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Representative Matthew Martinez and Senators Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, and Julie Gonzales today hosted a press conference to discuss new legislation to strengthen local fence construction laws in the San Luis Valley. < Back January 24, 2025 JOINT RELEASE: Lawmakers Step Up to Protect Environment, Sangre De Cristo Land Grants DENVER, CO – Representative Matthew Martinez and Senators Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, and Julie Gonzales today hosted a press conference to discuss new legislation to strengthen local fence construction laws in the San Luis Valley. “This legislation is necessary to fight back against the negative impacts of unauthorized fence construction on our community, to protect our environment and Colorado Way of Life," said Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista . “When I visited the newly constructed fence, I was appalled by the negative impact on our environment and our local community. Many San Luis Valley residents have land rights beyond the fence dating back to before Colorado’s statehood. This bill will boost local control and require individuals to submit an application before construction – further prioritizing local and environmental protections.” “As Co-Chair of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, I am so proud to sponsor HB1023,” said Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. “Ensuring local governments have a say in how San Luis Valley communities are able to access their land is simply the right thing to do. I want to uplift the leadership of Representative Martinez on this important issue and I look forward to carrying this policy when it reaches the Senate." HB25-1023 , would require individuals to submit an application to local government officials before constructing or installing a contiguous fence of a certain size in the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant lands. Under the bill, local governments would be responsible for determining if the benefits of a fencing project outweigh the harms. Additionally, local governments may pass an ordinance or resolution opting out of these requirements altogether. Recent fence construction on one of the Sangre de Cristo land grant properties has caused environmental damage, including land erosion and limiting wildlife movement, and kept out local residents with legal access to the land grant. This bill takes aim at future, unauthorized fencing construction projects to protect the natural habitats in the San Luis Valley. Previous Next

< Back March 25, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO HELP COLORADO STUDENTS Bill to expand financial assistance for ASSET students (Mar. 25) – The House approved a bill to expand state financial aid resources for ASSET students. HB19-1196, sponsored by Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, would provide Advancing Students for a Strong Tomorrow (ASSET) students the abilities to receive state financial aid. “Increasing the eligibility for state financial aid will help Colorado’s rural institutions that lack financial resources to supplement state financial aid for ASSET students,” said Rep. Gonzales-Gutierrez. “Improving access to higher education by increasing financial assistance will erase our state’s equity gaps and serve as an investment in Colorado’s future.” Currently, ASSET students are eligible for the College Opportunity Fund and institutional aid, but they are not eligible for state aid, including scholarships awarded by the state. The ASSET bill passed the legislature in 2013 with bipartisan support and makes the in-state tuition rate at state colleges and universities in Colorado available to all students, regardless of immigration status, who graduate from high school in Colorado after attending for at least three years. HB19-1196 passed by a vote of 41-24. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back February 5, 2019 HOUSE PASSES BUENTELLO-KIPP BILL TO INCLUDE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN GRADUATION RATES Bill headed to Senate following 62-0 vote (Feb. 5) – The House overwhelmingly approved Rep. Bri Buentello and Rep. Cathy Kipp’s bill to require Colorado schools to count students who are enrolled in special education and who complete the minimum graduation requirements in state-and-local high school graduation rates. “Every student across Colorado deserves to be counted when they complete high school,” said Rep. Bri Buentello, D-Pueblo. “We shouldn’t punish school districts and this bill would allow for students like my son, who is on the autism spectrum, to be counted toward the graduation rate.” Currently, special education students who have met the minimum graduation requirements, but who will continue receiving transition services in a district, do not count towards the school and district’s graduation rates until they leave the system. “This straightforward bill will help school districts and students alike,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “We will continue working to ensure our students and schools are given every opportunity to succeed.” Rep. Kipp is a former member of the Poudre School District Board of Education. HB19-1066 was approved on a vote of 62-0. The bill now goes to the Senate. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to create a tax exemption for Colorado homeowners who are underinsured for rebuilding or replacement costs after a declared wildfire disaster. HB23-1240 passed by a vote of 44-16, with 16 Republicans voting against the bill. < Back April 22, 2023 Tax Exemption to Help Wildfire Victims Rebuild Passes the House DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation to create a tax exemption for Colorado homeowners who are underinsured for rebuilding or replacement costs after a declared wildfire disaster. HB23-1240 passed by a vote of 44-16, with 16 Republicans voting against the bill. “After the Marshall Fire, nearly 60% of families who lost their homes did not have enough insurance coverage to rebuild their home,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Hundreds of families were burdened with restoring their property on their own dime. Our bill gives these families a tax refund on building materials that will save them money on construction costs, giving them an extra boost when they need it most.” “When a wildfire wipes out hundreds of homes at once, it’s almost impossible to get the resources you need to rebuild,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Insurance companies struggle to quickly provide quotes and building materials are stretched thin. This legislation creates a tax exemption for wildfire victims to help address the barriers that prevent them from rebuilding their home.” HB23-1240 creates a state sales and use tax exemption for construction and building materials for homeowners looking to rebuild or repair their home after a declared wildfire disaster. The exemption for qualified purchases is administered through a refund process, which must be claimed by June 30, 2028, and allows homeowners that have already made purchases to retroactively claim a refund. This bill is accompanied by HB23-1174 , also sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Judy Amabile, to reduce homeowner underinsurance for damaged homes or structures. It would require home insurance companies to offer a variety of coverages to protect them, covering the cost of repair or replacement for a damaged or destroyed structure. If a homeowner wants additional coverage, the insurer must offer coverage for extended replacement, law and ordinance, and inflation protection. It would also extend the length of time in which an insurer would have to notify a homeowner of a cancellation or refusal to renew a homeowner’s policy from 30 days to 60 days. The bill passed the House by a vote of 45-17. Previous Next

< Back May 17, 2019 DEMOCRATS DELIVER BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS TO HELP LOWER COST OF HEALTH CARE Gov signs McCluskie, Roberts health care bills into law (May 17) – Gov. Polis signed bills sponsored by Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, and Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, into law today in Silverthorne and Vail. House Democrats are committed to lowering the cost of health care for hardworking families and these bills help deliver on that promise. First up was the bipartisan HB19-1168, State Innovation Waiver Reinsurance Program law which will help reduce insurance premiums on the individual market by 15-30 percent by helping insurers with high-cost insurance claims, providing much-needed relief to hardworking Coloradans across the state–many of whom are paying up to a third of their income on monthly premiums. Coloradans on the individual market are struggling to keep up with the out-of-control costs of health care, particularly in rural areas of the state. By establishing a reinsurance program Colorado can stabilize the individual marketplace, increase health insurance participation and share the risks more broadly. Colorado, particularly on the Western Slope, has some of the highest health insurance costs in the country forcing families and individuals to forgo health insurance coverage and putting them at major risk of medical debt if emergencies arise. “We put a great deal of effort into building a reinsurance program that will work for Coloradans. I am thrilled to see it be signed into law so working people can start to save money on health care. Reinsurance is a proven concept that will work to lower the cost of health insurance premiums, especially on the Western Slope,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon . “This new law will have a meaningful reduction in health insurance rates on the individual market across the state. We don’t have any more time to waste. People are deciding between paying their mortgage and their health insurance right now.” Rep. McCluskie introduced the bipartisan bill in the House with Rep. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction. Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, and Sen. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, are the Senate sponsors. Gov. Polis then signed Rep. Dylan Roberts’ bipartisan HB19-1004. This new law will start developing a publicly supported health insurance option to help put affordable health insurance in reach for many hardworking families across our state. The public option will leverage the efficiencies of our current state infrastructure for greater savings, and will have a goal of becoming available for purchase by Coloradans as soon as the fall of 2020. “The cost of health insurance continues to rise to unaffordable levels, especially in rural Colorado. This new law is a smart approach that will bring competition to the marketplace to help lower the cost of health care,” said Rep. Roberts. “No one should be forced to sacrifice the security of health insurance for themselves and their family based on costs. Everyone deserves choice when they are buying insurance and that is what this law will bring. This bipartisan effort is a Colorado solution that was carefully crafted in a responsible way to create a new, affordable health insurance option in our state.” Earlier in the day, the Gov. signed SB19-004, a bill sponsored by Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, and Rep. McCluskie. This new law focuses on healthcare cooperatives, which aim to lower healthcare costs by encouraging consumers to negotiate rates on a collective basis directly with providers and offer plans to individuals, businesses, and other groups that are more affordable than what currently exists on the market. The law will strengthen Colorado’s laws to allow coops to incorporate consumer protections like coverage for preexisting conditions, and will allow the State Insurance Commissioner to work with groups seeking to create co-ops so that they can get up and running as soon as possible. “The formation of health insurance co-ops across our state where Coloradans collectively negotiate rates directly with providers will help drive down the cost of health care,” said Rep. Roberts. “This new law will authorize the formation of these co-ops which could result in plans that are significantly cheaper than those available today.” “Without any action on the federal level to the health care crisis, Colorado communities are finding creative, innovative approaches to making health care more accessible,” Rep. McCluskie said when the bill passed the House this April. “This bipartisan bill will help provide solutions to the complicated health care challenges hardworking families face everyday.” Sen. Kerry Donovan and Sen. Rankin are the Senate co-prime sponsors of the law. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law to grant funding to community-based organizations that provide crucial services to new immigrants and streamline the process of receiving a driver’s license or state identification card for new immigrants. < Back June 5, 2024 Gov Signs Bills to Support New Immigrants, Streamline Their Driver’s License Process DENVER, CO - Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law to grant funding to community-based organizations that provide crucial services to new immigrants and streamline the process of receiving a driver’s license or state identification card for new immigrants. “Diversity makes our Colorado communities stronger and we must set up new immigrants for success so they can create a better and safer life for themselves and their families,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, sponsor of HB24-1280 and SB24-182. “By strengthening Colorado’s existing community-based resources and streamlining the eligibility process to receive a driver’s license, new immigrants will have a better chance of building a thriving life, just like the generations of immigrants before them did.” “Colorado’s immigrant communities make our state stronger,” said Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB24-1280 “With the recent increase of new immigrants to our state, community organizations and local governments are struggling to keep up with the high demand for services. Increasing access to resources like employment and housing services will help new immigrants build successful lives in Colorado.” “Colorado has seen a significant increase in new immigrants, and counties and organizations across the state are struggling to keep up with the demand for necessary services and resources,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County, sponsor of HB24-1280. “Resources like referrals to housing, employment assistance, and school enrollment support have a significant impact on new residents achieving stability here. Our law aims to better support the good work that community organizations are already doing to aid new immigrants as they transition to life in Colorado.” “Colorado has seen a recent influx of new immigrants, and they often arrive with very little and no knowledge or connections to help them integrate,” said Senator Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, sponsor of HB24-1280. “This critical bill will better resource existing community-based organizations so they can support new immigrants and provide them with the tools they need to thrive in Colorado.” HB24-1280 creates the Statewide Welcome, Reception, and Integration Grant Program to grant funds to community-based organizations that provide services to new immigrants within their first year in the United States. Grant money can be used for: Conducting an intake and assessment of needs, Providing cultural orientation and case management, Services or referrals to employment services, immigration legal assistance, housing-related services, transportation services, financial orientation, mental and physical health services, interpretation and translation services, and English as a second language courses, Distributing emergency and transitional supplies, and Assisting new immigrant parents to enroll their kids in public schools or summer programs. “For over a decade, I have worked to ensure immigrants have access to driver’s licenses,” said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, sponsor of SB24-182. “I’m proud of our progress this year to remove barriers to these driver’s licenses – because it shouldn’t matter where you’re born, what matters is whether you know the rules of the road. Facilitating immigrants’ access to driver’s licenses will make us all safer – and I am proud to have worked with law enforcement and immigrant rights organizations to pass this bill into law.” “For undocumented people, the average wait time to get a driver's license is 12-30 months, yet they still need to drive to work or drive their kids to school,” said Rep. Tim Hernández, D-Denver. “This new law allows us to address the needs of newcomers that have been present for decades but have grown more pronounced with the recent arrival of migrants across the state. I’m thankful to have been a part of removing oppressive barriers for our community through this legislation.” “Right now, undocumented folks must wait years to become eligible for a driver’s license. On top of that, it’s often difficult to obtain the particular kinds of identifying information needed to receive a license,” said Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, sponsor of SB24-182. “With this new law, we’re removing unnecessary barriers for folks that are on our roads anyway, which increases the number of licensed drivers with car insurance – ultimately lowering insurance costs for all Colroadans. The most important thing we can do is make sure everyone on our roads knows the rules of roads, has access to the insurance coverage they need, and is able to obtain state identification – and this law does just that.” SB24-182 amends the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act to make it easier for new immigrants to obtain a driver's license or state identification card for residents who do not have legal resident status in the United States. This law changes the requirements to receive a driver's license or state identification card by: Removing a requirement to file a Colorado resident income tax return for the prior year, Removing a requirement to demonstrate residence in the state for the previous two years, Removing a requirement to provide a documented social security number or individual taxpayer identification number, and Creating a process by which people without the required documentation can prove they are eligible by alternative means of documentation. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation into law to combat destructive wildfires through strategic prescribed burns. < Back May 29, 2025 Signed! Bill to Prevent Catastrophic Wildfires DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation into law to combat destructive wildfires through strategic prescribed burns. SB25-007 , sponsored by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Senator Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, and Representatives Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, and Ron Weinberg, R-Loveland, encourages the use of prescribed burns as a wildfire resilience tool. “Because of the real impacts of climate change, we are living with an unpredictable and increasing threat of devastating wildfires,” said Cutter. “As a longtime member and current chair of the Wildfire Matters Review Committee, I am committed to championing solutions that address all facets of this issue. Prescribed burning is an important tool in the toolbox to help protect Coloradans and our forests.” “Wildfire season is year-round in Colorado, and our communities need all the wildfire mitigation tools available,” said Velasco. “This law will make it easier for communities to conduct prescribed burns, which are a cost-effective way to reduce the amount of fuel available for a wildfire. Fire is a natural part of our ecosystem, and with the guidance of a certified burn manager, Colorado communities can take steps today to reduce the size and intensity of destructive wildfires in the future.” “We’ve learned so many lessons from the catastrophic wildfires of recent years, and among the most important of those is to be prepared,” said Marchman. “It is imperative that we strengthen our use of proactive, science-backed approaches like prescribed burns to address dangerous conditions and keep our forests healthy before we find ourselves in a disastrous situation.” Low-intensity fire, applied through prescribed burns overseen by burn managers, can reduce fuel loads and restore fire-adapted ecosystems. SB25-007 will strengthen Colorado’s wildfire mitigation efforts by encouraging controlled, prescribed burns. To keep communities safe, plans for prescribed burns must be reviewed by the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. As recommended by the Wildfire Matters Review Committee , this new law will compensate Coloradans if their property is damaged during prescribed burns. It will also address workforce shortages that are a barrier to expanding the use of prescribed fires by allowing interstate reciprocity in the certified burner program, which certifies individuals to conduct prescribed burns. Additionally, this law better allows utility companies to perform wildfire mitigation, broadening access to a financing mechanism that will reduce mitigation costs. To ensure state oversight, plans must be approved by the Public Utilities Commission. Previous Next

Governor Polis today signed two bills into law to support veterans and their families seeking government services. < Back June 3, 2025 Signed! Pair of New Laws Will Support Veterans and Their Families DENVER, CO – Governor Polis today signed two bills into law to support veterans and their families seeking government services. SB25-282 , sponsored by Senator Matt Ball, D-Denver, and Representative Lisa Feret, D-Arvada, will protect veterans from paying too much for veterans’ services from unaccredited bad actors. “Too often, those who have bravely served our country are misled into paying thousands of dollars in fees and even going into debt for services they receive for free from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,” Ball said. “Without preventing honest consultants in the industry from doing business, this law will address the backlog in claims from the DMVA while cracking down on bad actors who mislead and defraud our nation’s veterans.” "My fellow veterans deserve fair and safe access to services that help them get benefits they earned through their service and sacrifice for our country,” said Feret. “‘Claim sharks’ rake in millions of dollars each year from excessive fees on service members' disability claims, sometimes even when they don't even win. Our law helps create guidelines in this unregulated space to protect disabled veterans while allowing companies address the backlog of disability claims. I will not back down as dark money groups try to scam veterans who put their life on their line for our country." Cosponsored by Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, and Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, SB25-282 protects veterans from unaccredited consultants, often called “claim sharks,” who charge money to help navigate the application process to receive benefits from the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). The new law mirrors the regulations the federal government uses to regulate social security benefits from the Social Security Administration. It requires that businesses must unambiguously notify veterans that they can receive the same services for free from the DMVA, clearly state that they are not affiliated with the DMVA, and limit the amount of money consultants can receive from veterans’ back pay. HB25-1083 , sponsored by Senators Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City, and Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, and Representatives Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial, and Mary Bradfield, R-El Paso County, supports military families by expanding driver license extensions to dependents of active duty members. “Veterans’ families make some of the same sacrifices and difficult choices to serve our country that the service members in their families do,” said Michaelson Jenet. “I’m proud to sponsor this new law that extends some of the same critical benefits to them as a way to honor those sacrifices.” “As a former military spouse, I understand the importance of supporting and honoring military members and their families,” said Hamrick. “Current law allows service members outside of Colorado to extend their expired license for up to three years, and this new law expands this benefit to dependents of military service members. I’m proud to sponsor this law to better support Colorado military families and recognize the sacrifices they make for our state and country.” Currently, if a Coloradan’s driver’s license expires while they are on active duty outside of Colorado, state law allows the expiration date to be extended for three years. Beginning January 1, 2027, HB25-1083 will also allow dependents of these service members to benefit from this three-year extension. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to support Coloradans seeking homeowners insurance in wildfire prone areas and promote the development of clean, thermal energy technology. < Back April 19, 2023 House Advances Property Insurance of Last Resort, Pathways for Thermal Energy Technology DENVER, CO – The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to s upport Coloradans seeking homeowners insurance in wildfire prone areas and promote the development of clean, thermal energy technology. “Wildfires are becoming more frequent and destructive in Colorado, and we need to ensure our neighbors and communities are protected,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of HB23-1288. “Through this legislation, we’re creating a FAIR insurance plan especially for Coloradans living in wildfire prone areas to insure their homes, businesses and livelihood. Property owners are already struggling to find insurance, and we are hearing from constituents that some may not be able to purchase insurance at all. We’re committed to doing everything we can to help property owners insure their structures as climate change continues to drive increasingly destructive natural disasters.” “In Colorado, we’re taking big steps to not only mitigate wildfires, but make it possible for homeowners in disaster prone areas to purchase property insurance,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB23-1288. “Unfortunately, many homeowners living in wildfire or flood prone areas are struggling to purchase insurance that will protect their home or business – this legislation fixes that by creating the FAIR insurance plan. We need to prepare for potential impacts to the insurance market from the next big fire, and our bill steps up to fill potential gaps in insurance coverage so Coloradans always have an option to insure their properties.” Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan Association: HB23-1288 would create a nonprofit, unincorporated legal entity, to ensure Coloradans with homes and commercial properties located in wildfire zones can receive homeowners or commercial insurance. As destructive wildfires become more frequent in residential areas, many Coloradans struggle to find a private insurer that will cover their property at all. This bill would make sure Coloradans can find a carrier to insure their homes and commercial spaces as wildfires grow in frequency and destruction across Colorado. “ Thermal energy heating and cooling systems are already being used across Colorado, and this bill creates a pathway so more Coloradans and businesses can take advantage of this cost-saving technology,” said Rep. Sheila Lieder, D-Littleton, sponsor of HB23-1252. “This legislation would make it easier to develop, expand and deploy clean, reliable thermal energy technology, creating good paying jobs, saving money on energy bills and helping to improve our air quality.” “Thermal energy is the heat beneath our feet, and it can play an important role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of HB23-1252. “Our legislation works to expand avenues for thermal energy technologies in homes and businesses across the state, saving Coloradans’ money and creating new jobs in emerging fields. Attracting and adopting clean technologies like thermal energy is key to helping Colorado reach its climate goals.” Including Thermal Energy As A Clean Heat Resource: HB23-1252 would continue Colorado’s work to reduce emissions from gas utilities by providing a pathway for wider adoption of thermal energy as a clean heat resource. This bill aims to assist in the transition away from expensive fuel commodities like natural gas and lower utility costs for Coloradans. Thermal energy systems heat and cool buildings by circulating non-combustible fluids through a pipe network. Defining thermal energy as a clean heat resource allows the state to expand its usage, create new job opportunities, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and save Coloradans money on their utility bills. Previous Next

< Back March 7, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES LOCAL WAGE OPTION LEGISLATION Growth in worker wages spurs consumer spending & a healthier economy (Mar 6) – The House Transportation and Local Government committee approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Rochelle Galindo, D-Greeley, and Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora, to provide local governments the option to raise the minimum wage within their jurisdictions. “We are giving the power to set the local minimum wage to our municipalities and counties,” said Rep. Galindo. “Our state is so diverse and what works for Denver is not necessarily going to work for Greeley or Trinidad. The Local Wage Option is a tool that can help Colorado’s workers and communities thrive.” HB19-1210 would allow local governments to adjust their minimum wage up to more effectively address the local cost of living, rather than have to adhere to a statewide standard in a state where local real estate markets and health care costs vary dramatically. “Colorado is a very big, diverse state and economic situations can be very different in different areas of the state. One size does not fit all when it comes to addressing the needs of every Coloradan,” said Rep. Melton. “ This is really about allowing local communities to decide what is best for them.” The bill would allow counties and cities to increase the minimum wage in their localities beyond the state minimum wage, currently set at $11.10 an hour. Research shows that wage growth spurs consumer spending and a healthier economy and that concerns of potential negative impacts to businesses or jobs are not borne out in the data on this issue. Denver City Mayor Michael Hancock and Summit County Commissioner Thomas Davidson testified in support of this bill. The bill, which can be found here , passed committee with a vote of 6-5. It now heads to the House floor. Previous Next

The House today passed a bill sponsored by Representatives Mandy Lindsay and Yara Zokaie that would require sellers to provide consumers with an opportunity to cancel automatic renewal contracts either online or in person. SB25-145 passed 41-22, with 22 House Republicans voting to make it harder to cancel subscriptions. < Back April 23, 2025 House Approves Bill to Make it Easier to Cancel Automatic Renewals DENVER, CO - The House today passed a bill sponsored by Representatives Mandy Lindsay and Yara Zokaie that would require sellers to provide consumers with an opportunity to cancel automatic renewal contracts either online or in person. SB25-145 passed 41-22, with 22 House Republicans voting to make it harder to cancel subscriptions. “There is nothing more annoying than checking your credit card statement and seeing charges for a subscription service that you can’t find a way to cancel,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora. “This legislation would require businesses to make the cancellation process straightforward for consumers, saving Coloradans time cancelling unwanted subscriptions and money on services or products they don’t need.” “While companies make it simple to start a subscription online, they often add extra steps to cancel,” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins. “We live in an era where more services are subscription-based, and if you’re forced to pay a subscription just to access your home security cameras or watch TV, it shouldn’t be impossible to cancel. With this bill, we’re ensuring Coloradans can easily end their subscription services and prevent unwanted charges.” SB25-145 would require sellers of goods and services to implement simple mechanisms for consumers to cancel automatic renewal contracts and trial periods either online or in person. Failure to do so would constitute a deceptive trade practice under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. Previous Next

< Back January 18, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY URGES CONGRESS TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS Democrats call on Congress to protect the cornerstone of our democracy while reasserting the validity of the 2020 election results DENVER, CO – The Colorado House and Senate today passed measures calling on Congress to defend democracy and pass critical voting rights protections. The measures, HR22-1004 and SM22-001 , reassert the validity of the 2020 election results and highlight Colorado’s Gold Standard elections system to the nation as a model for holding free, safe, and secure elections. Democratic legislators condemned attempts across the country to restrict voting rights, lauded the safeguards in place in our state, and urged action to protect voting rights across the country. Republicans in the House offered and largely voted in favor of amendments calling into question the election of Joe Biden as president, encouraging states to conduct sham Arizona-style election “audits,” and thanking Representative Ron Hanks and the insurrectionists who attempted to stop the US Congress from certifying the 2020 election certification on January 6. Republicans also supported amendments offering support for Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, who is currently under federal and state investigations for election security breaches. “We will not be silent while states across our country use lies and conspiracies to attack voting rights and make it harder for people of color to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said Rep. Tony Exum, Sr, D-Colorado Springs. “ Silence about the lies and conspiracies that were spread about the 2020 election is what led to the violent insurrection on January 6th. Protecting the right to vote, something that Black Americans fought and died for and the most fundamental of right in our democracy, should not divide us. As Dr. King’s family has said, we cannot truly honor his legacy and all those who fought tirelessly for voting rights unless we urgently add our voice to those calling on Congress to protect our democracy.” “The right to vote is sacred, but right now across the country that right is in jeopardy as states across the country are dead set on making it harder for communities of color and for young folks to exercise their fundamental right to vote,” said Senator James Coleman, D-Denver. “These unacceptable attacks on the right to vote are damaging to our democracy, and we must stand together as one and condemn them – as well as those pushing the lies and misinformation spurring their actions in the first place. If we truly want to honor the memory of Dr. King, Congress must quickly pass critical voting rights legislation that will stop these escalating attacks on voters, and to take steps to ensure that every eligible voter can make their voice heard at the ballot box.” “Before the Voting Rights Act of 1965, election officials routinely ‘ran out’ of voter registration cards when Latinos asked for them, refused assistance to American citizens who could not read English and regularly beat and intimidated Latinos who were simply trying to exercise their right to vote,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “We will not stand by while states pass laws to suppress the vote and take us back to when people of color were denied their fundamental constitutional rights. I’m proud the General Assembly took the important step today to reassert the validity of the 2020 election results and condemn the lies and falsehoods that led to the violent insurrection on January 6th and the renewed efforts in state legislatures across the country to suppress the vote.” “The threat to our democracy posed by continuing efforts across the country to suppress marginalized communities is unacceptable, and it’s far past time we put a stop to it,” said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. “When the right to vote is under attack anywhere, it’s under attack everywhere, and we need to do everything we can to defend our democracy and ensure equal access to the ballot box. Colorado has proven that you can have safe, secure elections without making it harder for folks to vote, and we urge Congress to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote.” The resolution passed the House by a vote of 40-23 and the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 20-13. The full text of the resolution is below: WHEREAS, Every January we honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his heroic efforts to advance voting rights and we aspire to follow in his footsteps; and WHEREAS, No one did more to promote the right to vote for Disenfranchised Americans than the civil rights leaders of the 1960s, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congressman John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Ella Baker; and WHEREAS, Until the United States Congress passed the federal “Voting Rights Act of 1965”, people of color in the United States were frequently subject to poll taxes, literacy tests, and fraud and intimidation, preventing them from exercising their right to cast a ballot; and WHEREAS, The United States Senate is considering critical federal elections reform and long overdue updates to the federal “Voting Rights Act of 1965” to preserve voting rights for generations to come, in honor of the legacy of the late Congressman John Lewis; and WHEREAS, Colorado’s electoral system serves as an example to the rest of the nation, and in fact the world, of how to expand voter access while protecting electoral integrity through safeguards including risk-limiting audits and signature verification; and WHEREAS, In the 2020 election, Colorado had the second highest voter turnout of any state in the nation, and Colorado’s largest voting bloc young people ages 18 to 34 — turned out in record numbers; and WHEREAS, Efforts to suppress the vote and disenfranchise Americans who historically have had the least access to the ballot have been on the rise across the country in recent years; and WHEREAS, Last year, more than 440 bills with provisions that restrict voting access were introduced in 49 states, including here in Colorado, where legislation was introduced to restrict voters’ access to Colorado’s vote by mail system, a national model of excellence for election access, security, and integrity; and WHEREAS, Last year, 19 states passed 34 laws restricting access to voting, including Georgia’s Senate Bill 202 and Texas’ Senate Bill No.1, both of which made it more difficult for voters to exercise their fundamental right to vote enshrined in the United States Constitution and the federal “Voting Rights Act of 1965”; and WHEREAS, Falsehoods and conspiracies regarding the integrity of the 2020 election have run rampant in our media and public discourse; and WHEREAS, The months-long, coordinated attempt to interfere with the democratic process following the November 2020 election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power by overturning the legitimate results of the presidential election, which culminated at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, serves as a violent reminder of the fragility of our democracy; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-third 32 General Assembly of the State of Colorado: That we, the members of the Colorado House of Representatives: -2- HR22-1004 (1) Reassert the validity of the 2020 presidential election results as legitimate and verified; (2) Offer Colorado’s premier electoral system as a model for state across the country to adopt in order to increase voter participation while ensuring electoral integrity; and (3) Call on the United States Congress, and specifically members of the United States Senate, to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation to protect the fundamental right to vote, which has been the cornerstone of our democracy since the founding of our republic. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and all members of the Colorado Congressional delegation. Previous Next