2022 Colorado Senate Democrats Accomplishments

Overview:

As 2022 comes to a close, the Colorado Senate Democrats are looking back at a year filled with accomplishments on behalf of the people of Colorado.

The last year has been challenging. Between pandemic-induced inflation, soaring housing prices, and the rising cost of living, families have been hit hard. That’s why Colorado Democrats came together to deliver lasting results and move our state forward.

This year, we stayed focused on cutting costs and saving Coloradans money, fought to increase per-pupil funding and set our students up for success, worked to build safer communities and address the overdose crisis, and took action to clean up our air and improve health care outcomes to create a healthier future for our families and our communities.

Democrats delivered transformational changes this session that position our state well for the future so we can build a stronger, safer and healthier Colorado for us all.

By The Numbers:

$450 million – The historic investment we made through federal pandemic relief funds to help transform our behavioral health system to better meet the needs of patients, increase access to treatment and save lives. 

$750 – In response to pandemic-induced inflation and the rising cost of living, Democrats passed legislation to expedite the distribution of tax relief checks through the Colorado Cashback Plan. Individual filers received $750 and joint filers received $1,500 to help families offset the cost of basic needs, like groceries and gas.

$550 – The average increase in per pupil funding for K-12 schools thanks to the 2022 Public School Finance Act, which increases total funding for public schools to a record $8.4 billion total and will plus-up teacher pay, reduce class sizes, and ensure students have what they need to thrive.

$428 million – The landmark investment we made through federal pandemic relief funds to save people money on housing, support Coloradans  experiencing homelessness, and transform our housing infrastructure to ensure everyone has a place to call home.

$274 – Average savings for homeowners on their property taxes thanks to common sense reforms in SB22-238, which provides $700 million in property tax relief over two years for homeowners and businesses and extends the property tax relief enacted last year by SB21-293, helping save families money on housing and cutting costs for businesses statewide.

$57.2 million – Following the devastating Marshall Fire, we committed to keeping our communities safe by improving our response to catastrophic wildfires and better preparing for and mitigating future climate-induced disasters. Our work this year will help us better coordinate our response and ensure we’re as prepared as possible when disaster strikes.

93% – The number of bills the Senate passed with bipartisan support. 

507 – Bills passed and signed into law by the Governor. 

36,000 – The number of county public service employees who now enjoy collective bargaining rights to organize and negotiate for fair and safe workplaces - the same rights that nearly every private sector and state worker already enjoy.


Key Legislative Accomplishments:

The following is a selection of laws Colorado Senate Democrats are most proud of from this year, but it does not include all of our many achievements  – for a more complete list of legislation we passed during the 2022 legislative session, please visit senatedems.co/session-achievements 

MOVING COLORADO FORWARD

Transformative Federal Pandemic Relief

In 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to help states recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, including more than $26 billion in federal pandemic relief to help Colorado build back stronger. These funds were dispersed across the state through various programs and local governments, and the Colorado legislature received more than $3.8 billion to direct to areas of greatest need. This year, we passed a package of bills that invest these funds and  move Colorado forward by: saving Coloradans money on housing, transforming our behavioral health system, delivering urgent economic relief, supporting our students, and bolstering our workforce. 

SAVING PEOPLE MONEY

Colorado Cashback

This year, Colorado Democrats passed legislation to ensure tax refund checks are distributed more equitably to Coloradans and to provide relief to those who need it most by speeding up the timeline for refund checks to be delivered to taxpayers. Under the new law, Coloradans who filed their taxes by June 31, 2021 received $750 for individuals and $1,500 for joint filers.  

Free Universal Pre-K

Our kids are our future – that’s why we passed landmark legislation to implement free universal preschool. This law will provide high quality early childhood educational experiences to every Colorado kid to support our youngest learners while also helping families save money and making it easier for parents to return to work. The law implements recommendations for the Department of Early Childhood to elevate early childhood education and ensures that early childhood care is easy to navigate for all Colorado families. 

Saving People Money on Housing 

We are investing $428 million in federal pandemic relief funds to preserve and construct new, affordable housing and save Coloradans money. This funding will support loans to leverage private and local dollars to construct affordable homes; direct grants to nonprofits and local governments to build affordable homes; invest in middle-income housing; and create innovative housing solutions such as modular homes. Additionally, we extended the Colorado Affordable Housing Tax Credit for an additional 7 years, providing $420 million in additional tax credits over the next decade; fostered economic mobility and better protections for mobile home park residents; and protected veterans and active military members from housing discrimination.

Property Tax Relief

The cost of housing is at an all-time high in Colorado and people are feeling the pain, which is why we passed legislation to provide immediate property tax relief to families. This law provides $700 million in property tax relief over two years for homeowners and businesses, helping save families money on housing and cutting costs for businesses statewide – all without cutting funding for the critical services Coloradans depend on to thrive. The law will save the average homeowner $274 on their property taxes. 

IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREVENTING CRIME

Community Safety Investment Act

Research shows that crime prevention strategies that include collaboration between communities and local law enforcement are most effective. The Community Safety Investment Act invests $30 million to implement proven public safety strategies like co-responder models, violence interrupter programs, and support for recruiting and training law enforcement officers who reflect the communities they serve to make our communities safer.  

Safer Streets Act 

The Safer Streets Act creates a $10.3 million grant program to help local governments make upgrades to neighborhoods that are proven to enhance public safety, such as better lighting for increased visibility and improved design of shared community spaces. The goal of the program is to evaluate and design safer streets and neighborhood models that discourage crime, revitalize community image, and establish place-specific crime prevention strategies that account for geographic, cultural, economic, and social characteristics of the target areas. 

Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Act

We are in the third wave of the opioid epidemic and in the worst overdose crisis in the history of this country. The legislature passed a comprehensive law that deploys both proven public health-focused strategies and enhanced criminal penalties targeting dealers to keep fentanyl off Colorado streets, improve access to treatment, and save lives. The law strengthens criminal penalties on any individual distributing fentanyl, directs $29 million in federal pandemic relief funds to expand access to proven public health tools like Narcan and fentanyl test strips, and integrates mandatory substance use disorder (SUD) assessments and treatment into the state’s sentencing process to help people access treatment and recovery services.

Preventing Catalytic Converter Theft

Democrats passed a series of bills designed to cut down on catalytic converter theft. These laws will give state regulators more oversight of aftermarket sales of catalytic converters and make it easier to prosecute those selling stolen ones; add civil penalties for offenses related to catalytic converter theft; and create a grant program to increase public awareness around catalytic converter theft and provide financial assistance to victims.

BUILDING A HEALTHIER COLORADO

Reproductive Health Equity Act

In anticipation of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Colorado took bold action to pass legislation that codifies access to reproductive rights – including abortion care – in state law. The RHEA updates Colorado’s laws to protect reproductive rights, and establishes a fundamental right to choose to continue a pregnancy and give birth, or to have an abortion. 

Behavioral Health Access

Coloradans deserve a stable and responsive behavioral health system that meets their needs. That’s why Democrats invested $450 million to help transform our behavioral health system so it better meets the needs of patients. This transformative package expands access to critical services for adults, youth, and families; increases access to substance use disorder treatment; bolsters the behavioral health workforce; and adds desperately needed residential treatment beds to help folks in crisis get the care they need. Democrats also passed a landmark law to streamline and improve access to Colorado’s behavioral health system.

Historic Air Quality Investments 

Colorado is one of the most beautiful places in the world - but too often our skies are filled with smog and ozone that harms our lungs and hurts our communities. Democrats made a record $111 million investment to improve Colorado’s air quality through immediate emission reduction strategies and air quality monitoring as well as clean transportation initiatives such as electric-powered school buses and e-bike sharing programs. We also invested $10 million to help communities provide free transit rides during ozone season, which will improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion through increased use of public transit. 

Protections From Air Toxics

Toxic air pollution leads to poor health and higher risks for disease and cancer. Democrats passed legislation to reduce toxic pollution from harmful chemicals by establishing health-based air quality standards for hazardous air pollutants. 

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS 

The 2022 School Finance Act 

We know that our students are Colorado’s future leaders. This year, we made a major increase in funding for K-12 public schools by nearly $550 per student on average to put more resources directly into classrooms that school districts can use to increase teacher pay, reduce class sizes and ensure students have what they need to thrive. State support for K-12 education will increase by $431 million to $8.4 billion, reducing the Budget Stabilization Factor to the lowest level since its inception.

In-State Tuition for Colorado High School Graduates

This law requires in-state status be granted if a student graduated in Colorado and has resided in the state for at least one year prior to enrolling at the institution. By expanding the pool of students who qualify for in-state tuition, we can lower the cost of education and empower students to make decisions for their future based on their goals rather than the price tag.

Creating More Pathways to Careers

Colorado students – adults and youth alike – need efficient and effective pathways to gain the experience and training they need to earn a degree and, ultimately, a good-paying job. Democrats passed a law to expand stackable credential pathways that will set Colorado’s students up for success and help workers upskill and reskill to land the high-paying jobs they are seeking. We also passed a law that invests $91 million in regional talent development initiatives to better align postsecondary credential programs to help workers fill good jobs in growing industries.

Higher Education Funding

The 2022 state budget increases funding for institutions of higher education and saves students money by investing state dollars to keep tuition down. With an investment of $129 million, we are boosting financial aid and tuition assistance to save Colorado students and families money on their degrees.

PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO WILDFIRES

Disaster Preparedness And Recovery Resources 

Recognizing the continued need to help our communities combat destructive wildfires, the legislature invested $35 million to help individuals, businesses, and governments rebuild after disaster emergencies; allocated $15.5 million for improved wildfire fighting aviation resources and maintenance of a statewide fire dispatch center; and created the Office of Climate Preparedness in Colorado to better prepare for and respond to future disasters. We also passed legislation to ensure that homeowners displaced by declared wildfire disasters receive a fair payout from their insurance companies. 

DEFENDING COLORADO’S GOLD STANDARD ELECTIONS

Colorado Election Security Act

Colorado sets the national standard when it comes to holding free, fair, and secure elections. Democrats passed a law to further improve internal election security by prohibiting anyone from serving as an election official if they have been convicted of any election offense or any offense or conspiracy to commit sedition, insurrection, treason, or conspiracy to overthrow the government, among other measures. It also prohibits election officials or candidates from physically tampering with voting equipment, and from having access to or being present in a room with voting equipment without being accompanied by one or more persons with authorized access.

SUPPORTING THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Responding to and Preventing Homelessness 

Every Coloradan deserves a safe place to call home, which is why we prioritized passing legislation this year to help those experiencing homelessness across our state. We passed laws to: create a $105 million grant program to help local governments and nonprofits address the needs of individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness; allocate $50 million for partnerships between the state, local governments and nonprofits in the Denver-Metro area to manage a regional campus to respond to and prevent homelessness; and repurpose Ridge View into a recovery-oriented community to help individuals access behavioral health services.

EMPOWERING COLORADO WORKERS 

Collective Bargaining For Counties

This law builds upon the state workers bill from 2020 to extend collective bargaining rights to more than 36,000 county workers. It gives public service workers who choose to form a union a seat at the table to collectively bargain on issues like working conditions, job safety, pay and benefits, and to collaborate with management to address shared challenges like staff shortages, retention issues, and improving public services.

Looking Ahead to 2023:

After a successful 2022, Colorado Senate Democrats are energized and ready to build on the progress made this year and continue moving Colorado forward. 

As 2023 approaches, we are looking to bring the momentum from last year into the new year – we are focused on making our state more affordable for families, making our communities safer, increasing health care access, and supporting our students.