Denver is the New Home to an All-Star Line-Up of Legislative Proposals at the State Capitol This Week

Bills on maternal health care and reducing recidivism, and stimulus bills on rural economic development, clean energy finance, and displaced workers all head to committees this week

DENVER, CO - After knocking the state budget out of the park last week, Senate Democrats hope to hit more home runs with their legislative proposals this week. 

Several of the bills being heard are a part of Colorado’s recovery package including:

SB21-204: Rural Economic Development Initiative Grant Program Funding, sponsored by Senators Donovan & Rankin.

• In an effort to help rural communities diversify their local economies, this bill transfers $5 million to the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Grant Program to be used for projects that create diversity and resiliency in the local economies of rural communities. Over the past several years, REDI grants have funded improvements to historic buildings, investments in business centers, economic action plans, revitalization of infrastructure, and other economic development initiatives in rural communities around the state.

This bill will be heard by the Senate Local Government Committee at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, April 13th in Senate Committee Room 352.

SB21-230: Transfer To Colorado Energy Office Energy Fund, sponsored by Senators Hansen & Winter.

• As Colorado works to transition our energy sector and meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals, there are many opportunities to invest in clean energy projects and help accelerate this transition. This bill allocates $40 million to the Colorado Energy Office for several clean energy finance initiatives. The majority of these funds will be directed to the Colorado Clean Energy Fund, which acts as Colorado’s “Green Bank” with the purpose of financing clean energy projects and bridging gaps between clean energy projects and private capital providers. The remaining funds will be spent between programs that support clean energy retrofits, energy-efficient new construction, clean energy lending and funding for the installation of EV charging stations at facilities across the state.

This bill will be heard by the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, April 13th in Senate Committee Room 357.

SB21-232: Displaced Workers Grant, sponsored by Senators Zenzinger & Kirkmeyer.

• One of the top priorities of this stimulus package is getting Coloradans back to work, and one of the most efficient ways to do that is by investing in displaced workers. Increasing investments in these workers will provide them with the skills, supports and credentials necessary to secure good jobs. This bill appropriates $15 million for the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative's Displaced Workers Grant, which is estimated to serve at least 3,000 displaced Colorado workers across the state, as well as help institutions of higher education scale high-demand programs.

This bill will be heard by the Senate Education Committee upon adjournment of morning floor work on Wednesday, April 14th in Senate Committee Room 357.

Other legislative priorities headed to committee this week include:

SB21-194: Maternal Health Providers, sponsored by Senator Buckner.

• Despite vast improvements in health care over the last few decades, the United States still ranks 56th worldwide in maternal mortality. To help begin addressing the root issues of maternal mortality in Colorado, this bill requires insurance carriers offering a health benefit plan in Colorado, and the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing to reimburse healthcare providers that provide healthcare services related to labor and delivery in a way that promotes high-quality, cost-effective care, prevents risk in subsequent pregnancies, and does not discriminate based on the type of provider or facility. Additionally, the bill seeks to amend the State Medicaid Plan to provide 12 months of postpartum medical benefits to people who received these benefits during their pregnancies.

This bill will be heard by the Senate Health & Human Services Committee at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, April 14th in Senate Committee Room 357.

SB21-146: Improve Prison Release Outcomes, sponsored by Senator Lee.

• In Colorado, we must do a better job of providing former inmates with the tools necessary to reintegrate back into normal life and find pathways to seek education, employment, and ultimately, success. SB21-146 will help provide those pathways. This bill will require the Colorado Department of Corrections to develop a recommended parole plan for every inmate prior to release from prison, as well as procedures for special needs parole -- a more carefully crafted parole plan with additional support and resources for inmates with severe physical, mental, or behavioral health issues. This will not only decrease the likelihood of recidivism but will help continue the work on the long road ahead of untangling mental health support systems and correctional facilities.

This bill will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee at 1:30 PM on Thursday, April 15th in Senate Committee Room 352.

To listen to committee hearings, visit leg.colorado.gov/watch-listen. The full Senate calendar for the week can be found at http://leg.colorado.gov/session-schedule?type=senate