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43 House Democrats fighting for hardworking Coloradans at the Capitol and across our state by saving you money, building a healthier Colorado and preparing our students for success. COLORADO HOUSE DEMOCRATS Colorado Democrats fighting for hardworking Coloradans at the Capitol and across our state LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS LATEST NEWS MEET YOUR COLORADO HOUSE DEMOCRATS CAREERS During the ambitious 2026 Legislative Session, we focused on affordability and championed bills to address must-fix issues in the backdrop of federal attacks and a billion-dollar budget deficit 2026 LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS Latest News “Conversion Therapy” Accountability Law Goes Into Effect June 24, 2026 HB26-1322 creates a civil cause of action for harm done by “conversion therapy” Read All Law to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation Goes Into Effect June 24, 2026 Legislation to update and strengthen Colorado’s criminal statutes regarding commercial sexual activity with a child will go into effect July 1, 2026. Read All Legislation to Create More Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities Goes Into Effect June 23, 2026 SB26-040 updates the Prop 123 Affordable Homeownership Program to better meet families’ needs Read All JOINT RELEASE: Joint Statement: Democratic Leadership Condemns Calls to Violence June 18, 2026 House Speaker Julie McCluskie, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Senate President James Coleman, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez today released the following joint statement after a prominent podcaster urged violence targeting public officials: Read All Visit Our Newsroom Press Releases WE ARE COLORADO HOUSE DEMOCRATS CONTACT US FIND MY REP SEARCH

Latest press releases and op-eds from Colorado House Democrats. NEWSROOM PRESS RELEASES > OP-EDS > “Conversion Therapy” Accountability Law Goes Into Effect June 24, 2026 HB26-1322 creates a civil cause of action for harm done by “conversion therapy” “Conversion Therapy” Accountability Law Goes Into Effect Law to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation Goes Into Effect June 24, 2026 Legislation to update and strengthen Colorado’s criminal statutes regarding commercial sexual activity with a child will go into effect July 1, 2026. Law to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation Goes Into Effect Legislation to Create More Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities Goes Into Effect June 23, 2026 SB26-040 updates the Prop 123 Affordable Homeownership Program to better meet families’ needs Legislation to Create More Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities Goes Into Effect

Press Releases Jun 24, 2026 “Conversion Therapy” Accountability Law Goes Into Effect HB26-1322 creates a civil cause of action for harm done by “conversion therapy” Read More Jun 24, 2026 Law to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation Goes Into Effect Legislation to update and strengthen Colorado’s criminal statutes regarding commercial sexual activity with a child will go into effect July 1, 2026. Read More Jun 23, 2026 Legislation to Create More Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities Goes Into Effect SB26-040 updates the Prop 123 Affordable Homeownership Program to better meet families’ needs Read More Jun 18, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Joint Statement: Democratic Leadership Condemns Calls to Violence House Speaker Julie McCluskie, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Senate President James Coleman, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez today released the following joint statement after a prominent podcaster urged violence targeting public officials: Read More Jun 18, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Trump’s High Energy Inflation Drives Up Costs for Coloradans U.S. President says he loves it Read More Jun 15, 2026 NO FREE RIDES FOR ACCOUNTABILITY: Willford Leads 275+ State Lawmakers Calling on Congress to Protect Victims of Rideshare Sexual Assault Letter urges Speaker Mike Johnson to reject the rideshare liability provision in upcoming transportation bill Read More Jun 15, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Law to Save Coloradans Money on Property Insurance Goes Into Effect On July 1, 2026 legislation to save Coloradans money on their property insurance policies will go into effect. Read More Jun 9, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Contractors Reject Road Funding Solutions, Pursue Reckless Ballot Measure Instead The four sponsors of HB26-1430, legislation to mitigate the deeply harmful impacts of Initiative 175, today released the following joint statement after road building contractors walked away from a proposed agreement that would put Colorado on a path to better fund transportation: Read More Jun 5, 2026 Jackson, Bacon Bill to Prevent Workplace Discrimination Signed into Law HB26-1207 will require Colorado employers to follow the reporting requirements as outlined in the 1966 Civil Rights Act Read More Jun 5, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: ICYMI: SIGNED! Bill to Fight Back Against Federal Coal Mandates Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed legislation to fight back against federal mandates that force aging coal plants to stay operational, which will drive up costs to ratepayers and hinder Colorado’s clean energy future. Read More Jun 5, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: ICYMI: Governor Polis Signs Bill to Modernize, Improve Higher Education Funding Formula HB26-1345 will make updates to the performance model funding to capture Colorado’s entire student body, including part-time and transfer students Read More Jun 5, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: ICYMI: Bill to Collect Data on Working Conditions and Extreme Temperatures Signed Into Law Legislation to better understand how extreme temperatures impact working conditions and worker safety was signed into law yesterday. Read More 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 ... 223

HB26-1322 creates a civil cause of action for harm done by “conversion therapy” < Back June 24, 2026 “Conversion Therapy” Accountability Law Goes Into Effect HB26-1322 creates a civil cause of action for harm done by “conversion therapy” DENVER, CO – Legislation sponsored by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, and Representatives Alex Valdez, D-Denver, and Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, to allow Coloradans to pursue a civil cause of action for damages related to “conversion therapy” will go into effect on July 1. "Mental health is crucial to our overall health and wellbeing. A licensed therapist should not inflict harm on a child or young person by steering them in any predetermined direction," said Cutter. "This law recognizes that real harm can be inflicted in the name of therapy, and that this harm might not be fully understood for many years. We are simply allowing people to have the time to process and understand the trauma that might have been inflicted, and seek the remedies already available to them under Colorado law." “Conversation therapy is ineffective and has dangerous repercussions, and we’re creating a clear pathway for someone who is harmed by these practices to seek justice,” said Valdez. “This law is for all of the LGBTQ+ Coloradans who were told something about them that was wrong because of who they were or who they loved. With the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Colorado’s conversion therapy ban, we are committed to offering survivors of this harmful practice the protections they deserve.” “It is critical that we as policymakers listen to trusted scientific organizations when they tell us a practice is harmful. For over a decade, we’ve known that ‘conversion therapy’ increases suicidality and exacerbates depression and anxiety for LGBTQ+ Coloradans,” Mullica said. “In light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, it’s vital that we create avenues for those who have been subjected to ‘conversion therapy’ to get some justice.” “While the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Colorado’s conversion therapy ban law is deeply harmful, we’re not giving up the fight to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ Coloradans,” said McCormick. “The LGBTQ+ community faces higher rates of depression and suicide, and conversion therapy only increases those rates. With this law going into effect, we’re ensuring that LGBTQ+ Coloradans can seek justice for the harm caused by conversion therapy.” Beginning July 1, 2026, HB26-1322 will allow an individual who was subject to “conversion therapy” to bring a civil cause of action against certain professionals who cause damages from efforts to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. The law defines conversion therapy as any practice by a licensed mental health professional that seeks to direct a patient toward a predetermined sexual orientation or gender identity outcome, or to eliminate or reduce attractions toward individuals of a particular sex or gender. The definition excludes counseling that provides acceptance and support without directing toward a predetermined outcome, therapy neutral with respect to sexual orientation and gender identity, and therapy related to a patient's sexual behaviors or relationships that does not seek to direct the patient toward a predetermined outcome. Currently, Colorado law requires these claims to be filed within two years. The law removes this time restriction, and if the impacted individual has passed away, their representative could bring a survival action within five years of the individual’s death. A 2024 report from the Trevor Project found that 14 percent of LGBTQ+ youth in Colorado have been threatened with or subjected to “conversion therapy.” In 2009, the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation concluded that “conversion therapy” increases the risk of depression, suicidality and anxiety. The American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and many other mental health and medical organizations believe that “conversion therapy” is harmful and ineffective. In 2019, Colorado Democrats passed a law to ban state-licensed medical or mental health care providers from providing “conversion therapy” to minors. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled against this law, making it vitally important to create new protections for people who are harmed by “conversion therapy.” Previous Next

Legislation to update and strengthen Colorado’s criminal statutes regarding commercial sexual activity with a child will go into effect July 1, 2026. < Back June 24, 2026 Law to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation Goes Into Effect DENVER, CO – Legislation to update and strengthen Colorado’s criminal statutes regarding commercial sexual activity with a child will go into effect July 1, 2026. SB26-015 , sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, modernizes outdated terminology and increases penalties for crimes relating to sexual exploitation of a child. “Children deserve protection, dignity, and justice,” said Roberts. “This bill is a targeted approach to address a gap in current law that can allow those who have sexually exploited children to avoid jail time. It creates a new floor, strengthening protections for children and ensuring accountability for those who buy children for sex. It also modernizes language to make it clear that children are never at fault in these cases.” "With our bipartisan law going into effect, we are holding traffickers accountable and protecting children," said Duran. "For too long, people who sexually exploit children have benefited from confusing and unclear statutes to evade accountability. This law removes outdated terms, brings clarity to Colorado statute and increases penalties for traffickers and buyers to hold dangerous people accountable and protect Colorado children." Also sponsored by Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, and Minority Leader Jarvis Caldwell, R-Monument, the law replaces outdated terms related to “child prostitution” with the more accurate “commercial sexual activity with a child,” reframing these offenses to emphasize the exploitation of children. SB26-015 also increases penalties for such offenses. Beginning July 1, 2026, it requires a minimum of 364 days of jail time as a condition of probation if an offender is charged with soliciting commercial sexual activity with a child. It increases penalties for other crimes related to commercial sexual activity with a child, requiring courts to impose a mandatory minimum sentence of the lower end of the sentencing range, which is currently four years for a class 3 felony. Lastly, the law creates a new class 3 felony for the crime of internet luring of a child with intent to meet a child for commercial sexual activity. Previous Next

SB26-040 updates the Prop 123 Affordable Homeownership Program to better meet families’ needs < Back June 23, 2026 Legislation to Create More Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities Goes Into Effect DENVER, CO – Bipartisan legislation to update the Affordable Homeownership Program created by voter-approved Proposition 123 will go into effect on July 1. SB26-040 , sponsored by Senator Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, and Representatives Katie Stewart, D-Durango, and Lesley Smith, D-Boulder, expands eligibility for qualified buyers and makes practical updates to serve every Colorado community and meet the reality of the 2026 housing market. “The Affordable Homeownership Program was designed in 2022, for a 2022 market with low interest rates and lower construction costs than what we see today,” said Amabile. “This new law updates the program to reflect today’s reality and provide the flexibility that Coloradans need. We’re taking a practical approach to make sure this program works as intended so more Colorado families can put down roots and achieve their dream of homeownership.” “This bipartisan law makes the Prop 123 Affordable Homeownership Program more responsive to the needs of our communities, especially in Colorado mountain towns like mine, where working people struggle to find affordable housing,” said Stewart. “When Colorado voters approved Prop 123, it created the Affordable Home Ownership Program to help first-time homebuyers with down payments and other financial assistance. This law, going into effect soon, makes crucial updates to the program to help more low- and middle-income Coloradans in rural areas qualify for homebuying assistance. “We’re expanding eligibility and flexibility for this Prop 123 program to deliver more housing assistance for hardworking Coloradans,” said Smith. “The Affordable Homeownership Program was created to help first-time homebuyers, especially to secure down payments. Unfortunately, interest rates and construction costs are higher than they were when the program was created. Our law makes necessary adjustments to the program so it can support Coloradans as intended and make homeownership a reality for more hardworking people.” The new law, also sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, increases the allowable income threshold to qualify for the program to less than or equal to 120 percent of either the statewide Area Median Income (AMI) or the local AMI. This allows more people to qualify for the program, particularly in rural communities. Rising interest rates and insurance costs have also made it harder for Coloradans to meet the requirement that combined housing costs cannot exceed 35 percent of their income. The law raises that threshold to 38 percent for homebuyers receiving direct down payment assistance, and also creates a process to allow eligible organizations to seek a waiver of the housing cost limit entirely when a qualified buyer is not found after six months of advertising. Additionally, the law allows eligible organizations to temporarily rent units if they cannot be sold in a timely manner and creates more flexibility in the program rules. Beginning July 1, these updates will help ensure that the program is working as intended and serving as many Coloradans as possible. Previous Next

House Speaker Julie McCluskie, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Senate President James Coleman, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez today released the following joint statement after a prominent podcaster urged violence targeting public officials: < Back June 18, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Joint Statement: Democratic Leadership Condemns Calls to Violence DENVER, CO– House Speaker Julie McCluskie, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Senate President James Coleman, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez today released the following joint statement after a prominent podcaster urged violence targeting public officials: We are appalled and deeply concerned by a prominent Colorado podcaster’s calls to violence last night. Political violence is never acceptable, and it is a growing cancer on our democracy. We have lost beloved friends and respected colleagues who dedicated their lives to public service and speaking up for what they believed in. In this country, we must resolve our differences through respectful dialogue, understanding and the political process– never violence. We stand together in steadfast opposition to rising violent rhetoric and threats that put people at risk, and we urge Coloradans from all parties in all corners of our state to join us in condemning these despicable comments. Previous Next

U.S. President says he loves it < Back June 18, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Trump’s High Energy Inflation Drives Up Costs for Coloradans DENVER, CO – Democratic members of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) today released the following statements after the Legislative Council Staff (LCS) and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) delivered the June quarterly economic forecasts. “The forecast shows that not only is inflation driving up costs for Coloradans, but it’s also neutralizing any wage gains workers might have earned even as the economy continues to grow at a steady pace,” said JBC Chair Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver . “Instead of addressing the affordability crisis, President Trump is making light of record-high inflation numbers while Coloradans are feeling squeezed from all sides. From driving down housing costs to creating universal preschool, Colorado Democrats have implemented real solutions to make our state more affordable for families. In stark contrast to Washington, we’re focused on creating communities that are safe, healthier and more affordable.” "The forecast reflects what many Coloradans already feel. The cost of gas, housing, and childcare continues to put pressure on family budgets,” said JBC Vice Chair Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. “Combined with uncertainty from Washington, these challenges create real strain on Colorado's economy and our state budget. We're focused on protecting core services and making sure Colorado is prepared for what comes next, while Colorado's workers and businesses continue to show up, work hard, and move our economy forward." “The forecast reflects what many Coloradans are already feeling: our economy is strong, but rising energy costs and national headwinds are making everything more expensive and dragging down growth in Colorado,” said JBC Member Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “We made difficult decisions during the legislative session to balance our budget, including cuts that no one wanted to make. It’s clear that without reforms to TABOR, the legislature will be forced to make additional cuts to address rising caseload and Medicaid costs. With the interim commission, we are working hard to find solutions so Medicaid can continue to deliver the services people need while putting the program on a more sustainable path.” “As a result of years of thoughtful budgeting and often painful cuts, this forecast shows that we have made the right decisions to put Colorado on strong economic footing even as the chaos in Washington continues to strain our state budget,” said JBC Member Sen. Judy Amabile. “Between corporate tax cuts in H.R. 1, high inflation, and soaring gas prices, we have not been dealt an easy hand, but we’ve been able to preserve crucial services and maintain a healthy reserve. There are certainly difficult decisions ahead, but we will continue to meet the moment.” The Legislative Council Staff (LCS) forecast anticipates General Fund revenue to be $16.57 billion in FY 2025-2026, $18.07 billion in FY 2026-2027, and $19.05 billion in FY 2027-2028. This represents an overall increase of $489 million in the current year and $335 million for FY 2026-2027 as compared to the March forecast . The Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB) forecast anticipates that General Fund revenue will be $16.93 billion for FY 2025-26, $17.89 billion for FY 2026-2027 and $18.37 billion for FY 2027-2028. This represents an overall increase of $371 million in the current year and a decrease of $102 million for FY 2026-2027 as compared to their March forecast . This revised revenue increase shows a resilient economy and consumers. Medicaid costs have skyrocketed over the last two years, largely due to the increased cost of providing care. In addition to reducing Medicaid spending by $360 million this year alone, lawmakers also established an interim Commission on Medicaid to develop long-term strategies to focus on utilization, reduce spending and ensure sustainability in the program. Rising Medicaid costs continue to impact the state budget; however, the increase for FY 2027-2028 is far less than the $1 billion lawmakers addressed last session. According to LCS scenario B, the General Fund would end FY 2027-28 with a 13.2 percent reserve, $315.4 million less than the statutory requirement. This scenario accounts for a $462.5 million increase in Medicaid spending. This increase is almost half the previously forecasted increase in FY 2026-27. In addition, TABOR will likely trigger a temporary income tax rate reduction that disproportionately benefits the wealthiest Coloradans while requiring over $300 million in cuts to core services like Medicaid that benefit the most vulnerable Coloradans. The LCS and OSPB forecasts anticipate that FY 2027-28 revenue will be above the TABOR cap by $674 million and $52 million, respectively. For the 2026-27 FY (beginning July 1, 2026), revenue is forecasted to be above the cap by $483 million in the LCS forecast and $470 million per OSPB. For the 2025-2026 FY about to end, by the LCS forecast, Colorado’s revenue is below the TABOR cap by $425 million. By the OSPB forecast, revenue is below the TABOR cap by $15 million. Due to corporate tax cuts in H.R. 1, the Family Affordability Tax Credit (FATC) will be entirely turned off for the 2026 tax year, raising taxes on families. Both forecasts released today now expect the FATC to be off for 2027 and 2028 taxes as well. To help blunt some of the cost for Colorado families, Democratic lawmakers created a new tax credit last session, the Family Affordability Credit (FAC). Families who would have been eligible for the FATC will be eligible for the FAC, and while it is a smaller credit, estimates show families could still receive up to $260 for each child under age six and up to $195 for each child between six and 16 because of HB26-1223 . The annual inflation rate (4.2 percent) in the U.S. hit a three-year high in May, up from 3.8 percent in April. This includes a 0.4 percentage point increase in May alone and has almost doubled since February. Trump’s war with Iran has caused an oil shock and increased energy costs nationwide, and is driving rising inflation in Colorado. High energy costs, combined with a weakening job market and worsening household finances, are weighing on families. Economic inequality continues to grow, with low-income families increasingly burdened by credit card debt. While wages have ticked upward for the majority of workers (3.8 percent), including low-wage earners, they have not kept pace with high inflation. In addition, many Coloradans are underemployed or have left the workforce and job growth remains stagnant at 0.1 percent, worsened by an 11 percent decrease in federal government jobs in Colorado. Previous Next

On July 1, 2026 legislation to save Coloradans money on their property insurance policies will go into effect. < Back June 15, 2026 JOINT RELEASE: Law to Save Coloradans Money on Property Insurance Goes Into Effect Denver, CO – On July 1, 2026 legislation to save Coloradans money on their property insurance policies will go into effect. HB25-1182 requires insurers to be more transparent regarding their wildfire mitigation risk models and allows property owners to appeal their scores. “Colorado is grappling with some of the highest property insurance rates in the nation, and to lower costs, property owners can implement home hardening and wildfire mitigation tactics,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “Coloradans have invested in wildfire mitigation efforts on their property before, only to receive no discounts from their insurance companies. Our law, going into effect next month, requires property insurance transparency and accountability so Coloradans know what insurers expect and can effectively lower their rates.” “I frequently hear from constituents that they are being denied insurance or their premiums have increased dramatically. It has always concerned me that we incentivize and encourage mitigation, but there’s no way to tie these efforts directly to insurance,” said Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “This law addresses that, requiring insurers to consider mitigation efforts, provide transparency to homeowners on the wildfire risk models they use, and give them the opportunity to appeal directly.” “After the Marshall Fire destroyed hundreds of homes in my community, many of my neighbors experienced skyrocketing property insurance costs,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “We know that home hardening and wildfire mitigation efforts can make our communities more resilient to natural disasters and lower property insurance rates for everyone. However, Coloradans sometimes miss out on lower insurance rates because insurers aren’t forthcoming with what goes into a wildfire risk score. This law, going into effect on July 1, requires insurers to provide up-front, transparent wildfire risk score calculations to customers so Coloradans can take action before the next disaster.” HB25-1182 , also sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, requires an insurer to provide a written notice to each policyholder at the time of application, renewal or nonrenewal. The notice must include plain-language explanations of the wildfire risk score or other classifications, a range of possible scores a property could be assigned, and the impact each mitigation action could have on a risk score or classification. Policyholders and applicants can appeal their wildfire risk model score, wildfire risk classification, or applicable mitigation discount if they believe it is inaccurate and can provide evidence of the mitigation efforts they have taken. To make the appeals process timely, the insurer must notify the policyholder or applicant in writing of the right to appeal and acknowledge receipt of the appeal within 10 calendar days. Insurers will also be required to respond to the appeal with a reconsideration and decision within 30 calendar days. If an appeal is denied, the Commissioner of Insurance can request a copy of the appeal and the insurer’s response. To help lower property insurance costs, the law requires insurers to consider parcel-level and community-wide mitigation efforts in their models to ensure that risk scores reflect the property and the surrounding area. If an insurer doesn’t incorporate these actions into their models, they should provide discounts to policyholders who demonstrate property or community-level mitigation actions, such as cleaning up brush near a home. Colorado homeowners' insurance rates are some of the highest in the nation and have doubled from 2020 to 2025. Natural disasters like wildfire and hailstorms are some of the largest drivers of high insurance costs: the Division of Insurance recently found that hail damage accounts for an average of 26 percent to 54 percent of an annual homeowners' insurance premium and that hail mitigation has the potential to save consumers an average of $82 to $387 per year. This year, lawmakers championed a new law that will create a grant program to harden roofs and mitigate the impact of natural disasters. SB26-155 will help stabilize Colorado’s homeowners' insurance market, mitigate the impacts of natural disasters and save Coloradans money on their property insurance. Previous Next

Letter urges Speaker Mike Johnson to reject the rideshare liability provision in upcoming transportation bill < Back June 15, 2026 NO FREE RIDES FOR ACCOUNTABILITY: Willford Leads 275+ State Lawmakers Calling on Congress to Protect Victims of Rideshare Sexual Assault DENVER, CO – Colorado State Representative Jenny Willford today organized a letter to U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson demanding that Congress strike an amendment from the BUILD America 250 Act that would undermine recently enacted rideshare accountability and safety laws. Willford, who survived a rideshare sexual assault and sponsored Colorado’s landmark rideshare safety law, signed on to the letter with more than 275 women state legislators from 42 states and one territory that outlines the harm of a narrowly adopted amendment. In the letter, the lawmakers warn that the amendment “...would make it far harder and, in the cases that matter most, effectively impossible to hold multibillion-dollar rideshare corporations accountable in court when a passenger or a driver is sexually assaulted on its platform.” If adopted, the amendment would also preempt the state safety laws enacted this year, including Colorado’s HB26-1424 and Virginia’s HB-1273 and HB-1469, which strengthened driver verification and cracked down on impersonation following documented assaults. “Two years ago, a rideshare driver sexually assaulted me within view of my own home. I know exactly what is at stake when a corporation sells you safety and then walks away,” said Colorado State Representative Jenny Willford, who wrote and passed Colorado’s landmark rideshare safety law this year and organized the letter. “Survivors fought for our day in court, and we are winning, but Congress wants to change the rules. This amendment is a permission slip for rideshare companies to continue their limited accountability and safety measures that place riders and drivers in dangerous situations. Our coalition is vast, but one thing we all can agree on is that no corporation gets a free ride from accountability. Speaker Johnson must strike Amendment 041.” “In Virginia, we did the work. We held the hearings, we listened to survivors, and we passed real protections and the Governor signed them,” said Virginia Delegate Jackie Glass , who passed rideshare safety legislation in the Commonwealth this year. “Now, a single amendment, slipped into a highway bill at two in the morning, would override what our states just built. State legislatures must keep the power to see a danger in our communities and act on it. Congress should be raising the bar on safety - not cutting the floor out from under us.” The lawmakers wrote that if the amendment remains, it “would extend the vicarious-liability shield of the Graves Amendment to app-based rideshare and delivery companies…” . This essentially eliminates all opportunities for survivors to seek justice. In addition to this letter, on June 10th, 128 members of Congress, led by the Democratic Women’s Caucus, sent Speaker Johnson their own letter calling for the provision’s removal. State and federal lawmakers are urging the House to strike Amendment 041 before the BUILD America 250 Act reaches the floor. The letter is below and attached. The list of signatories is available here . “ June 15, 2026 The Honorable Mike Johnson Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives H-232, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 Re: Strike Amendment 041 (the Fong Amendment) from H.R. 8870, the BUILD America 250 Act Dear Speaker Johnson: We write as women who serve in state legislatures across the country to urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to strike Amendment 041, the Fong Amendment, before the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870) is brought to the House Floor. The amendment, adopted in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a narrow 35–30 vote, would extend the vicarious-liability shield of the Graves Amendment to app-based rideshare and delivery companies. In plain terms, it would make it far harder and, in the cases that matter most, effectively impossible to hold multibillion-dollar rideshare corporations accountable in court when a passenger or a driver is sexually assaulted on its platform. We hold different views on many things. On this we do not differ: under no circumstances should any corporation be shielded from liability for sexual assault. The scale of the harm is not speculative. In August 2025, a New York Times investigation by Emily Steel, drawing on sealed court records, reported that from 2017 through 2022 some 400,181 Uber trips in the United States generated reports of sexual assault or sexual misconduct, an average of roughly one report every eight minutes. That figure dwarfs the 12,522 incidents the company had publicly disclosed for the same period. The reporting also documented that the company developed safety tools its own experts believed could reduce assaults, and declined to fully deploy them. The courts are now reckoning with that record. More than 3,000 passengers from roughly states have brought claims consolidated in In re: Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation (MDL No. 3084) in the Northern District of California. In February 2026, the first bellwether jury awarded a survivor $8.5 million, finding the driver was acting as the company’s apparent agent. That same month, a federal panel consolidated sexual-assault cases against Lyft into a multidistrict litigation before the same court. State and federal officials have opened their own inquiries, including the New Jersey Attorney General and a U.S. House oversight subcommittee. These numbers represent real people across the country: a passenger in New York fell asleep after a night out and woke to her driver in the back seat, with a hospital later confirming a sexual assault; a rider in Texas whose roughly twenty-minute trip became a multi-hour ordeal ending in rape; women in Utah and California subjected to unwanted touching and worse; and, in Denver, a man kidnapped a dozen women and sexually assaulted two before his conviction on thirty counts. The danger runs in both directions: investigators and survivors’ advocates emphasize that this crisis harms passengers and drivers alike. Drivers, too, have been assaulted by strangers an algorithm placed in their cars with little to no safety restrictions. Proponents describe Amendment 041 as a narrow fix for "abusive litigation" and insurance costs. There is nothing narrow about the amendment, as it will serve to essentially eliminate Uber and Lyft's accountability for sexual assault. We urge you to look past the framing to the mechanics. The amendment imports the Graves Amendment model (49 U.S.C. § 30106) which strips vicarious liability from rental car companies. There is a critical qualitative difference between rental car companies and rideshare companies. Vicarious liability and common-carrier duty are precisely the theories on which survivors hold companies answerable, because with rideshare companies it is the company, not the individual driver, that controls the platform, runs the background check, dispatches the ride, and sets the safety rules. Stripping those theories away does not trim a frivolous claim; it forecloses the meritorious ones. An Arizona jury that held Uber accountable did so on exactly the agency theory this amendment is designed to extinguish. We would ask the provision’s defenders a simple question: can they name any other industry in America that Congress has granted immunity from liability for sexual assault committed through its service? We are aware of none. The Graves Amendment itself expressly preserves liability for an owner’s own negligence or criminal wrongdoing, and it concerns vehicle crashes, not sexual violence. Common carriers such as airlines, buses, and taxis have long owed their passengers a heightened duty of care, not a shield from their own responsibility. Carving out a singular exception for the most powerful platforms in the mobility economy would be without precedent. This amendment would also run directly against Congress’s own recent and bipartisan actions. Just four years ago, in the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2022, the first substantive amendment to the Federal Arbitration Act in roughly a century, Congress decided that survivors of sexual assault must be free to bring their claims in open court, rather than be forced into private arbitration. Amendment 041 would take back with one hand what that law extended with the other. It allows survivors to reach the courthouse, only to bar the door once they are inside. Congress should not, in the space of a single, unrelated transportation bill, reverse a protection it so recently and deliberately enacted. The amendment would also override the considered work of state legislatures responding to documented harms in our own communities. This year alone, Virginia enacted HB 1273 and HB 1469, signed by Governor Spanberger, tightening driver background checks and identity verification and requiring in-app recording options. And in Colorado, after a multiyear effort led by a legislator who was sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver, the General Assembly passed HB26-1424, with the Governor expected to sign it into law. That measure cracks down on driver impersonation and account-sharing, and strengthens the state’s ability to hold companies accountable. A federal vicarious-liability shield would preempt precisely the accountability these laws were written to secure. State legislatures must retain the ability to identify a problem in their communities and to enact meaningful, responsive policy. That is the constitutional design, and it is a practical one: these harms look different in Denver than in Norfolk, and the people closest to them are best positioned to respond. It is telling and deeply troubling that when Uber and Lyft could not prevail in state legislatures, city councils, or in the courtroom, they turned to Congress to change the rules for everyone at once. This matters all the more because of what these companies have spent years, and billions of dollars, telling the public about themselves. Uber markets itself as a safe ride home and has built campaigns around the image of friends out for the night and the responsible choice not to drive. It has partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, with Feeding America, and with the American Red Cross, and Lyft has done the same. Companies that sell safety and positive community impacts as their products, that control the platform, take payment for the ride, pay the driver, and shape the marketing, cannot credibly disclaim responsibility when that promise fails catastrophically. It is unacceptable to sell a promise of safety and then turn away when the stakes are highest. Uber tells the world that its first value is to “Do the right thing. Period.” We want to take the company at its word. Doing the right thing here is straightforward: it means not seeking, and not quietly accepting, a federal shield from accountability for sexual assault. To our knowledge, since Amendment 041 was adopted, neither Uber nor Lyft has publicly asked Congress to remove it. Their silence prompts the only question that matters: do the right thing for whom? We respectfully and urgently ask you to strike Amendment 041 from H.R. 8870 before the bill reaches the House Floor. Survivors deserve their day in court. States deserve the authority to protect their residents. And no corporation, however large, should be permitted to write itself out of responsibility for the gravest harms committed on the platform it controls. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.” Previous Next

< Back March 10, 2020 HOUSE PASSES BILL TO ADDRESS YOUTH VAPING Bipartisan legislation would prohibit sales to those under age 21, license retailers, close the online sales loophole and prohibit electronic advertising outside stores, which targets teens DENVER, CO– The House today passed Representatives Kyle Mullica and Colin Larson’s bipartisan bill to address the youth vaping epidemic in Colorado by a vote of 39-22. HB20-1001 would raise the age of sale to 21; require cigarette, tobacco and nicotine product retailers to obtain a license; and increase enforcement to prevent underage sales. “We have to take action now to keep dangerous nicotine products out of the hands of our youth,” said Rep. Mullica, D-Northglen. “We’ve made a lot of progress reducing teen smoking, but the vaping epidemic is threatening the lives of young people across our state. Today, the House passed legislation to protect our state from a predatory industry that directly targets our youth and seeks to profit off young people’s addiction to nicotine products.” The bill would significantly enhance underage sales enforcement by requiring retailers to obtain a state license. Under current law, fines are often too low to dissuade retailers from cracking down on underage sales, and no process exists to suspend a retailer’s ability to sell nicotine products if they repeatedly sell products to minors. Under HB20-1001, the state could suspend a retailer’s license for repeatedly violating state law. The bill would also mandate more frequent compliance checks and move that responsibility to the Department of Revenue (DOR). In addition to raising the age of sale, increasing compliance checks and creating a robust enforcement mechanism, the bill would close a loophole that allows for the sale of vaping products online for shipment directly to consumers. The online loophole makes it far easier for Colorado youth to purchase vaping products and then sell them in schools. During the committee hearing, a nine year old testified about how easy it is for a fourth grader to buy vaping devices online and have them delivered directly. In an effort to further combat youth nicotine use, the bill would prohibit flashy advertising in stores that appeals to youth. It would also prohibit new tobacco product retailers from opening within 500 feet of a school. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and many youth who begin using vaping products transition to combustible tobacco products, such as cigarettes. Colorado has the highest rate of youth e-cigarette use in the nation, and 27 percent of Colorado high school students report that they use these products, a rate twice the national average. E-cigarettes emit cancer-causing chemicals and toxic heavy metal particles such as zinc, lead and nickel. Furthermore, nicotine is a highly addictive chemical that can harm adolescent brain development, including working memory, attention and learning. Previous Next

< Back April 22, 2022 THREE WILDFIRE BILLS ADVANCE HOUSE Legislation will save homeowners money on wildfire mitigation, invest in statewide wildfire prevention efforts and ensure Coloradans displaced by wildfires receive fair insurance payouts DENVER, CO – The House advanced three wildfire bills today to build a healthier, safer Colorado. These bills move forward as Colorado faces the worst fire conditions in over a decade. “The time to act on wildfire prevention efforts is now,” said Rep. Donald Valdez, D-La Jara, sponsor of HB22-1007 “My heart goes out to all those displaced by the recent wildfire in Monte Vista and yet this is another reminder of why we need to invest in prevention efforts to protect communities and build a safer state. Our bill saves homeowners money on removing debris, restoring fire damaged land and other mitigation efforts.” “Damage from wildfire trickles down our watersheds, endangering our access to clean drinking water and making it harder for agricultural producers to supply the products we need,” Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, sponsor of HB22-1379. “Our bipartisan bill makes investments to improve our watersheds so we can protect Coloradans’ access to clean water and reduce widespread wildfire risk. We are taking steps to combat destructive wildfires in Colorado by protecting our watersheds.” “We are making it clear, Coloradans who’ve lost everything in a wildfire should receive the insurance payouts they are owed,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB22-1111 . “This bill cuts the red tape for Coloradans displaced by wildfire, so they can file and receive insurance claims faster. Recovering after a wildfire is stressful enough, and our bill ensures Coloradans face fewer insurance barriers and have more time to rebuild.” Saving Homeowners Money on Wildfire Mitigation : HB22-1007 , sponsored by Representatives Donald Valdez and Mike Lynch, passed the House by a vote of 56 to 8 and would save people money on wildfire mitigation measures. The bill extends an existing income tax deduction and creates a state income tax credit to reimburse landowners for the costs incurred in performing wildfire mitigation measures on their property. A landowner with a federal taxable income at or below $120,000 is allowed a state income tax credit equal to 25% of mitigation costs, up to $625 per year. It also creates a grant program to fund local outreach efforts to communicate best practices in wildfire mitigation and prevention to landowners. Preventing Wildfires and Conserving Colorado’s Watersheds: HB22-1379 , sponsored by Representatives Karen McCormick and Marc Catlin advanced the House on a preliminary vote and would invest $20 million to protect Colorado’s watersheds and reduce the risk of wildfires. HB22-1379 directs $20 million in federal pandemic economic relief funds to prevent wildfires and conserve Colorado’s watersheds through mitigation, watershed restoration and flood mitigation grants ensuring that Colorado can compete for other available water and wildfire funds. Insurance Coverage For Loss Declared Fire Disaster: HB22-1111 , sponsored by Representative Judy Amabile, concurred with the Senate amendments and the House repassed the bill by a vote of 54 to 10. HB22-1111 now heads to the Governor’s desk. The bill takes a proactive approach to ensure homeowners displaced by wildfires receive a fair and comprehensive payout for lost property after deeply traumatizing and catastrophic disasters. This bill would update a 2013 law by standardizing what insurers will pay out in claims for lost property and additional living expenses after a declared wildfire disaster. More specifically, it would require insurers to pay disaster victims 65 percent of the value of the contents of their home up front without requiring the victim to do a comprehensive inventory of their personal property. Current law only guarantees 30 percent upfront, creating a burdensome process for many people to claim what they are owed after a deeply traumatizing event. The bill also puts in place several provisions that would streamline the insurance claims process for disaster victims. Previous Next