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< Back February 1, 2023 Bills to Address Teacher Shortage, Boost Workforce Advance DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed legislation to boost the educator workforce by making it easier for teachers professionally licensed in other states to teach in Colorado. “We’re working to remove barriers educators face when entering the workforce in Colorado,” said Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Our bill would streamline the process for teachers who are licensed in another state to obtain a teaching license in Colorado. As a former teacher, I know how important it is to have qualified, dedicated educators in the classroom, and this bill will help Colorado attract more licensed teachers to support our students.” “Addressing Colorado’s teacher shortage is a top priority this session,” said Representative Mary Young, D-Greeley. “Through this bill, already licensed teachers from other states would have an easier time obtaining a Colorado teaching license. Boosting the teacher workforce begins with reducing barriers to entering the profession, and our bill creates an important pathway for teachers licensed in other states to begin teaching in Colorado.” HB23-1064 passed committee by a vote of 9-2 and would create new pathways for out-of-state teachers to gain professional licensure in Colorado. The bill establishes the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, which would create an agreement between Colorado and ten other states where licensed teachers in member states can obtain a teacher’s license from another member state. This bill is designed to increase the teacher workforce by easing the state-to-state licensure process so professionally licensed teachers can begin teaching in Colorado classrooms faster. HB23-1064 would be particularly helpful for active military and military spouses who often relocated from state-to-state. HB23-1001 also passed the House on a preliminary vote this morning. This bill, sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango and Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, builds upon last year’s work to boost the educator workforce by expanding eligibility for financial assistance and offering loan forgiveness to a larger pool of educators who qualify for these state programs. HB23-1001 is scheduled for a final vote in the House later this week. Previous Next

< Back January 9, 2023 First Five Bills Introduced to Save Coloradans Money, Invest in Education and Meet Climate Goals DENVER, CO – House Speaker Julie McCluskie today introduced the first five House bills of the 2023 legislative session, which highlight key agenda priorities of the House Democrats: building a Colorado everyone can afford, investing in schools and students, meeting our climate goals and protecting our water and air. “From making housing more affordable to reducing the cost of health care and child care, Colorado Democrats have governed responsibly for the people of Colorado – and we’re ready to continue to build upon that great progress,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon . “This session, we’ll pass legislation to protect our water and air, invest in our schools, improve public safety, and make our state more affordable. Our first five bills are just the beginning, and we’re excited to get to work building a Colorado where everyone can thrive.” “The first bills introduced this session highlight our commitment to making Colorado more affordable for everyone,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge . “While we’ve made great progress, Coloradans continue to struggle with the high cost of living in our state. Our legislative priorities this year continue our efforts to prioritize students and teachers, save Coloradans money on everything from housing to health care, fund crime victim services and reduce gun violence. We’re ready to step up and serve the great people of Colorado.” Saving educators money ( HB23-1001 ) Representatives Cathy Kipp, Barbara McLachlan and Senator Rachel Zenzinger This bill builds upon last year’s work to save student educators money by expanding eligibility for financial assistance and offering loan forgiveness to a larger pool of educators who qualify for these state programs. This bill aims to address Colorado’s teacher shortage, retention and workforce challenges to ensure every student can thrive. Saving Coloradans money on health care ( HB23-1002 ) Representative Javier Mabrey and Senator Dylan Roberts This bill creates an epi-pen affordability program that will provide low-cost epi-pens to Colorado residents with a prescription and who are not enrolled in health care coverage. This bill aims to save Coloradans’ money on life-saving prescription medication by making itmore accessible to those without health insurance. This bill requires insurance carriers that provide coverage for epi-pens to cap the out-of-pocket cost to $60 for a 2-pack. Prioritizing youth mental health ( HB23-1003 ) Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Senator Lisa Cutter This bill creates a Mental Health Assessment Program for Colorado students in grades sixth through twelfth. If schools opt-in to this new program, it will help identify student mental health concerns early and provide additional services or referrals for students, including to the successful iMatter program. This bill aims to prioritize student behavioral health in schools and connect students with the help they need. Promoting language access and equity for Colorado consumers ( HB23-1004 ) Representative Elizabeth Velasco and Senator Julie Gonzales This bill protects Colorado consumers by requiring insurance providers that issue auto, home, and renters insurance to offer the policy, policy application and related documents in the same language they use in advertisements for the policy. The bill allows Coloradans’ to select their preferred language for all insurance documents and ensures policy documents are translated by a professional, so Coloradans understand the coverage they’re entitled to in their first language. Improving Colorado’s energy and water efficiency ( HB23-1005 ) Representatives Jenny Willford, Brianna Titone and Senator Jaquez Lewis This bill protects our environment and water resources by improving Colorado’s water and energy efficiency in commercial properties. Specifically, it makes improvements to the successful C-PACE financing program by enabling certain property owners to more effectively invest in water efficiency and resiliency upgrades. Previous Next

< Back April 8, 2021 BILL TO FOSTER EMPLOYEE-OWNED CORPORATIONS PASSES COMMITTEE DENVER, CO– The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today passed HB21-1241 , sponsored by Representatives Daugherty and Lynch, which would improve the state’s program that facilitates business conversions to employee-owned corporations by opening it up to more businesses. The vote was 11-2. “Employee-owned businesses create jobs, boost employees’ wealth, and typically pay higher wages and salaries,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “With this bill, we’re making it easier for businesses that want to convert to employee-owned to do so through taking advantage of Colorado’s Employee Ownership Revolving Loan Program. There’s no reason a business should be forced to close when ownership wants to sell and employees are ready and eager to take it over and keep it going.” The Employee Ownership Revolving Loan Program provides financial assistance to businesses looking to convert to employee-owned. HB21-1241 extends this program and makes critical changes to ensure more business, and thus their employees, can benefit from the program and follow through on their desire to convert to employee-owned. Employee-owned businesses often grow faster, provide greater job stability, and are better positioned to withstand an economic downturn. The over 50,000 employee-owned businesses in Colorado employ nearly 420,000 people and have retained a greater number of workers during the pandemic. HB21-1241 would allow the Office of Economic and International Trade the flexibility to change eligibility criteria for businesses applying for the Employee Ownership Revolving Loan Program to allow more businesses to apply. It would allow businesses to enter into employee-ownership agreements with less than 50 percent of its employees, which is more in line with industry standards. It also allows the funds to go directly toward the purchase of the business by employees, increasing access to capital for employees to start the conversion process. Previous Next

The second regular session of the 74th General Assembly concludes today, with Democratic lawmakers securing breakthrough victories on the issues that matter most to Colorado families: saving people money on housing, increasing education funding to historic levels by eliminating the budget stabilization factor, and addressing the climate crisis and boosting transit options. < Back May 9, 2024 Sine Die! General Assembly Democrats Conclude Breakthrough Session by Delivering Major Wins for Colorado Communities DENVER, CO – The second regular session of the 74th General Assembly concludes today, with Democratic lawmakers securing breakthrough victories on the issues that matter most to Colorado families: saving people money on housing, increasing education funding to historic levels by eliminating the budget stabilization factor, and addressing the climate crisis and boosting transit options. “This legislative session has been nothing short of transformational for our families and communities,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder. “Coloradans demanded that we take bold action to address the issues that matter most to them, and I am pleased to say we delivered. Democrats passed legislation that will boost Colorado’s transit system and protect our clean air and water, make housing more affordable, and finally fully fund our schools for the first time in over a decade. I am proud of all we’ve accomplished together.” “This was a breakthrough session on affordability, housing, transit, water, education, transit and so much more,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I’m so proud of our bipartisan efforts to increase funding for Colorado public schools by over $500 million and modernize the school finance formula for the first time in a generation to better support vulnerable students and rural schools. New laws will save Coloradans money on housing and property taxes, better protect renters and slash childhood poverty by increasing tax credits for hardworking people and families. From protecting our rivers, streams and wetlands to boosting rural economies and Colorado agriculture, we came together the Colorado way to deliver lasting results for every community in our state.” “This year we set out to make Colorado a more affordable place to live, work and raise a family,” Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “Today, I’m proud to say that the legislation we passed this year achieves that goal and then some. From passing transformational tax credits that deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in relief to low and middle income families to implementing new protections for gig workers to boosting our workforce across industries, I’m extremely proud of the work that Democrats put in over the last 120 days to build on our progress and set Colorado on a path to a more prosperous future.” “This session was huge. On issue after issue, lawmakers came together and passed policies that were years in the making,” said House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “From preventing gun violence and protecting workers to boosting the incomes of hardworking people and preventing evictions, we made Colorado safer and more affordable for all. I’m particularly proud of the work of our Black and Latino Caucuses who passed critical legislation to support vulnerable people, improve maternal health and make Colorado a welcoming place for everyone who calls our state home.” This year, lawmakers passed bills to save people money on housing and protect renters, increase access to health care and behavioral health care, invest in our students and our schools, expand Colorado’s workforce and improve access to higher education, protect our clean air and water, reduce gun violence, and cut poverty while boosting incomes for hardworking Colorado families. Previous Next

< Back January 28, 2020 OIL AND GAS AND MINING OPERATORS UNDERREPORTING PRODUCTION, LIKELY NOT PAYING THEIR TAXES Audit reveals unacceptable levels of reporting noncompliance and millions in lost tax revenue and fines to the state and local governments DENVER, CO — The Joint Legislative Audit Committee today heard an audit of severance tax systems within the Departments of Revenue and the Department of Natural Resources, which shows unacceptable reporting noncompliance from oil and gas and mining operators that may have left state and local governments without millions in tax revenue. Severance taxes are meant to “recapture a portion of the wealth that is lost when nonrenewable natural resources are removed from the earth and sold for private profit.” These taxes are used to fund water infrastructure, local government projects, and a variety of conservation efforts. “This audit shows how oil and gas operators have failed to pay millions in tax revenue to the state, local governments, and their communities, all the while running expensive television ads to tout their contributions to the state,” said Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder). “We have one of the lowest severance tax rates in the nation and yet operators aren’t even paying what they owe. This highlights yet another aspect of the oil and gas industry that has gone unchecked for years, and we need a reliable reporting and compliance system so this industry can no longer skirt the system with impunity.” “This report is astounding and reveals years of noncompliance by oil and gas operators, potentially leading to millions of dollars in unreported production,” said Audit Committee vice-chair Rep. Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City). “This money is critical for local governments, and is intended to be used for infrastructure projects in communities impacted by the extraction industry. “I supported this audit because Coloradans and state agencies need to know how much oil and gas is being produced in our state, and it’s now crystal clear that oil and gas operators are failing to pay their taxes and report this information,” said committee member Rep. Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada). “I look forward to working with the Departments of Natural Resources, Revenue, and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to swiftly fix these extremely troubling issues and get the severance tax system in order.” The audit report found that the state is largely unaware of how much oil and gas is produced because operators have failed to report this information as required by law. As a result, the state has likely lost millions of dollars in severance taxes. Of the 420 operators that produced oil and gas in the state from 2016 to 2018, 316 of them submitted incomplete monthy well reports or failed to submit as many as 50,055 required monthly reports. If the maximum $200 per day fine was imposed for failing to report this information, the state would have collected as much as $308 million in fines from oil and gas operators for the violations over two years. Furthermore, only eight of 79 mine operators submitted production reports in 2017, and 73 percent of the operators in the report’s sample failed to submit Oil and Gas Withholding Statements, which are used to enforce severance tax compliance. After applying all applicable deductions and credits, the state’s effective severance tax rate is just .54 percent of gross revenue for oil and gas. This audit, although focused on 2016 through 2018, shows extensive and systemic failures on the part of industry to comply with state reporting and tax remittance requirements. Previous Next

< Back February 22, 2021 RANKED CHOICE VOTING FRAMEWORK BILL ADVANCES DENVER, CO– The House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee today passed legislation that would create a statewide framework for ranked choice voting in municipal elections. Specifically, the bill allows towns and cities to run ranked-choice elections through a county coordinated election, and would ask the Secretary of State’s office to promulgate statewide rules regarding voting systems and auditing practices for towns or cities that opt in. The bill passed committee by a vote of 7-4. “Colorado’s state-of-the-art elections system is a model for the rest of the nation because we’re not afraid to look for new avenues to expand voter access while keeping our elections secure,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “This bill accomplishes that goal by allowing localities to run ranked choice elections through their counties and asks the Secretary of State’s office to establish an audit system to ensure the elections are working as they should. While Republicans introduce bill after bill to suppress the vote and limit electoral participation, my Democratic colleagues and I are working hard to improve our democracy and expand participation.” “As cities, counties, and municipalities across the state move towards ranked choice voting, it is imperative that we set up statewide guidelines and auditing to keep us all on the same page,” said Rep. Jeni James Arndt, D-Fort Fort Collins. “For many local governments, ranked choice voting makes perfect sense: it’s less expensive than a run-off election, increases civility during campaigns and ensures that the candidate with the most support wins the office. This bill improves our democracy the Colorado way, by setting a secure statewide framework and giving local governments the option to opt-in if the system makes sense for their communities.” HB21-1071 allows municipalities located in a single county to use ranked choice voting during coordinated elections starting in 2023, and municipalities located in multiple counties to implement it starting in 2025. The bill calls on the Secretary of State’s (SOS) office to promulgate statewide rules for the implementation and certification of this system, to establish an audit process for it, and to secure a software provider to be available for use by counties. If a municipality that has opted in to the ranked choice voting system is located in more than one county, counties are directed to work together to establish guidelines for the election, including the maximum number of candidates that voters will be allowed to rank on their ballots. Previous Next

Legislation includes $13 million toward affordable workforce housing, water-wise landscaping in HOAs and wildfire mitigation and resilience building codes < Back April 18, 2023 House Committee Passes Bills to Reduce Housing Costs, Combat Drought and Wildfire Destruction Legislation includes $13 million toward affordable workforce housing, water-wise landscaping in HOAs and wildfire mitigation and resilience building codes DENVER, CO – The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed three pieces of legislation to support communities in creating more housing that is affordable, combating drought through water-wise landscaping and building more wildfire-resilient homes. “From the front range to our mountain communities, Colorado’s housing crisis is affecting us all,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, sponsor of SB23-001. “Through this bill, we’re taking tremendous steps to address our housing affordability crisis from all angles. This legislation will make it easier for public-private partnerships to construct new, quality housing and support our state’s growing workforce.” “The housing affordability crisis is hitting my community hard, and we’re investing in innovative projects to create affordable homes for our teachers, nurses, firefighters and others critical to our diverse workforce,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, sponsor of SB23-001. “This legislation helps the state streamline housing construction through public-private partnerships that benefit everyone. Turning unused, state-owned land into affordable housing is win-win for everyone because those who serve our communities can have a place to call home.” SB23-001 , sponsored by Representatives Bird and Lukens, passed committee by a vote of 9 to 4. This bill would provide $13 million in funding for public-private partnership projects managed by the Public-Private Collaboration Unit within the Department of Personnel Administration to help develop affordable workforce housing on state-owned land so that Colorado workers like teachers, nurses, and everyone in between, can find housing that fits their budget. SB23-001 builds on work from previous sessions, including HB21-1274 and SB22-130 , regarding the inventory of underutilized properties and state-owned land. The bill would transfer $5 million from the General Fund and $8 million from the Housing Development Grant Fund to the Unused State-Owned Real Property Fund for these housing projects. “There are many homeowners who are interested in replacing their water-intensive lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping, but it doesn’t align with their HOA regulations,” said Rep. McCormick, D-Longmont, sponsor of SB23-178. “ Water-wise landscaping supports biodiversity, is unique to Colorado’s climate and significantly cuts back on freshwater usage. This legislation allows Coloradans living in HOAs to have water-wise landscaping options for their lawns, which is good for wallets and the planet.” “As Colorado combats historic drought conditions a good place to reduce freshwater usage is on our lawns,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora, sponsor of SB2-178 . “This legislation breaks down barriers for homeowners in HOAs to plant a water-wise yard. Water-wise yards require less maintenance than traditional turf lawns and utilize native plants to contribute to our state’s natural landscape and beauty. Property owners should have the right to change their landscaping so they can be a partner in how we use less water and conserve our most precious resource.” SB23-178 , sponsored by Representatives McCormick and Lindsay, passed committee by a vote of 11-2. This bill would reduce barriers facing Colorado homeowners in homeowners associations (HOAs) who wish to replace their lawns with water-wise landscaping. SB23-178 would promote water-wise landscaping, emphasizing native plants that better sustain Colorado’s local ecosystem while requiring little or no irrigation. The bill requires HOAs to select and pre-approve three water-wise landscape designs for homeowners to choose from. The bill would also prevent an HOA from requiring hardscape on more than 20 percent of a landscape area and prohibiting vegetable gardening in a homeowner’s front yard. About half of the water used in single-family homes in Denver goes toward “outdoor use,” according to Denver Water . Last year, the legislature passed legislation to create the Turf Replacement Program , which provides financial incentives for voluntary replacement of irrigated turf with water-wise landscaping. SB23-178 complements that initiative by helping homeowners who may not need financial incentives but are hindered by HOA regulations. “Wildfire season in Colorado is now year round and we need to be mindful about how we build in the wildland-urban interface to protect Coloradans who live there,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, Chair of the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee and sponsor of SB23-166. “Establishing minimum building standards is key to fortifying our homes and businesses against destructive wildfires. County to county, wildfires do not recognize local boundaries and it is important we create smart and flexible building standards that work to keep each and every community safe.” “On the Western Slope and across Colorado, catastrophic wildfires uproot entire communities and it’s important we act now to create more resilient buildings,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, sponsor of SB23-166. “This legislation establishes wildfire-resilient building codes across local governments to ensure we’re reducing the risk of wildfire displacement and destruction. Our bill is an important step forward in protecting our homes, communities and livelihood against the growing threat of wildfires.” SB23-166 , sponsored by Representatives Froelich and Velasco, passed committee by a vote of 8 to 4. This bill would help communities and Coloradans living in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) better defend homes and property from catastrophic wildfires by establishing a statewide wildfire resiliency code board charged with establishing proven building codes to better protect life and property against increasingly common wildfires. Local governments with jurisdiction in the new WUI area, as determined by the code board, would be required to adopt the model code or a code of their own that meets or exceeds minimum standards. SB23-166 would create the Wildfire Resiliency Code Board made up of 21 voting members representing local governments, utilities, and other relevant disciplines such as fire and building code professionals that would work to define and establish minimum standards that better defend building structures in the WUI from dangerous wildfires.The bill also requires the Division of Fire Prevention and Control to support local governments upon request in conducting inspections and enforcing their local code. Wildfires have grown increasingly destructive in recent years. The Marshall Fire in 2021 burned more than 1,000 homes and over 30 commercial structures, and caused more than $2 billion in damage, while 2020’s East Troublesome Fire destroyed 366 houses, causing $543 million in damage. Previous Next

< Back May 27, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! BILLS TO BOOST FUNDING FOR K-12 EDUCATION AND ADDRESS TEACHER SHORTAGE DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two education bills into law that will increase K-12 public school funding on average by $545 per pupil and address Colorado’s critical teacher shortage. The School Finance Act, HB22-1390 , sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Barbara McLachlan and Senator Rachel Zenzinger, makes historic investments to increase funding levels for Colorado’s public schools to the highest level since the last economic recession. “The 2022 School Finance Act is a record investment in our public schools to improve educational outcomes for students and buy down a massive portion of the Budget Stabilization Factor,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon . “This law increases funding for K-12 schools so our districts can maintain small class sizes, boost teacher pay and make sure classrooms have the resources they need to provide high-quality public education.” “Thanks to the hard work we have done on this year’s School Finance Act, the Budget Stabilization Factor will fall to the lowest level since its inception,” said Senator Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “I’m proud of the responsible way that we have managed this issue, and of the increases we will see to Colorado school districts’ per pupil funding. This year’s School Finance Act makes resources available to teachers and students that they need and deserve.” “I am proud to say Colorado is investing in teachers, students and K-12 public schools,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, Chair of the House Education Committee . “This year’s school finance act will increase per pupil funding to a record high, which school districts can use to reduce classroom sizes or increase teacher pay. We are also knocking down financial barriers to entering the teaching profession by providing loan forgiveness and stipends for teachers statewide. More resources leads to stronger schools, improving learning and better preparing students for the road ahead and I am so proud to stand behind both of these bills as they’re signed into law.” The 2022 School Finance Act increases total funding for public schools by $431 million to a record $8.4 billion total and reduces the Budget Stabilization Factor by over $180 million to the lowest level since it was created. The increases in funding for K-12 public schools will result in an average increase of $545 per student. This funding will be used to reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay and provide individualized support to help students learn. The School Finance Act was amended to incorporate the text of HB22-1002 , which lifts the current cap on the number of students who can participate in the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment program (ASCENT) and makes it available to more students. This program saves Coloradans money as they pursue their higher education degrees. The Governor also signed HB22-1220 , championed by Representatives Cathy Kipp and Barbara McLachlan and Senator Rachel Zenzinger, which will invest more than $52 million in federal funding to attract new educators to the workforce by reducing financial barriers to entry. “This law is designed to address Colorado’s critical teacher shortage,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “We’re saving teachers money through loan forgiveness and student educator stipends so more talented educators can enter the profession with less of a financial burden. Colorado students need teachers to prepare them for educational success, and this law works to get more talented, qualified teachers in classrooms.” “I know from personal experience how nearly impossible it is for student teachers to meet their prep obligations while supporting themselves financially via a second or third job,” said Senator Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “This bill establishes several programs that will help reduce student teachers’ stress and make the pathway toward a career in education far more appealing. It’s way past time to implement this kind of legislation.” Previous Next

< Back January 23, 2020 REP. JACKSON’S FAIRNESS IN EVICTION COURT RECORDS BILL ADVANCES DENVER, CO — Legislation sponsored by Representative Dominique Jackson to protect renters from being discriminated against for vacated evictions today advanced the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation passed the committee 7-1. “Every renter in our state should have a fair shot at housing,” said Rep. Jackson, (D-Aurora). “A vacated eviction or an ongoing, undecided eviction proceeding should never get in the way of a family having a roof over their head. I was pleased to see the Judiciary committee move this initiative forward and stand up for the rights of renters across the state.” Currently, when an eviction is filed against a tenant it produces an official court record, regardless of whether the filing was dismissed for being unfounded or retaliatory in nature. This can result in a scarlet letter on one’s rental history and often prevents Coloradans and their families from accessing housing in the future. HB20-1009 would create an automatic suppression of court records while eviction proceedings are ongoing so that they do not become public until after the final court order is entered. It would also remove these court records from public view if an eviction filing is dismissed. Doing so will ensure that Coloradans and their families can access safe, affordable housing. Previous Next

< Back September 11, 2020 GARNETT: LAWSUIT’S DISMISSAL IS WIN FOR VOTERS DENVER, CO – House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver, today released the following statement after the Denver District Court dismissed a politically motivated lawsuit that sought to block publication of the Ballot Information Booklet (Blue Book) as approved through the statutory process. “It’s not a surprise that the court rejected this stunt almost as soon as it was filed,” said House Majority Leader Alec Garnett . “The Legislative Council and our staff take the responsibility of crafting the Blue Book and helping voters understand the issues before them very seriously. That’s why a bipartisan majority voted together to make it easier for voters to understand Amendment B. Now, in a win for voters, the court has agreed that the frivolous challenge seeking to confuse Coloradans should be dismissed.” Previous Next

Increase would have been much higher without Colorado Democrats special session legislation which preserved coverage for nearly 30,000 Coloradans < Back October 28, 2025 GOP Congress Causes Health Premiums to Double, 75,000 Could Lose Coverage Increase would have been much higher without Colorado Democrats special session legislation which preserved coverage for nearly 30,000 Coloradans DENVER, CO – Representative Kyle Brown and Senator Kyle Mullica, chairs of the House and Senate Health & Human Services committees, today released the following statements after the Division of Insurance announced that 2026 health care premium rates will increase by 101-percent due to Congress’s failure to continue the enhanced premium tax credits. “Congressional Republicans’ refusal to extend the enhanced premium tax credits is doubling health insurance costs for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, Chair of the House Health & Human Services Committee. “Costs are rising for everyone, and 75,000 Coloradans will lose their health care coverage because Gabe Evans, Jeff Hurd, Jeff Crank and Lauren Boebert failed to act. Our legislation during the special session is helping to blunt these rate hikes and prevent tens of thousands of Coloradans from losing their health care, but Congress must act now to extend the tax credits or hardworking families will pay thousands of dollars more for health care next year.” “Congressional Republicans’ failure to extend enhanced premium tax credits means everyday Coloradans will pay the price,” said Sen. Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, Chair of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. “Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans will soon be forced to spend more of their paycheck on essential health care, with thousands expected to lose their coverage altogether. Earlier this year, Colorado lawmakers acted swiftly to shield families from the worst of the unaffordable premium increases, but it is not enough to cover the Division of Insurance’s projected 101 percent rate increase. I renew my call for Congress to act now to prevent these massive price increases and protect coverage for Coloradans.” Statewide health care rates for individuals who purchase their own insurance are expected to increase by 101-percent due to Congressional Republicans’ failure to extend the tax credits. Open enrollment begins this Saturday, and Coloradans who want coverage in 2026 must choose their plan before December 15. If Congressional Republicans don’t act now, a family of four in the Denver metro area with an annual income of around $128,000 will see their health insurance premiums increase by approximately $14,000. If that family lives on the Western Slope, in southwest Colorado, in the San Luis Valley or on the Eastern Plains, their premium bill will increase by $16,000-$21,000. Democrats have repeatedly urged Congress to extend the tax credits, which help make health care more affordable for around 225,000 Coloradans. The expiration of these tax credits on December 31 will lead to fewer people having health insurance and higher health insurance costs for everyone, including small businesses and Coloradans with employer-sponsored health insurance. If Congress extended the enhanced premium tax credits, the average premium increase would be 16-percent, instead of 101-percent, and some Coloradans would see no increase. In August, General Assembly Democrats sent a letter to Colorado’s congressional delegation urging them to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that were intentionally omitted from the GOP’s H.R. 1. Colorado Democrats have significantly lowered health care costs with the state’s reinsurance program, which has saved consumers over $2 billion, and Colorado Option health care plan, which offers the lowest or second lowest cost plan in 90-percent of Colorado counties. A recent study by Brown University found that the Colorado Option reduced monthly premiums by $101, even for non-Colorado Option plans. Earlier this year, the Colorado General Assembly returned to the Capitol to combat some of the harm caused by Trump’s Megabill and Congress’s failure to extend the ePTCs. Colorado Democrats passed a law that will invest in Colorado’s reinsurance program and blunt some of the most severe cost increases from the expiring tax credits. This law reduces the statewide average premium increase from 174-percent to 101-percent, saving Coloradans $220 million on health care next year and preventing 28,000 Coloradans from being kicked off their health coverage. The law also stabilizes Colorado’s reinsurance program, resulting in over 21-percent in premium savings, with reductions up to nearly 40-percent on the Western Slope. Previous Next

SB23-303 will refer a measure to the voters to save taxpayers more than $1 billion on their property taxes < Back May 24, 2023 SIGNED! Landmark Plan to Provide Urgent Property Tax Relief SB23-303 will refer a measure to the voters to save taxpayers more than $1 billion on their property taxes DENVER, CO – Governor Polis today signed landmark legislation that will refer a measure to the voters to provide historic property tax relief for homeowners and businesses while ensuring funding for schools and other local governments is protected. SB23-303 , sponsored by Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, and Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and Reps. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood, and Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, creates a long-term solution to prevent growing home values from raising property taxes, and implements limits that protect homeowners and businesses from steep unexpected increases in their property taxes. "Coloradans are about to get hit with painful property tax spikes, which is why we're taking action now to meet the moment and provide real relief for Colorado families," Fenberg said. "This transformative proposal delivers long-term reductions in property tax rates while providing immediate savings on this year’s property taxes, so we can better support our schools and our communities and build a Colorado everyone can afford to love." “Rising home values are leading to dramatic increases in property taxes that many Coloradans simply can’t afford,” said deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood. “Prop HH will reduce property taxes for all homeowners and increase funding for rental support programs while protecting funding for schools, libraries, child welfare offices, water and fire districts, and the services Coloradans rely on. Seniors will see a larger homestead exemption and be able to downsize or sell their home without facing a higher tax bill.” “The cost of housing in Colorado is incredibly high, and if we don't act, Coloradans will suffer record increases on their property taxes. This would be especially difficult for working families, and would hit folks on fixed incomes incredibly hard," said Hansen. "That's why we’re working to provide immediate property tax relief that will save families across our state millions of dollars and keep people in their homes. This proposal will also give voters an opportunity to protect sustainable funding for our schools and local services like hospitals and firefighters while addressing the urgent property tax situation. I'm proud to champion this legislation that will provide immediate relief and protect the critical services Coloradans depend on to thrive." “This property tax reduction package will lower housing costs, help seniors on fixed incomes, and put more money back into the pockets of middle and lower-income Coloradans,” said Weissman. “Prop HH is a sustainable, long-term solution to protect Coloradans from rising property taxes while ensuring funding for our public schools and local government services. It’s exciting for our state that voters will soon see a measure on the ballot to keep Colorado property taxes predictable while still funding public services that people expect from their communities.” Coloradans will vote on the package in November, and if approved the proposal will create a flat TABOR refund mechanism that will increase refunds for Coloradans making under $100,000 a year while providing major long-term reductions to property tax rates and delivering immediate savings on property taxes this year. Combined with property tax reductions the legislature previously enacted via SB22-238 , this proposal will cut the average homeowner’s tax increase in half, saving $1,264 on average over the next two years. In total, this package would provide between $900 million and $1.6 billion annually in property tax relief for homeowners and businesses in Colorado. Other property tax relief and protections proposed in this plan include: Reducing the residential assessment rate from 7.15 percent to 6.7 percent in 2023 and 2024, and continuing this reduction for primary residences. Incrementally reducing the business property assessment rate from 29 percent to at least 26.9 percent by 2032. Reducing the taxable value of residences by $50,000 in 2023 and 2024, and continuing this reduction for primary residences (not second homes or investment properties) in future years. Capping the growth in district property tax collections excluding school districts at inflation and allowing local governments to override the cap after giving notice to property owners. Protecting funding for public education and backfilling revenue to fire districts, water districts, ambulance, and hospital districts in areas of the state that aren’t growing as fast by dedicating a portion of the state TABOR surplus to backfill. Providing seniors who currently receive the Homestead Exemption a larger reduction of $140,000 and allowing them to continue to receive this reduction if they move. Previous Next