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Learn more about the Colorado House Democrats, including meeting minutes and locations. Meetings & Minutes Meeting minutes and notices prior to August 22, 2024 can be found in the archive. March 13, 2025 8:00 AM Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 12, 2025 8:15 AM Business Affairs & Labor Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 12, 2025 8:00 AM Education Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 11, 2025 8:00 AM Judiciary Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 11, 2025 8:00 AM Health & Human Services Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 10, 2025 8:15 AM State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 10, 2025 9:00 AM House Democrats Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 7, 2025 12:00 PM House Education Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 7, 2025 8:15 AM Democratic Women's Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 6, 2025 9:20 AM UPDATED: Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 6, 2025 9:10 AM UPDATED: Finance Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes March 6, 2025 8:00 PM Appropriations Caucus Meeting Meeting Notice Meeting Minutes

46 CO House Democrats fighting for hardworking Coloradans at the Capitol and across our state by saving you money, building a healthier Colorado and preparing our students for success. COLORADO HOUSE DEMOCRATS Colorado Democrats fighting for hardworking Coloradans at the Capitol and across our state LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS LATEST NEWS MEET YOUR COLORADO HOUSE DEMOCRATS CAREERS House Democrats responded to the most pressing needs in Colorado and delivered results . During the breakthrough 2024 Legislative Session, we focused on gun violence prevention, fully funding K-12 public schools, improving air quality and reducing the cost of housing, health care and prescription drugs. 2024 LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS Latest News Bill to Reduce Firearm Theft and Illegal Sales, Improve Security at Gun Shows Advances March 7, 2025 The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Junie Joseph and Sean Camacho to increase security measures at gun shows and strengthen existing gun violence prevention laws. Read All Zokaie, Brown Bill to Crack Down on Price Gouging, Save Coloradans Money Advances March 7, 2025 The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on corporate price gouging for everyday necessities like groceries and toiletries. Read All Legislation to Improve Public Safety, Reduce Youth Violence Passes Committee March 7, 2025 The House Education Committee last evening passed legislation to make gun violence prevention and public safety efforts more accessible to parents and legal guardians of students. Read All Protecting the Freedom to Marry Passes House Committee March 6, 2025 SB25-014 would repeal unenforceable language from Colorado Statute that states that a marriage is valid only if it is between a man and a woman Read All Visit Our Newsroom Press Releases WE ARE COLORADO HOUSE DEMOCRATS CONTACT US FIND MY REP SEARCH

Latest press releases and op-eds from Colorado House Democrats. NEWSROOM PRESS RELEASES > OP-EDS > Bill to Reduce Firearm Theft and Illegal Sales, Improve Security at Gun Shows Advances March 7, 2025 The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Junie Joseph and Sean Camacho to increase security measures at gun shows and strengthen existing gun violence prevention laws. Bill to Reduce Firearm Theft and Illegal Sales, Improve Security at Gun Shows Advances Zokaie, Brown Bill to Crack Down on Price Gouging, Save Coloradans Money Advances March 7, 2025 The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on corporate price gouging for everyday necessities like groceries and toiletries. Zokaie, Brown Bill to Crack Down on Price Gouging, Save Coloradans Money Advances Legislation to Improve Public Safety, Reduce Youth Violence Passes Committee March 7, 2025 The House Education Committee last evening passed legislation to make gun violence prevention and public safety efforts more accessible to parents and legal guardians of students. Legislation to Improve Public Safety, Reduce Youth Violence Passes Committee

Press Releases Mar 7, 2025 Bill to Reduce Firearm Theft and Illegal Sales, Improve Security at Gun Shows Advances The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Junie Joseph and Sean Camacho to increase security measures at gun shows and strengthen existing gun violence prevention laws. Read More Mar 7, 2025 Zokaie, Brown Bill to Crack Down on Price Gouging, Save Coloradans Money Advances The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on corporate price gouging for everyday necessities like groceries and toiletries. Read More Mar 7, 2025 Legislation to Improve Public Safety, Reduce Youth Violence Passes Committee The House Education Committee last evening passed legislation to make gun violence prevention and public safety efforts more accessible to parents and legal guardians of students. Read More Mar 6, 2025 Protecting the Freedom to Marry Passes House Committee SB25-014 would repeal unenforceable language from Colorado Statute that states that a marriage is valid only if it is between a man and a woman Read More Mar 6, 2025 Committee Passes Bill to Protect Consumers, Improve EV Oversight The House Energy & Environment Committee today passed legislation to protect electric vehicle (EV) drivers by improving charging infrastructure and oversight. Read More Mar 5, 2025 House Advances ‘YIGBY’ Bill to Increase Housing Coloradans Can Afford The House today advanced legislation in a preliminary vote that would streamline the process for religious and educational institutions to build housing on their land. Read More Mar 5, 2025 Bill to Strengthen Victim Protections and Housing Security Passes House The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Mandy Lindsay and Cecelia Espenoza that would strengthen protections for victims of gender-based violence by improving housing security, expanding access to justice, and keeping Coloradans safe. HB25-1168 passed by a vote of 40-22. Read More Mar 4, 2025 Colorado Democrats Pass Bill to Increase Behavioral Health Funding for Veterans, Military Families The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Sean Camacho and Rebekah Stewart that would allow Prop KK revenue to fund community-based behavioral health services for military members, veterans, and their families. HB25-1132 passed by a vote of 41-20, with nearly every Republican voting against the bill. Read More Mar 4, 2025 Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill to Increase Affordable For-Sale Housing The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Manny Rutinel that would improve Colorado’s ability to invest in affordable for-sale housing. Read More Mar 4, 2025 Bill to Protect Survivors of Sexual Assault Passes Committee The House Judiciary Committee today passed legislation to protect survivors of sexual assault. Read More Mar 4, 2025 House Cracks Down on ‘Junk Fees’ to Save Coloradans Money The House today passed a bill sponsored by Representatives Emily Sirota and Naquetta Ricks that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on ‘junk fees’. Read More Mar 4, 2025 Bipartisan Bill Prevents Landlords From Going After Family Members When Someone Dies The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Javier Mabrey that would protect individuals from being financially responsible for costs associated with rental agreements due to the death of a loved one. Read More 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 ... 179

The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Junie Joseph and Sean Camacho to increase security measures at gun shows and strengthen existing gun violence prevention laws. < Back March 7, 2025 Bill to Reduce Firearm Theft and Illegal Sales, Improve Security at Gun Shows Advances DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation sponsored by Representatives Junie Joseph and Sean Camacho to increase security measures at gun shows and strengthen existing gun violence prevention laws. “Gun violence has touched all of our communities, including my community of Boulder that tragically lost innocent lives in the Boulder King Soopers shooting in 2021, and I vow to do everything I can to prevent future mass shootings to protect Coloradans,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “That’s why I’m proudly sponsoring this bill that improves safety at gun shows, like requiring vendors to hold valid federal and state permits and properly securing firearms and ammunition, to prevent theft and illegal sales. It takes a multi-faceted approach to reduce gun violence, and this bill is one of the ways Colorado Democrats are working to improve safety in our communities and prevent senseless firearm deaths.” “Colorado Democrats have spent years passing laws that help prevent gun violence, and this law helps improve compliance with the lifesaving laws we have passed around background checks, safe storage, and lost and stolen reporting requirements,” said Rep. Sean Camacho, D-Denver. “This legislation will close loopholes to ensure gun laws are followed at gun shows, where thousands of guns, ammunition, and other gun products are present and available to the public. We’re helping vendors keep guns out of the wrong hands to protect Colorado communities from gun violence.” HB25-1238 would help reduce gun violence and theft by creating requirements for gun show promoters and vendors and strengthening existing state firearm laws. The bill would require a gun show promoter to create a security plan at least 14 days before the gun show and submit the plan to each local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the show. The security plan would include a list of gun show vendors who are expected to participate, an estimated number of attendees, the number of security personnel secured for the show, and a layout of the event that includes entrances and exits and locations of video camera security. The bill also requires the gun show promoter to: Obtain liability insurance for the gun show, Implement security measures at the gun show, Prohibit people under the age of 21 years old from entering the show unless accompanied by a parent, grandparent, or guardian, Verify that firearm sales adhere to the 3-day waiting period law, and Post certain notices at the gun show regarding state firearm laws. To participate in a gun show, a vendor would be required to certify to the gun show promoter that they meet the requirements to be a gun show vendor and will comply with federal, state, and local firearm laws during the gun show. Vendors would also be required to display copies of their federal firearms license and state firearms dealer permit and conduct a background check for each firearm transfer at a gun show. The bill would prohibit a vendor from participating in the gun show if they do not hold a federal firearms license or a valid state firearms dealer permit or have not completed a gun show certification. If they have been convicted of a second offense of unlawful gun show vendor activity, the vendor would also not be allowed to participate. The bill exempts gun collectors shows that only offer curios, relics or antique firearms. The bill would take effect January 1, 2026. The bill helps enforce recent laws that Colorado Democrats have passed to tackle gun violence, including implementing a minimum three-day waiting period , promoting responsible gun ownership by requiring firearms to be securely stored in residences and vehicles , creating a requirement to report lost or stolen firearms , requiring firearm dealers to hold a state license to ensure they have the education and tools to prevent gun violence, and strengthening Colorado’s gun background check system to prevent people convicted of violent crimes to access guns for five years. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on corporate price gouging for everyday necessities like groceries and toiletries. < Back March 7, 2025 Zokaie, Brown Bill to Crack Down on Price Gouging, Save Coloradans Money Advances DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would bring down costs for Coloradans by cracking down on corporate price gouging for everyday necessities like groceries and toiletries. “When college students are struggling to pay rent and parents are skipping meals to feed their kids, we can’t allow corporate greed to drive prices even higher,” said Rep. Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins. “We know that food, diapers, and toilet paper aren’t optional, so Colorado Democrats are cracking down on price-gouging tactics that increase profits off the backs of hardworking Coloradans. This bill would help level the playing field for honest businesses and reduce the costs of everyday items, making our state more affordable." “This bill will limit price gouging to save Coloradans money on everyday necessities like groceries and reduce the cost of living in our state,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Corporations are taking advantage of inflation and market conditions to raise prices and boost their profits. While House Republicans side with wealthy corporations, Colorado Democrats are addressing price gouging so hardworking Coloradans can hold on to more of their hard-earned money. HB25-1010 would prohibit price gouging of goods or services necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of Coloradans, like groceries and toiletries during a market disruption. In this bill, price gouging is defined as a price increase of 10 percent or above the average cost of the product or good within 90 days. A 2024 Federal Trade Commission report stated that the three largest grocers accelerated and distorted the negative effects associated with supply chain disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Colorado Democrats passed a 2024 law , also sponsored by Rep. Brown, to prevent price gouging on rent after a natural disaster. The law was inspired after rents skyrocketed for Coloradans who lost their homes after the Marshall Fire, pricing vulnerable Coloradans out of their communities. Another law created the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to limit Big Pharma price gouging of life-saving prescription drugs, helping lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs. Previous Next

The House Education Committee last evening passed legislation to make gun violence prevention and public safety efforts more accessible to parents and legal guardians of students. < Back March 7, 2025 Legislation to Improve Public Safety, Reduce Youth Violence Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee last evening passed legislation to make gun violence prevention and public safety efforts more accessible to parents and legal guardians of students. HB25-1250 aims to keep Colorado youth and our communities safe . “As a long-time educator and an advocate for gun violence prevention under the gold dome, I know that parents and legal guardians want access to tools that help mitigate youth violence and senseless gun deaths,” said Rep. Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial. “We know that increasing awareness within our communities makes parents and guardians better equipped to seek prevention or intervention services, and to communicate with their child about this topic. This bill takes a public health approach, coupled with our previous gun violence prevention efforts, to help connect our communities with the resources they need to create a safer, more supportive Colorado for all youth.” HB25-1250 passed by a vote of 7-5. The bill would increase education on gun violence prevention and public safety efforts by requiring the Office of Gun Violence Prevention to accessibly list gun violence prevention materials on their website. Specifically, these materials would be posted or linked online so school districts, charter schools, facility schools, a board of cooperative services, and the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind could distribute these materials at the beginning of each school year to each parent, guardian, and legal custodian of an enrolled student. Under the bill, materials could be provided in written or electronic format, and local education providers would be required to also post the materials to their websites. Denver has worked closely with CU Boulder and Denver Health to use evidence-based approaches to addressing youth violence in Colorado. A Public Health Institute report outlined helpful public health focused strategies to combat youth violence, including the importance of identifying risk factors ,intervening before violence can occur, and increasing awareness of this topic as a deterrent of gun violence. In 2023, Rep. Hamrick also sponsored a law to combat youth gun violence by raising the age limit to purchase any firearm to 21. That same year, a bipartisan group of legislators created the Office of School Safety which provides rapid response grants to support safety efforts in public schools, public charter schools, community-based organizations, and cities and counties. Previous Next

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The House today advanced legislation in a preliminary vote that would streamline the process for religious and educational institutions to build housing on their land. < Back March 5, 2025 House Advances ‘YIGBY’ Bill to Increase Housing Coloradans Can Afford DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation in a preliminary vote that would streamline the process for religious and educational institutions to build housing on their land . “With our housing shortage surpassing 100,000 homes , Colorado’s housing deficit is one of the worst in the country, and religious groups and schools that want to be a part of the solution should be able to build more homes that people can afford,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “From supporting low-income communities to attracting quality educators, the missions of churches, synagogues, and schools often align with our state’s need for more housing. By cutting red tape, this policy is a meaningful solution that will open up thousands of acres of land across our state to help save Coloradans money on housing.” “As an attorney who represents Coloradans facing the threat of eviction, I’ve seen people in our communities struggle to stay safely housed despite sometimes juggling two or three jobs,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “Colorado Democrats have passed laws to strengthen renter protections and lower the cost of housing, and this policy would work in tandem with these efforts to increase housing people can afford on underutilized land. We’re reducing barriers to build more housing and boosting opportunities for Coloradans to find a place to live that works for their budget.” Beginning December 31, 2026, HB25-1169 would allow faith-based organizations, school districts, and state colleges or universities to build housing and other community services on their land, regardless of current zoning laws. Under the bill, local governments could not reject the construction of a residential development due to height, as long as the development is no taller than three stories or 45 feet or adheres to the standards of the zoning district or standards that apply to contiguous parcels. Additionally, local governments could not restrict the construction based on the number of units, with some exceptions. Local governments could not apply standards that are more restrictive than the standards that they apply to similar housing developments in their jurisdictions relating to structure setbacks from property lines, lot coverage or open space, on-site parking requirements, number of bedrooms in a multi-family residential development, or on-site landscaping, screening, and buffering requirements. If zoning allows, these residential developments could also include child care centers and facilities that provide recreational, social, or educational services. Local governments would have the right to restrict these centers and facilities to the ground floor and limit them to 15 percent of the structures in the residential development. California passed a law in 2023 that makes it easier for higher education and religious institutions to build housing on their land, opening up over 170,000 acres of land to be developed into affordable housing or other uses. A church in Washington D.C., built 99 units for low-income families in addition to amenities like office space, a gym, and a culinary arts training program. An Atlanta church plans to build 300 affordable housing units , two schools, and 10,000 square feet of new retail space on their property. A 2025 report from the state demographer stated that housing grew in Colorado by 45,500 units while the population grew by 36,000. A recent Denver Post article reported that Denver rents fell 1.5 percent from the end of 2023 to the end of 2024 due to new housing units doubling the typical pace in recent years. They also noted that Denver renters are paying 3.5 percent less when the 2 percent annual rate of inflation is taken into account. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Mandy Lindsay and Cecelia Espenoza that would strengthen protections for victims of gender-based violence by improving housing security, expanding access to justice, and keeping Coloradans safe. HB25-1168 passed by a vote of 40-22. < Back March 5, 2025 Bill to Strengthen Victim Protections and Housing Security Passes House DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Mandy Lindsay and Cecelia Espenoza that would strengthen protections for victims of gender-based violence by improving housing security, expanding access to justice, and keeping Coloradans safe. HB25-1168 passed by a vote of 40-22. “Housing instability is one of the biggest threats to people who experience gender-based violence, with 11 percent of people experiencing homelessness in the Denver Metro Area fleeing domestic violence,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora. “Many victims can’t safely leave their abuser, which is why our bill strengthens Colorado’s victim protection laws and establishes new mechanisms to improve a victim’s access to justice and safe housing. Gender-based violence is traumatic, and no one deserves to face long-lasting financial consequences or homelessness as a result.” “The Violence Against Women Act is near and dear to my heart, and I’m proud to sponsor this legislation to better align Colorado law with these protections to keep victims safe,” said Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, D-Denver. “As a judge, I know how important it is to have strong protections in statute, and this bill is a meaningful change that better allows victims to end their leases early while providing a payment plan to protect landlords and keep victims housed. This bill is a huge win for survivors of gender-based violence to ensure they have the tools they need to build a strong, safe future away from their abuser.” Currently, a tenant cannot be found guilty of unlawful detention of a residence if the lease violation is caused by domestic violence or domestic abuse if the tenant provides a police report or civil or emergency protection order that demonstrates they were a victim. HB25-1168 would expand victim protections to include victims of unlawful sexual behavior and stalking. The bill also expands eligible documentation to include self-attestation or a letter signed by a qualified third party, reducing hurdles to accessing critical protections. Additional victim protection expansions include: Allowing victims who terminate a lease to not be held liable for property damage caused by their abuser during incidents of unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, domestic violence, or domestic abuse, Ensuring victims can change locks to their rental property on their own as long as they provide a copy of the key to the landlord as soon as reasonably possible, if the victim provides documentation to prove they are a victim-survivor, Prohibiting a landlord from assigning debt allegedly owed by a tenant who is a victim-survivor to a third-party debt collector unless the landlord provides at least a 90-day notice to the tenant and complies with the requirement to provide the tenant with documentation of the economic damages, and Requiring tenants to pay no more than one month’s rent after they vacate the residence if the landlord has provided documentation of incurred economic damages as a result of the early termination within 30 days after the termination of the agreement. To strengthen eviction protections, the bill also requires landlords to offer a repayment plan to victim-survivors alleged of unlawful detention due to late or unpaid rent. The repayment plan would not exceed 12 months from the date the plan was established. A 2023 report from the Colorado Coalition of the Homeless found that 1,265 Coloradans experiencing homelessness also reported being a victim of domestic violence. Previous Next