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< Back January 31, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES REP. KENNEDY’S BILL TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY IN HOSPITAL HEALTH CARE COSTS Bipartisan bill will help lower health care costs (Jan. 31) – The House approved Rep. Chris Kennedy’s bill to increase transparency for health care costs in Colorado’s hospitals. “The high cost of health care is impacting consumers and businesses alike. It’s been a real struggle for people to keep up with the rising cost of health care, particularly in rural Colorado where we’re seeing some of the highest premiums in the country,” said Rep. Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “By requiring hospitals to be transparent about their spending, we can increase competition in a way that will reduce costs for all hard-working Coloradans.” According to data collected by the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), hospital costs account for 39% of health care spending nationwide. Physician and clinical services account for 26%, and prescription drugs and other non-durable medical products account for 11%. HB19-1001 will require hospitals to disclose more information about spending on patient care, administration, capital construction, and acquisitions of physician groups; and will require hospitals to show how they’re shifting costs onto the backs of families and businesses. By identifying inefficiencies and wasteful spending, businesses and payers will be able to choose more efficient and lower cost hospitals for their networks. In addition, the data provided to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) will inform the supplemental payments made to hospitals through the Colorado Healthcare Affordability and Sustainability Enterprise (CHASE) to incentivize value, not volume. The bill passed with bipartisan support with a vote of 39-22. HB19-1001 now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

The bipartisan Cell Phone Connectivity Interim Study Committee today advanced three bills, including bills to streamline local permitting, improve the wireless emergency alert system, and create a cell phone infrastructure grant program. < Back October 1, 2024 JOINT RELEASE: Cell Phone Connectivity Interim Committee Advances Three Bills DENVER, CO – The bipartisan Cell Phone Connectivity Interim Study Committee today advanced three bills, including bills to streamline local permitting, improve the wireless emergency alert system, and create a cell phone infrastructure grant program. “Cell phone connectivity is really about safety and security; and this bipartisan committee has been working diligently over the interim to forge legislative solutions to the parts of our state that are experiencing poor cell phone coverage,” said Chair Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, sponsor of Bill 1, 2, 3. “The bills we advanced today will improve emergency alert systems, expand grant opportunities for rural and underserved communities. Staying connected is important, and our legislation brings us closer to a future where every person in our state can rely on their cell phone in an emergency.” “No matter where you live in Colorado, you deserve affordable and reliable cell phone service,” said Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, sponsor of Bills 2 and 3. “I’m proud to sponsor legislation that will help communities, particularly those with limited connectivity, build cell phone infrastructure. Additionally, I’ll be sponsoring legislation to streamline permitting processes for infrastructure projects to make sure we’re able to quickly respond to communities’ cell phone and telecommunication needs and bridge communication gaps.” “Over the course of the interim, we engaged with industry experts to uncover ways we can improve cell phone connectivity in rural and underserved communities in our state,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, sponsor of Bill 3 . “Legislation we advanced today will improve local permitting for cell phone infrastructure projects so Coloradans can get connected sooner. From calling emergency services or loading directions – reliable cell phone coverage improves the health, safety and well-being of our communities.” “Our rural and mountainous communities face unique challenges when it comes to reliable cell phone service,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, sponsor of Bills 1 and 3. “Whether you need to call for emergency support or just stay in touch with family and work, cell service is a vital tool that keeps us connected to our communities. Coverage decisions are largely left to the market, which can underserve areas like my district; this legislation will ensure the state government is a strong partner in coordinating and supporting affordable, complete cell service in Colorado. These bills will also improve the wireless emergency alert systems that Coloradans rely on and expedite permitting of cell phone infrastructure projects.” Bill 1 sponsored by Sen. Roberts, Rep. Lukens and Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, would designate the Colorado Broadband Office as a central policy coordination entity for cell service in the state. It would also streamline and improve wireless emergency alert systems. Specifically, the bill would require the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to develop a single point of contact to improve statewide coverage. Bill 1 would also help integrate public alert and warning systems for emergency alerts, provide technical assistance to local jurisdictions and offer recommendations to improve wireless alert systems. Bill 2 , sponsored by Rep. Soper, Rep. Lukens, and Sen. Hinrichsen, would create a grant program to help communities build more cell phone infrastructure. Bill 2 would establish a wireless telephone infrastructure grant program similar to the broadband deployment grant program. Grants would be awarded to communities and neighborhoods with limited cell phone connectivity. Bill 3 , sponsored by Rep. Lukens, Assistant Majority Leader Bacon, Sen. Roberts and Sen. Hinrichsen, would improve local permitting for cell phone and telecommunications infrastructure. The bill would require applications for cell phone infrastructure projects submitted to a local government to be approved within specified timetables if necessary conditions are met. The goal of Bill 3 is to provide efficiency and consistency for wireless carriers seeking to expand cell phone connectivity and bridge connection gaps for Coloradans living across the state, especially in rural and underserved communities. The bills will now go to the Legislative Council for approval before being introduced next session. Once introduced in the 2025 session, interim bills will follow the standard legislative process. Previous Next

The House today passed two bipartisan bills and a resolution sponsored by Representative Mike Weissman, Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Minority Leader Mike Lynch to improve judicial discipline and transparency in Colorado. < Back April 6, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: Bipartisan Legislation to Overhaul Judicial Discipline and Improve Transparency Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed two bipartisan bills and a resolution sponsored by Representative Mike Weissman, Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Minority Leader Mike Lynch to improve judicial discipline and transparency in Colorado. The legislative package, which includes a resolution to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot, is the result of recommendations by the Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline. “The passage of this legislation and constitutional amendment are the direct result of the constructive, deliberative work conducted by the Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline to increase transparency and restore trust in Colorado’s court system,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, D-Aurora. “Our bipartisan measures work in tandem to modernize our state’s judicial discipline system, simplify the process for filing judicial complaints and prioritize those seeking justice. Independent oversight of the judicial branch strengthens our courts and gives Coloradans a direct avenue for reporting misconduct.” “I am glad to see that our hard work and bipartisan collaboration have come together for the people of Colorado on these bills. They aim to bring important reforms to Colorado's judicial system through a rare but necessary modification to the state constitution,” said Minority Leader Mike Lynch, R-Wellington . “This is a result of carefully thought-out remedies to address issues apparent in our judiciary system. Our legislation will provide much needed transparency and hopefully restore confidence where needed.” “Transparency and trust go hand-in-hand, and this modernization of Colorado’s judicial discipline process will increase clarity for all involved,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, D-Denver. “This bipartisan legislation creates a safe, clear path outside of the judicial department for employees to report misconduct anonymously. The creation of an ombudsman office addresses staff issues in the department. While not all issues stem from judges, this bill expands state’s judicial discipline reporting system, which will help rebuild public trust in our courts.” In 2022, the Colorado Legislature passed SB22-201 , which created the Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline to review and modernize judicial oversight in Colorado. Today, the House passed three measures to overhaul the state’s judicial discipline process, which to date has been largely conducted out of the public eye, with less information available to the public about discipline proceedings than is available in other states, and without mechanisms to provide timely updates to complainants themselves. HCR23-1001 , sponsored by Rep. Mike Weissman and Minority Leader Mike Lynch, passed the House unanimously. If passed by voters in the November 2024 general election, this constitutional amendment would restore balance to Colorado’s judicial system by limiting the Supreme Court’s current power over discipline proceedings. Under this bipartisan constitutional amendment, complaints against judges would be addressed by the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline and a newly created Independent Judicial Discipline Adjudicative Board. The commission would handle initial proceedings and later, formal proceedings would be handled by the board, which will be comprised evenly of a judge, attorney, and civilian members. HB23-1019 , sponsored by Rep. Mike Weissman and Minority Leader Mike Lynch, passed the House unanimously. In an effort to increase judicial discipline transparency, this bill would require the Commission on Judicial Discipline to report and publicize aggregated information on the complaints it receives and investigations it conducts regarding judges and the type of discipline imposed or recommended. HB23-1019 allows Coloradans to submit a request for evaluation to the commission online and requires the commission to provide updates to complainants about the status of investigations into their complaints. HB23-1205 , sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Minority Leader Mike Lynch passed the House by vote of 53 to 10. This bill would create an external, independent Office of the Judicial Discipline Ombudsman so judicial department employees can seek guidance about workplace issues and possible situations of judicial or staff misconduct. Under this bill, the ombudsman office would create and maintain an anonymous reporting system for employees, investigate claims, and report grievance trends to the Commission on Judicial Discipline, the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, law enforcement, and the judicial department. This legislation aims to create a safe, clear path outside of the judicial department for judicial employees to report misconduct, without fear of retaliation or their claims not being taken seriously. Previous Next

< Back May 17, 2019 COLORADO BILL TO PROTECT NET NEUTRALITY TO BE SIGNED TODAY Hansen-Herod bill protects taxpayer dollars (May 17) – Gov. Jared Polis will sign a bill today to protect net neutrality and safeguard taxpayer dollars in Colorado. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Chris Hansen and Rep. Leslie Herod. “This new law will protect taxpayer dollars from being used to support throttled or blocked internet service. It will serve as an important tool to ensure the internet remains open for small businesses, innovators and consumers,” said Rep. Hansen, D-Denver. “With Republicans in Congress rolling back net neutrality protections, it’s on states like Colorado stand up and fight back.” “The internet is an indispensable part of our lives and it’s time that we step up to protect it,” Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, said when the bill passed the House in April. “I thank my colleagues for their support and we will continue working to ensure the internet remains open and accessible for all.” The Senate sponsors are Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail and Rep. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village. SB19-078 would ensure that: companies that receive assistance to expand rural broadband provide net-neutral service; state contracting gives preference to internet service providers that deliver net neutrality; and consumers know how to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission to allege that an Internet Service Provider (ISP) has interfered with the open internet. Not a single House or Senate Republican voted to safeguard taxpayer dollars and protect net neutrality. The Trump administration recently rolled back Obama-era rules ensuring a free and open internet. Washington, Montana and Oregon have passed legislation or taken other steps to protect net neutrality. ### Previous Next

< Back March 12, 2021 HOUSE ADVANCES SCHOOL FUNDING FIX Bill would help ensure fair and sufficient public school funding in every Colorado community DENVER, CO — The House today passed HB21-1164 on second reading. The bill, sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar and Speaker Garnett, would correct an error in Colorado’s property tax system to help ensure fair, equitable and sufficient public school funding across the state. “Today, we took an important step forward to fix our broken education funding system and ensure that every student in Colorado has access to the public education they need to thrive,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This bill corrects an error in our school funding system that has led to widespread inequities in how we finance public education, with some wealthy districts getting substantially more state funding than schools in less affluent parts of our state. By returning school revenues to voter-approved levels, we can start the long overdue process of providing every district in Colorado fair and sufficient funding for their students.” “It’s no secret that our K-12 funding system has deep inequities between our wealthiest school districts and those districts that need the most support,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Building back stronger means solving deep-seated inequities that have plagued our state since long before the pandemic began. This bill begins to bring fairness and equity to our school finance system and respects the will of voters who have clearly signaled their desire to invest in public education. This is the right thing to do for Colorado students, parents, and our state as a whole.” HB21-1164 forms the basis of a constitutional question to be sent to the Colorado Supreme Court as an interrogatory. The purpose is to align Colorado’s property tax system with original voter intent in local school districts’ “de-Brucing” elections. Between 1994-2002, taxpayers across the state voted to get out from under TABOR imposed caps on school district revenue. Despite the will of the voters to support their local schools, the Colorado Department of Education incorrectly interpreted TABOR and artificially required school districts to collect less revenue. In fact, in 2009, the Colorado Supreme Court held that these mandated reductions were erroneous in its ruling in Mesa Board of County Commissioners v. State . The result has been escalating inequities in school funding across the state, and precious state dollars used to backfill wealthy districts while the system overall is severely underfunded. The 2020 School Finance Act (SFA) took the first step to correct this error. The 2020 SFA aligned statute with the Mesa ruling, treating past tax rate reductions as a mistake if they were enacted to comply with the TABOR limit after local voters had waived that limit. This action reset all district total program mill levies to the rate in place at the time of the successful de-Brucing election, while enacting mill levy “credits” at 100 percent of the difference between the old levy and the corrected levy in order to negate potential impacts to taxpayers during the COVID pandemic. HB21-1164 directs CDE to implement a correction plan for the erroneous reductions in total program mill levies by beginning to incrementally phase out mill levy credits starting in FY 2021-22. This timeline was chosen intentionally to ensure no district has to phase out credits faster than 1 mill per year. DENVER, CO — The House today passed HB21-1164 on second reading. The bill, sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar and Speaker Garnett, would correct an error in Colorado’s property tax system to help ensure fair, equitable and sufficient public school funding across the state. “Today, we took an important step forward to fix our broken education funding system and ensure that every student in Colorado has access to the public education they need to thrive,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This bill corrects an error in our school funding system that has led to widespread inequities in how we finance public education, with some wealthy districts getting substantially more state funding than schools in less affluent parts of our state. By returning school revenues to voter-approved levels, we can start the long overdue process of providing every district in Colorado fair and sufficient funding for their students.” “It’s no secret that our K-12 funding system has deep inequities between our wealthiest school districts and those districts that need the most support,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Building back stronger means solving deep-seated inequities that have plagued our state since long before the pandemic began. This bill begins to bring fairness and equity to our school finance system and respects the will of voters who have clearly signaled their desire to invest in public education. This is the right thing to do for Colorado students, parents, and our state as a whole.” HB21-1164 forms the basis of a constitutional question to be sent to the Colorado Supreme Court as an interrogatory. The purpose is to align Colorado’s property tax system with original voter intent in local school districts’ “de-Brucing” elections. Between 1994-2002, taxpayers across the state voted to get out from under TABOR imposed caps on school district revenue. Despite the will of the voters to support their local schools, the Colorado Department of Education incorrectly interpreted TABOR and artificially required school districts to collect less revenue. In fact, in 2009, the Colorado Supreme Court held that these mandated reductions were erroneous in its ruling in Mesa Board of County Commissioners v. State . The result has been escalating inequities in school funding across the state, and precious state dollars used to backfill wealthy districts while the system overall is severely underfunded. The 2020 School Finance Act (SFA) took the first step to correct this error. The 2020 SFA aligned statute with the Mesa ruling, treating past tax rate reductions as a mistake if they were enacted to comply with the TABOR limit after local voters had waived that limit. This action reset all district total program mill levies to the rate in place at the time of the successful de-Brucing election, while enacting mill levy “credits” at 100 percent of the difference between the old levy and the corrected levy in order to negate potential impacts to taxpayers during the COVID pandemic. HB21-1164 directs CDE to implement a correction plan for the erroneous reductions in total program mill levies by beginning to incrementally phase out mill levy credits starting in FY 2021-22. This timeline was chosen intentionally to ensure no district has to phase out credits faster than 1 mill per year. Previous Next

< Back April 29, 2021 BILLS TO PROTECT BORROWERS, USE STATE PROPERTY FOR HOUSING, RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVANCE DENVER, CO– The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today passed bills that would create consumer protections for mortgage borrowers and require the state to create an inventory of its unused property to determine if any buildings owned by the state could be transformed into affordable housing, renewable energy projects, or child care facilities. HB21-1282 , sponsored by Representative Mike Weissman, would regulate mortgage servicers, including requirements around notification, record keeping, examinations, inspections and enforcement, and a violation would be considered an unfair or deceptive trade practices. An assistant attorney general would be empowered to regulate the industry and receive complaints that could be acted upon. “After the financial collapse of 2008, we put in place rules to ensure that banks and other financial institutions play by the rules and can’t take advantage of consumers who use their products and services,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “But the financial sector has continued to evolve since then and Colorado is lagging behind many other states in oversight of non-bank mortgage servicers even as those entities handle an ever-larger share of the market. This bill ensures that non-bank mortgage services play by the rules and provides the Attorney General with the tools needed to investigate and stop abusive practices that threaten to harm Colorado homeowners.” HB21-1274 would require the state to create an inventory of all unused state-owned real property and determine if any of them could be used for affordable housing, renewable energy projects, or child care facilities. The department that owns the property would be authorized to solicit proposals from and enter into contracts with private partners to capitalize on the potential use of the property “All across Colorado, our state government owns unused properties that could be developed and turned into affordable housing, renewable energy facilities, or child care facilities – three types of projects that nearly every Coloradan wants to see more of,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “We need to put this land to use so that local communities can meet their housing and energy needs while also providing critical capacity for child care for working families.” Previous Next

The House Judiciary Committee today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon. HB25-1116 would require the Department of Corrections to search for and notify relevant parties of an outstanding warrant in certain cases when a person is in custody. < Back February 11, 2025 Bacon’s Bipartisan Bill to Identify Outstanding Warrants, Reduce Recidivism Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Judiciary Committee today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon. HB25-1116 would require the Department of Corrections to search for and notify relevant parties of an outstanding warrant in certain cases when a person is in custody. “When we don’t search for outstanding warrants while someone is already in the justice system, it wastes taxpayer time and money,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “Waiting to handle warrants, which are typically for low-level offenses, until they are released is inefficient. It's unfair for Coloradans and their families who find out that they have to go back to jail after they were already released and re-entering their communities. By streamlining the warrant process, we can help identify existing warrants or cases so Coloradans can address them or serve time while already incarcerated and reduce recidivism to keep our communities safer.” HB25-1116 , also sponsored by Rep. Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, unanimously passed by a vote of 11-0. The bill would require the Department of Corrections (DOC) to search for and notify relevant parties of any outstanding warrants for a person in custody in the following cases: Upon initial admission to the DOC, Upon initial comprehensive evaluation of the Time Computation Unit, Six months after admission, Between three and six months before a community corrections eligibility date, and Upon request of the Public Defender liaison. If an outstanding warrant or pending case is discovered, the DOC is required to notify the offender, a public defender liaison, and the court that issued the warrant. Previous Next

< Back February 26, 2019 MCCLUSKIE’S BIPARTISAN BILL TO CREATE SPECIAL DISTRICTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES GETS HOUSE APPROVAL Bill will invest in Colorado’s young students (Feb. 26) – The House gave preliminary approval to bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillion, to create special districts for the purpose of delivering early childhood development services. “This bill is about investing in our future and responding to the needs of our communities. Colorado is a local control state, and these local communities across the state are interested in working together to offer high-quality, early childhood development services,” said Rep. McCluskie. HB19-1052 provides community leaders the ability to work together to create efficient and effective programs tailored for communities. These early childhood services include early care and education, health and mental health care, and developmental support programs for children from birth to age eight. This bill passed on final reading with a bipartisan vote of 50-13. Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction is the co-sponsor of the bill. Previous Next

< Back January 10, 2022 SPEAKER GARNETT MAKES COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS DENVER, CO — House Speaker Alec Garnett today made additional committee appointments for the Second Session of the 73rd General Assembly. The appointments were necessitated in part by the resignation of Representative Dominique Jackson who was appointed Administrator of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Region 8. “I’m excited to make these committee appointments and begin our work moving Colorado forward,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “This session, we’re going to redouble our efforts on saving people money and delivering transformational changes that position Colorado for the future and build a stronger, safer and healthier Colorado for all. Many Coloradans are feeling the acute pressures of the pandemic, so we’ll continue our efforts to help Coloradans keep more of their hard-earned money in their wallets.” Majority Committee Assignments for the Second Session of the 73rd General Assembly Agriculture, Livestock and Water Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, Chair Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, Vice Chair Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada Rep. Donald Valdez, D-La Jara Vacant–to be filled by the Representative from HD42 Appropriations Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, Chair Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, Vice Chair Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora Rep. Cathy Kipp, D- Fort Collins Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont Business Affairs and Labor Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, Chair Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, Vice Chair Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Northglenn Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs Education Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, Chair Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley, Vice Chair Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton Rep. Tony Exum, D-Colorado Springs Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City Energy and Environment Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, Chair Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder, Vice Chair Rep. Tracey Bernett, D-Louisville Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora Finance Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, Chair Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs, Vice Char Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Commerce City Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood Health and Insurance Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver, Chair Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton, Vice Chair Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont Rep. Kyle Mullica, D-Northglenn Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada Judiciary Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, Chair Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood, Vice Chair Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Commerce City Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, Chair Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, Vice Chair Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood, Chair Rep, Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, Vice Chair Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver Rep. Tracey Bernett, D-Louisville Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver Transportation and Local Government Rep. Tony Exum Sr., D-Colorado Springs, Chair Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield, Vice Chair Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial Rep. Donald Valdez, D-La Jara Vacant–to be filled by the Representative from HD42 Previous Next

The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Regina English and Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon that would create the right to visitation for Coloradans who are incarcerated. HB25-1013 passed by a vote of 7-4. < Back February 5, 2025 Right to Visitation, Family Connection Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Regina English and Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon that would create the right to visitation for Coloradans who are incarcerated . HB25-1013 passed by a vote of 7-4. “ Family support and connection can have a powerful impact on the success of incarcerated Coloradans, with studies showing it can reduce recidivism by 26 percent so we can help them build a thriving future and keep our communities safer ,” said Rep. Regina English, D-Colorado Springs. “Support from one's closest friends and family can help them cope with the stress of incarceration and foster optimism about life outside of prison. We’re bringing this bill to build stronger, more resilient communities and ensure that Coloradans, no matter if they are incarcerated or not, can stay connected with their support system.” “Currently, withholding family connection is being used as a form of punishment for incarcerated Coloradans who choose not to work or as a tool to control their behavior, which not only exacerbates the mental health crisis in Colorado prisons but also violates the abolishment of slavery,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “Visitation is an important aspect of rehabilitation, and phone calls and visits from family and loved ones can help incarcerated people survive their sentence. Our bill makes it clear that incarceration does not strip Coloradans of their right to maintain connections with their families and loved ones.” HB25-1013 would create the right to visitation for incarcerated Coloradans to ensure they can stay connected with their family, friends, and loved ones and be set up for success after they serve time and re-enter the community. Visitation includes social visits including in-person visits, family time visits, phone calls, and video calls. The bill extends this right to any incarcerated person who has been restricted privileges, especially for those who have been placed in restrictive housing like solitary confinement or those who choose not to work. Under the bill, an incarcerated person could file a grievance with the Department of Corrections if they are not allowed visitations, and those grievances would be shared with the Colorado legislature. A study found that visitation in prison results in a 26 percent decrease in post-release criminal activity as well as a 28 percent reduction in new convictions overall. Previous Next

Legislation puts ‘people over parking’ to lower the cost of building new homes, increase Colorado’s housing supply, and reduce harmful air pollution < Back March 5, 2024 Committee Passes Bill to Reduce the Cost of Housing Legislation puts ‘people over parking’ to lower the cost of building new homes, increase Colorado’s housing supply, and reduce harmful air pollution DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation to make housing in Colorado more affordable and reduce traffic congestion by eliminating parking mandates that drive up the cost of building new housing, especially multifamily developments. HB24-1304 passed by a vote of 8-3. "Minimum parking requirements increase housing costs, travel distances, and greenhouse gas emissions," said Rep. Stephanie Vigil, D-Colorado Springs. “These requirements have had the unintended consequence of producing vast surpluses of asphalt and limited housing and transportation choices. Forcing builders to construct a minimum number of parking spaces makes many beneficial infill projects unfeasible and contributes to low-density sprawl. This legislation will also put the state to work developing data sets and tools, which will enable developments to right-size parking supply and manage demand in a market-responsive way." “Mandatory parking minimums drive up the cost of housing and reduce the number of units we can build, exacerbating our affordability crisis,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “Artificial parking minimums render denser development economically infeasible, contributing to single-family sprawl. Coloradans are relying on us to tackle the housing crisis, and this bill is one of many approaches that Colorado Democrats are taking this session to lower costs.” Beginning January 1, 2025, HB24-1304 would prohibit counties or municipalities from establishing or enforcing minimum parking requirements within a metropolitan planning organization (MPO). The bill would also direct the Colorado Department of Transportation to conduct a study and compile a report on parking space utilization, needs and best practices within MPOs to better inform parking needs for future development. Parking minimums increase home prices and rents by requiring developers to use valuable space for cars that may not be fully utilized and could instead be dedicated to more housing units. With new structured parking spaces costing $25,000 each in the Denver Metro Area in 2020, developers are disincentivized from building new residential projects or must reduce the number of units that are developed. Since the city of Minneapolis eliminated residential parking minimums in 2021, rents have only increased 1 percent , while Denver saw an average increase of nearly 5 percent in just the last two years. Research attributes the significant expansion of the housing supply in Minneapolis to the elimination of parking minimums. The oversupply of parking is also directly linked to higher vehicle miles traveled. The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in Colorado, with cars contributing nearly 60 percent of the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified Denver and the Northern Front Range as having unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone, which can lead to negative health impacts like asthma and bronchitis, especially for vulnerable Coloradans. Additionally, replacing wildlife habitats to build massive surface lots for parking harms the environment by increasing soil and water pollution, flooding, and the heat island effect. The bill does not impact parking spaces required for people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation into law to strengthen protections for victims of gender-based violence. HB25-1168 improves housing security, expands access to justice, and keeps Coloradans safe. < Back May 22, 2025 New Law Will Strengthen Victim Protections and Housing Security DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation into law to strengthen protections for victims of gender-based violence. HB25-1168 improves housing security, expands access to justice, and keeps Coloradans safe. “Housing instability is one of the biggest threats to people who experience gender-based violence, with 11 percent of people experiencing homelessness in the Denver Metro Area fleeing domestic violence,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora. “Many victims can’t safely leave their abuser, which is why our new law strengthens Colorado’s victim protection laws and establishes new mechanisms to improve a victim’s access to justice and safe housing. Gender-based violence is traumatic, and no one deserves to face long-lasting financial consequences or homelessness as a result.” "Too often, survivors of domestic violence are forced to choose between their safety and their housing," said Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. "No one should be stuck in a dangerous situation because they can’t afford to break a lease or are left with damages they didn’t cause. This law gives survivors the legal protections they need to reclaim their safety and move forward with dignity." “The Violence Against Women Act is near and dear to my heart, and I’m proud to sponsor this law to better align Colorado law with these protections to keep victims safe,” said Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, D-Denver. “As a judge, I know how important it is to have strong protections in statute, and this law is a meaningful change that better allows victims to end their leases early while providing a payment plan to protect landlords and keep victims housed. This law is a huge win for survivors of gender-based violence to ensure they have the tools they need to build a strong, safe future away from their abuser.” "Too often, survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and stalking face a lose/lose situation when it comes to their housing," said Sen. Mike Weissman. "It can be expensive to try to stay in one's home or expensive to relocate, on top of the immense personal cost of victimization. Whatever difficult choice they make, this important new law will help survivors by offering payment plans for back rent or limiting the costs of relocating such as losing a security deposit. Either way, survivors have a better path to safety, stability, and a chance at a fresh start." Currently, a tenant cannot be found guilty of unlawfully residing in a property if the tenant is experiencing domestic violence or domestic abuse and they provide a police report or civil or emergency protection order proving they were a victim. HB25-1168 expands these victim protections to include victims of unlawful sexual behavior and stalking and allows self-attestation or a letter signed by a qualified third party to be used as proof, reducing hurdles to accessing critical protections. Additional victim protection expansions include: Allowing victims who terminate a lease to not be held liable for property damage caused by their abuser during incidents of unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, domestic violence, or domestic abuse, Ensuring victims can change locks to their rental property on their own as long as they provide a copy of the key to the landlord as soon as reasonably possible, if the victim provides documentation to prove they are a victim-survivor, Prohibiting a landlord from assigning debt allegedly owed by a tenant who is a victim-survivor to a third-party debt collector unless the landlord provides at least a 90-day notice to the tenant and complies with the requirement to provide the tenant with documentation of the economic damages, and Requiring tenants to pay no more than one month’s rent after they vacate the residence and terminate the lease if, within 30 days, the landlord provides proof of economic damages as a result of the early lease termination. To strengthen eviction protections, this law also requires landlords to offer a repayment plan to victim-survivors for late or unpaid rent before a court may issue an eviction order. The repayment plan cannot exceed nine months from the date the plan was established. A 2023 report from the Colorado Coalition of the Homeless found that 1,265 Coloradans experiencing homelessness also reported being a victim of domestic violence. Previous Next