< Back May 19, 2021 HOUSE EDUCATION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES SCHOOL FINANCE ACT DENVER, CO– The House Education Committee today unanimously passed the 2021 School Finance Act, annual legislation that sets funding levels for all of Colorado’s school districts and charter schools. The bill restores reductions to K-12 funding that the legislature made last year in the wake of dire budget forecasts that predicted significant revenue declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we recover from the pandemic, we have to do everything we can to build back stronger, and that means putting students, parents and teachers first to ensure they have the tools and resources they need to thrive,” said JBC Vice Chair Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “This year’s budget, which I was proud to help craft as a member of the Joint Budget Committee, invested $480 million to restore funding to pre-pandemic levels. The School Finance Act we passed today funds critical grant programs that support our students and will increase per-pupil funding so that every district in our state will see a fair and equitable increase in state resources.” “By increasing funding for education and ensuring that school districts have more of the resources they need, we will put Colorado on the path to bounce back stronger from the pandemic,” said Education Committee Chair Rep. Baraba McLachlan, D-Durango, a teacher. “Every child in our state should have access to the high quality, public education they need to succeed. Students, parents and teachers have all been through so much this last year, and I’m proud that we are dedicating as much funding as possible to provide school districts with additional resources as they seek to help students overcome the impacts of COVID-19-related learning disruptions.” This year’s budget includes an 8.7 percent increase for K-12 funding over the 2020-21 school year, a $480 million increase. Sponsored by JBC Vice Chair Representatives Julie McCluskie and House Education Chair Representative Barbara McLachlan, the School Finance Act allocates the state share of school districts’ total program funding based on the school finance formula. This year, the school finance formula starts with a base of $7,225 per student, a two percent increase from last year. When additional funding for at-risk students is factored in, the average per-pupil spending is approximately $8,857 per student, an increase of 9.7 percent over last year, which is the result of additional funding included in the bill for at-risk students. Lawmakers last year were forced to increase the Budget Stabilization Factor due to pandemic-related revenue losses. Some of the impact of these reductions was blunted by the distribution of federal stimulus resources directly to school districts. This year’s School Finance Act restores the Budget Stabilization Factor to where it was before the devastation of the pandemic. By reducing the Budget Stabilization Factor, each school district in Colorado will see a fair and equal, per-pupil increase to the state share of total program funding they receive. The School Finance Act also restores funding to grant programs that were cut last year. These grant programs offer a number of critical services such as dropout prevention, literacy attainment, access to advanced placement courses, special education, bullying prevention and behavioral health support. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Sunset (HB26-1326). This legislation will extend the PUC's critical functions while modernizing the commission to better meet the needs of Coloradans. < Back May 29, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Governor Signs Bill to Modernize the Public Utilities Commission, Protect Ratepayers and Improve Oversight DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Sunset ( HB26-1326 ). This legislation will extend the PUC's critical functions while modernizing the commission to better meet the needs of Coloradans. “We need a dynamic, modern PUC to protect jobs, streamline services and protect ratepayers and consumers,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge . “Our law extends the critical functions of the PUC that Coloradans rely on, including transportation, utilities and cell services, while improving transparency and oversight of the commission. The PUC keeps Coloradans safe and connected, and we worked alongside many stakeholders, including rural and local leaders, utility providers, labor, and environmental advocates, to ensure the commission can continue its important role.” “This law ensures Colorado continues to lead in renewable energy and consumer protection, while prioritizing safety in our transportation, communications, and utility systems,” said Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “We’re extending and modernizing the PUC to reflect today’s realities and set us up for the future.” “Our law helps ensure the PUC is appropriately resourced and more efficient,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “The safety and security of our transportation services and utility infrastructure is critical, and without this law, the PUC will not be able to continue its important work. We’ve taken steps to modernize the commission in a way that protects ratepayers, strengthens transportation safety and continues Colorado’s clean energy transition.” “How we travel, communicate, and power our lives all look completely different today than they did when the PUC was last renewed seven years ago,” said Senator Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “After months of work and negotiations between impacted groups, this legislation strikes a balance that boosts renewable energy, strengthens safety from passenger rail to rideshare trips, cracks down on phone scams and bad actors, and improves community collaboration.” The PUC is the primary regulator of Colorado’s electric, gas, water, telecommunications and transportation services. In 2019 , the PUC Sunset established a minimum value for the cost of carbon pollution. This helped modernize benefits to ratepayers and improve Colorado's clean energy transition. HB26-1326 extends the PUC's critical functions for another seven years while modernizing and boosting transparency within the agency. This will continue Colorado’s clean energy transition that will lower utility costs and foster new jobs. Meeting Colorado’s renewable energy goals To help Colorado meet its energy goals, this law will update and streamline clean energy reporting requirements and scheduling for utility companies. The law will boost transparency and accountability by allowing the PUC to investigate how to streamline and integrate energy planning proceedings and report its findings to the General Assembly. The law will also help electric utilities secure more renewable energy assets, such as wind and solar, by requiring the PUC to conduct a study on the barriers companies face to joint procurement, or collaborative purchasing, for large-scale investments. Improving safety This bill takes steps to improve rail, pipeline and transportation safety and security in Colorado. Under HB26-1326, state rail oversight will be aligned with federal law for consistency. The bill also includes the creation of an oversight program that will review, approve and monitor the creation and implementation of passenger and freight rail in Colorado. The law will also require rideshare companies to provide the commission’s contact information to riders for increased transparency. PUC staff receiving complaints about rideshares will receive trauma-informed training. HB26-1326 also requires activity buses, limos, and off-road scenic charters to receive scheduled inspections by the commission to ensure they are safe for travel. Modernizing telecommunications and protecting consumers Mobile, wireless, cellular, landline and satellite telecommunications fall under the PUC’s purview and are charged a fee to provide service in Colorado to help maintain and expand our state’s telecommunications infrastructure. This bill extends the fee to include modern telecommunications systems, including web-based service providers, such as Google Voice or Zoom Phone. To boost consumer protections and crack down on bad actors, this law will increase the fees for companies that purchase no-call lists and sell them to other companies. Improving local participation and engagement HB26-1326 will encourage more local participation and decision-making by requiring the PUC to hire staff dedicated to engagement and communications to ensure inclusiveness and consistency in public comment hearings. To further improve representation, the PUC will create an equity task force to represent the interests of disproportionately impacted communities, workers, and income-qualified customers. Previous Next

The House today passed a bill sponsored by Representatives Emily Sirota and Naquetta Ricks that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on ‘junk fees’. < Back March 4, 2025 House Cracks Down on ‘Junk Fees’ to Save Coloradans Money DENVER, CO - The House today passed a bill sponsored by Representatives Emily Sirota and Naquetta Ricks that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on ‘junk fees’. HB24-1090 passed by a vote of 41 to 21 with every House Republican opposing the effort to rein in unpopular, surprise junk fees. “Hidden ‘junk fees’ often add up to hundreds of dollars in monthly expenses for Coloradans, so we are taking action to crack down on these surprise costs to save people money,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Whatever the ‘junk fee’ is disguised as, the goal is to hike up prices and drain money out of the pockets of hardworking Coloradans to increase corporate profits. With the passage of this bill, we’re one step closer to cracking down on junk fees so Coloradans know the upfront cost of products, goods and services.” “It is estimated that ‘junk fees’ add up to $90 billion per year in our country, costing households more than $650 annually that could be better spent on groceries, health care, and child care,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “Junk fees are often not disclosed until a consumer is ready to check out or after they’ve paid a non-refundable security deposit, which means Coloradans end up paying higher prices than they are expecting. Addressing junk fees in our state has been one of my biggest priorities, and this legislation brings us closer to honest pricing so Coloradans can make buying decisions that fit their budget.” HB25-1090 would improve transparency in pricing and save Coloradans money by: Prohibiting pricing information for a good, service, or property being offered, displayed, or advertised unless the total price is disclosed, with the exception of a government or shipping charge, third-party fees, and utilities, Prohibiting the misrepresentation of pricing information, Requiring the nature or purpose of pricing information to be disclosed for a good, service, or property that is not part of the total price, and Restricting fees landlords can charge for utilities and third-party services if they comply with legal limits, ensuring that tenants are not charged additional fees. On January 15, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a letter to Governor Polis to provide information about the efforts they have made to address junk fees and called for the passage of legislation like HB25-1090, that works to combat these unforeseen costs. The FTC and the Colorado Attorney General have announced they are taking action against the nation’s largest multi-family rental property managers for using deceptive advertising and failing to disclose recurring fees. Previous Next

The Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Meghan Lukens to support outdoor recreation and rural economies. < Back February 23, 2026 Bipartisan Bill to Bolster Outdoor Recreation Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Meghan Lukens to support outdoor recreation and rural economies. “For communities like mine, outdoor recreation during every season is the heart of our economy, local businesses and workforce,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “To bolster communities that rely on outdoor recreation as an economic driver, this bill improves collaboration between conservation efforts, agriculture, private landowners and other public land users to maximize our state’s outdoor recreation potential. We’re taking steps now to prioritize outdoor recreation, wildlife, and our natural resources so that future generations can enjoy them and rely on them as we do.” HB26-1008 is also sponsored by Representative Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, and passed committee by 9-4. Colorado’s lands support a $65.8 billion outdoor recreation economy, and this bill directs stewards of our lands to collaborate with stakeholders from all different land-use backgrounds, from wildlife and natural resource advocates to agricultural communities and private landowners. Specifically, this bill formalizes Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) role in developing Colorado’s outdoors strategy to support conservation, outdoor recreation, and climate resilience in the state. As the lead coordinator, CPW will ensure outdoor recreation needs are well-represented in its leadership and increase coordination to anticipate and respond to potential conflicts. The strategy prioritizes integrating data and metrics from existing efforts, partnering with local and federal agencies, and shoring up state capacity in this area. The goal of HB26-1008 is to proactively streamline planning and management so that the state can continue to provide high-quality experiences to all outdoor users. CPW manages 43 state parks and over 350 wildlife areas, covering roughly 900,000 acres in Colorado. Previous Next

The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed legislation to strengthen Colorado’s child labor protections. It passed by a vote of 8-3. < Back March 9, 2023 Lieder’s Bill to Help Address Child Labor Violations Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed legislation to strengthen Colorado’s child labor protections. It passed by a vote of 8-3. “The drastic increase in child labor across the nation has called for improvements to Colorado’s child labor protections to ensure the safety of our kids,” said Rep. Sheila Lieder, D-Lakewood. “There are bad actors that are mistreating underage workers, and current law doesn’t allow them many legal protections in court. We’re expanding Colorado law to provide more legal avenues for kids, or their parents, to pursue justice and accountability for workplace violations.“ Current Colorado law only allows a child worker to pursue legal action against a company for workers’ compensation. HB23-1196 amends language in the Colorado Youth Employment Opportunity Act of 1971 to expand the legal action that a child, or a parent of a child, can take to hold a company accountable for breaking child labor laws. The bill is in response to many recent child labor law violations, including a food sanitation corporation with Colorado facilities that was fined $1.5 million in penalties. Teens have twice the risk of nonfatal on-the-job injuries than older workers, necessitating the expansion of legal action that an underaged worker can pursue. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation into law administratively to improve accessibility at Colorado’s airports by increasing the number of accessible restrooms and walkways, including the voices of Coloradans with disabilities when redesigning large hub airports, and requiring reporting for non-compliance. < Back June 6, 2024 ICYMI: Signed! New Law Will Improve Airport Accessibility for Coloradans with Disabilities DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation into law administratively to improve accessibility at Colorado’s airports by increasing the number of accessible restrooms and walkways, including the voices of Coloradans with disabilities when redesigning large hub airports, and requiring reporting for non-compliance. “Basic access is safety for community living with a disability and for far too long air travel has been inaccessible, unsafe, and even deadly,” said Rep David Ortiz, D-Centennial. “From broken wheelchairs to inaccessible bathrooms we face barriers that negatively impact our health and economic opportunities. This law is a start to hold large hub airports, like DEN, accountable and make them a model of access for the entire nation to follow.” “The federal bipartisan infrastructure law has granted historic funding to improve airport infrastructure, and our law is a great start in ensuring this funding will help meet the needs of the disability community,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “The requests that the disability community has made to our airports are not unreasonable - they are essential for the health and safety of our fellow Coloradans. This new law helps hold airports accountable for providing Coloradans with disabilities the rights guaranteed under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that Coloradans with disabilities have dignity in air travel.” HB24-1452 requires large hub airports to ensure accessibility for travelers living with disabilities, as well as establish specific duties and deadlines for compliance. The law requires large hub airports in Colorado to: Establish an advisory committee composed of people with various disabilities to provide input during airport renovations to ensure basic access and equity in air travel; Consult with the disability community and advisory committee during the construction of walkways and other airport facilities; Incorporate wayfinding technology for blind or visually-impaired travelers; Create, maintain, and update a dashboard to report and track basic access shortcomings and violations during the travel process, including a public inquiry form that allows an individual to directly report accessibility issues; Develop and provide comprehensive training programs for direct airport staff on proper handling of equipment like wheelchairs, walkers, medical equipment, and adaptive sports equipment; Provide at least one accessible public restroom per terminal, in addition to companion care changing tables; Use elevators to transport power wheelchairs from the tarmac to the jetway to reduce the likelihood of damaging them. From complex terminal layouts to long distances between gates, passengers with disabilities face infrastructure, information, and customer service barriers at airports throughout the United States. Previous Next

< Back October 31, 2019 BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO ENHANCE SCHOOL SAFETY MOVES FORWARD DENVER, CO — The bipartisan School Safety Committee today advanced five bills to improve school safety in Colorado, including improving coordination among state agencies working on school safety, expanding access to behavioral health training for educators and mental health days for students, and enhancing the Safe2Tell program. “Our goal must be that not one more child dies by violence in school, and we must always strive for this goal as we work to advance solutions that make our classrooms and campuses safer,” said School Safety Committee Chair Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City). “I’m proud of our bipartisan work, and I am grateful for the citizens, advocates, and agencies that have helped us develop these bills. The legislation we advanced today will help ensure that we are spending our state’s limited resources as best we can while improving students, parents and teachers’ access to the support and services they need.” “Too many students are facing violence in our schools, and we have a profound responsibility to address this crisis and save lives,” said Rep. Emily Sirota (D-Denver). “These bipartisan bills will provide better and enhanced resources to our students, teachers, and parents, and they will ensure that all levels of state government are aligned in our common goal of protecting our children and improving school safety.” “Above all, our students deserve to feel safe in our schools. I believe that we have made significant progress on this committee in doing just that,” said School Safety Committee Vice Chair Sen. Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora). “We have worked together to come up with a package of five bipartisan bills that will help address the crisis we are experiencing in our schools. We have put forth legislation that will provide a comprehensive, evidence-based, consistent approach to addressing school safety and the behavioral health of our students, filling the gaps that exist across schools and districts, providing improved oversight, and enabling us to continue moving forward on this critical issue. We know there is more work to be done, but this is a big step in the right direction, and I am grateful to our committee members for their diligence and commitment.” “I am proud of each of the bills voted out of committee today, because we will improve school safety in the immediate future by ensuring the safety of students at school and addressing the behavioral health needs of young people,” said Sen. Julie Gonzales (D-Denver). “We also will continue these critical efforts through a working group comprised of the people who are directly impacted by the need for school safety collaboration: educators, law enforcement agencies, the relevant state agencies, and lawmakers. We have benefited greatly over this interim of creating a space to listen to one another, describe our challenges, and work toward solutions, and this working group will allow that important work to continue.” Interagency Working Group on School Safety: While several Colorado school safety programs are national models and are studied across the country for their effectiveness and innovation in this critical field, last month the State Auditor released a report that found some inefficiencies, duplications, and shortcomings in coordination and communication between state agencies. The final bill advanced today would establish a state working group of all the agencies and groups working on school safety issues to streamline programs and improve communication across agencies in response to the audit’s findings. The group will study the use of lockdown drills, identify school safety best practices districts can adopt, improve transparency and facilitate interagency coordination. Sponsors: Reps. Michaelson Jenet and Van Winkle; Sens. Gardner and Gonzales Expand Behavioral Health Training for Educators: This bill would direct the Department of Education to develop and offer a voluntary “train the trainer” program that will help teachers learn skills to assist their students who are struggling with behavioral and mental health challenges. Students report a need for trusted adults to confide in, and many teachers and parents have expressed interest in being better equipped to talk with students about difficult subjects and provide them the support they need. Teachers would learn many skills including the use of trauma-informed approaches to improve school climate and culture and how to identify behavioral health challenges. It would also help them identify and access available resources, services and treatment available to their students, bullying and suicide prevention, and de-escalation techniques in crisis situations. Sponsors: Sen. Fields; Reps. Sirota and Beckman Enhancements to Safe2Tell: Safe2Tell, developed in Colorado after the Columbine tragedy, provides students a confidential way to report and talk with someone about behavioral health issues and has become a national model. Other states have taken Colorado’s lead and made improvements, adapting the now 20 year old program for new technologies and best practices developed in recent years. The Safe2Tell enhancements would include aligning the Safe2Tell program and the crisis hotline more closely to ensure that individuals in crisis can rapidly access crisis counseling. It would also align the processes for all types of incoming tips and adjust the annual advertising campaign to raise awareness about the program and reduce its misuse. Finally, it would enhance law enforcement’s ability to prevent imminent physical harm. Sponsors: Reps. Michaelson Jenet and Van Winkle; Sens. Fields and Lundeen Behavioral Health Sick Days: The second bill would require school districts to include mental and behavioral health concerns as excused absences in their attendance policies in order to reduce stigma and encourage students to prioritize their health. Writing this explicitly into school absence policies will help normalize students taking time away from school in order to improve their behavioral health and is a step towards a full understanding of parody between physical and behavioral health. Sponsors: Sen. Fields and Rep. Michaelson Jenet Services for Juveniles with Severe Behavioral Health Conditions: The legislation tasks the School Safety Resource Center to convene a working group to conduct a gap analysis with respect to the adequacy and availability of behavioral health treatment for children and youth. The goal is to ensure that behavioral health services are available for those who have a severe need. Sponsors: Reps. Beckman and Michaelson Jenet; Sen. Gonzales Previous Next

< Back January 23, 2020 REP. JACKSON’S FAIRNESS IN EVICTION COURT RECORDS BILL ADVANCES DENVER, CO — Legislation sponsored by Representative Dominique Jackson to protect renters from being discriminated against for vacated evictions today advanced the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation passed the committee 7-1. “Every renter in our state should have a fair shot at housing,” said Rep. Jackson, (D-Aurora). “A vacated eviction or an ongoing, undecided eviction proceeding should never get in the way of a family having a roof over their head. I was pleased to see the Judiciary committee move this initiative forward and stand up for the rights of renters across the state.” Currently, when an eviction is filed against a tenant it produces an official court record, regardless of whether the filing was dismissed for being unfounded or retaliatory in nature. This can result in a scarlet letter on one’s rental history and often prevents Coloradans and their families from accessing housing in the future. HB20-1009 would create an automatic suppression of court records while eviction proceedings are ongoing so that they do not become public until after the final court order is entered. It would also remove these court records from public view if an eviction filing is dismissed. Doing so will ensure that Coloradans and their families can access safe, affordable housing. Previous Next

< Back May 20, 2021 FED STIM INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING, WORKFORCE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVANCE DENVER, CO — House committees today advanced three bills that would allocate federal stimulus dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act toward affordable housing, workforce development and behavioral health. “The need for affordable housing has skyrocketed in Colorado; across our state, hardworking families are struggling to find a place to live or afford their rent or mortgage,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “That’s why the legislature is going to immediately deploy $100 million in federal funds to help finance the construction of 7,000 affordable housing units across the state. This summer, we’ll work alongside experts, lawmakers, community advocates, and state departments to develop recommendations for how we can most effectively allocate the remaining $450 million in federal funds to make housing more affordable in Colorado.” “Housing is a human right, but it’s way too hard in Colorado for middle and lower-income families to find an affordable place to live,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “Housing costs are rising faster than wages and salaries can keep up as more people move into our great state. We heard these concerns loud and clear during our statewide listening tour, and we are going to advance transformational changes to make housing more affordable for Coloradans.” HB21-1329 , which passed the House Transportation and Local Government Committee by a vote of 6-4, is sponsored by Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Steven Woodrow and channels $550 million in federal stimulus funds toward affordable housing efforts. It immediately invests $100 million of that funding to build 7,000 housing units that will help Coloradans who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic obtain affordable housing. The bill requires a broad and diverse stakeholder process during the interim that will develop and make recommendations to the General Assembly for how to allocate the remaining $450 million. The funds will be used on programs or services that address housing insecurity, a lack of affordable housing or homelessness, including construction of new affordable housing units, housing and rental assistance programs and supportive housing programs. HB21-1330 , which passed the House Public and Behavioral Health Committee by a vote of 8-4, is sponsored by Representative Julie McCluskie and Naquetta Ricks and uses federal funds to provide a $50 million boost to the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative. The funding will increase access to robust pathways for workers to obtain news skills, earn higher wages and be prepared for the in-demand careers of the future. The bill seeks to rebuild and revitalize the state’s workforce by supporting students to complete their postsecondary credentials. The funding boost will be used to reverse the significant decline in enrollment in public higher education institutions, high rates of job loss and continuing unemployment, and the overall disruption to the workforce caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill also provides $1.5 million in grant funding to school districts to increase the number of students who complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) student aid applications before graduating high school. “The pandemic has disrupted the careers of hardworking people across our state,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “This bill will provide direct support to students and workers seeking to complete higher education or skills training programs. It will increase access to critical education programs that help workers obtain new skills and earn higher wages. By boosting our workforce and easing the path for Coloradans to complete their degrees and certificate programs, we will help workers fill good jobs and bounce back stronger from the pandemic.” “I see it every day in my community–hardworking Coloradans struggling to build a better life who don’t have the resources to complete the degree or certificate program that could set them up for a successful career,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “Businesses need skilled workers, and workers and students need affordable pathways to obtain critical skills. That’s exactly what the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative already does. With this $50 million investment in our workforce, we are going to create tremendous opportunities for Coloradans to build successful careers.” Funding allocated under HB21-1330 will provide direct and indirect support to students to incentivize them to complete degree and credential programs, assist in navigating career options and address equity gaps in higher education and the workforce. A portion of the funds will be used for scholarships and financial assistance. Under the bill, higher education institutions will develop student assistance plans that describe how they will spend their allocation to assist students in enrolling, persisting and completing the program. SB21-137 , sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Chis Kennedy, was amended to deploy over $100 million in federal stimulus funds immediately for emergency behavioral health services. The pandemic and its accompanying economic recession has taken a toll on the mental health of Coloradans, with mental health challenges and substance use disorders taking a particularly high toll on people of color and people who live and work in frontier and rural communities. In 2020, fatal drug overdoses increased by 59 percent in Colorado. The bill passed the Public and Behavioral Health Committee by a vote of 10-3. Among its many provisions, the bill provides: recovery-oriented services to individuals with a SUD or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorder, support for training programs for providers in rural and metro areas to develop competencies in mental health and substance abuse and grants to nonprofits to provide vouchers to individuals living in rural and frontier communities in need of behavioral health-care services. The amendments also create a Behavioral and Mental Health Cash Fund and a robust interim process to allocate federal stimulus funds for behavioral health. The Colorado Comeback Roadmap to Building Back Stronger envisions spending over half a billion on behavioral health services. “This session, we’ve passed legislation to require insurance coverage for annual mental health wellness exams, provide three free mental health sessions for Colorado youth, and create a behavioral health administration, and we’re not done yet,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “Colorado will build back stronger if we can connect people with the behavioral health care they need. We are going to use a significant portion of Colorado’s federal relief funds to address urgent needs and bolster our state’s behavioral and mental health capacity.” “The pandemic has had a number of devastating impacts on Coloradans’ mental health, and one distressing pattern we’re seeing is that substance use deaths are rising,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “This bill will help Colorado build back stronger by doing everything possible to reverse the impact the pandemic has had on behavioral health. It creates a process to invest over half a billion dollars to ensure critical resources fund the treatment and care that Coloradans need.” Previous Next

< Back January 30, 2020 REP. CARAVEO’S MULTILINGUAL BALLOT ACCESS BILL ADVANCES DENVER, CO– HB20-1081, sponsored by Representative Yadira Caraveo, today passed the House Committee on State, Veteran, and Military Affairs by a vote of 6-3. “It’s essential for our democracy that every citizen in our state have the ability to understand their ballots,” said Rep. Caraveo (D- Thornton). “This bill will make ballot access easier for Coloradans across the state while placing only minimal responsibilities on our local governments.” The bill establishes a hotline run by the Secretary of State’s office to provide access to ballot translation and requires the Secretary of State’s office to have the hotline available for the November 2022 election and for every general election and statewide odd-year election thereafter. County clerks are to make available minority language sample ballots when a language is spoken by at least 2,000 or 2.5 percent citizens of voting age who speak English “less than very well” in a county. These sample ballots would be available in-person beginning in November 2022 and for every general election and statewide odd-year election thereafter. There are over 100,000 Colorado voters who speak English “less than very well,” and over 80,000 of them live in counties where ballots and other election materials are not available in languages other than English. Ballots are often difficult for minority language speakers to comprehend, even if they do speak and read some English. The federal Voting Rights Act only requires the counties of Conejos, Costilla, Denver, and Saguache provide election materials in both English and Spanish, limiting ballot access for Coloradans across the state who speak English “less than very well.” Previous Next

Legislation creates dedicated funding to leverage historic federal investment from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for reliable, safe, and convenient transit and passenger rail in Colorado < Back April 23, 2024 Committee Passes Bill to Establish Passenger Rail for Colorado Legislation creates dedicated funding to leverage historic federal investment from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for reliable, safe, and convenient transit and passenger rail in Colorado DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation aimed at leveraging millions in federal infrastructure funding to bring passenger rail service to Colorado and expanding public transportation options across the state. SB24-184 passed by a vote of 8-3. “Once in a generation federal infrastructure funding is giving us the opportunity to build an expanded passenger rail system that will create the transportation options Coloradans have been asking for,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie. “In addition to creating transit that reduces traffic and air pollution, passenger rail projects, including Mountain Rail, will create Colorado jobs and boost economies throughout the state. This bill is a long time in the making, and I am excited to make significant progress towards passenger rail infrastructure.” “Front Range Passenger Rail will make it easier to connect my community in Fort Collins down to Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and even into the Rocky Mountains,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker. “By creating additional transportation options, we’re giving Coloradans more choices that can also reduce our carbon emissions and save people money. This legislation is an exciting step to build a safe and reliable passenger rail system in Colorado.” SB24-184 would implement a congestion impact fee to offset climate impacts and mitigate the congestion, and wear and tear on Colorado’s roads caused by rental vehicles. Revenue from the fee would create a sustainable funding source to be used as a matching source for federal investment opportunities for statewide transit and rail, as well as other forms of public transportation. The bill would encourage RTD, Front Range Passenger Rail, and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to coordinate efforts to secure the funding needed to establish passenger rail service from Denver to Fort Collins, while exploring near-term opportunities to fund regional transit and rail projects along the Front Range, through Southern Colorado and up to the mountains. It would also direct the Colorado Transportation Investment Office (CTIO) to use three studies in the near term to fund regionally important transit and rail services originating from the Front Range Passenger Rail Service Development Plan, the Mountain Corridor Service Development Plan, and the Statewide Connectivity Study that aims to build a more comprehensive statewide bus system, building on the successes of Bustang, Snowstang and Pegasus. Finally, the bill encourages CTIO to fund a full suite of multimodal infrastructure projects, including bus and passenger rail, and would require a new, multimodal strategic capital plan that aligns with CDOT’s ten-year plan, statewide transit plans, greenhouse gas pollution reduction goals, and other greenhouse gas reduction priorities and pollution reduction planning standards. Previous Next

Legislation would extend the successful CLIMBER Program which provides low interest loans to Colorado small businesses < Back April 18, 2024 Ricks’ Bill to Support Small Business, Create Jobs Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Finance today passed legislation to support Colorado small businesses. HB24-1453 would permanently extend the successful CLIMBER (Colorado Loans to Increase Mainstreet Business Economic Recovery) Loan Fund to better support small businesses. By the end of 2024, the CLIMBER Program will provide $250 million in loans to Colorado small businesses. “Colorado’s small businesses are the backbone to our thriving, growing economy,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “This bill extends the successful small business loan program, CLIMBER, to uplift our small businesses, create jobs and boost local economies. The CLIMBER Program provides low-interest loans up to $500,000 to help Colorado small businesses expand, increase pay for their employees, open up new locations and more. Our small businesses make Colorado unique – and this bill gives our small businesses a leg up as they positively impact our communities.” HB24-1453 , passed by a vote of 11-0. This bill would extend the successful CLIMBER Program which is set to expire later this year. The goal of HB24-1453 is to make the CLIMBER Program permanent and to better support underserved businesses with the resources and expertise needed to secure these favorable loans. The bill would transfer the program from the Colorado Department of Treasury to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, which houses various programs and resources to support and ensure the success of under-capitalized businesses.To extend the CLIMBER Program and keep it operating long-term, this bill would also ensure $35 million in allocated funds stay with the program and allow for the recapture of repaid loans and other funds to be used for future loans to small businesses. Under the program, small businesses with up to 99 employees may apply for working capital loans between $10,000 and $500,000. These loans can be used to hire more employees, start or expand brick-and-mortar storefronts, get new businesses off the ground and more. Of the loans already distributed by the CLIMBER Program, it is estimated to have supported 1,098 jobs and provided capital to create at least 86 positions. Since its creation in 2020, the CLIMBER Program has provided 246 small business loans across 26 counties totaling over $18 million dollars. Previous Next