. HB24-1003, sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan and Mary Young, would make opiate antagonists and drug testing strips available on school buses and in school buildings. “The idea for this life-saving legislation came directly from students at Durango and Animas High Schools, and I am proud to see it through at the Capitol,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “Our students, bus drivers and educators need harm reduction tools to prevent overdoses and save lives. This legislation would allow trained bus drivers to administer opiate antagonists and encourage schools to keep a supply of drug testing strips. Keeping our students safe from accidental overdoses is a top priority, and this bill ensures schools have the tools needed to save a life.” “Overdoses are preventable, and it’s vital we make it easier for schools to develop plans and policies to save lives,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “This bill would extend current law to allow opiate antagonists, such as Narcan, to be used on school buses, at school events and by trained staff. Our students have not been immune to the preventable overdose crisis in our country, and this important legislation is student-driven and will save lives.” HB24-1003 , which passed committee by a unanimous vote, would allow trained bus drivers to administer certain medications, including opiate antagonists such as Naloxone, to students experiencing an overdose. Under current law, if specific educators receive training, they are permitted to administer opiate antagonists to students. This bill extends this protection to bus drivers. This bill would also allow school boards to maintain a supply of opiate antagonists on school buses, and for trained students to possess and administer opiate antagonists on school grounds, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event. Additionally, HB24-1003 would allow schools to acquire and maintain a supply of testing strips designed to detect the presence of additional harmful components in an opioid, such as fentanyl. The House Education Committee also passed HB24-1009 by a vote of 9-1, to make early childhood education more inclusive and accessible. This bill would expand bilingual early childhood programs and facilities with a new bilingual licensing unit in the Department of Early Childhood to help provide services and education for child care licensing in prevalent languages. HB24-1009 would additionally make Spanish language licensing services, including documents, applications, and outreach, more available to communities across the state. Previous Next

< Back May 10, 2021 BIPARTISAN BILL TO EXPAND PEACE OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH GRANT PROGRAM PASSES Rep. Julie McCluskie’s bill to expand the successful peace officers behavioral health support grant program passes house on third reading DENVER, CO– The House today passed Rep. Julie McCluskie’s bipartisan bill to modify the existing peace officer mental health grant program to expand and enhance community based law enforcement response efforts. The bill passed by a vote of 57-6. “Expanding the Peace Officer Mental Health Grant Program to include a focus on co-responder and community partnership programs is responsive to the many behavioral health and social services needs we are seeing in Colorado’s communities,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “It’s important that we diversify the tools available to create a continuum of responses for individuals in crisis and connect them to the support they deserve. Expanding this grant program will do just that.” The Peace Officer Mental Health Grant program provides financial assistance to law enforcement agencies for services such as counseling and mental health support for peace officers, on-scene response services to support peace officers’ handling of people with behavioral health issues, use of force training, and more. HB21-1030 , also sponsored by Minority Leader Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, removes the grant program’s repeal date and expands the allowable uses of the grant funds to include on-scene responses for social service needs in addition to mental health, meaning responders could direct individuals toward help with housing, food insecurity and more. The program will continue to fund direct mental health support services for peace officers and will open up additional opportunities for collaborative responses to calls for service between public safety entities and community-based providers. Previous Next

< Back March 25, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO HELP COLORADO STUDENTS Bill to expand financial assistance for ASSET students (Mar. 25) – The House approved a bill to expand state financial aid resources for ASSET students. HB19-1196, sponsored by Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, would provide Advancing Students for a Strong Tomorrow (ASSET) students the abilities to receive state financial aid. “Increasing the eligibility for state financial aid will help Colorado’s rural institutions that lack financial resources to supplement state financial aid for ASSET students,” said Rep. Gonzales-Gutierrez. “Improving access to higher education by increasing financial assistance will erase our state’s equity gaps and serve as an investment in Colorado’s future.” Currently, ASSET students are eligible for the College Opportunity Fund and institutional aid, but they are not eligible for state aid, including scholarships awarded by the state. The ASSET bill passed the legislature in 2013 with bipartisan support and makes the in-state tuition rate at state colleges and universities in Colorado available to all students, regardless of immigration status, who graduate from high school in Colorado after attending for at least three years. HB19-1196 passed by a vote of 41-24. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back February 27, 2020 HOUSE PASSES BILL TO INCREASE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY DENVER, CO– Representative Kerry Tipper’s bipartisan bill to give the Colorado Attorney General the authority to challenge certain business mergers or acquisitions under state antitrust statutes today was approved by the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 7-2. The bill has already been passed by the Colorado Senate. “It’s time to stop relying on the judgement of the federal government and give Colorado’s top prosecutor the tools to protect consumers and go after monopolies,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “Since 1992, the Colorado Attorney General’s office has been hamstrung by a law that requires them to accept the antitrust decisions of the federal government without giving them so much as a second opinion. We’re on track to bring that decision making power back to Colorado.” Under the Colorado Antitrust Act of 1992, the Colorado Attorney General is prevented from challenging mergers or acquisitions in the state if they have already been reviewed and not challenged by a federal department, agency, or commission. Colorado has been an outlier–the only state with such a law. SB20-064 , which is also sponsored by Rep. Matt Soper R-Delta, would end this restriction and allow the Colorado Attorney General to protect Colorado consumers by challenging corporate mergers or acquisitions on behalf of the people of Colorado. This bill is assessed by nonpartisan staff to have no fiscal impact on the Colorado Attorney General’s office , as the AG’s office would be able to review and prioritize cases using existing resources. ### Previous Next

< Back April 30, 2019 HOUSE PASSES KENNEDY-LONTINE BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP ADDRESS HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF COLORADO House Democrats working to lower the cost of health care (Apr. 29) – The House passed Assistant Majority Leader Chris Kennedy and Rep. Susan Lontine’s bill requiring non-profit hospitals to submit an annual community health needs assessment and benefit implementation plan to the state so that the hospitals can better prioritize investments in community activities that improve health outcomes. “Nonprofit hospitals are given tax-exempt status with the understanding that they will reinvest money back into their communities. We have reason to believe that not all hospitals are spending this money in a way that best benefits their community-identified health needs,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “This bill will allow us to compare hospital community benefit spending on an apples-to-apples basis and encourage more hospitals to invest in the things that count.” According to data collected by the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), hospital costs account for 39 percent of health care spending nationwide. The bill is designed to increase the transparency of hospital investments in community health by requiring all nonprofit hospitals to submit annual reports to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) regarding their community benefit activities. The Colorado Hospital Association supports the bill. “Our non-profit hospitals are here to serve the public good and their local communities. This important bill ensures non-profit hospitals are financially transparent and that community voices are able to guide the investments of non-profit hospitals that are meant to best serve their community,” said Rep. Lontine, D- Denver. Rep. Lontine is chair of the House Health and Insurance committee. Earlier this year, Rep. Kennedy’s bipartisan hospital transparency bill was signed into law. HB19-1320 passed on a bipartisan vote of 45-20. The bill now goes to the Senate. Previous Next