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The House today on a preliminary vote passed two bills to protect reproductive rights in Colorado. < Back April 4, 2025 Pair of Bills to Implement Voter-Approved Abortion Protections, Strengthen Reproductive Health Care Advance DENVER, CO – The House today on a preliminary vote passed two bills to protect reproductive rights in Colorado. SB25-183 would update Colorado statute to reflect changes necessitated by the passage of Amendment 79. SB25-139 would strengthen Colorado’s shield law to protect patients and providers from out-of-state attacks on reproductive health care. “Colorado voters have spoken – abortion must remain safe, legal and protected,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County, sponsor of SB5-183. “Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle abortion access or restrict funding altogether, Coloradans believe it’s your constitutional right to access the reproductive health care you need. This bill will expand access to life-saving reproductive health care, including abortion.” “It’s our responsibility to implement the will of the voters, and that’s what this bill does by further protecting and increasing access to abortion in Colorado,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, sponsor of SB25-183 . “Nationally, the future of reproductive health care is uncertain, however, it’s clear Coloradans trust people to make their own medical decisions without government interference. This bill implements the will of the voters and reduces barriers so public employees can access the essential reproductive health care they need.” “It’s time to fight back against out-of-state interference and Trump administration threats to restrict abortion and health care for LGBTQ+ Coloradans,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, sponsor of SB25-129. “Whether you're a Colorado resident or not, this shield law will protect your fundamental right to access the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion.” “We’re reaffirming Colorado’s position as a sanctuary for safe, legal and protected reproductive health care by strengthening our shield laws,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder, sponsor of SB25-129. “Our bill expands Colorado’s shield laws to include telehealth and prescription label privacy. In the face of hostile, out-of-state attacks on our reproductive rights, we’re making sure Colorado has the ability to fight back and protect our patients and providers.” SB25-183 would implement the will of the voters by updating Colorado statute to reflect changes necessitated by Amendment 79’s passage. In November 2024, Colorado voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 79 (62 percent of the vote statewide ) to enshrine the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution and remove the state’s prohibition on using public funds to cover abortion care. Beginning on January 1, 2026, the bill would ensure that state employee health insurance plans cover abortion care and require the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to authorize reimbursements for abortion care under publicly funded insurance, including community members with coverage through Health First Colorado, and the Reproductive Health Care Program. SB25-129 protects providers by allowing a practitioner to request to have their name excluded from a medication abortion label. Instead of their name, the prescription would list the prescribing health-care practice. The bill would also prohibit Colorado entities, or a person or entity licensed or regulated by the state, from cooperating with hostile out-of-state investigations related to legally protected health care. Given recent legal action surrounding out-of-state abortion access, this bill fights back against hostile attacks to keep patients and providers safe while accessing legal health care. Additionally, the bill would enhance privacy protections for patients by placing restrictions on health data collecting and published reports published by the Office of the State Registrar. Previous Next

CMVs represent about 7 percent of traffic, but account for more than 52 percent of traffic incidents; and wrecks involving CMVs take nearly twice as long to clear as passenger incidents < Back May 20, 2024 SIGNED! Bipartisan Bills to Make Mountain Roads Safer CMVs represent about 7 percent of traffic, but account for more than 52 percent of traffic incidents; and wrecks involving CMVs take nearly twice as long to clear as passenger incidents GYPSUM, CO – Today, Governor Jared Polis signed into law bipartisan legislation that would improve safety and keep traffic flowing on Colorado’s mountain highways and better enforce commercial driving infractions. SB24-100 , sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, improves safety by allowing the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to establish a zone with double speeding fines for commercial drivers in Glenwood Canyon. The bill also bans commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) from driving in the left lane on I-70 in several key stretches where crashes are most frequent and disruptive, except to lawfully pass. “The last few winters on our mountain highways have been particularly challenging with way too many avoidable closures as the result of unprepared CMV drivers,” Roberts said. “We can’t control the weather, but avoidable crashes, spin-outs, and other accidents have unnecessarily closed our highways and hurt our economy by delaying the delivery of goods, negatively impacting tourism and the businesses in the mountains that rely on visitors. By increasing common sense safety measures, these bipartisan bills will make I-70 and mountain passes safer.” “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 Velasco. “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 new law is to reduce accidents on I-70 so we can keep our roads open and communities safe.” SB24-100 further expands locations where CDOT may require traction equipment from parts of I-70 to key mountainous stretches of other state and U.S. highways, and to enable this, directs CDOT to study additional locations for chain-up stations. It also gives port of entry officers the powers of a peace officer when enforcing highway closures while HB24-1135 , sponsored by Representative Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs, and Roberts, aims to increase road safety by keeping unqualified commercial drivers off the road. First, it upgrades the severity of 3 offenses from traffic infraction to class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense: operating a CMV without a commercial driver license; operating a commercial motor vehicle while under 21 years of age; or driving a commercial vehicle with more than one license. It also adds legal accountability for employers who knowingly employ underage or unlicensed drivers. “Coloradans deserve to drive on safe roads, and our law will create stronger guardrails to help prevent traffic accidents,” said Snyder. “This new law will help ensure that people have the proper qualifications to operate commercial vehicles so Coloradans can have peace of mind while on our roads.” Additionally, during the 2024 legislative interim, the bill requires the Transportation Legislation Review Committee to analyze the enforcement of impaired driving offenses, including situations involving a driver that refuses to take or complete a blood or breath test as required by law. Previous Next

Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Representative Tammy Story, D-Conifer, today released the following statements on the shooting at Evergreen High School: < Back September 10, 2025 Statements from Sen. Cutter and Rep. Story on Shooting at Evergreen High School DENVER, CO – Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Representative Tammy Story, D-Conifer, today released the following statements on the shooting at Evergreen High School: Statement from Representative Tammy Story, D-Conifer: “I am horrified by the shooting at Evergreen High School, and my heart breaks for the students, educators, families and school personnel whose start to the school year has now been marked by inexplicable violence and harm. I am hoping for the swift recovery of the victims, and my thoughts are with them and their families. I am incredibly grateful to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, along with first responders and law enforcement from across the Metro area, for their quick action to protect our community and save lives. “No student should ever fear going to school or face danger like this, and parents should never have to worry when their child is at school. Shootings at schools are far too frequent in our country, and I am sickened that this has happened again in Jefferson County. Our community is strong, and I know we will come together to support the Evergreen High School community in this very difficult time. I am closely monitoring the situation, and I will do everything I can to support our community.” Statement from Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County: “I am heartbroken by the news of the shooting at Evergreen High School and angered at another senseless act of gun violence in our state. Schools need to be safe places, and this tragedy is yet another reminder that we must do better to protect our kids. I am grateful for the rapid response by first responders, medical teams, school staff, and the students of Evergreen High School. My prayers are with the victims, their friends and families, and the entire Evergreen community. I am hopeful for a quick and full recovery for all those injured.” Previous Next

The House today advanced the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 state budget package on a preliminary vote. < Back April 9, 2025 House Advances Bipartisan FY 25-26 Budget to Protect Investments in K-12 Education, Medicaid DENVER, CO – The House today advanced the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 state budget package on a preliminary vote. 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. “We’re not happy about the cuts we had to make, but these strategic reductions protect essential services like health care and K-12 education,” said JBC Vice Chair Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “From protecting Medicaid coverage to capping college tuition, this budget supports popular services that boost public health and safety and foster opportunity for all. As our bipartisan budget moves closer to the finish line, I am proud of our efforts to preserve investments in the critical services Coloradans depend on.” “Despite having to make painful decisions over many months to balance our budget, we have fought to preserve essential services that families and vulnerable community members need,” said JBC Member Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “While making these cuts doesn’t feel good, TABOR requires difficult tradeoffs in order to protect funding for essential services like K-12 education and Medicaid. I remain deeply concerned by federal policies that could harm our economy, increase costs, and freeze funding Coloradans expect and deserve. However, I’m proud of the careful decisions we made to soften the impact of resolving our $1.2 billion gap and continue investing in child care, food assistance, and our environment.” 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 63 “orbital bills,” which move through the legislative process alongside the budget and make the statutory changes needed to balance the budget. 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

< Back May 17, 2021 STATE AFFAIRS PASSES BILLS TO SUPPORT VETERANS DENVER, CO– The House State, Civic, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee today advanced two bills sponsored by Rep. David Ortiz that will support veterans in Colorado. “With over 400,000 veterans calling Colorado home, our state is known as a great place for veterans to settle down after military service,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “The bill we passed today recognizes that there’s more work we need to do to ensure that every veteran in Colorado has access to the behavioral health care they need. By creating a suicide prevention pilot program, we can connect more veterans with the critical services they need to thrive.” SB21-129 , sponsored by Representative David Ortiz, would 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. Previous Next

< Back March 4, 2020 PASSED! REP. KIPP’S BILL TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIGHER ED GETS HOUSE APPROVAL The House today passed Representative Cathy Kipp’s legislation to improve and expand the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) by a vote of 51-13. “COSI brings enormous value to our students and our communities through matched public and private funding,” said Rep. Kipp, D-Fort Collins . “Today we ensured that COSI will continue to help students, who need it most, all over the state to successfully attain higher degrees for years to come. When we support our students, we all benefit. So far we have helped 75,000 students, and we can’t wait to see how many more will succeed with the help of this program.” The Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative seeks to address two primary challenges: the accessibility and affordability of higher education. It increases accessibility by funding programs that help prepare students for postsecondary education and which support them throughout their education. It increases affordability by providing tuition support for community scholarships so that tuition costs aren’t a barrier to attending a postsecondary institution. As of 2017 , $27.6 million in state funds has leveraged $28 million in local, private, philanthropic funds to support more than 75,000 Colorado students. Additionally, over 30 student support programs serve COSI students and more than 6,000 students received scholarship assistance. According to the program , 89 percent of students who receive COSI scholarships continue their education to the second and third years, which is 25 percent higher than their peers who have not received any support. Current statute limits COSI’s ability to adapt to best practices. SB20-006 , which is also sponsored by Representative Mark Baisley, R-Roxborough Park, would give the COSI Advisory Board the flexibility needed to support students and institutions so that every COSI scholar has the guidance and aid to persist and complete their education. The bill removes the 10 percent funding restriction for state agencies and nonprofits to provide student success support services so that more students can access these critical wraparound services. It also allows more government agencies to receive funding such as colleges in addition to community organizations and related foundations among other things. The bill passed the Senate on February 13 by a vote of 32-0. Previous Next

< Back May 5, 2021 HOUSE RESOLUTION SEEKS TO RESOLVE QUESTIONS ON REDISTRICTING DENVER, CO– The House today passed a resolution to send an interrogatory to the Colorado Supreme Court regarding changes to redistricting procedures made in SB21-247. “Colorado voters were clear in passing Amendments Y and Z that they want to see an independent redistricting process without partisan gerrymandering,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “ While no one could have predicted that a public health crisis would throw a wrench into our carefully crafted process, we have to do everything we can to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible. That’s why we’re engaged in a bipartisan effort with the Colorado Supreme Court to guarantee fair and balanced maps are delivered on time and with full public participation and input.” Amendments Y and Z established a clear timeline for Colorado’s electoral redistricting efforts. These dates, mandated in the constitution, require the Commissions to use “necessary census data” to accurately draw electoral districts for the state. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a delay in the ability of the United States Census Bureau to deliver to the state the population and demographic data necessary to redraw election districts. This delay prevents both the independent redistricting commissions (both Congressional and legislative) from completing their work by the deadlines in the constitution. The resolution, HR21-XXXX, asks the Colorado Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of two provisions of SB21-247: 1) the use of preliminary, non-final census data for the drafting of preliminary plans, and 2) the provision of SB21-247 that directs the Court to apply a standard of substantial compliance with only the technical requirements of the redistricting process as created in Amendments Y and Z. Final passage of SB21-247 is dependent on the Court’s response on these matters. SB21-247 , an Executive Committee bill sponsored by Minority and Majority Leaders in both the House and Senate, is intended to give the Commission the flexibility it needs to draw fair electoral maps in the face of these delays. Only as it applies to the current redistricting cycle, the bill amends the definition of “necessary census data” to allow the preliminary plans to be developed using state apportionment data that was released on April 26, and other population and demographic data from federal or state sources that are approved by the commissions. The three staff plans to be drafted by nonpartisan staff, one of which will be submitted to the Supreme Court for approval, have to be drawn using final census data. The bill also requires a public hearing on maps being drawn with final census data once it is made available. It also establishes a substantial compliance standard for any legal challenge that may arise concerning compliance with the technical requirements of Amendments Y and Z—not the substantial requirements on the process, such as the criteria in which the districts have to be drawn. Previous Next

< Back June 28, 2021 LEADERSHIP SETS BIPARTISAN PROCESS FOR $850M HOUSING AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ARPA FUNDS DENVER, CO — House and Senate legislative leadership today approved two resolutions to establish the processes that will produce recommendations on transformational changes Colorado can undertake to make housing more affordable and attainable and improve access to behavioral health care. “Colorado is creating a responsible, bipartisan process to allocate nearly $1 billion in federal funds for transformational changes that will make housing more affordable and improve our behavioral health system,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “We have this opportunity because our federal delegation and President Biden delivered critical relief for Colorado. I’m excited to formally kick off the process that will shape how Colorado uses American Rescue Plan Act dollars to recover from the pandemic and build back stronger.” “For Colorado to build back stronger than before the pandemic, we need an equitable recovery where everyone has an opportunity to succeed,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Creating more affordable places to live and improving access to behavioral health care will expand opportunity, improve the health of Coloradans and boost our economy. The process we created today will bring together lawmakers, experts and community leaders with a wealth of knowledge on these issues to chart a path forward for our state.” During the 2021 legislative session, lawmakers worked collaboratively with Governor Polis to develop and advance the Colorado Comeback Roadmap to Building Back Stronger, which envisions investing nearly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds to make housing more affordable and fix Colorado’s behavioral health system. HB21-1329 , signed into law on June 25, sets aside $400 million of ARPA funds for future housing efforts, and SB21-137 , signed into law today, sets aside $450 million of ARPA funds for future behavioral health investments. Under the bills, two task forces will make recommendations on policies that make housing more affordable, expand opportunities to build wealth through homeownership, address homelessness and increase access to behavioral health and substance use disorder services. Under the resolutions approved by the Executive Committee today, the behavioral health and housing task forces will be comprised of legislators and members of departments, with each task force supported by its own sub-advisory panel of stakeholders and experts. The sub-advisory panels and task forces will meet until the beginning of next year to develop and approve recommendations on transformational change in each of their respective issue areas. Legislative leaders will make appointments to the task forces by July 16 and to the sub-advisory panels by July 23. Each appointment to the sub advisory panels must meet specific qualifications. For example, the speaker’s appointments to the housing sub-advisory panel must include an individual with expertise in homelessness, an individual with expertise in non-profit housing development, and representatives from local governments. The Executive Committee also approved an RFI to select a facilitation firm to help manage, coordinate and support the work of both the task forces and the subpanels. The task forces will convene by early August for organizational meetings. The subpanels will then meet to analyze and discuss policies for consideration by the task forces. The task forces will start convening regularly during the late fall to discuss policies and ultimately to approve recommendations to be included in a final report to be sent to the legislature and Governor. The timelines for taskforce and sub-advisory panel meetings are flexible and intended to serve as a guideline. Previous Next

The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would stabilize Colorado’s homeowner insurance market to create more affordable property insurance options. < Back April 22, 2025 House Advances Bill to Make Property Insurance More Affordable DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote that would stabilize Colorado’s homeowner insurance market to create more affordable property insurance options. “Finding insurance has been increasingly difficult for Colorado property owners, especially on the Western Slope, and this legislation would stabilize the insurance market to create more affordable coverage,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “From catastrophic wildfires to hail storms that cause billions of dollars of damage in minutes, extreme weather events can upend entire communities. This legislation would create more competition in the insurance market to drive down costs and save Coloradans money on their property insurance." “Colorado is one of the least affordable states for homeowners insurance, which is why we’re bringing this bill to make insurance more accessible and affordable for Colorado homeowners,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “After the Marshall Fire devastated my community, many Coloradans found it difficult to find affordable home insurance. Through this legislation, we’re helping Colorado homeowners protect their properties from damage and expanding insurance coverage options that work for hardworking Coloradans.” HB25-1302 would stabilize the insurance market by transferring a portion of catastrophic wildfire insurance risk to the Wildfire Catastrophe Reinsurance Enterprise, reducing volatility in the insurance market that drives up costs. The enterprise would also provide reinsurance payments to eligible insurers to mitigate their risk and losses in the event of a wildfire disaster. Colorado’s insurance market is statewide, however, competition is lagging. To boost competition and drive down costs, this bill would require insurance companies benefiting from the reinsurance program to provide coverage to homeowners living in high-risk areas. Additionally, the bill would provide grants to homeowners to help them protect their properties from hail damage by installing fortified roofs, which are better able to withstand hailstorms than traditional roofs. Speaker McCluskie passed a 2023 law creating the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan Association to ensure Coloradans with homes and commercial properties located in wildfire zones or otherwise subject to high-risk factors can receive homeowners or commercial property insurance. Previous Next

< Back April 6, 2022 MCCLUSKIE BILLS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS AND SAVE FAMILIES MONEY ADVANCE DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed two bills sponsored by Representative Julie McCluskie that will prepare students for success and save families and students money on their higher education degrees. “The legislation we passed today will save students and families money on higher education tuition and prepare our students for success,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Workforce needs in the high country and across Colorado are significant, and this bill opens the door for all Colorado high school graduates to gain the education they need to secure better paying jobs and address workforce shortages. With these bills, we’re working to create new pathways for students to earn postsecondary degrees in less time with fewer costs and increase the resources we dedicate to K-12 education.” HB22-1155 , sponsored by Representatives McCluskie and Perry Will, would expand in-state tuition to more Colorado students and families. Under current law, students must reside in Colorado for at least three years before they are eligible for in-state tuition. This bill changes the requirement to allow any student who graduates from a Colorado high school and has resided in the state for one year to receive in-state tuition. The bill passed 5-3. HB22-1146 , sponsored by Representatives McCluskie and Colin Larson, creates a working group to determine how the state can improve earnings on funds invested in the State Public School Fund. The fund invests money from the State School Land Trust to support K-12 education. The bill passed 9-0. Previous Next

The House today passed legislation limiting medical debt from impacting patients’ credit reports or credit scores. It passed by a vote of 46-18. < Back February 28, 2023 House Passes Consumer Protections Against Medical Debt DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation limiting medical debt from impacting patients’ credit reports or credit scores. It passed by a vote of 46-18. “Over 700,000 Coloradans have medical debt that negatively impacts their credit scores, making it harder to access housing, employment and affordable interest rates,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora . “This bill protects consumers with medical debt so that it doesn’t prevent them from renting an apartment or applying for a job, small business loan, credit card, or a basic cell phone plan. This bill will protect Coloradans from having their entire life impacted by outstanding and often unexpected medical debt.” Often medical expenses come as a surprise to many patients, leaving people unable to plan for expensive bills. Currently, when someone can’t afford a medical expense, the bill is sent to collections, and that information is shared with consumer reporting agencies that generate consumer reports and credit scores that are often used by banks, landlords, employers, and insurance and utility companies. Medical debt lowers the consumer’s credit score, creating a barrier to accessing necessities like housing, utilities, and loans. Lower credit scores also increase interest rates on loans, taking more money out of Coloradans’ pockets. Medical debt affects people of all ages and incomes, but it disproportionately impacts those with a chronic illness or medical condition who relies on continual medical assistance to maintain their quality of life. HB23-1126 adds medical debt to the list of information that consumer reporting agencies are not allowed to include in a credit report, updates exemptions to expand consumer privacy protections, and requires collectors and collecting agencies to notify Coloradans that medical debt will no longer be included in credit reports. Previous Next