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- JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! BILLS TO HELP COMMUNITIES PREVENT WILDFIRES
< Back June 3, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! BILLS TO HELP COMMUNITIES PREVENT WILDFIRES EVERGREEN, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed four bills into law that will help Colorado communities prevent, respond to and prepare for future disastrous wildfires. SB22-002 , sponsored by Senators Joann Ginal and Tammy Story as well as Representatives Lisa Cutter and Perry Will, will invest $1 million to better prepare local fire departments and their firefighters for wildfires. “Over the past few years wildfire season has evolved into a year-round threat,” said Senator Tammy Story, D-Conifer. “We must take steps to defend our homes and our communities from these climate-induced mega fires, and these laws will give more Coloradans the resources and knowledge they need to proactively defend themselves, their property, and their communities from future blazes.” “The threat of destructive wildfires in Colorado is only growing due to climate change and extreme weather conditions, which means we need to be more prepared than ever,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “The four bills signed by Governor Polis are preventative measures to prepare our local fire departments, improve Colorado’s mitigation efforts and invest in our communities’ safety. As wildfires grow in frequency and intensity, we’re taking action now to combat destruction, save lives and build a healthier state for all.” The law will make local volunteer fire departments eligible for reimbursement for wildland fire suppression activities, including equipment costs and volunteer firefighter recruitment, training and retention. Local fire departments will also be able to use grant funds to replace or dispose of damaged or obsolete equipment. The law also provides behavioral health care services to firefighters, paid for by public employers. SB22-007 , sponsored by Senators Pete Lee and Tammy Story as well as Representatives Lisa Cutter and Marc Snyder, will expand an outreach campaign to raise awareness and motivate more than half of the state’s population to better prepare for extreme wildfires. The law will help folks living in fire-prone areas take steps to mitigate the risks of catastrophic wildfires and improve wildfire danger awareness. “The Marshall Fire highlighted just how dangerous the threat of deadly wildfires has become,” said Senator Pete Lee, D-Colorado Springs. “These laws will give millions of Coloradans the education and motivation they need to keep themselves and their property safe while also equipping local governments with the tools they need to support wildfire mitigation efforts and protect our forests from future damage.” “Wildfires are encroaching on our homes, businesses and livelihoods–we need to mitigate the destruction and support communities,” said Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs. “I’m proud to stand behind two bills signed into law today by Governor Polis that will give Coloradans the tools to proactively defend their property from wildfire destruction and provide resources to local governments to fight wildfires. Improved mitigation is one of the best methods to combat catastrophic wildfires and our laws work at the local level to protect communities.” SB22-007 will direct the Colorado State Forest Service to implement a wildfire mitigation public awareness campaign for 2023 and 2024 aimed at folks that live in the Wildland-Urban Interface, areas where structures and developments meet with wildland vegetation. The Governor also signed HB22-1012 , sponsored by Representatives Lisa Cutter and Donald Valdez as well as Senators Pete Lee and Joann Ginal, which will improve forest management to mitigate wildfire risks and increase the state’s carbon inventory – the capacity of plants and trees in the state to remove carbon from the air. “The regular threat of wildfires has become scary and stressful, and serves as a constant reminder of the impact of global warming in our world,” said Senator Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins. “While we continue ramping up our wildfire mitigation efforts to keep Coloradans safe, we need to ensure that we are conserving our natural resources as well. This law will help improve forest management so we can better protect our forests from future destruction.” The new law creates a framework to link forest management and wildfire mitigation goals with efforts to decarbonize the air through healthy forests. Finally, the Governor signed HB22-1011 , sponsored by Representatives Lisa Cutter and Marc Snyder as well as Senators Pete Lee and Tammy Story. This law will leverage local and private funds through a matching grant program to provide resources to local governments for forest management and wildfire mitigation efforts. By incentivizing local governments to identify dedicated long-term funding for wildfire mitigation, the law makes smart investments to maximize state resources and encourage sustainable local and state funding for wildfire mitigation efforts. Previous Next
- IT’S THE COLORADO COMEBACK, FOR KIDS!
< Back May 28, 2021 IT’S THE COLORADO COMEBACK, FOR KIDS! House advances bills to invest in early childhood education and care and provide schools with funding to make air quality improvements DENVER, CO– The House today passed two state stimulus bills to fund air quality improvement projects in public and charter schools and channel state and federal funds to support Colorado’s families by investing in our early childhood education and care providers. These bills are a part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus , a package of legislation that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. The bills passed the House on Second Reading. “As we work to ensure our students and educators have the resources they need to close the COVID learning gap, we have to make sure that their learning environments are adequate, comfortable, and safe,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, sponsor of SB21-202. “Investing in the quality of the air our children breathe while they learn should be a basic priority, and I’m proud that we were able to provide this funding today.” “The COVID-19 pandemic forced far too many working parents, especially working moms, out of the workforce,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood, sponsor of SB21-236. “This is a once in a generation investment in child care and early childhood education, and it’s just one of the many ways the legislature is working to offset the disparate impact that this economic downturn has had on women. I’m committed to providing young Colorado families with the support they need to help their children learn and grow in the critical early childhood years, all while continuing to pursue their professional goals and contribute to our economy.” SB21-202 , also sponsored by Rep. Colin Larson, would allocate $10 million for Building Excellent Schools Today grants to fund much-needed public school air quality improvement projects to improve air quality in as many public and charter school facilities as possible. Kids learn better in environments that are safe, clean, and healthy. Unfortunately, over the years, Colorado’s deferred maintenance of school facilities has grown, particularly in rural areas. These construction and capital projects will create good jobs, make long-term improvements to Colorado schools’ infrastructures, and provide safer, more constructive learning environments for students. SB21-236 , also sponsored by Rep. Tonya Van Beber, takes several steps to support child care providers and young families in Colorado. First, it creates the new innovative Employer-based Child Care Facility Grant Program and funds it with Colorado Comeback state stimulus dollars. The program would award matching grants to nonprofit, private, and government employers to retrofit and develop new, on-site or near-site, licensed child care facilities. These grants are meant to ensure that Coloradans have access to high-quality child care at their places of work as we come out of the pandemic, and would prioritize employers whose workforce earns below the area median income. The bill also sets up a framework to ensure hundreds of millions of federal dollars directed to the Child Care and Development (CCDF) fund can be spent effectively and efficiently by the Department of Human Services. These funds have already been disbursed by the federal government but require state approval to be properly implemented. SB21-236 sets up several new programs and adequately funds several others to ensure Colorado’s youngest kids, as well as their parents and early childhood professionals, can thrive. The seven programs in this category, as outlined in the bill’s fiscal note , include The Child Care Sustainability Grant Program, created in last year’s special session to provide financial support to licensed child care providers and neighborhood youth organizations that were at risk of closing their doors due to the pandemic. The bill also creates and funds several programs to foster innovation, recruit and retain educators, and support mental health wellness in the early childhood education and care sector. Previous Next
- HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES BILL TO STREAMLINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE ACCESS
< Back March 26, 2022 HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES BILL TO STREAMLINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE ACCESS DENVER, CO – Legislation to improve Coloradans’ access to behavioral health services today passed the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee. This bipartisan bill is designed to streamline behavioral health care access for Coloradans through the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). “Building a healthier Colorado begins with improving access to critical behavioral health care,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “We understand that Coloradans often experience barriers to accessing behavioral health care services and treatment. Our bipartisan, transformational bill is designed to knock down those barriers and streamline the process so Coloradans can swiftly receive the behavioral health services they need. Together, we’re making access to behavioral health care more transparent and accountable in Colorado.” HB22-1278 , sponsored by Representatives Mary Young and Rod Pelton, would establish a comprehensive, accountable behavioral health safety net system available in every region of Colorado. This includes 15 different critical behavioral health services including substance use, crisis services, criminal justice diversion, trauma informed care, youth services and more. HB22-1278 passed out of committee by a vote of 10 to 1. The BHA will reduce bureaucracy by consolidating fragmented behavioral health networks into one behavioral health administrative services organization (BHASO) per region. The push for this legislation stems from patient frustration surrounding disjointed behavioral health care services. With this bill, patients would be able to more easily access behavioral health services in their community. Previous Next
- HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO ENSURE MORE CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES
< Back May 1, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO ENSURE MORE CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES Roughly three quarters of all CO jobs require post secondary higher education (May 1) – The House gave initial approval to SB19-176, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, that would expand opportunities for students to earn postsecondary course credit while enrolled in high school. “This bill builds a college-going culture in our schools, saves families money toward a credential or degree, and ultimately, better prepares students to be Colorado’s workforce of tomorrow,” said Rep. McCluskie. “Concurrent enrollment gives more students the chance to earn credits towards their high school graduation while also earning credits toward a college degree or certification.” The bill also creates a grant program that provides dollars to teachers for the purpose of obtaining a graduate degree that will allow them to teach concurrent enrollment. It also helps cover the cost of books, supplies, fees, transportation and new technology upgrades for students pursuing concurrent enrollment opportunities,. providing services and support for districts and low-income, first-generation students that will gain access to these classes. SB19-176 passed by a voice-vote. A final vote will take place at a later date. Previous Next
- SIGNED! BILL TO RAISE MINIMUM AGE TO PURCHASE A FIREARM TO 21 BECOMES LAW
LEGISLATION WILL HELP PREVENT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING GUN VIOLENCE, SAVE LIVES IN COLORADO < Back April 28, 2023 SIGNED! BILL TO RAISE MINIMUM AGE TO PURCHASE A FIREARM TO 21 BECOMES LAW LEGISLATION WILL HELP PREVENT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING GUN VIOLENCE, SAVE LIVES IN COLORADO DENVER, CO – Legislation that would raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm in Colorado to 21 was signed into law today.Under current federal law individuals must be 21 years old to purchase a handgun, but only 18 years old to purchase long guns. SB23-169 , sponsored by Senators Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, and Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, and House Minority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial, would raise the age limit to purchase any firearm to 21 with limited exceptions. “Gun deaths in Colorado climb higher every year, and a disproportionate number of them are committed by younger Coloradans,” Mullica said. “As an ER nurse I’ve seen firsthand the devastating ways gun violence impacts our communities, which is why I am proud to champion this new law that will reduce gun violence and save lives all across our state.” “Gun violence is traumatic for anyone to experience, let alone for a child or young adult,” Duran said. “As a survivor of domestic violence and gun intimidation at a young age, I know firsthand how critical it is to prevent our youth from being put in a life or death situation because a firearm was too easily accessible. By increasing the minimum age to purchase a gun, we can prevent suicides and gun violence and keep our Colorado kids and communities safer.” “Young people aged 12-24 make up one-fifth of the population, but commit just under half of all gun murders,” Danielson said. “There is an urgent need to do more to prevent gun violence in Colorado, and I am proud to champion this legislation that does just that. Raising the age to purchase a firearm will keep more deadly weapons away from our youth, reduce youth suicide rates, and make our communities safer.” “Having been a teacher for over 30 years, so many of my students have grown up fearing the constant threat of gun violence – sadly, they are known as the lockdown generation,” Hamrick said. “From countless active shooter events to losing peers to suicide, Colorado youth are forced to grapple with gun violence from a very young age. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to implement this commonsense gun violence prevention policy into Colorado law to keep firearms away from our youth and our children, making our schools and communities safer.” According to Everytown for Gun Safety , firearms are the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S. ages 18 to 20, and the firearm suicide rate among this group has increased a staggering 61 percent in the last decade. Previous Next
- JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS AND BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP COLORADANS FIND HOUSING AND JOBS
< Back May 31, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS AND BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP COLORADANS FIND HOUSING AND JOBS DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law that will protect whistleblowers and help Coloradans with low-level criminal records find secure jobs or housing. In 2020, the legislature passed legislation establishing protections for whistleblowers during a public health emergency. SB22-097 , sponsored by Senators Brittany Pettersen and Robert Rodriguez and Representatives Leslie Herod and Tom Sullivan, makes these protections permanent. “With the passage of HB 20-1415 we gave workers the protection to speak out about health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation only during public health emergencies,” said Senator Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood. “Essential workers will still be essential after the pandemic, which is why I am proud to champion this new lawl that will extend these protections permanently and help keep workers and the public safe.” “Extending whistleblower protections for essential workers is the right move to keep our workers and the public safe,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “This law permanently extends protections for workers put in place during the pandemic so Coloradans can report health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation. All Coloradans should feel safe speaking out about workplace conditions that could harm them or the people around them.” “Coloradans shouldn’t have to worry about losing their job or having their hours slashed for reporting unsafe working conditions. These whistleblower protections prioritize the health and safety of our essential workers,” said Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial . “When the pandemic began, we gave workers the necessary protection to report health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation. This new law extends those reporting protections for workers regardless of a public health emergency, so they can always feel safe to report dangerous conditions.” SB22-097 protects workers in the public and private sectors by ensuring that all workers have the same protections, including the ability to raise concerns about workplace health and safety practices or hazards to their employer, other workers, the public or government agencies. The legislation also protects workers from retaliation, discrimination, or adverse action, allows workers to wear personal protective equipment while at work without fear of discrimination, and requires employers to notify employees of their rights. When employees do raise concerns, various remedy options are included under the bill, including filing a claim with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) or bringing an action in court. The legislation also gives CDLE the authority to enforce and investigate claims. “The pandemic highlighted the need to improve how we take care of our community, and we worked hard this session to help give working folks better protections and opportunities,” said Senator Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “These news laws will ensure that no worker will have to worry about losing their job or having their hours cut because they speak out about working conditions that threaten them and their colleagues, and allow Coloradans who have paid their debt to society to access the jobs and housing they need to rebuild their lives while strengthening our workforce as we work to rebuild our economy and move Colorado forward.” Currently, criminal records are a substantial obstacle for people in search of jobs or housing, which punishes Coloradans after they have served their time and exacerbates the state’s workforce shortage. SB22-099 , sponsored by Senators Robert Rodriguez and Dennis Hisey and Representatives Kerry Tipper and Colin Larson, extends automatic record sealing to all eligible offenses, removing this obstacle to housing and employment for many Coloradans. “This bipartisan law will help Coloradans who are already eligible for record sealing by automatically sealing their records, making it easier for people to find jobs and housing opportunities,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “This new law will boost our workforce, increase job opportunities for Coloradans and reduce recidivism by helping people get back on their feet.” The pandemic has made it harder for employers to hire and retain employees and for Coloradans to find adequate housing. Under the law, criminal records that are currently eligible for sealing upon petition, including civil infractions, will now be automatically sealed. This includes the records of victims of human trafficking who have been convicted or charged with prostitution. Previous Next
- SIGNED! Brown’s Bill to Streamline Clean, Solar Energy Projects
Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation to make it faster, easier and less expensive for local governments to approve solar installation projects < Back May 11, 2023 SIGNED! Brown’s Bill to Streamline Clean, Solar Energy Projects BOULDER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation to make it faster, easier and less expensive for local governments to approve solar installation projects. This law, sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Matt Soper, helps local governments implement free automated permitting and inspection software by establishing a grant program to offer one-time financial assistance. “With this law, it will be easier and cheaper for Coloradans to transition to solar energy and take climate action,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville . “Permitting can be a huge barrier to bringing new solar energy sources online, and this legislation speeds up the permitting process, so more Coloradans can begin powering their homes with clean, renewable energy. Streamlining this permitting process saves local governments and their residents time and money, cuts bureaucratic red tape and boosts the transition to renewable energy.” HB23-1234 , establishes the Streamlined Solar Permitting and Inspection Grant Program to assist local governments with the start-up costs associated with implementing free automated permitting and inspection software. This program would offer one-time financial assistance to implement the software, helping local governments to review and approve residential solar projects faster. Automating the permit and inspection process will reduce costs for consumers and local governments and accelerate Colorado’s transition to clean energy. Previous Next
- Rep. Stewart’s Statement Regarding USDA Funding Freeze Impacting Southern Colorado
Representative Katie Stewart today released the following statement regarding the Trump administration’s funding freezes and employee layoffs at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and their drastic impact on farmers and ranchers in rural Colorado. < Back February 26, 2025 Rep. Stewart’s Statement Regarding USDA Funding Freeze Impacting Southern Colorado DENVER, CO – Representative Katie Stewart today released the following statement regarding the Trump administration’s funding freezes and employee layoffs at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and their drastic impact on farmers and ranchers in rural Colorado. Representative Katie Stewart, D-Durango: “A sweeping funding freeze and employee layoffs at the USDA have jeopardized the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers in Southern Colorado. Freezing federally-supported USDA grant programs is bad for hardworking farmers and ranchers, hurts rural Colorado, and will raise food prices for everyone. "From conservation efforts to localized infrastructure projects, farmers and ranchers were promised funding to improve farming and ranch operations and strengthen our food supply – but this bait and switch could leave them on the hook for unexpected costs. “I urge the federal government to strongly reconsider the federal looming funding cuts at the USDA because rural Colorado’s economy, and the farmers and ranchers who feed us, rely upon it.” Representative Katie Stewart represents HD-59 in Southwest Colorado which includes Archuleta, La Plata and San Juan counties and parts of Montezuma County. Previous Next
- House Education Committee Passes Bill to Boost Behavioral Health Professionals In Schools
The House Education Committee today passed legislation to boost behavioral health professionals in schools. < Back February 22, 2024 House Education Committee Passes Bill to Boost Behavioral Health Professionals In Schools DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed legislation to boost behavioral health professionals in schools. HB24-1096, sponsored by Representatives Meghan Lukens and Mary Young, would create an interstate compact for school psychologists. “To help our students succeed in the classroom and beyond we need to ensure they have access to behavioral and mental health professionals,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “As a teacher, I know how important it is to address our students' behavioral and mental health care needs so they can reach their full educational potential. Our legislation creates an interstate compact to streamline licensed school psychologists into Colorado school districts and boost behavioral health access for our youth.” “I spent most of my career as a school psychologist helping students grow and thrive in our public schools,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “This important bill helps us attract more high-quality, licensed school psychologists to Colorado schools and meet the complex needs of our students. It’s clear – we need more behavioral health professionals working in schools. This bill will help break down barriers so already licensed school psychologists can begin working in school districts across the state.” HB24-1096 passed committee unanimously and would create new pathways for out-of-state school psychologists to gain professional licensure to practice in Colorado. This bill creates the "School Psychologists Licensure Interstate Compact", which creates an agreement between Colorado and six other states where licensed school psychologists in member states can obtain and easily transfer a license from another member state to practice school psychological services. This legislation aims to reduce barriers for school psychologists by easing the state-to-state licensure process to increase special education services and access to behavioral health care in Colorado schools. The “School Psychologists Licensure Interstate Compact" would be particularly helpful for active military and military spouses who often relocate from state-to-state. To participate in the compact, applicants must already be licensed school psychologists. This includes passing a qualifying national exam, completing at least 1,200 hours of supervision prior to licensure, and graduating from a qualifying school psychologist program. Colorado lawmakers have championed nine mobility compact laws over the years, including last year’s HB23-1064 to address Colorado’s teacher shortage. Previous Next
- BILL TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT SERVICES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH SIGNED INTO LAW
< Back July 11, 2020 BILL TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT SERVICES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH SIGNED INTO LAW Greeley, CO — Today, at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Governor Jared Polis signed legislation sponsored by Representatives Mary Young and Lori Saine to ensure services continue, uninterrupted for at-risk youth in out of home placements. “As a former school psychologist, I know how important it is that youth experiencing trauma continue to receive services without interruptions that could derail their progress or worsen the situation,” said Rep. Young, D-Greeley. “This bipartisan law ensures that critical medical care will continue for youth in out of home placements so they can receive the services they need to recover and succeed.” When dependency and neglect actions or juvenile delinquency actions result in out-of-home placements, HB20-1237 requires that youth continue to receive medical care through a managed care entity (MCE) in the county where the action was initiated. This will limit disruptions in care that can happen when youth are transferred to new MCEs unnecessarily and ensure that services are delivered in the most appropriate setting. The new policy ensures that federal Medicaid resources follow youth as they receive services in out-of-home placements and make progress towards rebuilding their lives. Previous Next
- Legislation to Increase Voting Access Advances in House
The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Manny Rutinel and Kyle Brown on a preliminary vote to make it easier for eligible confined Coloradans to vote. < Back May 3, 2024 Legislation to Increase Voting Access Advances in House DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Manny Rutinel and Kyle Brown on a preliminary vote to make it easier for eligible confined Coloradans to vote. “The right to vote is guaranteed by the constitution, yet eligible voters in our jails and detention centers have expressed that they often do not have the tools to exercise this right,” said Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City. “We know that Coloradans who are Black, Indigenous and people of color are overrepresented in our criminal justice system, and when they are prevented from voting, their voices are not heard. This legislation helps address the gaps in voting access by creating clear guidelines for county clerks and sheriffs that will make it easier for Coloradans, regardless of their confinement status, to use their voice in our democratic process.” “Folks who are incarcerated have rights, and this bill seeks to make it easier for them to exercise their right to vote,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Low levels of voter turnout in our jails show that there are not enough resources or education about voting access in confined spaces. I’m proud to carry this legislation to ensure that eligible voters will have the opportunity to engage in our democratic process.” SB24-072 would require county clerks and county sheriffs to create and implement a plan to facilitate in-person voting for eligible voters in county jails and detention centers. Under current law, U.S. citizens over the age of 18 who are not currently serving time for a felony conviction are eligible to vote. While Colorado has a robust vote-by-mail program, voters in jails and detention centers face extreme barriers in accessing the ballot. In the 2020 general election, out of an estimated eligible population of 5,205 confined voters, only 557 individuals (6.97 percent) received a ballot. In the 2022 general election, there was an estimated eligible population of 4,876 confined voters, but only 231 individuals (4.73 percent) received ballots. SB24-072 would mandate at least one day of in-person voting at each facility, alleviating the pressure on these voters to navigate the complexities of voting eligibility, and helping ensure every eligible citizen is provided the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. Previous Next
- SCHOOL FINANCE ACT MOVES FORWARD
< Back April 26, 2022 SCHOOL FINANCE ACT MOVES FORWARD DENVER, CO – The House advanced the 2022 School Finance Act today on a preliminary vote. This bill increases K-12 public school funding by an average of $545 per pupil. “The 2022 School Finance Act is a record investment in our public schools to improve educational outcomes for students,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “This bill 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 create a high-quality public education program.” “Colorado is investing in teachers, students and K-12 public schools,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “This year’s school finance act will increase per pupil funding by an average of $545 and this funding can be used to reduce classroom sizes and increase teacher pay. Investing in our schools better prepares Colorado’s next generation of leaders, thinkers and learners.” HB22-1390 , sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Barbara McLachlan, sets funding levels for Colorado’s public school districts. This year, the bill increases total funding for public schools by $431 million to $8.4 billion 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 increase of $545 per student. This funding can 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 ASCENT concurrent enrollment program and makes it available to more postsecondary students. This program saves Coloradans money as they pursue their higher education degrees. The bill makes additional changes to support students and school districts, such as extending the K-5 Social and Emotional Health Pilot Program and the Dyslexia Screening and Intervention Program. It also strengthens the successful Educator Recruitment and Retention grant by encouraging recipients to teach for three years in areas where there are educator shortages. Previous Next
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