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The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation that would fund transportation infrastructure projects to improve road safety and save Coloradans money on car insurance premiums and by preventing accidents. HB25-1303, sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker and Representative Meghan Lukens, passed by a vote of 9-4. < Back April 1, 2025 Bill to Make Roads Safer Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation that would fund transportation infrastructure projects to improve road safety and save Coloradans money on car insurance premiums and by preventing accidents. HB25-1303, sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker and Representative Meghan Lukens, passed by a vote of 9-4. “With pedestrian fatalities going up by 73 percent in the last decade, it’s clear that we need to take strong action to make Colorado roads safer for vulnerable road users,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “Collisions not only threaten the health and safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, but they also drive up car insurance and health care costs. With this bill, we can create safer roads for all road users, saving Coloradans money and reducing costly and deadly accidents on our shared roads.” “As a Western Slope resident and legislator, I know how common it is to experience accidents with wildlife and other road hazards that delay travel and impact local economies,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Wildlife crossings and other collision prevention strategies have been proven to improve road safety, which we’ve seen on the Highway 9 wildlife crossing project near Kremmling that has helped reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by 92 percent. Mountain communities would greatly benefit from transportation infrastructure improvements, and this bill will help save lives, protect wildlife, and reduce lost business revenue due to road closures.” HB 25-1303 would create the Crash Prevention Enterprise to fund transportation infrastructure improvements that improve road safety and prevent collisions between vehicles, vulnerable road users and wildlife. Projects that would qualify for funding under this bill include enhancing sidewalks and bike lanes, implementing traffic circles or other speed-reducing strategies, animal detection systems and other safety projects. To ensure transparency, the enterprise must publish its ten-year plan, maintain a public accountability dashboard to make project progress accessible, and present an annual report to the General Assembly regarding its activities and funding. A Smart Growth America report stated that every dollar invested in active transportation saves $24 in averted medical costs. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, every hour the I-70 mountain corridor is closed, surrounding communities lose up to $2 million in economic activity. Additionally, the estimated annual cost of wildlife-vehicle collisions in Colorado is $313 million and the average cost of hitting a deer is over $23,500. Previous Next

The Colorado Energy Office yesterday announced the recipients of the third round of the Colorado Geothermal Energy Tax Credit Offering (GETCO). Over $7.3 million was awarded to support thermal energy network projects, including $6.8 million for Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs and Vail. < Back October 16, 2025 Reps. Lukens, Paschal Applaud Nearly $7 Million in Grants to Save Coloradans Money on Energy Costs DENVER, CO – The Colorado Energy Office yesterday announced the recipients of the third round of the Colorado Geothermal Energy Tax Credit Offering (GETCO). Over $7.3 million was awarded to support thermal energy network projects, including $6.8 million for Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs and Vail. “This investment in the Western Slope will help us harness renewable energy to protect our environment while saving Coloradans money," said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Colorado is leading the way in these geothermal technology projects, and we’re showing the country that geothermal energy can be used to meet the heating needs of rural communities like Steamboat Springs and Vail. It is exciting to see policy in action in our communities that will save Coloradans money and provide reliable energy.” “Focusing on geothermal energy advances our commitment to clean, affordable energy and drives down our reliance on fuels that harm our environment,” said Rep. Amy Paschal, D-Colorado Springs. “Geothermal technology utilizes the heat beneath our feet to reduce energy costs, which saves businesses and Coloradans money. This $5 million award gives Colorado Springs District 11 Schools the resources to break ground on this innovative project that will reduce energy costs for the district, improve air quality and create renewable energy jobs.” GETCO is funded through a 2023 law passed by Colorado Democrats to save Coloradans money, create good-paying jobs and help the state meet its climate goals. HB23-1272 created a refundable tax credit to help communities advance and adopt geothermal electricity development. The following projects were announced as grant recipients in the third round of GETCO funding: The Town of Vail was awarded over $1.7 million to install a thermal energy network between the Vail Public Library and the Dobson Ice Arena, with the possibility of extending the network to the ski area and nearby facilities in the future, Steamboat Springs was also awarded grant money to conduct a feasibility study on a ground source loop thermal energy network to heat and cool municipal buildings, and Colorado Springs District 11 was awarded $5 million to install a thermal energy network at Palmer High School. Last year, Rep. Paschal passed a bipartisan law to encourage more geothermal energy production, establish a long-term funding mechanism to ensure the safety of carbon storage operations and save consumers and businesses money on energy costs. Previous Next

< Back April 19, 2021 HOUSE CHARTS A COURSE TO IMPROVE FIRST RESPONDER INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DENVER, CO– The House today passed Representative Meg Froelich’s bipartisan bill to establish a commission charged with creating a plan to improve first responder interactions with people with disabilities. The bill passed by a vote of 53-10. “People with disabilities are disproportionately more likely to be the victim of crimes and have unique needs and considerations that must be taken into account by first responders,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood. “This bill sets us down a path toward ensuring that first responders have the training and tools necessary to guarantee better outcomes when they interact with people with disabilities. By passing this bill today, we voted in favor of preventing tragedies and ensuring that those tasked with keeping our communities safe are better prepared to protect all community members.” HB21-1122 , also sponsored by Representative Colin Larson, would establish a twelve-person commission tasked with performing a detailed study of existing training for peace officers on interactions with persons with disabilities and provide a report to the POST Board by February 28, 2022. The bill establishes that the resulting training curriculum be implemented for basic training and the annual in-service training by July 1, 2022. Once the curriculum is implemented, the commission would monitor the training process, assess any challenges and the effectiveness of the training to present and suggest to the POST Board. Previous Next

< Back April 27, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES MULLICA BILL TO KEEP KIDS SAFE Colorado ranks last in kindergarten immunizations (Apr. 27) – The House gave final approval to Rep. Kyle Mullica’s bipartisan bill to address Colorado’s low vaccination rates. Higher vaccination rates decrease the risk of outbreaks of preventable contagious and deadly diseases. “We have an obligation to be proactive – not reactive. This is a public health crisis. Waiting for a tragedy to happen is not an option. This is about the safety of our students and experts have been consulted in crafting this important legislation. Colorado ranks last in the country for kindergarten immunizations. We need to do better.” said Rep. Mullica, D-Northglenn. “I urge the Senate to take up and pass this bill.” Rep. Mullica is a trained trauma nurse by profession. What HB19-1312 does: · Creates a standardized exemption form and requires all exemptions be submitted to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) or the local public health agency. Non-medical exemptions must be submitted in person to the CDPHE or local health agency; subsequent renewals can be submitted in person or online. · Directs CDPHE to include immunization exemption information in its annual presentation to the General Assembly. · Directs CDPHE to develop educational materials for health agencies and schools addressing the medical benefits of immunizations. · Gives the Board of Health authority to determine school-required immunizations, based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This bipartisan bill strengthens Colorado’s vaccination exemption process by incorporating strategies known to increase vaccination rates without removing personal or religious exemptions. During House debate on the bill earlier this week, Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the legislatures only doctor and the daughter of immigrant parents, refuted a statement from a House Republican alluding that the issue with low vaccination rates is not because parents are opting out of vaccinating their children, but rather that diseases are being spread by individuals who have immigrated to the United States. Colorado is seeing an increase in vaccine preventable diseases that are endangering public health. According to a recent report, Coloradans paid $55 million on childhood diseases that vaccinations could have prevented in 2017 alone. Medical experts testified at a House hearing earlier this month in support of this common-sense legislation. Public health and medical experts have raised serious concerns about Colorado’s low vaccination rate . Contagious disease outbreaks are happening around the country, most recently in Washington and New York states. According to the CDC, less than 89 percent of kindergarten-aged children in Colorado have received vaccines for diseases like measles, mumps and rubella. Colorado ranks last in country in this category. That’s below the national average of 94.3 percent and below the level of reaching “herd immunity,” the percentage of the population that needs to be vaccinated to avoid a widespread, public outbreak and protect those with compromised or vulnerable immune systems. Herd immunity is essential in protecting vulnerable people, including newborn babies, seniors and people living with ongoing medical issues. The Senate co-prime sponsors are Sen. Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, and Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. The bill passed the House Health and Insurance committee hearing by a vote of 7-4 on April 15. HB19-1312 was approved on a final vote of 39-20. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

HB23-1167 would expand Good Samaritan immunity to those acting in good faith to save someone from an overdose < Back March 2, 2023 Overdose Prevention Bill Moves Forward HB23-1167 would expand Good Samaritan immunity to those acting in good faith to save someone from an overdose DENVER, CO – The House passed a bill on a preliminary vote today that would help prevent fatal overdoses by restoring the Good Samaritan immunity to those taking action to save someone from a fatal overdose. “We have heard countless stories of people who were too scared to call law enforcement to report an overdose, even when doing so might have saved a life,” said Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “We’re sponsoring this bill to lift the veil of fear and make clear that the only thing Coloradans should be worrying about is how they can save the life of the person overdosing. This bill strikes the right balance by allowing law enforcement to continue to crack down on serious drug dealers while having compassion for people struggling with their own addiction.” “Coloradans are dying from preventable drug overdoses, we need to do everything in our power to ensure people will call emergency services to save lives,” said Rep. Said Sharbini, D-Brighton . “When someone is experiencing an overdose, the number one priority should be getting them the medical attention needed to save their life. This bill is rooted in harm reduction and makes our existing Good Samaritan law work as intended.” HB23-1167 would expand the bipartisan, 2012 Good Samaritan law by restoring immunity for all drug possession charges and expanding immunity to people sharing small amounts of drugs among friends if they call 911, stay on the scene, and fully cooperate with law enforcement to try to save a life. This bill is rooted in harm reduction. Right now, Coloradans are refraining from contacting emergency services when someone is overdosing because they are worried about facing criminal charges if they shared or purchased the controlled substance with the person who is overdosing. In addition, HB23-1167 grants affirmative defense to the prosecution for an individual at the scene responsible for manufacturing or selling the deadly substances. Across Colorado, five people die each day from preventable overdoses. This bill would encourage Coloradans on the scene to do everything in their power to help someone experiencing an overdose without letting serious drug dealers off the hook. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed three bills into law to save seniors and Coloradans with disabilities money by allowing them to deduct all federally taxed social security income on their state taxes, reinstate a refundable tax credit to save older Coloradans money on housing, and expand a refundable tax credit for seniors with disabilities. < Back June 7, 2024 Signed! New Laws Will Save Seniors, Coloradans with Disabilities Money DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed three bills into law to save seniors and Coloradans with disabilities money by allowing them to deduct all federally taxed social security income on their state taxes, reinstate a refundable tax credit to save older Coloradans money on housing , and expand a refundable tax credit for seniors with disabilities. “The rising cost of living has been tough on our seniors with fixed incomes and those planning to retire soon,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB24-1142. “This bipartisan law saves eligible seniors and retired veterans with disabilities money by allowing them to deduct all federally taxed social security income on their state taxes. By increasing the cap of non-taxable social security income, we’re helping ensure eligible seniors receive more of their hard-earned benefits and have more money in their pockets to pay for groceries, rent and other necessities.” “Older Coloradans on fixed incomes and those living with a disability are especially impacted by high costs of living,” Senator Faith Winter, D-Westminster, said, sponsor of HB24-1142. “HB-1142 removes the current cap of social security incomes that qualifying individuals can deduct on their taxes, which will keep money in the pockets of those who need it most.” HB24-1142 , also sponsored by Representative Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, and Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, saves seniors money on their taxes. Under current law, taxpayers ages 55 to 64 may deduct up to $20,000 of pension and annuity income, which includes federally taxable social security income, when calculating their taxable income. For taxpayers 55 to 64 years of age and making $75,000 or less starting in 2025, this law allows all federally taxed social security income to be deductible in Colorado. Taxpayers over the age of 65 may already deduct the full amount of federally taxable social security income, or other forms of pension and annuity income up to $24,000. This bill would lower the age to ensure eligible Coloradans aged 55 to 64 can benefit from the full deduction. The current cap still applies to all other forms of pension and annuity income, and the cap may only be exceeded when social security income specifically is higher than the cap. HB24-1052 reinstates a refundable income tax credit for Coloradans aged 65 or older with incomes under $75,000 (or $125,000 if filing jointly) who have not claimed a homestead property tax exemption for the 2024 property tax year. The income tax credit was initially created by HB22-1205 . “Amidst our statewide housing crisis, seniors on fixed incomes need additional relief to afford their rent and stay in their homes,” said Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, sponsor of HB24-1052. “While we’ve worked hard to extend housing support through property tax relief and a portable homestead property tax exemption, we must do more to help seniors who rent. This refundable tax credit will help even more lower and fixed income seniors remain in the homes and communities they love.” “The senior homestead property tax exemption is a helpful tool for seniors, who largely survive on a fixed income, to afford housing, but senior renters also deserve assistance,” said Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, sponsor of HB24-1052. “Renters are especially vulnerable to rising costs, with nearly 35 percent of Colorado seniors concerned over paying next month’s rent. Our new law works to ensure that all Colorado seniors, regardless of if they rent or own their home, can benefit from tax relief.” “We’ve been working hard to support Colorado seniors, and especially those living on a low fixed income while renting, or who are not eligible for the senior homestead exemption, which is why I am so proud to champion this important legislation,” Senator Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB24-1052 said. “This measure will save older Coloradans millions of dollars on housing, make our state a more affordable place to live, and ensure seniors can remain in the communities they have called home for years to come.” “Housing affordability is a priority for Colorado Democrats, which is why we passed these laws to save our seniors, especially those with disabilities, money,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB24-1052 and HB24-1268. “Housing prices have skyrocketed in the last few years, making it nearly impossible for those with fixed incomes, such as seniors and people with a disability, to keep up which is why we’re reinstating an impactful housing tax credit for our seniors and improving a financial assistance program for those most in need. By converting the PTC to a streamlined, refundable income tax credit we’ll make it easier for eligible taxpayers to get the benefits they deserve so they can continue to afford to call our state home.” HB24-1268 converts the Property Tax, Heat & Rent rebate, known as the PTC, for persons with a disability to a new refundable income tax credit to expand financial support. This law will make it easier to claim the credit and increase utilization by integrating it into the tax filing system. The maximum credit amount is $1,200 for eligible single filers making less than $10,000 ($16,000 if filing jointly). “Benefiting from the tax credits you’re eligible for should be easy, which is why we passed this law to ensure people with disabilities can more easily receive the financial support that is available to them,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB24-1268. “I’m proud to have sponsored this important law that will help people with disabilities better afford expenses like property tax, rent, and utilities.” “Currently, many eligible Coloradans may not know that the Property Tax, Heat & Rent Rebate is available to them,” said Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB24-1268. “HB-1268 will expand the rebate to more Coloradans living with disabilities, with a projected utilization increase of 1000 percent! This is a great win for communities most vulnerable to housing instability.” Previous Next

< Back Rep. Meghan Lukens: Strengthening rural health care Mar 27, 2025 See more This story was originally published in the Vail Daily here . As we move through the 2025 legislative session, I am excited to share updates on the vital health care initiatives I am advancing to support our Western Slope communities. Health care accessibility, affordability, and quality remain top priorities for families across Eagle, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties. This session, I am championing several health care bills that address the unique challenges faced by our rural and mountain communities. Preserving access to rural independent pharmacies For many in our Western Slope communities, the local pharmacy is not just a place to pick up prescriptions — it’s an essential health care resource. That is why I am proud to sponsor HB25-1222 , which helps preserve access to rural independent pharmacies, a bill idea brought to me directly by a constituent in Oak Creek. This bill does a few things. First, it ensures fair reimbursement for rural independent pharmacies and allows the delivery of life-saving drugs by rural independent pharmacies to underserved communities. Next, it makes sure audit recovery practices are fair so rural independent pharmacies don’t close. Finally, it gives pharmacies much needed flexibility to serve their communities through remote operations. These protections will help ensure that our community members can continue to access vital medications and health care services close to home, without having to travel long distances or face unnecessary delays. Supporting our rural health care infrastructure Rural hospitals and health care facilities are lifelines for our communities, providing essential services that save lives and improve health outcomes. However, these facilities often face unique financial and operational challenges that can threaten their sustainability. That’s why I am sponsoring HB25-1085 , which modernizes outdated rules for Colorado county hospitals by allowing government officials to serve as board trustees, making board meetings more flexible, and extending budget deadlines. These common-sense changes were requested directly by a constituent wanting to support Colorado’s rural county hospitals to help them operate more efficiently and effectively. Building on this work, I am also proud to sponsor HB25-1223 , which establishes a task force to study the current capital needs of our rural and frontier hospitals. This legislation will help determine the financial resources required to bring these facilities up to date with existing standards and codes. By identifying these needs, we can make targeted investments to ensure our rural healthcare infrastructure remains strong for generations to come. Additionally, I am sponsoring SB25-078 , which allows nonprofit, small hospitals to enter into collaborative agreements with other hospitals to increase patient health care access. These partnerships will help smaller facilities leverage resources, share expertise, and ultimately provide better care for patients across our rural communities. Protecting our student athletes The health and safety of our young people is a top priority, and that includes during school sporting events. SB25-191 requires high schools — particularly at sporting events — to follow nationally recognized guidelines for all automated external defibrillators in schools. This means there will not be AEDs behind locked doors, and it will be widely known where AEDs are located. With sudden cardiac arrest being the leading cause of death among student athletes, these changes will help schools implement life-saving measures more efficiently. Every minute counts during a cardiac emergency, and having AEDs readily available at sporting events could save a life. Continuing our work together These health care initiatives address specific challenges our communities face while being mindful of our state’s fiscal realities. Each bill responds directly to feedback from health care providers, patients, and community leaders across House District 26, focusing on practical solutions that will make a real difference in people’s lives. As always, I believe we make the best policy when we listen to those closest to the issues. If you have insights about health care in our communities or thoughts on any of these bills, please share them with me. You can reach me at meghan.lukens.house@coleg.gov or attend one of my upcoming town halls. For more frequent updates throughout the legislative session, join my newsletter by sending me an email. Let’s keep in touch and keep making a difference in House District 26. Onward! Meghan Lukens of Steamboat Springs is the representative for Colorado’s House District 26, which encompasses Moffat, Rio Blanco, Eagle, and Routt counties. Previous Next

< Back April 21, 2021 VETERINARIAN REP. MCCORMICK TAKES THE REINS OF HOUSE AG COMMITTEE DENVER, CO — House Speaker Alec Garnett today appointed Representative Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, to chair the House Agriculture, Livestock and Water Committee. Representative Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, will be the Vice Chair for the 2021 legislative session. “My goal is to support the long-term success and strength of Colorado’s critical agriculture industry and essential water resources,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “It’s an honor to lead this committee, and I’m excited to work alongside Rep. Catlin to continue its bipartisan legacy and to help our agriculture industry and our state build back stronger.” “Representatives McCormick and Catlin bring invaluable experience to the House Agriculture, Livestock and Water Committee, and I’m excited to see them take the reins,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “As a veterinarian, Rep. McCormick has decades of experience in animal medicine and has focused her legislative work on issues that are critical to the industry, like soil health, supply chains, and renewable energy projects for agriculture producers and processors to reduce their energy costs.” The House Agriculture, Livestock and Water Committee considers issues and legislation concerning water, agriculture, wildlife, and recreation. It is the committee of reference for and has oversight of the departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Representative McCormick, elected in 2020, is a veterinarian with over 33 years of experience treating animals. She has sponsored legislation to promote soil health and expand access to broadband for school districts in underserved areas. In the coming days, she will sponsor a state stimulus bill to establish a $30 million agricultural loan program to help build back Colorado’s agriculture industry even stronger than before. Representative Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, was appointed as Vice Chair by the Speaker with the support of all members of the committee. “I’ve worked with Representative Catlin for many years on water and agriculture issues,” Speaker Garnett continued. “He’s proven himself to be an honest, bipartisan, and respectful member of the minority party who defends and upholds the dignity and decorum of the chamber. Representative Catlin has repeatedly shown that he respects the institution and embodies the values we need in the legislature. This is what Coloradans want to see– lawmakers coming together to help our state recover faster and build back stronger.” Previous Next

< Back June 6, 2020 SMALL BUSINESSES RECOVERY LOANS ADVANCE Bill would leverage private and state funding to stimulate small businesses loans and support the state’s economic recovery and resiliency DENVER, CO — The House Committee Finance unanimously today passed HB20-1413 , sponsored by Representatives Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, and Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. The bill establishes a recovery loan fund for the first loss capital on loans to small businesses over the next two fiscal years. “Our small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and too many are struggling to get through this crisis,” said Rep. Bird, D-Westminster. “While federal loans have relieved some of the economic devastation caused by the pandemic, they aren’t enough to support the long term success and recovery of our small businesses economy. I’m grateful for all the community financial institutions who have come to the table and worked with us to establish this recovery loan fund, and I’m excited to see it move forward.” “Our top priority is helping our state get through this crisis, and that’s why I’m focused on helping our small businesses and hardworking families recover and rebuild,” said Rep. Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “We’re passing legislation to help Coloradans and small businesses safety get back to work, and I’m thankful for all our private sector partners that are working with us to support our state’s recovery.” HB20-1413 establishes a small business recovery loan fund of up to $250 million. Participating financial institutions will make loans at below market rates to small businesses, with a preference for women, minority and veteran-owned businesses. To help incentivize financial institutions, such as banks, in providing loans, the state fund will cover any losses on the first $50 million in loans. Under HB20-1413, the state will contribute up to $50 million to the Small Business Recovery Loan Fund, and private lenders will contribute up to $200 million over the next two years through five rounds of contributions to the fund. The money will be matched incrementally with the state contributing one dollar for every four dollars contributed by private investors, a cautious approach where the state will raise $10 million and deposit that funding only after the private sector has raised its first round of $40 million in capital. The bill creates an oversight board of members with specific executive experience in financial services appointed by the governor, speaker, Senate president, treasurer, and the director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The board will ensure the contract and loan terms are consistent with the purpose of the loan fund and collect data on its efficacy. The bill includes robust conflict of interest provisions to prevent undue influence on policies developed to administer the fund or on the loan distributions. Previous Next

< Back March 8, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES REP. VALDEZ’S BILL TO ADDRESS ANIMAL CRUELTY (Mar 7) – The House Judiciary committee passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, that seeks to provide more mental health treatment for people convicted of animal cruelty and also bar people convicted of certain kinds of animal cruelty from possession of a pet animal for a period of time while they receive treatment. “The goals of this bill are to remove animals from abusive situations and to identify behaviors that could lead to worse crimes,” said Rep. Valdez. “We should help offenders get the treatment they need so they can re-emerge as productive members of society.” Through HB19-1092, the judge can order the animal cruelty offender to complete a mental health treatment program. “There is absolutely a correlation between crimes against animals and violent crimes such as mass shootings or domestic terrorism,” said Rep. Valdez. A 2014 study of mass school shootings found that 43 percent of shooters had a history of animal abuse. This bill aims to find the underlying causes of the acts of animal cruelty and treat those issues. The bill passed through the committee with unanimous bipartisan vote and now heads to the House floor. ATTACHED: Headshot of Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver Previous Next

< Back May 28, 2021 IT’S ELECTRIC! BILL TO SAVE CONSUMERS ON UTILITY COSTS ADVANCES DENVER, CO– The House Energy and Environment Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Alex Valdez and Meg Foelich that would promote the use of energy efficient electric equipment. “Technological advances are constantly producing more energy efficient equipment that can save consumers money on their electric bills,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D- Denver. “Every dollar saved by investing in efficiency measures, is a dollar that can directly help working Coloradans. By incentivising consumers to adopt energy efficient technologies, like electric water heaters and furnaces, we are going to create good jobs, emit less dirty greenhouse gases into our environment, and improve indoor air quality in homes and businesses across the state.” “Colorado can meet our climate goals, create jobs, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and improve both our indoor and outdoor air quality by embracing energy efficiency equipment,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D- Englewood. “The bill we advanced today would ask utility companies to create plans that encourage their customers voluntarily to adopt more energy efficient technologies that will save everyone money and help protect Colorado’s beautiful environment for everyone to enjoy.” SB21-246 directs the Public Utilities Commission to set longer-term energy savings targets for utility beneficial electrification programs and approve plans from investor-owned utilities that would use incentives to promote the use and installation of energy efficient electric equipment. Transitioning to clean electric homes and businesses will improve public health, save energy, create jobs, and help Colorado meet its climate goals by reducing the use of fossil fuels. Under the bill, utilities will develop plans to help their customers replace costly natural gas and propane fueled appliances with high efficiency electric equipment, and utilities must include programs targeted to lower-income households in their plans. Clean heat from appliances such as electric heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and induction stoves will help Colorado reduce greenhouse gas pollution and has potential to help improve indoor air quality and health and safety in buildings. Improving indoor air quality is especially beneficial to families with children, older Coloradans, or who have household members with respiratory issues. Businesses that sell and install energy efficient technologies will see increased demand and growth through greater adoption of more efficient equipment. The legislation explicitly clarifies that beneficial electrification projects be implemented voluntarily without any coercion or discriminatory treatment to customers that decline any incentives that may be offered to them. Previous Next

The Colorado Promise will save students money and make higher education more affordable < Back May 4, 2024 House Passes Bill to Make College Free for First Two Years DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation to save students money on higher education. HB24-1340, the Colorado Promise Act, would create a refundable income tax credit to cover the cost of two years of higher education for every family making under $90,000. “As one of the first members of my family to go to college, I want to make it possible for every aspiring student to afford higher education and achieve their dreams,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “By creating the Colorado Promise, we will make higher education nearly free for two years for every family making under $90,000 per year. With this bill, more students will be able to complete their degree and afford the cost of college, which for too many middle income families is unaffordable.” HB24-1340 , also sponsored by Representative Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, passed the House by a vote of 46 to 15. This bill would fund two years of in-state college for students in families making less than $90,000, making higher education more attainable for families. Specifically, this bill would create a refundable state income tax credit for a student, or a taxpayer claiming the student as a dependent, that graduates from a Colorado higher education institution in certain careers. The credit is equal to the tuition and fees paid by the eligible student to the institution, minus any scholarships or grants they earned or qualified for. The career pathways would be identified by the annual Colorado Talent Pipeline Report which highlights top jobs with multiple openings, above average growth and good wages. The Colorado 2023 Talent Pipeline Report identified some of our state’s top jobs in the areas of accounting, medical science, computer science, health care, education, engineering, and more. Under this bill, the state credit is available for income tax years 2024 through 2029 and is refundable.To qualify for this tax credit, the student must have completed the program during the income tax year the credit is claimed. Previous Next