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< Back May 2, 2019 NO MORE SURPRISES: BIPARTISAN BILL TO END OUT-OF-NETWORK BILLING GOES TO GOVERNOR’S DESK (May 2) – A bipartisan bill to address the out-of-control practice of sending consumers out-of-network bills, sponsored by Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, and Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, is heading to the Governor’s desk. “As a legislator, my job is to find a way to ensure Coloradans aren’t dealing with these surprise medical bills through no fault of their own,” s aid Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo. “We are responding to the concerns of families, individuals and seniors who have been hit by these surprise–and often expensive–bills. We think this is a strong bipartisan solution to this problem.” HB19-1174 prohibits out-of-network billing by providers when the patient unknowingly received the care from an out-of-network provider or facility. It also requires providers to inform consumers of their rights regarding bills sent to them by out-of-network providers. The bill does not prohibit patients from incurring out-of-network costs when they intentionally go out-of-network for their care but puts safeguards in place to prevent unexpected medical bills in these situations. Out-of-network bills can be more than 30 times the average in-network rate. Fifty-seven percent of patients who encountered out-of-network bills paid the bills in full because they didn’t know of their right to fight these bills. This legislation is meant to help control costs in out-of-network billing situations by setting a reasonable rate of payment for these providers and facilities. The House re-approved the bipartisan bill on a vote of 54-9. The bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 31-4. The bill also has bipartisan sponsorship in the Senate with Sen. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, and Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, serving as Senate sponsors Previous Next

< Back April 18, 2022 HOUSE PASSES TWO BILLS TO SAVE COLORADANS MONEY DENVER, CO – The House passed two bipartisan bills to save Coloradans money. HB22-1010, sponsored by Emily Sirota and Tonya Van Beber, would expand and increase the early childhood educator tax credit and help make childcare more affordable. HB22-1083, sponsored by Kerry Tipper and Janice Rich, would expand a Colorado homeless contribution income tax credit. “Together, we’re saving early child care workers money while making child care more affordable,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, sponsor of HB22-1010. “Child care centers across the state are struggling to hire and retain high-quality, talented workers and parents are left scrambling to find reliable child care options. This bill works to save child care providers money on their taxes and makes it easier for providers to enter the field which will help fill the gaps in the early childhood educator workforce.” “We’re saving Coloradans money and encouraging charitable donations to address our state’s homelessness crisis,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood, sponsor of HB22-1083. “Our bill expands a tax credit to Coloradans who donate to homelessness organizations and nonprofits. This tax credit will save Coloradans money and incentivize more donations toward finding permanent housing solutions for Coloradans experiencing homelessness.” HB22-1010 , passed the House by a vote of 47 to 14 and would increase and expand eligibility for the early childhood educator tax credit. The tax credit would help save early childhood educators money and encourage new providers to enter the field. Boosting the child care workforce will expand childcare options and ultimately lower the cost of childcare in Colorado. Child care providers are facing significant workforce challenges as workers leave the field for higher paying, less stressful jobs. HB22-1010 is part of the Colorado House Democrats’ first ten bills. HB22-1083 , passed the House by a vote of 54 to 8 and would expand a Colorado homeless contribution income tax credit. Specifically, this bill would expand a state income tax credit and make it available for all Coloradans that make monetary or in-kind contributions to promote temporary, emergency or transitional housing programs for homeless people. This bill works to save Coloradans money on charitable donations while combatting homelessness in Colorado. Previous Next

< Back May 17, 2021 HOUSE STRENGTHENS AND CLARIFIES SB-217 PROVISIONS DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Reps. Leslie Herod and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez’s bill to clarify and strengthen certain provisions of SB20-217, the sweeping police accountability reform bill signed into law last year. The bill passed on Second Reading. “The work of improving law enforcement-community relations, ensuring police accountability, and protecting Black lives did not begin and end with SB-217,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “Today, after a careful and thorough stakeholding process, we moved to strengthen existing law to ensure the realities of what goes on during law enforcement and community interactions meet the legislature’s expectations. We still have a great deal of work to do, but I’m proud of how far we’ve come.” “It has been almost a year since Colorado made history by ending qualified immunity and passing a sweeping police accountability reform measure,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales Gutierrez, D-Denver . “The bill we advanced today represents a necessary next step that will clarify language in the law and ensure it is meeting our goals of better policing and safer communities. I’m grateful for the months of input and dialogue with law enforcement representatives, community partners and colleagues in the legislature that led us to this point.” HB21-1250 makes changes to the provisions of law enacted by SB20-217 to provide clarity and strengthen the progress made to date on its implementation. The bill clarifies requirements related to the instances when body-worn cameras must be operating to include welfare checks. It directs the Division of Criminal Justice to create a single form to streamline the reporting requirements for peace officers, which will now include whether an ambulance was called to the scene of an incident, whether there was a forcible entry into a residence, and the number of officer-involved civilian deaths. Among other provisions, HB21-1250 explicitly outlines a peace officer’s due process rights and allows an administrative law judge to participate in an internal affairs investigation. The bill defines what it means for a peace officer to be exonerated from a charge of misconduct. It extends the elimination of qualified immunity to the Colorado State Patrol and it prohibits employers from preemptively determining whether a peace officer acted in good faith before such action in question even occurred, closing a loophole in SB20-217 that was taken advantage of by the city of Greenwood Village last year. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Tammy Story to provide resources to investigate the origins of wildfires. SB23-013 passed the House by a vote of 53 to 10. < Back April 29, 2023 Bill to Strengthen Colorado’s Wildfire Response Passes House DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Tammy Story to provide resources to investigate the origins of wildfires. SB23-013 passed the House by a vote of 53 to 10. “Colorado has a devastating history of wildfires that have wiped out entire neighborhoods,” said Rep. Tammy Story, D-Conifer. “Currently, Colorado’s Division of Fire Prevention and Control only has the resources to staff one full-time fire investigator to dig into the cause and origin of fires across the state, making it difficult to mitigate future wildfires. This bill creates a wildfire investigation fund to better understand how fires are started so we can better prevent them and respond to them in the future.” SB23-013 would create the Wildfire Investigation Fund to study how wildfires are started to prevent future fires. It would also allocate $3 million to help investigate the causes and origins of wildfires. The bill also requires the Director of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control to report on fire investigations to the Wildfire Matters Review Committee . Additionally, the fire investigation fund would provide support to local fire departments that help combat future wildfires by investigating the causes and origin of fires. Previous Next

The House today advanced two bills that would strengthen protections against firearm intimidation around elections and help drive up grant funding to boost mass shooting victim support services. < Back March 28, 2025 Election Intimidation Protections, Funding Boost for Mass Shooting Response Advance DENVER, CO - The House today advanced two bills that would strengthen protections against firearm intimidation around elections and help drive up grant funding to boost mass shooting victim support services. “Despite no proof of widespread voter fraud, Trump’s reaction to losing the 2020 election has had a long-term impact on the safety of election officials and voters,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, sponsor of HB25-1225 and SB25-059. “While Republicans defend Tina Peters, we’re defending the right to vote. Firearms have been used as a voter suppression tactic to intimidate Coloradans from exercising their constitutional right to vote. I’m proud of Colorado’s gold standard election system, and with this bill, we’re helping ensure that Coloradans can vote, serve as an election worker, and campaign without fear.” “The Freedom From Intimidation in Elections Act will protect Colorado voters and election workers from intimidation and threats,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, sponsor of HB25-1225. “Colorado has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country, but there is more we can do to protect our election systems. This legislation protects civil servants and voters to ensure our elections are safe and secure.” HB25-1225 , also known as the Freedom From Intimidation In Elections Act, would expand protections against intimidation, threats or coercion while voting, attempting to vote, assisting others in voting, or helping administer an election. With the exemption of law enforcement officials and hired on-site security working within their scope of work, carrying a visible firearm, imitation firearm or toy firearm while engaging in certain election-related activities would be considered intimidation. The bill would also allow an individual who alleges intimidation, threats, or coercion to pursue civil recourse. In 2022, Colorado Democrats passed a law to prevent armed voter intimidation by prohibiting the open carry of firearms at or near polling centers. SB25-059 would direct the Division of Criminal Justice to apply for, accept, and utilize federal grant money or other grant funds to improve Colorado’s mass shooting response. The bill would also define “mass shooting” as a shooting where at least four people, other than the perpetrator, are injured or killed with a firearm. “Mass shootings like Columbine have impacted our communities for decades, and victims deserve every resource available to help them heal and move forward,” continued Rep. Woodrow. “This bill would direct the state to seek funding for victims of mass shooting attacks so we can better provide the support they need.” “It’s the unfortunate truth that mass shootings are a part of the American experience, and this bill is one of many efforts that Colorado Democrats are taking to reduce gun violence and support victims,” said Rep. Michael Carter, D-Aurora, sponsor of SB25-059. “There are federal grant programs that support responses to mass shootings and improve crisis training for first responders, and we should take advantage of any opportunity to strengthen our response. I’m committed to passing legislation that protects Colorado communities, especially our schools, from gun violence.” Previous Next

< Back April 20, 2022 BIPARTISAN BILL TO BOLSTER SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME PASSESS COMMITTEE DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Mike Weissman to direct $41 million in federal funds to services for crime victims. The vote was 8-3. “The turbulence caused by the pandemic has led to a rise in crime and domestic violence, and as a result, more Coloradans are seeking essential services to help them through some of the toughest challenges in their lives,” said Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “This legislation will ensure that essential victim services continue and that Coloradans have access to the support they need. As a survivor of domestic violence, I can’t stress enough how important these services are.” “This bill puts additional resources into state programs that help survivors of crime access critical support and services,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “With crime rising across the country as a result of the pandemic, we are redoubling our efforts to support survivors of crime with community-based programs and services that respond to their needs.” SB22-183 would fill a revenue gap in federal funding for crime victims to continue providing lifesaving services for child and adult victims of crime through a one-time investment of pandemic relief funding. The bill is one in a series of bills to invest millions into our state’s economic recovery and deliver urgently-needed relief to Coloradans. The bill invests $35 million in pandemic relief funding to the Colorado crime victim services fund to ensure essential victim services can continue for the next four years. SB22-183 also invests an additional $6 million to services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, as recommended by the Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force. Previous Next

The House Education Committee today passed legislation to establish statewide Black History education standards in Colorado’s public K-12 schools. < Back February 20, 2025 English’s Bill to Establish Statewide Black History Education Standards Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed legislation to establish statewide Black History education standards in Colorado’s public K-12 schools. The bill would jumpstart the development and implementation of a standardized Black history curriculum. “You cannot fully understand American history without learning about Black history. Without a standardized Black history curriculum in our public schools, students are deprived of an opportunity to learn about all the achievements and contributions of Black Americans to our society,” said Rep. Regina English, D-Colorado Springs. “By developing and standardizing Black history curriculum in Colorado’s public schools, we can ensure our students receive a well-rounded education. From politics to science, Black Americans’ contributions are vast, and this bill ensures students learn about the influential Black figures who came before them.” HB25-1149 , passed committee by a vote of 8-5 and would improve the consistency and comprehension of Black American history taught in Colorado’s public K-12 schools. Specifically, this bill would require the Colorado Department of Education, with support from a 17-member advisory committee, to develop a standard curriculum for Black History and Cultural Studies in line with the state’s social studies standards revision cycle Once approved by the Colorado Board of Education, public K-12 schools would have to adopt the new Black history education standards into their curriculum, which will be incorporated into the social studies standards adopted in 2028. The goal of HB24-1149 is to standardize Black American history taught in Colorado’s public schools to promote an accurate and inclusive education curriculum. Previous Next

The House today passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Representative Lindsey Daugherty to save Coloradans money on dental care. < Back May 7, 2023 Daugherty Bill Saves Coloradans Money on Dental Care DENVER, CO - The House today passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Representative Lindsey Daugherty to save Coloradans money on dental care. “Although dental issues are often not taken as seriously as other medical issues, they can lead to serious medical conditions like heart disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “By requiring dental insurers to report administrative costs, profits, and how premium dollars are spent, Colorado patients will save money on dental insurance, connecting them to dental services within their budget. This bill improves transparency and accountability for dental insurers to identify the driving factors of price increases and save Coloradans money on dental care.” SB23-179 , also sponsored by Representative Anthony Hartsook, requires dental health insurers to report dental loss ratio forms to the Division of Insurance (DOI). Dental loss ratios are a financial measurement tool to determine how much of the health care premium is used to pay for medical care and how much is used to cover overhead costs. This information helps identify the insurers that significantly vary from the average dental loss ratio, and the bill will authorize the DOI to investigate or enforce action against these carriers to drive costs down and save Colorado patients money on dental care. SB23-179 passed the House by a vote of 60 to 5. Previous Next

Two laws improve hospital reporting and price transparency to save Coloradans money < Back June 2, 2023 Bipartisan Health Care Transparency Bills Become Law Two laws improve hospital reporting and price transparency to save Coloradans money DENVER, CO - Governor Polis today signed two bipartisan bills into law to increase transparency in hospital reporting requirements and increase price transparency for health care services to save Colorado patients money. "Colorado Democrats have been committed to making health care more affordable for Coloradans, and this new law will improve hospital transparency requirements so we can build future policies that save Coloradans money,” said Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood, sponsor of HB23-1226. “Hospitals can move money around and between states, making it hard to know where profits are going and why the cost of care continues to increase faster than inflation. With this new law, we’ll have a more thorough understanding of Colorado hospitals’ cash flow so we can craft cost saving measures for patients and businesses.” “In the communities I represent in Western Colorado, affordable health care can be too hard to come by or impossible to find,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, sponsor of HB23-1226. “I’m proud of our bipartisan bill to enhance hospital financial transparency reporting, increase compliance, and collect data that will give us the best information possible to help inform new policies to improve health care administration and save Coloradans money.” HB23-1226 , also sponsored by Republicans Senator Perry Will and Representative Matt Soper, builds off of hospital transparency legislation also carried by Representative Chris deGruy Kennedy in 2019 to bolster price transparency and reduce health care costs. Under HB23-1226, hospitals will have to disclose an annual summary of the hospital’s transfers of cash, equity, investments, or other assets to and from related parties, a hospital-specific statement of cash flow, a narrative report of capital investments greater than 25 million dollars, the salary and total compensation of the top 5 highest paid administrative positions of each nonprofit hospital, and more. The transparency data will identify underlying drivers of high hospital costs and strengthen data collection on the financial health and performance of Colorado hospitals. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing will have the power to apply corrective action plans or fines to hospitals that do not comply with data collection procedures. Hospitals will also be required to provide patients with a detailed list of billed services and the associated charges and disclose the patient’s right to receive more detailed information about the billed services. “Coloradans deserve to know what their medical bills will look like before going into treatment or surgery,” said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, sponsor of SB23-252. “We’ve made great progress in our work to protect consumers and lower the costs of health care, but there’s still more we can do. It’s time to take the next step and increase medical price transparency so Coloradans aren’t blindsided with big bills after receiving care.” “Price transparency for health care services is critical so Colorado patients aren’t blindsided by large hospital bills that they have no choice but to pay,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada, sponsor of SB23-252. “This transparency law allows patients to budget for inpatient and outpatient care, surgery, and prescription drug costs so they can receive the care they need at a price they can expect. We’re building the federal transparency requirement into Colorado law, which will save patients money on health care.” SB23-252 was also sponsored by Republicans Senator Kevin Van Winkle and Representative Anthony Hartsook. In 2022, the General Assembly passed legislation to prohibit hospitals from pursuing debt collection action against a patient if the hospital failed to comply with federal hospital price transparency laws during the patient’s treatment. Under the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule, hospitals must publicly post standard charges and provide an out-of-pocket cost estimator tool for patients. This bill builds on the federal transparency requirements by having hospitals post their Medicare reimbursement rates and requiring the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to conduct performance assessments on Colorado hospitals to check for compliance. Any violation under SB23-252 is a deceptive trade practice under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act . Previous Next

< Back April 8, 2019 GALINDO-SINGER BIPARTISAN BILL TO REAUTHORIZE COLORADO RESILIENCY OFFICE CLEARS COMMITTEE (Apr. 8) – The House Energy & Environment gave bipartisan approval to Rep. Rochelle Galindo and Rep. Jonathan Singer’s bill to reauthorize funding for the Colorado Resiliency Office. Over five years ago, Lyons, Evans, Greeley and other areas of Northern Colorado were hit hard by floods that damaged homes, destroyed two parks and left eight dead. Democrats have been working on disaster relief issues for the past several sessions. “We take care of each other in our community and after the floods hit, we stuck by each other and rebuilt,” said Rep. Galindo. “I’m glad my colleagues and I were able to pass this bipartisan bill today so we can work together to help communities effectively prepare for the next natural disaster or the next flood.” “Lyons and other areas in my House district continue to deal with the aftermath of the floods and I remain in awe of the resiliency of our community,” said Rep. Jonathan Singer, whose district includes Longmont, Lyons and eastern Boulder County and was among the hardest hit areas in the state by the floods. “There are no Democratic or Republican natural disasters and I’m proud of the collaborative, bipartisan approach across the state to make this is reality. This bill will help make our state’s disaster response quicker and recovery more effective.” Rep. Singer is a co-prime sponsor of HB18-1394 which was signed into law last year. The bill created a policy group to help coordinate the state’s response in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and continued the Colorado Resiliency Office, which helps direct long-term rebuilding efforts and community recovery. In 2013, then-Speaker Mark Ferrandino and other lawmakers formed a bipartisan committee to address flood issues. Current State Treasurer and former Rep. Dave Young of Greeley served as co-chair of the committee. This Fall, Rep. Galindo succeeded Treasurer Young as a representative for HD-50 and parts of the district in Evans and Greeley were damaged by the floods. HB19-1292 passed the committee 8-2 with Republican Rep. Lois Landgraf joining Democrats in support. Previous Next

The Colorado House today advanced the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 supplemental budget package on a preliminary vote. < Back February 12, 2025 House Advances FY 24-25 Supplemental Budget Package DENVER, CO – The Colorado House today advanced the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 supplemental budget package on a preliminary vote. The package of bills includes measures to support Colorado families, workers and students, bolster behavioral and health care services, and build safer communities. “From supporting the community services Coloradans rely on to boosting public safety initiatives, our supplemental package delivers on our promise to Coloradans,” said JBC Vice Chair Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “These budget adjustments allow us to pivot mid-year to drive funding to the programs and services that make our communities whole. We’re committed to budgeting responsibly and responding in real-time to the needs of our state. This supplemental package supports all of Colorado including our neighbors, hardworking families and students.” “Through this supplemental package we’re investing in critical community support, including behavioral and health care services,” said JBC Member Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Mid-year adjustments to our state budget allow us to invest responsibility and smartly in the community services Coloradans rely on, including support for those living with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and health care for middle-and-low-income children. We’re focused on budgeting responsibly while still investing in the critical community services that Coloradans need to not only get by, but thrive.” Each year, the legislature adopts a supplemental budget package to make mid-year adjustments to the current fiscal year’s budget based on changes to caseload, pupil counts, urgent developments, and other considerations.. Supporting Colorado Families, Workers, and Students SB25-112 would assist individuals with disabilities in finding and keeping employment, as well as living independently. SB25-095 would help secure permanent, caring homes for children that meet federal eligibility criteria for income or child medical needs that present a barrier to adoption or legal guardianship. SB25-093 would draw down federal funding to support school districts and ensure Medicaid-eligible Colorado students receive quality care from school nurses, speech therapists and other health care provided in schools. SB25-113 would invest $64.1 million more toward Colorado’s public K-12 schools to support our students. Funding Behavioral and Health Care Services SB25-093 would: Utilize federal funds already received for Medicaid-eligible Coloradans to operate Mental Health Transitional Living Homes, which are a step-down from the state hospitals and a step-up from home and community-based services. Provide $43.5 million for home-and-community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Allocate $7.5 million for physical, dental, and behavioral health services through the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) and $13.9 million for benefits that mirror Medicaid and the CHP+ for children who would otherwise qualify, except for their immigration status. SB25-112 would support equitable access to health, behavioral health and social health services for all Coloradans by extending appropriations for ongoing rural connectivity projects. SB25-111 would support necessary renovations to the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community, an essential safety-net provider specializing in mental and behavioral health care as well as transitional housing in Bent County, Colorado. Building Safer Communities SB25-105 would utilize $1.1 million of funding to better support community-based, multidisciplinary approaches to crime prevention and crisis intervention strategies, specifically in areas where crime is disproportionately high. SB25-115 would continue support for the Colorado State Forest Service nursery to create stronger, healthier forests to fight back against destructive wildfires. The nursery helps provide native tree seedlings that contribute to restoration, forest hardiness and wildfire recovery efforts. Previous Next

HB25-1293 would improve and standardize drug overdose education in public high schools < Back April 21, 2025 House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Combat Youth Overdose DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation to standardize drug overdose education in Colorado’s public high schools. HB25-1293, which passed by a vote of 60-4, aims to keep students informed and safe. “Fatal overdoses are preventable, and we’re working to inform and educate Colorado high school students so lives can be saved,” said Rep. Jamie Jackson, D-Aurora . “This bipartisan bill standardizes drug overdose education in our public schools so our high schoolers are better informed and can act quickly during an overdose emergency. We’re fighting back against youth overdose deaths, and if this education requirement saves even one student, it will be worth it.” HB25-1293 , also sponsored by Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, requires the State Board of Education to adopt standards regarding drug overdose education in schools. The bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt health education standards for 9th through 12th grades in public schools on drug overdose identification, risks, prevention, and response by 2028 or earlier. HB25-1293 would standardize Colorado’s public school response to drug overdose, spread prevention awareness and save students’ lives. Colorado lawmakers have made strides to help prevent youth overdoses in schools. Last year, a bipartisan group of legislators championed a law that made opiate antagonists and drug testing strips available on school buses and in school buildings. Rep. Jackson is also sponsoring SB25-164 , which would improve access to Naloxone in schools to combat fatal overdoses. Previous Next