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< Back April 13, 2024 Bill to Ban Assault Weapons Transfer and Purchase Sees Initial Approval in House Legislation would ban weapons of war to save lives in Colorado DENVER, CO - The House today gave preliminary approval to gun violence prevention legislation sponsored by Representatives Tim Hernández and Elisabeth Epps to prohibit the manufacture, import, purchase, or sale of assault weapons and rapid-fire trigger activators. “Columbine High School, Aurora movie theater, Club Q, and the Boulder King Soopers shooting – Our state has endured too many tragedies that we can easily name that have been carried out with assault weapons,” said Rep. Tim Hernández, D-Denver. “As the youngest member of the Colorado General Assembly and a teacher, I feared every day that my school could end up in the news from a deadly attack. This legislation is one step we can take in the legislature to protect our communities, especially our students and educators, and save Colorado lives.” “The proliferation of weapons of war has wreaked havoc on our communities. This uniquely American epidemic requires bold solutions and state-level action," said Rep. Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver. "Policy choices created an environment where the real and present threat of a public mass shooting pervades every element of our lives. And it is making better policy choices—like banning the sale of assault weapons—that will help save Coloradans from preventable gun violence.” Beginning July 1, 2024, HB24-1292 would prohibit the manufacture, import, purchase, or sale of assault weapons and rapid-fire trigger activators. A violator who does not have a permit to sell shall be assessed a civil penalty in the amount of $750 if attempting to make a private sale. A licensed gun dealer who violates this law shall be reported to the Department of Revenue where appropriate action may be taken as required by law. Exceptions include: U.S. military members, peace officers, or other government officers or agents, The manufacture, sale, or transfer of an assault weapon from a licensed firearms manufacturer to the U.S. military or entity that employs peace officers, Transfer of an assault weapon to a licensed firearms dealer or gunsmith for temporary maintenance, repair, modification, storage, or permanent disposal. Any federal, state, or local historical society, museum, or institutional collection that is open to the public, as long as the assault weapon is securely housed and unloaded A forensic laboratory or an agent or employee of the laboratory while on duty Armored vehicle entities and their employees, or A licensed gun dealer who has a remaining inventory of assault weapons as of August 1, 2024, and sells or transfers the remaining inventory only to a non-Colorado resident and the sale or transfer takes place out of the state. A study found that over 60 percent of Americans support an assault weapons ban. From 2010-2019, assault weapons were used in 34 percent of mass public shootings. Since 2020, that number has increased to 60 percent . Assault weapons have been used in numerous mass shootings including the Uvalde shooting, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, and the Pulse nightclub shooting. The gunman in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, had multiple guns in his hotel room, including semi-automatic firearms with bump stocks that converted the weapon into a fully automatic firearm. He was able to fire between 400-800 rounds per minute , killing 59 people and wounding hundreds. An AR-15 assault rifle was used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, killing 20 students and six staff members. There, the shooter fired 154 bullets in less than four minutes . In the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, a semi-automatic rifle was used to kill five people and injure 19 others. If signed into law, Colorado will join California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Washington in passing an assault weapons ban. Previous Next

< Back October 19, 2021 MICHAELSON JENET STATEMENT ON “NATIONAL EMERGENCY” IN CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH DENVER, CO – Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet released the following statement in response to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) coming together to declare a national emergency in children’s mental health, citing the serious toll of the COVID-19 pandemic on top of existing challenges. “America’s young people had enough to worry about before a global pandemic upended the way we live, learn and work. As the leading experts in youth mental health have now declared, our children are in the midst of a full-blown behavioral health crisis,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, Chair of the House Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services Committee. “I’m proud to say that, in Colorado, we’ve worked to confront this crisis head-on. This year, as part of our Colorado Comeback state stimulus package, we provided free mental health screenings and therapy sessions for our state’s youth, and are currently working on ways to make transformational investments in our state’s behavioral health system using federal relief dollars. Investing in the mental health of our young Coloradans could not be more important. As my colleagues and I continue the critical work of meeting our childrens’ behavioral health needs, I strongly encourage policymakers in Washington and around the country to do the same.” Previous Next

< Back February 4, 2021 HOUSE DEMOCRATS MARK NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVORS WEEK DENVER- Today, members of the House Democratic Caucus, led by their colleague Rep. Tom Sullivan (D-Centennial), released the following statement commemorating National Gun Violence Survivor’s week: “This week, from Monday February 1st through Sunday the 7th, is National Gun Violence Survivors Week. “The week was first commemorated in 2019 as part of an effort to amplify the stories and voices of gun violence survivors who live with the traumatic impacts of gun violence every day. Given our country’s tragically high gun death rate as compared to the rest of the world, early February marks the average point at which more people are killed with firearms in the U.S. than are killed with firearms in our peer countries in a whole year . These harrowing numbers include the number of deaths by suicide in which a gun is used, which claim the lives of 23,000 Americans every year . “When mass shootings occur, media reports are quick to quote the number of lives senselessly lost. It is much more difficult, and much more daunting, to calculate the number of lives affected. Nearly 60% of adults in our country can be considered survivors of gun violence, meaning they have either experienced gun violence themselves or have a close friend or family member who has directly experienced gun violence in their lifetimes. The number of individuals who have been impacted is even higher in Black and Latinx communities. “House and Senate Democrats are no strangers to gun violence. Several of us have lost loved ones to this epidemic, a few of us are among the countless Americans who have survived gun violence personally, and all of us are determined to take action to curb gun violence in our communities and across our state. “Colorado has experienced a series of tragic and high profile mass shootings, and everyday acts of gun violence, including deaths by suicide, continue to plague our society. Acknowledging the damaging and pervasive impact that gun violence can have long after a shooting has occurred is more important than ever, as we continue to lose loved ones and while certain dark corners of society deny the truth of tragic mass shootings in our children’s schools. This week, as we uplift the voices and stories of those who live with the impacts of this epidemic within our caucus and across the state of Colorado, we pledge to continue our work to stem this violent tide.” Signed, Representatives Susan Lontine, Alec Garnett, Meg Froelich, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, Alex Valdez, Steve Woodrow, Jennifer Bacon, Leslie Herod, Emily Sirota, Edie Hooton, Karen McCormick, Tracey Bernett, Judy Amabile, Tony Exum, Sr., Marc Snyder, Chris Kennedy, Monica Duran, Lisa Cutter, Dylan Roberts, Brianna Titone, Kerry Tipper, Lindsey Daugherty, Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Yadira Caraveo, Adrienne Benavidez, Kyle Mullica, Shannon Bird, Mike Weissman, Tom Sullivan, David Ortiz, Naquetta Ricks, Iman Jodeh, Dominique Jackson, Daneya Esgar, Mary Young, Cathy Kipp, Barbara McLachlan, Julie McCluskie and Donald Valdez. Previous Next

The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Junie Joseph and Rebekah Stewart to improve accessibility in new and renovated buildings and facilities for Coloradans with disabilities. HB25-1030 passed by a vote of 9-3. < Back January 29, 2025 Committee Passes Bill to Boost Building Accessibility for Coloradans with Disabilities DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Junie Joseph and Rebekah Stewart to improve accessibility in new and renovated buildings and facilities for Coloradans with disabilities. HB25-1030 passed by a vote of 9-3. “The Americans with Disabilities Act has helped make our world more accessible to people with disabilities, but unfortunately patchwork building codes have allowed some new and renovated buildings to forgo accessibility features that Coloradans rely on,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “As Colorado’s skyline continues to change and expand to accommodate our growing population, it’s important that we pass this bill to make it clear that buildings must meet accessibility requirements so people with disabilities are afforded equal access and mobility opportunities in buildings and facilities.” “Features like ramps and audio announcements are necessary tools that allow Coloradans with disabilities to be independent and able to engage with their communities, and our bill would ensure that more buildings incorporate these tools,” said Rep. Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood. “We’re making it easier for Coloradans with disabilities to benefit from the laws we’ve passed that make housing, schools, and other buildings more inclusive for all.” Beginning January 1, 2026, HB25-1030 would require local governments that adopt or amend a building code and public schools and health facilities that substantially amend a building code to ensure that they meet or exceed the accessibility standards set by the International Building Code and existing laws. The State Housing Board would also be required to meet or exceed these standards when it comes to substantial updates to uniform construction and maintenance standards for hotels, motels, and multiple dwellings in jurisdictions with no local building code. Colorado Democrats have championed many laws in recent years to break down accessibility barriers for Coloradans with disabilities, including creating the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office to implement a statewide strategy to promote successful economic, social, and community integration. Previous Next

< Back November 1, 2019 JBC, DEMS REACT TO POLIS BUDGET REQUEST DENVER, CO — Joint Budget Committee Democrats today released the following statements on Governor Polis’s FY 2020-2021 Budget request: “I appreciate Governor Polis’s FY 20-21 budget request, and I look forward to developing a responsible and balanced state budget that prioritizes education and transportation and continues lowering the cost of health care for all Coloradans,” said incoming JBC Chair Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo). “The JBC will begin crafting the budget in the months ahead, and I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to balance our state’s competing priorities with the limited resources we have and pass a budget that supports Southern Colorado and the state as a whole.” “Due to a strong economy, we were able to make historic investments in critical government services like education and transportation this year. However, due to the fiscal constraints imposed by TABOR, we will have to be more focused on cost savings next year,” said Dominick Moreno (D-Commerce City), vice-chair for the JBC in the upcoming session . “I am encouraged by some of the cost savings and efficiencies the Governor’s proposal identified to invest in roads and bridges and K-12 education, and I look forward to the next six months of hard work to ensure a balanced budget and continued investments that benefit the people of Colorado.” “I am eager to start our work at the JBC to craft a balanced budget for Colorado,” said JBC member Chris Hansen (D-Denver) . “The Governor’s proposal will help inform our ongoing discussions about how to responsibly invest in and manage our state’s energy, education, transportation and health care priorities.” “I am pleased to see many important investments in this budget, especially for Southern and rural Colorado. The inclusion of substance abuse benefits for Medicaid recipients throughout the state is a crucial part of combatting a multifaceted problem and will build on the work my colleagues and I have worked tirelessly on for so many years,” said Senate President Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo). “I am particularly excited about the proposal for Fischer’s Peak, the newest state park, in the heart of rural Colorado, which would drive tourism dollars to the local and regional economies. I know my colleagues on the JBC have a lot of work ahead of them to analyze today’s budget, and I look forward to supporting them in this important process.” The release of the governor’s budget today begins the process for the JBC to craft the state’s budget. The JBC will begin hearing testimony from state agencies later this month as it works to write the state’s budget. ### Previous Next

< Back August 18, 2020 HOUSE DEMS: PROTECT THE US POSTAL SERVICE DENVER, CO – Colorado House Democrats today released the following statement on efforts by the Trump administration to undermine the US Postal Service: “The critical delays at the US Postal Service (USPS) and the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine mail delivery and deny USPS the funding it needs are dangerous and deeply concerning. These delays are a brazen and direct attack on our democracy. They jeopardize Colorado’s economic recovery and hurt our state’s small businesses, especially in our rural communities. In the middle of a global pandemic, seniors and veterans who rely on the mail for life-saving medications fear their prescriptions won’t arrive. Small businesses struggling to stay afloat worry that one of their crucial lifelines will be yanked away. This is unacceptable. “To protect our democracy and our Colorado Way of Life, Congress and the administration must immediately address reductions in USPS services and ensure timely mail delivery ahead of the November elections.” Colorado mails ballots to all registered voters from October 9-16, ensuring voters receive their ballots at least 18 days before the election. There are over 300 dropboxes across the state, providing Coloradans with multiple options to return their ballots to election officials. During the 2019 legislative session, Colorado Democrats passed legislation that improved Colorado’s premier vote-by-mail system by increasing the number of dropboxes across the state. This has further reduced the need for in-person contact in order to vote in Colorado. Previous Next

< Back May 20, 2021 FED STIM INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING, WORKFORCE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVANCE DENVER, CO — House committees today advanced three bills that would allocate federal stimulus dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act toward affordable housing, workforce development and behavioral health. “The need for affordable housing has skyrocketed in Colorado; across our state, hardworking families are struggling to find a place to live or afford their rent or mortgage,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “That’s why the legislature is going to immediately deploy $100 million in federal funds to help finance the construction of 7,000 affordable housing units across the state. This summer, we’ll work alongside experts, lawmakers, community advocates, and state departments to develop recommendations for how we can most effectively allocate the remaining $450 million in federal funds to make housing more affordable in Colorado.” “Housing is a human right, but it’s way too hard in Colorado for middle and lower-income families to find an affordable place to live,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “Housing costs are rising faster than wages and salaries can keep up as more people move into our great state. We heard these concerns loud and clear during our statewide listening tour, and we are going to advance transformational changes to make housing more affordable for Coloradans.” HB21-1329 , which passed the House Transportation and Local Government Committee by a vote of 6-4, is sponsored by Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Steven Woodrow and channels $550 million in federal stimulus funds toward affordable housing efforts. It immediately invests $100 million of that funding to build 7,000 housing units that will help Coloradans who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic obtain affordable housing. The bill requires a broad and diverse stakeholder process during the interim that will develop and make recommendations to the General Assembly for how to allocate the remaining $450 million. The funds will be used on programs or services that address housing insecurity, a lack of affordable housing or homelessness, including construction of new affordable housing units, housing and rental assistance programs and supportive housing programs. HB21-1330 , which passed the House Public and Behavioral Health Committee by a vote of 8-4, is sponsored by Representative Julie McCluskie and Naquetta Ricks and uses federal funds to provide a $50 million boost to the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative. The funding will increase access to robust pathways for workers to obtain news skills, earn higher wages and be prepared for the in-demand careers of the future. The bill seeks to rebuild and revitalize the state’s workforce by supporting students to complete their postsecondary credentials. The funding boost will be used to reverse the significant decline in enrollment in public higher education institutions, high rates of job loss and continuing unemployment, and the overall disruption to the workforce caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill also provides $1.5 million in grant funding to school districts to increase the number of students who complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) student aid applications before graduating high school. “The pandemic has disrupted the careers of hardworking people across our state,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “This bill will provide direct support to students and workers seeking to complete higher education or skills training programs. It will increase access to critical education programs that help workers obtain new skills and earn higher wages. By boosting our workforce and easing the path for Coloradans to complete their degrees and certificate programs, we will help workers fill good jobs and bounce back stronger from the pandemic.” “I see it every day in my community–hardworking Coloradans struggling to build a better life who don’t have the resources to complete the degree or certificate program that could set them up for a successful career,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “Businesses need skilled workers, and workers and students need affordable pathways to obtain critical skills. That’s exactly what the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative already does. With this $50 million investment in our workforce, we are going to create tremendous opportunities for Coloradans to build successful careers.” Funding allocated under HB21-1330 will provide direct and indirect support to students to incentivize them to complete degree and credential programs, assist in navigating career options and address equity gaps in higher education and the workforce. A portion of the funds will be used for scholarships and financial assistance. Under the bill, higher education institutions will develop student assistance plans that describe how they will spend their allocation to assist students in enrolling, persisting and completing the program. SB21-137 , sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Chis Kennedy, was amended to deploy over $100 million in federal stimulus funds immediately for emergency behavioral health services. The pandemic and its accompanying economic recession has taken a toll on the mental health of Coloradans, with mental health challenges and substance use disorders taking a particularly high toll on people of color and people who live and work in frontier and rural communities. In 2020, fatal drug overdoses increased by 59 percent in Colorado. The bill passed the Public and Behavioral Health Committee by a vote of 10-3. Among its many provisions, the bill provides: recovery-oriented services to individuals with a SUD or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorder, support for training programs for providers in rural and metro areas to develop competencies in mental health and substance abuse and grants to nonprofits to provide vouchers to individuals living in rural and frontier communities in need of behavioral health-care services. The amendments also create a Behavioral and Mental Health Cash Fund and a robust interim process to allocate federal stimulus funds for behavioral health. The Colorado Comeback Roadmap to Building Back Stronger envisions spending over half a billion on behavioral health services. “This session, we’ve passed legislation to require insurance coverage for annual mental health wellness exams, provide three free mental health sessions for Colorado youth, and create a behavioral health administration, and we’re not done yet,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “Colorado will build back stronger if we can connect people with the behavioral health care they need. We are going to use a significant portion of Colorado’s federal relief funds to address urgent needs and bolster our state’s behavioral and mental health capacity.” “The pandemic has had a number of devastating impacts on Coloradans’ mental health, and one distressing pattern we’re seeing is that substance use deaths are rising,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “This bill will help Colorado build back stronger by doing everything possible to reverse the impact the pandemic has had on behavioral health. It creates a process to invest over half a billion dollars to ensure critical resources fund the treatment and care that Coloradans need.” Previous Next

House Majority Leader Monica Duran and Representative Lindsey Daugherty, Chair of the House Health and Insurance Committee, today released the following statements in response to the ruling in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, in which a federal judge in Texas overturned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a safe abortion medication: < Back April 7, 2023 Duran, Daugherty Statements on Decision to Limit Safe Medical Abortion DENVER, CO – House Majority Leader Monica Duran and Representative Lindsey Daugherty, Chair of the House Health and Insurance Committee, today released the following statements in response to the ruling in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA , in which a federal judge in Texas overturned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a safe abortion medication: Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge: “In Colorado, your right to medical abortion is protected because we trust people to make their own medical decisions – without governmental or judicial interference. The decision by one federal judge to overturn the FDA’s scientifically backed approval of mifepristone is mounted in misinformation. This will not stop abortion – it will only limit access to safe medication based abortion. But here, in Colorado, Democrats are committed to defending your right to reproductive health care. When we passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act, we knew the fight wasn’t over to protect access to safe abortion. With the Safe Access to Protected Health Care package, we’re prioritizing patients and providers, stopping the spread of deceptive advertising by anti-abortion centers, and reducing health care gaps in reproductive and gender affirming care. “We will never let GOP politicians weaken, limit or flat-out ban access to reproductive healthcare in Colorado.” Chair of the House Health and Insurance Committee Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada: “This decision by a Trump-appointed judge will gut access to safe, effective abortion across the country and is yet another attack on our fundamental reproductive freedoms. To be clear, this ruling is not founded in science or medical evidence – it is a Republican-led attempt to restrict access to FDA-approved abortion medication. This gross overreach of power imperils the lives of those seeking an abortion and threatens the health, economic security and freedom of millions of Americans. “By restricting access to this medication, GOP-appointed judges and courts are putting their anti-abortion ideations above science. In February, Democrats on the House Health & Insurance Committee defeated three anti-abortion bills that would have banned safe, legal abortion and spread dangerous misinformation about reproductive health care. “While this decision is a setback in achieving reproductive freedom for all, Colorado Democrats will always fight to protect and uphold your fundamental right to reproductive health care, including abortion.” Mifepristone is an FDA-approved medication that has been used safely and effectively for more than 20 years by more than five million people. This decision will have negative, lasting effects for people trying to access reproductive health care. 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. Colorado Democrats on the House Health & Insurance Committee also put a swift end to GOP proposals earlier this year. Extreme bills would have criminalized abortion with no exceptions, forced providers to administer legislative-prescribed medical treatments and spread dangerous misinformation about so-called abortion pill reversal. Given instability on reproductive justice issues, Colorado Democrats in the House and Senate passed a legislative package of bills that would improve protections for patients and providers ( SB23-188 ), prohibit the use of deceptive advertising by anti-abortion centers ( SB23-190 ), and close access gaps related to sexually transmitted infections and abortion care ( SB23-189 ). Previous Next

< Back May 25, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: COMPREHENSIVE FENTANYL BILL SIGNED INTO LAW Bipartisan legislation significantly increases penalties on dealers and invests in proven public health solutions to save lives DENVER, CO – Governor Polis today signed comprehensive, bipartisan legislation sponsored by House Speaker Alec Garnett and Senators Brittany Pettersen and John Cooke to combat the fentanyl crisis and save lives. “This law is a bold response deploying both public safety and public health approaches to combat Colorado’s fentanyl crisis and save countless lives from this deadly drug,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “This comprehensive plan cracks down on dealers peddling this poison in our communities and invests in proven public health strategies to prevent overdoses and deaths. For months, we worked with law enforcement, public health experts, Democrats and Republicans to craft this law, and it’s a major step forward toward saving lives.” “We are in the third wave of the opioid epidemic and in the worst overdose crisis in the history of this country. Fentanyl is the drug of choice for the cartels because it’s potent, cheap and easy to traffic,” said Senator Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood . “We need to go after the dealers who are poisoning our communities and provide training and resources to better equip law enforcement to investigate fentanyl poisonings while increasing access to desperately needed treatment and life-saving harm reduction tools. This law is about saving lives with a comprehensive public health and public safety approach, and will complement the work we’re doing to fix our broken behavioral health system throughout Colorado.” HB22-1326 is a comprehensive approach that includes both proven public health solutions and enhanced criminal penalties targeting dealers to save lives and get fentanyl off Colorado streets. The bill will strengthen criminal penalties on individuals who are distributing fentanyl and bringing it into our state. In line with other models for substance use convictions, the bill will also integrate mandatory substance use disorder (SUD) assessments and treatment into the state’s sentencing to help ensure people get the treatment they need. The bill focuses on compound fentanyl – fentanyl mixed with other drugs or substances – which is by far the most prominent form of fentanyl found in Colorado. It will provide law enforcement with additional tools to go after dealers while providing treatment options to individuals with substance use disorders. Individuals who are dealing fentanyl will face increased felony charges, and if the defendant has distributed any amount of fentanyl and it leads to someone’s death, they can be charged with a level one drug felony and face the drug code’s strongest penalties. The bill also gives law enforcement tools to require treatment for individuals with a substance use disorder. Defendants in possession of any amount of fentanyl compound will be assessed for a substance use disorder and required to complete an education program developed by the Behavioral Health Administration in CDPHE. Individuals assessed as having a substance use disorder will have to complete mandatory treatment. HB22-1326 makes it a felony to possess more than one gram of fentanyl compound/mixture while creating legal guardrails for individuals who genuinely did not know they were in possession of this deadly drug. The new language says that if a defendant can successfully argue that they made “a reasonable mistake of fact,” then they will be sentenced with the lesser charge – a level one drug misdemeanor rather than a felony. The new felony, which is not prison eligible, also includes what is known as a “wobbler” provision that allows individuals who successfully complete treatment to have the felony moved down to a misdemeanor on their record. Additionally, once Colorado’s labs have the ability to test for the percentage of fentanyl within a compound, this bill turns on a no tolerance policy for the possession of pure fentanyl. Finally, the legislation creates a grant fund for law enforcement agencies to pursue investigations of fentanyl poisonings. This crisis also demands a robust public health approach that will address the root causes of fentanyl use and keep people alive. Colorado will save lives by investing in effective public health and substance use prevention and treatment strategies and giving people the tools they need to protect themselves from this extremely potent drug. The legislation directs $29 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to implement recommendations from the Transformational Behavioral Health Task Force on effective harm reduction strategies and increased access to substance use disorder treatment in the criminal justice system. This money will be used to buy and distribute fentanyl testing strips and Naloxone, a life-saving opiate antagonist that helps prevent overdose deaths; boost funding to harm reduction community programs across the state; and expand medication assisted treatment in jails to get people the help they need to get back on track. The bill will also provide additional funding to crisis stabilization and detoxification centers. While public awareness of fentanyl has risen, education campaigns that promote effective overdose prevention tools will save lives. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will develop, implement and maintain an ongoing statewide prevention and education campaign to address fentanyl education needs in the state, including the message that no amount of fentanyl is safe. The bill will also provide grants to develop and implement community-focused education campaigns on the dangers of fentanyl, so the State of Colorado can reach as many people as possible to raise awareness of this critical issue. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Representative Emily Sirota to boost the incomes and working conditions for home care workers and increase access to care. HB25-1328 passed by a vote of 43-22. < Back April 28, 2025 House Approves Bill to Boost Incomes, Address Home Care Workforce Shortage DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Representative Emily Sirota to boost the incomes and working conditions for home care workers and increase access to care. HB25-1328 passed by a vote of 43-22. “This bill uplifts the voices of home care workers, who are more often women and women of color, to ensure they have safe working conditions and earn a livable wage,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “Our legislation would implement recommendations crafted by care workers, employers and direct care consumers to create a home care industry that works for all Coloradans. I’m proud to stand by both home care workers and patients to improve everyday life for our residents.” “We’re supporting the direct care workforce to ensure Coloradans have access to the quality health care that they deserve,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Our state is falling behind when it comes to providing in-home care services for aging Coloradans, which is why we’re addressing the home care workforce shortage. This bill works to respond to the needs of our care workforce to support working families and create a strong, qualified in-home care workforce.” HB25-1328 would implement recommendations from the Direct Care Workforce Stabilization Board, including: Requiring the board to investigate how health care benefits for direct care workers compare to other industries and how to reduce costs, Establishing a free “Know Your Rights” training, including information regarding wages, rules for travel time, how to file a complaint, current state and federal laws and where they can find more information, Investigating violations related to training and labor standards and fining employers who violate direct care workforce regulations, and Creating a website and communication platform that includes various trainings, information on worker’s rights, access to benefits, recruitment opportunities and other information. The Direct Care Workforce Stabilization Board was created by legislation , sponsored by Majority Leader Duran, to make recommendations to improve working conditions for direct care workers and address the workforce crisis. Rep. Sirota sponsored a 2024 law creating a state income tax credit for child care workers and direct care workers to boost incomes and address workforce shortages. Previous Next

< Back May 12, 2021 HOUSE ADVANCES PROPOSAL TO PROTECT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, CURB GUN VIOLENCE, AND SAVE LIVES House passes bill to protect domestic violence survivors by helping to keep firearms out of the hands of their abusers DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Rep. Monica Duran and Matt Gray’s bill to strengthen the enforcement of an existing requirement that certain domestic violence abusers relinquish their firearms. The bill passed on second reading. “As a survivor of domestic violence myself, I know all too well the horror and the trauma that victims face, and I know that inserting a firearm into the situation only makes the threat of violence all the more deadly,’ said Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “The tragic shooting in Colorado Springs this weekend shows the tragic and violent link between mass shootings and domestic gun violence–it’s past time we end both.” “Current law already requires that individuals with domestic violence protection orders relinquish their weapons to law enforcement, but as a former prosecutor I know all too well how often the system fails victims of domestic violence,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. “This bill will save lives by simply strengthening and streamlining the process to enforce existing law. It’s long past time that we treat domestic gun violence with the same solemn urgency we give to other forms of gun violence.” A recent analysis of 749 mass shootings committed over the past six years found that about 60 percent of them were either domestic violence attacks or committed by men with histories of domestic violence. In Colorado, 60 incidents of domestic violence led to 70 deaths in 2019, a 62 percent increase from the prior year, according to the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review board’s annual report. HB21-1255 would strengthen and streamline procedures for the relinquishment of firearms by someone who has a domestic violence-related protection order issued against them. Current law already requires domestic violence offenders who are subject to a protection order stemming from an act of domestic or intimate partner violence to forfeit their firearms and refrain from possessing or purchasing firearms for the duration of the order. This bill simply clarifies the way in which defendants must comply with this requirement, and establishes requirements for courts. Previous Next

House Finance Committee today passed legislation to support and maintain Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK) program. < Back April 17, 2023 Legislation to Support Universal PreK Passes Committee DENVER, CO – House Finance Committee today passed legislation to support and maintain Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK) program. HB23-1290, sponsored by Speaker Julie McCluskie and Representative Emily Sirota, would refer a measure to the ballot to allow the state to direct all the revenue collected under a sales tax on tobacco and other tobacco products, including vapes, to support Colorado’s early childhood learners instead of refunding nearly $24 million to the tobacco industry. “When Colorado voters approved Proposition EE in 2020, they overwhelmingly supported funding nicotine cessation programs, affordable housing, rural K-12 funding, and universal preschool,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Universal preschool saves families money, supports our youngest learners and sets our students up for success. The revenue collected from the tax on nicotine products has come in higher than originally predicted, and our legislation will allow voters to confirm their commitment to see preschool provided to all children in the state. Putting these funds towards young Coloradans’ lifelong success is one of the smartest investments we can make in our state’s future.” “Beginning this fall, funds collected from the voter-approved Proposition EE will begin supporting voluntary, universal preschool and educating our youngest learners,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Our legislation asks voters if the state may keep all revenue collected from the special tax on nicotine and utilize these funds for universal preschool programs. Colorado voters clearly understand the need for free, universal preschool and the benefit that 15 hours of quality UPK programming will have for our youngest learners, and we now ask voters to continue to meet that need.” HB23-1290 passed by a vote of 6 to 5 and helps Colorado rise to the challenge of providing early education to every child in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten. The demand for universal preschool is clear: more than 29,000 families and over 1,800 early care and education providers have already signed up to participate in the first year of Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program. Specifically, this bill would refer a measure to the ballot that asks voters to approve of the state keeping the excess revenue collected on tobacco and other tobacco products, including vapes, to fund universal preschool in Colorado. In 2020 Colorado voters approved Proposition EE, which created new excise taxes on cigarettes, tobacco products and nicotine products to fund Colorado’s priorities - nicotine cessation programs, affordable housing, rural K-12 schools, and Universal Pre-K. The new tax rates will phase in over the next few fiscal years through 2027. When originally approved by voters with overwhelming support, it was estimated this measure would raise $186.5 million in new tax revenue in the first year (FY 2021-22). However, actual revenues from the new tobacco taxes exceeded that predicted amount by $22 million. If passed, voters will see a measure on their 2024 ballots confirming the original intent of the voter-approved Proposition EE and clarifying that the voters want the state to retain the full amount of nicotine sales tax revenue and put it toward universal preschool. Previous Next