Senate Approves Stimulus Bills to Support Seniors, Domestic Violence Victims & Communities Transitioning from Coal

DENVER, CO – Today, the Senate approved a package of stimulus bills to help Colorado recover and build back stronger. One of the bills is part of the Colorado Recovery Plan, while the other two are recent additions to the legislative agenda as a result of American Rescue Plan federal funding.

SB21-290, sponsored by Senators Jessie Danielson and Janet Buckner, dedicates $15 million to support Colorado’s aging population. These funds will go towards a variety of senior-focused programs that will expand housing assistance, increase access to health services, subsidize nutrition programs, and improve transportation opportunities to medical appointments.

“Seniors were one of the hardest-hit populations during the pandemic. Not only were they most susceptible to COVID-19, but their lives were upended – forced to endure severe social isolation as well as significant disruptions in critical services they rely on,” said Senator Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge). “This bill will help support aging Coloradans’ ongoing recovery by providing resources to ensure they have access to medical care, nutritional services, and socialization activities.”

“An integral part of our job as legislators is protecting the most vulnerable and marginalized among us. This means looking out for groups like seniors, who have been particularly devastated by this pandemic,” said Senator Janet Buckner (D-Aurora). “This bill seeks to support aging Coloradans throughout our state by ensuring they have access to the housing, health and transportation assistance they need to not only fully recover but thrive in their communities.”  

SB21-292, sponsored by Senator Faith Winter, seeks to support victims of domestic violence. Stay-at-home orders and other pandemic responses have increased instances of domestic violence and reduced the ability of victims to access services. This bill seeks to fill that void. 

Specifically, the bill will allocate $15 million across various programs for victims of domestic abuse, including the Address Confidentiality Program, which will help protect domestic violence victims who may be threatened by having a public address; the Domestic Violence Program, which will provide grants to local nonprofits for rapid rehousing, flexible financial assistance, and retrofitting of shelters for domestic violence victims; and Victims Assistance & Law Enforcement programs, which provide crisis intervention services, victim services referrals, victim assistance programs, and counseling to those in need. 

“When the pandemic hit last year, we asked Coloradans to stay home and stay safe. For many of our residents, however, staying home did not necessarily make them safer,” said Senator Faith Winter (D-Westminster). “Instances of domestic violence increased when we implemented stay-at-home orders, which tragically put many Coloradans – particularly women – in danger. This bill seeks to support victims of domestic violence, providing them with the resources necessary to ensure they are protected from further abuse and trauma.” 

HB21-1290, sponsored by Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, seeks to assist communities transitioning from coal. In 2019, Democrats in the legislature created the Office of Just Transition to guide communities transitioning from coal toward economic resilience. This bill provides $15 million in funding for workforce programs, local capacity grants, transition-related economic development grants, and critical infrastructure investments to boost economies that have been dependent on coal. 

“If we truly want to build Colorado back stronger than before, we must be responsive to our changing economy," said Majority Leader Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder). “Communities and workers who have traditionally relied on fossil fuel industries are experiencing growing pains as Colorado makes the shift to clean energy projects. Allocating funding to the Office of Just Transition will help ensure that we’re doing everything we can to protect Colorado workers and the main streets they call home.”

SB21-290 and SB21-292 now move to the House for further consideration, while HB21-1290 heads to the Governor’s desk for final approval. Track the progress of the legislation by visiting leg.colorado.gov/.