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< Back April 7, 2021 FROELICH BILLS TO DEFEND COLORADO FAMILIES ADVANCE UNANIMOUSLY Two proposals from Rep. Meg Froelich to support domestic violence survivors and parents in custody court were approved by the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee DENVER, CO– The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee today passed two of Representative Meg Froelich’s bills to increase domestic violence training requirements and update child support statues. “Giving court personnel the training they need to identify and assess instances of domestic violence will make their jobs easier and hopefully save lives,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood. “The many tragic stories we heard in committee today demonstrate how critical it is for us to be better prepared to deal with domestic violence in the courts. I’m proud of the work the committee did today to stand up for families and ensure our statutes and courts are up-to-date and ready to serve Colorado.” HB21-1228 would clarify and increase domestic violence training requirements for court personnel who frequently deal with cases related to domestic matters, such as custody disputes. Training for all personnel includes both an initial training as well as an ongoing annual continuing education. The training would encompass domestic violence and its traumatic effects on children, adults and families. This bill is directly responsive to cases of domestic violence in Colorado, including the tragic murder of 10 year old Ty Tesoriero . The bill passed 13-0. HB21-1220 would update Colorado’s statutes by enacting the recommendations of the Colorado Child Support Commission regarding how child support is enforced and calculated. Among the changes made are provisions that would reduce the interest rate on unpaid child support, clarify which courts that have jurisdiction over child support matters, as well as technical amendments and provisions updating outdated language. The bill passed 13-0. Previous Next

Congressional Republican tax bill threatens health care coverage for 112,000 Coloradans, increases premiums by over 28-percent statewide < Back August 28, 2025 Bill to Limit Premium Increases, Restore Access to Health Care Becomes Law Congressional Republican tax bill threatens health care coverage for 112,000 Coloradans, increases premiums by over 28-percent statewide DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed a bill into law to help blunt health insurance rate increases and significantly reduce the number of Coloradans who could lose their health insurance coverage due to Congress’s refusal to extend the enhanced premium tax credits. “This legislation will blunt Congressional Republicans’ nearly 30 percent increase in health care premium hikes and prevent 20,000 Coloradans from losing their health care coverage,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “If we don’t act now, Republicans’ failure to extend tax credits for people who purchase their health insurance will lead to over 100,000 Coloradans losing coverage next year and increased costs for businesses and families.” “Coloradans cannot afford these insurance premium hikes, so we are doing what needs to be done to keep costs down and protect coverage,” said Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton. “Skyrocketing premiums mean that hundreds of thousands of Coloradans will be forced to spend more of their paycheck on essential health care, and many will lose their coverage altogether. We can’t wait. We must act now to shield families from these unaffordable premium increases and keep Coloradans insured.” “Only Congress can fully prevent 100,000 Coloradans from losing health care next year and stop these outrageous premium increases, but we are doing what we can for one year in Colorado to protect care for as many people as possible,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “When people don’t have health insurance, they either aren’t able to see a doctor, or when they do, everyone else has to pay for that care. This drives up costs for everyone and leads to worse health outcomes. Congress must act now to prevent massive price hikes for health insurance.” “Coloradans in every corner of the state have struggled to make ends meet to pay for costly health care coverage,” said Senator Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “Due to Congressional Republicans’ failure to extend premium tax credits that help keep insurance premiums affordable, tens of thousands of lives are at stake. We simply cannot gamble with life-saving health care coverage. That’s why we’re taking action and doing everything we can this year to protect Coloradans’ care.” “The reinsurance program has saved Coloradans billions on health insurance, especially on the Western Slope, where Congressional Republicans’ inaction will leave us facing nearly 40 percent increases in insurance premiums,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “This law will help us avoid even higher price hikes and preserve coverage for Coloradans who will lose access to health care if we do not act now. Congress has failed our state, and I urge Jeff Hurd, Gabe Evans and the Republicans in our delegation to act now to prevent 100,000 Coloradans from losing access to health care and to stop the 40 percent premium increases on the individual market that are coming next year as a result of their budget.” If the federal enhanced premium tax credit is not extended by December 31, 2025, HB25B-1006 will make changes to the Health Insurance Affordability Act by: Boosting funds in the Health Insurance Affordability Cash Fund to blunt serious increases in insurance premiums and protect coverage. Funding sources would include up to $110 million, plus administrative costs, from a combination of tax credit pre-sales and the Refinance Discretionary Account. The State Treasurer would manage the tax credit pre-sales; should they not raise $100 million in revenue, the General Fund Reserve would serve as a backstop, Giving the Department of Insurance and the Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise (HIAE) Board the flexibility to utilize their reserves to support the Enterprise’s programs, Allowing the Board and the Commissioner of Insurance to make changes to the OmniSalud program to maximize the number of Coloradans who can receive insurance coverage, which lowers health insurance premiums for everyone, and Increasing transparency by requiring the HIAE Board to annually report on certain financial metrics and authorizing the State Auditor to audit the programs. HB25B-1006 helps the reinsurance program buy down premiums and cover the most expensive health care for patients. With Congressional Republicans’ failure to extend the enhanced premium tax credits for people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, average statewide premiums are projected to increase by 28-percent. In the Eastern Plains, premiums are expected to rise more than 33-percent. The Western Slope will see premium increases of about 38-percent. This investment in reinsurance is projected to keep premium increases to a statewide average of only 20-percent. OmniSalud reduces health care costs for all Coloradans by connecting Coloradans who are not eligible for Medicaid to affordable health insurance. Without this program, there would be an increase in uncompensated care that would increase insurance costs for all Coloradans and force health care providers to close. There are currently over 12,000 Coloradans insured for plan year 2025, and if no action is taken to combat the impacts from the Republican budget bill, nearly all of them will lose their coverage in plan year 2026. When fewer people have health insurance, costs increase for everyone else, and providers struggle to stay afloat. Previous Next

< Back March 8, 2019 HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES REP. VALDEZ’S BILL TO ADDRESS ANIMAL CRUELTY (Mar 7) – The House Judiciary committee passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, that seeks to provide more mental health treatment for people convicted of animal cruelty and also bar people convicted of certain kinds of animal cruelty from possession of a pet animal for a period of time while they receive treatment. “The goals of this bill are to remove animals from abusive situations and to identify behaviors that could lead to worse crimes,” said Rep. Valdez. “We should help offenders get the treatment they need so they can re-emerge as productive members of society.” Through HB19-1092, the judge can order the animal cruelty offender to complete a mental health treatment program. “There is absolutely a correlation between crimes against animals and violent crimes such as mass shootings or domestic terrorism,” said Rep. Valdez. A 2014 study of mass school shootings found that 43 percent of shooters had a history of animal abuse. This bill aims to find the underlying causes of the acts of animal cruelty and treat those issues. The bill passed through the committee with unanimous bipartisan vote and now heads to the House floor. ATTACHED: Headshot of Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver Previous Next

The House today passed the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 state budget package < Back April 10, 2025 Bipartisan FY 25-26 Budget to Protect Investments in K-12 Education, Medicaid Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 state budget package. This bipartisan budget protects critical investments in K-12 education and Medicaid, caps tuition for higher education, and makes responsible reductions across programs and agencies to achieve a balanced budget. “This budget is something we can be proud of because it navigates significant reductions in resources while still meeting our core responsibilities. It’s no secret that protecting essential services, like K-12 education and health care, required strategic reductions to our state’s spending plan,” said JBC Vice Chair Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “From protecting access to health care for our most vulnerable, to fully funding our public schools, and capping college tuition increases, this bipartisan budget invests in the services that Coloradans rely on. Despite having to make painful decisions over the last few months, our efforts preserve the popular services that keep Coloradans safe and healthy and expand opportunity for all." “I’m proud of the thoughtful decisions we made to soften the impact of our $1.2 billion gap while prioritizing the essential services needed by families and older Coloradans,” said JBC Member Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Making these cuts doesn’t feel good; however, TABOR requires difficult tradeoffs in order to protect funding for essential services like K-12 education and Medicaid. While we’ve made progress in Colorado, I remain deeply concerned about federal policies that could harm our economy, increase costs and freeze the federal funding for services Coloradans rely on.“ The state’s $43.9 billion budget contains $16.7 billion in general fund expenditures. This year’s Long Bill, SB25-206 , is accompanied by 61 “orbital bills,” which move through the legislative process alongside the budget and make the statutory changes needed to balance the budget. The Long Bill passed by a vote of 44-21. The vast majority of orbital bills passed with bipartisan support from lawmakers. Protecting Investments in K-12 and Higher Education Protecting K-12 Funding: In just the last few years, Colorado Democrats have increased total funding for our schools by nearly $3 billion. Since the 2018-19 school year, per pupil funding has increased from $8,123 to $11,852 next year. Despite a declining enrollment environment, this year’s budget builds on steady progress to increase the resources going to our classrooms by directing an additional $150 million more from the General Fund into schools as compared to the FY24-25 budget. Ultimately, total K-12 school funding will increase by over $250 million next year through HB25-1320 , the 2025 School Finance Act. Capping Tuition Rates for Higher Education: In recent years, Colorado Democrats have fought to increase college access by limiting tuition increases and boosting funding for financial aid. This year’s budget includes a 3.5 percent cap on tuition increases for in-state students. Continuing Medicaid Services for Vulnerable Coloradans Protecting Medicaid Services that Coloradans Rely On: This year, Colorado Democrats rejected proposed reductions to provider rates and instead secured a moderate 1.6 percent increase and protected Medicaid eligibility, avoiding dire impacts to Coloradans who rely on Medicaid services. However, this progress remains under threat by federal government actions to potentially cut Medicaid. Continuing Dental Services Provided Through Medicaid: This year’s budget protects funding for Coloradans on Medicaid to receive dental care. Supporting Colorado Kids and Families Bolstering Child Care Assistance: The budget invests $15 million in FY24-25 and $10 million in FY25-26 to increase support for the child care assistance program, a vital resource for low-income families to ensure access to quality child care providers which have seen long waitlists and frozen enrollment in many counties due to funding restrictions. Early Intervention Support for Colorado Children: The budget increases support for early intervention services that help bridge developmental gaps for infants and toddlers who were born premature or with other special needs. This year, Colorado Democrats acted swiftly to plug an unexpected gap in funding in FY24-25 by providing $4 million to halt proposed service reductions, and are investing an additional $16.5 million to sustain the program in FY25-26. Healthy School Meals for All: This budget fully funds the Healthy School Meals for All program through the end of the year, preserving what voters previously approved at the ballot. If HB25-1274 passes, a referred ballot measure in November will ask voters to weigh in on whether to continue the program or scale it back. Anti-Poverty Programs Administered by Local Governments: This year’s budget protects programs like TANF and SNAP administered by local governments to serve the most vulnerable communities. Preserving Colorado’s Public Lands and Natural Resources Investing in State Parks: This budget preserves and improves Colorado’s state parks, including $52 million in investments to protect critical habitats, maintain park facilities, and reinforce parks infrastructure. Promoting Water Conservation: This year’s budget protects funding for water conservation and resource management projects to ensure access to clean water for generations of Coloradans to come. Safeguarding Colorado's Civil Liberties Maintaining Election Security: The Trump administration abruptly halted federal support for election security, including from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. This budget keeps Colorado’s elections safe and secure by providing $410,000 for robust security assessments and critical technology for all local elections systems. Defending Against Unlawful Federal Actions: Amidst ongoing uncertainty from the Trump administration, the budget allocates an additional $604,000 for increased support in the Attorney General’s Office to fight reckless, unlawful federal actions and protect federal funding that Coloradans rely on. This year’s budget also sets aside $4 million via SB25-269 and HB25-1321 to protect Colorado from the Trump administration's attempts to freeze federal grants or undermine Colorado’s sovereignty. Previous Next

The House today passed bipartisan legislation to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. The bill passed by a vote of 60-4. < Back February 6, 2024 Amabile Suicide Prevention Bill Passes DENVER, CO - The House today passed bipartisan legislation to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. The bill passed by a vote of 60-4. “Colorado is in a mental health crisis, and the growing frequency of suicide by sodium nitrite products indicates that these products are too easily accessible,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Some private online sellers are marketing concentrated sodium nitrite products as a way to complete suicide, profiting off of the mental health struggles of our loved ones and neighbors. This bill brings much needed regulation to these products so we can keep it out of the hands of people most susceptible to it and focus instead on getting them help.” Sodium nitrite “suicide kits” are easily accessible online and have been reported to be used by Colorado residents, especially youth, in recent years. Websites that sell these kits often have step-by-step instructions on how to use sodium nitrite to complete suicide. HB24-1081 , also sponsored by Representative Marc Catlin, would regulate the sale or transfer of products that contain 10 percent or greater of sodium nitrite. Sellers would be required to verify that commercial businesses require the product before a transaction could be made, and records of sales or transfers must be kept for three years. Violators could see $10,000 in civil penalties for a first violation, with up to $1 million for a second violation. Previous Next

< Back March 10, 2021 HOUSE ED ADVANCES SCHOOL FUNDING FIX Bill would help ensure fair and sufficient public school funding in every Colorado community DENVER, CO — The House Education Committee today passed HB21-1164, sponsored by Majority Leader Esgar and Speaker Garnett, which would correct an error in Colorado’s property tax system to help ensure fair, equitable and sufficient public school funding across the state. “This is the year we start to correct our broken education funding system to ensure that every child in our state has access to the education they need to thrive,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “All Colorado students and taxpayers deserve a fair and sufficient share of our public education budget. By passing this bill, we can correct an error that reversed the will of voters and which led to enormous inequities in how we fund public schools. This bill sets us on a long overdue path to ensure that every school district has the resources they need to offer the quality education every student deserves.” “It’s past time to fix some of the structural inequities in Colorado’s K-12 school finance system,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Our current school district mill levies were misapplied and don’t comply with the will of the voters to invest in their local schools. Year after year, this error has forced the state to backfill disproportionately more funding to our wealthiest districts while many districts struggle to appropriately fund education. By fixing this mistake, we can slowly make school district funding more fair and bring it in line with what voters have approved.” HB21-1164 forms the basis of a constitutional question to be sent to the Colorado Supreme Court as an interrogatory. The purpose is to align Colorado’s property tax system with original voter intent in local school districts’ “de-Brucing” elections. Between 1994-2002, taxpayers across the state voted to get out from under TABOR imposed caps on school district revenue. Despite the will of the voters to support their local schools, the Colorado Department of Education incorrectly interpreted TABOR and artificially required school districts to collect less revenue. In fact, in 2009, the Colorado Supreme Court held that these mandated reductions were erroneous in its ruling in Mesa Board of County Commissioners v. State . The result has been escalating inequities in school funding across the state, and precious state dollars used to backfill wealthy districts while the system overall is severely underfunded. The 2020 School Finance Act (SFA) took the first step to correct this error. The 2020 SFA aligned statute with the Mesa ruling, treating past tax rate reductions as a mistake if they were enacted to comply with the TABOR limit after local voters had waived that limit. This action reset all district total program mill levies to the rate in place at the time of the successful de-Brucing election, while enacting mill levy “credits” at 100 percent of the difference between the old levy and the corrected levy in order to negate potential impacts to taxpayers during the COVID pandemic. HB21-1164 directs CDE to implement a correction plan for the erroneous reductions in total program mill levies by beginning to incrementally phase out mill levy credits starting in FY 2021-22. This timeline was chosen intentionally to ensure no district has to phase out credits faster than 1 mill per year. Previous Next

Speaker Julie McCluskie and House Majority Leader Monica Duran today released the following statements on President Biden’s decision not to seek reelection: < Back July 21, 2024 McCluskie, Duran Statements on President Biden DILLON/WHEAT RIDGE, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie and House Majority Leader Monica Duran today released the following statements on President Biden’s decision not to seek reelection: Statement from Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon: “I am grateful for President Biden’s many years of service and deep commitment to the American people, and I believe this decision is what’s best for our country. In the last four years, the president has provided stable global leadership while passing bipartisan legislation to invest in our infrastructure, create jobs, and support schools and local governments through the pandemic. Colorado House Democrats are focused on our vision for Colorado and will continue delivering results that build a more affordable state where everyone can thrive.” Statement from House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge: “Under President Biden’s leadership, job creation is reaching record highs, and unions and workers have made historic gains. I’m proud of the progress this administration has made to advance gun violence prevention policies and increase services for victims of domestic violence. For Latinos and people of color, this administration has continually tackled the critical issues facing our communities. However, it is time to focus on our future and what’s at stake.” Previous Next

Bipartisan legislation goes into effect today to boost Colorado’s education workforce. HB24-1044, sponsored by Representative Eliza Hamrick and Senator Chris Hansen, allows school districts to hire more Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) retirees, without the risk of the retirees losing their retirement benefits. < Back July 1, 2024 Hamrick, Hansen Bipartisan Law to Boost Educator Workforce Goes Into Effect DENVER, CO - Bipartisan legislation goes into effect today to boost Colorado’s education workforce. HB24-1044 , sponsored by Representative Eliza Hamrick and Senator Chris Hansen, allows school districts to hire more Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) retirees, without the risk of the retirees losing their retirement benefits. “Colorado’s educator shortage is dire and our students deserve quality education,” said Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial. “To address our educator shortage, we need to use every tool available to us. With our new law going into effect, more retired educators and staff are able to return to the schools, without the risk of losing their PERA retirement benefits. This will encourage retired teachers to return to the classroom and help our schools and most importantly – our students.” “Colorado schools are facing a critical shortage of teachers, which results in larger class sizes and fewer students getting the individualized attention they need,” Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, said. “Allowing more retirees to return to the classroom without jeopardizing their hard-earned PERA benefits will get more qualified teachers and staff into our schools and help more students get the quality education they deserve.” HB24-1044, also sponsored by Representative Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, expands the number of service retirees that school districts may hire while still being eligible for PERA benefits. Specifically, school districts can exceed the current 10 retiree cap by 1 retiree for every 1,000 students above 10,000 students. Under current law, school districts may only hire retirees when a “critical shortage of qualified instructors” is established. This law aims to streamline placing educators in classrooms by instead allowing school districts to hire up to 10 retirees if the district identifies a “need” for additional instructors. Previous Next

< Back May 31, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS AND BIPARTISAN BILL TO HELP COLORADANS FIND HOUSING AND JOBS DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law that will protect whistleblowers and help Coloradans with low-level criminal records find secure jobs or housing. In 2020, the legislature passed legislation establishing protections for whistleblowers during a public health emergency. SB22-097 , sponsored by Senators Brittany Pettersen and Robert Rodriguez and Representatives Leslie Herod and Tom Sullivan, makes these protections permanent. “With the passage of HB 20-1415 we gave workers the protection to speak out about health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation only during public health emergencies,” said Senator Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood. “Essential workers will still be essential after the pandemic, which is why I am proud to champion this new lawl that will extend these protections permanently and help keep workers and the public safe.” “Extending whistleblower protections for essential workers is the right move to keep our workers and the public safe,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “This law permanently extends protections for workers put in place during the pandemic so Coloradans can report health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation. All Coloradans should feel safe speaking out about workplace conditions that could harm them or the people around them.” “Coloradans shouldn’t have to worry about losing their job or having their hours slashed for reporting unsafe working conditions. These whistleblower protections prioritize the health and safety of our essential workers,” said Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial . “When the pandemic began, we gave workers the necessary protection to report health and safety concerns without fear of retaliation. This new law extends those reporting protections for workers regardless of a public health emergency, so they can always feel safe to report dangerous conditions.” SB22-097 protects workers in the public and private sectors by ensuring that all workers have the same protections, including the ability to raise concerns about workplace health and safety practices or hazards to their employer, other workers, the public or government agencies. The legislation also protects workers from retaliation, discrimination, or adverse action, allows workers to wear personal protective equipment while at work without fear of discrimination, and requires employers to notify employees of their rights. When employees do raise concerns, various remedy options are included under the bill, including filing a claim with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) or bringing an action in court. The legislation also gives CDLE the authority to enforce and investigate claims. “The pandemic highlighted the need to improve how we take care of our community, and we worked hard this session to help give working folks better protections and opportunities,” said Senator Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “These news laws will ensure that no worker will have to worry about losing their job or having their hours cut because they speak out about working conditions that threaten them and their colleagues, and allow Coloradans who have paid their debt to society to access the jobs and housing they need to rebuild their lives while strengthening our workforce as we work to rebuild our economy and move Colorado forward.” Currently, criminal records are a substantial obstacle for people in search of jobs or housing, which punishes Coloradans after they have served their time and exacerbates the state’s workforce shortage. SB22-099 , sponsored by Senators Robert Rodriguez and Dennis Hisey and Representatives Kerry Tipper and Colin Larson, extends automatic record sealing to all eligible offenses, removing this obstacle to housing and employment for many Coloradans. “This bipartisan law will help Coloradans who are already eligible for record sealing by automatically sealing their records, making it easier for people to find jobs and housing opportunities,” said Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “This new law will boost our workforce, increase job opportunities for Coloradans and reduce recidivism by helping people get back on their feet.” The pandemic has made it harder for employers to hire and retain employees and for Coloradans to find adequate housing. Under the law, criminal records that are currently eligible for sealing upon petition, including civil infractions, will now be automatically sealed. This includes the records of victims of human trafficking who have been convicted or charged with prostitution. Previous Next

< Back March 3, 2020 COMMITTEE PASSES BILL TO ENABLE MEDICAID MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN CLINICAL TRIALS Legislation would require Medicaid to cover the additional health care services necessary for clinical trial participation DENVER, CO– The House Committee on Health and Insurance today passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Larry Liston to facilitate participation in clinical trials for Medicaid members. HB20-1232 passed by a vote of 10-0. “We need the makeup of our clinical trials to reflect the makeup of our communities,” said Rep. Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “Not only will this bill ensure Colorado’s clinical trial data is more accurate and applicable to a broader population, it will go a long way towards guaranteeing health equity in our state. Ensuring that the more than one million Coloradans on Medicaid can participate in clinical trials is good for them, for their families, and for Colorado as a whole.” Clinical trials are often the only treatment available for some conditions, but under current law, Medicaid participants face nearly impossible barriers to participate. When patients participate in clinical trials, the drug manufacturers cover all of the costs of the treatment, but do not cover the costs of health services necessary to participate, such as laboratory tests or physician follow up visits. HB20-1232 allows Medicaid patients to have their routine costs of care covered while they are participating in a clinical trial. Both private insurers and Medicare are already required to cover these services, but Colorado law doesn’t specifically require Medicaid to cover them. Inclusion of diverse participants is necessary to gather appropriate clinical trial data, and enrollment in clinical trials is particularly low among racial and ethnic minority patients as well as rural patients who make up a large portion of Colorado’s Medicaid beneficiaries. Guaranteeing coverage when Medicaid patients choose to participate in trials will help encourage participation of these underrepresented groups and will help to establish equal access to care for all Coloradans. Previous Next

< Back April 23, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: GA DEMS CALL OUT RISE OF HATRED DURING PANDEMIC, URGE ACTION House and Senate Democrats release public community letter on increase in anti-Semitic, hateful, and bigoted language; urge Coloradans not to be bystanders DENVER, CO– General Assembly Democrats today released a public community letter on the increase in anti-Semitic, bigoted and racist language during the spread of COVID-19. “We are seeing an unacceptable rise in hate speech in our communities in the wake of this outbreak, and as Colorado’s representatives, it is our obligation to speak up and show that this type of language has no place in our state,” said Jewish Caucus Chair Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “We are calling on Coloradans to join us in condemning bigotry and anti-Semitism and to work together in our communities to confront this danger.” The letter, which was organized by the Jewish Caucus, asks Coloradans to report hate crimes and embody the values we share: understanding, compassion, empathy, patience, charity and grace. It is endorsed by the leaders of the Jewish, Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ legislative caucuses of the General Assembly. Coloradans can add their name to the letter here , and the full list of signatories and a Spanish translation of the letter can be found here . The full text of the letter is below: Dear Coloradans, We write to you as concerned citizens, advocates and as your neighbors. We are Colorado House and Senate Democrats and leaders of the Jewish, Black, Latino and LGBTQ Legislative Caucuses. We endorse this letter because we are deeply concerned by the increase in bigotry and racism we are seeing and because we are compelled to speak up. We must come together as Coloradans, united to make sure that hate has no home in our state. To see the full list of signatories, please visit this website . The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak its havoc across the globe and to date, the crisis has cost us 42,514 American lives — 500 in Colorado alone. As we continue to take the necessary steps to slow the spread of this virus and keep our communities safe, we the undersigned, pause for a moment to emphasize our shared commitment to ensuring that our communities and our state persevere through this crisis together, without turning on each other, and without resorting to hatred, bigotry or divisiveness. Our response to this pandemic requires that we follow CDC guidelines, listen to public health experts and practice proper social distancing. As we do so, it is imperative that we do not allow another sickness—racial and religious intolerance—to spread unchecked. In these unprecedented times, combating one pernicious disease is difficult enough. Though physically separated, we remain united and resolute: COVID-19 is no excuse for bigotry of any kind. We understand that this period of uncertainty has brought confusion and frustration to Coloradans of all backgrounds and identities. The virus has forced governments, including our state government, to make difficult decisions and take emergency action to save lives. We realize that this isn’t easy for anyone. We are endlessly thankful for the heroes who have stepped up to the challenge and made enormous sacrifices to support their fellow Coloradans. From our medical professionals, grocery store clerks and bus drivers, to all the folks staying at home, we have seen countless examples of Coloradans stepping up to contain the contagion in a spirit of kinship and togetherness. These acts of collective support, of selfless sacrifice and of everyday heroism provide a stark contrast to the examples of hateful and counterproductive behavior we have also seen on display. As such, we condemn—in the strongest possible terms—all acts of bigotry, xenophobia, racism, nativism, and antisemitism that have occurred in the wake of this outbreak. Tragically, some have used this pandemic as a cover and an excuse for abhorrent behavior. Hate crimes against Asian-Americans, conspiracy theories denigrating immigrants, statements that compare actions taken by the state’s first Jewish governor to the Gestapo—none of these are acceptable, none of it is Coloradan, and none of it will get us through this crisis any safer or any faster. While much has already been asked of the great people of our state, much more can be done to ensure we get through this crisis without sacrificing what it means to be a Coloradan. While we do the hard but necessary work of staying indoors, let’s make sure hate has no home in Colorado. We ask that as part of doing your part to combat the spread of COVID19, we all aim to speak up in the face of racism and antisemitism, report hate crimes and bigoted attacks, and embody the positive values we would like to see more of in our state: understanding, compassion, empathy, patience, charity and grace. We ask that you join us in making sure these core American values—which the vast majority of Coloradans display proudly every day—continue to guide us as we confront this common enemy. To add your name to the letter, please visit this website . Signed, Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City), Jewish Caucus Chair Representative Leslie Herod (D-Denver), Black Caucus Chair, LGBTQ Caucus Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez (D-Denver), Latina Caucus Chair Representative Alex Valdez (D-Denver), LGBTQ Caucus Chair, Latino Caucus Chair Representative Jeni Arndt (D-Fort Collins) Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder) Representative Adrienne Benavidez (D-Brighton), Latina Caucus Representative Shannon Bird (D-Westminster) Representative Janet Buckner (D-Aurora), Black Caucus Representative Bri Buentello (D-Pueblo), Latina Caucus Representative Yadira Caraveo (D-Thornton), Latina Caucus Representative James Coleman (D-Denver), Black Caucus Representative Lisa Cutter (D-Jefferson County) Representative Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge), Latina Caucus Representative Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo), LGBTQ Caucus Representative Tony Exum, Sr. (D-Colorado Springs), Black Caucus Representative Meg Froelich (D-Englewood) Representative Alec Garnett (D-Denver) Representative Matt Gray (D-Broomfield) Representative Edie Hooton (D-Boulder) Representative Dominique Jackson (D-Aurora), Black Caucus Representative Sonya Jaquez-Lewis (D- Boulder), Latina Caucus, LGBTQ Caucus Representative Chris Kennedy (D-Lakewood) Representative Cathy Kipp (D-Fort Collins) Representative Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada) Representative Susan Lontine (D-Denver) Representative Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon) Representative Barbara McLachlan (D-Durango) Representative Jovan Melton (D-Aurora,) Black Caucus Representative Kyle Mullica (D-Northglenn) Representative Dylan Roberts (D-Avon) Representative Jonathan Singer (D-Longmont), Jewish Caucus Representative Emily Sirota (D-Denver), Jewish Caucus Representative Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs) Representative Tom Sullivan (D-Centennial) Representative Kerry Tipper (D-Lakewood), Latina Caucus Representative Brianna Titone (D-Arvada), LGBTQ Caucus Representative Donald Valdez (D-La Jara), Latino Caucus Representative Mike Weissman (D-Aurora), Jewish Caucus Representative Steven Woodrow (D-Denver), Jewish Caucus Representative Mary Young (D-Greeley) Senate President Leroy Garcia Senator Jeff Bridges Senator Steve Fenberg Senator Rhonda Fields Senator Mike Foote Senator Joann Ginal Senator Julie Gonzales Senator Chris Hansen Senator Dominick Moreno Senator Brittany Peterson Senator Robert Rodriguez Senator Tammy Story Senator Nancy Todd Senator Angela Williams Senator Faith Winter Senator Rachel Zenzinger Previous Next

< Back June 22, 2021 THREE NEW LAWS SUPPORT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS DENVER, CO– Governor Polis today signed three new laws that will help keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers, fund victims services programs and ensure that court personnel have the training they need to best support victims and survivors of domestic violence. “One of my top priorities when I came to the legislature was to make sure we were doing everything possible to support victims and survivors of domestic violence like me,” said Rep. Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, sponsor of HB21-1255 and SB21-292. “For far too many, the COVID-19 pandemic made unsafe domestic violence situations even more dangerous, and I’m so proud of the work we’ve done this year to address this urgent need. The bills signed today will help keep firearms out of the hands of abusers and ensure that the organizations doing phenomenal work for survivors across the state have the funding they need.” SB21-292 , also sponsored by Rep. Terri Carver, R-Colorado Springs, allocates $15 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to several different victims services programs that assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Among these programs are the Domestic Abuse Program in the Department of Human Services, the Forensic Nurse Examiner Telehealth Program in the Department of Public Safety, and the Victims and Witnesses Assistance and Law Enforcement Fund, which sends resources to each judicial district. These programs help survivors hold property while keeping their addresses confidential and their homes secure, promote rapid rehousing so survivors can pay for the costs associated with moving, and provide flexible financial assistance for a variety of basic needs. Funds also pay for attorney fees in domestic violence court cases, and are channeled to anti-sexual assault and gender-based violence organizations across the state to provide community-based crisis intervention services and counseling. “As a former prosecutor, I’ve seen first hand how our current laws can fail domestic violence victims when abusers avoid relinquishing their weapons. That ends now,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield, sponsor of HB21-1255. “The new law signed today will strengthen the processes by which these firearms are relinquished and help us save lives.” HB21-1255 will strengthen and streamline procedures for the relinquishment of firearms by someone who has a domestic violence-related protection order issued against them. Current law already requires domestic violence offenders who are subject to a protection order stemming from an act of domestic or intimate partner violence to forfeit their firearms and refrain from possessing or purchasing firearms for the duration of the order. This bill simply clarifies the way in which defendants must comply with this requirement, and how courts must carry it out. A recent analysis of 749 mass shootings committed over the past six years found that about 60 percent of them were either domestic violence attacks or committed by men with histories of domestic violence. In Colorado, 60 incidents of domestic violence led to 70 deaths in 2019, a 62 percent increase from the prior year, according to the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review board’s annual report. “Domestic violence isn’t always easy to identify and understand, but with the right training, our court personnel will be much better prepared to support victims in the courtroom,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, sponsor of HB21-1228 . “Giving court employees who deal with custody disputes and other domestic matters these crucial trainings will help them carry out their jobs in a more effective way and hopefully save lives. I am grateful to the many families who lent their support and shared their stories throughout this process. This is a big victory for Colorado.” HB21-1228 will clarify and increase domestic violence training requirements for court personnel who frequently deal with cases related to domestic matters, such as custody disputes. Training for all personnel includes both an initial training as well as an ongoing annual continuing education. The training would encompass domestic violence and its traumatic effects on children, adults and families. Previous Next