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The House today passed legislation to make prescription drug labels more accessible to blind, visually impaired and print-impaired Coloradans. < Back April 19, 2024 Prescription Label Accessibility for Blind Coloradans Passes House DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation to make prescription drug labels more accessible to blind, visually impaired and print-impaired Coloradans. HB24-1115, sponsored by Representatives Mary Young and Junie Joseph, passed by a vote of 48 to 12. “The information on prescription labels provides important details that enable patients to safely and effectively take medication – we need to ensure blind, visually impaired and print-impaired Coloradans can readily access this information,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “If you can’t access the label of your prescription medication, it could lead to negative health consequences including death. This bill allows Coloradans to have agency over their health care by making sure prescription labels are accessible for blind, visually impaired and print-impaired Coloradans.” “Prescription labels outline important information related to dosage and frequency, and this bill makes labels more accessible to blind or visually and print-impaired Coloradans,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder . “Our bill will increase reading accessibility of prescription labels so that blind, and visually impaired Coloradans can access the live-saving information they need. We’re committed to improving accessibility throughout our state, and this bill tackles prescription labels.” HB24-1115 would require a pharmacy to provide blind, visually impaired and print-impaired Coloradans with access to prescription drug label information. The bill would require pharmacies to, upon request, provide patients with: An electronic label, like a QR code, on the container that can transmit the label information and instructions to the person’s accessibility device, A no-cost prescription drug reader that provides the label information in an audio format, Prescription drug label information in braille or large print, or Any other method recommended by the US Access Board. Small pharmacies with less than two pharmacists may request the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy for an exemption if they believe it will greatly burden their business. The bill also allows Colorado patients to sue non-compliant pharmacies on the basis of disability discrimination, and creates the Prescription Accessibility Grant Program to provide grants to pharmacies for the purchase of equipment used to create accessible prescription labels. Previous Next

< Back February 18, 2023 House Dems Defeat Extreme Abortion Ban Democrats put a swift end to GOP proposals to criminalize abortion, force the government to interfere in medical decisions and spread disinformation about medical abortions DENVER, CO – Democrats on the House Health and Insurance Committee today defeated three extreme Republican bills that would have criminalized abortion in Colorado and spread dangerous disinformation about a so-called abortion pill reversal. The Republican bills would have eliminated access to safe, legal reproductive health care in Colorado. “We won’t let Republican politicians take away Coloradans’ right to an abortion,” said House Health and Insurance Chair, Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “Coloradans deserve the freedom to make their own health care decisions and choices about when to start a family. Make no mistake, if Republicans were in power, they would criminalize abortion in Colorado, throw physicians in jail and put politicians in control of your private medical decisions–we won’t allow this to happen.” “Criminalizing abortion leads to higher maternal mortality rates, with the largest increases among Black women,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver , Chair of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus. “Abortion bans add to the compounding systemic social, health and economic disparities faced by people of color– often from a disproportionate lack of access to health insurance, reproductive and preventative health care, education and skills training, and job opportunities. The extreme bills presented in committee today are dangerous for women, and especially life-threatening for women of color.” In 2022, Colorado Democrats passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA), which Governor Polis signed into law. This landmark legislation updated Colorado’s laws to protect reproductive rights and established a fundamental right to choose to continue a pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion. Given the federal instability on reproductive justice issues, RHEA importantly enshrines the right to an abortion and other critical health care services into state law. Coloradans have been absolutely clear that they support the right to an abortion and have repeatedly defeated ballot measures that sought to ban access to abortion. HB23-1119 , sponsored by Representative Scott Bottoms, would have criminalized all abortions in Colorado with no exceptions. This bill would require the state to imprison providers for performing an abortion and would allow individuals to sue health care providers and potentially even patients. Research by CU Boulder shows that banning abortion would lead to a 24-percent increase in maternal deaths. The data is even more distressing for Black people with the expected increase in maternal deaths jumping to 39-percent if abortion were to be banned in every state. HB23-1097 , sponsored by Representative Stephanie Luck, disregards the autonomy of the patient and would have forced providers to administer legislative-prescribed medical treatments. It also violates the patient-provider relationship and permits governmental control over private medical decisions. HB23-1150 , sponsored by Representative Bottoms, would have required physicians to spread misinformation about a so-called abortion pill reversal. Abortion reversals through the use of progesterone are not scientifically proven , do not meet clinical standards and can be dangerous to recommend to a patient. This bill would have required the Department of Public Health and Environment to create and maintain misinformation about the effectiveness of this anti-abortion method. Abortion providers, patients and Coloradans who support abortion rights testified for hours about the dangerous impact of these bills and how they would insert government into families’ private medical decisions Democrats on the committee defeated each bill. ### Previous Next

< Back May 10, 2022 COLORADO ELECTION SECURITY ACT PASSES HOUSE DENVER, CO – The House today advanced the Colorado Election Security Act by a vote of 41-24. “Today, the legislature took critical steps to defend our elections from insider threats and “Big Lie” conspiracy theorists who have used their positions to jeopardize our elections,” said Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver. “When it comes to voter access and election security, our gold standard elections system leads the way nationally and is a model for other states to follow. The common sense bill we passed today strengthens our elections system and will hold people accountable when they break the law and tamper with election equipment.” SB22-153 , the Colorado Election Security Act, is sponsored by Representative Lontine. The bill will improve election security by, among other measures, prohibiting anyone from serving as an election official if they have been convicted of any election offense or any offense or conspiracy to commit sedition, insurrection, treason, or conspiracy to overthrow the government. SB22-153 also prohibits election officials or candidates from physically tampering with voting equipment, and from having access to or being present in a room with voting equipment without being accompanied by one or more persons with authorized access. The Colorado Election Security Act further seeks to protect Colorado’s gold standard elections by improving training for clerks and election workers, and penalizes anyone who interferes with or obstructs the notification of a potential violation, or retaliates against someone providing notice. The bill also prohibits accessing electronic equipment or a reporting system without authorization, makes knowingly publishing passwords or other confidential information a class 5 felony, and directs the District and Supreme Courts to expedite scheduling and issuance of final rulings of any orders in connection with a violation of election code. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation to improve educator safety in classrooms across the state. < Back June 6, 2024 ICYMI: Gov. Polis Signs Bill to Protect Educators DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation to improve educator safety in classrooms across the state. “As a teacher, I know how important it is for students and educators to feel safe at school – and this law is a big step forward toward creating a safe learning environment for everyone,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Educator safety should be a top priority, and unfortunately, Colorado educators have reported an increase in targeted violence. Ensuring our educators feel safe and comfortable in the classroom will help recruit, retain and strengthen our educator workforce for years to come.” “This legislation will help identify actions schools can take to keep educators safe so they can focus on teaching our students,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “By creating a task force to study this issue, we can examine the role that unequal access to resources and restorative justice play in staff safety issues. Feeling safe in school is essential to fostering a positive educational environment that is more equitable.” HB24-1320 seeks to generate recommendations on improving safety for educators and school staff through the creation of the Educator Safety Task Force. Members of the task force will represent school support professionals, teachers, administrators, nonprofits, and students and families from various communities who are impacted. In making their recommendations related to school safety, the task force will look at the impact of funding needs, wraparound supports, staffing ratios, incidents of student behavior, and resource inequality. The 2023-2024 State of Education report conducted by the Colorado Education Association found that nearly a third of respondents, 32 percent, experienced physical abuse by a student in the two years prior to taking the survey . Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation into law administratively to improve health care in rural Colorado by designating funding to train, recruit and grow Colorado’s health care workforce. < Back June 7, 2024 ICYMI: Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Rural Health Care Becomes Law DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation into law administratively to improve health care in rural Colorado by designating funding to train, recruit and grow Colorado’s health care workforce. “Folks who live in rural communities like those I represent on the Western Slope face unique challenges with the cost of and lack of access to health care,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco. “In the legislature, I’ve worked to boost our rural health care workforce, and this new law will expand that successful program and support our rural hospitals with much needed supplemental funding so that they can keep their doors open and continue to serve their communities." “Coloradans living in rural and mountain communities, like mine, deserve access to high-quality health care – including mental and behavioral health care,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs . “We’re taking steps to support Colorado’s rural health care workforce by driving funding toward rural hospitals and expanding mental health care support for our farmers and ranchers. I’m beyond proud to carry these bills at the Capitol because health care in every community and corner of the state matters.” SB24-221 , also sponsored by Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, and Representative Marc Caitlin, R-Montrose, builds upon previous legislation that established the Colorado Rural Health Care Workforce Initiative to expand the number of health care professionals practicing in rural areas. This law would designate additional funding for institutions of higher education to establish or expand an existing rural health care provider training track, as well as provide over $1.7 million in direct assistance for rural hospitals. Previous Next

2024-25 state budget includes significant investments to fully fund K-12 education, boost funding for higher education, behavioral health care services, support for those with disabilities and Colorado’s state parks < Back April 29, 2024 JOINT RELEASE: Gov. Polis Signs Budget to Support K-12 Schools and Hardworking Families 2024-25 state budget includes significant investments to fully fund K-12 education, boost funding for higher education, behavioral health care services, support for those with disabilities and Colorado’s state parks DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed the FY 2024-2025 Long Appropriations Bill into law to invest in families, prepare our students for success, and build healthier communities across the state. “Our balanced budget provides historic K-12 public school funding of more than $525 million, buys down the budget stabilization factor and addresses the most pressing needs of our communities,” said Joint Budget Committee Chair Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “I’m proud that we are making higher education more affordable for students by capping tuition increases and ramping up financial aid support. Additionally, this bipartisan budget will improve inpatient behavioral and mental health care outcomes and fund services and programs relied upon by community members with an intellectual or developmental disability. With this law, we’re setting our state on a path forward where more Coloradans have the opportunity to not only get by, but thrive.” “Of all the budgets that I have proudly helped to craft over the years, this one will stand out in my memory years from now,” said Joint Budget Committee Vice Chair Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “I am pleased to see that we have reached this milestone in the process. Every budget-making process has its challenges, and this one certainly has been no exception. But the hard work has been worthwhile: we eliminated the budget stabilization factor that we inflicted upon our schools a decade ago; and now K-12 is fully funded. What a joy to make that statement.” “I’m excited to see this budget, which reflects our priority to support families and communities, signed into law. We are meeting our commitment to our students with record levels of K-12 public school funding and increased support for early childhood education,” said Joint Budget Committee member Emily Sirota, D-Denver . "This budget fully funds special education for the first time, increases pay for health care and universal preschool providers, saves people money on housing, and bolsters critical services for people with disabilities. This budget puts families first and fosters a stronger state for everyone.” “This year’s bipartisan budget is a reflection of our Colorado values of opportunity and responsibility,” Joint Budget Committee member Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, said. “The investments included in this budget will address our workforce shortages, expand access to behavioral health resources, support public schools, and make our communities safer. With this balanced budget, we’re delivering the support hardworking Coloradans need right now, while setting our state up for success in the years to come.” The state’s $40.6 billion budget is a 3.7 percent increase over last year’s budget. Signed into law today, HB24-1430 , includes a total of $58.6 million to save people money on housing and boost education and workforce efforts. Preparing Students for Success Fully Funding Colorado’s K-12 Schools: After years of responsible budgeting and planning, this year’s Long Bill eliminates the Budget Stabilization Factor (BSF), which has restricted funding for Colorado's K-12 public education funding for more than a decade. As outlined in the 2024-25 Long Bill, the total funding for public schools will increase by more than $500 million, including an increase in per-pupil funding by $736 per student, bringing the total per-pupil amount to $11,406 – the largest in state history. Final action on per pupil funding, and total program funding will come later in the session through the annual School Finance Act . Fully Funding Special Education for the First Time: To make it easier for every learner to succeed, this budget increases special education funding for students with disabilities by 10.2-percent or $34.7 million. This brings the state’s total investment in special education funding for students with disabilities to $375.5 million. Supporting English Language Learners and New Arrival Students: This budget outlines an increase in funding of 10.6-percent or $3.3 million to help our students become proficient in the English language. Additionally, to help our school districts across the state support and meet the needs of the influx of new students, this budget includes an appropriation of $24.0 million from the State Education Fund to be distributed directly to schools as quickly as possible ( HB24-1389 ). Providing Mental Health Resources for Students: To help our learners succeed and access the mental and behavioral health services they need, this budget creates the School-Based Mental Health Support Program. This $2.5 million program will help our students enhance their social, emotional or behavioral well-being and support students going through adjustment periods ( HB24-1406 ). Supporting At-Risk Students: To create pathways for each and every student to succeed in school, this budget allocates $1.16 million more for at-risk students to better support those with a higher probability of not graduating K-12 schooling. Capping Tuition Hikes, Boosting Funding for Higher Education, Supporting College Students: This budget caps tuition hikes at 3-percent for in-state students and 4-percent for non-resident students. The budget also boosts funding by $114.3 million to help our higher education institutions streamline services and operational support. Additionally, this budget sets aside $26.6 million in the General Fund for aligned financial aid support and $1.67 million in funding to provide assistance to students experiencing homelessness during high school. Students can use this funding to assist with housing, tuition, fees and textbooks ( HB24-1403 ). Support for Early Childhood and Families Supporting Universal Preschool: Universal preschool (UPK) has saved families thousands of dollars and helped prepare our youngest learners for success. This year’s budget includes an increase of $65.5 million toward the UPK program, specifically for provider payments, quality improvement initiatives and improvements to the online application process. Increasing Funding for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program: To help our families find child care options in their budget, this legislation includes a $21.1 million increase toward the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program which connects low-income families to child care options. Boosting Pay for Early Childhood Professionals: This budget includes a 2-percent increase ($4.9 million) to community providers including early childhood mental health service providers, social workers, family resource centers staff and early childhood educators. New, In-Home Support for New Mothers: To provide all-around services to our state’s new mothers, this budget includes a $2.8 million increase to support a universal home visiting pilot program to offer comprehensive in-home evaluations and supportive follow-up visits to new mothers and infants. Funding will support births at certain hospitals in ten counties including Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Eagle, Garfield, Jefferson, Pitkin, Summit, Weld, and Mesa counties. Streamlining the Child Lead Testing Program: Everyone deserves clean water to drink. To help combat and prevent childhood lead poisoning across the state, the budget invests $1.2 million for testing and outreach to alert families to specific hazards. Creating Healthier, Stronger Communities Boosting Pay for Health Care Providers: This budget outlines a 2-percent across the board community provider rate increase and $198 million for targeted provider rate increases following recommendations from the Medicaid Provider Rate Review Advisory Committee (MPRRAC). This applies to Medicaid providers, preschool and childcare providers, social services providers, independent living centers, local public health agencies, services in the Department of Corrections, and other private and nonprofit organizations that provide various services. Improving Colorado’s Competency Process: To help improve Colorado’s competency process, this budget allocates $68.2 million to maintain and increase existing resources for inpatient competency restoration services. This funding will be used to address staffing needs and provide additional support. Increasing Funding for Nutrition Assistance: The budget includes a $16.9 million investment to meet the increased demand for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), so Coloradans can access and purchase healthy foods. The budget invests a further $3M in food banks and local food pantries to reduce food insecurity ( HB24-1407 ). Maintaining Strong Public Health Infrastructure: To help us maintain the strong state public health operations Colorado developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the budget includes a $11 million investment in Local Public Health Agencies to help them continue to support our communities. The budget also includes a $5.6 million investment to maintain the strong state operations in the Division of Disease Control and Public Health to combat existing and new public health threats. Supporting People with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (IDD): To reduce the growing waitlist for services and ensure our neighbors with IDD can receive the support and services they need when they need it, this budget increases IDD support by $5.6 million. This funding will be directed toward an additional 129 treatment placements for residential Adult Comprehensive Services. Boosting Grant Resources for Coloradans with a Disability : To ensure our neighbors with a disability have the support they need, this budget outlines a $5.1 million increase to help fund grants operated by the Laura Hershey Disability Support Act which provides education, direct assistance, and advocacy for people with disabilities. Protecting Critical Health Care & Community Services: Funding for Popular I Matter Program: The successful I Matter program provides free therapy sessions to our youth under 18-years and younger. The budget includes $5 million to keep this program going. Medicaid Support: To ensure that those who need Medicaid coverage can receive it, the budget includes $21.7 million to support and provide additional flexibility in eligibility determinations associated with the end of the Medicaid continuous coverage requirements during the federal public health emergency. Support for Children and Youth in the Foster Care System: $15.3 million to help our youth in the foster care system with complex behavioral health care needs get the treatment and services they need to succeed. Health Centers for Uninsured Coloradans: $13 million to support Federally Qualified Health Centers and other primary care providers where at least 50-percent of the patients served are uninsured or medically indigent. Develop the Office of the Children’s Behavioral Health Statewide System of Care: To create a continuum of care for our youth, this budget sets aside $2.1 million to create a new program within the Behavioral Health Administration to develop and implement a comprehensive children’s behavioral health care system. Support for Senior Centers: The budget protects vital services for seniors by providing $2 million in supplemental funding for local senior centers across the state. Increasing Veteran Support: To support those who’ve served our nation, the budget includes a $500,000 increase to the Veterans Assistance Grant Program which improves social, health and community services to Colorado’s veteran population. Boosting Support for New Americans: The budget includes more than $119,000 to expand the Office of New Americans which will help manage grants, coordinate with other entities, and identify opportunities for new migrant career pathway enhancements. Safer Communities Boosting Staffing for Public Defenders: To help Colorado’s public defenders meet the needs of our criminal justice system and reduce caseloads, this budget outlines $11.5 million and a 9-percent increase year-over-year to fund 50 new attorneys, 42 support staff, and 11 social workers. Combatting Auto Theft and Other Crime Prevention: To help keep our communities safer, the budget outlines a $8 million increase in funding toward grants to reduce and prevent auto theft. The budget also includes $1.1 million for state forensic resources vital to auto theft cases and $3 million for local crime prevention grants under the Multidisciplinary Crime Prevention and Crisis Intervention program ( HB24-1421 ). Crime Victim Services Funding: Those involved in domestic violence situations or other life-altering crimes often need support. This budget invests $6 million in the Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund to support victims of crime, their families and children ( HB24-1420 ). Improving Emergency Response: To help our first responders reach those in need, this budget includes a $1.2 million investment to prove the Colorado Team Awareness Kit (COTAK). This mobile app will allow first responders to track and map their locations and improve the coordination of emergency response. Enhancing Security at Non-Profits: Nonprofits, such as synagogues and mosques, are facing an increase in threats. This budget includes an increase of more than $906,000 to the Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help them ramp up physical security at their buildings. Boosting Funding for the Office of School Safety: The budget provides an additional $2 million for grants to help K-12 schools implement programs and infrastructure improvements to keep students safe. Investments for Parks, Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation, Water Resources and Environment Strengthening Underfunded Parks & Wildlife Operations: To protect, maintain and make our state’s most awe-inspiring public parks more accessible this budget includes a $5.7 million investment to fund 45 new staff positions to strengthen several Division of Parks and Wildlife operations, including wildlife management, species conservation, fish hatchery operations, counter-poaching efforts, and the maintenance, management, and services necessary to serve the growing number of visitors to Colorado state parks. Spearheading Environmental Justice for Impacted Communities: To improve health outcomes for communities disproportionately impacted by pollution, the budget allocates $2.8 million in funding to create the Office of Health Equity and Environmental Justice. Protecting Water Rights & Resources: To protect our valuable freshwater resources, this bill includes more than $237,000 to monitor and address national or regional developments that affect our water supply. The goal is to defend Colorado’s water rights as well as conserve and preserve our water resources. Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. The bill passed by a vote of 60-4. < Back February 6, 2024 Amabile Suicide Prevention Bill Passes DENVER, CO - The House today passed bipartisan legislation to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. The bill passed by a vote of 60-4. “Colorado is in a mental health crisis, and the growing frequency of suicide by sodium nitrite products indicates that these products are too easily accessible,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Some private online sellers are marketing concentrated sodium nitrite products as a way to complete suicide, profiting off of the mental health struggles of our loved ones and neighbors. This bill brings much needed regulation to these products so we can keep it out of the hands of people most susceptible to it and focus instead on getting them help.” Sodium nitrite “suicide kits” are easily accessible online and have been reported to be used by Colorado residents, especially youth, in recent years. Websites that sell these kits often have step-by-step instructions on how to use sodium nitrite to complete suicide. HB24-1081 , also sponsored by Representative Marc Catlin, would regulate the sale or transfer of products that contain 10 percent or greater of sodium nitrite. Sellers would be required to verify that commercial businesses require the product before a transaction could be made, and records of sales or transfers must be kept for three years. Violators could see $10,000 in civil penalties for a first violation, with up to $1 million for a second violation. Previous Next

Democratic members of the Joint Budget Committee today released the following statements after the Legislative Council Staff and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting delivered the December quarterly economic forecasts. < Back December 20, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: Forecast Shows Colorado Economy Remains on Solid Footing DENVER, CO – Democratic members of the Joint Budget Committee today released the following statements after the Legislative Council Staff and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting delivered the December quarterly economic forecasts. “Today’s forecasts show Colorado’s economic growth and low unemployment rate remain steady and are projected to continue,” said JBC Chair Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “We are committed to fulfilling our promise to students and educators by eliminating the K-12 public school funding deficit, which will put more money into Colorado classrooms to increase teacher pay, reduce class sizes, and ensure students have what they need to thrive. I’m excited to craft a balanced budget that sustains our economic growth, boosts middle class families, and invests in the critical services Coloradans need.” “While Colorado’s economy continues growing at a steady pace, we are entering a more normal - and restrained - fiscal period, which will require cautious, responsible budgeting to ensure we meet our priorities,” said JBC Vice Chair Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “As we prepare next year's budget, we remain committed to maintaining this growth while delivering the critical services families and communities rely on. We’re looking forward to putting forth a responsible budget that fully funds our schools, supports working families, and meets the needs of our growing state.” “As Colorado’s economy continues to grow and perform better than other states, we are focused on addressing the rising cost of living and making sure that everyone can afford to live in our state,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Even with our strong economy, Colorado’s unique fiscal constraints mean we will have limited resources this year for new investments. Our goal this year is to significantly increase funding for our public schools, support working families, and prioritize the Coloradans who are feeling the brunt of our cost of living crisis.” “Today's forecast makes me cautiously optimistic that our Colorado economy continues to head in the right direction," said Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. "I look forward to working on a balanced budget for next year that fully funds education, lowers the cost of health care, and helps make Colorado a more affordable place to live." Colorado’s economy continues to grow, with an unemployment rate of 3 percent and total employment growth clocking in at around 2.3 percent. Personal income growth for Coloradans has remained steady, at 5.6 percent, and consumer demand continues to outpace expectations. The Legislative Council Staff (LCS) forecast anticipates General Fund revenues to be $17.52 billion in FY 2023-2024 and $18.58 billion in FY 2024-2025, a 6 percent increase year-over-year. The LCS forecast anticipates the General Fund to end FY 2023-24 with a 15.3 percent reserve, $49.6 million above the statutory requirement. TABOR refunds will be $800 for single filers and $1,600 for joint filers. The Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) revised its General Fund revenue expectations up $247.3 million in FY 2023-24, while FY 2024-25 revenue was revised down $78.1 million. OSPB anticipates General Fund revenue will grow 4.6 percent to $19.1 billion in FY 2025-26, due to stable growth in income and sales revenue. The forecast anticipates continued growth as Colorado stands well positioned to fare better in the case of a downturn and that the risk of a near-term recession has dissipated. Factors that could improve the forecast include slowing inflation, an expanded labor force, and a rebound in real wages boosting consumer spending, and more accommodative monetary policy from the Federal Reserve. Risks that could negatively impact the forecast include persistent inflation leading to further restrictive monetary policies, deteriorating household finances limiting consumption and continued geopolitical and trade uncertainty. Previous Next

< Back April 5, 2021 ‘ISABELLA JOY THALLAS ACT’ PASSES THE HO Lost and Stolen Gun Safety bill, renamed ‘Ana Thallas Act’, passes the House DENVER, CO– The House today passed Representative Tom Sullivan and Leslie Herod’s bill to prevent firearms from getting into the wrong hands by requiring responsible gun owners to report to law enforcement within five days of realizing their firearms have been lost or stolen. After a Third Reading amendment, the bill was renamed the Isabella Joy Thallas Act, after a Denver woman who was murdered last summer with a stolen weapon that was never reported. The bill passed by a vote of 41-24. “Bella Thallas’ young life was cut short in a tragic, senseless and random act of violence,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “I’m proud that we were able to honor her life with this small gesture, and I’m incredibly grateful to Bella’s mother, Ana, and her family for their strength and testimony in the wake of an unspeakable tragedy.” “Lost and stolen firearms end up in crime scenes across the country every day,” said Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial. “By requiring that lost or stolen guns be reported in a timely way, this bill will give law enforcement the information they need to prevent crime and track down perpetrators when crimes are committed. Renaming the bill after Isabella is the least we could do to honor her memory and her family today.” Isabella Joy Thallas was murdered on June 10, 2020 while she and her boyfriend were walking their dog outside of their apartment in Denver’s Ballpark neighborhood. The high-powered semi-automatic rifle used in the killing was stolen. SB21-078 requires an individual who owns a firearm and has reasonable cause to believe that the firearm has been lost or stolen to report that firearm to a law enforcement agency within five days after discovering that the firearm is missing. A first offense for failure to make such a report is a civil infraction punishable by a $25 fine, and a second or subsequent offense is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine. The bill requires a law enforcement agency that receives a report to enter information about the lost or stolen firearm into the National Crime Information Center database and report the information to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Previous Next

< Back January 12, 2022 SPEAKER GARNETT: LET’S MOVE COLORADO FORWARD, TOGETHER Speaker Delivers Opening Day Speech as House Convenes for Second Session of 73rd General Assembly DENVER, CO– House Speaker Alec Garnett today delivered his Opening Day speech and outlined his vision for the 2022 legislative session and how the House can help save people money and move Colorado forward, saying: “For far too many families across our state, the going has gotten tougher and tougher in the last few years. Despite the incredible work we’ve done to make health care more affordable, create a more fair tax code, and support small businesses during their times of need, life in Colorado has gotten more and more expensive. That’s why my number one priority this session is to bring down the cost of living in Colorado and make life more affordable for families in our state.” In his speech, Speaker Garnett also outlined his plans to focus on more than just saving people money, explaining what it means to move Colorado forward: “We all know what drives Colorado forward: good jobs, healthy and safe communities, successful small businesses, well-funded schools and a thriving workforce. This session, we will deliver transformational changes that position Colorado for that future. Together, we’re going to build a safer, more affordable and healthier Colorado for all.”. Speaker Garnett made his commitment to public education plain and vowed to make the largest investment in K-12 in the state’s history: “I want to take a moment to acknowledge the dedication of every educator in the state who has bent over backwards to ensure that our students can continue their education despite the turmoil. Recognizing their heroic efforts and sacrifices, I vow to fight tooth and nail to ensure that we don’t divert a single dime away from public education. In fact, I’m proud to say that this session we are planning the largest investment in K-12 education in the state’s history.” The Speaker laid out the challenges facing Colorado and vowed to protect Coloradans’ democracy and fundamental rights, saying: “We cannot stand idly by while extremism threatens our liberty, our fundamental rights, and our democracy. As some continue to deny that the 2020 election was free, fair and decisive, we in Colorado will keep holding up our state-of-the-art elections system as a model for the rest of the country to increase voter participation while guaranteeing electoral integrity. As states across the country outlaw abortion, threaten reproductive rights and criminalize doctors who only seek to do right by their patients, we in Colorado will work overtime to ensure that the right to access a full range of reproductive health care, including abortion, is never infringed upon.” Tomorrow, the House and Senate will meet in a joint session to hear the governor’s State of the State address. ### The speaker’s full remarks are below: Opening Day Speech 2022 As prepared for delivery by Speaker Alec Garnett You know, it’s a bittersweet feeling, looking out on all of you today. Daneya, Patrick, Susan, Terri, Kevin, Kim: Today marks our last first day of session. Congratulations to all of you for serving your full 8 years, it’s certainly been an honor for me. We’ve come a long way since we were baby legislators. I’ve added a few grey hairs, a few pounds, and a few kids. All in all, I’m blessed to have served with each one of you and love you dearly. As Speaker, I am humbled by the opportunities we have this session to govern on behalf of every Coloradan. From the very beginning, our tenure has been shaped by the hands of history. Who would have guessed something as microscopic as a virus could hold the planet, and our fate, in a vice grip, shaping the way we govern. In a way, the challenge of this virus is fitting. As many of you know, viruses are ultimately determined by a term that is now firmly in our daily conversations: DNA. The structure, known as the double helix, is what we are used to seeing: two strands, intertwined, working together. I might offer, we across both parties, are the DNA of this building. Let us work together, to find solutions, to make progress, to deliver results People need and deserve a government that listens to them and makes their lives easier when they confront unforeseen challenges as individuals, families and businesses. The problems Coloradans are facing are dynamic. They are moving fast and changing quickly, so we as a government have to respond in kind. The unique situation we find ourselves in, not only because of COVID but also because of issues like the constant threats against our democracy, the rapidly changing economic landscape that has put enormous pressure on Colorado families, and the creeping menace of climate change, are a true test of all of us. Of how well our government can run when the going really gets tough. The issues we face are always in flux but the one constant that remains is this institution. I challenge each of you to put this institution first, like the thousands of legislators who served before us. In doing so, we’ll set an example for the thousands that will come after us. Speaking of those who have served in this chamber before our time, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the loss of former representative Mike McLachlan, a dear friend and a giant of Southern Colorado who dedicated his entire life to making our state and his home a better place for all. Barbara, we love you and we’re all here for you. There’s a lot we can learn from the legacy of Mike McLachlan. Despite serving in a fiercely competitive district, he was always willing to work across the aisle and collaborate with anyone on a good idea. This year, I’m proud to announce that I will once again appoint Marc Caitlin as Vice Chair of the Agriculture, Livestock and Water committee. To me, this is common sense: we all know Rep. Caitlin as an expert on these policy issues. But it’s more than that to me. The appointment is also symbolic. It’s a clear and resounding representation of my belief that in this building we work best when we work together. For far too many families across our state, the going has gotten tougher and tougher in the last few years. Despite the incredible work we’ve done to make health care more affordable, create a more fair tax code, and support small businesses during their times of need, life in Colorado has gotten more and more expensive. That’s why my number one priority this session is to bring down the cost of living in Colorado and make life more affordable for families in our state. As your Speaker, this will be the lens through which I will evaluate legislation: will this bill make life in Colorado more affordable or more expensive? How will this proposal improve life for everyday families struggling to make ends meet? With these questions as our north star, I’m confident we can move Colorado forward. Thankfully, we will not be starting from scratch. Far from it. For years now, this body has been hard at work ensuring that the future of Colorado is affordable. Our historic investments in education and the workforce development programs we instituted will ensure that Coloradans are ready to fill the high-paying jobs we’ve attracted to forge our state’s future. The early childhood education agency we created last year will get us closer to universal pre-K and, coupled with our work to provide full day Kindergarten across the state, we’re already helping young parents to save money on child care at a time when, on average, childcare costs almost as much as college. Our work to guarantee an affordable health insurance option in every county of the state means Coloradans will be better cared for and will keep more money in their pocket to spend when times are tough. The prescription drug affordability board we set up last year will help rein in the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs and prevent Coloradans from having to decide between buying life saving medication and putting food on the table. As a firm believer in government’s ability to get good work done despite the political muck, it brings me great satisfaction to know that many of these laws and programs were created in a cooperative and bipartisan way. I’m grateful to each of you, on both sides of the aisle, for the great effort you’ve made. But this year, as high costs of living continue to tighten their grip on the budgets of families in Alamosa, Denver, and Larimer County alike, it won’t be enough to cooperate on just ‘some’ of these solutions. So what more perfect time to come together than now? Coloradans need everyone in this chamber coming together to move Colorado forward. We all know what drives Colorado forward: good jobs, healthy and safe communities, successful small businesses, well-funded schools and a thriving workforce. This session, we will deliver transformational changes that position Colorado for that future. Together, we’re going to build a safer, more affordable and healthier Colorado for all. As I mentioned earlier, my top priority is to save Coloradans money. The people of Colorado deserve to do more than just get by. That’s why we have a plan for them to do better. Our investment of federal dollars will save Coloradans money by directing nearly $500 million into innovative affordable housing solutions. With your help and hard work, we’re going to create a Revolving Loan Fund to leverage private and local dollars to rapidly finance the development of affordable housing units. We’re going to deploy thousands of ready-to-go affordable homes quickly, especially in more rural parts of our state. And because housing costs are far from the only concern weighing on Coloradans’ minds, we’re going to keep working to lower prescription drug costs, ensuring that drug rebates are passed along to consumers, saving people money on health care. We’re going to save people money on child care by expanding universal preschool. We’re going to reduce fees associated with starting a business, or obtaining a professional license for nursing and other front line jobs. All of these innovative ideas will mean more money in Coloradans pockets, but they also mean a stronger, more resilient economy. Of course, this session will be as long as any other, so we’ll work on more than just saving people money. We are going to make smart public safety investments to prevent crime and reduce recidivism to make our communities safer. We want to stop crime before it happens, and will continue fighting to ensure that every Coloradan can feel safe in their community. We want to stop people, especially young people, from entering the system in the first place, and to provide those who do with the tools they need to turn their lives around. This means pursuing community-based solutions to homelessness and substance use disorders, working with local governments to address and prevent pandemic-induced crime, and investing in resources to break up crime rings. We will not go back to the failed policies of the past that overpopulated our prisons, wasted taxpayer dollars, and left us with high recidivism and not nearly enough rehabilitation. Instead, it’s time to make Colorado safer and forge a more compassionate, more effective criminal justice system. As events over the last year laid bare, climate change is an urgent, immediate threat to our state, and our communities. We’ve taken steps to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and position our state toward a cleaner, greener future. But as last year’s ozone pollution days showed us, we have more to do. So we are going to better invest in our air and water by cracking down on polluters, improving our permitting and monitoring systems and reducing emissions on high ozone days like the ones we all suffered through last summer. We’re going to invest in cleaning our air now. COVID has been hard on all of us and we’ve all had to make enormous adjustments and sacrifices in the past couple of years. But few Coloradans have been tested and pushed to the brink the way that our educators have. Across the state, the job of educators has gone from tough to damn-near impossible. Classrooms have gone virtual, lesson plans have gone out the window, the mental health of our children has suffered, and teachers have been left to pick up the pieces while earning half of what they deserve. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the dedication of every educator in the state who has bent over backwards to ensure that our students can continue their education despite the turmoil. Recognizing their heroic efforts and sacrifices, I vow to fight tooth and nail to ensure that we don’t divert a single dime away from public education. In fact, I’m proud to say that this session we are planning the largest investment in K-12 education in the state’s history. Health care and public health will continue to guide many of the decisions we make in this building. Despite our exhaustion and fatigue, COVID has not relented yet. The Omicron variant is spreading through Colorado and our hospitals and their staff are still feeling the pressure. While vaccines are working and keeping those who have gotten the shot out of the hospital, the situation in Colorado and around the country remains dire. I’d like to take this moment to thank the frontline health workers, like our own Representatives Caraveo and Mullica, who have not rested to ensure the health and wellbeing of their fellow Coloradans. The best way to show our gratitude to these brave Coloradans is to keep doing our part. Get your booster shot, keep wearing masks, and look out for one another. When speaking of the duties of a citizen in a democratic Republic, Teddy Roosevelt said more than one hundred years ago that, in the long run, the success or failure of said nation would depend on the way in which the average man or woman does their duty, first in the ordinary, every-day affairs of life, and next in what he dubbed those great occasional cries which call for heroic virtues. This is one such moment. Colorado needs the heroism of every man and woman who wishes to see our state succeed. In the past few weeks, I have personally been reminded of the strength and resiliency of the people of Colorado. As we prepared to enter the new year, thousands of our friends and neighbors in Boulder county were displaced by the Marshall fire. I know the thoughts and prayers of everyone in this room remain with all those affected by the fire. Seeing people from every corner of the state step up to offer places to stay, items and funds to donate, reminded me of how tough every day Coloradans are. Of course, some take this a bit further and have made being “Colorado tough” a part of their job description. I’m talking about every single first responder who helped out that day, in particular Sheriff Joe Pelle and his team, whose ability to quickly execute the evacuation orders saved lives. It’s up to us to do our part to support first responders by continuing to tackle climate change head-on. There is no doubt that the severity and the devastation of the Marshall fire were intensified by our changing climate. Last year’s low precipitation, coupled with hurricane level winds, made for a perfect firestorm. What began as a suburban grass fire that would have raised little concern a decade ago ended as a destructive inferno and a reminder that climate change is a clear and present danger. We cannot let up our fight. Threats to our Colorado way of life are not only coming in the form of fires and pandemics. We cannot stand idly by while extremism threatens our liberty, our fundamental rights, and our democracy. As some continue to deny that the 2020 election was free, fair and decisive, we in Colorado will keep holding up our state-of-the-art elections system as a model for the rest of the country to increase voter participation while guaranteeing electoral integrity. As states across the country outlaw abortion, threaten reproductive rights and criminalize doctors who only seek to do right by their patients, we in Colorado will work overtime to ensure that the right to access a full range of reproductive health care, including abortion, is never infringed upon. Government works best when we look ahead and anticipate the problems of tomorrow. That’s why I’m so proud of this body, of each and every one of you, for the forward-thinking policymaking that we’ve done since the beginning of the pandemic. After we acted swiftly in 2020 during the special session to send relief to families and businesses, we pivoted in the middle of session to focus on allocating the federal relief dollars. We shored up our state’s reserves and we set aside hundreds of millions of dollars to make lasting, transformational change in the areas where help was needed most. Those areas for transformational change: affordable housing, workforce, mental and behavioral health and economic recovery are more important now than they were a year ago. Throughout our legislative interim, members have been working diligently in those areas to come up with legislative solutions to the second wave of pressing needs brought on by COVID. The bills that will come out of the interim task force processes won’t solve these problems overnight. But I am confident – as you all should be – that making historic investments in our state’s affordable housing, and mental and behavioral health infrastructure will address the root causes of crime, homelessness, and high costs of living in Colorado. If we do our jobs as well as I know we can, then we will be treating the underlying causes of the afflictions that face our state, not just managing the symptoms. Every year since I’ve been in this building, we sit here on Day One and lay out a laundry list of goals for ourselves. The task at hand seems monumental, even impossible at times, especially when you consider that the 120 day countdown has already begun. Yet, somehow, through many long nights, many challenging committee hearings, many heated debates, we always find a way to get things done. I’d like to take a moment here to talk about how I believe we should go about getting this done. Politics, as we all know, has always been a rough business. But we cannot allow ourselves to use any of this as an excuse to act in a way that is disrespectful or that dishonors this institution and the people who sent us here to govern. Don’t put your ambition before the decorum of this institution. Don’t use the well of this chamber as your twitter handle. Park your politics outside these hallowed doors. Being elected to this office is a tremendous responsibility, I don’t have to tell you that. That responsibility includes acting with respect, practicing compassion, and extending understanding to all of our fellow representatives. It’s impossible to know what each of your colleagues is going through, but I personally know of several members in this chamber who will be showing up to work this session while facing challenging and tragic situations in their personal lives. In times as tough as these, we must be graceful, kind, and dignified as we work with each other. I talk about respect for the institution and the importance of upholding decorum a lot. Some of you may be tired of hearing it from me, but the longer you spend in this building the more respect you have for the institution. It’s important to clarify that a failure in decorum is not you failing me. It’s you failing the people of Colorado. If you are not engaged in working on policy solutions, you are wasting the people’s time. We were not elected to bicker or squabble. We were elected to govern and lead. It’s up to us to restore people’s faith in government. As I mentioned when I began, governing through a pandemic has changed the way I think about our responsibilities as lawmakers. When we campaign, we all come in knowing what we want to focus on during our time in the legislature. We pull from our experiences, examine our own problems and aspirations, and decide the areas of public life we want to improve. Hopefully, when we are elected, we also know a little bit about what our constituents would like us to focus on. We have deep roots in our communities and spend time going door to door, hearing what people want and need from their government. What we don’t know is what hand we’ll be dealt while we’re in office. Societal unrest, global pandemics, economic downturns – as we all know, the focus of a legislative body can change in an instant. So our duty as Representatives is to do the best we can with the trust we’ve been given. It is to listen and problem solve. To work together and find nimble fixes to thorny problems. We owe it to our constituents, to this institution, and to ourselves to stay humble, stay flexible, and stay steadfast in our commitment to making life in this state a little bit better every single day. Let’s move Colorado forward, together. 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< Back May 10, 2022 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BILL TO SAVE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES MONEY PASSES HOUSE DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives David Ortiz and Marc Snyder to save people and businesses money and improve unemployment insurance in Colorado. The House also passed a bill to help small businesses save money when they collect sales taxes. SB22-234 , which passed the House by a vote of 48-17, would infuse the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund (UITF) with $600 million in pandemic relief funds while expanding eligibility and improving benefits to better support Colorado’s working families. “This bipartisan legislation is supported by businesses and workers because it saves employees and employers money and improves how Colorado delivers critical unemployment assistance,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “Under this bill, businesses will avoid cost increases since we will be able to pay back our federal loan to the unemployment insurance fund by the end of next month. We’re also extending a successful policy that encourages workers to accept part time work and reenter the workforce without being penalized.” “I’m proud the House passed two of my bills that will save businesses money and help our economy continue to grow,” said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs. “Replenishing the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund was one of businesses’ top priorities this session at the legislature, and I’m proud that we delivered this critical relief. Small businesses and workers are the backbone of our economy, and we are doing everything we can to save them money.” SB22-234 invests $600 million to shore up the solvency of the UITF and protect against potential future economic downturns. This will save businesses money on premiums and surcharges and provide certainty to workers who depend on unemployment benefits to continue paying for essentials like food, rent, and transportation while they search for new work. By extending the suspension of the solvency surcharge, a fee placed on employers until the Unemployment Trust Fund reaches solvency, the bill saves businesses money while they continue recovering from the economic conditions created by the pandemic. The bill makes further improvements to ensure the unemployment system works better for Colorado families. It raises the benefit amount part-time workers can receive from 25 percent to 50 percent of the weekly benefit amount, in order to make it easier for workers who are laid off to find part-time employment while seeking a full-time job. It also creates a Benefit Recovery Fund to ensure that workers in Colorado who lack work authorization receive the benefits they already contribute to and their employers pay premiums into. The bill also eliminates the one-week waiting period to help workers access their benefits as quickly as possible once the Fund reaches a sustainable level, clarifies what constitutes an overpayment to ensure workers are not unnecessarily penalized for errors or miscalculations made by administrators or their employer, explores the feasibility of a dependency allowance to better support primary caregivers as they return to work, and requires employers to inform all workers of their unemployment benefit eligibility upon separation. SB22-006 , sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan and Snyder, allows retailers with taxable sales under $100,000 to retain 5.3 percent of the sales tax they collect. Retailers are currently permitted to retain a 4 percent vendor fee to compensate them for the cost of collecting and remitting sales tax. This bill increases the amount small retailers can retain, saving retailers $5.9 million over the next two years. The bill passed 60-5. “Many small businesses could use just a little extra help, and that’s what the bill we passed today will do by saving small retailers nearly $6 million,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “Small retailers face costs when they have to collect and remit sales taxes. This bill allows them to keep even more of the money they collect to cover those costs and avoid price increases or cuts to wages or hours.” Previous Next

< Back March 22, 2021 SPEAKER, BOULDER DELEGATION STATEMENT ON TABLE MESA KING SOOPERS SHOOTING DENVER, CO– House Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver, and lawmakers representing Boulder County in the Colorado House today released the following statement on the shooting at the Table Mesa King Soopers. “We are closely monitoring the tragic situation unfolding in our beloved city of Boulder this afternoon. We are heartbroken and enraged at what has become all too common in our country: a mass shooting in a peaceful and loving community. As we wait for more details to emerge, we at least know this much: gun violence is an epidemic that has stolen far too many sons, daughters, sisters, brothers and loved ones from families across Colorado. We must continue our fight to reduce gun violence and save lives. Inaction is not an option.” The Boulder County delegation includes Representatives Edie Hooton, Karen McCormick, Tracey Bernett, and Judy Amabile. Speaker Alec Garnett, who sponsored the 2019 Extreme Risk Protection Order law, grew up in Boulder County. Previous Next