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< Back July 7, 2021 CRIMINAL JUSTICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY BILLS BECOME LAW DENVER, CO– Governor Polis today signed six bills into law to improve our pre-trial detention systems, implement recommended misdemeanor reforms, improve existing police accountability laws, and ensure Coloradans involved in the criminal justice system have the right to a second chance. “My colleagues and I made improving our criminal justice and law enforcement systems a top priority this session, and the incredible lineup of bills signed today shows it has paid off,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, sponsor of HB21-1250 and 1280 as well as SB21-271. “The laws we created will help us improve police-community relations and ensure our misdemeanor sentencing and pre-trial detention systems are more efficient and more fair for Coloradans. I’m proud of the work we did to advance the cause of justice.” “Last year, Colorado set a powerful example by passing a bold police accountability reform bill that now serves as a model for the rest of the nation,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, sponsor of HB21-1250, 1314 and 1315. “This year, we set out to make necessary adjustments to the law to ensure it meets our goals of protecting our communities and holding our law enforcement to the highest standards. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done to make our law enforcement and criminal legal systems more just. The two new laws signed today to reduce burdensome court fees and prevent the suspension of driver’s licenses for reasons that are unrelated to dangerous driving are an important part of this effort.” “Colorado’s pre-trial systems, particularly when and how bond is set, have been in dire need of reform for a long time, and today we took a major step toward fixing them,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, sponsor of HB21-1280. “The law created this afternoon will ensure that Coloradans no longer languish in our jails for long periods of time while awaiting trial on a minor offense. Colorado is on track to create a more efficient and more just system for individuals awaiting trial.” 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 bipartisan 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. HB21-1280 requires courts to hold an initial bond hearing with an arrested individual within 48 hours of arrival at a detention facility and changes statute to allow these hearings to be conducted online or over the phone. Some counties throughout the state already hold bond hearings six or seven days a week. For rural and under-resourced jurisdictions, this bill creates and funds a statewide bond hearing officer to better allow hearings to be held on weekends and holidays. The law also makes several changes to the monetary bond process. It requires that a defendant who has posted bond be released no later than six hours later, allows bonds to be paid by cash, money order, or cashier’s check, ensures that a defendant receives receipt of the payment of their bond, and prohibits officers from requirings bonds to be paid in the defendant’s name. Lastly, it requires each jail to establish a way to pay bond online by January 1, 2022. SB21-271 , also sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, implements misdemeanor and petty offense sentencing reforms recommended by the Sentencing Reform Task Force of the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. Under current law, there are three classifications for misdemeanors and two classifications for petty offenses. This law reduces the number of misdemeanor classifications to two classifications, reduces the number of petty offenses to one classification, and creates a new civil infraction classification. “Punishments in the criminal justice system aren’t designed to be permanent, but under our current system the consequences of a small mistake can follow you for a lifetime,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB21-1214. “This new law will allow Coloradans who’ve committed lower level offenses to leave their past behind and access housing, employment and other necessities without fear of being turned away because of their records.” “Nearly half of Black men and almost 40 percent of white males are arrested by the time they are 23 years old,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, sponsor of HB21-1214. “An arrest record, even in instances when a charge was never brought, can hamper a person in devastating ways for the rest of their lives. The new law signed today gives Coloradans a second chance and ensures people aren’t forever defined by their worst mistakes.” Two years ago the legislature passed HB19-1275, a bill that created a process for people convicted of low level offenses to petition the court to have their record sealed, by a vote of 91-6 across both chambers. Under HB21-1214 , certain records for low-level drug offenses will be automatically sealed. The bill does not change the non-drug offenses eligible to be considered by a court for discretionary sealing and will still not apply to violent offenses, child abuse, or driving under the influence, among other exceptions in current law. It requires waiting periods of up to ten years depending on the offenses being considered by a court for sealing. The new law shifts the onus of responsibility onto the court system, while still allowing records to be easily unsealed if there is an intervening factor, for example if the person who committed the offense is running for public office. Furthermore, comprehensive arrest data is collected under SB20-217 regarding the race, ethnicity and gender of every person arrested in Colorado in order to reveal patterns of discriminatory law enforcement practices. “Taking away a driver’s license from someone who can’t afford to pay a fine is counterproductive and plain wrong,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield, sponsor of HB21-1314. “I’m proud that we were able to get this new law across the finish line this year, ensuring that our approaches to public safety are fair and just.” HB21-1314 will limit the circumstances when driver’s licenses and learners permits can be revoked to only those where public safety requires it. It prohibits the suspension or revocation of licenses for failure to appear in court or failure to pay, but does nothing to impact revocation for driving under the influence or other offenses that reflect dangerous driving. Over 100,000 Coloradans have their licenses suspended for failure to appear in court or failure to pay. This is a counterproductive punishment that makes it harder for Coloradans to pay back their debts and restricts their mobility, impacting their ability to get to work, appear in court, and care for their families. HB21-1315 , sponsored by Representative Leslie Herod, eliminates certain fees levied on individuals and families in the juvenile justice system. The average fees per case total about $300 in Colorado, and it is estimated that the state spends about 75% of juvenile fee revenue on collection. Previous Next

< Back March 1, 2022 HOUSE PASSES BILL TO PROTECT WITNESSES, HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT SOLVE CRIMES DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation unanimously by a vote of 64-0 that would help investigators solve crimes and prevent witness intimidation. "No one should get away with intimidating a witness or pressuring someone to withhold critical information from law enforcement,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon. “We're doing everything we can to protect victims in Colorado, and this bill is a big step in that effort. SB24 bill will give law enforcement and prosecutors additional tools to stop crimes and hold criminals accountable.” SB22-024 , sponsored by Representative Roberts, would prevent witness intimidation and help investigators solve crimes by expanding the ways that witness intimidation may be committed. Under the bill, witness intimidation would include a threat or act that is directed at a person that the perpetrator believes may have relevant information or may be able to exert influence upon a witness or a victim. It also allows prosecutors to charge the crime of intimidating a witness if the perpetrator attempts to persuade a witness to withhold information. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed into law three bills to create jobs and boost Colorado’s rural economies. < Back May 29, 2024 Governor Signs Bills to Boost Rural Economies WESTERN SLOPE – Governor Jared Polis today signed into law three bills to create jobs and boost Colorado’s rural economies. Sponsored by Representatives Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, and Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, and Senators Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, HB24-1001 extends income tax credits and grants available to businesses and their employees through the Rural Jump-Start Program, aiming to reduce the cost of starting a new business or hiring employees in rural economic jump-start zones. “With these bills being signed into law today, we're bringing real results to the Western Slope,” said Lukens, sponsor of HB24-1001, HB24-1237 and SB24-190. “The Rural Jump-Start Program has supported numerous small businesses and created new jobs for rural Coloradans in communities like mine, and I’m proud that this bipartisan law will extend the program. We also passed a law that will support an expanded rail system from Steamboat Springs to Hayden to Craig to address issues that are most impacting rural and rural resort communities, like housing supply and workforce shortages. Finally, I'm proud that my bipartisan legislation to boost child care options for Colorado families is now law, making it easier for parents to find quality child care so they can get back into the workforce and keep our economies thriving.” “Today marks a transformative win-win for Northwest Colorado,” said Roberts, sponsor of HB24-1001 and SB24-190. “As the region’s State Senator, prioritizing economic opportunity and resources for these communities is a top priority. From continuing the successful Rural Jump-Start program to creating new financial incentives to attract large employers to Craig, Hayden, and Grand County, to building passenger rail from Craig all the way to Denver, we are setting Colorado’s rural economies up for success. The policies signed into law today direct crucial resources to communities to enable businesses to open their doors, hire employees, grow their operations, and thrive.” Rural economic jump-start zone are areas within a county with a population less than 250,000 that exhibits certain indicators of economic distress, such as lower per capita income than the state average, lower gross domestic product than the state average, unemployment levels higher than the statewide average, a declining workforce, or a higher concentration of students eligible for free lunch compared to the statewide average. Governor Polis also signed SB24-190 , which makes the design and use of mountain passenger rail more sustainable by incentivizing the transportation of freight from companies that establish operations in coal transition communities along the potential rail line, particularly Craig and Hayden. Sponsored by Senator Roberts, Representative Lukens, and Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, the new law allocates up to $10 million in incentives per year for Hayden and Craig, and Grand, Moffat, and Routt Counties to attract and retain large-scale businesses utilizing freight rail. “From new job opportunities to more transportation options, our Western Slope communities will greatly benefit from this new law,” said McCluskie. “In addition to our Front Range passenger rail legislation, this law will bring our mountain and rural communities closer to an expanded rail system for transit and goods. We’re supporting the Western Slope, especially those in coal transition communities, to boost the economic security of our mountain and rural resort towns.” The proposed mountain line connects Denver to Winter Park, Steamboat Springs, Hayden, and Craig and allows for commuter transit between the towns. However, continued freight use of the rail line is key to the financial viability of passenger rail service. Bringing new businesses into Northwest Colorado will expand economic development, create new jobs in the area, and provide essential support for the rail line. SB24-190 creates an income tax credit through the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) for businesses that choose to locate in a coal transition community and use rail to transport their freight. It also makes more of the region eligible for economic support from OEDIT, creating opportunities for economic diversification in the region and offering needed support for mountain rail development. Potential mountain rail would also facilitate increased tourism in the region, create additional economic growth, and allow locals to commute safely to and from Winter Park to Craig, with stops in between. Finally, the Governor signed HB24-1237 , sponsored by Representatives Lukens, and Mary Bradfield, R-Colorado Springs, and Senators Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, and Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction, which helps reduce costs for developing child care facilities by providing technical planning, building, construction, and development support. “I’m proud to see our bipartisan legislation to increase affordable child care options signed into law today,” said Marchman. “Quality, affordable child care is essential to support Colorado’s workforce, and by providing funding to develop new and convert existing spaces into childcare centers, we can offer more options to Colorado families.” The new law creates the framework to provide planning and capital grants, as well as technical support for local governments, institutions of higher education, public schools, employers, private partners, builders, and child care providers. Previous Next

< Back April 30, 2022 RECYCLING IMPROVEMENT BILL WILL SAVE COLORADANS MONEY Bipartisan legislation would ease recycling for all Coloradans, improve Colorado’s waste diversion and cut down on excessive packaging DENVER, CO – The House today passed a bipartisan bill on a preliminary vote to transform Colorado’s recycling and waste diversion. The Producer Recycling Responsibility Program, sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Senators Kevin Priola and Julie Gonzales, would make recycling easier, more effective and save Coloradans money. “Colorado’s waste diversion rates are terrible and that’s through no fault of everyday Coloradans,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D- Littleton. “It’s time to rethink the way we recycle and our bipartisan bill would create an easier and more consistent recycling system to combat climate change, improve waste diversion, create a circular economy and save Coloradans money. It’s clear, our current recycling system isn’t working – and this bill revamps the way Colorado diverts waste to protect our planet.” The Producer Recycling Responsibility Program: HB22-1355 , would transform Colorado’s fractured approach to recycling by requiring producers to contribute, based on their product’s packaging, to a producer responsibility organization to create more coordinated management of a statewide recycling system. This bill aims to distribute the recycling responsibility from consumers and local governments to producers. Under the bill, producers will pay a fee based on the material used to package their products including cans, bottles, boxes, containers and shrink wrap. Revenue generated from producers would be used toward expanding Colorado’s recycling infrastructure, making it easier for Coloradans across the state to access reliable, no-cost curbside recycling. Colorado’s recycling programs are disjointed resulting in inconvenient, inconsistent and costly waste diversion. As a result, Colorado only diverts 15 percent of all recyclable materials from landfills every year, less than half the national recycling rate. Colorado also buries more than 5.9 million tons of recyclable materials in landfills that are worth $100 million. By increasing Colorado’s recycling rates, we can create a more reliable supply of materials for new products that support local communities and create a circular economy to save Colorado businesses and households money. This bill would centralize Colorado’s recycling system to save Coloradans money, remove barriers for consumers and expand recycling services and access for everyone, including Coloradans living in rural communities. HB22-1355 is based on successful international producer responsibility programs that have resulted in recycling rates of 70-80 percent in Canada and some European countries. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Eliza Hamrick to better support military families by expanding driver license extensions to dependents of active duty members. HB25-1083 unanimously passed by a vote of 63-0. < Back April 21, 2025 House Approves Hamrick Bill to Support Military Families DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representative Eliza Hamrick to better support military families by expanding driver license extensions to dependents of active duty members. HB25-1083 unanimously passed by a vote of 63-0. “As a former military spouse, I understand the importance of supporting and honoring military members and their families,” said Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial. “Current law allows service members outside of Colorado to extend their expired license for up to three years, and this legislation would expand this benefit to dependents of military service members. I’m proud to sponsor this bill to better support Colorado military families and recognize the sacrifices they make for our state and country.” If a Coloradan’s driver license expires while they are on active duty outside of Colorado, current state law allows the expiration date to be extended for three years. Beginning January 1, 2027, HB25-1083 would also allow dependents of these service members to benefit from this three-year extension. Previous Next

< Back April 24, 2019 NEW BILL INTRODUCED TO ASK VOTERS TO RAISE TOBACCO TAX AND PUT FUNDING TOWARD EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE Nicotine smoking costs the state $1.89 billion annually in health care costs (Apr. 24) – Rep. Yadira Caraveo and Gov. Jared Polis joined public health advocates today unveil new legislation that would give voters the choice to raise taxes on tobacco products, including a new tax on liquid nicotine used for vaping. There is currently no excise tax on liquid nicotine used in e-cigarettes. If approved by voters, the referred measure would raise more than $300 million, half of which would go toward education and half to health care. “Coloradans value the health of our children but we rank number one in the country for teen vaping,” said Rep. Caraveo, D-Thornton. “As a pediatrician, I understand the negative consequences nicotine has on brain development and the health of our young people. This measure will help decrease smoking and increase funding for early childhood education and health care.” Rep. Caraveo is the only medical doctor in the legislature. Numerous economic studies in peer-reviewed journals have documented that cigarette tax or price increases reduce both adult and underage smoking. In Colorado, 33 percent of students use tobacco products and 26 percent of high school students use e-cigarettes, which is twice the national average for teen vaping. One vaping cartridge contains the nicotine of a pack of cigarettes. Colorado’s current tobacco tax rate on cigarettes is one of the lowest rates in the country. The average state tobacco tax is $1.79 a pack. Colorado’s tax today is 84 cents a pack. “We know that taxing Tobacco products is the number one way to keep kids from smoking,” said Sen. Rhonda Fields, the co-prime sponsor. “This legislation will keep our kids healthy while investing the revenue in health and education.” Here is the text of HB19-1333. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to save consumers money and combat electronic waste. < Back March 12, 2024 Titone’s Right to Repair Electronic Equipment Bill Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to save consumers money and combat electronic waste. HB24-1121, sponsored by Representative Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, would extend the current right to repair laws to certain electronic equipment, including cell phones, gaming systems, computers and televisions. “Cell phones are a part of our daily lives, we should have more choices on how to fix them when they break,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “This bill would give consumers the tools they need to fix their broken electronics, saving them money and time on costly repairs. Right to repair laws, like this one, are important for empowering consumers and keeping e-waste out of our landfills. From tractors to mobility devices, I’m proud to carry another consumer-focused right to repair law through the legislature and save Coloradans money.” “Consumers should have the right to fix their stuff—computers and cell phones included,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “This bill strengthens our state’s right to repair laws so that consumers can access the tools and tech they need. This bill saves Coloradans money while reducing waste and pollution.” HB24-1121 would require certain digital electronic equipment manufacturers to comply with existing consumer right to repair laws. Specifically, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) such as Amazon, Apple, Google, and others would need to provide software and physical tools to consumers and independent repair providers upon request so they can fix their broken electronics. HB24-1121 passed the House by a vote of 39 to 18. Under this bill, OEMs can charge a fee for physical tools but software tools must be made available free of charge for the consumer. This bill aims to save electronics consumers money on necessary equipment repairs while speeding up the repair process. HB24-1121 also prohibits parts pairing, a technology used by manufacturers to program certain parts together which restricts the consumer's ability to independently repair their devices and allows OEMs to monopolize replacement parts. . Last year, Rep. Titone championed a first-in-the-nation law for the right to repair agricultural equipment. This law saves farmers and ranchers money and time on costly agricultural equipment repairs. In 2022, Representatives Titone and Ortiz passed two trailblazing right to repair laws specifically for wheelchair users. These laws require wheelchair manufacturers to provide parts and software to consumers and eliminate the need for prior authorization to repair powered wheelchairs and other complex mobility devices for Medicaid recipients. These laws provided the framework for HB24-1121. Previous Next

< Back May 20, 2021 JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ADDRESSES COURT FEES FOR JUVENILES AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE DRIVER’S LICENSE SUSPENSIONS DENVER, CO– The House Judiciary Committee today advanced two bills to support low income individuals who are drawn deeper into a cycle of debt and poverty due to their interactions with the criminal legal system. The bills, both sponsored by Rep. Leslie Herod, would eliminate court fees for juveniles in the justice system and end the practice of revoking or suspending driver’s licenses for offenses not related to dangerous driving. “Over the course of several years, we’ve taken a long, hard look at two of the ways in which the criminal legal system disproportionately impacts low-income Coloradans,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “Ending burdensome court fees on juveniles and preventing the suspension of driver’s licenses for reasons that are unrelated to dangerous driving will go a long way toward interrupting the cycles of poverty that hold our communities back. A brush up with the criminal system shouldn’t leave a family bankrupt.” “Suspending someone’s driver’s license because they can’t afford to pay a fine isn’t the right solution to any problem,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. “We need to protect public safety, but we need to do it in a way that is fair and just.” HB21-1314 , sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod and Matt Gray, would limit the circumstances when driver’s licenses and learners permits can be revoked to only those where public safety requires it. It prohibits the suspension or revocation of licenses for failure to appear in court or failure to pay, but does nothing to impact revocation for driving under the influence or other offenses that reflect dangerous driving. The bill passed committee by a vote of 8-3. Over 100,000 Coloradans have their licenses suspended for failure to appear in court or failure to pay. This is a counterproductive punishment that makes it harder for Coloradans to pay back their debts and moreover restricts their mobility, impacting their ability to get to work, appear in court, and care for their families. HB21-1315 , sponsored by Representative Leslie Herod, eliminates certain fees levied on individuals and families in the juvenile justice system. The average fees per case total about $300 in Colorado, and it is estimated that the state spends about 75% of juvenile fee revenue on collection. The bill passed by a vote of 6-4. Previous Next

< Back March 12, 2019 REP. SINGER’S BIPARTISAN BILL TO PROTECTION CASEWORKERS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED HOUSE (Mar. 12) – A bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, to protect the personal information of caseworkers that work in child abuse and neglect cases unanimously passed the House. “This bill protects the people who serve as frontline first responders to protect our kids,” said Rep. Singer, chair of the House Public Health Care & Human Services committee. “When these caseworkers are trying to raise their own families and get calls at 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning to stand up for vulnerable children, they need a line of defense. This bill will ensure they receive the dignity and respect that their profession deserves.” HB19-1197 makes it unlawful for a person to knowingly put the personal information of a caseworker or their family on the internet if the information poses an imminent or serious threat to the safety of the caseworker or their family. This bill is to address the issue that child protection caseworkers sometimes face with threats against them or their families related to their duties. This protection will also extend to county attorneys who engage in legal action against those charged with child abuse and neglect. Rep. Singer’s bill would also require state or local government officials to deny a request for inspection of these caseworkers under the Colorado Open Records Act, which would serve the same purpose as prohibiting posting the person’s information online. Rep. Terri Carver, R-Colorado Springs, is a co-prime sponsor on this bill. HB19-1197 unanimously passed the House. It now heads to the Senate. Rep. Singer has an extensive background in social work, having served for nearly a decade with child protection and family services in Boulder County. Previous Next

< Back March 15, 2019 REP. CARAVEO ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR BILL TO PRIORITIZE HEALTH & SAFETY OF COLORADANS, GIVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES A VOICE House Energy & Environment committee to hold hearing on SB19-181, Protect Public Welfare Oil and Gas Operations on Monday (Mar. 15) – Rep. Yadira Caraveo announced her support for SB19-181, legislation to prioritize the health and safety of all Coloradans, empower local communities and protect our environment today. “As a lifelong Coloradan, and proud resident of Adams County since childhood, I cannot remain silent during one of the most crucial debates we have had in decades,” said Rep. Caraveo, D-Thornton. “As a proud Latina woman, I understand the disproportionate impact oil and gas development has on communities of color. I cannot let marginalized voices go unheard, especially when Republican Senators misappropriate the notion of “environmental racism” to divide us further,” Rep. Caraveo added. The bill is also sponsored by Speaker KC Becker and Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg. “I will use my expertise as the only doctor in the General Assembly to combat the misinformation surrounding the bill, and fight for a common sense approach to modernize our laws and give communities a greater say in oil and gas development,” Caraveo concluded. SB19-181 updates Colorado’s antiquated oil and gas laws to protect families and individuals from residential drilling by putting health and safety first, giving local communities more of a voice, and ensuring clean air. This bill passed the state Senate by a vote of 19-15 on March 13. In addition to a strong stakeholder process around this bill, it was debated for over thirty hours over three public committee hearings and two floor debates in the Senate. The bill will go through three committee hearings in the House that are open to the public and two floor debates. Previous Next

House Democrats on the State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee today defeated a GOP bill that would have eliminated Colorado's accessible, gold standard vote by mail system by overhauling it with ineffective, unnecessary, and impractical changes grounded in repeatedly debunked election conspiracy claims. < Back February 27, 2023 Dems Defeat Election Conspiracy Bill DENVER, CO - House Democrats on the State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee today defeated a GOP bill that would have eliminated Colorado's accessible, gold standard vote by mail system by overhauling it with ineffective, unnecessary, and impractical changes grounded in repeatedly debunked election conspiracy claims. “The GOP continues to push the Big Lie in an effort to undermine Colorado’s elections,” said State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “This bill would make it harder for Coloradans to cast a ballot by erecting barriers to voting. It wouldn’t improve the security of our elections yet would cost tens of millions of dollars. Election denialism has no place in Colorado--the voters have made clear that they have little tolerance for conspiracies and disinformation.” HB23-1170 , sponsored by Representative Ken deGraaf, would unnecessarily overhaul Colorado’s safe and accessible voting system by requiring an untested and complicated system of tokens, token assignment observers, vetting registrars and token registrars to allow Coloradans to cast their ballots. Voters would need tokens in order to vote by mail or in person. A token assignment registrar in the presence of a token assignment observer team would then match a token number to a ballot before it is counted. Prior to counting mail in ballots, the vetting registrar in the presence of the registration observer team must notify a voter that the clerk has received that voter’s ballot. The voter must then acknowledge this notification before their ballot can be assigned a token, entered into the distributed ledger and counted. Despite recent attacks by members of the GOP ascribing to the “Big Lie”, Colorado’s voting system has been lauded by both Democratic and Republican Secretary of States. In 2013, the bipartisan Colorado legislature passed the Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act to expand the state’s voting system and increase ballot accessibility to Coloradans all across the state. After every election, Colorado conducts a bipartisan post-election audit to ensure there are no inconsistencies before results are officially certified. Both Republicans and Democrats approve county election results, confirming that the results are factual. Findings from the audits are made public and can be found on the Secretary of State website . Over 95 percent of voters in the 2022 election chose to cast their ballot by mail, and almost 94 percent of ballots in the 2020 General Election were returned via mail or drop box. In 2020, Colorado’s voter turnout rate was over 75 percent, placing the state second in the nation in voter participation and roughly seven percentage points higher than the national average of 68 percent. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to make menstrual products free to Colorado middle and high school students. < Back June 5, 2024 Gov. Polis Signs Bill to Provide Free Menstrual Products to Students DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to make menstrual products free to Colorado middle and high school students. HB24-1164 makes modifications to the Menstrual Hygiene Grant Program to expand support to rural and underserved districts. “Periods don’t wait – and this important law ensures that Colorado students can access the menstrual products they need, when they need them,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “Without access to menstrual products, our students risk missing out on valuable learning time and can experience emotional distress. Our new law makes menstrual products free and accessible in schools to Colorado’s teens.” “ 67 percent of U.S. students miss valuable school time due to a lack of necessary period products, and the numbers are even higher for low-income and students of color,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “Our important bill helps combat period poverty in Colorado by making menstrual products free and accessible in middle school and high school bathrooms. Our students deserve to learn, grow and thrive without the added stress of finding and affording period products – and this new law does just that.” "By signing this bill today, Governor Polis is ensuring every student across the state can go to school without worrying about when your period might arrive, or if you have the products you need to manage it," said Diane Cushman Neal, founder and president of Justice Necessary. "I am proud to live in a state that ensures students can attend class without the worry of having the necessary products to manage their periods, because access to period products, just is necessary." HB24-1164 ensures that Colorado middle and high school students have access to free period products in the bathroom at schools. Under the new law, certain local education providers are required to phase in menstrual products in a portion of their bathrooms, beginning with 25 percent of applicable bathrooms by June 30, 2025 and 100 percent of applicable bathrooms by 2028. This law also expands the Menstrual Hygiene Grant Program in the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to be available to rural and small rural school districts and charter schools located within those districts. The goal of this law is to support more Colorado school districts in providing accessible and free period products to their students. Previous Next