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< Back January 30, 2020 BILL TO GUARANTEE MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS CHECKS BILL ADVANCES Bipartisan legislation would reinforce Colorado as a national leader in mental health parity DENVER, CO– HB20-1086, sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Colin Larson, today passed the House Committee on Health and Insurance unanimously. By guaranteeing insurance coverage for annual mental health wellness exams, the legislation would cement Colorado as a national leader in mental health parity laws. “I’m excited that Colorado is now a big step closer to making annual mental health wellness exams accessible to all,” said Rep. Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City) . “Too often, our state’s behavioral health system provides care in crisis situations after a mental health condition has gone untreated. This bill would prioritize preventative mental health care, just like we do for physical health care, so that Coloradans can get the care they need before they face a crisis.” HB20-1086 would require health insurance plans to cover an annual mental health wellness examination as a part of their coverage for preventative health care services. The coverage must be comparable to the coverage for a physical examination, comply with federal mental health parity laws, and not require any deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. The legislation aims to further break down barriers to mental health care. Our current system often treats mental health on an expensive crisis-by-crisis basis. By enhancing access to preventative care, the bill would help provide treatment for mental health conditions before someone is faced with a crisis. It would also reduce the stigma around mental health by ensuring we value preventative mental health care in the same way we currently value physical health care. Colorado is experiencing a persistent and rising suicide rate while far too many residents report barriers to accessing the behavioral health care they need. Suicide is the seventh leading cause of death in Colorado. In 2019, 769,301 Coloradans were unable to get mental health services when needed, and 68 percent reported that cost and insurance coverage were barriers, according to the Colorado Health Access Survey. The legislation is supported by Mental Health Colorado, the Colorado AFL-CIO, the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, the Colorado Association for School Based Health Care, the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, and the Colorado Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Previous Next

The bipartisan Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Colorado Jail Standards today advanced three bills including legislation to expand grant opportunities to county jails, create guidelines for jails preparing to consolidate, and improve and modernize communications between those incarcerated and their attorney. < Back November 20, 2024 Jail Standards Interim Committee Advances Three Bills DENVER, CO – The bipartisan Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Colorado Jail Standards today advanced three bills including legislation to expand grant opportunities to county jails, create guidelines for jails preparing to consolidate, and improve and modernize communications between those incarcerated and their attorney. “This summer, the committee met with important voices in the judicial space, including spokespeople for county sheriffs, the Attorney General’s office, and criminal justice advocates, and we are ready to move forward with data-driven legislation that will improve the operational efficiency of our county jails,” said Senator-Elect and Chair Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of Bills 1, 2 and 3. “I’m sponsoring legislation that will bring more money into our county jails, save rural counties money and boost staffing by allowing them to consolidate their jails, and increase access to communication between incarcerated people and their attorneys. These changes will have a significant impact on both county jails and incarcerated Coloradans that will streamline operations, help address the workforce shortages in rural counties, and ensure Coloradans can access legal representation while incarcerated.” “Throughout the interim, we’ve worked alongside many advocates, attorneys and state agencies in the criminal justice arena to develop new, impactful policy to improve our state’s correctional facilities for everyone involved,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County, sponsor of Bills 2 and 3. “Of the bills we passed today, we are working to cut red tape so our county jails can make necessary safety improvements and have clear guidelines for consolidation. We’re also clarifying and modernizing laws surrounding incarcerated people’s right to no-cost, private phone calls and video communications with their attorney. These bills combined would improve our criminal justice system in Colorado.” Bill 1 , sponsored by Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver and Senator-Elect Amabile, would support grants to maintain, repair, renovate and improve Colorado’s county jails. The bill expands the responsibilities of the commission to include jails in addition to court facilities. The goal of Bill 1 is to ensure Colorado’s county jails have a pathway to receiving grant funding they need to make necessary improvements to their facilities. Bill 2 , sponsored by Representative Garcia and Senator-Elect Amabile, would allow two or more counties to enter intergovernmental agreements to allow them to consolidate jail functions with the purpose of reducing high costs associated with staffing, liability, and operations. It would also make these counties with a population of less than 40,000 eligible for liability coverage under Colorado’s Risk Management Fund. Bill 3 , sponsored by Representative Garcia, Senator-Elect Amabile and Senator Gonzales, would improve communication between a person who is in custody and their attorney. This bill specifically allows those in custody to receive a reasonable number of telephone calls or interactive audiovisual conferencing from their attorney at no cost. The goal of Bill 3 is to improve and modernize communication pathways between those in custody and their attorney by clarifying the right in stature to have no cost, private and unrecorded phone calls or video calls. The bills will now go to the Legislative Council for approval before being introduced next session. Once introduced in the 2025 session, interim bills will follow the standard legislative process. Previous Next

< Back February 7, 2023 Bill to Offer Youth Mental Health Screenings Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee today passed a bill to conduct mental health screenings in schools to help determine the mental well-being of students and continue the successful I Matter program. “In 2021, almost 70% of Colorado students reported that they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet. “We created the I Matter Program to provide six free therapy sessions to Colorado youth, a successful tool in addressing mental health issues for over 5,000 kids so far. This bill would use a mental health screening within our schools to more easily identify students that could benefit from resources like the I Matter Program.” HB23-1003 would permit public schools to participate in a voluntary mental health screening program for sixth through twelfth graders. The school would be required to notify parents of the date and time that the mental health screening is scheduled, the purpose, and information about the licensed mental health screener. Parents would have the option to opt their child out of participating, although students over 12 years old could still be screened due to Colorado law . The screening would be conducted via a questionnaire and evaluated by a licensed mental health screener. If a student is at-risk for attempting suicide, physical self-harm, or harming others, the screener would immediately notify the parents as well as the school and the school would react according to school crisis response policy. If the screener finds the student in need of further help, they will contact the parent about additional treatment options, including information or a referral to the I Matter program. The I Matter Program was created with the passage of HB21-1258 , sponsored by Rep. Michaelson Jenet, and expanded by HB22-1243 . The program received $15 million dollars in funding from the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions to provide a mental health screening followed by six free therapy sessions to youth across the state and is available virtually and in person. Students use a screening tool through the program’s website to match them with licensed mental health professionals that best fit their needs, including bilingual services. If the student needs additional services or shows signs of needing immediate help, their assigned care navigator connects them to long-term mental health care providers or crisis support, including Colorado Crisis Services. Since the program started in October 2021, over 5,500 Colorado kids have utilized the free therapy services, with almost 44% attending at least four sessions. The participating 5,655 students come from 59 of the 64 counties across Colorado. Previous Next

The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to make prescription drug labels more accessible to blind or vision and print-impaired Coloradans. HB24-1115 passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. < Back March 12, 2024 Prescription Label Accessibility for Blind Coloradans Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to make prescription drug labels more accessible to blind or vision and print-impaired Coloradans. HB24-1115 passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. “The information on prescription labels provides important details that enable patients to safely and effectively take medication. Vision and print-impaired and blind Coloradans deserve for this information to be shared with them in a way they can understand,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “The inaccessibility of this information can lead to negative health consequences and prevents Coloradans with disabilities from having agency over their health care. With this legislation, we’re ensuring that prescription labels will be accessible to visually and print-impaired and blind Coloradans.” “Current Colorado law does not require prescription label information to be available in a way that is accessible to blind or visually and print-impaired Coloradans,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “The efficiency of prescription medication depends on the frequency and dosage. This bill will increase reading accessibility of prescription labels so blind and vision and print-impaired Coloradans can access this critical information.” HB24-1115 would require a pharmacy to provide blind or vision and print-impaired Coloradans with access to prescription drug label information by providing: An electronic label, like a QR code, on the container that can transmit the label information and instructions to the person’s accessibility device, A no-cost prescription drug reader that provides the label information in an audio format, Prescription drug label information in braille or large print, or Any other method recommended by the US Access Board. Small pharmacies with less than two pharmacists may request the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy for exemption if they believe it will greatly burden their business. The bill also allows Colorado patients to sue non-compliant pharmacies on the basis of disability discrimination. Previous Next

Bills would increase access to care for youth in foster care with complex behavioral health care needs and expand treatment options for Coloradans with substance use disorder (SUD) < Back April 29, 2024 House Passes Bipartisan Bills to Expand Behavioral Health Care and SUD Treatment DENVER, CO – The House today passed two bipartisan bills from legislative interim committees to support children and youth in the foster care system and expand treatment options for Coloradans with Substance Use Disorder (SUD). “The need for more residential treatment centers and beds is clear, especially for our foster children and youth with complex behavioral health care needs,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley, sponsor of HB24-1038 . “Our bipartisan legislation is a product of the child welfare interim committee and works to strengthen the system of care specifically by increasing the availability of residential care settings and investing in more treatment beds. We’re also taking steps to reduce bed reliance by increasing treatment options for foster care youth and assuring staff have the training they need. This bill works to boost Colorado’s behavioral health care resources and streamline care to ou r foster children and youth who need it the most.” HB24-1038 , also sponsored by Representative Brandi Bradley, R-Roxborough, outlines a new system of care designed for youth and children with complex behavioral health needs who are in foster care, or at risk of out-of-home placement. Specifically, it would require state agencies to create a care plan that includes the implementation of a standardized assessment tool, intensive-care coordination, increased supportive services and expanded access to treatment in foster care. HB24-1038 passed by a vote of 57 to 6. The bill aims to make it easier for youth with complex behavioral health needs to receive the care they need, when they need it. In order to meet the needs of foster youth, the bill creates a training academy to develop high-quality residential child care providers who will ensure effective, safe, and responsible care. The legislation requires the state to monitor quality standards for residential child care providers at all levels of care.This bill originated from the Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee and was unanimously approved by the committee in October 2023. “Too many of our neighbors are dying from preventable overdoses, this bill expands treatment options in our state so more people struggling with substance use disorder can receive the care they need,” said Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood, sponsor of HB24-1045. “During the interim, I worked alongside a bipartisan group of legislators to identify important policy changes that would help us address our state’s growing opioid overdose crisis. As a result, we’ve crafted this bill to streamline treatment for Coloradans who need it the most, including in the rural corners of our state and those in jail or prison. The demand for substance use disorder treatment has outpaced what is available in our state – expanding treatment options will undoubtedly save lives.” HB24-1045 , also sponsored by Representative Ryan Armagost, R-Berthoud, would expand treatment options for Coloradans with SUD. This bill passed by a vote of 52 to 11. Specifically, this bill would: Direct the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to apply for federal Medicaid waivers (1115) to cover health care services for people in jail or prison and to cover a partial-hospitalization level of care in our communities Reduce insurance barriers to accessing substance use disorder treatment Expand the treatment workforce by increasing clinical supervision opportunities for addiction counselors under qualified licensed professional counselors,licensed clinical social workers, and licensed marriage and family therapists Authorize pharmacists to, prescribe medical-assisted treatment (MAT) Create a contingency management grant program, funding the best evidence-based practices to help people with stimulant use disorders stay sober Invest in behavioral health diversion programs to provide adults charged with a minor offense a substance use treatment option Continue the Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee through the 2025 interim session During the 2023 interim, ten bipartisan lawmakers served on the Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee . This interim committee advanced four bills, including HB24-1045, for the general assembly to consider this year. These bills would bolster prevention efforts, improve treatment programs, promote harm reduction strategies, and support Coloradans in recovery to prevent overdose deaths and save lives. Previous Next

< Back March 2, 2019 LEGISLATION INTRODUCED EMPOWERING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIORITIZING HEALTH AND SAFETY OF COLORADANS (March 1) – Majority Leader Steve Fenberg today introduced SB19-181, Protect Public Welfare Oil And Gas Operations, a piece of oil and gas legislation that will empower local governments and prioritize the health and safety of Coloradans. Co-sponsored in the House by Speaker KC Becker, the legislation seeks to provide the most meaningful changes to oil and gas regulations Colorado has seen in over 60 years. “Colorado’s communities simply cannot afford to wait any longer,” said Majority Leader Fenberg. “We also must empower communities to take control over what’s happening in their backyards and equip them with the tools they need to stand up for their best interests. These common-sense reforms will ensure the industry operates in an accountable and cooperative manner.” “Coloradans deserve a government that works for them – not the special interests. It is past time for action on this critical issue,” said Speaker KC Becker. “Let’s work together to update our antiquated oil and gas laws to give local communities more of a say when it comes to development near their homes and schools and protect the air we breathe and the water we drink.” In the last decade, oil and gas development in Colorado has rapidly evolved, introducing new technologies and expanding heavy industrial operations to populated urban and suburban neighborhoods. Unfortunately, as the industry has changed, our laws and regulations have not kept pace, leaving our neighborhoods, communities and our environment to bear the impacts and increasing risks. Key elements of the bill include: Providing clear language that local governments have land use authority to protect their public health, safety and welfare, environment and wildlife as drilling occurs. Clarification that the mission of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) is to regulate oil and gas activities, not foster oil and gas development as statute currently reads. Enhancement of staff capacity and balanced representation on the COGCC, including adding a commissioner with public health expertise and ensuring COGCC can charge appropriate permit fees. Direction to the COGCC to increase disclosure of pipeline and flowline locations and enhance monitoring for pipelines. Ensuring proper financial assurances for operations in Colorado designed to prevent continued orphan wells. Allows the commission to conduct a rulemaking to establish a pipeline certification safety process for oil and gas field welders to ensure that workers are properly trained and as result enhances safe operations. Current law allows for permission from just one mineral right owner to make the determination to “force pool” other mineral interest owners and require development of those resources against the will of the owners. The bill establishes a threshold requiring more than 50 percent of the mineral rights owners to consent to developing before forced pooling occurs. Directs air quality commission to put forward common sense rules that reduce harmful emissions including methane, and ensure wells are being constructed to high standards. For more information about SB19-181, please visit https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-181 . Previous Next

The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed legislation that would help Coloradans save money on their property insurance policies by requiring transparency in wildfire mitigation risk models and how they impact an individual’s insurance policy. HB25-1182, sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Kyle Brown, passed by a vote of 8-4. < Back March 13, 2025 Bill to Reduce Property Insurance Costs Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed legislation that would help Coloradans save money on their property insurance policies by requiring transparency in wildfire mitigation risk models and how they impact an individual’s insurance policy. HB25-1182, sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Kyle Brown, passed by a vote of 8-4. “Wildfires pose a huge threat to the health and safety of Colorado communities,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “The legislation I’m sponsoring today requires insurers to provide information to policyholders about their properties’ potential wildfire risks, the science-based models they use to determine these factors, and how this impacts their insurance pricing. This ensures that property owners understand what actions they can take to protect their property in ways that also reduce their insurance costs, saving Coloradans money on property insurance and creating more fire-resilient communities.” “Property owners and communities who take action against wildfire threats deserve insurance policy transparency and pathways to reduce their insurance costs,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “My community was devastated by the Marshall Fire, and many property owners have implemented fire mitigation strategies to protect homes, businesses, and public spaces from future fires. This is a necessary bill that improves access to affordable insurance while providing property owners with a clear appeals process to give Coloradans the proper tools to improve their risk scores directly with insurers to save them money.” HB25-1182 would require an insurer to provide a written notice to each policyholder at the time of application, renewal, or nonrenewal. The notice would include plain-language explanations of the wildfire risk score or other classifications, a range of possible scores a property could be assigned, and the impact each mitigation action could have on a risk score or classification. Policyholders and applicants can appeal their wildfire risk model score, wildfire risk classification, or applicable mitigation discount if they believe it is inaccurate and can provide evidence of the mitigation efforts that should be considered. The insurer would notify the policyholder or applicant in writing of the right to appeal and acknowledge receipt of the appeal within 10 calendar days. They would be required to respond to the appeal with a reconsideration and decision within 30 calendar days. If an appeal is denied, the Commissioner can request a copy of the appeal and the insurer’s response. HB25-1182 would require insurers that consider parcel level and community wide mitigation efforts in their models to ensure that risk scores reflect actual resilience. An insurer that uses these models would be required to ensure property-specific mitigation actions and community-level mitigation activities or designations are accounted for in underwriting and pricing. If an insurer doesn’t incorporate these actions into their models, they shall provide discounts to policyholders who demonstrate these property or community-level mitigation actions. Previous Next

< Back February 9, 2023 House GOP Tax Plan: Make More, or Pay More GOP bill increases taxes on middle class and low-income families to cut taxes for millionaires DENVER, CO– House Democrats on the State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee today defeated Republican legislation that would have increased taxes on hardworking Coloradans in order to give thousands of dollars in tax cuts to millionaires. “You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire to benefit from our tax code,’” said State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “The message from Republican lawmakers to Coloradans is crystal clear: "trickle down economics works.’ The bill we defeated today would have increased taxes on millions of Coloradans to give millionaires a $24,000 tax cut. With this proposal, a family would need to earn at least $162,000 a year to avoid paying more in taxes.” “Coloradans deserve a tax system that works for hardworking Coloradans, not the wealthiest taxpayers,” said Joint Budget Committee Member Emily Sirota. “We’ve expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit to increase incomes for working families in our state by closing loopholes for the very wealthy and largest corporations. Permanent tax cuts like the one in this bill hurt middle class and lower-income Coloradans in order to cut taxes for the very wealthy. House Democrats will continue advancing legislation to build a fair tax code that works for all Coloradans.” HB23-1063 , sponsored by Representative Scott Bottoms, increases taxes on Coloradans making under $52,000 per year and joint fillers making under $162,000 per year in order to cut taxes for millionaires by tens of thousands of dollars. By reducing state revenues by billions of dollars, the bill would reduce TABOR refunds as a result. For lower-income taxpayers, this reduction would be more than what they would save through the reduced tax rate under the bill. According to research prepared by the nonpartisan Legislative Council Staff (LCS), single filers with incomes below $52,000 will see an $85 benefit from the reduced tax rate while losing $249 of their estimated TABOR refund. Therefore, these filers will “pay a net $164 more in tax under the bill.” Taxpayers making nearly $300,000 per year, however, will see a tax cut of nearly $4,000, and millionaires would see their taxes cut by over $24,000. The table below, prepared by nonpartisan LCS staff, shows the estimated TABOR refunds and taxpayer savings under the legislation for next year. Joint filers need to make over $160,000 to avoid paying more in taxes under this legislation. Previous Next

< Back April 21, 2021 HOUSE VOTES TO CREATE AG DROUGHT AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE OFFICE DENVER, CO– The House today passed HB21-1242 , sponsored by Representative Barbara McLachlan, on third reading and final passage by a vote of 40-23. The legislation creates the Office of Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience in the Department of Agriculture. “We have to do what we can to mitigate and prepare for the increasingly severe droughts and other devastating climate events that are threatening our agriculture industry and producers,” said Rep. McLachlan, D-Durango. “This office will help agriculture producers, who are leading the way in climate resilience best practices, to get ready for and respond to the changes that are already impacting the industry and help encourage more producers to implement strategies to minimize the impacts of climate change.” HB21-1242 creates an office in the Department of Agriculture to help the industry respond to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and increasingly severe droughts. Frequent droughts are placing increasing pressure on Colorado’s already strained water supply and ecosystems that drive the agriculture industry. The office would provide voluntary technical assistance and incentives to help the producers prepare for, mitigate, adapt to, and respond to hazardous events related to drought or our changing climate. Previous Next

< Back May 10, 2021 HOUSE VOTES TO IMPROVE LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Rep. David Ortiz’s bill to strengthen state discrimination laws for people with disabilities passed the House on third reading DENVER, CO– The House today passed Rep. David Ortiz’s bill to improve Colorado’s discrimination laws for people with disabilities and ensure our government agencies and departments provide as much protection as that provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The bill passed by a vote of 55-8. “I came to the legislature to be a voice and an advocate for the communities I belong to and represent,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “I know first hand how badly Colorado needs to update and strengthen its protections for people with disabilities, and I’m proud we took this crucial step forward today. I’m fighting to ensure my brothers and sisters with disabilities have access to all areas of public life in Colorado, and starting with programs and services provided by their own government just makes sense.” HB21-1110 would strengthen current Colorado laws related to protections against discrimination on the basis of disability for persons with disabilities, including a provision to ensure all rules promulgated by Colorado departments are at least as strong as the ADA, the federal anti-discrimination law. It requires state agencies to develop an accessibility plan that enables an individual with a disability to access operable and understandable digital content with the same privacy and ease of use as individuals without a disability, and to be in full compliance with accessibility standards established by the Office of Information Technology by July 1, 2024. Other protections in this bill would include prohibiting a person with a disability from being excluded from participating in or being denied the benefits of services, programs, or activities of any state or local government entity, including special districts. Previous Next

< Back April 15, 2019 HOUSE MOVES TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE Establishing science-based goals & taking action to meet them are critical to Colorado’s future (Apr. 15) – The House gave preliminary approval to a bill sponsored by Speaker of the House KC Becker, D-Boulder, and Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora, to take meaningful action to address climate change. Acting on climate will help protect clean air and water, and spur clean energy jobs, innovation, business development, and economic growth for Colorado. The overwhelming majority of Coloradans support climate action. “We can address climate change, create clean energy jobs, reduce carbon pollution and help our economy all at once,” said Speaker Becker. “Air pollution doesn’t respect county or governmental boundaries and in Colorado we take pride in the fact that we address environmental health challenges head on. This bill sets goals to reduce carbon pollution and some utilities have already set carbon-free goals. The economic consequences of inaction are too high.” “We too frequently see the smog, and the hazy, bad air quality impacting the air we all breathe. Pollution is changing how we live our lives and threatening the things we love about Colorado,” Rep. Jackson, chair of the House Energy and Environment committee. “We’ve all heard the stories about elderly individuals who have been physically harmed because they couldn’t cool their home. Our seniors, low income people and especially communities of color are more likely to bear the impacts of climate change. Let’s preserve our Colorado way of life today.” Coloradans are already seeing the negative impacts of climate change on a daily basis: Coloradans are experiencing poor air quality affecting our health; mountain residents are seeing more frequent and destructive wildfires; increased drought is harming our farms; smaller snow packs are resulting in shorter ski seasons; and shallower rivers for fishing and rafting are threatening our thriving outdoor economy and the Colorado way of life. The overwhelming majority of Coloradans support climate action. This reasonable, science-based legislation directs the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) to develop rules limiting carbon pollution, ensuring Colorado lead on climate action. HB19-1261 puts pollution reduction goals into statute to reduce Colorado’s greenhouse gas pollution by 26 percent by 2025, 50 percent by 2030, and 90 percent by 2050 of 2005 levels. The AQCC will hold an extensive stakeholder process throughout the rulemaking period. House Republicans remain in denial about the economic and moral impacts of climate change and voted the bill. A recorded vote on HB19-1261 will be taken at a later date. Previous Next

< Back March 17, 2022 COLORADO MOVES ONE STEP CLOSER TO UNIVERSAL PRE-K! DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by Representative Emily Sirota and Speaker Alec Garnett to create the Department of Early Childhood and deliver universal preschool to Colorado kids that will save families money and prepare our youngest students for success. “Decades of research shows that early childhood education is critical for our kids and is one of the most effective tools we have to set up the next generation of Coloradans to thrive,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “This thoughtful proposal, which relies on collaboration with local communities and a broad array of providers, was unanimously approved by the Early Childhood Leadership Commission. Coming in 2023, every four year-old in Colorado can start free high quality preschool that will lay the foundation for a childhood full of learning.” “Universal preschool is going to save families money and prepare our youngest learners for success,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Early childhood education gives kids a leg up and sets the foundation for years of learning. With this legislation, we’re creating a one-stop-shop where every family can access 10 free hours of quality preschool. Colorado families have said loud and clear that they need more early childhood options, and I’m proud to say we’re delivering on our promise to create universal preschool in Colorado.” HB22-1295 establishes the Department of Early Childhood to elevate early childhood education and ensure early childhood care is easy to navigate for Colorado families. The bill will make universal preschool a reality for hardworking families, parents and kids. The new Department of Early Childhood will streamline the early childhood system, making it easier for families to find and access providers by creating a single application for early childhood programs. The program will provide 10 hours per week of free, high-quality preschool to every child the year before entering kindergarten starting in the 2023 school year, saving families thousands of dollars. The legislation supports mixed delivery preschool options, prioritizing quality, and respecting parent choice, while strengthening and supporting local infrastructure to best serve each community’s individual needs. Speaker Garnett and Representative Sirota sponsored legislation in 2020 that established a unified early childhood system after voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition EE by a two to one margin to provide voluntary, high-quality preschool to Coloradans. The legislation is based on recommendations from early childhood education community leaders, parents, and providers that received unanimous approval from the Early Childhood Leadership Commission . Previous Next