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< Back March 8, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SENATE, HOUSE INTRODUCE $5 MILLION BILL TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE FOR COLORADO NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES Legislation to provide grant funding for Colorado land-based Tribes through federal pandemic relief package DENVER, CO – The Senate and House today introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to behavioral health care by investing $5 million to support the development of a behavioral health facility and better meet the behavioral health needs of Colorado’s Native American Tribes. The bill, SB22-148 , is part of the legislature’s ongoing commitment to addressing Colorado’s behavioral health crisis using $450 million in federal pandemic relief funds secured in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This legislation was developed based on recommendations from the state’s Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force . “The Tribes are our partners and neighbors and this is a long overdue investment in behavioral health,” said Sen. Kerry Donovan (D-Vail). “Everyone deserves mental health support in their communities and this bill will support the Tribes’ efforts.” “This is an exciting project that will significantly increase access to behavioral health services for Colorado’s Native American Tribes,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan (D-Durango). “Members of the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute have confronted rising suicide rates and have nowhere nearby for critical behavioral health care. I’m proud Colorado will be stepping up to build a world class facility to serve tribal members and ensure more people have access to the care they need to thrive.” To further Colorado Tribes’ ability to provide culturally responsive behavioral health care in specialized facilities, this bill will provide a one-time $5 million grant to Colorado land-based Tribes to support building or renovating a tribal behavioral health facility for inpatient services and transitional housing. Previous Next

SB25B-002 protects Coloradans from federal attacks on Planned Parenthood and restores access to health care for over 10,000 Medicaid recipients < Back August 23, 2025 Bill to Restore Access to Planned Parenthood Services for Medicaid Patients Passes Committee SB25B-002 protects Coloradans from federal attacks on Planned Parenthood and restores access to health care for over 10,000 Medicaid recipients DENVER, CO – The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed a bill to authorize state funding for Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health care providers that were removed from the federal Medicaid program by the federal budget passed by Congressional Republicans. “All Coloradans, whether or not they are a Medicaid recipient, deserve access to reproductive health care,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “The federal GOP budget bill targeted Planned Parenthood, threatening access to low-cost family planning and preventive care for all Coloradans in all corners of our state. This bill is an effort to fight back against the largest cut to Medicaid in the history of our country and protect thousands of Coloradans from losing this essential health care coverage and access to the provider of their choice. Health care shouldn't be political.” “Despite Coloradans’ overwhelming support of reproductive freedom, Congressional Republicans continue to attack access to life-saving health care,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “When Trump’s budget was signed into law, it forced Planned Parenthood to immediately cancel every appointment for Medicaid recipients. While corporations enjoy their new tax breaks, Coloradans on Medicaid risk losing access to STI testing, cancer screenings and abortion care. I’m proud to stand up for Coloradans with this legislation that will restore access to life-saving care.” SB25B-002 would allow the use of state funds to reimburse organizations like Planned Parenthood, which were barred from federal Medicaid funding by Congressional Republicans’ tax bill, for services like cancer screenings, birth control consultations, and STI testing. In the event that federal action renders these entities eligible for reimbursements again, the bill would no longer be in effect. H.R.1 immediately removed Planned Parenthood from the federal Medicaid program, forcing Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains providers to cancel thousands of appointments . Weeks later, a Temporary Restraining Order reversed this federal prohibition, though the issue is still working its way through the courts. SB25B-002 passed by a vote of 9-4. Previous Next

< Back April 2, 2021 BIZ AFFAIRS & LABOR PASSES BILL TO HELP COLORADANS BUILD CREDIT DENVER, CO– The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representatives Naquetta Ricks and Mary Bradfield that would help Coloradans build up their credit scores by opting into a pilot program to report their rent payments to credit reporting agencies. The vote was 8-5. “Building a credit history is essential for applying for a home loan, car loan, credit card, or nearly any other financial product that requires repayment,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “Too many Coloradans don’t have sufficient credit history, even though they pay their bills or rent on time. This bill would establish a pilot program to allow some Coloradans to use their rent payment history to build credit, creating a new way for consumers to raise their credit scores.” Insufficient credit history can be a significant barrier for Coloradans seeking to lease a home or access other types of capital. While there are many ways consumers can build a credit history and improve their credit score, common obligations like rent payments are not often reported to credit agencies and thus do not help a consumer’s credit score when they are regularly paid on-time. HB21-1134 helps Coloradans who pay their rent on-time improve their credit scores by establishing a pilot program that would allow some Coloradans to opt into reporting payments to credit reporting agencies. Previous Next

< Back April 18, 2022 COLORADO ELECTION SECURITY ACT MOVES FORWARD Republicans on the committee vote to oppose bipartisan, common-sense measures to protect Colorado elections from insider threats DENVER, CO – The House State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to protect Colorado’s elections by a vote of 7-4. “Colorado has the gold standard for elections and leads the way nationally when it comes to voter access and holding fair and secure elections,” said Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver. “This common sense legislation would hold people accountable when they break the law and tamper with our election equipment and would bar anyone convicted of election crimes from serving as an election official. These bipartisan reforms will stop insider threats and defend our democracy from ‘Big Lie’ conspiracy theorists who have used their positions to jeopardize our election security.” “I am disappointed that my Republican colleagues opposed the bipartisan Colorado Election Security Act,” said Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood, chair of the House State, Civic, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee. “By voting against this bill, Republican lawmakers are standing on the side of election deniers and extremists rather than supporting common sense protections against actions that jeopardize our elections and undermine our democracy.” SB22-153, the Colorado Election Security Act, will improve election security by, among other measures, 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. SB22-153 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. The Colorado Election Security Act further seeks to secure Colorado’s gold standard elections by improving training for clerks and election workers, and penalizes anyone who interferes with or obstructs the notification of a potential violation, or retaliates against someone providing notice. The bill also prohibits accessing electronic equipment or a reporting system without authorization, makes knowingly publishing passwords or other confidential information a class 5 felony, and directs the District and Supreme Courts to expedite scheduling and issuance of final rulings of any orders in connection with a violation of election code. Previous Next

< Back October 29, 2019 TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION REVIEW COMMITTEE ADVANCES BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION DENVER, CO — The Transportation Legislation Review Committee (TLRC) today advanced five bills to update Colorado’s transportation codes. If approved by the legislature next session, the bills would create a new license plate color scheme and issuing process starting in 2021, establish a grant program to provide driver education courses to foster children, among several others. “Our committee has been hard at work during this interim session, and I’m proud to see our bipartisan legislation advance,” said TLRC Chair Rep. Matt Gray (D-Broomfield). “From providing driver’s education classes to foster kids to increasing transparency and making permanent a successful pilot program, the bills we passed today will move us forward in addressing our state’s critical transportation needs. I know my district in particular will be very pleased to hear that our committee has taken important steps towards improving accountability and transparency in public-private partnerships.” “In our committee today, we brought forth new proposals that will improve our license plates, update permitting standards and continue to streamline VIN Verification for commercial vehicles,” said TLRC member Rep. Tony Exum, Sr. (D-Colorado Springs). “I am especially excited about the grant program we proposed to help counties provide foster youth with driver education courses.” 1. License Plate reissuance : The committee approved a bill to create a license plate re-issuance process for plates that expire on or after January 2021. The license plates expire for any owner who transfers or assigns their title or interest in another vehicle, and the plates may not be transferred to another vehicle. Owners retain a priority interest in the number and letter combination on the expiring license plates and may apply for personalized plates to keep their unique set of numbers and letters. If approved, this bill would also create a new license plate color scheme beginning at that same time. License plates with the new color scheme would not be issued until the remaining stock of current license plates is exhausted. Sponsors: Sen. Kevin Priola and Rep. Alex Valdez 2. Public Private Partnership Transparency : The committee advanced legislation to increase transparency and accountability by requiring the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) to include more information regarding public-private partnerships in their annual reports. This information will specifically cover public comment and selection processes and summaries of financial provisions in public-private partnership agreements. Sponsors: Sen. Foote, Sen. Winter, Rep. Hooton and Rep. Gray 3. Foster Children Driver’s Education : TLRC advanced a bill that would create a grant program to fund driver education courses for foster youth ages 15-17. The grant would be housed within the Department of Human Services and would reimburse counties who pay for these driver’s education courses. It would also grant counties immunity from related liability. Sponsors: Rep. Duran, Rep. Exum, Sen. Donovan and Sen. Hisey 4. Commercial Vehicle VIN Verification : The committee approved a proposal to make permanent a successful pilot program that allows third-party transportation associations or organizations to perform Vehicle Identification (VIN) verifications on commercial vehicles. This program is administered by the Colorado State Patrol in the Department of Public Safety. Sponsors: Sen. Hisey, Sen. Winter, Rep. Catlin, Rep D. Valdez 5. Updating Permitting for Overweight Commercial Vehicles : Finally, TLRC advance a bill that would update permitting standards for commercial motor vehicle fleets in the non-interstate overweight divisible load category. The bill combines two separate annual non-interstate overweight divisible load permits and creates one annual fleet permit for non-interstate overweight divisible load quad axles and two or three axle trailers. Sponsors: Sen. Scott, Sen. Hisey, Rep. D. Valdez, Rep. Gray ### Previous Next

HB23-1286 increases the fines for injuring or killing a law enforcement K-9 < Back April 24, 2023 Duran Bill to Support Police Working Animals Passes House HB23-1286 increases the fines for injuring or killing a law enforcement K-9 DENVER, CO – The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Representative Ryan Armagost that would increase fines for injuring or killing service animals, police K-9s and horses. HB23-1286 passed by a vote of 61 to 3. “Police K-9s are valued members of the team that works to respond to tragedy and keep our communities safe,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge . “Our legislation makes it clear – if you severely injure or kill a service or police animal, you will face fines. Animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Colorado. We support our K-9 heroes, especially those recently lost in the line of duty, because they are valued members of our homes and families.” HB23-1286 aims to increase fines for injuring, killing or displaying cruelty to service animals, certified police working dogs and horses. Under this legislation, there would be a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 and a requirement to complete appropriate treatment programs for subsequent convictions of cruelty to animals. Additionally, under this legislation, there would be a $2,000 minimum fine for subsequent offenses of cruelty or aggravated cruelty against service animals, certified police working dogs and horses. HB23-1286 would also order restitution be paid toward vet services or the governmental or police agency if a service animal,certified police working dog, or police working horse is killed or injured. Police K-9s across the state provide crucial support to officers. In 2022, K-9 Jinx of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office was killed in the line of duty. Earlier this year, K-9 Graffit , of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was killed in the line of duty. Previous Next

< Back June 23, 2021 NEW LAWS SUPPORT COLORADO’S VETERANS Bills to create a veterans suicide prevention program, veterans mobile support unit, veterans hiring preference, and rename Lincoln park to honor our veterans signed into law DENVER, CO– Governor Polis today signed four bills to support veterans and make sure Colorado remains a great place to live for those who served our country. “One of my top priorities when coming to the legislature was to use my voice to ensure my brother and sister veterans are given the care and support they’ve earned,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton, sponsor of HB21-1065, SB21-129 and SB21-032 . “Today’s bill signing demonstrates the incredible progress we made this year, helping veterans find good jobs, preventing veteran suicides, and providing a lifeline for rural and homeless vets going through tough times. We have a world-premier, all-volunteer fighting force, and to keep it that way we need to be proactive about ensuring veterans can go on to thrive after their service.” “Colorado is home to more than 400,000 veterans, and this year we worked hard to ensure Colorado remains a great place for veterans to live,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver, sponsor of HB21-1257. “Watching these four bills be signed today, I feel extremely proud of the legislative results we were able to deliver for veterans this session. While renaming a beautiful part of the Capitol grounds in honor of our veterans is only a small sign of our appreciation, it represents the legislature’s commitment to looking out for those who selflessly served our nation.” HB21-1065 allows a private employer to give a preference to a veteran or the spouse of a veteran when hiring a new employee as long as the veteran or spouse is qualified for the job. To address higher rates of unemployment among post-9/11 veterans, the employer’s policy must apply to veterans who have been discharged in the last 10 years. Establishing a veterans hiring preference policy would be optional for employers. The bill includes safeguards against discrimination by still allowing a job applicant who is in a protected class to file a discrimination claim. This ensures that the bill will encourage the hiring of veterans without having unintended discriminatory impacts against women and people of color. Furthermore, the bill would offer businesses creating the hiring preference educational tools to help them navigate anti-discrimination laws so they can implement the policy fairly. SB21-129 will create a veteran suicide prevention pilot program in the Department of Human Services to reduce the suicide rate and suicidal ideation among veterans. The program would provide free, confidential behavioral health treatment for up to 700 veterans and their families. Services would be provided through agreements with nonprofit organizations. SB21-032 will provide funding to establish a mobile veterans support unit to serve as a point of contact for veterans in rural areas and those veterans experiencing homelessness. The unit will distribute supplies, transport veterans who do not have access to transportation services, and work with the Office of Economic Development to offer business and job opportunities to veterans. The bill provides funding for a veteran-owned or veteran-focused organization to purchase a vehicle and operate the program. HB21-1257 , also sponsored by Rep. Patrick Neville, R-Castle Rock, honors Colorado’s veterans by changing the name of Lincoln park and Liberty park in the Capitol complex to “Lincoln veterans’ memorial park”, and provides a small amount of funding to facilitate the name change. Previous Next

< Back May 18, 2021 LAWMAKERS, ADVOCATES SEEK TO CURB YOUTH ACCESS TO HIGH-POTENCY THC New legislation would advance research, address diversion, and educate consumers DENVER, CO – House and Senate sponsors of legislation to address youth access to high-potency cannabis products today joined Colorado parents, nurses, and students for a press conference ahead of the bill’s first legislative hearing. HB21-1317 is sponsored by Speaker Alec Garnett; Representatives Yadira Caraveo, a physician, and Tim Geitner; and Senators Chris Hansen, Paul Lundeen and Kevin Priola. “For many years, I have been concerned about the impact of high-potency cannabis on the developing brain,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “This bill will help us get the answers, and it will crack down on the loopholes that allow for easy diversion of high-potency cannabis to black and grey market where our youth are getting their hands on products that are intended for adults. We’ve heard from Colorado parents about the terrifying reactions their children have experienced. Additionally, because of the absence of federal studies, Colorado has a tremendous opportunity to be at the forefront of the research into high-potency concentrates.” “When I began seeing patients in clinic who were experiencing significant health issues after using high-potency products, I knew we had to take action,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a pediatrician. “The absence of a robust federal research effort into the impact of high-potency THC on the developing brain means we still don’t have all the pieces. This bill will task the Colorado School of Public Health with reviewing research into high-potency products to identify gaps and future areas to study. The bill brings medical marjuiana recommendations for youth more in line with prescribing practices for pharmaceutical drugs to strengthen the doctor-patient relationship and ensure that only our youth who truly need high-potency THC can purchase it.” “As a father of two middle school boys, I want to be able to watch them grow up without the fear of high concentrate products affecting their development,” said Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver. “No one wants to see unintended negative consequences of high-potency THC concentrates, particularly when it comes to our teens and young adults. This bill is about implementing reasonable safety measures to preserve the health and development of our youth, while maintaining responsible, legal marijuana use and supporting world-class scientific research.” “It is time for our statutes to reflect what we know about the possible impacts of high potency marijuana, particularly on our youth, and to study and unlock a better understanding of some of the health issues that still confound us,” said Senator Paul Lundeen, R-Monument. “I look forward to listening to and considering all stakeholder input as this bill moves forward.” The bill would advance research into the impact of high potency marijuana on the developing brain, address diversion of cannabis concentrates purchased in the medical marijuana marketplace, and educate consumers about concentrates through safer packaging and public awareness campaigns. “This bill will make Colorado the first state to really dive in and research the impacts of high-potency marjiuana on the developing brain,” said Rep. Tim Geitner, R- Falcon. “What we’re seeing anecdotally is scary, and it shows how important it is for us to take action now to keep these products out of the hands of youth who shouldn’t have them. This bill will regulate medical cannabis to make it harder for Colorado teens to access high-potency marijiuana without impacting access for younger patients with medical needs.” Advances Research: The bill funds and advances critical research into the impact of high-potency cannabis concentrate products on the developing brain. It requires the Colorado School of Public Health to conduct a systematic review of the current scientific research into the physical and mental health effects of high-potency THC marijuana and concentrates and identify gaps for further research. Under the bill, a new scientific review council of doctors and experts will review the report and make recommendations to the General Assembly on appropriate evidence-based regulatory changes and the funding of additional necessary evidence-based research. “High-potency THC products are more readily available to our youth than ever before,” said Senator Kevin Priola, R-Adams County. “As the marijuana industry continues to innovate and advance, we need to make sure we understand the effects of these high-potency concentrate products on our still-developing teens. By monitoring and tracking the health impacts of high-potency THC products, we can ensure that Colorado remains a national role model in responsible cannabis legalization and use.” Addresses Diversion of High-Potency Products: The bill cracks down on “looping” and diversion by reducing the amount of medical concentrates someone can purchase in a day and requiring the Marijuana Enforcement Division’s seed-to-sale tracking database, METRC, to update at the point of sale, instead of at the end of each business day. Enhanced Doctor-Patient Relationship: The bill adjusts medical marijuana recommending practices by requiring doctors to specify a daily quantity authorization and to consider a patient’s mental health history when making a cannabis recommendation. For patients ages 18-20, the bill requires two physicians from different medical practices to diagnose the patient as having a debilitating or disabling medical condition after an in-person consultation, and the patient must attend a follow-up appointment every six months after the initial visit. Real-Time Medical Marijuana Purchase Reporting: Through a practice known as “looping,” consumers can purchase the daily limit at multiple dispensaries, circumventing the limits and increasing youth access to high-potency cannabis products. The bill would crack down on “looping” in the medical marketplace by requiring medical marijuana stores to immediately record transactions in the seed-to-sale inventory tracking system. This would allow the system to identify discrepancies with daily purchase limits, access and retrieve real-time sales data, and alert medical mariuana stores if a sale to a patient has exceeded their daily purchase limit for that business day. Reduced Daily Purchase Amounts: The bill would limit daily medical marijuana concentrate purchases to eight grams for patients 21 years and older and to two grams for patients between the age of 18 and 20. Patients who are homebound, for whom a physician has recommended a higher daily authorization, or for patients for whom going to a medical marijuana store on a daily basis presents significant physical or geographical hardship are exempt from these new limits. Consumer Education and Protection: The bill would better educate consumers about high-potency THC marijuana and concentrates by tasking the newly created Scientific Review Council with developing a public education campaign, requiring a pamphlet on the potential risks of overconsumption be included with every sale of concentrates, and by prohibiting advertisements targeted toward Colorado youth. The bill would require that each gram of non-liquid concentrates be separated into no less than ten equal-portioned amounts. 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Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to allow businesses to pre-pay taxes at a small discount, after a $1 billion hole was created in Colorado’s budget by recent federal tax changes. < Back August 28, 2025 Signed! Bill to Auction Future Tax Credits at Discount DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to allow businesses to pre-pay taxes at a small discount, after a $1 billion hole was created in Colorado’s budget by recent federal tax changes. HB25B-1004 , sponsored by Senators Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, and Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs, and Representatives Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood, and Sean Camacho, D-Denver, allows businesses to pre-pay taxes at a discount for future years when Colorado is anticipated to collect more revenue than the state’s spending limit under TABOR. “HB25B-1004 gives Colorado businesses a chance to save on future taxes while helping the state manage this year’s billion-dollar budget shortfall,” said Marchman. “It’s a practical approach that supports local economies, protects essential services, and makes sure businesses and communities both come out ahead.” “The billion-dollar revenue shortfall we’re facing from Congressional Republicans’ corporate tax breaks would require cuts to health care, public education, transportation and other essential services, which is why we took action with this special session to protect Coloradans and core services," said Stewart. “By allowing companies to pre-pay future taxes, we can boost revenue now to fund these services. We’re using all the tools in our toolbelt to address the crisis caused by Trump and Congressional Republicans when they passed a budget bill that hands out corporate tax giveaways at the expense of hardworking Coloradans.” “This new law lets Colorado businesses work with the state to save money now and protect the things we all rely on like K-12 public schools, roads, and health care,” said Snyder. “By prepaying future taxes at a discount, businesses can reduce long-term costs while helping the state weather the budgeting storm caused by Republicans in Congress. This law represents who we are as Colorado, where all of us chip in to keep our communities thriving.” “Unlike Republicans in Congress, Colorado Democrats are demonstrating that we prioritize the needs of our constituents, not the ultra-wealthy,” said Camacho. “Our legislation will allow businesses to pay their future taxes now, at a discounted price, to save them some money while protecting funding for services that all Coloradans rely on. This law is one of many steps that Colorado Democrats are taking to blunt the destructive impacts of Trump’s tax bill.” HB25B-1004 allows a one-time auction of future tax credits, giving companies the opportunity to buy tax credits to pre-pay a portion of their future taxes at a small discount. This saves businesses money, allowing companies to pre-pay future taxes now, and bolsters our state revenue to offset the immediate impacts of recent federal tax changes. This does decrease revenue in future years, but after 2025-2026 the state budget is forecast to be limited by the TABOR cap, not the amount of revenue collected, so this won’t cut deeper into state services. Previous Next

< Back April 26, 2023 Legislation to Build More Wildfire-Resilient Communities Presses Forward DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to put more money back into the pockets of hardworking Coloradans by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. “This legislation will increase the Earned Income and Child Tax Credits, putting thousands of dollars back into the pockets of hardworking people and lifting Coloradans out of poverty,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “Coloradans deserve a tax code that boosts their incomes and helps them build a better future for themselves and their families, and that’s exactly what this legislation does. We’re building on our work to increase tax benefits and to refund surplus state revenue in a way that helps all Coloradans thrive.” HB23-1112 expands the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) and will return nearly $600 million more to hardworking families. Starting in tax year 2024, the Colorado EITC would increase from 25 percent to 40 percent of the federal EITC, a four fold increase from where it stood in 2020. Under the bill, the Colorado CTC increases by 10 percent, with the tax credit ranging from 20 to 70 percent of the federal CTC depending on marital status, number of qualifying children, and federal adjusted gross income. The federal Child Tax Credit has lifted over 57,000 Colorado kids out of poverty and helped over 630,000 families across the state, while the federal Earned Income Tax Credit has helped cut the national poverty rate in half . The bill builds on legislation passed by Colorado Democrats in recent years to make Colorado more affordable for working-class families. The General Assembly passed HB20-1420 and HB21-1311 , which at the time doubled the state's Earned Income Tax Credit and funded the Child Tax Credit, saving hundreds of thousands of Colorado families money. This session, Colorado Democrats passed HB23-1006 to require employers to provide information about federal and state earned income tax credits and child tax credits to their employees, spreading awareness to Colorado families that qualify for these tax credits to save them thousands of dollars. ### Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Elizabeth Velasco that would improve safety and keep traffic flowing on Colorado’s mountain highways. SB24-100 passed by a vote of 60-4. < Back April 30, 2024 Bipartisan Velasco Bill to Improve Safety, Keep Traffic Flowing on Mountain Highways Passes DENVER, CO - The House today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Elizabeth Velasco that would improve safety and keep traffic flowing on Colorado’s mountain highways. SB24-100 passed by a vote of 60-4. “My community of Glenwood Springs experiences the most accidents of the entire stretch of I-70, and road closures due to these accidents can have negative consequences on our businesses and the safety of our residents,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “When I-70 is closed, employees can’t make it to work and first responders can’t address an emergency in a timely manner. The goal of our bill is to reduce accidents on I-70 so we can keep our roads open and communities safe.” SB24-100 also sponsored by Representative Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, would improve safety by allowing the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to establish a zone with increased speeding fines for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in Glenwood Canyon. The bill would also ban CMVs from driving in the left lane on I-70 in several key stretches where crashes are most frequent and disruptive, exceptions are permitted to pass vehicles going under the speed limit. According to CDOT , CMVs represent about 7 percent of traffic, but account for more than 52 percent of traffic incidents. Wrecks involving CMVs take nearly twice as long to clear as passenger incidents. SB24-100 would further expand locations where CDOT may require traction equipment from parts of I-70 to key mountainous stretches of other state and U.S. highways. The bill would also give port of entry officers the powers of a peace officer when enforcing highway closures and direct CDOT to study additional locations for chain-up and chain-down stations. Previous Next

Representative Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, and Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, today released the following joint statement calling on CommonSpirit Health, which operates Mercy Hospital, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Colorado to reach an agreement that maintains in-network service consumers in Southwest Colorado: < Back May 3, 2024 McLachlan and Simpson Joint Statement on CommonSpirit Health and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Impasse DURANGO, CO - Representative Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, and Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, today released the following joint statement calling on CommonSpirit Health, which operates Mercy Hospital, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Colorado to reach an agreement that maintains in-network service consumers in Southwest Colorado: Coloradans in our communities must have access to hospital care and medical services within a reasonable distance from home, and this impasse puts critical care out of reach for consumers in Southwest Colorado. Coloradans in rural communities often have to travel hours for care, but forcing patients to drive to Colorado Springs or Grand Junction to receive treatment is not an appropriate alternative. It’s time for Anthem and CommonSpirit to put patients before profits and come to an agreement that continues in-network coverage for facilities such as Mercy Hospital in our communities. Previous Next