Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation into law that will require lethality assessments to be conducted when law enforcement responds to domestic violence incidents to better protect survivors from harm. < Back June 3, 2026 Bill to Bolster Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence Becomes Law DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation into law that will require lethality assessments to be conducted when law enforcement responds to domestic violence incidents to better protect survivors from harm. “We’re giving law enforcement more tools to identify domestic violence to remove survivors from danger and connect them with life-saving resources,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “As a survivor, I know that lethality assessments can be the lifeline that helps a domestic violence survivor escape their abuser. This new law will improve public safety across Colorado and promote the use of additional tools to protect Coloradans from danger.” “This law ensures law enforcement takes extra care to identify those at highest risk of death or serious injury by domestic violence and connects them with resources that can save their life,” said Senator Katie Wallace, D-Longmont. “I spent six years working in domestic violence prevention and intervention. Lethality assessments are an evidence-based tool that can prevent the worst outcomes before it’s too late.” HB26-1009 , also sponsored by Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, and Representative Ryan Gonzalez, R-Greeley, creates the Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act to support survivors of domestic violence and keep Colorado communities safe. Beginning July 1, 2027, the law requires police officers responding to a domestic violence case to conduct a “lethality assessment” and include the results in their incident report. This assessment is an evidence-based screening tool that helps identify the likelihood of serious injuries or death, including questions about whether the abuser has a history of abuse and if the abuser has ever threatened to use or has used a weapon to harm them. If the findings from the lethality assessment indicate that the survivor is at-risk of harm, law enforcement will immediately reach out to a community-based victim advocate and offer the victim an opportunity to speak with them. The law also requires the Attorney General’s office to create a mandatory training for law enforcement officers to learn how to administer the assessment. Majority Leader Duran has spearheaded pivotal legislation supporting survivors, including laws to funnel $54 million annually to crime victim and behavioral health programs, invest $48 million toward life-saving access to critical resources, programs, and support to victims of crime, including domestic violence and increasing safety by strengthening protections around civil protection orders. Previous Next

< Back April 4, 2022 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES BILL TO MAKE JUNETEENTH A COLORADO STATE HOLIDAY DENVER, CO – The House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee today passed legislation to make Juneteenth a Colorado state holiday. SB22-139, championed by Representative Leslie Herod and members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado , commemorates the day when enslaved Black people were freed after Union Soldiers arrived in Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and the effect of the Emancipation Proclamation. “It’s time we make Juneteenth a state holiday in Colorado,” said Chairwoman of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado, Rep. Leslie Herod (D-Denver). “This significant Emancipation Day has been celebrated by the Black community for generations and deserves statewide recognition, celebration and reflection. I’m proud to champion this important legislation that not only educates Coloradans on the atrocities of slavery, but makes way for voices of the Black community. The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times.” SB22-139 passed commitee by a vote of 10 to 1 and would make Juneteenth an official state holiday. Juneteenth National Independence Day commemorates June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger and Union Soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and declare the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people. Juneteenth is also known as Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, and Emancipation Day. This significant day in history became the 11th federal holiday in June 2021 and is also known as the country’s second Independence Day. Previous Next

The House today passed two bills on a preliminary vote to support families and youth. < Back May 2, 2024 Affordable Child Care, Increased Care for Foster Youth Advance House DENVER, CO – The House today passed two bills on a preliminary vote to support families and youth. HB24-1223, sponsored by Representatives Jenny Willford and Lorena Garcia would streamline access to the Colorado Child Care Assistance program. SB24-008, sponsored by Representative Mary Young, would provide additional resources to families, kin and relatives of foster youth. “Child care is a necessity to get parents back into the workforce so they can earn income that helps them keep a roof over their head,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn, sponsor of HB24-1223. “This legislation would get Colorado parents connected to affordable child care so they can more easily juggle work, doctor appointments, and receiving an education that will help them advance in their career and support their family.” “Lack of access to child care can be a barrier that prevents parents from returning to work, which is why we’re passing this legislation to simplify the process to receive child care assistance,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County, sponsor of HB24-1223. “This bill streamlines and simplifies the process parents have to take to benefit from the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program so they can get their kids in affordable, quality care easier.” HB24-1223 would increase access to childcare through the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) by creating a simplified universal application and limiting the application information to only what is necessary to determine eligibility. “We know that children and youth living with kinship care are more likely to experience positive outcomes, including educational, improved behavioral and mental health and stronger feelings of belonging,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley, sponsor of SB24-008 . “This legislation will remove barriers to kinship care by making it easier for relatives or others who have a significant relationship to the child to access certain resources such as housing, clothing and training. By directing financial reimbursement to non-certified kinship foster care, we can expand the pool of home like placements for our foster children and youth and increase access to certification.” SB24-008 , also sponsored by Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, would provide additional resources to families and kin caring for youth and children involved in foster care. Specifically, this bill would extend foster care certification to kinship placements, allowing kin to access training, resources, and financial assistance to help meet the basic needs of children and youth in their care. It defines the differences between kinship foster care and non-certified kinship care homes and allows for emergency financial assistance to these placements in order to help meet a child’s basic care and needs. Kinship placements maintain family connections and provide normalcy and support for children who have been removed from their homes. Kinship care can promote safer and faster reunification with biological parents, and prevent further long-term involvement in the child welfare system. The bill is a result of recommendations from the 2023 Colorado's Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee Report . Previous Next

< Back April 19, 2019 HOUSE CLEARS MCLACHLAN BILL TO ADDRESS TEACHER SHORTAGE (Apr 19) – The House approved Rep. Barbara McLachlan’s bipartisan bill to create a pilot program providing professional development training for school principals to build strong leadership in our education system and provide better support for educators and students. “We must ensure teachers in every district–including our rural districts–have the support they deserve in our classrooms,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “Teachers must have access to the leadership support they need. When teachers are at their best, our students receive the best education.” Rep. McLachlan is the chair of the House Education Committee and is a former public school teacher in Durango. HB19-1002 represents the latest effort by Colorado lawmakers to implement the state’s blueprint to reducing Colorado’s teacher shortage. It builds upon a McLachlan-led bill, HB17-1003, which required the Departments of Higher Education (DHE) and Education (DOE) to put forth relevant policy recommendations to address the teacher shortage. The pilot program will provide preliminary analysis on the efficacy of providing professional leadership and development training to Colorado principals, an effort supported by strong academic and statistical research. Because it is a pilot program, lawmakers in both chambers will have the opportunity to review the pilot’s results and make a decision for how to move forward following its conclusion. The bill passed with a bipartisan vote of 51-13. It now heads to the Senate. Rep. McLachlan also had another bill that passed on the House floor today. SB19-003 aims to help teachers drowning in student loan debt. The bill passed with a bipartisan vote of 47-17. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk. Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Shannon Bird that would identify state housing needs and strategically plan for future growth in Colorado. SB24-174 passed by a vote of 58-6. < Back May 8, 2024 Bipartisan Legislation to Identify State and Local Housing Needs, Plan for Growth Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Shannon Bird that would identify state housing needs and strategically plan for future growth in Colorado. SB24-174 passed by a vote of 58-6. “My community of Westminster has done a lot of work to address the housing crisis by utilizing density planning and transit-oriented development, and this bill helps other communities throughout the state follow our footsteps,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “This bipartisan legislation leverages the state’s resources to work in partnership with local governments to help them build in a smart, strategic way. Providing strategic growth planning resources will benefit all of our residents and create housing options as our population continues to grow.” SB24-174 , also sponsored by Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, would require the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to conduct a statewide housing needs assessment and provide grants and technical assistance to local governments to conduct their own local or regional housing needs assessments, followed by housing action plans to address the identified needs. Under the bill, most local governments with a population of at least 1,000 residents would be required to either conduct and publish a local housing needs assessment by December 31, 2026 or participate in a regional housing needs assessment. By November 30, 2027, DOLA would be required to conduct an analysis and publish a report analyzing existing and future statewide housing needs. The bill would require new housing assessments to be published every six years. SB24-174 would also require most local governments with a population of at least 1,000 to create a housing action plan that details their commitment to address their specific housing needs by January 1, 2028, and to update the plan every six years thereafter. Additionally, the bill would: Require local governments who submit a Housing Action Plan to DOLA to submit a progress report to DOLA three years after publication, Require DOLA to publish a statewide strategic growth report which will analyze land use scenarios and their impacts, including housing, infrastructure, and environmental effects; and assess state policies on development and sprawl, Require county and municipal master plans to include new water supply and strategic growth elements which compare the long-term costs of infill and greenfield development, and Prioritize state agency grant funding for housing or land use programs for local governments who have complied with the requirements in this bill. Previous Next

< Back April 15, 2021 BACON RESPONDS TO REP. HANKS’ ‘REVISIONIST’ COMMENT DENVER, CO– Representative Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, today released the following statement calling on Representative Ron Hanks, R-Penrose, to apologize for his offensive floor remarks regarding the Three-fifths Compromise: “I asked to speak to give a different perspective of why civics is important for all students to learn. As a descendant of the enslaved, I am here due to a long arduous journey through American civics ideals. Hearing Rep. Hanks’ revisionist retelling of one of our nation’s darkest, most dehumanizing chapters was hurtful, but frankly not surprising,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver . “The irony of having this brash display occur in the midst of a debate on strengthening our civics education was tragically adequate. The fact is, we need to do better in educating all Coloradans, young and old, about the violent and racist foundations of our country, like an original sin of slavery, our history of lynching and the dehumanization that the Three-fifth’s Compromise represented. If we fail to understand these hateful underpinnings, we will never be able to dismantle their legacy, which echoes into policy and systemic discrimination in every area of American life today.” Rep. Hanks’ remarks followed Rep. Bacon’s impassioned defense of civics education and the importance of learning about slavery in America and the Three-fifths Compromise. The remarks came during debate on SB21-067, legislation that would strengthen civics education. Previous Next

< Back January 24, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES EXUM BILL TO EXTEND CHILD CARE TAX CREDIT FOR COLORADO PARENTS (Jan. 24) – The House Finance committee approved Rep.Tony Exum Sr.’s bill to extend the low-income child care tax credit today. The bill would help ease the childcare burden on hardworking families, roughly 32,000, in Colorado for another eight years. “The high cost of child care places a burden on hardworking families in Colorado Springs and our state,” said Rep. Exum, D-Colorado Springs. “I was proud to sponsor this bill when I first got to the state capitol and hope we can continue helping thousands of Coloradan families afford child care every year.” Rep. Exum and then-Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood were the original sponsors of this bill in 2014. HB14-1072 created a tax credit for families that earn $25,000 or less and is equal to 25 percent of the taxpayer’s child care expenses up to $500 for one child or $1,000 for two or more children. This is Rep. Exum’s second time bringing the bill forward for renewal. A recent report released from the State Auditor’s Office stated, “We determined that the Child Care Credit and Low-Income Credit are meeting their purpose of making child care more affordable for working families.” Extending the Low-income Child Care Tax Credit is essential for low-income, working families. Coloradans that do not make enough income to pay federal taxes particularly benefit, as they don’t qualify for other state credits. HB19-1013 passed by 10-1 and now heads to the Appropriations Committee. Previous Next

< Back January 31, 2023 Successful I Matter Program Has Served Thousands of Colorado Youth The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration presented data today about the I Matter Program DENVER, CO - The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) today presented data in the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee about the I Matter Program, which has provided 5,655 Colorado youth with up to six free therapy sessions. “I’m so proud that this program has been successful at reaching kids that are looking for mental health support and counseling,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet. “Ensuring that our youth have access to timely, quality mental health services has been one of my main priorities at the Capitol. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of depression and anxiety in our kids, and the I Matter Program has proven to be an exceptional tool that has helped thousands of Colorado youth.” The I Matter Program was created with the passage of HB21-1258 , sponsored by Rep. Michaelson Jenet, and expanded by HB22-1243 . The program received $15 million dollars in funding from the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions to provide a mental health screening followed by six free therapy sessions to youth across the state and is available virtually and in person. Students use a screening tool through the program’s website to match them with licensed mental health professionals that best fit their needs, including bilingual services. If the student needs additional services or shows signs of needing immediate help, their assigned care navigator connects them to long-term mental health care providers or crisis support, including Colorado Crisis Services. Data from the BHA shows that almost 44% of participating youth used at least four sessions and 83% of youth showed up to their session. The 5,655 students who have utilized this service come from 59 of the 64 counties across Colorado. Rep. Michaelson Jenet introduced HB23-1003 to expand the reach of the I Matter Program by offering a mental health assessment in schools. Similar to the screening on the I Matter website, the in-person assessment will help identify potential struggles the student is facing and connect them with the I Matter program. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee on February 7. Previous Next

The Health and Human Services Committee today passed legislation to support dental care providers and streamline patient access by improving health care insurance transparency and fairness. < Back February 17, 2026 Bipartisan Bill to Support Dental Providers and Improve Patient Access Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The Health and Human Services Committee today passed legislation to support dental care providers and streamline patient access by improving health care insurance transparency and fairness. HB26-1070 passed the committee by 10-1. “Dental health is critical to our overall health. We’re working to ensure patients have access to updated insurance information and dental care providers are treated fairly by insurance companies,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville . “HB26-1070 is good for patients, reduces administrative burdens and protects our local dentists’ businesses that serve our communities. Specifically, this bill cuts red tape for dentists and dental hygienists, giving them more agency to choose what insurance networks they work with. Without this bill, patients and providers will continue to be met with confusing and inconsistent insurance information, which makes it more difficult for patients to receive this critical health care.” HB26-1070 , also sponsored by Representative Anthony Hartsook, R-Parker, would protect dental providers and improve transparency and fairness in the health insurance contracting process. In Colorado, when a dental provider enters into a negotiated contract with a dental insurance carrier, the carrier often rents providers’ services to other insurance carriers without the provider's consent and without informing patients of the change. This practice adds strain on dental providers as they try to keep up with changes to their contract terms that are out of their control. Providers and patients are burdened by this inconsistent and confusing practice. Patients in Colorado have reported receiving contradictory information from their provider and their insurer as a result of these unfair trade practices by insurance companies, and this bill seeks to protect both providers and patients. This bill would improve insurance transparency by requiring consent from a dental provider before a health care insurance carrier rents out their services. Without HB26-1070, patients will continue to face confusing coverage changes and providers will be unable to have a say in their in-network status. Previous Next

< Back March 4, 2021 NEW CMAS BILL WILL REDUCE TESTING LOAD FOR STUDENTS, ENSURE ACCESS TO MEASURES OF LEARNING THIS YEAR Legislation introduced today would propose to administer one test per student in grades 3-8 this year, with the goal of complying with federal requirements for statewide measures of learning DENVER, CO — Representative Emily Sirota and House Education Chair Barbara McLachlan today introduced legislation to significantly reduce the standardized testing load for students, parents and teachers this year. HB21-1161 requires the Colorado Department of Education to seek a federal waiver to more than halve the amount of time students will be expected to spend in testing while still seeking to comply with federal guidelines that require the compilation of statewide education data and ensuring parents have access to information on their children’s learning. The data received will also ensure that policymakers have valuable information to support students and schools moving forward. “From cancelled school days to switching between in-person and virtual learning, students have faced some of the greatest challenges of their lives this past year,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “This approach would make a substantial and meaningful difference for kids, parents and teachers by easing the testing burden while still complying with federal guidance to have statewide data. I’m grateful for everyone in the education community who came together to ensure that we can focus on the educational, social and emotional needs of our students.” “Parents and educators from across Colorado have raised concerns to us that going forward with our testing system without changes would stress our students,” said House Education Chair Rep. McLachlan, D-Durango. “With the bill we introduced today, Colorado students, parents and teachers can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that we’ll still have the data we need while allowing teachers and school districts to reinvest time that would have been spent testing this year into helping students catch up on learning loss from this turbulent past year of the pandemic.” HB21-1161 requires the administration of the English Language Arts exam in grades three, five, and seven, while students in grades four, six, and eight will take the Math exam. Parents will also have the option to opt their child in to taking whichever exam they did not automatically receive. The legislation also requires the Colorado Department of Education to request a waiver to suspend science exams normally administered in grades 5, 8, and 11, and social studies exams administered in grades 4 and 7. The bill also implements consensus recommendations from a departmental task force last year, including suspending the link between tests, accountability, and educator evaluation. The bill would direct the Colorado Department of Education to seek a waiver from the federal Department of Education to implement these policies as soon as practicable. The bill, which will replace HB21-1125, will be heard in the House Education Committee on Friday. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to expand preventive health care coverage to combat chronic kidney disease (CKD). < Back March 13, 2026 Bill to Expand Preventive Health Care Coverage and Save Lives Moves Forward DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to expand preventive health care coverage to combat chronic kidney disease (CKD). “Early detection of kidney disease can save lives and prevent the need for costly dialysis or transplants,” said Rep. Sheila Lieder, D-Littleton. “Millions of patients across the United States have no idea they have chronic kidney disease until the disease advances to the late stages, causing further complications and massive expense to patients. This bill expands preventive health care to save lives and money.” “Preventive care saves lives and helps drive down the cost of health care,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “Chronic kidney disease disproportionately affects communities of color, and early detection can help Coloradans avoid dialysis or a kidney transplant. Simple, effective kidney screening tests can catch disease early, which saves everyone money and drastically improves health outcomes for everyone.” HB26-1019 would save patients money on health care. This bill would ensure early-stage kidney function screening services, including urine or blood tests, are considered preventive health care by insurance carriers. HB26-1019 would remove out-of-pocket financial barriers for patients and encourage early detection of CKD, especially for high-risk patients with hypertension or diabetes. This bill requires private health insurance companies, including large, small and individual employers, to cover early-stage kidney function screening services without cost-sharing with patients. CDK affects more than 1 in 7 adults, equating to an estimated 35.5 million Americans. Diabetes, high blood pressure and a family history of kidney disease can increase risk factors. Despite the prevalence of kidney disease, early-stage kidney disease often has little to no symptoms. 9 in 10 adult s do not know they have CKD until the disease advances into the late stages. The cost of treatment in the late stages of CDK is significantly more expensive than if treated early on, often surprising patients with massive medical costs just as they begin to grapple with symptoms of the disease. In 2024, more than 8,700 Colorado residents were living with kidney failure, according to the American Kidney Fund . Representative Lieder has sponsored other laws to safeguard health care access in Colorado, including SB26-196 , which proactively protected insurance coverage for preventive health care should the existing federal protections be repealed or eliminated. Previous Next

< Back May 20, 2021 HOUSE ED PUTS $10M INTO SCHOOL FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS DENVER, CO– The House Education Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Emily Sirota and Colin Larson that would put $10 million into the BEST grant program to fund air quality improvement projects in public and charter schools. The bill is part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus package that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. “Every Colorado student should have a safe and constructive learning environment, but too many schools lack air conditioning or proper ventilation systems,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “As we rebuild from the pandemic, we have to invest in our classrooms to ensure that our students have clean, healthy air in their classrooms and can focus on learning. We have a lot of work to do to address learning disruptions from COVID-19, and we can’t let outdated school buildings with poor air circulation stand in the way.” SB21-202 would allocate $10 million for Building Excellent Schools Today grants to fund much-needed public school air quality improvement projects to improve air quality in as many public and charter school facilities as possible. Kids learn better in environments that are safe, clean, and healthy. Unfortunately, over the years, Colorado’s deferred maintenance of school facilities has grown, particularly in rural areas. These construction and capital projects will create good jobs, make long-term improvements to Colorado schools’ infrastructures, and provide safer, more constructive learning environments for students. Previous Next