Senate Passes Bill to Help Coloradans Recover from Pandemic, Prepare for Financial Success

Legislation would uplift low-income folks, help them access financial resources to move forward

DENVER, CO – The Senate yesterday passed legislation sponsored by Senators Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, and Pete Lee, D-Colorado Springs, to help Colorado families get back on their feet and recover from the pandemic.

“Many low-income Coloradans were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, which worsened obstacles that have historically kept communities of color from accessing banking services and credit,” said Rodriguez. “This bill will expand access to the financial tools folks need to bounce back from the economic consequences of the last few years, provide for their families, and support their financial futures.” 

“The pandemic resulted in profound economic hardships for families, especially for disadvantaged communities,” said Lee. “With this bill, we will be able to uplift low-income Coloradans who were impacted most by the economic devastation of the last two years to help them access the capital and loans they need to bounce back and move forward.”

HB22-1359 creates the Colorado Household Financial Recovery Program to boost low-income individuals and households impacted by the pandemic or the economic conditions that have followed as a result. The program aims to make low-interest loans and credit more available to low-income families. Funded initially with $5.2 million in one-time funds, the program will partner with financial institutions to facilitate small low-interest loans to individuals and families impacted by the pandemic.

Many individuals do not have access to credit as a result of the financial pressures of the pandemic, while at the same time, many have drained their savings and are struggling to pay for necessities as pandemic-induced inflation has led to rising costs for families. This legislation will help Coloradans who face financial insecurity or a lack of access to financial and banking services obtain affordable loans.

HB22-1359 now heads to the Governor’s desk for final approval. Track the progress of the bill HERE.

Historic Investment to Save Coloradans Money on Housing Clears Senate

HB22-1304 invests $178 million to facilitate affordable housing development

DENVER, CO - The Senate today gave bipartisan approval on historic legislation to invest $178 million to build and sustain affordable housing across Colorado - the largest investment in state history in affordable housing.

HB22-1304, sponsored by Senator James Coleman, D-Denver, and Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, invests $178 million in federal pandemic relief funding to provide direct, flexible, and timely grant funding to nonprofits and local governments all across the state that have or are pursuing measures to facilitate affordable housing development, including purchasing land.

“Our state is growing, and we must make sure communities have the resources they need to keep pace,” said Gonzales, Vice Chair of the Affordable Housing Task Force. “This bill will help local governments and nonprofits access the space and funding that communities need to equitably accommodate that growth. By helping communities increase their housing supply we can make sure every Coloradan has access to a home they can afford.”

“As Colorado’s population continues to grow, we have to make sure communities have the land and resources required to develop affordable housing now and in the future,” Coleman said. “Nonprofits and folks on the ground are the experts when it comes to pinpointing their communities’ unique needs. That’s why this bill is targeted at uplifting their work and providing the necessary tools to achieve their housing development goals.”

HB22-1304 also provides for the development of supportive, rental, and for-sale housing targeted at populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The bill also makes a substantial investment for local communities to create strategic development patterns, including funding for infrastructure projects and updating land and use codes.

This legislation was developed based on recommendations from the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force.

HB22-1304 will now head to the House for final concurrence. Follow the bill’s progress HERE.

Senate Passes Bipartisan Lee Bill to Streamline and Improve Colorado’s Behavioral Health System

Legislation would help improve access to services for folks with behavioral health needs, expand treatment options

DENVER, CO – The Senate today passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Pete Lee, D-Colorado Springs, to streamline and improve Colorado’s behavioral health system. 

HB22-1278, co-sponsored by Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, will help increase and streamline access to behavioral health services for individuals with mental health conditions and substance use disorders through the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA).

“Coloradans deserve easy access to the behavioral health care they need to maintain their health and well-being, but far too many folks are left with limited or no options for help,” Lee said. “Accessing our behavioral health system can be complex and difficult, which is why we’re pushing for the creation of a Behavioral Health Administration to help streamline services for people with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. With this bill, we will be able to ensure accessible, equitable and high quality care for all.” 

The legislation would establish a comprehensive, accountable behavioral health safety net system available in every region of Colorado. This includes 15 different critical behavioral health services including substance use, crisis services, criminal justice diversion, trauma informed care, youth services and more.

The BHA will consolidate behavioral health networks into one behavioral health administrative services organization (BHASO) per region. The push for this legislation stems from patient frustration surrounding disjointed behavioral health care services. With this bill, patients would be able to more easily access behavioral health services in their community.

By July 1, 2024, the bill requires the BHA to establish:

• Universal standards for accessibility and quality of care;

• A behavioral health performance monitoring system;

• A comprehensive behavioral health safety net system;

• Regionally-based behavioral health administrative service organizations to ensure every region in Colorado has accessible and high quality services; and

• A statewide behavioral health grievance system.

The bill now moves to the House for final concurrence. Track the progress of the bill HERE.

Senate Signs Off on Zenzinger’s Bipartisan Bill to Get More Teachers in Classrooms

Legislation would reduce financial barriers to entering the educator workforce

DENVER, CO - The Senate today voted to advance Senator Rachel Zenzinger’s, D-Arvada, bipartisan legislation that would invest more than $52 million in federal funding to attract new educators to the workforce by reducing financial barriers to entry.

Cosponsored by Senator Don Coram, R-Montrose, HB22-1220 would create two educator preparation stipend programs and a temporary educator loan forgiveness program in the Department of Higher Education to reduce financial barriers to entering the workforce and help teachers pay off their student loans. 

“I know from personal experience how nearly impossible it is for student teachers to meet their prep obligations while supporting themselves financially via a second or third job,” said Zenzinger. “This bill establishes several programs that will help reduce students’ stress and make the pathway toward a career in education far more appealing. It’s way past time to implement this kind of legislation."

Currently, the Colorado Department of Education can issue a temporary educator eligibility authorization to students in an educator preparation program for special education who have not yet met all the requirements for initial licensure. The bill expands the temporary authorization to students in both regular and alternative teacher preparation programs.

HB22-1220 now heads to House for concurrence on amendments. Track the progress of the bill HERE.

Senate Gives Initial Approval to Bipartisan Bill to Address Fentanyl Crisis, Save Lives in Colorado

H22-1326 increases access to harm reduction tools & treatment to prevent overdose deaths and increases criminal penalties on those dealing or importing fentanyl

DENVER, CO – The Senate today gave initial approval to a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, that addresses the fentanyl crisis in Colorado and aims to save lives.

HB22-1326, co-sponsored by Senator John Cooke, R-Greeley, represents a comprehensive approach to address this crisis that includes both proven harm reduction strategies to save lives and enhanced criminal penalties targeting dealers to keep fentanyl off Colorado streets. 

“We are in the third wave of the opioid epidemic and in the worst overdose crisis in the history of this country. Fentanyl is the drug of choice for the cartels because it’s potent, cheap and easy to traffic," Pettersen said. "We need to go after the dealers who are poisoning our communities and provide training and resources to better equip law enforcement to investigate fentanyl poisonings while increasing access to desperately needed treatment and life-saving harm reduction tools. This bill is about saving lives with a comprehensive public health and public safety approach, and will complement the work we’re doing to fix our broken behavioral health system throughout Colorado.”

The bill will strengthen criminal penalties on any individual distributing fentanyl, and integrate mandatory substance use disorder (SUD) assessments and treatment into the state’s sentencing process to ensure people can access treatment and recovery services. 

HB22-1326 focuses on compound fentanyl, which is fentanyl mixed with other drugs or substances. The legislation provides law enforcement with additional tools to go after dealers, while providing treatment options to individuals with a SUD. 

Under the bill, individuals dealing or importing fentanyl will face increased felony charges, and if the defendant has distributed any amount of fentanyl that leads to someone’s death, they can be charged with a level one drug felony and face the drug code’s strongest penalties.

Defendants in possession of any amount of fentanyl compound will be assessed for a substance use disorder and will be required to complete an education program developed by the Office of Behavioral Health in the Colorado Department of Human Services. Individuals assessed as having a substance use disorder will be ordered to complete a treatment program.

HB22-1326 would make it a felony to possess more than one gram of fentanyl compound/mixture. Once Colorado’s labs have the ability to test for the percentage of fentanyl within a compound, this bill adopts a “no tolerance” policy for the possession of pure fentanyl. 

The new felony, which is not prison eligible, would be repealed on June 30, 2025 and includes a “wobbler” provision to allow individuals that complete treatment to have the felony moved down to a misdemeanor on their record. The legislation creates a grant fund for law enforcement agencies to pursue investigations of fentanyl poisonings, provides additional funding to crisis stabilization centers and detoxification centers, and expands access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in jails.

This crisis also demands a robust public health approach that will reduce harm, expand access to treatment, and prevent overdose deaths. Colorado will save lives by investing in effective public health and substance use prevention and treatment strategies and giving people the tools they need to protect themselves. 

The legislation directs $29 million in federal pandemic relief funds to implement recommendations from the state’s Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force to expand access to proven harm reduction tools like the life-saving opioid antagonist Narcan as well as fentanyl test strips. 

Finally, HB22-1326 directs the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to develop, implement and maintain a three-year statewide prevention and education campaign to address fentanyl education needs in the state, including the message that even small amounts of fentanyl can be deadly. The bill will also provide grants to develop and implement community-focused education campaigns on the dangers of fentanyl. 

Having passed the Senate on 2nd reading, HB22-1326 will now be considered on 3rd reading by the Senate for final approval. Track the progress of the bill HERE. 

Senate Passes Bipartisan Story Bill to Improve Youth Behavioral Health

Legislation will invest $2 million of federal pandemic relief funds toward improving youth behavioral health outcomes for kids

DENVER, CO – The Senate today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Tammy Story, D-Conifer, that will help build a healthier Colorado by improving behavioral health access for youth. 

HB22-1369, cosponsored by Senator Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, would invest $2 million in pandemic relief funding to provide evidence-based behavioral health programs for children six years old and younger experiencing chronic stress or trauma at home.

“Stress and trauma can have negative effects on our youngest Coloradans, but far too often families have nowhere to turn to care for their kids’ mental health,” said Story. “This investment will support early intervention and home-based prevention programs to help families provide the critical behavioral health services their children need to address stress and trauma. With these funds, we can take a step toward creating a healthier Colorado for all.”

This bill invests in a home-based prevention and early intervention mental health program for children and their families to address the psychological damage caused by chronically stressful experiences.

HB22-1369 is one in a series of bills to invest millions into our state’s economic recovery and deliver urgently-needed relief to Coloradans.

The bill now moves to the Governor's desk for his signature. Track the progress of the bill HERE.

Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill to Save Businesses Money, Improve Unemployment Insurance for Colorado Workers Wins

SB22-234 will invest $600 million to improve and expand unemployment benefits, create a more resilient future economy

DENVER, CO – A bipartisan bill to save businesses money and improve unemployment insurance for Colorado workers cleared the Senate today.

Sponsored by Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and Senator Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, SB22-234 would infuse the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund (UITF) with pandemic relief funds while expanding eligibility and improving benefits to help support Colorado’s working families.

“When the pandemic hit and thousands of Coloradans lost their jobs, the state’s unemployment insurance program was there to help families pay rent and keep food on the table,” Hansen said. “Now we’re doubling down to protect this critical safety net for working families and our economy by investing hundreds of millions into unemployment insurance to protect future solvency while improving and expanding the benefits it offers. This bill will better prepare us to weather any future economic downturns, and help make sure unemployment insurance continues to benefit working Colorado families for years to come.”

SB22-234 invests $600 million to shore up the solvency of the UITF and protect against potential future economic downturns. This will save businesses money on premiums and provide certainty to workers who depend on unemployment benefits to continue paying for essentials like food, rent, and transportation while they search for new work.

The bill makes further improvements to ensure the unemployment system works better for Colorado families. It raises the benefit amount part-time workers can receive from 25 percent to 50 percent of the weekly benefit amount, in order to remove disincentives for workers who are laid off to find part-time employment while seeking a full-time job. It also creates a Benefit Recovery Fund to ensure that workers in Colorado who lack work authorization can access the benefits they contribute to and their employers pay premiums into.

The bill also eliminates the one-week waiting period to help workers access their benefits as quickly as possible once the Fund reaches a sustainable level, clarifies what constitutes an overpayment, and requires employers to inform their workers of their unemployment benefit eligibility upon separation.

SB22-234 will now move to the House for further consideration. Track the bill’s progress HERE.

Pair of Bills to Save People Money, Support Colorado Families Clears Committee

Legislation will bolster cash assistance and help families put food on the table

DENVER, CO - The Senate Finance Committee today cleared a pair of bills to save people money and better support Colorado families in need.

HB22-1259, sponsored by Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, aims to help families in need by increasing monthly basic cash assistance payments under the Colorado Works Program by 10 percent. 

"Even though cost of living has steadily increased, the cash assistance provided to Colorado's parents and kids in need has not changed since 1996," Moreno said. "By making it easier for families to get the assistance they need and putting more money in their pocket, this bill helps lift Colorado's families out of poverty, and set them up for success."

Starting next year, HB22-1259 would increase cash assistance for families living in extreme poverty by 10 percent, and expand eligibility for the assistance to more vulnerable Coloradans by removing restrictions on single parents with children below the age of one. 

The bill also increases funding for the Employment Opportunities with Wages Program, which helps Colorado Works participants find permanent employment with a living wage.

The Finance Committee also approved HB22-1380, sponsored by Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village, which would direct $14 million in federal pandemic relief funds to save people money on healthy food and increase critical services for low-income individuals. 

“Colorado is making great strides as we work to recover from the pandemic, but there are still families who need our help,” Bridges said. “This bill is a smart investment that will save families money and put food on the table while supporting Colorado’s farmers and small food retailers. Working together, we can ensure that no Colorado family is left behind.” 

HB22-1380 invests $8 million to create the Community Food Access Program to support small food retailers and small farmers to ensure underserved communities have access to healthy, fresh food through a consortium and grant program. The program supports small food retailers and grocery stores with technical assistance, and one-time grants of up to $25,000 to strengthen Colorado’s food value chain.

The bill also directs $2 million in federal relief funds to better identify SNAP recipients who are also eligible for utility bill assistance; $3 million for a universal high-quality work management system to reduce administrative costs and streamline the application process for various benefit programs; and $1 million to support technology upgrades and integrate the Double Up Food Bucks Program in local food retail stores and increase access to healthy foods for SNAP recipients.

Both bills are part of a package of legislation to invest millions into our state’s economic recovery and deliver urgently-needed relief to Coloradans, and will now move to consideration before the full Senate. 

Track HB22-1259 HERE, and HB22-1380 HERE.

Senate Passes Bipartisan Winter Bill to Increase Health Care Access for Rural Colorado

Legislation will address health care workforce shortage, improve patient outcomes

DENVER, CO – The Senate today passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Faith Winter, D-Westminster, that would encourage and support students who wish to pursue health care careers and practice in rural Colorado to better serve patients. 

SB22-172, cosponsored by Senator Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, would establish the Colorado Rural Health Care Workforce Initiative to expand the number of health care professionals practicing in Colorado's rural or frontier counties. 

“Everyone deserves access to high quality, affordable health care, but for many folks in rural Colorado, accessing that care can be challenging,” said Winter. “With this bill, we will be able to encourage more people to enter the health care field so we can address the workforce shortage in regions of our state that are struggling to provide adequate care to patients. Ultimately, the bill will help us expand access to health care and build a healthier Colorado for all.” 

The initiative established by the legislation would allow an institution of higher education to establish a health care rural track or expand an existing track within a health care professional credential or degree program.  

The bill outlines how institutions of higher education can use funding from this program, including compensation for staff, scholarships, and housing costs for participating students. Students participating in the rural track program are eligible for a scholarship if they commit to practicing in a rural or frontier county for two years. 

The bill also establishes a Rural Program Office in the University of Colorado School of Medicine, which can provide guidance for participating institutions, develop a relevant curriculum, and evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative. 

SB22-172 seeks to serve the two thirds of Colorado’s 64 counties that are designated rural or frontier – most of which are currently described as primary care, oral health and mental health shortage areas. 

SB22-172 now moves to the House for further consideration. Track the progress of the bill HERE. 

Senate Approves Bipartisan Bill to Save Coloradans Money on Health Care, Improve Surprise Medical Billing Protections

HB22-1284 provides clarity, aligns Colorado with updated federal law

DENVER, CO - The Senate today signed off on a bipartisan bill to improve Colorado’s surprise medical billing protections by aligning them with recently passed federal legislation.

HB22-1284, sponsored by Senator Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, and Senator Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, provides clarity to consumers, providers and insurance carriers about how to move forward with surprise billing protections. This bill also adds balance billing protections for post-stabilization services to ensure that patients are protected from surprise bills until they can consent and be safely transferred to an in-network facility.

“We need to do everything we can to protect Coloradans from malicious surprise billing practices, and instead help them access the care they need while saving them money,” said Pettersen. “With this bill, we will be able to improve protections for patients, lower the cost of health care, and improve patient outcomes as we work to build a healthier Colorado for all.”

The legislation mirrors the federal law’s notice and consent requirements to ensure that out-of-network providers and facilities provide notice to a consumer before a scheduled service, including an estimate of the total charges the consumer will be responsible for.

It also updates Colorado law to allow for a 90-day period of continued coverage at in-network rates for transitional care.

HB22-1284 now moves to the House for concurrence with Senate amendments. Track the bill’s progress HERE.

Senate Signs Off on Bipartisan Legislation to Save Coloradans Money on Property Taxes

SB22-238 will save median Colorado homeowner $274 a year 

DENVER, CO - The Senate today signed off on bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and Senator Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, that will save Coloradans millions of dollars on their property taxes over the next two years.

SB22-238 will provide $700 million in property tax relief over two years for homeowners and businesses, helping families stay in their homes and cutting costs for businesses statewide. 

“The cost of housing is at an all-time high here in Colorado and people are feeling the pain, which is why we’re working to provide immediate property tax relief that will help families all across the state save money,” Hansen said. “This property tax relief package delivers help to homeowners and businesses as property values continue to rise, and will help more families to stay in their homes, all without cutting education funding or the critical services Coloradans depend on to thrive.”

The bill allocates $500 million in 2023 to reduce the nonresidential property tax rate from 29 percent to 27.9 percent, and will reduce the tax rate for residential property from 6.95 percent to 6.76 percent. The bill also reduces the taxable value for commercial properties by $30,000, and $15,000 for residential properties.

Further, SB22-238 provides an additional $200 million to extend the property tax relief enacted last year by SB21-293. These savings will reduce property taxes for homeowners by an average of $274 in 2023 on a $500,000 home, and will provide significant savings for every business in the state.

SB22-238 will now move to the House for further consideration. Follow the bill’s progress HERE.

Bipartisan Hinrichsen Bill to Invest in Colorado State Fair Clears Senate

Legislation provides $4 million to update facilities, move forward on master plan 

DENVER, CO - A bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, to invest in the Colorado State Fair won Senate approval yesterday.

Cosponsored by Senator Don Coram, R-Montrose, SB22-134 provides $4 million to help implement the Colorado State Fair Master Plan, which aims to update and modernize the Colorado State Fair, including upgrading facilities, addressing a backlog of capital construction projects, expanding marketing capacity, and making the State Fair more resilient and sustainable.

“The Colorado State Fair is a Pueblo institution, and a critical economic driver for our community,” Hinrichsen said. “This bill will help provide critical funding to update the fair’s master plan, improve fairground facilities, and help ensure families can continue enjoying the Colorado State Fair for generations to come.”

According to the Master Plan, the Fair generates over $29 million annually in economic impact to the surrounding area and provides, through its 101 acres of public lands, an affordable and accessible amenity for a diverse population. A historic asset of the state, the Fairgrounds are currently facing issues common to many state fairs, including aging facilities and a backlog of building deficiencies, limited funding, competing venues and operational losses. 

SB22-134 now moves to the House for further consideration. Track the bill’s progress HERE.

JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! Bill to Prepare At-Risk Students for Success

DENVER, CO– Governor Jared Polis signed legislation into law today that will create a new method for identifying and serving at-risk students. HB22-1202, sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod and Julie McCluskie and Senators Rachel Zenzinger and James Coleman, will more accurately count at-risk students and direct additional resources to school districts that serve at-risk students.

“Modernizing the way we identify at-risk students will direct proper funding toward schools and prepare all Colorado students for success,”said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “Under this law, the state will create a new well-rounded method for pinpointing at-risk students that goes beyond those eligible for free and reduced-price lunches to include data from Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus program. But every child lives a different home life, so the data collection will also consider important socioeconomic factors that can affect academic success such as parent incarceration, unhoused status and English as a Second Language. This law will get school districts the funding they need to meet the needs of their at-risk students so their students can grow, thrive and achieve.”

“As we introduce more precise factors into the school funding formula, we can increase the likelihood that our resources will be used in the most equitable manner, to the greatest degree of success,”said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada. “The at-risk measure is one of those factors in need of greater precision and definition; and thanks to HB22-1202, we will eventually be able to support the children who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in a true at-risk condition.”

“I am proud Colorado is taking steps to identify, serve and support each and every student,”said Rep. Julie McCluskie D-Dillion“Research has shown to better serve at-risk students, we need to look at the bigger picture and consider more than just a couple of socioeconomic factors that might hinder academic success–and this law does just that. This law creates a new definition in the formula so Colorado can more accurately identify at-risk students and provide their school districts with more funding to meet their needs.”

“We know that, right now, we don’t do enough to support our at-risk students, and that needs to change,”said Sen. James Coleman, D-Denver. “More accurately identifying our at-risk students will allow us to do a better job allocating the critical resources school districts need to serve them. This bill will help us better prepare all of Colorado’s students for success.”

HB22-1202 will create a new method in the school finance formula to identify students who are at risk of below-average academic outcomes due to socio-economic disadvantages or poverty. The new formula aims to better pinpoint at-risk students by considering multiple socio-economic factors that affect them.

Based on the new formula, school districts would be eligible for more state funding beginning in the 2023-24 school year to better prepare their at-risk students. A recent statewide poll revealed that 83% of respondents consider it important to provide resources and support to students who are falling behind so teachers can make sure every student has an opportunity to get back on track.

ICYMI: Senate Passes Measure to Improve Safety, Support Behavioral Health in Schools

HB22-1243 invests $14 million to help keep students safe

DENVER, CO – The Senate today passed HB22-1243, sponsored by Senator Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, and Senator Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, which invests $14 million to improve security and support behavioral health in public schools.

The bill provides an additional $2 million in federal pandemic relief funding for the behavioral health care professional matching grant program, and extends and provides an additional $6 million for the popular “I Matter” program beyond its scheduled repeal in June 2022, paving the way to serve youth with free counseling sessions for another two years.

“Too many kids don’t know where to turn when they’re in a mental health crisis,” Kolker said. “We’re working hard to break down barriers that prevent people experiencing a crisis from getting support, and making sure every Colorado kid can get the lifesaving care they need. Together, we can work to end the stigma surrounding mental health, expand access to care, and save lives.”

“As we work to build a safer and healthier Colorado for all, we need to ensure that our schools are better equipped to keep students safe and connect them to the appropriate behavioral health care they need,” said Hinrichsen. “Our students have faced tremendous challenges over the last few years, and this bill will help them feel safer in the classroom while ensuring they have increased access to resources that will help them care for their mental health and well-being.” 

The bill also allocates $6 million to the School Security Disbursement Program over two years.

HB22-1243 now moves to the House for further consideration. Follow the bill’s progress HERE.

ICYMI: Bipartisan Story Bill to Improve Youth Behavioral Health Clears Committee

Legislation will invest $2 million of federal pandemic relief funds toward improving youth behavioral health outcomes for kids 

DENVER, CO – The Senate Health and Human Services Committee yesterday approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Tammy Story, D-Conifer, that will help build a healthier Colorado by improving behavioral health access for youth. 

HB22-1369, co-sponsored by Senator Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, would invest $2 million in pandemic relief funding to provide evidence-based behavioral health programs for children six years old and younger experiencing chronic stress or trauma at home.

“Stress and trauma can have negative effects on our youngest Coloradans, but far too often families have nowhere to turn to care for their kids’ mental health,” said Story. “This investment will support early intervention and home-based prevention programs to help families provide the critical behavioral health services their children need to address stress and trauma. With these funds, we can take a step toward creating a healthier Colorado for all.”

This bill invests in a home-based prevention and early intervention mental health program for children and their families to address the psychological damage caused by chronically stressful experiences.

HB22-1369 is one in a series of bills to invest millions into our state’s economic recovery and deliver urgently-needed relief to Coloradans.

The bill now moves to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track the progress of the bill HERE.

Senate Passes Bills to Combat Wage Theft, Improve Safety on Colorado Highways

Legislation would ensure workers are able to recover legally earned wages, enhance safety for motorists and wildlife

DENVER, CO – The Senate today gave final approval to legislation that will ensure workers are able to recover legally earned wages, as well as reduce wildlife collisions on Colorado highways. 

SB22-161, sponsored by Senators Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, and Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Boulder County, would modernize Colorado’s wage enforcement procedures and ensure workers are able to recover their legally earned pay.

“Wage theft is far too prevalent in Colorado,” said Danielson. “It’s essential that we support the folks who work hard to keep Colorado’s economy running. This bill will ensure workers receive the full wages they have earned.”

“Right now, many workers are victims of wage theft without even realizing it,” Jaquez Lewis said. “With this bill, we’re empowering the Attorney General and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to collaborate and combat cases of wage theft. We must make sure workers receive the wages they are rightfully owed, and that violators are held accountable.”

The legislation empowers the Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to facilitate the collection of unpaid wages in wage theft cases by expanding investigatory authority to locate violators and streamlining enforcement of CDLE determinations in court. The bill also authorizes the Attorney General to partner with CDLE to investigate cases of wage theft and worker misclassification.

The Senate also passed SB22-151, sponsored by Senators Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, and Tammy Story, D-Confier, that would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve safety for wildlife and motorists on Colorado highways.

“Wildlife corridors are common sense ways to protect motorists, keep wildlife safe, and ensure habitats stay intact,” said Danielson. “This bill will help ecosystems thrive and help make sure our wild places continue to power Colorado’s economy for future generations.”

“Colorado is home to an abundance of wildlife that we need to protect,” said Story. “By investing in wildlife corridors along our highways, we will keep our wildlife safe and prevent dangerous collisions for our motorists.”

The bill would create a “Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Mitigation Fund” for wildlife crossing projects on stretches of roads and highways with high rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) or where the ability of wildlife to move across the landscape has been hampered by high traffic volumes.

Both bills now move to the House for further consideration. Track the progress of SB22-161 HERE and SB22-151 HERE.

Fenberg's Bill to Improve Resiliency, Better Prepare Colorado for Future Climate Emergencies Clears Senate

Legislation would establish the Office of Climate Preparedness and create new programs to facilitate recovery and rebuilding efforts following disaster emergencies

DENVER, CO - The Senate today voted to advance Senate President Steve Fenberg’s, D-Boulder, bill to support individuals, businesses, and governments rebuilding after disaster emergencies, and create the Office of Climate Preparedness to better prepare for and respond to future disasters.

SB22-206 would establish two programs to help communities recover and rebuild following disasters. $15 million would go to the Disaster Resilience Rebuilding Program to provide loans and grants to homeowners, businesses, and local governments rebuilding after a disaster emergency. The bill also allocates $20 million to the Disaster Recovery and Resilience Program to provide loans and grants to homeowners, businesses, and local governments to cover costs related to rebuilding more resilient and energy efficient homes and structures.

“Our climate is changing whether we like it or not, and we know we're going to see more frequent and more destructive natural disasters as a result,” said Fenberg. “It’s essential that we act now to prepare for and mitigate future climate-induced disasters, and improve our response to the destruction left in their wake. These new programs, alongside the new Office of Climate Preparedness, will help us better coordinate our response and ensure we’re as prepared as possible when the next disaster strikes.”

The bill also transfers $15 million to the Colorado Firefighting Air Corps Fund to lease wildfire fighting aviation resources and to establish and maintain a statewide dispatch center to ensure rapid response of fire mitigation resources.

Finally, the bill creates the Office of Climate Preparedness in the Governor’s office, tasked with coordinating disaster recovery efforts to better respond to natural disaster emergencies and developing a climate preparedness roadmap to ensure Colorado is better prepared for future climate-induced disasters.

SB22-206 now heads to the House for further consideration. Track the progress of the bill HERE.

Senate Approves Legislation to Provide Coloradans Expedited Tax Relief

SB22-233 will provide relief to more than 3 million Coloradans

DENVER, CO - The Senate today gave final approval to legislation that will provide working Coloradans with expedited tax refunds. Under the proposed Colorado Cashback plan, individual tax filers will receive a flat amount of $400, and joint filers will receive $800, pushing refunds up to provide relief to Coloradans as soon as possible.

SB22-233, sponsored by Senator Nick Hinrichsen, D-Pueblo, and Senator Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, speeds up the timeline for refund checks to help families afford basic necessities like gas and groceries. All full-time residents of Colorado who filed their 2021 income tax returns by June 30th, 2022 will receive a check under the bill as currently drafted.

“Coloradans are feeling the pain of inflation, and they need our help,” Hinrichsen said. “That’s why we’re taking action to provide immediate support to families and individuals in the form of direct relief to taxpayers. This relief will put money directly back into Coloradans’ wallets, making it easier for folks to afford everyday necessities like rent and groceries and helping families make ends meet during this challenging time.”

“We’ve worked hard this session to save working Colorado families money, and this legislation will do even more to ease the pain we’re all feeling due to rising inflation,” Rodriguez said. “As we continue building back from the pandemic, this relief will help ease the financial burden folks across our state are struggling with when they need it most.”

Colorado Democrats' state stimulus plan, fair tax reform, and responsible governance has led to a robust economic recovery and a record state surplus that is being returned to taxpayers via this tax rebate, in addition to existing refund mechanisms including the senior homestead exemption and a temporary reduction in the rate of the income tax.

The expedited tax relief provided by SB22-233 will add to the savings from the comprehensive tax reform legislation and property tax relief passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Polis last year that is already putting money back into Coloradans’ pockets. By repealing tax loopholes for large corporations and millionaires and reducing property tax assessment rates, Democrats have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in economic assistance and tax relief for hard working Coloradans, seniors, and small businesses.

SB22-233 will now move to the House for further consideration. Track the bill’s progress HERE.

Senate Passes Bipartisan Jaquez Lewis Bill to Bolster Health Care Workforce

Legislation would support the education training, recruitment and retention of nurses and health care workers 

DENVER, CO – The Senate today passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Boulder County, that would bolster Colorado’s health care workforce through a $61 million investment in education, training, recruitment and retention of nurses and health care workers.

SB22-226, co-sponsored by Senator Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, would address the shortage of health care workers by assisting with tuition and fees to help people get into high-demand health care fields. These programs require clinical hours at health facilities, currently a major limiting factor in how many students schools can accept. To address this, the bill would also provide funding for health care facilities to increase training slots to build long-term capacity to train new and existing employees.

“It’s no secret – the past two plus years have been tough. We’ve gone through some incredibly challenging times, weathered difficult storms, and held strong in the face of real adversity,” said Jaquez Lewis. “As we move forward together, we must invest in Colorado’s health care workforce and better prepare and equip our health care heroes. This will not only result in better quality of care for Coloradans, it will give workers advanced skill sets that help them grow and move forward in their careers.”

Additionally, the bill would create the Health Care Workforce Resilience and Retention Program in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to develop employee well-being programs and support the retention of health care workers.

SB22-226 now heads to the House for further consideration. Track the progress of the bill HERE.

JOINT STATEMENT: RHEA Sponsors Condemn Draft SCOTUS Opinion Overturning Roe v. Wade

DENVER, CO – Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, Representative Meg Froelich and Senator Julie Gonzales today released the following joint statement on the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade:

We are devastated, but not surprised. This Supreme Court decision, if issued as drafted, will imperil the lives of those seeking an abortion and threaten the health, safety, and reproductive freedom of millions of Americans. States across the country will continue to pass restrictive anti-abortion legislation or outright bans, making abortion nearly impossible for some and sending doctors to prison for providing abortion care.

We are grateful for the Democratic lawmakers who joined with us to pass the Reproductive Health Equity Act to protect the right to abortion care in Colorado, and who understand that politicians shouldn’t interfere with patients’ private medical decisions. Colorado will not go back to a time when patients were forced to seek out unsafe abortions, putting their health and lives at risk. We will continue fighting to keep abortion legal for all Coloradans and the countless individuals who will be forced to travel to our state for care, or ​carry unsafe pregnancies to term.

Sponsored by Representative Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, and Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, the Reproductive Health Equity Act updates Colorado’s laws to protect reproductive rights and establish a fundamental right to choose to continue a pregnancy and give birth, or to have an abortion.

At least 519 laws to restrict abortion care have been introduced in 41 states so far this year according to the National Women’s Law Center.

Colorado remains committed to ensuring abortion remains safe, legal, and accessible. Recently, House Democrats defeated three Republican-led bills that would have jeopardized that right, including:

HB22-1079, which would have placed an unconstitutional ban on abortion in Colorado with no exceptions. The bill explicitly directed Colorado to disregard federal law and federal court rulings and would subject Colorado judges who support access to abortion to impeachment. In addition, it would have allowed a private right of action against abortion providers, and potentially patients too.

HB22-1047, which would have banned abortion in Colorado with no exceptions. The bill would have also criminalized miscarriages and would have subjected abortion providers to imprisonment.

HB22-1075, which would have established a registry to track and surveil abortion patients and providers. It also would have created a roadmap for abortion opponents to identify and further threaten abortion patients and providers.