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The Governor today signed into law legislation that will better balance the authority between the Governor and the General Assembly during times of economic uncertainty. < Back August 28, 2025 Bill to Increase Oversight & Collaboration Between Executive & Legislative Branches During Revenue Shortfalls Signed Into Law DENVER, CO – The Governor today signed into law legislation that will better balance the authority between the Governor and the General Assembly during times of economic uncertainty. Previously, the Governor had broad unilateral authority to suspend programs and services during a revenue shortfall via executive order. SB25B-001 now requires the Governor to notify the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) of executive orders to reduce spending and requires the JBC to promptly meet with the executive branch to discuss the plan. Earlier today, JBC met to hear from Governor Polis and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting on his executive order to suspend certain spending during the current fiscal year. “Strong collaboration between the executive and legislative branches helps to create a more efficient government,” said Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver. “This new law improves collaboration during times when it is arguably most important, times when the state faces revenue shortfalls that require spending reductions. This is a step in the right direction to ensuring the General Assembly has a stronger voice in these critical decision-making processes.” “When Congressional Republicans passed Trump’s tax bill last month, it immediately blew a billion-dollar hole in this year’s state budget, putting us in a position to make difficult spending cuts,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “The law signed today strengthens collaboration by bringing the Joint Budget Committee to the table, when previously the Governor had sole power to make cuts to programs and services during a revenue shortfall. With this law, we can encourage a more balanced approach to fill the revenue hole that was caused by the reckless federal GOP budget.” “In times of economic uncertainty, the executive and legislative branches must work together to do what’s best for the people of Colorado,” said Senator Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “The Joint Budget Committee works year round to ensure that we’re budgeting responsibly, and it is only right that we have a seat at the table when the Governor is making spending reductions. This legislation is critical to ensuring that collaboration and updating spending reduction triggers to better reflect the current size of our reserves, which Democrats have worked hard to build up since the COVID pandemic.” “Because of Trump’s corporate giveaways, we are forced to make cuts to our budget. This legislation will help us make well-informed, data-driven decisions to minimize the harm caused by Congressional Republicans,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Creating a responsible and thoughtful process to reduce state spending is a much better approach than the legislature rebalancing the budget on the fly, without any analysis from our nonpartisan staff, data or input from the Joint Budget Committee. We’re balancing the Governor’s authority, improving transparency and updating spending reduction triggers to better serve the people of Colorado.” The bill balances the authority between the Governor and the General Assembly by ensuring the JBC is involved in decision-making processes early on and by adding guardrails to the executive branch’s existing authority to help ensure that they continue to meet and implement legislative directives. The bill also updates the triggers requiring spending reductions to more accurately reflect economic pressures and the current status of the reserve, which Democrats have worked to build up to 15 percent since the COVID pandemic when it fell below four percent. In addition to the triggers in existing law, the bill adds that if a revenue estimate indicates that the state is on track to use an amount of the reserve equal to three percent of the general fund appropriations for that fiscal year (e.g. around $490 million for FY26), the Governor must take action to reduce spending. Previous Next

< Back March 17, 2020 COLORADO SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS INTERROGATORY OF THE GA DENVER, CO — The Colorado Supreme Court today announced that it would take up the question of whether, under the current circumstances of a declared disaster emergency, the General Assembly can suspend the legislative session and pick up where it left off at a later point. The court accepted the bipartisan interrogatories passed by the General Assembly on Saturday, and the court will be accepting briefs on the case over the next week. “The Constitution gives the legislature 120 calendar days to accomplish the important work our constituents elected us to do,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “We are in an impossible situation of either not taking care of the public’s needs by not passing critical legislation, or not taking care of the public’s needs by continuing our work in the middle of a public health emergency. I’m glad that the court has acted rapidly to take up this question, and hope they will see the wisdom in allowing us to suspend operations during this crisis and come back to continue our work when appropriate.” “We are grateful that the court has taken up our request with such speed and urgency,” said President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo. “It is imperative that we get an answer regarding if the Legislature is Constitutionally permitted to suspend the counting of legislative days during a state emergency. The work we do on behalf of Coloradans is critical to the wellbeing of our state, and we sincerely hope to continue our efforts once public safety is secured.” HJR20-1006 asks the Colorado Supreme Court to answer the following question: Does the provision of section 7 of article V of the state constitution that limits the length of the regular legislative session to “one hundred twenty calendar days” require that those days be counted consecutively and continuously beginning with the first day on which the regular legislative session convenes or may the General Assembly for purposes of operating during a declared disaster emergency interpret the limitation as applying only to calendar days on which the Senate or the House of Representatives, or both, convene in regular legislative session? The Interrogatory argues that “If the General Assembly is required to adjourn for a significant period of time to protect the public health[…] legislators will be unable to serve their constituents by debating and acting on many of the bills introduced during the 2020 regular legislative session, and the citizens who elected those legislators to act on those bills will be deprived of representation by their chosen representatives[…]” The Interrogatory asks the court to determine if the General Assembly should be forced to either reduce the length of the session and thereby fail to meet its responsibility to serve the citizens of the state by passing legislation in the public interest, or jeopardize the constitutionality of that legislation, including the state’s annual budget. Interested parties may file a brief by 5:00 PM on Tuesday March 24, and the Colorado Supreme Court case number is 2020SA100. Previous Next

< Back May 1, 2019 HOUSE GIVES INITIAL APPROVAL TO LOWER THE COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS Democrats working to lower the cost of health care (May 1) – Rep. Sonya Jaquez Lewis’ bill to reduce the price consumers pay for prescription medications passed in the House on second reading. The bill will allow the wholesale importation of prescription pharmaceutical products from Canada for resale to Colorado pharmacies. “As a pharmacist, I know there are many Coloradans who are having to choose between feeding their families or the life-saving drugs they depend on,” said Rep. Jaquez Lewis, D-Boulder County. “We’ve seen drug price increases of nearly 500 percent that are drowning patients. The ability to import prescription drugs from Canada will help lower the cost of health care for hardworking families.” Rep. Jaquez Lewis is a licensed pharmacist. As amended in the House Health and Insurance committee, SB19-005 creates the “Colorado Wholesale Importation of Prescription Drugs Act” where the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing will apply for a waiver under federal law to contract with a vendor. The vendor will design and implement a program to import prescription pharmaceutical products from Canada for sale to Colorado pharmacies. The program design must ensure both drug safety and cost savings for Colorado consumers. “Republicans in Congress are failing to help lower the cost of health care, and this is a commonsense approach that can help Colorado cut the cost of medication,” Rep. Jaquez Lewis added. SB19-005 passed on a a voice-vote. A final vote will take place at a later date. If approved, the bill goes back to the Senate for approval of amendments. Previous Next

Two interim committees passed legislation to address Colorado’s educator shortage and encourage uniform tax collections yesterday. < Back October 30, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: Interim Committees Pass Legislation to Address Educator Shortage, Simplify Small Business Tax Collection DENVER, CO – Two interim committees passed legislation to address Colorado’s educator shortage and encourage uniform tax collections yesterday. Bill 1 from the Pension Review Commission would allow more Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) retirees to re-enter the teaching profession without being penalized with a reduction in state retirement benefits. Bill 1 from the the Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force would standardize tax collection, easing filings and remittances for small business owners. “From public K-12 schools to universities and colleges, Coloradans are counting on us to address our state’s dire educator shortage,” said Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial, sponsor of Bill 1. “This legislation encourages retired educators to re-enter the classroom by ensuring their PERA retirement benefits go untouched. Retired educators can be a wealth of knowledge for Colorado’s learners, and this bill makes it easier for them to continue supporting our students and still receive the retirement benefits they earned over their careers.” "Colorado has faced a teacher shortage for years, but for too long, qualified and willing educators have been left on the sidelines for fear of impacting their PERA retirement benefits," said Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, sponsor of Bill 1. "This bill gives more flexibility to districts to engage retired educators so they can put their years of teaching experience to good use and help prepare our kids for the future." Bill 1 , from the Pension Review Commission, sponsored by Representatives Cathy Kipp and Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, and Senator Hansen, helps encourage retired educators to re-enter the career field without a reduction in their Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) retirement benefits. This bill aims to update current law, which limits the number of service retirees that a state college, university or public school can hire without a reduction in the retirees' benefits. Under Bill 1, school districts could hire more retirees more easily and streamline the process of getting them back in classrooms. Bill 1 from the Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force, sponsored by Representatives Cathy Kipp and Rick Taggart, and Senators Jeff Bridges and Kevin Van Winkle, R-Highlands Ranch, would standardize sales and use tax collection for Colorado’s small businesses, saving them time on filings and easing the collection and remittance process through the electronic sales and use tax simplification system (SUTS). Under this bill, all local taxing jurisdictions would be required to use SUTS by July 1, 2025. Additionally, Bill 1 would raise the dollar threshold for monthly filing from $300 to $600 allowing more small businesses to make returns and pay taxes at quarterly intervals instead, saving them time and money. “Standardizing Colorado’s sales tax filing and collection system is huge for the average small business owner because it simplifies the process and cuts red tape,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, Vice Chair of the Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of Bill 1. “Allowing more businesses to file quarterly or annually rather than monthly will save small businesses time and money. Reducing the frequency of tax collection, as appropriate, is a step in the right direction as we work to make it easier to operate a small business in our great state.” “Nobody wants to spend more time than necessary filing their taxes, especially the small business owners that form the backbone of our communities,” said Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, sponsor of Bill 1. “Our legislation will standardize and streamline that process, and will save small business owners both time and money. I’m excited to champion this bill that will help folks spend less time on their sales and use taxes and more time focusing on their businesses.” Previous Next

< Back May 20, 2019 LOBBYING TRANSPARENCY ACT SIGNED BY GOV Cutter and Weissman bill will increase reporting requirements (May 20) – Rep. Lisa Cutter and Rep. Mike Weissman’s bill to improve lobbyist transparency was signed into law today. This new law will increase the reporting requirements for lobbyists. “Recent reports show that special interests spent over $30 million to lobby the legislature. That’s an exorbitant amount of money. The danger of this is that it gives lobbyist access and influence that the general public doesn’t have,” said Rep. Cutter, D-Evergreen. “If money equals speech, then the public deserves to know where that money is coming from.” HB19-1248 requires more frequent reporting of relevant information by professional lobbyists, clarifies that lobbyists that are also attorneys are not privy to attorney-client confidentiality, and it clarifies that a professional lobbyist must disclose who their ultimate client is, i.e., disclose the name of the client who employs or retains the professional services of the lobbyist. “We as elected officials serve as guardians and protectors of the public trust. There is not a tremendous amount of public trust in political processes right now,” said Rep. Weissman, D-Aurora. “This new law will bring commonsense transparency to lobbying practices at the capitol.” Sen. Mike Foote, D-Lafayette, is the Senate co-prime sponsor of the new law. ### Previous Next

< Back May 17, 2019 DEMOCRATS DELIVER BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS TO HELP LOWER COST OF HEALTH CARE Gov signs McCluskie, Roberts health care bills into law (May 17) – Gov. Polis signed bills sponsored by Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, and Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, into law today in Silverthorne and Vail. House Democrats are committed to lowering the cost of health care for hardworking families and these bills help deliver on that promise. First up was the bipartisan HB19-1168, State Innovation Waiver Reinsurance Program law which will help reduce insurance premiums on the individual market by 15-30 percent by helping insurers with high-cost insurance claims, providing much-needed relief to hardworking Coloradans across the state–many of whom are paying up to a third of their income on monthly premiums. Coloradans on the individual market are struggling to keep up with the out-of-control costs of health care, particularly in rural areas of the state. By establishing a reinsurance program Colorado can stabilize the individual marketplace, increase health insurance participation and share the risks more broadly. Colorado, particularly on the Western Slope, has some of the highest health insurance costs in the country forcing families and individuals to forgo health insurance coverage and putting them at major risk of medical debt if emergencies arise. “We put a great deal of effort into building a reinsurance program that will work for Coloradans. I am thrilled to see it be signed into law so working people can start to save money on health care. Reinsurance is a proven concept that will work to lower the cost of health insurance premiums, especially on the Western Slope,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon . “This new law will have a meaningful reduction in health insurance rates on the individual market across the state. We don’t have any more time to waste. People are deciding between paying their mortgage and their health insurance right now.” Rep. McCluskie introduced the bipartisan bill in the House with Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction. Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, and Sen. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, are the Senate sponsors. Gov. Polis then signed Rep. Dylan Roberts’ bipartisan HB19-1004. This new law will start developing a publicly supported health insurance option to help put affordable health insurance in reach for many hardworking families across our state. The public option will leverage the efficiencies of our current state infrastructure for greater savings, and will have a goal of becoming available for purchase by Coloradans as soon as the fall of 2020. “The cost of health insurance continues to rise to unaffordable levels, especially in rural Colorado. This new law is a smart approach that will bring competition to the marketplace to help lower the cost of health care,” said Rep. Roberts. “No one should be forced to sacrifice the security of health insurance for themselves and their family based on costs. Everyone deserves choice when they are buying insurance and that is what this law will bring. This bipartisan effort is a Colorado solution that was carefully crafted in a responsible way to create a new, affordable health insurance option in our state.” Earlier in the day, the Gov. signed SB19-004, a bill sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, and Rep. McCluskie. This new law focuses on healthcare cooperatives, which aim to lower healthcare costs by encouraging consumers to negotiate rates on a collective basis directly with providers and offer plans to individuals, businesses, and other groups that are more affordable than what currently exists on the market. The law will strengthen Colorado’s laws to allow coops to incorporate consumer protections like coverage for preexisting conditions, and will allow the State Insurance Commissioner to work with groups seeking to create co-ops so that they can get up and running as soon as possible. “The formation of health insurance co-ops across our state where Coloradans collectively negotiate rates directly with providers will help drive down the cost of health care,” said Rep. Roberts. “This new law will authorize the formation of these co-ops which could result in plans that are significantly cheaper than those available today.” “Without any action on the federal level to the health care crisis, Colorado communities are finding creative, innovative approaches to making health care more accessible,” Rep. McCluskie said when the bill passed the House this April. “This bipartisan bill will help provide solutions to the complicated health care challenges hardworking families face everyday.” Sen. Kerry Donovan and Sen. Rankin are the Senate co-prime sponsors of the law. Previous Next

< Back March 3, 2020 COMMITTEE VOTES TO BAN THE GAY AND TRANS PANIC DEFENSE The House Judiciary Committee today passed Representatives Leslie Herod and Matt Soper’s bipartisan bill to ban the use of the gay and trans panic defense. The committee vote was 6-2. “Telling a crime victim that their sexual orientation or gender identity is to blame for the violence perpetrated against them is wrong and cruel,” said Rep. Herod , D-Denver . “The gay and trans panic defense should never hold up in court. This defense harms the already vulnerable LGBTQ+ community and holds Colorado back. It’s time to ban this antiquated and discriminatory practice.” The gay and trans panic defense is a legal tactic that has been used to strengthen a legal defense by playing on the prejudice of jurors. HB20-1307 states that evidence about a defendant’s knowledge or discovery of a victim’s gender, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation cannot be asserted as a legal defense constituting ‘sudden heat of passion’ in a criminal case. If this bill is signed into law, Colorado would join California, Nevada, Illinois, New York, Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey as states that have banned the gay and trans panic defense strategy. In 2018, Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) and House Representative Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA) introduced legislation to ban the gay and trans panic defense at the federal level. According to the FBI’s 2018 hate crime statistics , 1,404 hate crimes perpetrated in 2018 were based on sexual orientation. Of these offenses, 59.8 percent were classified as anti-gay male and 25 percent were classified as anti LGBTQ bias. According to this FBI data , in Colorado in 2018, there were 123 hate crimes reported and of those 24 were related to sexual orientation and three of them were related to gender identity. Previous Next

< Back May 19, 2021 HOUSE EDUCATION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES SCHOOL FINANCE ACT DENVER, CO– The House Education Committee today unanimously passed the 2021 School Finance Act, annual legislation that sets funding levels for all of Colorado’s school districts and charter schools. The bill restores reductions to K-12 funding that the legislature made last year in the wake of dire budget forecasts that predicted significant revenue declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we recover from the pandemic, we have to do everything we can to build back stronger, and that means putting students, parents and teachers first to ensure they have the tools and resources they need to thrive,” said JBC Vice Chair Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “This year’s budget, which I was proud to help craft as a member of the Joint Budget Committee, invested $480 million to restore funding to pre-pandemic levels. The School Finance Act we passed today funds critical grant programs that support our students and will increase per-pupil funding so that every district in our state will see a fair and equitable increase in state resources.” “By increasing funding for education and ensuring that school districts have more of the resources they need, we will put Colorado on the path to bounce back stronger from the pandemic,” said Education Committee Chair Rep. Baraba McLachlan, D-Durango, a teacher. “Every child in our state should have access to the high quality, public education they need to succeed. Students, parents and teachers have all been through so much this last year, and I’m proud that we are dedicating as much funding as possible to provide school districts with additional resources as they seek to help students overcome the impacts of COVID-19-related learning disruptions.” This year’s budget includes an 8.7 percent increase for K-12 funding over the 2020-21 school year, a $480 million increase. Sponsored by JBC Vice Chair Representatives Julie McCluskie and House Education Chair Representative Barbara McLachlan, the School Finance Act allocates the state share of school districts’ total program funding based on the school finance formula. This year, the school finance formula starts with a base of $7,225 per student, a two percent increase from last year. When additional funding for at-risk students is factored in, the average per-pupil spending is approximately $8,857 per student, an increase of 9.7 percent over last year, which is the result of additional funding included in the bill for at-risk students. Lawmakers last year were forced to increase the Budget Stabilization Factor due to pandemic-related revenue losses. Some of the impact of these reductions was blunted by the distribution of federal stimulus resources directly to school districts. This year’s School Finance Act restores the Budget Stabilization Factor to where it was before the devastation of the pandemic. By reducing the Budget Stabilization Factor, each school district in Colorado will see a fair and equal, per-pupil increase to the state share of total program funding they receive. The School Finance Act also restores funding to grant programs that were cut last year. These grant programs offer a number of critical services such as dropout prevention, literacy attainment, access to advanced placement courses, special education, bullying prevention and behavioral health support. Previous Next

< Back February 18, 2020 HOUSE PASSES COLORADO PARTNERSHIP FOR QUALITY JOBS AND SERVICES ACT Legislation would improve state services and allow state employees to join together to bargain for better pay and terms of employment DENVER, CO — The Colorado House today passed the Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act by a vote of 41-23. HB20-1153 , sponsored by Representative Daneya Esgar and cosponsored by the entire House Democratic Caucus, would allow state employees to collectively bargain on matters of pay, benefits, and terms of employment. “Today, the House passed legislation to support Colorado’s hard-working state employees, the men and women who serve our veterans, keep our prisons safe, protect our air and water and clear our roads in dangerous winter storms,” said Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo, the prime sponsor of HB20-1153. “I’m proud that House Democrats are standing with our state employees to provide them the opportunity to fight for a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities. This bill will empower our frontline employees to innovate on the job to improve state government services, and it will help us recruit and retain the experienced and talented state workforce Coloradans’ deserve.” The legislation would allow state employees to collectively bargain on pay and benefit issues. It would foster new partnerships between frontline workers and the state that will lead to innovation and better state services. Furthermore, by helping to fill the nearly 1 in 5 vacant state positions, the bill will ensure that Colorado has the experienced and talented workforce needed to serve state residents. This legislation is critical to retaining and recruiting the state workforce Coloradans need and deserve. Stagnant wages have led to increased turnover and state employees working multiple jobs, which negatively impacts the delivery of state services. The bill would not permit state employees to strike, which is similar to collective bargaining laws for state employees in the states that have them. Under the bill, the state is required to participate in good faith in the formalized partnership process. All determinations regarding wage and benefit issues reached through the partnership process must be included in the governor’s budget and be approved by the Joint Budget Committee and General Assembly, a transparent process in which the public can engage. Membership in the union would be completely voluntary, but it’s clear that state employees overwhelmingly support union membership in WINS. For more than a decade, WINS has represented state employees who have been united in their desire to be part of an organization that fights to improve their lives. ### Previous Next

< Back March 2, 2020 COMMITTEE APPROVES REMOTE CAMERA WILDFIRE ALERT PILOT PROGRAM Pilot program would use live feeds from cameras to combat wildfires Denver, CO– The House Rural Affairs and Agriculture committee today considered and passed a bipartisan bill, sponsored by Representative Barbara McLachlan, to employ remote cameras in wildfire mitigation. The bill would create a pilot program to provide live camera feeds to detect, locate, and monitor fires in the wildland-urban interface. The Committee approved the bill by a vote of 10-1. “We need every tool in our arsenal working to help discover, prevent, and contain the wildfires that threaten our communities and our environment,” said Rep. McLachlan, D-Durango. “Remote cameras can provide our firefighters with a live feed of the fires they are working to contain or extinguish, making their efforts safer and more effective. These cameras could also lead to earlier detection of wildfires, meaning more successful and less costly mitigation efforts.” HB20-1171 , which is also sponsored by Rep. Marc Catlin, tasks the Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting within the Department of Public Safety with implementing a pilot program to use camera technology to detect wildfires in the wildland-urban interface. Previous Next

< Back October 31, 2019 INTERIM COMMITTEE ADVANCES BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE WILDFIRE RESPONSE AND PREVENTION DENVER, CO — The Wildfire Matters Review Committee today advanced five bills related to wildfire prevention and management. If approved by the legislature next session, the bills would improve quality of life for firefighters and take active steps to prevent and mitigate wildfires in the future. “I’m proud of our committee’s work to advance bipartisan proposals that will help prevent wildfires and ensure we take care of the firefighters who are always ready to protect us when crises emerge,” said Committee Chair Rep. Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs) . “We’re working to improve our fire fighting capabilities with solid, bipartisan policy proposals, and I look forward to continuing this critical work to make Colorado safer.” “In wildfires and in life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” said committee member Rep. Lisa Cutter (D-Jefferson County) . “Today the Wildfire Matters Committee took crucial steps towards wildfire prevention, readiness and management. I’m working hard to ensure that communities vulnerable to wildfires, like so many across my district, are better able to prevent and mitigate wildfire tragedies.” “We’re coming close to the end of our wildfire season in Colorado,” said committee member Rep. Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon). “This is the best possible time to work to ensure that we’re prepared to prevent and manage wildfires across our state. Communities like mine know all too well how quickly a wildfire can turn into a devastating and tragic event.” The committee proposals that advanced today are: Modify Wildfire Risk Mitigation Grant Program. The committee advanced a proposal to improve the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Grant Program by making the funds available to lower income communities and increasing the number of eligible recipients. Sponsors : Rep. Carver, Rep. McCluskie Surplus Military Vehicles Highway Use If Firefighting. The committee also advanced a proposal that allows local governments and fire protection districts to use surplus military vehicles for firefighting purposes. Under existing law, these vehicles are considered off-highway vehicles and not permitted to be used on public roads. Sponsors : Sen. Crowder, Rep. Will Fire Prevention & Control Employee Benefits. The committee moved forward a proposal to require the Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) in the Department of Public Safety to provide additional employee benefits to firefighters, including an increased pension benefit and insurance coverage for specific heart conditions and cancers. Sponsors : Sen. Lee, Rep. Snyder, Rep. Cutter Homeless Outreach Programs to Reduce Wildfire Risk. The committee approved a bill that creates the Wildfire Risk Reduction Through Homeless Outreach Grant Program within the Department of Local Affairs. The bill directs DOLA to determine best practices for conducting outreach to individuals experiencing homeslessness to reduce wildfire risk in wildlife-urban-interface areas. Sponsors : Sen. Fenberg, Sen. Coram, Rep. McCluskie, Rep. Snyder Landowner Assistance for Wildfire Mitigation. Finally the committee considered and advanced a proposal that would create the Wildfire Mitigation Resources and Best Practices Grant Program within the Division of Local Government to conduct outreach among landowners in high wildfire hazard areas to inform them of resources available for wildfire mitigation. The bill also extends the income tax deduction for wildfire mitigation efforts to 2024 and allows landowners to deduct 100% of their costs up to $2,500. Sponsors : Rep. Cutter, Rep. Will, Sen. Lee Previous Next

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, that grants local governments the authority to create property tax rebate programs to address areas of specific local concern including affordable housing development was signed into law today. < Back March 15, 2024 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! Roberts & McCluskie's Bipartisan Bill to Spur Affordable Workforce Housing DENVER, CO – Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, that grants local governments the authority to create property tax rebate programs to address areas of specific local concern including affordable housing development was signed into law today. SB24-002 will allow local governments to establish property tax incentive programs to address critical issues related to housing, childcare, behavioral health, economic development and other areas of local concern. For example, a municipality will be able to authorize tax credits or rebates that incentivize property owners to convert rental properties from short-term to long-term, boosting the availability of workforce and more permanent housing. “Local governments are desperate for solutions to our state’s housing crisis and affordability issues, which is why this legislation is so important," said Roberts. "It will create valuable financial incentives for more long-term affordable rental housing for local workers instead of short-term rentals, more options for childcare, greater support for small businesses, and more. I'm thrilled to see this important bipartisan bill get signed into law and am excited to see how local governments can help their residents save money.” “There has been a significant rise in the cost of housing, especially on the Western Slope, forcing Coloradans to spend more of their money on housing and less on other necessary costs, like health care and groceries,” said McCluskie. "With our bipartisan legislation becoming law, local governments can address the unique challenges that their communities face, like shortages in workforce housing, childcare, mental health care services, and much more.” SB24-002 allows a local government to renew a tax rebate or incentive program for up to one year if they find that it has been effective in addressing the area of specific local concern. Previous Next