< Back April 30, 2019 CUTTER-SULLIVAN MENTAL HEALTH BILL HEADED TO GOVERNOR More than one million Coloradans experience mental health or a substance use crisis each year (Apr. 29) – A bill sponsored by Rep. Lisa Cutter. and Rep. Tom Sullivan that will modernize behavioral health insurance coverage laws to align with federal law and close loopholes to increase access to mental health services for Coloradans is heading to the Governor’s desk. “More than one million Coloradans live with a mental health issue, and over half of them aren’t receiving the help they need,” said Rep. Cutter, D-Evergreen. “It is essential that we begin to treat mental health and substance abuse issues the same way we treat physical health. Our youth suicide rate isn’t going to improve until we do.” HB19-1269: Strengthens prevention and screening laws to shift the current system away from expensive late-stage treatment to early prevention Enforces and makes transparent existing state and federal parity laws and increases consumer protections Eliminates gaps and loopholes in current law to ensure no more Coloradans fall through the cracks “I have been committed to improving mental health before joining the legislature and am glad to be a part of this important legislation,” said Rep. Sullivan, D-Centennial. “We can’t wait any longer to get this bill to the Governor. The time for action is now.” Currently, state and federal laws require insurance carriers to provide equal coverage for mental health and physical care. However, many families are being denied coverage or are paying out-of-pocket costs for weeks or months for mental health care services because of loopholes in current law. HB19-1269 passed in the House with a bipartisan vote of 45-19. It passed in the Senate with a bipartisan vote of 30-5. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Stephanie Vigil and Javier Mabrey on a preliminary vote that would improve protections for gig workers by increasing wage and task transparency. < Back April 20, 2024 Gig Worker Protections Advance in the House DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Stephanie Vigil and Javier Mabrey on a preliminary vote that would improve protections for gig workers by increasing wage and task transparency. “Delivery apps have made big promises to Coloradans, including flexibility for workers and more choices for consumers. But too often hidden algorithms interfere with the worker autonomy that drivers in this industry so highly value,” said Rep. Stephanie Vigil, D-Colorado Springs. “From misleading incentives to faulty tip information, big tech can use deceptive practices to pressure drivers to take low-paying offers, rather than paying what they're worth. This legislation would improve transparency and fairness in Colorado law to provide drivers with the information they need and deserve to make free and informed decisions about their work.” "App-based employment should not be excluded from the important protections that the labor movement has fought for to ensure the health and safety of Colorado workers," said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. "Over 60 percent of Denver delivery app drivers rely on gig work for their main source of income. Our bill will provide wage transparency to workers, ensure that they receive all tips paid by consumers, establish a fair reactivation process and improve safety on the job.” HB24-1129 aims to improve wage and task transparency by requiring specific information to be shared with gig workers of delivery network companies (DNCs), providing workers with the ability to make more informed decisions about which tasks to accept. When a consumer is prompted to leave a tip for a delivery driver who is paid based on a per-delivery-task or per-transaction basis, DNCs would be required to disclose the amount of money that the consumer paid or will pay for the transaction and how much the driver received or will receive for the transaction. It would also require the DNC to pay the entire tip to the driver. Before a driver who is paid based on a per-delivery-task or per-transaction basis accepts a delivery task, DNCs would be required to disclose to the driver: An estimated or actual amount the driver will earn for the task, including the tip or reimbursement amounts, The number of transactions involved in the task, The address(es) of the food, beverages, or other goods must be picked up from, The direction from where the driver is required to pick up the goods and the location where goods must be delivered, The estimated or actual time it will take for the driver to complete the task, and The estimated or actual distance the driver will travel for the task. If a driver is paid for a block of time for multiple deliveries, DNCs would be required to disclose the following before the driver accepts a task: The minimum amount the DNC will pay the driver for completing deliveries during the specific block of time, The direction from where the driver is located and where the driver must pick up and deliver the products, The estimated or actual distance required to travel to complete the deliveries, Clear information on which products need to be delivered within specific time windows, and The number of items required to be delivered. The bill would also require DNCs to share data with the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics about driver payments and deactivations, delivery tasks, and other information that will be made publicly available. The bill also requires a DNC to develop and maintain an account deactivation policy that clearly establishes procedures for deactivating a driver from the platform, allows a driver to request a reconsideration and ensures a driver is not penalized for failing to respond to a delivery task offer. A 2022 report about Denver gig workers found that most gig workers earn $5.49 per hour after expenses. Denver’s 2022 minimum wage was $15.87. The report also found that DoorDash drivers only made $1.23 per hour, and none of the surveyed platforms had hourly wages that surpassed $9. Previous Next

Legislation would update the 83-year-old Colorado Labor Peace Act to increase wages and strengthen the middle class < Back February 5, 2026 Worker Protection Act Passes Committee DENVER, CO — The Worker Protection Act passed the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today by a vote of 8-5. HB26-1005 is sponsored by Representative Javier Mabrey and Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon. “Affordability is two-sided, it’s about making sure families can pay rent, buy groceries, and pay their bills, but it’s also about purchasing power and how much workers are paid,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “The research is clear: unionized workers earn more than their non-union workers in the same industry. Since the New Deal, unions have grown our economy, increased wages and created jobs. Strengthening the right to form a union will help build an economy where working people have a fair shot to thrive. This bill equips working people with the right to negotiate for better wages and a brighter future for themselves and their families.” “Unions uplift working people, boost wages, grow our middle class, strengthen our economy and help families build wealth,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “Colorado Democrats are standing up for workers to strengthen their right to collective bargaining. The second election sets up an intentional hurdle for workers to form a union in Colorado. The Worker Protection Act would secure our workers’ right to form and sustain a union that helps them negotiate for better working conditions, pay and benefits.” The Worker Protection Act ( HB26-1005 ) updates the Colorado Labor Peace Act to make it easier for workers to negotiate a union security clause in the collective bargaining process. Currently, Colorado labor law requires two elections for workers seeking to form a union and collect dues: one that meets the federal standard set by the National Labor Relations Act and a second election which must be won by a supermajority approval of at least 75 percent of those who vote, or 50 percent plus one of all employees eligible to vote, whichever is greater. This process creates a uniquely high threshold for workers to achieve the right to negotiate with their employers. Union member density in Colorado is below the national average of 9.9 percent. Based on 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Colorado’s union membership was 7.7 percent, far behind other states with free bargaining laws, including Minnesota (14.2 percent), Washington (16 percent), and California (14.5 percent). Unions strengthen economies while driving more income to working families. On average, union workers earn 10.2 percent more than non-union workers with similar jobs and qualifications. Unions also play a role in increasing wages for workers. For example, wages in states with anti-worker laws, also known as “right to work” laws, are 3.2 percent lower than in states without these laws. That translates to an average of $1,670 less per year for a full-time worker. Unions also reduce income inequality, bridge racial and gender pay gaps, and help families build wealth. Research shows that union membership is tied to larger wage gains for all workers, but union workers of color tend to experience a larger percentage of wealth gains. For example, Black working-class union families hold 4.3 times more wealth, and non-white Hispanic families hold 5.4 times more wealth compared to the median wealth for their demographics. Additionally, unions help increase homeownership. For example, working class union households are 13 percent more likely to own a home. Previous Next

< Back July 10, 2020 BILLS TO PROTECT VULNERABLE COLORADANS AND IMPROVE 9-1-1 SYSTEMS SIGNED INTO LAW Denver, CO– Governor Jared Polis today signed four bills into law to protect vulnerable adults, provide equal access to clinical trials for Medicaid recipients and ensure communities across the state have a reliable and modern emergency response system. SB20-129 , sponsored by Representatives Meg Froelich and Kim Ransom, protects those with court-appointed guardians by ensuring they are notified about court proceedings and understand critical information relating to the case, including their rights as a respondent and the resources available to them. It requires that a court-appointed counsel be appointed to cases where an adult with diminished capacities is involved and requires the counsel submit a report to the court in writing articulating the individual’s existing support community and decision making processes and make recommendations to strengthen the individual’s support network. “Navigating through the judicial system is challenging as it is,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood . “Individuals with appointed guardians need help as they make huge fiscal decisions that can affect their lives for years to come, but that doesn’t mean transactions or court proceedings should happen without their knowledge or input. This law will go a long way to protect at-risk individuals with appointed guardians.” Sponsored by Representative Susan Lontine, HB20-1302 protects at-risk adults by strengthening existing law requiring employers in Colorado to conduct a CAPS check (Colorado’s Adult Protective Services) if an employee will be directly in contact with an at-risk adult. Employers must also provide counties access to relevant records and persons to investigate potential mistreatment of at-risk adults. “If your business is to serve or work with at-risk adults, then your employees should undergo a proper background check,” said Rep. Lontine, D-Denver. “No one who has a record of taking advantage of or abusing a vulnerable Coloradan should be hired for a position that works directly with at-risk adults.” HB20-1232 ,sponsored by Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Representative Larry Liston, allows Medicaid patients to have their routine costs of care covered while they are participating in a clinical trial. Without this coverage guarantee for costs associated with clinical trials, Medicaid members face financial barriers to participate in these trials, leaving vulnerable Coloradans without access to new, life-saving medical treatments for rare conditions. “Increasing access to clinical trials for patients of all backgrounds is essential to closing health disparities and ensuring the safety of new treatments,” said Rep. Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City . “This bill protects Medicaid recipients, often members of underrepresented or vulnerable populations, and it levels the playing field so they can equally access breakthrough medical treatments, which is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.” HB20-1293 , sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Rod Pelton, will provide badly needed resources to help communities upgrade their emergency response systems, especially in rural areas, to ensure all parts of the state have a modern 9-1-1 system. The bill eliminates the cap on 9-1-1 telephone charges and the fee on prepaid wireless phones as well as establishes a new, statewide 9-1-1 surcharge to support local systems. The new funding structure balances local control with state support and is critical to financing 9-1-1 system modernization efforts across the state. “In an emergency, Coloradans depend on a timely and professional response, and that response depends on a modern 9-1-1 system,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Communities across our state, and especially in rural areas, are struggling to fund badly needed upgrades to these critical systems. I’m proud we came together in a bipartisan way to help meet the needs of our communities and keep them safe.” Previous Next

< Back January 30, 2023 Workforce Bills Pass Committee DENVER, CO – Two workforce bills to support Colorado workers today passed House committees. HB23-1094, sponsored by Representative Meghan Lukens, would boost the agriculture workforce, and HB23-1072, sponsored by Representative Elizabeth Velasco, would ensure disaster emergency response workers are compensated for time working a disaster. “Colorado’s agriculture industry is critical to our state’s economy,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Our bipartisan bill works to train, educate and uplift the next generation of agricultural workers through hands-on internships and training. Colorado’s future in agriculture is strong, and by ensuring a pipeline toward careers in farming and ranching, we will support our farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses by helping them fill critical open positions in their operations while creating new opportunities for people who want a career in agriculture.” “When disasters strike, local community members are the first on the scene to provide services and support,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “This bill makes sure disaster emergency first responders, volunteers and organizers are compensated for their work. These civil defense workers are ready at a moment's notice to provide assistance to their community during a wildfire or flood and they should be paid for their time on the job.” HB23-1094 passed the House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources committee by a vote of 12-1 and would modify the Agricultural Workforce Development Program which provides financial incentives to farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses to hire interns and provide them with hands-on training and the experience needed to pursue a career in agriculture. This bill aims to jumpstart a lifelong career in agriculture and deepen the workforce pool by increasing the duration of paid internships to up to one year instead of six months. HB23-1072 passed the House State Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs committee unanimously and would change the legal definition of “civil defense worker” so those assisting in the local response to disaster emergencies can be paid for their work. In Colorado, civil defense workers respond to disaster emergencies, including wildfires, floods and severe weather in addition to man-made disasters. Workers that are registered with the Office of Emergency Management or local response units are not currently eligible for compensation from their employers when they directly respond to a disaster. This bill allows civil defense workers, often registered crisis response volunteers, to receive pay from their employers when they respond to future disasters. Previous Next

< Back June 8, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL TO SAVE SENIORS $100 MILLION ON HOUSING 140,000 Colorado seniors can now claim new refundable tax credit for housing DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed HB22-1205 , which will save seniors money on housing by creating a temporary new income tax credit. “Coloradans are feeling the pressures of rising costs from pandemic-induced inflation, supply chain challenges and rising gas prices, so we made saving people money our top priority this session,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “We reduced property taxes, made record investments to bring down the cost of housing, and passed legislation to put more money into people’s pockets. With this law, 140,000 low-income Colorado seniors save $100 million on housing. This will cut taxes and directly boost the incomes of older Coloradans who rent their homes or haven’t owned them long enough to qualify for the senior homestead exemption.” “This year we took important steps to alleviate the pressure many families are facing due to pandemic-induced inflation and the rising cost of living, and this new law is a key component of that progress,” said Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver . “This measure will save older Coloradans millions of dollars on housing, make Colorado a more affordable place to live, and ensure seniors can remain in the communities they have called home for years.” “This new law will put $100 million back into seniors’ pockets, save seniors money on housing, and help vulnerable Coloradans afford the rising cost of living in our state,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “With so many Coloradans facing rent increases, higher property taxes, or an unaffordable home market, we passed a package of bills this session to save people money on housing. In addition to the new tax credit signed into law today, Governor Polis has signed bills into law to reduce property taxes by $274 on average and direct $428 million in federal funds to build more affordable homes, develop middle-income housing, and construct innovative and modular homes.” “Rising housing costs are putting folks all across Colorado in a bind, and it’s hitting those on fixed incomes, like many seniors, especially hard,” said Senator James Coleman, D-Denver. “This new law will give those folks immediate relief by creating a new tax break that will save thousands of Colorado money on housing and help them stay in their homes and their communities.” HB22-1205 , sponsored by Representatives Chris Kennedy and Mike Weissman and Senators Chris Hansen and James Coleman, will save Colorado seniors over $100 million on their housing costs by creating a new refundable income tax credit. Seniors with incomes under $75,000 who have not claimed the senior homestead exemption will be eligible for the tax credit through their 2022 income tax returns. The credit starts at $1,000 for taxpayers with incomes below $25,000 and phases out slowly by $10 for every $500 of income above $25,000. Because the credit is refundable, taxpayers will receive the benefit even if the credit exceeds their tax liability. According to the bill’s fiscal note prepared by nonpartisan staff, nearly 60,000 Coloradans will receive the full $1,000 credit, and up to 77,000 additional Coloradans will see tax relief under the law. The chart below from the bill’s fiscal note shows the tax credit amount as it phases out by income level. Previous Next

The House Finance Committee today passed a bill that would help prevent older and vulnerable Coloradans from being scammed out of their hard-earned money. The Adults’ Security and Safeguards from Exploitations in Transactions Act passed by a vote of 8-3. < Back February 26, 2026 ASSET Act to Protect Older Coloradans from Being Scammed Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Finance Committee today passed a bill that would help prevent older and vulnerable Coloradans from being scammed out of their hard-earned money. The Adults’ Security and Safeguards from Exploitations in Transactions Act passed by a vote of 8-3. “Rapidly changing technology has increased elder fraud by 46-percent, which has had devastating consequences on older Coloradans who have spent their whole lives building up their savings,” said Rep. Sean Camacho, D-Denver. “Banks, credit unions and other financial institutions are well-positioned to notice when a withdrawal or transfer looks suspicious, allowing them to step in when they think their client is being scammed. Our bill fights back against financial exploitation, protecting Coloradans from being scammed out of their hard-earned money.” “Scams are more sophisticated than they have ever been before. Scammers specifically target seniors, who often live on a fixed income, costing them nearly $75 million in 2024 alone,” said Rep. Jamie Jackson, D-Aurora. “We believe that taking the extra time to examine suspicious banking activity could be the difference that protects Coloradans' money. This bill would not only protect vulnerable Coloradans from fraud, but it would also help prevent fraud by improving education around scams.” HB26-1110 , the Adults’ Security and Safeguards from Exploitations in Transactions Act (ASSET Act), would help prevent older Coloradans and other vulnerable people from being defrauded by scammers. Under the bill, bank and credit union professionals would notify authorities and could pause transactions for additional review if they have reason to believe that their client is the victim of financial exploitation. The bill would also offer legal protection for these professionals if their action, or failure to act, was in good faith. In 2024, Coloradans aged 60 years old and older reported losing over $74 million to scams. They were also the age group that experienced the most scams. With 3,125 Coloradans experiencing fraud, the average amount lost per scam was almost $24,000 per person. In 2025, Colorado Democrats passed a law , also sponsored by Rep. Jackson, that protects Coloradans from scams involving cryptocurrency kiosks, which target the elderly and other vulnerable populations. The law established a transaction limit of $2,000 per day for new customers and $10,500 for existing customers to help limit the amount of money that scammers can steal. Previous Next

< Back April 16, 2021 RICKS, GONZALES-GUTIERREZ TAKE ACTION TO IMPROVE EDUCATOR DIVERSITY DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Reps. Naquetta Ricks and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez’s bill to promote diversity in Colorado’s educator workforce on second reading. “Colorado’s student population is growing more and more diverse by the year, and our educator workforce hasn’t kept up,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver (Northside). “We know how impactful it can be for young students of color to see their own backgrounds and identities reflected in their role models, and this bill will start us on a path toward ensuring that’s the case for every child in our state. As a product of public education myself, I understand exactly how impactful this bill will be.” “I firmly believe that education is the key to a bright future, but I know first hand how difficult it can be to chart your own path to success when none of your teachers look like you,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “I want to ensure that all of Colorado’s students have the opportunity to learn from educators who look like them and share their backgrounds. This bill will examine the barriers we face and will get us closer to that goal in the near future. A vibrant, diverse workforce is good for students, good for educators, and good for Colorado.” HB21-1010 would create a workgroup that would research ways to prepare, retain, and recruit diverse educators and make recommendations to the Senate and House Education Committees. The Department of Higher Education and the Department of Education would choose members of the workgroup, which must include a diverse group of representatives from relevant agencies and organizations as specified in the bill. Previous Next

< Back March 10, 2022 SCHOOL SAFETY AND STUDENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BILLS ADVANCE DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed four bills to boost school safety and improve student access to behavioral health services. “These bills continue our important work to improve school safety, expand access to behavioral health care for students and prepare our students for success,” said Rep. Tony Exum D-Colorado Springs. “This bill gives our public schools the resources they need to make classrooms and school spaces safer by protecting school grounds. It also extends the successful I Matter program, which is currently offering free mental health counseling sessions to Colorado youth across the state.” HB22-1243 , which passed committee unanimously, would invest $14 million toward improving the security and safety of public schools and is part of Colorado Democrat’s Public Safety Package. This bill allocates $6 million to the School Security Disbursement Program over two years, which will be reauthorized by HB22-1120. Based on recommendations of the Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force, it also puts $2 million in ARPA funding toward the behavioral health care professional matching grant program and $6 million towards extending the popular I Matter program beyond its scheduled repeal in June 2022. This investment will pave the way to serve youth with free counseling sessions for another two years. “For years, we’ve been working to take a multi-pronged approach to improve school safety that includes both increased access to behavioral health and critical investments in our schools,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City), former chair of the 2019 School Safety Interim Committee. “Extending the I Matter program is the right move. Colorado students across the state are taking advantage of free counseling sessions. I’m proud of each and every young person who has bravely participated in the I Matter program, and I hope by extending the program we can reach even more youth statewide.” Three additional school safety bills also passed the House Education Committee unanimously. HB22-1120 , sponsored by Representatives Kevin Van Winkle and Patrick Neville would reauthorize and make updates to the School Security Disbursement Program, which provides grants for schools to install monitoring equipment and security systems at entrances and exits. Grants can also be used for school emergency response training and student threat assessment training for all school staff. HB22-1274 , sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Colin Larson, would continue the Colorado Interagency Working Group on School Safety, a 14-member group dedicated to enhancing school safety through the cost-effective use of public resources, which is currently set to expire on September 1, 2022. If passed, this bill would continue the group’s work indefinitely. HB22-1275 , sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan and Colin Larson, would continue the Colorado School Safety Resource Center Advisory Board which helps in providing resources, training and technical assistance to foster safe and secure learning environments as well as early intervention to prevent crisis situations. The board is set for repeal on September 1, 2022. Previous Next

The House Finance Committee today passed legislation to exempt small businesses from paying the retail delivery fee (RDF), saving them and consumers money. < Back March 20, 2023 Bipartisan Bill to Save Small Businesses Money Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Finance Committee today passed legislation to exempt small businesses from paying the retail delivery fee (RDF), saving them and consumers money. This bill, sponsored by Representatives Cathy Kipp and Matt Soper, makes the RDF more equitable to smaller businesses, saves consumers money and allows all businesses more flexibility in how they implement the fee. “Colorado’s small businesses are integral to our economic recovery and growth,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “We’re committed to making it easier for small businesses to not only get by in our state, but to thrive. This bipartisan bill works to save small businesses and consumers money on retail delivery fees while simplifying the fee collection process and maintaining critical funding for our roads and clean transportation programs.” SB23-143 , which passed committee unanimously, would exempt small businesses that have $500,000 or less in retail sales from paying RDFs. This would apply retroactively to July 1, 2022, to when RDFs were first imposed. Established by SB21-260 , the RDF is a 27-cent fee imposed on all deliveries made by motor vehicles to ensure that our transportation systems account for all types of users. However, this legislation did not create distinctions for small businesses that have minimal delivery impacts on Colorado’s transportation system. SB23-143 modifies the RDF to exempt small businesses and offers all businesses flexibility in how they implement the fee, including allowing businesses to pay the fee on behalf of their customers. Previous Next

< Back October 24, 2019 BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO PROTECT BUSINESSES REMITTING SALES TAXES ADVANCES Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force extended until 2025; changes made to hold harmless provisions for users of tax remittance software made crucial in wake of Wayfair Supreme Court decision DENVER, CO– The Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force today advanced two bipartisan bills that would extend the task force until 2025 and continue to support the state’s compliance with the United States Supreme Court Wayfair ruling. “For 30 years, Colorado’s complex system of tax jurisdictions, home rule municipalities and TABOR have led to challenges for businesses trying to navigate different rates,” said Task Force Chair Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada). “The Wayfair decision made the situation more complex, and our task force has been working hard since 2017 to address these concerns. Last session we tasked the state with creating a GIS database and software system to make the tax remittance process easy for businesses. Today, we continued this work by advancing legislation to protect vendors from being liable for any errors made as a result of using the GIS database or third-party software applications that rely on the underlying GIS data.” With local jurisdictions imposing different tax rates, vendors face a challenge in determining the correct tax amount and in accurately remitting payments to the proper local tax jurisdiction. Large retailers and market facilitators, such as Amazon, must remit taxes based on the location of the purchaser. However, smaller businesses are currently allowed to remit taxes based on their business location until the state can create a simplified way for remitting taxes based on the purchaser’s location. Last session, lawmakers passed SB19-006, sponsored by Rep. Kraft-Tharp, which required the state to create a Geographic Information System (GIS) database and software to assist vendors in remitting sales and use taxes to local jurisdictions. The new system will help businesses navigate the patchwork of sales and use taxes across the state and accurately remit sales taxes. A bill that the task force advanced today would hold vendors harmless for errors made as a result using the new state GIS database or a third-party software that relies on the GIS database, once the state develops and releases the new database and software. Additionally, the Department of Revenue must ensure that the information provided in the state database is 95 percent accurate. The other bill lawmakers advanced today would extend the taskforce until July 2025 and eliminate the requirement for a Department of Regulatory Affairs sunset review process. The bill expands the scope of the task force’s work to include a review of legislation passed last session. Previous Next

The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to expand affordable mental and behavioral health for youth and streamline necessary services for people on parole or probation. Both bills passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. < Back April 12, 2023 Lukens Bills to Increase Access to Mental Health Services Pass Committee DENVER, CO - The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to expand affordable mental and behavioral health for youth and streamline necessary services for people on parole or probation. Both bills passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. “Being a teacher in rural Colorado, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is to remove unnecessary barriers to affordable and accessible mental health care,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Rural Colorado kids are twice as likely to die by suicide, which is why I’m bringing legislation to connect kids with the services they need to live happy, healthy lives. HB23-1268 also aims to streamline access to resources like substance use treatment to promote public safety and save lives.” SB23-174 , also sponsored by Representative Ty Winter, requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to provide certain behavioral health services for Medicaid recipients that are 21-years-old or younger without requiring a formal diagnosis, removing barriers to access. The services include therapy, evaluation, case management, treatment planning, and other services based on feedback from community members. A study by Mental Health America found that only 34.4% of Colorado youth with depression receive treatment to address their mental health issues. Families on Medicaid often struggle with financial restrictions, transportation to health care centers, and other hurdles to receive appropriate or preventative care. By eliminating the requirement for an official diagnosis, Colorado youth and their families will have quicker and easier access to equitable prevention-focused services to prevent a mental health crisis. HB23-1268 , also sponsored by Representative Gabe Evans, also streamlines access to treatment for people who were involved in the criminal justice system in other states. Under current Colorado law, any person who is serving an out-of-state probation or parole is required to get a criminal background check, fingerprints, and photographs through the Department of Corrections before they can receive court-ordered treatment services. While the background check is only supposed to take 48 hours, they often take weeks to process, keeping patients from accessing the services they need to address issues from mental health disorders, substance use disorder, and support for domestic violence treatment. This bill requires background checks to be completed within 48 hours to shorten waiting times to qualify for life-saving and necessary treatments. It would allow treatment providers to initiate care with individuals on probation or parole who comply with their supervision and have checked-in with law enforcement, giving individuals access to the life saving care they need immediately while also protecting public safety. Previous Next