(Denver) –Rep. Pete Lee’s bill to provide a preference to Colorado companies who employ Colorado workers and veterans failed today in the State Affairs Committee on a party-line vote.  

HB12-1113, sponsored by Rep. Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs), would have promoted a preference for companies who hire Coloradans first when bidding for state contracts. The legislation, similar to SB1, also added an additional preference if the company employed Coloradan veterans. Twenty-nine other states have implemented state contract preference bills such as this to ensure that state tax dollars are going to provide jobs within the state.

Rep. Lee said this bill would have been smart policy that would have supported Colorado residents.

“It is a good return on investment when we use taxpayer money for job creation,” Rep. Lee said. “This bill would have created good paying jobs in Colorado. This bill would have also provided all the men and women returning home from serving in our military a better opportunity for jobs and encouraged them to stay in Colorado.”

Another bill that would have directed the state to keep up to $25 million of the state's $6 billion investment fund in Colorado companies went down to defeat in the House Finance Committee.

HB12-1265's sponsor, Rep. Sal Pace (D-Pueblo), said the bill would ease the capital crunch faced by Colorado companies and allow them to add jobs.

"We should invest our money in Colorado first," Rep. Pace said.

But the bill died on a 6-7 party-line vote.