Colorado Comeback Bills Clear Committee Unanimously!
Legislation works to expand mental health support for kids & aid the restaurant industry
DENVER, CO – Today, Senate committees unanimously approved legislation that will improve access to mental health services for Colorado youth as well as provide support for the restaurant industry as Colorado recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bills are part of the legislature’s Colorado Recovery Plan.
HB21-1258: Mental Health Sessions for Youth, sponsored by Senator Janet Buckner: Our state’s youth mental health crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill creates a program in the Office of Behavioral Health to reimburse providers for up to three mental health sessions with a young person. The office will also create a website to serve as a portal for youth and providers to be able to navigate the program easier.
“The pandemic has resulted in increased mental health needs for so many Coloradans, but especially for our young people, whose lives and learning have been severely disrupted over the last year,” said Senator Janet Buckner, D-Aurora. “In order to provide relief for our kids, we need to expand access to mental health support. This bill will help break the stigma around mental health by making it easier for kids to seek out care in Colorado.”
HB21-1265: Restaurant Sales Tax Relief, sponsored by Senator Brittany Pettersen: Colorado restaurants and bars have faced some of the toughest challenges of this pandemic, with many closing and others struggling to stay open. This bill continues the successful sales tax assistance effort passed during the 2020 special session. It allows restaurants, bars, caterers, and food service contractors to deduct up to $70,000 in net taxable sales from their monthly state sales tax return and retain the resulting sales tax revenue during the months of June, July, and August 2021.
“Our local businesses have shouldered tremendous burdens over the past year. Now it’s our job to lift them up, help them recover, and ensure their longevity moving forward,” said Senator Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood. “This bill will provide the critical relief to local bars and eateries that have been struggling to survive – granting them some necessary breathing room while they get back on their feet.”
Both bills now move to Senate Appropriations for further consideration. Track the progress of the legislation by visiting leg.colorado.gov/.