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< Back April 27, 2019 BUENTELLO-GARCIA BIPARTISAN BILL TO TACKLE OPIOID ADDICTION HEADS TO GOVERNOR’S DESK Bipartisan to help increase child care options in the state also on the move (Apr. 27) – The House approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Bri Buentello and President Garcia’s that would expand a Medication-assisted Treatment (MAT) pilot program that is currently only offered in Pueblo and Routt Counties. This expansion would add another ten counties across the state to the program. “Two years ago, the legislature created the pilot MAT program. We saw how well that program worked, so it’s time we expand this program to help those in Southern Colorado,” said Rep. Buentello, D-Pueblo. “This bill will save lives and help Coloradans who are struggling with addiction get they treatment they need.” SB17-074 created a two year MAT expansion program through the University of Colorado’s College of Nursing to expand access to medication-assisted treatment to opioid-dependent patients. It also provided behavioral therapies in conjunction with medication as part of the provision. “Hundreds of Coloradans die every year at the hands of opioids and I am proud that this life-saving bill will soon be signed into law and helping Coloradans get the treatment they need,” said President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo. “We have seen tremendous results from this pilot program in Pueblo County and Routt County and this expansion will help even more Coloradans, particularly those in high-need areas of our state, who are battling drug abuse and addiction.” SB19-001 would expand the program to make it available to counties in Southern Colorado, including Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Custer, Huerfano, Mineral, Rio Grande, and Sagauche, and two additional counties who demonstrate a need. It also increases the appropriation for the pilot program to $5 million for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 fiscal years. Finally, it extends the program for another two years. The House approved SB19-001 on a bipartisan vote of 54-7. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk. Previous Next

New laws aim to crack down on tax avoidance, tax breaks for corporations and helps fill $1 billion revenue hole created by Congressional Republicans’ budget < Back August 28, 2025 Bills to Crack Down on Foreign Tax Havens, Close Tax Breaks for Corporations and Protect Critical Services Become Law New laws aim to crack down on tax avoidance, tax breaks for corporations and helps fill $1 billion revenue hole created by Congressional Republicans’ budget DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law. These new laws will protect core services and close corporate tax loopholes after Republicans in Congress created a $1 billion hole in Colorado’s budget with massive corporate tax cuts. HB25B-1002 cracks down on foreign tax havens and offshore bank accounts, and HB25B-1001 limits tax breaks for higher-earning business owners by permanently decoupling from a federal tax giveaway. “This legislation prevents corporations from hiding money overseas so they can dodge paying their fair share of taxes, ” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of HB25B-1002. “Congressional Republicans’ budget handed billions of dollars in tax breaks to the wealthiest people and corporations, and it’s only fair that we close these loopholes and protect funding for teachers, health care and transportation. Everyday people can’t stash their income overseas to avoid taxes, and neither should billionaires and corporations.” “In both terms, Donald Trump has given large corporations more leeway to dodge taxes by shifting profits overseas,” said Senator Matt Ball, D-Denver, sponsor of HB25B-1002. “Colorado shouldn’t reward that behavior, and this law makes sure those companies pay their fair share towards Colorado's schools, health care, and roads.” “The irresponsible Republican tax bill not only runs the largest deficit since World War II to give massive tax giveaways to large corporations, it also undermines the strength of our country and blasts a billion-dollar hole in Colorado's balanced budget,” said Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, sponsor of HB25B-1002. “I sponsored this law to close loopholes used by large multinational corporations to shield and hide their income in foreign tax havens, including those that Trump's own Secretary of Commerce has called ‘tax scams’. It is disappointing that some colleagues chose to vote to protect these tax scams used by large multinational companies and ultra-wealthy individuals with access to sophisticated tax planning to avoid paying taxes, which increases the burden upon small businesses and individuals to fund the state's essential services, from roads to schools.” HB25B-1002 cracks down on foreign tax havens, offshore bank accounts and other tax loopholes for US companies that dodge Colorado taxes with foreign assets. Unless they can prove legitimate operations in the foreign country, Colorado requires companies incorporated in common tax havens, like Cayman Islands and Panama, to pay Colorado taxes to prevent international tax avoidance. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, the law expands the list of countries to include Hong Kong, Ireland, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and Singapore. In 2017, President Trump created a special tax break, now known as the Foreign-Derived Deduction Eligible Income (FDDEI) deduction, for multi-national businesses that kept their intangible assets in the US. The law decouples the state from the FDDEI to prevent companies from benefiting from larger Colorado tax breaks for investments and assets that are based outside of the state. President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts also allowed pass-through businesses, like S corporations and real estate investment trusts, to avoid paying taxes on up to 20-percent of qualified business income. In 2020, the Colorado legislature passed the “Tax Fairness Act” , decoupling from this federal tax cut by creating an add-back for this deduction for high-income business owners with an income over $500,000 per year for single filers or $1 million per year for joint filers. “These corporate tax breaks show loud and clear that Trump and Congressional Republicans care more about helping their wealthy friends hoard more wealth than providing essential government services to hardworking Americans,” said Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, sponsor of HB25B-1001. “Legislation like HB25B-1001 will help us stop these corporate giveaways and continue life-saving food assistance and health care programs for Coloradans.” “Congressional Republicans passed a budget that adds even more tax breaks to high-earning business owners while kicking Coloradans off of their health insurance coverage and raising costs for all Coloradans,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, sponsor of HB25B-1001. “When Trump passed tax breaks in his first term that allowed high-earners to lop 20-percent off their taxable income, Colorado Democrats took action and decoupled from this federal giveaway for the wealthy. This law makes Colorado’s decoupling permanent and prioritizes hardworking Coloradans.” “In 2021, the Colorado legislature took major strides toward reversing Trump’s corporate tax breaks in order to protect essential services for Coloradans who depend on them,” said Senator Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, sponsor of HB25B-1001. “This year, Trump and Congressional Republicans made those tax breaks permanent, so we're fighting to continue prioritizing the basic services that benefit hardworking Coloradans the most. With this new law, we’re permanently decoupling from these unfair tax breaks to ensure corporations pay their fair share to hardworking Coloradans.” The legislature previously extended the decoupling and add-back through 2025. HB25B-1001 makes Colorado’s decoupling permanent, responding to the action by Republicans in Congress to make the tax giveaway permanent at the federal level in HR 1. Previous Next

< Back January 11, 2023 SPEAKER MCCLUSKIE MAKES COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS DENVER, CO – House Speaker Julie McCluskie today made additional committee appointments for the 74th General Assembly. The appointments were necessitated in part by the resignation of Rep. Adrienne Benavidez. “I'm excited to make these new committee assignments and kick off our work to help more people in our state live their Colorado dream,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Each and every lawmaker in their respective committees will help us achieve our legislative priorities of building a Colorado everyone can afford, protecting our air and water, investing in education, improving public safety and protecting our freedoms. Now, let’s get to work!” Majority Committee Assignments for the 74th General Assembly. Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee Chair, Representative Karen McCormick, D-Longmont Representative Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs Representative Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista Representative Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango Representative Jennifer Parenti, D-Erie Representative Tammy Story, D-Conifer Representative Brianna Titone, D-Arvada Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs Appropriations Committee Chair, Representative Emily Sirota, D-Denver Vice Chair, Representative Shannon Bird, D-Westminster Representative Judy Amabile, D-Boulder Representative Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins Representative Leslie Herod, D-Denver Representative Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs Business Affairs and Labor Committee Chair, Representative Judy Amabile, D-Boulder Vice Chair, Representative Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs Representative Sheila Lieder, D-Lakewood Representative William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield Representative Javier Mabrey, D-Denver Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo Education Committee Chair, Representative Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango Vice Chair, Representative Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista Representative Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver Representative Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City Representative Mary Young, D-Greeley Energy and Environment Committee Chair, Representative Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins Vice Chair, Representative Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn Representative Ruby Dickson, D-Centennial Representative Meg Froelich, D-Englewood Representative Alex Valdez, D-Denver Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs Representative Stephanie Vigil, D-Colorado Springs Representative Mike Weissman, D-Aurora Finance Committee Chair, Representative Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs Vice Chair Representative Junie Joseph, D-Boulder Representative Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada Representative Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood Representative Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins Representative William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield Representative Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch Health and Insurance Committee Chair, Representative Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada Vice Chair, Representative Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood Representative Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County Representative Sheila Lieder, D-Lakewood Representative Karen McCormick, D-Longmont Representative David Ortiz, D-Littleton Representative Brianna Titone, D-Arvada Representative Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn Judiciary Committee Chair, Representative Mike Weissman, D-Aurora Vice Chair, Representative Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver Representative Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada Representative Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver Representative Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County Representative Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch Representative Said Sharbini, D-Brighton Representative Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs Representative Steven Woodrow, D-Denver Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services Committee Chair, Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City Vice Chair, Representative Mary Young, D-Greeley Representative Judy Amabile, D-Boulder Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver Representative Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial Representative Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora Representative Tammy Story, D-Conifer State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Chair, Representative Steven Woodrow, D-Denver Vice Chair, Representative David Ortiz, D-Littleton Representative Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins Representative Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver Representative Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora Representative Said Sharbini, D-Brighton Representative Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee Chair, Representative Meg Froelich, D-Englewood Vice Chair, Representative William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield Representative Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins Representative Ruby Dickson, D-Centennial Representative Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora Representative Javier Mabrey, D-Denver Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo Representative Jennifer Parenti, D-Erie Representative Stephanie Vigil, D-Colorado Springs Previous Next

< Back Jamie Jackson Jamie Jackson is a dedicated leader committed to equity, community empowerment, and effective governance. As COO of The Naloxone Project, she expands access to life-saving overdose prevention resources. With a background in nonprofit leadership and policy advocacy, Jamie previously served as COO of the Colorado Children's Campaign and has worked to advance social justice, healthcare equity, and community-driven solutions. She is Vice President of Colorado Black Women for Political Action (CBWPA) and chairs the Criminal Justice Committee for the Aurora NAACP. Jamie is committed to policies that uplift working families, protect vulnerable communities, and expand access to equitable healthcare. She brings a people-centered approach to governance, ensuring that House District 41 residents have a strong voice at the Capitol. Rep. Jackson serves on the Transportation, Housing & Local Government and Energy & Environment committees.

< Back April 2, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES WEISSMAN’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILL 76% of extremely low income families spend more than half their income on housing (Apr. 1) – The House Finance committee approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, that would put more money into the Housing Development Grant Fund within the Department of Local Affairs. This can then be used to improve, preserve, or expand the supply of affordable housing in Colorado. “Supporting a family, maintaining a job, living a healthy life, the whole foundation starts with housing,” said Rep. Weissman. “This bill is a calibrated approach that would benefit all of Coloradans – especially our most vulnerable families and individuals. This is the first significant and meaningful approach to our under-addressed affordable housing crisis in a while.” Under current law, a business can keep 3 ⅓ percent of sales tax that it collects for administration purposes. With this new bill, vendors can retain up to four percent of the vendor fees up to a one thousand dollar monthly cap. This minor statutory change will result in roughly $23 million in revenue. A third of these funds would be used to provide affordable housing to extremely low income families in the first year and would invest $45-50 million per year afterwards. Across Colorado, there is a shortage of 114,071 rental units affordable and available to extremely low income families. The hourly wage needed to afford housing in Colorado without being cost-burdened is $23.93 per hour, which is more than double the state’s minimum wage. HB19-1245 was approved on a vote of 7-4. It now heads to the House Appropriations committee. Previous Next

< Back April 10, 2020 REP. BUENTELLO APPOINTED TO GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC STABILIZATION & GROWTH Lawmaker will serve on Telecom Infrastructure Committee DENVER, CO — House Democrats today announced that Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder, has appointed Representative Bri Buentello, D-Pueblo, to serve on the Telecom Infrastructure Committee, part of the governor’s Council on Economic Stabilization and Growth. “A lot of Coloradans are hurting right now. We need to use all the tools we have to help people, families and businesses get through this crisis,” said Rep. Bri Buentello. “Whether it’s helping us work from home or continue our children’s education, video conferencing has become essential to our lives. I’m excited to join private sector and community leaders to continue working on the issues that are important to Colorado families and small businesses.” The Governor’s Council on Economic Stabilization and Growth is looking at how COVID-19 is impacting all aspects of Colorado’s economy and will make recommendations to the governor on how to help families, businesses and communities through the crisis. In addition to making policy recommendations, the Council is focused on identifying existing relief programs and is actively connecting small businesses, nonprofits and independent contractors to these programs. The Council is looking at gaps in federal relief programs and potential ways to fill them. Read more about the other committees and the Council on their website . Previous Next

Increase would have been much higher without Colorado Democrats special session legislation which preserved coverage for nearly 30,000 Coloradans < Back October 28, 2025 Mauro Statement on GOP Congress Causing Health Premiums to Double in Pueblo, 75,000 Could Lose Coverage Increase would have been much higher without Colorado Democrats special session legislation which preserved coverage for nearly 30,000 Coloradans DENVER, CO – Representative Tisha Mauro today released the following statement after the Division of Insurance announced that 2026 health care premium rates will increase by 101-percent due to Congress’s failure to continue the enhanced premium tax credits. “With the GOP Congress failing to extend critical tax credits, health care rates are expected to increase significantly in Pueblo, which will have devastating consequences for Coloradans who can’t afford to pay an extra $1,000 a month for health care,” said Rep. Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo. “While only Congress can fix this problem entirely, Colorado Democrats took action and passed a law to blunt some of the sharpest cost increases. Because of our action, premiums in Pueblo are nearly 13 percent lower than they would otherwise be. Still, Pueblo deserves better, which is why Congressional Republicans must act now so Coloradans don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for health care next year.” Statewide health care rates for individuals who purchase their own insurance are expected to increase by 101-percent due to Congressional Republicans’ failure to extend the tax credits. Open enrollment begins this Saturday, and Coloradans who want coverage in 2026 must choose their plan before December 15. Democrats have repeatedly urged Congress to extend the tax credits, which help make health care more affordable for around 225,000 Coloradans. In August, Rep. Mauro signed onto a letter to Colorado’s congressional delegation urging them to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that were intentionally omitted from the GOP’s H.R. 1. The expiration of these tax credits on December 31 will lead to fewer people having health insurance and higher health insurance costs for everyone, including small businesses and Coloradans with employer-sponsored health insurance. If Congress extended the enhanced premium tax credits, the average premium increase would be 16-percent, instead of 101-percent, and some Coloradans would see no increase. Colorado Democrats have significantly lowered health care costs with the state’s reinsurance program, which has saved consumers over $2 billion, and Colorado Option health care plan, which offered the lowest or second lowest cost plan in Pueblo in 2025. A recent study by Brown University found that the Colorado Option reduced monthly premiums by $101, even for non-Colorado Option plans. The average family of four in Pueblo that chose the Colorado Option plan save d nearly $4,500 in 2025. Earlier this year, the Colorado General Assembly returned to the Capitol to combat some of the harm caused by Trump’s Megabill and Congress’s failure to extend the ePTCs. Colorado Democrats passed a law that will invest in Colorado’s reinsurance program and blunt some of the most severe cost increases from the expiring tax credits. This law reduces the statewide average premium increase from 174-percent to 101-percent, saving Coloradans $220 million on health care next year and preventing 28,000 Coloradans from being kicked off their health coverage. The law reduced premiums by over 13-percent in the Pueblo metro area. In 2025 in Pueblo County, the reinsurance program saved the average 40 year old individual over $6,600 and a family of four has saved nearly $25,000 from 2020 through 2025 due to the Reinsurance Program. Previous Next

< Back May 26, 2021 BILLS TO INCREASE COVERAGE FOR CRITICAL HEALTH SERVICES ADVANCE DENVER, CO – The House Health and Insurance Committee today advanced two bills that would increase access to critical health services. SB21-009 would create a program to provide a 12-month supply of contraceptives and counseling services, and SB21-016 would require insurance plans to cover health services for sexually transmitted infections. SB21-009 , which is sponsored by Representative Yadira Caraveo, a physician, allows more Colorado families to make their own choices about when to start a family. The bill establishes the Reproductive Health Care Program, which would provide a 12-month supply of contraceptives and counseling services without prior authorization or co-pays to eligible individuals, regardless of citizenship status. Women who receive a year’s supply of oral contraceptive are 30 percent less likely to experience an unintended pregnancy than those who receive one or three-month supplies at a time. “Too many Colorado women, in particular people of color and Latinas, don’t have access to reproductive health care or contraception options,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a physician. “Barriers to accessing contraceptives exacerbate health inequalities by leading to unintended pregnancies, lack of comprehensive sexuality education, higher rates of maternal mortality, and inferior care for chronic illnesses for which contraception is vital. This bill will help provide access to necessary reproductive health care services.” SB21-016 , sponsored by Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Representative Kyle Mullica, an ER nurse, requires health plans to cover several critical preventative health services regardless of cost, such as osteoporosis screening, screenings for urinary conditions and sexually transmitted infection (STI) health care services, such as vaccinations for STIs. The bill would require coverage for diagnosis and treatment of STIs and contraceptive and family planning services. Importantly, it would reduce surprise billing for annual wellness visits by ensuring co-pay free coverage for STI testing and prevention, and closing gaps in family planning coverage. “We can’t hide from the facts–Coloradans will have better health outcomes if they have coverage for the critical screenings and treatment they need, and that’s what this bill does,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “We’re seeing too many LGBTQ Coloradans face challenges accessing critical health services, screenings or treatments for common conditions. We can do better–this bill ensures that everyone in our state has access to the care they need to live healthy lives.” “Access to preventative health care and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, like cervical cancer, save lives,” said Rep. Kyle Mullica, an ER Nurse. “No one should go without a screening that could diagnose a life-threatening condition or forgo treatment for that condition because their health insurance doesn’t cover it.” Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would save people money on housing by updating building codes to only require one stairwell for certain multi-family buildings. < Back April 2, 2025 Bill to Make Housing More Affordable Advances DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would save people money on housing by updating building codes to only require one stairwell for certain multi-family buildings. “This smart stair policy is safe and will help us create more affordable housing in Colorado,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “Firefighting technology and fire protection techniques have significantly improved in the last few decades, and it’s time that we modernize our building codes to account for these safety improvements and reduce the cost of building multi-family housing. The bill provides an innovative option making it easier to build family-sized apartments and condos that will help us meet Colorado’s housing needs and save people money on housing.” “Colorado Democrats are committed to passing legislation that will make housing more affordable,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “This bill would eliminate second stairwell requirements for certain buildings to drive down building costs and create more livable space without jeopardizing the health and safety of renters. Coloradans sent us here to pass policy that will make our communities more affordable, and this bill would help open up more housing opportunities that work for every budget.” Beginning December 1, 2027, HB25-1273 would require a municipality of 100,000 or more residents that is served by an accredited fire protection district, fire department, or fire authority to ensure that their building code allows certain multi-family residential buildings up to five stories to be served by a single exit. Additional requirements to qualify for a single-stairway exit include: Buildings no more than five stories tall with up to four dwelling units per floor, Safety features throughout the building that satisfy building codes and other relevant codes, including an automatic sprinkler system and fire resistance and smoke control systems, Stairways no more than twenty feet away from a door to each dwelling unit and 125 feet from the stairway to any point in a dwelling unit, and Buildings constructed of non-combustible or fire-resistive construction materials. The bill would also require a jurisdiction to notify their local International Association of Fire Fighters affiliate and the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Association when they begin the code adoption process. These buildings would also be required to include signage to identify that they are single-stair buildings and have a fire-resistant box that contains keys to the buildings for firefighters to access the building and its units. According to a 2025 Pew Study , there has been no evidence of increased safety risks in New York City, Seattle, the Netherlands, and other jurisdictions that allow single stair apartments to be built. Adding a second stairway to an apartment building can increase building costs by 6- to 13-percent, and single stair apartments can reduce cooling costs by up to 80-percent due to improved window placement, which allows cross-ventilation. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation, sponsored by Representatives Javier Mabrey and Elizabeth Velasco, on a preliminary vote to improve rail safety in Colorado. < Back May 1, 2025 Rail Safety Bill Advances DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation, sponsored by Representatives Javier Mabrey and Elizabeth Velasco, on a preliminary vote to improve rail safety in Colorado. “This is data-informed policy to make Colorado’s railroads safer to better protect railroad workers, Colorado communities and our environment,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “Colorado Democrats took a major step to improve safe rail operations last year by creating the Office of Rail Safety, and their work has been critical in identifying gaps in existing emergency response and preparedness. I’m proud to sponsor this legislation to improve rail safety across our state.” “Train incidents can have catastrophic impacts on the economic vitality of our communities and the environment, which is why it’s crucial that we ensure local communities have the resources to prevent and effectively respond to train derailments and accidents,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “Glenwood Springs is the gateway to the West, with daily freight trains and world-class passenger routes significantly contributing to our local economy and tourism. This bill is important for my district to protect our recreational economy and access to clean water by avoiding preventable rail accidents.” SB25-162 would centralize the inspection and regulation of Colorado’s class I and passenger railroads within the Public Utilities Commission, outline communication requirements for emergency response and protect railroad employees from being civilly liable for damages for actions taken in good faith when responding to an emergency situation. The bill also creates the Office of Rail Safety Fund to create a single funding source to improve railroad infrastructure by hiring safety inspectors, equipping emergency response teams, ensuring proper rail maintenance and oversight. The bill requires the Office to assess best practices for ensuring financial responsibility for response, cleanup, and damages from major rail events so that communities are not stuck footing the bill for accidents. Colorado Democrats passed a 2024 law , also sponsored by Rep. Mabrey, to create the Office of Rail Safety and direct it to compile a report including information on rail safety, emergency response, financial responsibility for cleanups of hazardous material incidents and necessary staffing and equipment levels for implementation of safety measures. Previous Next

< Back April 23, 2019 HOUSE GIVES PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO BILL TO HELP COLORADO WORKERS ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Previous Next

< Back June 7, 2021 HOTELS, MOTELS, AND HOUSING SUPPORT House passes innovative proposal to convert underutilized motels and hotels into affordable housing units DENVER– The House today passed Representatives Gonzales Gutierrez and Woodrow’s bill to invest $30 million of federal funds into a grant program that will allow local governments to convert underutilized properties into shelters or affordable housing units. The bill passed by a vote of 42-22. “Colorado’s housing crisis demands action, and today we empowered local governments to take immediate steps to help keep people housed,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, sponsor of SB21-242 and SB21-027. “Revitalizing hotels and motels to meet housing needs is an innovative and commonsense way to tackle one of Colorado’s most persistent issues.” “Working to help families keep a roof over their heads isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s a matter of investing in Colorado’s economy and improving public health,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, sponsor of SB21-242. “By converting underutilized hotels and motels, we’re leveraging existing assets to provide shelter and housing to some of Colorado’s most vulnerable residents.” SB21-242 provides $30 million in federal funding for grants and loans for local governments and nonprofits to purchase underutilized hotels, underutilized motels and other underutilized properties for the purpose of providing shelter or affordable housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. Grant recipients, local governments and nonprofits are encouraged to invest in hotels and motels that are women and minority-owned, as well as those that are ADA compliant. The legislation also provides direct assistance to workers who were unable to receive prior federal and state relief. Previous Next