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< Back March 2, 2022 SIGNED! BILLS TO SUPPORT MARSHALL FIRE RECOVERY AND FIREFIGHTER SAFETY Wildfire recovery and prevention bills are part of the JBC’s FY21-22 Budget Supplemental Package DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law that will aid the Marshall Fire recovery and boost firefighter safety. Marshall Fire Property Tax Reimbursement: As one of the many ways that the state is responding to the Marshall Fire, HB22-1183 will transfer $3.7 million to the impacted counties to ensure they don’t face additional revenue shortfalls as a result of the devastation. “Today, we’re making sure that communities are protected from negative financial impacts from the devastation caused by the Marshall Fire,” said Rep. Matt Gray D-Broomfield. “This bill is a step in the right direction towards helping those impacted by wildfires to recover and build back stronger, safer communities. We know the road ahead is long. We’re committed to helping families affected by the Marshall Fire so they can continue to rebuild communities and create a safer, healthier state in the process.” “This bill is a commitment to the people of Boulder County – we are here for you,” said Rep. Tracey Bernett, D-Louisville. “We’re grateful for the outpouring of support our community received from our neighbors and strangers across the world after the catastrophic Marshall Fire. This bill is immediate relief for our communities to rebuild stronger than before. We’re dedicated to continuing to help the residents impacted by the Marshall Fire recover and to continue to move Colorado forward.” Firefighter Safety: As part of House Democrats’ commitment to creating healthier and safer communities, HB22-1194 will direct additional resources to help our firefighters access the best equipment available. The bill makes $5 million available this year to provide grants to help local fire departments purchase safety and disease prevention gear, and support firefighter safety training. “We’re committed to building safer, healthier communities and that begins with making sure our firefighters have the equipment to safely combat wildfires,” said JBC Chair Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “Coloradans rely on firefighters to protect their homes, livelihood and communities. This bill will help firefighters do their job more effectively by giving them access to the best safety equipment available. This is all part of our ongoing wildfire recovery and prevention efforts that will help communities across the state.” Previous Next

< Back August 9, 2024 McCluskie Attends Ribbon Cutting for New Workforce Housing in Buena Vista BUENA VISTA, CO – Speaker Julie McCluskie today joined Governor Jared Polis and local leaders at a ribbon cutting ceremony for new workforce housing units in Buena Vista that will support Department of Corrections Employees. “I’m excited to see these new housing options come online for Department of Corrections employees in Buena Vista,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie. “Too many corrections officers and DOC employees have struggled to find a place to live where they can afford, and many have been commuting long distances. This will go a long way toward recruiting and retaining our crucial DOC workforce in Buena Vista and ensuring a higher quality of life for those that live and work here. I want to especially thank Colorado WINS for their work advocating for state employees.” Previous Next

< Back May 21, 2021 BILL TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TEACHERS PASSES COMMITTEE DENVER, CO– The House Education Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan and Julie McCluskie to create critical new teacher training, recruitment, and retention programs. The bill passed 7-1. “Teachers are used to doing two things at once, and that’s what we’re doing here in Denver as we work to help students get back on track while also addressing one of the most significant long-term challenges in education: our educator shortage,” s aid House Education Chair Rep. Barabara McLachlan, D-Durango. “This bill helps Colorado build back stronger from the pandemic by investing in two new initiatives that will train and recruit more teachers, create teaching jobs, and prepare Colorado schools for the future. Importantly, it will also provide mental health support to educators, which will help districts retain more teachers.” “Schools across Colorado are struggling to find teachers to hire and to retain the teaching force they already have,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “The programs we’re creating will encourage new teachers into the profession, pay for critical training and certification programs, and make it easier for high-school students and graduates to earn postsecondary credentials to become educators. We have a lot of hard work ahead to bring more people into the teaching profession, but this bill is a big step forward to address Colorado’s teacher shortage.” SB21-185 would reduce the teacher shortage in Colorado by helping districts retain and recruit new teachers. The bill directs the department of education to publicize teacher preparation programs and facilitate entry into the teaching profession. Specifically, the bill creates the Educator Recruitment and Retention (ERR) program in CDE to provide support to local education providers to recruit, select, train, and retain highly qualified educators across the state. Eligible ERR participants may receive up to $10,000 for the tuition cost of participating in an educator preparation program. Furthermore, the bill allows a public or charter school to hire a teacher who holds an adjunct instructor authorization to teach in all content areas. The bill restores two grant programs that were cut last year due to the pandemic: the Quality Teacher Recruitment Program and the Educator Loan Forgiveness Program. In addition, the bill creates the Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation program (TREP), which would aim to increase the number of students entering the teaching profession and create a more diverse educator workforce to reflect the diversity of the state. A TREP participant may concurrently enroll in postsecondary courses in the two year directly following the year in which the participant was enrolled in grade 12. Finally, the bill charges the University of Colorado with establishing and operating an educator well-being mental health program to provide support services for educators. Previous Next

< Back January 26, 2023 Water Efficiency and Resiliency Bill Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Energy and Environment Committee today passed legislation to help commercial property owners better finance water and energy efficiency improvements, and increase property resilience. “We’re working to improve an already successful energy efficiency program so more commercial properties in Colorado can save money, on energy, and water,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “Our bill expands the C-PACE program to help commercial properties cut down on their energy and water usage, and invest in resilient infrastructure in the face of more frequent and severe weather events caused by climate change. By expanding this favorable financing mechanism we empower building owners to modernize their infrastructure, increase renewable energy deployment and help create good paying jobs.” “We’re committed to preserving and protecting Colorado’s environmental resources, especially water, and our bill makes improvements to the C-PACE program so commercial businesses can improve their resilience and water efficiency,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “We know many commercial properties want to make water and energy efficiency upgrades, and our bill makes the process easier so businesses can begin their energy efficiency improvements sooner.” HB23-1005 passed committee by a vote of 8-3 and is part of the Colorado House Democrats' first five bills. HB23-1005 would protect Colorado's environment and preserve water resources by expanding project eligibility and streamlining the approval process so more commercial properties in Colorado can take advantage of Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE’s) financing program for eco-friendly property upgrades and investments. The C-PACE program allows certain commercial and industrial buildings to finance energy improvement projects through a voluntary property tax assessment that is repaid over a 25-year term. Since 2016, the program has helped finance 116 different projects across the state, totaling almost $250 million in investments. Previous Next

On July 1, 2024, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Judy Amabile and Senator Dylan Roberts goes into effect to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. < Back June 27, 2024 Amabile, Roberts Suicide Prevention Bill Goes Into Effect DENVER, CO - On July 1, 2024, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Judy Amabile and Senator Dylan Roberts goes into effect to prevent suicides by regulating sales of sodium nitrite products. “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 new law brings much-needed regulation to these products so we can keep it out of the hands of people most vulnerable to it and instead, focus on getting them help.” “Colorado tragically has one of the highest rates of suicide in the country, with a particularly alarming high number of suicide deaths among Colorado’s youth,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Denver. “In recent years, we have seen a disturbing trend where people struggling with suicidal ideation and seeking help online are winding up in a web-based wasteland that offers advice on “how to” take one’s own life. This new law will restrict the availability of the extremely potent sodium nitrite chemical and appropriately highlight its lethality so that we can restrict this means of suicide and save lives.” 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, R-Montrose, and Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, prohibits the sale or transfer of products containing 10 percent or greater sodium nitrite to individuals. It can still be sold to businesses, though sellers will now be required to verify that businesses require the product before a transaction can be made, and records of sales or transfers must be kept for three years. Violators will see $10,000 in civil penalties for a first violation, with up to $1 million for a second violation. Previous Next

The House today passed a bill that aims to improve perinatal health outcomes, especially in Black and historically marginalized communities. < Back May 4, 2024 Bill to Improve Black Maternal Health Care Coverage, Improve Birth Outcomes Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed a bill that aims to improve perinatal health outcomes, especially in Black and historically marginalized communities. SB24-175, sponsored by Representatives Barbara McLachlan and Iman Jodeh, would require large employers to cover doula services. “Addressing the access gap in health care coverage is the first step we can take to reduce our country’s maternal mortality rate, which is far too high and disproportionately high for Black, American Indian and rural mothers,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “To improve health outcomes for expecting mothers, including those in rural and remote areas, we need to ensure they have access to a range of perinatal care and that it’s covered by their insurance.I’m proud to sponsor this bill to keep expecting mothers and their newborns safe.” “As a new mother myself, I want the best possible outcomes for all expecting mothers. Yet, our country’s maternal mortality rate reflects a different reality, especially for Black mothers,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh. “This bill works to combat the maternal mortality rate by encouraging hospitals to focus on improving their maternal or infant health outcomes, expanding insurance coverage for doula services and improving health equity training for birthing health care providers.” SB24-175 , passed the House by a vote of 49 to 11, would require large employer health benefit plans to cover doula services in alignment with Medicaid. The bill would also instruct hospitals that provide labor and delivery or neonatal care services to participate in at least one maternal or infant health quality improvement initiative. Under this bill, CDPHE would create a program that provides financial support to hospitals in rural areas, hospitals serving a higher percentage of Medicaid and uninsured patients, or hospitals with lower-acuity maternal and neonatal care. The department is directed to health outcome and disparity data, particularly among American Indian, Native Alaskan, and Black birthing populations. Lastly, the bill requires coverage of over-the-counter and prescribed choline supplements for pregnant people. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. According to the CDC, multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as variation in quality of and access to health care, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias. SB24-175 intends to address systemic racism in health care and develop better care for historically marginalized communities. Previous Next

< Back April 22, 2021 HEROD, GONZALES-GUTIERREZ CLARIFY AND STRENGTHEN HISTORIC POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY LAW DENVER, CO– The House Judiciary Committee today advanced Reps. Leslie Herod and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez’s bill to clarify and strengthen certain provisions of SB20-217, the sweeping police accountability reform bill signed into law last year. The bill passed by a vote of 7-4. “Last year, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and our community’s demands for action, Colorado led the nation by passing a first-of-its-kind bill to end qualified immunity and boldly reform how law enforcement polices our communities,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “Now, one day after a Minneapolis jury found Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts, we’re making improvements to strengthen the law and ensure it is being implemented the way the legislature intended. No single policy or court decision will erase centuries of injustice. Our work must go on.” “Passing SB20-217 last year was a historic step toward ensuring transparency, integrity and accountability for Colorado’s law enforcement,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales Gutierrez, D-Denver . “In the nine months since the bill became law, we have engaged with our communities on the law’s implementation and found opportunities to clarify language to ensure it is meeting our goals. The work of protecting Black and Brown lives and ensuring law enforcement guarantees justice for all is not a ‘one-and-done’ affair. It requires constant action, upkeep and follow-through.” HB21-1250 makes changes to the provisions of law enacted by SB20-217 to provide clarity and strengthen the progress made to date on its implementation. The bill clarifies requirements related to the instances when body-worn cameras must be operating to include welfare checks. It directs the Division of Criminal Justice to create a single form to streamline the reporting requirements for peace officers, which will now include whether an ambulance was called to the scene of an incident, whether there was a forcible entry into a residence, and the number of officer-involved civilian deaths. Among other provisions, HB21-1250 requires the use of de-escalation techniques prior to the use of physical force and includes a more robust use of force provision informed by nationwide conversations about the modernization of policing that have occurred over the last year. It explicitly outlines a peace officer’s due process rights and allows an administrative law judge to participate in an investigation. The bill defines what it means for a peace officer to be exonerated from a charge of misconduct. It extends the elimination of qualified immunity to the Colorado State Patrol and it prohibits employers from preemptively determining whether a peace officer acted in good faith before such action in question even occurred, closing a loophole in the current law that was taken advantage of by the city of Greenwood Village last year. Previous Next

HB25-1149 standardizes Black American history taught in Colorado’s public schools < Back June 3, 2025 Signed! New Law Establishes Statewide Black History Education Standards DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed into law legislation to establish statewide Black history education standards in Colorado’s public K-12 schools. HB25-1149 , sponsored by Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs, and Senator Tony Exum, Sr., D-Colorado Springs, requires the Colorado Department of Education to develop a standard K-12 curriculum for Black history and cultural studies with support from a 17-member advisory committee. “Black history is American history, and without a Comprehensive Black history curriculum in our public schools, students aren’t receiving the full scope of achievements and contributions of Black Americans,” said English. “We can help our students achieve a well-rounded education by developing and standardizing a comprehensive Black history curriculum in Colorado’s public schools. From politics to engineering, Black Americans’ contributions to society are vast. Our law helps ensure that students learn about the influential Black leaders who changed the course of history and our nation.” “Here in Colorado, we understand the importance of teaching a full, honest history – one that recognizes the achievements, contributions, and experiences of Black Americans,” said Exum. “Implementing a standardized Black history curriculum in our public schools ensures that students of all races and backgrounds receive a more complete education that prepares them to be informed, engaged citizens and honors the extensive contributions of Black Americans in shaping our state and nation.” Once approved by the Colorado Board of Education, public K-12 schools will have to adopt the new Black history education standards into their curriculum as part of the state’s social studies standards revision cycle, which concludes in 2028. Previous Next

< Back April 8, 2022 JOINT RELEASE: GOVERNOR SIGNS BILLS TO PREVENT CRIME, IMPROVE MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law that will prevent crime and improve missing persons investigations. “The legislation signed today will make our communities safer by ensuring that law enforcement has the tools they need to charge suspects in possession of a weapon who were already convicted for a prior offense,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora. “This bipartisan law, drafted based on recommendations by the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, will ensure consequences for people illegally possessing firearms – a commonsense way to prevent gun violence.” “I am proud of the broad, bipartisan stakeholder work that went into crafting last year’s effort to reform misdemeanor sentencing laws, and today, we continue to build on that success by enacting additional bipartisan legislation which clarifies and strengthens provisions of last year’s reform,” said Senator Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. “Today’s bills signed into law will ensure that individuals who threaten public safety while committing the felony act of possession of a weapon by a previous offender will, upon conviction, face mandatory prison time. Our efforts will lead to safer communities by ensuring clarity in our sentencing statutes, and I am grateful that Governor Polis signed them both into law today.” HB22-1257 , sponsored by Representatives Mike Weissman and Matt Soper and Senators Julie Gonzales and Bob Gardner, was developed from recommendations of the bipartisan Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), which includes representation from law enforcement and district attorneys .The commission approved the recommendations with no opposition . The law would update SB21-271, which passed the Senate unanimously last year. SB21-271, which was also developed from CCJJ recommendations, realigned the misdemeanor sentencing grid to better match sentencing guidelines to specific crimes. HB22-1257 will make communities safer by expanding the types of prior offenses that would lead to someone being charged with the crime of “possession of a weapon by person with a prior offense” (POWPO). Republicans in the House largely opposed adding additional prior offenses to the list on the grounds that it would restrict the rights of felons to possess a firearm. “The first hours after someone goes missing are the most crucial, but too often those precious hours are squandered, and that needs to change,” said Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. “This bill will address those inadequacies and ensure that missing persons reports are taken seriously and responded to promptly. Streamlining our state investigation practices improves the chances of finding missing people, especially missing Indigenous women and women of color, and reuniting them with their families.” “SB22-095 will strengthen our state’s response to missing persons reports and ensure that Colorado promptly initiates investigations and responds when someone is reported missing,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “Investigations into missing Indigienous women and women of color must be initiated promptly every time, regardless of where in Colorado the person went missing or was last seen. I’m proud the governor has signed this important legislation into law.” “Every single missing person report filed in Colorado needs to be acted on quickly, and investigated with care,” said Senator Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City. “Unfortunately, far too many missing persons cases have been stymied by a broken set of rules that pick and choose which reports receive the level of care everyone deserves. Senate Bill 95 eliminates those barriers and increases the chances of reuniting missing people with their loved ones.” “This law will make Colorado’s law enforcement departments more effective by better coordinating missing persons reports, no matter where they are filed or where in Colorado the person went missing,” said Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “Too many missing women, especially woman of color, and their loved ones are still seeking justice because their cases are underreported and under investigated. This law will streamline the process to initiate an investigation to ensure departments are communicating with each other and the Colorado Bureau of Investigations to locate missing persons.” SB22-095 , sponsored by Senators Rhonda Fields and Dominic Moreno and Representatives Gonzales-Gutierrez and Bacon, would improve missing persons investigations by clarifying when Colorado law enforcement departments must accept a missing persons report. Under current law, departments are required to accept a report submitted in person if the missing person resides in the agency’s jurisdiction or was last believed to be in the agency’s jurisdiction. The bill expands this requirement to include missing persons who are Colorado residents or were last believed to be in Colorado. It also requires reports to be accepted if they are submitted over the phone or electronically. If the missing person is an adult, the agency must notify the Colorado Bureau of Investigation within eight hours (down from 24 hours), and if the missing person is a child, the agency must notify CBI within 2 hours. Previous Next

< Back Monica Duran Majority Leader Representative Monica Duran is House Majority Leader and represents House District 23,of Lakewood, Lakeside, Applewood, and Mountain View. Previously House Co-Whip, Majority Leader Duran fights to ensure that our most vulnerable do not slip through the cracks. As a survivor of domestic violence, she has championed legislation related to domestic violence, animal welfare, and supporting working families. She has led legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to reduce gun violence in our communities in addition to legislation to improve wages for home care workers, support survivors of crime and violence and protect children.

Today, Governor Polis signed into law landmark legislation to save Coloradans money on their energy bills and improve pricing stability to prevent unpredictable rate spikes. < Back May 11, 2023 Signed! Landmark Legislation to Improve Accountability & Transparency for Utilities, Save People Money on Energy Bills Becomes Law BOULDER, CO – Today, Governor Polis signed into law landmark legislation to save Coloradans money on their energy bills and improve pricing stability to prevent unpredictable rate spikes. SB23-291, sponsored by Democratic members of the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, Senator Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, and Reps. Chris deGruy Kennedy, D-Lakewood, and Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, presents a package of reforms to lower utility bills now and in the future. The bill rebalances the kind of expenses paid by utility shareholders versus ratepayers, aligns incentives on fuel purchasing, and levels the playing field at Public Utilities Commission (PUC) proceedings, where costly infrastructure plans are proposed and approved. SB23-291 limits utility expenses that can be paid by ratepayers, such as lobbying and advertising, which are more appropriately paid by company shareholders. It also creates a cost-sharing mechanism to incentivize utilities to save their customers money on fuel costs, and allows the PUC to set a maximum monthly fuel cost to smooth out monthly bills and avoid sudden sharp increases. “Colorado families were hit hard this winter by unexpected and severe price shocks, which is why we convened the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates to investigate the causes and find solutions,” Joint Select Committee Chair Fenberg said. “The legislation signed by Governor Polis today improves transparency and holds utilities more accountable to the ratepayers they serve while better aligning utility companies’ and Coloradans’ interests and expectations about their energy service. I’m excited to see many months of work result in policy that will help save Coloradans money on their energy bills and make much needed improvements to the way utilities are regulated in Colorado.” “Coloradans are counting on us to address rising and erratic utility costs, and we’re proud to move forward with this solution,” said Joint Select Committee Vice Chair deGruy Kennedy. “This important law sets in motion both short and long-term, cost-saving solutions that increase transparency and accountability to protect Coloradans from rate spikes that leave them choosing between heating their home and putting food on the table while utilities rake in record profits. It also rebalances the relationship between ratepayers and utility companies so Coloradans aren’t subsidizing lobbying, advertising and other expenses that utilities pass on to consumers.” “The Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates was hard at work this session searching for answers and working to save people money on their energy bills,” said Cutter. “One thing quickly became clear, Coloradans are bearing the brunt of volatile rate increases while utility companies are empowered to set their own rules. This important legislation will help level the playing field at the PUC and create fairer processes in utility rate setting that will impact Coloradans today and for generations to come.” “With this law, Colorado’s ratepayers are now front and center as we implement new ways to improve utility company transparency and accountability,” said Martinez. “For months, we’ve listened to consumer advocates, policy experts, utility companies and everyday Coloradans as we worked to find solutions to high, unpredictable utility bills that left many families struggling to heat their homes. I am proud to say this important law provides cost-saving solutions and protects Colordans from future drastic price hikes.” Additionally, the bill requires utilities to report more detailed justification for their plans when they request a rate increase, which will help regulators and consumer advocates evaluate whether proposed investments are truly in the public interest. In addition, the bill empowers the PUC to reduce utilities’ ability to charge their consumers for expensive consultants and lawyers that argue on behalf of rate increases. Convened in response to recent spikes in energy prices by Senate President Fenberg and House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates worked to better understand issues such as the impact of volatility in natural gas markets, the frequency and justification for rate increases sought by utilities, and other relevant factors. Previous Next

< Back May 11, 2021 JODEH CONTINUES EFFORTS TO ADVANCE HEALTH CARE EQUITY House gives preliminary approval to Reps. Jodeh’s bill to protect the lowest income Coloradans from predatory medical debt collection and help them obtain necessary emergency medical care DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Rep. Iman Jodeh’s bill to take several steps to help low income and uninsured Coloradans access the emergency health care they need. The bill passed on second reading. “No Coloradan should go bankrupt because of the cost of medical care,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora . “15 percent of all Coloradans and 1 in 4 Coloradans from communities of color are struggling with medical debt in collections, which can have devastating long-term impacts on the financial well-being of a family. We can’t accept the status quo of Black, Brown and low-income families being held back for generations because of crippling medical debt. We need affordable care and greater patient protections in the billing process now .” HB21-1198 makes several improvements to Colorado’s Hospital Financial Assistance Law to ensure hospitals screen patients for potential financial assistance through a variety of programs, make it more difficult for a patient to be sent to collection actions, and sets an enforceable standard for discounted care. The bill will crack down on predatory billing practices, help low-income Coloradans avoid crippling medical debt, and ensure all patients have access to information about their rights when accessing emergency care. Previous Next