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Representative Meghan Lukens today presented the Walking Mountain Science Center with a Colorado Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Pipeline Grant at Red Sandstone Elementary. < Back October 23, 2024 Rep. Lukens Presents STEM Grant to Walking Mountain Science Center VAIL, CO – Representative Meghan Lukens last week presented the Walking Mountain Science Center with a Colorado Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Pipeline Grant at Red Sandstone Elementary. The grant, supported by We Work For Health , aims to boost student access to science and technology across Colorado. “How exciting is it to present a Colorado STEM Pipeline Grant to the Walking Mountain Science Center, congratulations to all!,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “I’m thrilled the Walking Mountain Science Center will soon have more resources to boost environmental science in the classroom – further encouraging our students to explore their passions for STEM education. Recent laws we passed will help drive more funding to rural and underserved school districts and support our students in achieving their dreams. Together, we’re building a stronger educational foundation for students in Vail Valley and beyond.” At the state house, Rep. Lukens supported HB24-1446 , a bipartisan law to boost science instruction and performance in K-12 schools. She also proudly supported groundbreaking education legislation including HB24-1448 , the new public school finance formula, and SB24-188 , the 2024 School Finance Act, which eliminates the budget stabilization factor (BSF). In addition to HB24-1448 and SB24-188, Rep. Lukens was the prime sponsor of education legislation to bring more school psychologists to Colorado and establish an Educator Safety Task Force . Previous Next

< Back May 3, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: SIGNED! BILL TO PREPARE AT-RISK STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis signed legislation into law today that will create a new method for identifying and serving at-risk students. HB22-1202, sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod and Julie McCluskie and Senators Rachel Zenzinger and James Coleman, will more accurately count at-risk students and direct additional resources to school districts that serve at-risk students. “Modernizing the way we identify at-risk students will direct proper funding toward schools and prepare all Colorado students for success,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “Under this law, the state will create a new well-rounded method for pinpointing at-risk students that goes beyond those eligible for free and reduced-price lunches to include data from Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus program. But every child lives a different home life, so the data collection will also consider important socioeconomic factors that can affect academic success such as parent incarceration, unhoused status and English as a Second Language. This law will get school districts the funding they need to meet the needs of their at-risk students so their students can grow, thrive and achieve.” “As we introduce more precise factors into the school funding formula, we can increase the likelihood that our resources will be used in the most equitable manner, to the greatest degree of success,” said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada . “The at-risk measure is one of those factors in need of greater precision and definition; and thanks to HB22-1202, we will eventually be able to support the children who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in a true at-risk condition.” “I am proud Colorado is taking steps to identify, serve and support each and every student,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie D-Dillion “Research has shown to better serve at-risk students, we need to look at the bigger picture and consider more than just a couple of socioeconomic factors that might hinder academic success–and this law does just that. This law creates a new definition in the formula so Colorado can more accurately identify at-risk students and provide their school districts with more funding to meet their needs.” “We know that, right now, we don’t do enough to support our at-risk students, and that needs to change,” said Sen. James Coleman, D-Denver . “More accurately identifying our at-risk students will allow us to do a better job allocating the critical resources school districts need to serve them. This bill will help us better prepare all of Colorado’s students for success.” HB22-1202 will create a new method in the school finance formula to identify students who are at risk of below-average academic outcomes due to socio-economic disadvantages or poverty. The new formula aims to better pinpoint at-risk students by considering multiple socio-economic factors that affect them. Based on the new formula, school districts would be eligible for more state funding beginning in the 2023-24 school year to better prepare their at-risk students. A recent statewide poll revealed that 83% of respondents consider it important to provide resources and support to students who are falling behind so teachers can make sure every student has an opportunity to get back on track. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation to regulate Colorado’s funeral homes and crematories. < Back April 17, 2024 Bill to Regulate Colorado’s Funeral Homes and Crematories Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation to regulate Colorado’s funeral homes and crematories. HB24-1335 would extend and expand regulations of the Mortuary Science Code to ensure Colorado’s funeral homes and crematories are regularly inspected by a state agency. HB24-1335 passed by a vote of 57 to 3. “We need to ensure our state’s funeral homes and crematories are safe, well-maintained and following the law,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada . “This bipartisan legislation would expand and extend the Department of Regulatory Agencies’ ability to inspect funeral homes and crematories. Colorado has been at the center of many egregious instances of fabricated cremation records and the mishandling of bodies. We need to ensure our funeral homes and crematories are operating within the law – our public health and safety depends upon it and our loved ones deserve it.” HB24-1335 , also sponsored by Representative Matt Soper, would require regular, state-operated inspection of funeral homes and crematories. This bill expands and continues certain portions of the Mortuary Science Code in the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), which is scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2024. The bill also makes the following changes to the program: Requires inspection of funeral homes and crematories on a routine basis, including after businesses have ceased operations Allows inspections to occur outside business hours Expands rulemaking authority for DORA Adds failure to respond to complaints as a grounds for discipline Authorizes DORA to suspend the registration for persons who do not comply with orders following a complaint or investigation This legislation would extend the regulation of portions of the Mortuary Science Code for five years, until September 1, 2029. In addition to HB24-1335, another bill moving through the legislature ( SB24-173 ) would require a license to work as a funeral director, a mortuary science practitioner, an embalmer, a cremationist, or a natural reductionist. In recent years, several funeral homes and operators in Colorado have been at the root of disturbing instances of mishandling human remains and bodies. These bills aim to add consistent regulation of Colorado’s funeral home industry to ensure public health and safety. Previous Next

Legislation would ensure compliance with landlord-tenant laws and uphold housing standards statewide < Back April 25, 2025 Bill to Ensure Safe Housing and Strengthen Renter Protections Passes Legislation would ensure compliance with landlord-tenant laws and uphold housing standards statewide DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation expanding the Attorney General and local governments’ authority to initiate and enforce landlord-tenant laws, ensuring safe housing and strengthening renter protections. SB25-020, sponsored by Representatives Mandy Lindsay and Javier Mabrey, passed by a vote of 40-23. “As an Aurora legislator, I’m proud to sponsor this bill to ensure renters don’t have to spend multiple years fighting corporate landlords for basic rights,” said Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora. “When negligent landlords allowed several properties in my community to fall into disrepair, the city had limited tools to address the issues. This legislation builds on past work Colorado Democrats have done to ensure renters can live in safe conditions by helping counties and municipalities enforce tenant protection laws. No one deserves to live among rodents or without functioning heat or cooling systems, and this bill will help ensure Coloradans have a safe place to live.” “This legislation would hold negligent landlords accountable when they illegally ignore dangerous living conditions,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver. “By giving the Attorney General, counties and municipalities more authority to enforce tenant protection laws, Colorado renters would have more advocates in their corner to fight for safe housing. Colorado Democrats are committed to not only making housing more affordable, but also ensuring that these affordable housing options are a safe and healthy place to live.” SB25-020 would give the Colorado Attorney General authority to enforce housing protections for victims of unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, or domestic violence, documentation requirements for housing agreements, and protections regarding bed bugs in residential homes. The bill would give counties and municipalities the ability to initiate and enforce these same landlord-tenant laws in addition to existing provisions the Attorney General may already enforce. The bill would establish a process where, only in severe cases, residential housing may be placed into receivership - a legal process where a court appoints a caretaker to oversee a neglected property to temporarily manage operations, make necessary repairs, and repay debts. The bill outlines the process for receivership cases, including proper notice to parties, powers and responsibilities for entities appointed as receivers, and the process for ending receiverships. Reps. Lindsay and Mabrey have championed numerous tenant protection laws, including legislation to prevent unnecessary and arbitrary evictions and strengthen residential lease agreements to protect renters from signing leases with harmful hidden language. They have also bolstered Colorado’s warrant of habitability law to ensure tenants have access to timely repairs when unsafe conditions arise and adding damage due to an environmental public health event to the list of conditions that make a property uninhabitable. Previous Next

The House Judiciary Committee today passed two bipartisan bills and a resolution sponsored by Representative Mike Weissman, Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Minority Leader Mike Lynch to improve judicial discipline and transparency in Colorado. < Back March 15, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: House Committee Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Overhaul Judicial Discipline, Improve Transparency DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee today passed two bipartisan bills and a resolution sponsored by Representative Mike Weissman, Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Minority Leader Mike Lynch to improve judicial discipline and transparency in Colorado. The legislative package, which includes a resolution to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot, is the outcome of the Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline. “After leading months of investigations and deliberative work with the Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline, we’ve developed legislation and a constitutional amendment that will improve judicial discipline, protect those engaging with the courts, and increase transparency,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, D-Aurora. “Independent oversight will hold the judicial branch accountable when misconduct occurs. Our bipartisan measures will modernize judicial discipline in our state and create a simpler process for filing judicial complaints. These measures set in motion a much-needed overhaul of the state’s judicial discipline process to ensure Coloradans can seek justice when inappropriate conduct occurs, increase the transparency of disciplinary actions, and restore trust in our courts.” “Misconduct in the judicial system is a serious concern, and the public must have assurance the procedures are just, fair, and above board. Our ultimate goal as legislators will be to continue to focus both the sunlight and transparency into our state’s too often mysterious judiciary,” said Minority Leader Mike Lynch, R-Wellington. “These bills are the result of many months of bipartisan work to find the best solution for more transparent, efficient, and accountable procedures for our judicial disciplinary process. I want to thank my colleague across the aisle for working with me to serve the best interests of the people of Colorado.” “Improving oversight of Colorado’s judicial discipline process will help us turn the page on a troublesome chapter for our courts and build trust that judges will always conduct themselves with the utmost integrity and respect,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, D-Denver. “Our bill creates an ombudsman office for judicial department employees, so they can anonymously and securely report complaints against judges. This bipartisan plan to modernize our state’s judicial discipline system will improve the department's transparency with the public and protect those who come before the court.” In 2022, the Colorado Legislature passed SB22-201 , which created the Interim Committee on Judicial Discipline to review and modernize judicial oversight in Colorado. Today, the House Judiciary Committee passed three measures to overhaul the state’s judicial discipline process, which to date has been largely conducted out of the public eye, with less information available to the public about discipline proceedings than is available in other states, and without mechanisms to provide timely updates to complainants themselves. HCR23-1001 , sponsored by Rep. Mike Weissman and Minority Leader Mike Lynch, passed unanimously. If passed by voters in the November 2024 general election, this constitutional amendment would restore balance to Colorado’s judicial system by limiting the Supreme Court’s current power over discipline proceedings. Under this bipartisan constitutional amendment, complaints against judges would be addressed by the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline and a newly created Independent Judicial Discipline Adjudicative Board. The commission would handle initial proceedings and later, formal proceedings would be handled by the board, which will be comprised evenly of judge, attorney, and civilian members. HB23-1019 , sponsored by Rep. Mike Weissman and Minority Leader Mike Lynch, passed unanimously. In an effort to increase judicial discipline transparency, this bill would require the Commission on Judicial Discipline to report and publicize aggregated information on the complaints it receives and investigations it conducts regarding judges and the type of discipline imposed or recommended. HB23-1019 allows Coloradans to submit a request for evaluation to the commission online and requires the commission to provide updates to complainants about the status of investigations into their complaints. HB23-1205 , sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Minority Leader Mike Lynch, passed unanimously. This bill would create an external, independent Office of the Judicial Discipline Ombudsman so judicial department employees can seek guidance about workplace issues and possible situations of judicial or staff misconduct. Under this bill, the ombudsman office would create and maintain an anonymous reporting system for employees, investigate claims, and report grievance trends to the Commission on Judicial Discipline, the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, law enforcement, and the judicial department. This legislation aims to create a safe, clear path outside of the judicial department for judicial employees to report misconduct, without fear of retaliation or their claims not being taken seriously. Previous Next

< Back May 31, 2019 SPEAKER BECKER ANNOUNCES INTERIM COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS May 31) – Speaker KC Becker appointed the chairs, vice chairs and other Democratic members of the 2019 interim committees. Earlier this month, House and Senate Leadership announced the formation of a new interim committee focused on studying school safety in Colorado. “We made historic investments in K-12 and higher-ed and took action on climate, health care and economic security. House Democrats have more work to do this interim to prepare for the next legislative session in order to solve problems for hardworking Coloradans, and Coloradans can be confident in the members appointed to these committees who will drive that work forward,” said Speaker Becker. School Safety Interim Committee Rep. Dafna Michaelson-Jenet, D-Commerce City (Chair) Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver Energy Legislation Review Interim Study Committee: Rep. Chris Hansen, D-Denver (Chair) Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora Rep. Sonya Jacquez-Lewis, D-Longmont Prison Population Management Interim Study Committee: Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver Investor-owned Utility Review Interim Study Committee: Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder Assistant Majority Leader Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood Legislative Interim Committee on School Finance: Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon (Chair) Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster Tax Expenditure Evaluation Interim Study Committee: Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Adams County (Chair) Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Colorado Springs Making Higher Education Attainable Interim Study Committee: Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango (Vice Chair) Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins Zero Waste and Recycling Interim Study Committee: Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Evergreen (Chair) Rep. Jeni Arndt, D-Fort Collins Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood Previous Next

The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to support and maintain Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK) program. < Back April 21, 2023 House Advances Support for Universal PreK DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation on a preliminary vote to support and maintain Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK) program. HB23-1290, sponsored by Speaker Julie McCluskie and Representative Emily Sirota, would refer a measure to the ballot to allow the state to direct all the revenue collected under a sales tax on tobacco and other tobacco products to support Colorado’s early childhood learners instead of refunding nearly $24 million to the tobacco industry. “The support for voter-approved universal preschool has been overwhelming because it will save families money, help parents get back to work, and boost learning opportunities for our youngest Coloradans,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Supporting young learners sets them up for a lifetime of success, and funding universal preschool is one of the smartest investments we can make. The revenue collected from the tax on nicotine products has come in higher than originally predicted, and we want to confirm voters’ commitment to using these funds to provide preschool to all children in the state. That’s precisely what this legislation accomplishes.” “Universal preschool will be here in the fall, and the funds collected from the voter-approved Proposition EE made it possible for the state to begin to provide free, early childhood education to our youngest learners,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “Colorado voters widely support free universal preschool, and our legislation reaffirms that commitment by asking them if the state may keep revenue collected from the special tax on nicotine and direct it toward UPK, rather than returning it to the tobacco industry. Studies show that preschool and early childhood education prepare kids for a lifetime of educational success.” HB23-1290 helps Colorado rise to the challenge of providing early education to every child in Colorado the year before they are eligible for kindergarten. The demand for universal preschool is high: more than 29,000 families and over 1,800 early care and education providers have already signed up to participate in the first year of Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program. Specifically, this bill would refer a measure to the ballot that asks voters to approve of the state keeping the excess revenue collected on tobacco and other tobacco products to fund universal preschool in Colorado. In 2020 Colorado voters approved Proposition EE, which created new excise taxes on cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products to fund Colorado’s priorities - nicotine cessation programs, affordable housing, rural K-12 public schools, and Universal Pre-K. The new tax rates are designed to phase in over the next few fiscal years through 2027. When originally approved by voters with overwhelming support, it was estimated that this measure would raise $186.5 million in new tax revenue in the first year (FY 2021-22). However, actual revenues from the new tobacco taxes exceeded that predicted amount by $22 million. If passed, voters will see a measure on their 2024 ballots confirming the original intent of the voter-approved Proposition EE and clarifying that voters want the state to retain the full amount of nicotine sales tax revenue to put toward universal preschool. Previous Next

Bipartisan legislation outlines the fourth and final round of funding for the Opportunity Now grant program < Back March 20, 2024 Bill to Support Jobs, Meet Workforce Demands in Construction and Building Trades Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to extend funding to the Opportunity Now Colorado grant program. HB24-1365 would help communities address workforce shortages and create connections for Coloradans seeking high-paying, skilled careers. “Opportunity Now grants have fostered transformative changes for Colorado’s workforce, encouraged job growth and supported rural and mountain communities like mine in Northwestern Colorado,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “This bipartisan bill outlines the final round of funding for the grant program and has an important focus on the construction and building trades. We’re working hard to meet our workforce needs and that begins with helping Coloradans secure good-paying jobs in growing industries.” HB24-1365 , also sponsored by Representative Matt Soper, R-Delta, passed committee unanimously. This bill supports the fourth and final round of the successful Opportunity Now Colorado grants. The goal of this bill is to connect more Coloradans with in-demand, high-wage careers, specifically in the construction, infrastructure and building trades. This bill also creates the Regional Talent Summit Grant Program to help Coloradans get connected to these in-demand careers in their communities and establishes a workforce shortage tax credit to help with facility and equipment improvements needed to train workers in new, emerging fields by leveraging federal investments outlined in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act and others. Opportunity Now is a grant program that has awarded $27 million to 46 grantees representing 145 businesses and 78 education partners in 38 different industries. Previous Next

< Back May 16, 2022 BILLS SIGNED TO SAVE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES MONEY DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation into law that will save Coloradans money on housing and gas and allow small retailers to keep more of the sales tax they collect, saving businesses money as well. “The legislation signed today will save Coloradans money on housing and put more money back into the pockets of small retail businesses,” said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs, sponsor of SB22-146 and SB22-006. “This investment will help build more homes and increase the supply of affordable housing that our communities and businesses need to thrive. I’m also excited that small businesses are going to be able to keep nearly $6 million that they can reinvest in their businesses, employees, and other needs.” Saving Coloradans Money on Housing: SB22-146 , sponsored by Representatives Marc Snyder and Marc Catlin will expand critical middle-income housing so that more Coloradans and communities have access to affordable housing where it’s needed most. The legislation provides $25 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority’s Middle-Income Access Program, which serves middle income families and individuals with incomes too high to qualify for low income housing tax credits. Typically, the “missing middle” is made up of renters whose income is between 80 percent and 120 percent of area median income, which in the Denver area is $55k-88k per year, increasing with family size. To date, the Middle Income Access Program has leveraged $14 million in CHFA-invested funds to support developments comprising over 600 units across the state. Developments leverage significant private sector investment and have brought much needed housing to communities such as Denver, Estes Park, Keystone, Steamboat Springs and Gypsum. Saving Businesses Money: SB22-006 , sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan and Marc Snyder, allows retailers with taxable sales under $100,000 per filing period to retain 5.3 percent of the sales tax they collect. Retailers are currently permitted to retain 4 percent of the vendor fee to compensate them for the cost of collecting and remitting sales tax. This new law increases the amount that small retailers can retain, saving retailers $5.9 million over the next two years. “Saving Coloradans money was our top priority this session, and we looked at every way possible, big and small, to put more money back into people’s pockets,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango , sponsor of SB22-006 and HB22-1351. “The bills the governor signed into law today will save Coloradans money at the pump and save small retail businesses nearly $6 million by allowing them to keep more of the sales tax they collect.” “In the last few months, gas prices have been driven up by national and global influences, so at a state level we acted to make sure Coloradans weren’t hit with further price increases,” said Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, sponsor of HB22-1351. “The bill the governor signed today will help Coloradans keep some money in their pockets when they register their cars this year and when they fill up their tanks, all while keeping our state on track to fix our roads.” Saving Coloradans Money at the Pump: HB22-1351 , sponsored by Representatives Dylan Roberts and Barbara McLachlan, will save Coloradans money by lowering vehicle registration costs and delaying the anticipated road usage fees, a two-cent per gallon gasoline fee slated to go into effect in July. This law invests one-time recovery funds to save Coloradans nearly $80 million on transportation costs. Specifically, this will save Coloradans $45 million at the gas pump and nearly $34 million in vehicle registration costs. Previous Next

< Back April 18, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES EDUCATION BILLS TO HELP KIDS FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO COLLEGE (Ap. 18) – The House gave preliminary approval to two bills that would help teachers drowning in student loan debt and encourage young girls to go into the STEM field. “In Colorado we have 3,000 educator positions going unfilled. This bill will help us address the educator shortage crisis impacting classrooms in our rural, urban and suburban schools,” said Rep. McLachlan, D-Durango, a former teacher and chair of the House Education committee. SB19-003 is a bipartisan bill that would award up to $5,000 of qualified educational loans for up to five years for teachers and educators employed in qualified positions under the program and targets teachers and rural or other hard to fill locations or content areas. The bill also alters the teacher loan forgiveness program, renaming it the educator loan forgiveness program and revises the eligibility criteria for the program. Contributing to a dire shortage of educators in many Colorado communities are a lack of access to affordable housing in rural communities, salaries that are below state or national averages, coupled with sky-rocketing student loan debt and fewer people choosing to enter the profession. SB19-003 passed in the House by a voice-vote. A final vote will be completed at a later date. The House also gave preliminary approval to a bill would get more young women and underrepresented groups more involved in STEM. “We are getting these kids ready for jobs that haven’t even been imagined yet. Right now, we can’t see the full extent of the gender gap in computer science classrooms because Colorado doesn’t gather that information,” said Rep. Esgar. “If we start gathering this information, we can better come up with solutions to solve this problem.” HB19-1277 also provides computer science classroom participation data to understand the extend the gender gap in Colorado. “I am so excited to be sponsoring a bill like this. We need to encourage our students, especially our young girls and underrepresented students to get involved in tech and science, which offer high paying jobs,” said Rep. Cutter, D-Evergreen. “This is a responsible investment in the future of our children and the future of our state.” The bill would provide $250,000 per year to grant funding for three schools and districts who want to offer computer science courses and afterschool programs with an emphasis on participation by underrepresented groups, such as women. HB19-1277 passed by a voice-vote. A final vote will be given at a later date. Previous Next

< Back April 4, 2024 Republican Impeachment Resolution Denies “Alleged” Jan 6 Insurrection Resolution sponsored by House Minority Leader and all but two House Republicans seeks to impeach Secretary of State for agreeing with Colorado Supreme Court that Trump engaged in insurrection against the US DENVER, CO - House Speaker Julie McCluskie today released the following statement on HR24-1006 , a resolution sponsored by House Republicans to impeach the Colorado Secretary of State: “Hearing this resolution in the Judiciary committee will limit the time wasted on this topic, while respecting that it is a top priority for House Republicans to have it introduced and openly debated. In an age when misinformation and conspiracy theories attack the integrity of our elections, we believe a public hearing to set the record straight on this issue is in the best interest of our democracy. This resolution, by the sponsor's own admission, is a political stunt to gin up MAGA support for House Republicans. It’s clear that the minority’s primary complaint is that the Secretary of State shares the view of the Colorado Supreme Court that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection against the United States. Instead of protecting our democracy, Republicans are defending Trump.” The resolution, sponsored by almost every House Republican, seeks to impeach the Secretary of State for agreeing with the Colorado Supreme Court that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection against the United States. The resolution claims that the Secretary’s past public statements about Trump engaging in an insurrection is grounds for impeachment. In the resolution, House Republicans inaccurately claim that the Secretary prevented Trump from being listed on the primary ballot, when in fact she was the defendant in a case brought by Republicans and simply followed Colorado Court rulings in executing the duties of her role. Trump was never prevented from appearing on the ballot. In 2022, two-thirds of House Republicans voted to thank Tina Peters and the Jan 6 insurrectionists, and disputed that Joe Biden is the duly elected President. The House Judiciary Committee will consider the resolution on April 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM in the Old State Library. Testimony will be limited to four witnesses selected by the resolution sponsors, House Minority Leader Pugliese and Representative Armagost, and four witnesses selected by the Chair in consultation with the Secretary of State. The Chair will allow witnesses to participate remotely, and from out of state if necessary. Secretary Griswold will also be allowed to testify for 10 minutes and respond to questions from committee members. Witnesses will testify as panels of four, and each witness will be limited to 10 minutes. Members of the committee will have one hour to question each panel, with the time split evenly between Majority and Minority members. A letter from Representative Weissman, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, is attached and outlines the parameters for the hearing. Previous Next

< Back April 12, 2019 GOV SIGNS LIFE-SAVING EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDER BILL (Apr. 12) – Gov. Jared Polis signed the life-saving Extreme Risk Protection Order bill sponsored by Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, and Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver. This life-saving law will provide a critical tool to help prevent gun violence and suicide and protect families and first responders. The legislation has been in the works for over a year and includes input from law enforcement, the mental health community, advocates for gun violence prevention and elected officials on both sides of the aisle. “It’s been 351 Friday’s since Alex was murdered. I know how this is going to save lives and I know how hard everybody has worked these past 351 Friday’s,” said Rep. Sullivan. “I struggle with the price that we paid to get where we are today. We still have more work to do.” Rep. Sullivan’s son, Alex was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting on his twenty-seventh birthday. Sullivan wears Alex’s jacket every day and wore it during the course of the debate in the House. He wore it today as the bill was signed into law. “This is a moment of progress. Today, we did something that was difficult and that is going to save lives,” said Majority Leader Garnett. “We are a state and country that counts on officials to uphold the rule of law. We have come a long way in this state from Columbine and this is a law that will hopefully prevent a future Columbine or help prevent a future family from going through a tragedy.” HB19-1177 will give law enforcement another tool to help keep our communities safe. Through this bill, family members or law enforcement can petition a judge for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) for someone who is exhibiting violent or dangerous behavior or is at significant risk of causing personal injury to themselves or others. If approved, a temporary order would be placed for up to two weeks and the court would hold a hearing to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for an ERPO. During this hearing, respondents will be provided with legal counsel at no cost to ensure due process rights are protected. If the judge determines, by a clear and convincing evidence standard, that the respondent poses a significant risk of causing personal injury to themselves or others, the protection order may be approved for up to 364 days. The respondent can also request to have the order terminated at any point during that time period. The bill, which was also introduced during the 2018 legislative session and passed the House with bipartisan support, is named in honor of Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Zackari Parrish III, who was killed in the line of duty New Year’s Eve in 2017 by an individual in the middle of a mental health crisis. Law enforcement officials, including Deputy Parrish’s Sheriff, Tony Spurlock, and Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, testified at a Feb. 21 House hearing on the bill. Pelle’s son Jeff is a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy who was also seriously injured responding to the same call with Deputy Parrish. Attorney General Phil Weiser submitted a letter in support of the legislation. Former U.S. Attorney John Walsh explained to the committee during the hearing how the language in the bill is legal under the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Hours of testimony during House and Senate committee hearings in support of the bill included survivors and their families as well as gun owners and members of law enforcement. Fourteen states have enacted bipartisan ERPO laws (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington). At least 29 other states and Washington, D.C. have considered ERPO laws. A U.S. Senate committee held a hearing on an ERPO bill this March. Colorado lost over 1,100 people to suicide in 2017. Studies show that access to a gun in a home triples the risk of death by suicide. Indiana’s firearm suicide rate decreased by nearly eight percent in the ten years after their ERPO legislation was enacted. Previous Next