House Committees today passed three bills to support Coloradans seeking homeowners insurance in wildfire prone areas, mitigate wildfires and create job opportunities to improve forest health. < Back April 17, 2023 House Committees Pass Bills to Mitigate Wildfires and Support Homeowners DENVER, CO – House Committees today passed three bills to support Coloradans seeking homeowners insurance in wildfire prone areas, mitigate wildfires and create job opportunities to improve forest health. “In Colorado, we’re taking tremendous steps to not only mitigate wildfires, but make it possible for homeowners in wildfire prone areas to purchase property insurance,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of HB23-1288. “We need to be prepared for the next wildfire disaster and our legislation to create a FAIR insurance plan makes sure Coloradans can receive proper homeowners and commercial insurance that protects their livelihood.” “As wildfires become more frequent and destructive, we need to do everything we can to ensure homeowners are properly insured in the wake of a disaster,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB23-1288 . “Our legislation creates a pathway for homeowners in wildfire prone areas to receive insurance that protects their property, livelihood and the place they call home. Without this legislation, many Coloradans will be left with no homeowners insurance and we’re stepping up to make sure Coloradans’ property is protected from the next wildfire disaster.” HB23-1288 , sponsored by Speaker McCluskie and Representative Amabile, passed the House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee by a vote of 8 to 1. This bill would create the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan Association, a nonprofit, unincorporated legal entity, to ensure Coloradans with homes and commercial properties located in wildfire zones can receive homeowners or commercial insurance. As destructive wildfires become more frequent in residential areas, many Coloradans struggle to find a private insurer that will cover their property at all. This bill would make sure Coloradans can find a carrier to insure their homes and commercial spaces as wildfires grow in frequency and destruction across Colorado. “We’re working to continuously improve Colorado’s wildfire response to protect our homes, businesses and neighborhoods,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of SB23-161 . “This legislation will allow Colorado to purchase a second Firehawk helicopter, reducing our state’s rapid response time to quickly combat and put out wildfires in difficult terrain and keep our communities safe.” SB23-161 , sponsored by Speaker McCluskie and Minority Leader Lynch, passed the House Finace Committee by a unanimous vote. This bill would allow the state to purchase a second Firehawk helicopter, ensuring the Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) has at least one Firehawk available for rapid response at all times. Firehawk helicopters are considered the most technologically advanced firefighting aircraft available and this bill would improve the state’s ability to respond to catastrophic wildfires. “Wildfires in Colorado are now a year-round threat and we need to ensure the state forest service has the workforce to keep us safe,” said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs, sponsor of SB23-005. “Colorado’s made important progress when it comes to wildfire mitigation, and we’re furthering our efforts to protect communities by boosting our state’s forest health workforce. This legislation streamlines workforce development and recruitment within the state forest service so we can continue to mitigate wildfires through excess brush removal and other tactics that help us maintain healthy, more resilient forests.” SB23-005 , sponsored by Representative Snyder and Minority Leader Lynch, passed the House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resouces Committee unanimously. This bill would improve Colorado’s forestry workforce by directing the Colorado State Forest Service to develop educational materials on career opportunities in the industry for students in high school, and creates a workforce development program within the State Forest Service to increase internship opportunities within the timber, forest health, and wildfire mitigation sectors. The bill will also bolster the state’s wildfire mitigation capacity development fund to create and expand forestry programs specifically at Colorado Mountain College, as well as community colleges, technical colleges, area colleges, and public institutions of higher education in order to increase the state’s forestry workforce. SB23-005 would also work to increase the number of qualified educators at these institutions to deliver a wildland fire prevention and mitigation course or program. Previous Next

< Back May 10, 2021 COLORADO PROUD GETS A BOOST DENVER, CO– The House Agriculture, Livestock, and Water Committee today passed legislation by a vote of 11-0 to help Colorado agriculture producers increase sales in markets across the globe. “CO Proud promotes buying locally grown, raised, and processed food and Rural agricultural products. It teaches and educates consumers that when they buy Colorado Proud they are receiving high-quality fresh products and helping Colorado’s economy, farmers, ranchers, greenhouses, manufacturers and processors. Colorado Proud has helped our state’s agriculture producers sell their products all across Colorado, the US and the world,” said Rep Donald Valdez, D- La Jara. “This bill is going to help rural Colorado recover faster from the pandemic and build back stronger. I’m proud that we were able to come together in a bipartisan way to give Colorado Proud a boost and help our farmers sell their goods in markets all across the globe.” Colorado’s robust agricultural sector has been the backbone of our economy for decades, and the pandemic has burdened the industry with unique challenges that require additional resources to overcome. To accelerate the economic recovery of our agricultural and rural communities, SB21-203 , which is sponsored by Representatives Donald Valdez and Rod Pelton, provides $2.5 million to the Department of Agriculture for the Colorado Proud program. Colorado Proud provides new opportunities for Colorado’s food and agricultural producers to increase sales globally and helps support the growth and resiliency of Colorado food systems. Previous Next

Legislation will save lives by prohibiting the purchase and sale of all rapid fire conversion devices, commonly known as “bump stocks”, and by creating a permit to purchase dangerous, semi-automatic military style firearms that can accept high capacity magazines < Back March 12, 2025 Judiciary Committee Passes SB25-003 Legislation will save lives by prohibiting the purchase and sale of all rapid fire conversion devices, commonly known as “bump stocks”, and by creating a permit to purchase dangerous, semi-automatic military style firearms that can accept high capacity magazines DENVER, CO - The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker and Representative Meg Froelich that would fully implement and enforce Colorado’s existing high-capacity magazine prohibition to save lives. SB25-003 passed by a vote of 7-4. “Semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines have been used far too many times to terrorize Colorado communities,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “The trauma, grief, and loss due to mass shootings are felt deeply in our communities, and as a former public school teacher and a parent of three children, I worry daily about the safety of some of the most vulnerable Coloradans. It’s crucial that we pass this legislation to save lives and prevent future tragedies in Colorado.” “Semi-automatic weapons paired with high-capacity magazines result in a much greater loss of innocent lives, which is why we must properly enforce Colorado Democrats’ decade-old law to prohibit high-capacity magazines,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood. “Coloradans deserve to grocery shop, go to school, and worship without worrying about being a victim in the next mass shooting. This gun violence prevention bill would require a permit and additional training to purchase the most deadly weapons on the market to ensure that all firearm purchasers have completed a rigorous safety training course, passed a thorough background check, and that they are not a danger to themselves or our communities.” SB25-003 would fully implement and enforce Colorado’s existing law by requiring a permit and firearm safety training to purchase high-powered firearms that accept detachable magazines. The bill would also prohibit the purchase and sale of after-market accessories that increase the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm, like binary triggers. The bill would allow a person to purchase a semiautomatic firearm with a detachable magazine after undergoing a background check and completing a firearm certification course that includes information on safe gun usage, federal and state firearm laws, de-escalation and crisis intervention strategies, range time, and more. Certification would last five years and could be renewed after taking a refresher course and being properly vetted by a local sheriff. The bill would not impact the sale of shotguns, commonly used hunting rifles, semiautomatic firearms that have fixed magazines and almost all handguns. While SB25-003 would prohibit the sale of gas-operated semiautomatic handguns, the sale of recoil-operated handguns, which make up over 90 percent of the pistol market, would not be impacted by the bill. The bill also would not impact possession of currently-owned firearms. In response to the 2013 Aurora theater shooting, Colorado Democrats passed legislation that prohibited the sale and transfer of magazines that hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition. Currently, individuals seeking to bypass existing law can legally buy magazines in neighboring states and attach them to high-powered, military-style firearms. Semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines have been used in numerous mass shootings in Colorado, including the 2021 Boulder King Soopers shooting, the 2022 Club Q shooting, and the Columbine High School massacre. Previous Next

The House today passed bills in a preliminary vote to expand reverse mortgage protections and improve local governments’ ability to hold short-term rentals to local rules and regulations. < Back April 14, 2023 Housing Protections for Victims of Natural Disasters, Local Gov Oversight on Short Term Rentals Advance DENVER, CO - The House today passed bills in a preliminary vote to expand reverse mortgage protections and improve local governments’ ability to hold short-term rentals to local rules and regulations. “After the Marshall Fire, homeowners were saddled with unnecessary burdens that prevented them from putting their lives back together,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, sponsor of HB23-1266 . “With this bill, homeowners with reverse mortgages won’t have their loan foreclosed upon just because they lost their home in a disaster. Homeowners deserve grace after devastation due to a wildfire or flood.” “Reverse mortgages require a homeowner to live in their home in order to draw money from their equity, which is an impossible ask for people that have lost their home due to a natural disaster,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB23-1266. “Many senior homeowners already have to take advantage of reverse mortgage income just to afford daily expenses like groceries and health care and can’t afford to build back on their own after an environmental disaster. Our bill helps vulnerable communities so they have one less burden after devastation.” Reverse mortgages allow older homeowners to borrow from the equity of their home. Under current law, reverse mortgages may become due and payable if the homeowner does not reside in the home they are borrowing money from as a principal residence, with an exception for temporary absences up to one year. HB23-1266 would create another exception to the residency requirement for homeowners when their property is uninhabitable due to a natural disaster or another major incident outside the control of the homeowner. This exception would allow a homeowner who is engaged in repairing the home and plans on reoccupying, listing for sale, or selling the house to live elsewhere for up to five years. “Short term rentals are important to Colorado mountain communities like mine for tourism, but without local governments’ ability to properly regulate these properties, short-term rentals are impacting the livability of our communities,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of HB23-1287 . “When bad actors in the short-term market create challenging situations for their neighbors, like drying up wells or overflowing septic systems, we have to do more to stick up for those who call our towns home year round. By creating pathways for our counties to collaborate with digital platforms, where short-term rentals are listed, we can increase transparency and create a housing environment that works for everyone in the community.” “Living in a rural resort community, I’ve witnessed the increased popularity of short-term rentals, and short-term rentals play an important role in our local economy,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, sponsor of HB23-1287 . “Our legislation allows counties to partner with digital platforms that host units, and gives counties the ability to remove a listing if the owners’ license is suspended or revoked, protecting owners, renters, and local communities from violations of local rules and regulations.” A board of county commissioners already has the authority to regulate units that are rented or used for short-term stays. HB23-1287 clarifies the definition of a short-term rental and provides counties with the authority to work with digital platforms to accurately list compliant short-term rentals. HB23-1287 gives counties the ability to require an owner of a property, or the owner’s agent, to include a rental license or permit in any listing for a short-term rental unit on a digital platform. If a county has regulations on short-term rentals, the county would be able to require a digital platform to remove any rental listing if the owner of the listing: Has their local short-term rental license or permit suspended or revoked, Has received a notice violation, or a similar legal process, for not holding a valid local short-term rental license or permit, or Is not allowed to list their unit as a short-term rental due to county rules. Previous Next

< Back February 15, 2019 HOUSE CLEARS SIROTA’S CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM BILL (Feb. 15) – Rep. Emily Sirota’s bill to limit contributions for county offices passed the House today. Colorado has contribution limits for all statewide candidates for office, but there are no limits for county candidates. “Our state’s election system should provide a level playing field for all. Every candidate should have a shot at winning – not just those with wealthy friends – but in county races, we often see contributions of $5,000 and $10,000, and sometimes up to $40,000 from wealthy individuals,” said Rep. Sirota, D-Denver. “This bill puts in place common sense measures that ensure every voice can be heard.” HB19-1007 sets in place common-sense campaign finance limits to protect the integrity of county-level elections such as those for sheriff, commissioner, clerk and recorder, assessor, and others. This bill helps level the playing field by limiting individual contributions to county candidates to $2,500 per cycle with proportional limits for partnerships, political committees, small donor committees, and political parties. The bill was approved by a vote of 40-23 and now goes to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back June 12, 2020 GALLAGHER REPEAL PASSES THE HOUSE DENVER, CO – The House today passed Joint Budget Committee (JBC) Chair Daneya Esgar’s bipartisan bill to repeal the Gallagher Amendment. The bill would ask Colorado voters to decide whether to repeal the Gallagher amendment. The bill passed by a vote of 47-18. “Colorado’s schools, libraries, firefighters, police officers, and special districts can’t afford the Gallagher amendment,” said Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Today we’re asking voters to decide whether we do away with a policy that is no longer delivering on its original intent. I’ve worked on this issue for long enough to know first hand that the Gallagher Amendment is hampering our local governments’ ability to properly fund needed services. It’s time to relegate it to the history books.” Passed in 1982, the Gallagher amendment requires local jurisdictions to adjust property taxes in order to maintain a 45/55 statewide ratio between residential and commercial property tax collections. Gallagher originally intended for local governments to be able to raise and lower their local property taxes in response to fluctuating property values to ensure adequate local tax collections to support vital services including our K-12 schools and fire districts. However, the passage of TABOR in 1992 prevents local jurisdictions from raising property taxes without voter approval. Consequently, the rise in local property values has drastically reduced the residential assessment rate from 21% in 1987 to 7.15% today and shifted the tax burden to commercial properties, increasing costs for our small businesses across the state. SCR20-001 refers a question to Colorado voters to decide whether to repeal the Gallagher amendment in order to prevent a further decline in the residential assessment rate, as required by Gallagher. Failure to pass the repeal will result in a further decrease in local property taxes, increased state obligation to fund K-12 education, and heightened pressure to cut other services to maintain a balanced budget. SB20-223 is a companion bill to SCR-001 that will freeze the property tax assessment rate if Coloradans approve the ballot measure. Previous Next

< Back April 3, 2024 House Approves Bill to Identify Suspicious Purchases to Reduce Gun Violence Legislation would make it easier to recognize dangerous firearm purchasing patterns, helping to prevent gun violence DENVER, CO - The House today advanced gun violence prevention legislation sponsored by Representatives Meg Froelich and Javier Mabrey to help law enforcement recognize dangerous firearm purchasing patterns. “Prior to the tragic Aurora movie theater shooting, the shooter had purchased over $11,000 worth of firearms, ammunition, and military gear in the weeks leading up to the shooting, ultimately killing 12 innocent Coloradans,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood. “Credit card merchant codes are an effective tool already used by law enforcement to combat human trafficking and money laundering crimes, and our bill would expand this tool to help us stop gun violence before it impacts our communities. Our legislation is crucial in giving law enforcement a head start in preventing gun violence so we can save Colorado lives." “Credit cards have been used to finance many of the major mass shootings in recent years, and identifying suspicious weapon and ammunition stockpiling before a tragedy can take place will save lives," said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. "Firearms are uniquely exempted from having a merchant code. Almost every other product has one of these codes and this bill removes that exemption. This information could be provided to law enforcement, and it could have a life-saving impact in our communities.” SB24-066 would require payment card networks like Visa or Mastercard to provide a specific code, known as a merchant code, for businesses that primarily sell firearms and ammunition. Merchant codes would allow banks and credit card companies to recognize dangerous firearm purchasing patterns – like a domestic extremist building up an arsenal – and report them to law enforcement. A report found this legislation could have prevented many mass shootings, including the Aurora movie theater shooting and the Pulse Nightclub shooting. The Aurora movie theater shooter used a MasterCard to buy $11,000 worth of weapons and military gear at multiple stores in the six weeks before the shooting. ### Previous Next

< Back May 31, 2019 DEMS DRIVING COLORADO TOWARDS A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE (May 31) – Gov. Polis signed a package of bills led by House Democrats to get more electric vehicles on the road in Colorado. In recent years, House Democrats successfully passed a law promoting electric vehicles that has made Colorado one of the best states in the country to purchase one. The Gov. signed a law sponsored by Rep. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Longmont, and Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield, to extend the electric vehicle (EV) tax credit from 2022 to 2025 as it is currently set to expire in 2021. “Electric vehicles save consumers money and can improve air quality while reducing carbon pollution emissions,” said Rep. Gray, chair of the House Transportation and Local Government committee. “We need to ensure we are supporting these vehicles, getting more of them on the road, and making a cleaner future for our state.” The state innovative motor vehicle income tax credit is intended to reduce the cost of alternative fuel vehicles and incentivize their purchase. This tax credit is especially accessible because customers may work with the auto dealer to receive the tax credit immediately at the time of purchase. “We are living in a critical time for the adoption of cleaner vehicles. The irrefutable scientific data says we must act now. More Coloradans driving cleaner cars will lead to cleaner air, improve public health and help protect our Colorado way of life,” said Rep. Jaquez Lewis. “This new law extends the innovative motor vehicle tax credits for the cleanest vehicles on the market. More Coloradans will be able to purchase or lease these vehicles and our communities will benefit from this growing technology.” Cars and trucks account for one-fifth of the United States carbon pollution emissions. HB19-1159 modifies the amount of the tax credit and extends the number of years the credit is available for the purchase or lease of an electric motor vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric motor vehicle, an original equipment manufacturer electric truck and plug-in hybrid electric truck. This modest tax credit will help more drivers make the decision to go electric and thus reduce the amount of harmful carbon emissions in our atmosphere. The Gov. also signed a bill sponsored by Rep. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, to support EV infrastructure. “It’s critical that we continue our commitment to clean air, climate action, consumer choice, and a robust economy,” said Rep. Hansen. “This new law will invest in EV charging infrastructure and support the transition to zero emission vehicles.” Rep. Hansen is the coprime sponsor of SB19-239 which was also signed today. The Gov. also signed a bipartisan bill to increase the penalties for parking in an electric vehicle charging parking space. The new law authorizes the owner of a plug-in electric motor vehicle (electric vehicle) charging station to install a sign that identifies the station. HB19-1298 is sponsored by Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora, and Sen. Kevin Priola, R-Brighton. Previous Next

Representatives Cathy Kipp and Andrew Boesenecker today released the following statements regarding the incident at Colorado State University: < Back September 6, 2024 Fort Collins State Reps Statements on Incident at CSU Fraternity FORT COLLINS, CO - Representatives Cathy Kipp and Andrew Boesenecker today released the following statements regarding the incident at Colorado State University: Statement from Representative Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins: “Racism has no place in Colorado. Everyone on campus can and should feel safe at all times, and I deeply appreciate Colorado State University’s commitment to inclusivity. We stand in solidarity with all those affected by these events and look forward to seeing the results of the university’s review of this incident.” Statement from Representative Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins: “Colorado State University and the Fort Collins community do not stand for racism and hatred of any kind. We understand CSU is collecting information regarding the incident that occurred at a fraternity on Thursday, and we condemn racism in the strongest terms. I am committed to moving Fort Collins forward as a place free from hatred, and I stand in solidarity with all impacted community members.” Previous Next

The House today advanced bipartisan legislation on a preliminary vote that would require lethality assessments to be conducted when law enforcement responds to domestic violence incidents to better protect survivors from harm. < Back March 6, 2026 Duran Bill to Bolster Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence Advances DENVER, CO - The House today advanced bipartisan legislation on a preliminary vote that would 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 bill would improve public safety across Colorado and promote the use of additional tools to protect Coloradans from danger.” HB26-1009 , also sponsored by Representative Ryan Gonzales, R-Greeley, would create the Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act to support survivors of domestic violence and keep Colorado communities safe. Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill would require police officers responding to a domestic violence case to conduct a “lethality assessment” and include the results in their 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 would immediately reach out to a community-based victim advocate and offer the victim an opportunity to speak with them. 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

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Junie Joseph that would require more inclusive reporting in the child welfare system. < Back May 6, 2024 House Passes Bill to Support Colorado Kids DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Junie Joseph that would require more inclusive reporting in the child welfare system. “We all want to ensure the health and wellness of Colorado children and youth, but we also must acknowledge how cultural differences and biases influence decisions made in the child welfare system,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “The goal of this legislation is to help dismantle tropes associated with racial and cultural minorities within our child welfare system to increase positive outcomes for families and decrease bias. This is an important step in keeping families and kids safe and together while also breaking down impacts from racial differences.” “Our child welfare system is important in protecting Colorado youth and their families, but the lack of DEI training has had long-lasting impacts on families,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “By increasing equity, diversity, and inclusion training into our welfare system, we can ensure that cultural differences are taken into account so we can respond to family disruptions in an inclusive and effective way. This bill will help us create a child welfare system that works for all.” SB24-200 , which passed by a vote of 44-18 , would address equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) disparities in Colorado's child welfare system by requiring the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to make updates to reporting and training. Under the bill, CDHS would work with counties to update their annual reporting on EDI to: utilize state and national child welfare data, identify additional demographic data not currently collected, make recommendations based on data collection, and report on the state’s progress around data collection. Additionally, CDHS would be required to improve staff training on EDI, provide training recommendations for county staff, and evaluate local counties EDI policies and trainings in child welfare. Previous Next

Legislation creates dedicated funding to leverage historic federal dollars for reliable, safe, and convenient transit and passenger rail in Colorado and boost economic diversification for coal-transitioning communities < Back May 3, 2024 House Advances Bills to Establish Passenger Rail, Incentivize Economic Development in Colorado Legislation creates dedicated funding to leverage historic federal dollars for reliable, safe, and convenient transit and passenger rail in Colorado and boost economic diversification for coal-transitioning communities DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote aimed at leveraging millions in federal infrastructure funding to bring passenger rail service to Colorado and expanding public transportation options across the state. The House also advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would support both the realization of mountain passenger rail and economic diversification efforts in transitioning coal communities in Northwest Colorado. “Increased car traffic on our roads wears down our infrastructure and worsens air quality, which is why we’re passing this historic legislation that will allow us to build a passenger rail system through the Front Range and our Western Slope communities,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of SB24-184 and SB24-190. “Our passenger rail legislation will also boost economic prosperity for our rural economies, especially those in our coal transition communities. I’m proud to carry these bills to leverage federal transportation funding and create jobs and commerce on the Western Slope.” “The Front Range Passenger Rail is a long time in the making, and this legislation would secure federal funding and create a long-term funding mechanism to make expanded passenger rail a reality across Front Range communities,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of SB24-184. “From Fort Collins and the Western Slope to Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Coloradans have been asking for more transit options. Our legislation would build on existing transit systems and expand transit partnership opportunities to ensure we’re providing transportation services that work for the needs of our communities.” SB24-184 would implement a congestion impact fee to mitigate the congestion, and wear and tear on Colorado’s roads caused by rental vehicles and offset the climate impacts of congestion. Revenue from the fee would create sustainable funding to be used as a matching source for federal investment opportunities for statewide transit and rail, and support other forms of multimodal transportation. The bill would encourage the Regional Transportation District (RTD), the Front Range Passenger Rail District, and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to coordinate efforts to secure the funding needed to establish the first phase of Front Range 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 into 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. SB24-190 would make the design and use of mountain passenger rail more sustainable by incentivizing the transportation of freight from companies that establish operations in coal transition communities along the potential rail line, particularly in Craig and Hayden. The bill would incentivize businesses and operators to utilize freight lines that are at risk of inactivity due to declining usage as a result of the transition away from coal. “Expanding rail operations into the Western Slope opens up the door for economic opportunities that will bring jobs and business into coal transition communities like Craig and Hayden,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, sponsor of SB24-190. “This bill incentivizes new economic activity along the Mountain Rail corridor by offering new tax credits for rural businesses that use rail to transport their products. Our legislation is crucial in supporting rural businesses as we transition to renewable energy.” SB24-190 would create two income tax credits – one for businesses that use rail to transport their freight into or out of a coal transition community, and one for rail carriers that utilize a rail line at risk of inactivity or abandonment due to lack of demand. It would also make more of the region eligible for economic support from OEDIT, creating opportunities for economic diversification and offering needed support for mountain rail development. Potential mountain rail would also facilitate increased tourism in the region, create additional economic growth, and allow locals to commute safely between Winter Park and Craig, with stops in between. Previous Next