2024 COLORADO SENATE DEMOCRATS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Overview
This year, Senate Democrats built on our progress and passed legislation focusing on the issues that matter for Coloradans: fostering economic prosperity, creating opportunities for working people across the state, and supporting safe and thriving communities.
Senate Democrats tackled some of the most pressing challenges facing Colorado families, like the cost of housing and the ability to access affordable health care. Democrats took a bold, forward-thinking approach to pass meaningful legislation that strengthens our communities today while positioning Colorado for success tomorrow. Whether it’s helping families save money, keeping our communities safe from gun violence, or making a more sustainable Colorado for future generations, Democrats focused on solutions that make a tangible difference in people’s lives. As we look ahead to 2025, our commitment to these priorities remains unwavering.
By the Numbers
$450 million - The amount that will go to hardworking Colorado families through the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit.
$3,200 - The maximum per-child amount that will be returned to income qualified Colorado families through the Family Affordability Tax Credit.
50% - The anticipated decrease in child poverty due to the innovative Family Affordability Tax Credit.
$39 million - The estimated yearly revenue from the voter-approved firearms and ammunition excise tax which will fund crime victims services, school security, and behavioral health crisis response system services.
5 years - The timeline to phase out dangerous forever-chemicals from products like cookware, ski wax, personal hygiene products, and artificial turf.
519 - The number of bills passed and signed into law by the Governor during the 2024 regular legislative session.
89% - The percentage of bills passed in 2024 with bipartisan support.
23 - Members of the Senate Majority out of 35 total Senators in 2024. After the November election, Senate Democrats will return to the Capitol with 23 seats in 2025.
Key Legislative Achievements
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 2024 legislative session, please visit senatedems.co/legislative-achievements.
Creating Opportunities for Colorado Families to Get Ahead
Anyone who calls Colorado home should be able to afford basic necessities like housing, health care, and child care. Affordability matters for everyone – from renters to homeowners and seniors to families with young children.
Coloradans deserve safe, stable housing at prices we can afford. Democrats are focused on addressing the housing affordability crisis with a multi-pronged approach, and in 2024, encouraged building housing near public transportation, relaxed rules on building accessory dwelling units, eliminated parking minimums, and supported local governments in addressing housing shortages. To prioritize Colorado’s more than 700,000 renters, Democrats passed protections against unjust evictions, protected renters from price gouging after an emergency, and ensured that landlords have the responsibility to make sure their property is fit to inhabit. Democrats also removed arbitrary occupancy limits so that all Coloradans can decide for themselves the living situation that makes the most sense for them, whether that be living alone, with their family, or with roommates. We know that homeowners, especially seniors, are not immune to the rising costs of housing: Democrats also protected homeowners from predatory actions by HOAs, saved seniors money on housing, and lowered property taxes.
Working people are the backbone of our economy. That’s why Colorado Democrats increased pathways to jobs in growing industries like construction, infrastructure, and health care. Senate Democrats boosted economies from cities to rural areas by creating opportunities for small businesses, funding local projects, and encouraging apprenticeships. Democrats also set Colorado up for a healthy future by supporting the health care workforce with new good-paying jobs, creating a new medical college to train the next generation of health care and veterinary care professionals, and investing to increase the number of physicians assistants, dentists, and social workers in Colorado. Additionally, Democrats increased transparency and workers’ protections for drivers in the rideshare industry.
Colorado Democrats prioritized putting money back into the pockets of working families with the expansion of key tax credits, returning $450 million to Coloradans through the Earned Income Tax Credit and creating the Family Affordability Tax Credit that will put $650 million, or up to $3,200 per child, back in the pockets of families with children making less than $85,000 per year. We know that child care is an ever-increasing expense for Colorado families, which is why Democrats expanded funding for universal preschool, incentivized the creation of new child care facilities, and provided funding for child care assistance. Together, this is a significant boost to help families breathe a little easier and make ends meet.
Other policies that will impact the pockets of every Coloradan: lowering prescription drug prices, requiring transparency in health insurance plans, allowing people to repair their own cell phones or take them to independent repair shops, and making the first two years of college free for all students and families making under $90,000.
Creating Safe and Strong Communities
A key pillar of any thriving community, state, or country is a strong public school system where every child, regardless of zip code or income, has the opportunity to receive a quality education. Colorado Democrats are committed to setting students up for success. In 2024, Democrats increased total funding for schools permanently, boosting base funding per pupil to $8,496 and eliminating the Budget Stabilization Factor. Democrats fully funded special education, supported at-risk students and English Language Learners, and increased funding for rural schools. Democrats also prioritized funding to recruit and retain teachers, recognizing that well-supported teachers are crucial to a successful education system.
Every Coloradan deserves to feel safe and secure in their community. The number of gun deaths in our state is unacceptable, and it’s why we are committed to doing everything we can to reduce the scourge of gun violence in our state and make our communities safer. In 2024, Senate Democrats passed numerous pieces of commonsense legislation to protect our communities from gun violence. These included: establishing a state permitting system for firearm dealers, promoting responsible firearm ownership through safe storage and training, and prohibiting open or concealed carry of firearms in certain locations where children or families may be present like preschools, K-12 schools, and colleges.
In 2024, Democrats took decisive action to set Colorado up for a healthier future by improving air quality, conserving water, and expanding transit options. Senate Democrats prioritized improving the air we breathe by tightening pollution standards for oil and gas operations and refineries, and improving the response to complaints to better support our most impacted communities. They passed legislation to protect Colorado’s water supply, provide funding for water conservation projects and Shoshone water rights, and promote water-wise landscaping. Democrats also referred a decision to the voters, which was approved in November, to allocate more revenue from sports betting on water conservation projects.
Expanding and improving Colorado’s transit options– from local bus routes to longer-distance passenger rail– remains a top priority for Senate Democrats. In 2024, the legislature passed landmark legislation to improve transit, dedicating $100 million per year to local and statewide transit operations. Another law opens the door for historic federal investment for Front Range Passenger Rail, Mountain Rail, and expanded bus service across the state. Additionally, Democrats passed legislation to manage and recycle waste tires and to keep Coloradans safe from harmful forever chemicals.
Community Highlights
Throughout the year Senate Democrats were active in their communities and with constituents. A few of this year’s highlights:
Senator Dylan Roberts joined fellow members of the Cell Phone Connectivity Interim Study Committee to tour rural cell phone infrastructure along the I-70 corridor that improves fast, reliable cell service throughout the mountains.
Senate President Steve Fenberg and Senator Janice Marchman joined Governor Polis, state legislators, and community leaders on an inspection train ride from Denver to Longmont, part of the route selected for historic federal funding to deliver a new train service, giving Coloradans more reliable and convenient transit options and protecting Colorado’s air by minimizing traffic.
Senators joined educators and students to celebrate this year’s historic accomplishment of eliminating the Budget Stabilization Factor.
Looking Ahead to 2025
There is so much more work to do to position Colorado well for the future and build a stronger, safer, and healthier Colorado for all. In the 2025 session, Senate Democrats will build on their work to make Colorado more affordable, keep Coloradans safe and healthy, and protect our rights and freedoms.