< Back April 28, 2021 READY FOR PICKUP: HOUSE EXTENDS ALCOHOL TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY DENVER, CO– The House today passed Representative Dylan Roberts’ bipartisan bill to extend the period of time during which restaurants and bars can offer takeout and delivery of alcoholic beverages on second reading. The bill passed by a unanimous vote of 61-0. “Restaurants, bars and other retail businesses are the heart of our local communities and major employers across the state,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “They have been dealt a particularly harsh blow by the pandemic, and many have turned to alcohol takeout and delivery as a critical source of income during tough times. As we work to build back a stronger Colorado, we have to ensure that our state’s small businesses have the support they need to bounce back and thrive. Extending takeout and delivery alcohol and allowing for towns to utilize common consumption areas for a few more years is a common sense way to lend bars and restaurants a hand.” Under a current law also sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts, certain liquor licensees like bars, restaurants, and gastropubs may sell alcohol as part of takeout and delivery orders through July 1, 2021. HB21-1027 , which is also sponsored by Representative Colin Larson, allows these establishments to continue using this critical tool for an additional five years and also allows them to apply for a license to establish a common consumption area, extending a tool many restaurants, bars, and communities have embraced to remain afloat throughout the pandemic. Previous Next

The House today advanced commonsense gun violence prevention legislation on a preliminary vote to create new avenues to pursue justice for victims of gun violence. < Back March 26, 2023 Houses Advances Bill to Allow Victims of Gun Violence to Seek Justice DENVER, CO - The House today advanced commonsense gun violence prevention legislation on a preliminary vote to create new avenues to pursue justice for victims of gun violence. “Colorado is one of the only states in America that has extreme anti-victim laws that punish gun violence victims and their families for attempting to pursue accountability from the gun industry in civil court,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver . “Civil lawsuits encourage sellers and manufacturers to behave responsibly and have repeatedly resulted in the enhanced safety of consumer products. We’re removing Colorado’s extreme gun industry immunity law to give victims the opportunity to pursue justice from bad actors.” “All industries should be held to a similar standard for ethical and responsible business practices, but especially when those actions cause severe damage, injury or death,” said Rep. Jennifer Parenti, D-Erie . “This legislation restores Coloradans right to pursue justice through our courts and is an important step in encouraging the firearms industry to take more precautions to keep our communities safe.” Right now, gun sellers and manufacturers enjoy broad protections under the federal PLCAA law from most types of civil lawsuits - and Colorado law goes even further by including a punitive provision that makes victims of gun violence who sue the gun industry pay the company’s legal fees in dismissed cases. SB23-168 would remove Colorado’s overly-broad immunity protections for gun sellers and manufacturers and allow legitimate lawsuits against the gun industry to move forward. After their daughter was killed in the Aurora theater shooting, Sandy and Lonnie Phillips sued four online retailers that irresponsibly sold magazines, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and body armor to the murderer. Under Colorado’s immunity law, they were forced to pay around $200,000 in legal fees to bulk ammunition sellers. They ended up selling their house and declared bankruptcy. Civil liability plays an important role in promoting consumer safety, and lawsuits can help incentivize industries to take reasonable steps to prevent their products or business practices from causing foreseeable risks to human life and wellbeing. Removing Colorado’s gun industry shielded liability will allow survivors like the Phillips and countless others to seek appropriate justice and fair remedies via civil actions, and will give survivors the legal opportunity to hold gun sellers and manufacturers accountable for their actions. Previous Next

< Back October 12, 2021 TITONE: COLORADO LEADING THE WAY ON LGBTQ+ HEALTH CARE DENVER, CO — Representative Brianna Titone, one of the first transgender lawmakers elected in the country, today released the following statement after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved Colorado’s request to include comprehensive coverage for gender affirming health care in the state’s benchmark health insurance plans, making Colorado the first state in the country to do so. “Every person deserves access to the full range of health services they need, and I’m proud that Colorado is leading the way to cover comprehensive care for LGBTQ+ people in our state,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “For too long, too many transgender and nonbinary people have struggled to access the health care they need, despite having health insurance. These services are critical for the health and safety of LGBTQ+ communities and will provide more Coloradans with the agency they need to affirm their identities.” The plans approved today also include coverage for alternatives to opioid medications to help address substance use disorder, which was required through HB21-1276, legislation sponsored by Representatives Chris Kennedy and Leslie Herod. The plans also include coverage for an annual mental health wellness exam, which was established through HB21-1068, legislation sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Brianna Titone. Affordable Care Act insurance plans are offered through Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s marketplace for individual and small group plans. Previous Next

SB23B-001 provides $434 million in property tax relief for the 2023 tax year while protecting funding for local services < Back November 20, 2023 Signed! Bill to Reduce Property Taxes, Protect Funding for Schools and Local Services SB23B-001 provides $434 million in property tax relief for the 2023 tax year while protecting funding for local services DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to cut property taxes for the 2023 tax year while protecting funding for essential local services like schools, fire districts, and ambulance and health districts. SB23B-001 , sponsored by Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and Representative Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood, increases the property value exemption for multifamily and single family residential properties from $15,000 to $55,000, and decreases the residential assessment rate from 6.765 percent to 6.7 percent for the 2023 tax year. “We have an obligation as the majority party to govern responsibly, which means making tough decisions to solve problems and deliver solutions responsive to the moment that we’re living in,” said Fenberg. “The property tax relief that we passed delivers urgent, responsible relief that gives local governments time to implement the tax cuts by their deadlines. I’m proud of the work we have accomplished to cut property taxes, protect local services, and provide relief to Coloradans.” “Hardworking Coloradans deserve real solutions that ease the affordability crisis, which is why we delivered urgent property tax cuts while protecting funding for schools, fire departments and critical services like our first responders,” McCluskie said. “This responsible package delivers real results for the people who need it the most – hardworking families, Coloradans on fixed incomes and the people feeling the greatest impacts of our affordability crisis – without jeopardizing our state’s reserves or impacting Coloradans’ TABOR refunds.” “Our legislation provides nearly half a billion dollars of additional property tax reduction; significant relief for Colorado homeowners,” said Hansen. “With the limited tools available to us, we were able to develop a responsible plan that stretches funding as far as we possibly can to support Coloradans that need it most. And thanks to the hard work of so many, we were able to provide critical relief while protecting funding for essential local services like schools, fire districts, and ambulance services.” “I’m proud that we have passed this legislation to responsibly provide property tax reductions for the hardworking Colorado families who need it the most,” deGruy Kennedy said. “This short-term solution will reduce upcoming property tax bills and offer Coloradans some support while local governments look into how they can better tackle property tax increases at the local level. This legislation, alongside the entire package of bills we passed in this special session, will help Coloradans stay afloat amidst the impacts of the housing crisis.” To offset revenue loss resulting from property tax reductions, SB23B-001 transfers $146 million of general fund dollars to the State Education Fund to be used to backfill school districts’ budgets, and appropriates $54 million of general fund dollars to be used to backfill local governments and services. Previous Next

< Back April 26, 2021 HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO UPDATE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION STATUES DENVER, CO– The House today passed Representative Dylan Roberts’ bipartisan bill to ensure Colorado’s prosecutors are better prepared to go after criminals who sexually exploit children. The bill passed unanimously on third reading. “As technology has advanced, so have the perverse tactics criminals use to sexually exploit children,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “Our statutes have not kept up with the times on this front and as a prosecutor myself, I know how difficult it can be to hold heinous criminals accountable when our legal tools lag behind. I’m proud of the unanimous bipartisan support we received to protect our children today.” HB21-1069 takes several steps to address child sexual exploitation in Colorado. The bill makes sexual exploitation of a child an extraordinary risk crime, increasing the maximum potential sentence in the presumptive sentencing range in certain circumstances. It also creates a new surcharge for child sexual exploitation offenders, and directs the majority of the funds recouped from these charges toward the Sexual Exploitation of Children Fund, which supports the effective investigation and prosecution of computer-facilitated sexual exploitation of children. Finally, the bill updates statutory definitions to ensure that certain actions, including those used by criminals to sexually exploit children using technology, fit under the definition of sexual exploitation of a child. Previous Next

< Back April 29, 2021 BILLS TO PROTECT BORROWERS, USE STATE PROPERTY FOR HOUSING, RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVANCE DENVER, CO– The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today passed bills that would create consumer protections for mortgage borrowers and require the state to create an inventory of its unused property to determine if any buildings owned by the state could be transformed into affordable housing, renewable energy projects, or child care facilities. HB21-1282 , sponsored by Representative Mike Weissman, would regulate mortgage servicers, including requirements around notification, record keeping, examinations, inspections and enforcement, and a violation would be considered an unfair or deceptive trade practices. An assistant attorney general would be empowered to regulate the industry and receive complaints that could be acted upon. “After the financial collapse of 2008, we put in place rules to ensure that banks and other financial institutions play by the rules and can’t take advantage of consumers who use their products and services,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “But the financial sector has continued to evolve since then and Colorado is lagging behind many other states in oversight of non-bank mortgage servicers even as those entities handle an ever-larger share of the market. This bill ensures that non-bank mortgage services play by the rules and provides the Attorney General with the tools needed to investigate and stop abusive practices that threaten to harm Colorado homeowners.” HB21-1274 would require the state to create an inventory of all unused state-owned real property and determine if any of them could be used for affordable housing, renewable energy projects, or child care facilities. The department that owns the property would be authorized to solicit proposals from and enter into contracts with private partners to capitalize on the potential use of the property “All across Colorado, our state government owns unused properties that could be developed and turned into affordable housing, renewable energy facilities, or child care facilities – three types of projects that nearly every Coloradan wants to see more of,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “We need to put this land to use so that local communities can meet their housing and energy needs while also providing critical capacity for child care for working families.” Previous Next

The House Health and Human Services Committee today passed legislation to save Coloradans money on health care and support Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers, especially in rural and underserved communities. < Back February 24, 2026 Bill to Lower Emergency Health Care Costs, Sustain Rural EMS Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Health and Human Services Committee today passed legislation to save Coloradans money on health care and support Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers, especially in rural and underserved communities. “EMS shows up to every call they receive, but only get reimbursed when they transport patients to the emergency room,” said Rep. Lisa Feret, D-Arvada. “By allowing treatment in place and transport to a more appropriate setting, we save patients time and Colorado taxpayers money. This bill will provide additional resources to emergency response providers while saving both hospitals, health plans and consumers money and freeing up emergency room beds for those who truly need it." “Without proper reimbursement from health insurance companies, EMS in rural communities like mine are headed for financial collapse,” said Rep. Katie Stewart, D-Durango. “When I worked as an EMT in Southwest Colorado, we provided on-site care to many patients, but EMS was not reimbursed for those calls because we did not transport the patient to the emergency room. This bill saves patients money by eliminating the need to flood the emergency room with non-emergent cases, freeing up EMS so they can continue to provide essential care to our communities.” HB26-1069 passed committee by a vote of 13-0. This bill would streamline funding for EMS in Colorado by reducing reimbursement red tape. EMS providers regularly provide essential on-site treatment, also known as treatment in place (TIP). On average, TIP costs significantly less than emergency room care and this bill seeks to expand TIP, saving time and money. However, EMS providers are only reimbursed by health insurance carriers if they transport a patient to an emergency room, even when that transport is not necessary. To help bridge some of the EMS funding gaps and reduce strain on health care providers, this bill would require private insurance and Medicaid to reimburse EMS for TIP. To save patients and the state money on health care and sustain EMS in rural communities, this bill permits reimbursable EMS transit when an individual experiencing a behavioral health crisis is transported to an urgent care center. HB26-1069 also improves access to care by allowing Medicaid to reimburse for appropriate telehealth calls involving EMS. TIP limits the need for costly emergency room visits, saving the state and patients money on health care. For example, a federal TIP pilot program showed a 193-percent cost-to-savings ratio for Medicare members receiving TIP services instead of emergency room visits. On the Western Slope, a 2022 analysis of 911 calls in Eagle County revealed that TIP reimbursement accounted for a preliminary cost savings of $1,285.40 to the state per TIP call. If passed, HB26-1069 would save Colorado $2.1 million in FY 2026-27, $4.6 million in FY 2027-28 and $4.9 million in future years. Lastly, HB26-1069 ensures that social workers who co-respond in emergency settings are classified as first responders and receive the same benefits as EMS providers, which will strengthen workforce recruitment and retention, especially in rural or underserved areas. Previous Next

< Back June 10, 2020 HOUSE PASSES SAFE2TELL ENHANCEMENTS DENVER, CO — The House today passed HB20-1113, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone, D-Arvada, and Kevin Van Winkle, R-Highlands Ranch, which would make enhancements to the state’s Safe2Tell Program. The bill passed 55-8. “Our students and teachers are under a lot of pressure right now, and that’s only going to continue when schools return to in-person learning,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “This bill improves critical resources that our students rely on and will better connect them with the help they need.” “The Safe2Tell program is a national model for helping students, and it saves lives,” said School Safety Committee Chair Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “I’m proud of the bipartisan work of our School Safety Committee. This bill will ensure that when a student reaches out for help, that they are connected with the behavioral health resources they need.” 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, 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 most efficiently raise awareness about the program and reduce its misuse. Finally, it would enhance law enforcement’s ability to prevent imminent physical harm. Previous Next

< Back June 29, 2020 BILLS TO PROTECT FIREFIGHTERS AND HELP EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL BECOME LAW Laws will protect water sources and firefighters from PFAS chemicals and provide benefits to Wildland firefighters and emergency response personnel COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — At Fire Station 8 in Colorado Springs this morning, Governor Jared Polis signed five bills that will better protect firefighters and Colorado communities from PFAS exposure, extend workers compensation benefits to first responders who experience audible trauma and provide critical health benefits to wildland firefighters. HB20-1119 , sponsored by Representatives Tony Exum and Lois Landgraf, sets stringent guidelines for the testing and use of PFAS-based firefighting foam in order to protect firefighters and prevent the chemicals from entering Colorado’s groundwater sources. The bill also requires the state to certify and register every facility that possesses, tests or uses PFAS fire fighting substances. SB20-181 , sponsored by Representatives Jonathan Singer and Hugh McKean creates a grant program to protect communities from PFAS contamination. “Our firefighters and crisis response professionals always put our communities first and are often exposed to dangerous or traumatic situations,” said Rep. Tony Exum, D-Colorado Springs. “The legislation the governor signed today will protect our firefighters and our groundwater from toxic PFAS chemicals and provide important benefits to our 9-11 dispatchers, social workers and so many other Coloradans who respond to dangerous situations.” SB20-026 , sponsored by Representatives Jonathan Singer and Tony Exum, extends workers’ compensation benefits to crisis response professionals who audibly witnesses death or serious bodily injury, or the immediate aftermath of these events while on the job. Prior to this new law, those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of audible trauma were not eligible. “This bill guarantees that when any of us is at our worst, that our first responders will be at their best,” said Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont. “Coronavirus has forced many Coloradans into crisis, and this bill guarantees whether or not our first responders hear or see the worst things imaginable, that the state of Colorado will have their back.” SB20-057 , sponsored by Representatives Marc Snyder and Lisa Cutter, provides wildland firefighters benefits for circulatory conditions in connection with a stressful or strenuous activity that took place while responding to an emergency. It also provides benefits for certain kinds of cancers to employees of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, who respond to wildfires in Colorado. “With the governor signing this bill today, our wildland firefighters, who confront enormous danger and face deadly health conditions as a result, will now have access to the critical health benefits they need,” said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs. “Every year, Colorado’s wildland firefighters step up to protect our communities and deploy around the world to fight some of the largest fires,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “They can face severe health conditions as a result of their services, and we owe it to them to provide health insurance that covers the care they need.” Previous Next

Legislation protects consumers from health insurer insolvency and adds biometric data protections to the Colorado Privacy Act < Back February 20, 2024 Bills to Improve Consumer Protections Pass House Legislation protects consumers from health insurer insolvency and adds biometric data protections to the Colorado Privacy Act DENVER, CO – The House today passed two pieces of legislation to improve consumer protections in Colorado. HB24-1258 passed by a vote of 43 to 17 and would ensure that Coloradans who reached their health care deductible and out-of-pocket maximums are credited by their new insurer if their old insurer goes out of business. HB24-1130 passed unanimously and would amend the Colorado Privacy Act to include protections for biometric data. “While it’s rare for health insurers to go bankrupt, we need to ensure Coloradans don’t lose the money they already spent reaching their deductible,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, HB24-1258. “This legislation protects Coloradans if their insurer files for bankruptcy by allowing them to credit any out-of-pocket payments and deductibles toward their new insurer. Our bill saves Coloradans money by not requiring them to pay their health care deductible twice and honors the health care payments they’ve already made.” “When Friday Health unexpectedly closed over the summer, it left thousands of Coloradans uninsured, frustrated and worried about the money they’d already spent reaching their health care deductible and out-of-pocket costs,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of HB24-1258. “This important legislation removes unnecessary barriers to receiving health care coverage and makes sure insurance companies honor previously paid out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles. We’re stepping up to protect Coloradans from insurer insolvency, save them money and make accessing everything from routine to life-saving health care easier.” HB24-1258 comes as a direct response to the recent Friday Health insurer shutdown and aims to protect and save Coloradans money by not requiring them to pay their health insurance deductibles twice. Specifically, Coloradans would be able to credit all out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles paid to a previous, out of business insurer to their new health insurer with a new benefit plan. “From fingerprint scanners to the facial recognition that unlocks our smartphones, our biometric data is intertwined with current and emerging technology,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada, sponsor of HB24-1130. “Biometric data is incredibly personal, and this legislation would amend the Colorado Privacy Act to ensure our biometric data is protected and stored safely. This bill improves consumer protections of some of our most personal, individualistic data and reduces the risk of our biometric data being used improperly.” HB24-1130 , also sponsored by Rep. Mike Lynch, R-Wellington, would amend the Colorado Privacy Act to require protections for biometric data. Biometric data is highly unique to an individual and includes fingerprints, facial recognition used to unlock smartphones, and iris scanning. Specifically, this bill would require biometric data to be destroyed within a year of collection or upon request and stored at a higher level of security. Previous Next

The House today passed the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Sunset (HB26-1326). < Back May 11, 2026 Bill to Modernize the Public Utilities Commission, Protect Ratepayers and Improve Oversight Clears House DENVER, CO — The House today passed the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Sunset ( HB26-1326 ). This legislation would extend the critical functions of the PUC while modernizing the commission to meet the needs of consumers and businesses. “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 bill 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 rural and local leaders to ensure the commission can continue its important role.” “Our bill 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 bill, 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.” HB26-1326 passed the House by a vote of 43-22. The PUC is the primary regulator of Colorado’s electric, gas, water, telecommunications and transportation services. Without this bill, the PUC would expire on September 1, 2026. 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 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 bill updates and streamlines clean energy reporting requirements and scheduling for utility companies. As amended, this bill would 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 bill would also help electrical utilities secure more renewable energy assets, such as wind and solar, by requiring the PUC to conduct a study regarding the barriers companies face towards joint procurement, or collaborative purchasing for a large-scale investment. Safety improvements This bill takes steps to improve rail, pipeline and transportation safety and security in Colorado. Under HB26-1326, state rail oversight would be aligned with federal law for consistency. The bill also includes the creation of an oversight program that would review, approve and monitor the creation and implementation of passenger and freight rail in Colorado. The bill would also require TNCs to provide the commission’s contact information to riders for increased transparency. This bill would require PUC staff receiving public complaints to 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, landlines 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 more telecommunications systems, including voice service providers (VoIP), such as Google Voice or Zoom Phone. To boost consumer protections and crack down on bad actors, this bill increases fees for companies that purchase the no-call lists and sell them to other companies. The PUC would also be required to conduct a study into this and other income-based energy assistance programs to improve funding access and equity. Improving local participation and engagement HB26-1326 would 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 would create an equity task force to represent the interests of disproportionately impacted communities, workers, and income-qualified customers. Previous Next

For Cause Eviction legislation would prevent arbitrary, retaliatory or discriminatory evictions by setting standards into law < Back Majority Leader Duran: Coloradans need greater protection from evictions, and our legislation will help protect renters Mar 8, 2024 See more As a state legislator, I work to improve the quality of life for all Coloradans. This year, I’m advocating for a cause that resonates deeply with my personal journey — one marked by challenges, sacrifices, and housing instability. Having experienced homelessness due to an unnecessary eviction with my son, I understand the toll that housing instability can take on women and children. After passing the House in late February, I am excited to see HB24-1098 move forward in the legislative process. This is a bill to keep Coloradans housed and prevent evictions without cause. I’m joined by my Democratic colleagues Rep. Javier Mabrey and Sens. Julie Gonzales and Sen. Nick Hinrichsen to sponsor this bill. Dozens of state labor, grassroots and housing organizations back our legislation. It’s also a priority bill for Democratic House leadership, and we’re grateful for Speaker Julie McCluskie’s support. Coloradans are currently facing an affordable housing, eviction and homelessness crisis. We’ve seen some of the country’s highest rent increases in the past few years. The Denver metro area has the second highest annual rent inflation nationally. In January, Denver saw 1,548 eviction filings , the second-highest monthly total in years. Last year, according to state court data, Colorado saw over 52,000 eviction filings — a historic number for our state. A recent point-in-time (PIT) count conducted by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative found that the number one self-reported cause of homelessness in Denver is an inability to pay rent. The number two cause is eviction. These experiences of being rent-burdened, evicted and homeless have devastating consequences. As someone who has grappled with the fear of losing a roof over my head, I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial burdens that accompany housing insecurity. Having an eviction on your record can make it nearly impossible to find stable housing. According to research from The Eviction Lab , hundreds of thousands of families in the United States are evicted every year. Women, families with children, Black families, families with low incomes and families living in urban areas are more likely to be evicted than their counterparts — households with children between ages 0 and 5 face the highest risk of eviction. Our For Cause Eviction legislation will prevent arbitrary, retaliatory or discriminatory evictions by clearly defining in state law when a landlord may evict a tenant, including nonpayment of rent, property damage or violation of the lease agreement. Our bill will also ensure tenants have more protections when a landlord doesn’t renew their lease at the end of the lease term. This framework strikes a delicate balance, protecting the rights of tenants and property owners, and will help keep more Coloradans housed. It is not an attack on the free market but rather a sensible approach to safeguarding a fundamental human right — the right to a stable and secure home. My journey fuels my passion for championing this bill. I vividly recall the sleepless nights spent worrying about eviction notices and the constant fear of uprooting my child from school and close friends. No mother and child should repeatedly endure this kind of anxiety and stress. Our For Cause Eviction legislation sends a powerful message about our commitment to the well-being of our communities. By enacting these protections, we affirm our dedication to fostering a state where families can flourish, children can learn without disruption, and households experience more stability. The bill passed the House by a vote of 38 to 19 with no support from my colleagues across the aisle. We’ve made it clear — this bill will keep Coloradans housed and does not prohibit landlords from being able to evict unlawful and disruptive tenants, especially if they do not pay their rent. The bill will now go through the legislative process in the Senate, and I’m calling on the state legislature to join us in enacting For Cause Eviction legislation to bring systemic change to our housing landscape and protect our communities. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, represents District 23 in the state House of Representatives, where she is majority leader. Previous Next