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< Back February 6, 2023 Titone’s Right to Repair Agriculture Equipment Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee today passed legislation to save farmers and ranchers money and time on costly agricultural equipment repairs. “The livelihood of our farmers and ranchers are threatened by being forced to wait months and pay outrageous sums for equipment repairs because of our outdated repair laws,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “Right to repair gives farmers and ranchers the freedom to fix their own equipment in a timely manner, saving them money and getting them back to work faster. Agricultural equipment manufacturers shouldn’t be allowed to gatekeep parts, tools and information needed to repair farm equipment. This bill puts an end to this predatory practice.” HB23-1011 passed committee by a 9-4 vote and would require agricultural equipment manufacturers to comply with existing consumer right to repair laws. Specifically, agricultural equipment manufacturers would need to provide necessary parts, software, firmware, tools or documentation to independent repair providers and owners at a fair and reasonable price. Under this bill, agricultural equipment manufacturers or dealers selling on behalf of the manufacturer cannot upcharge for any repair items. This bill aims to save farmers and ranchers money on necessary equipment repairs while speeding up the repair process. Agriculture is one of the largest and leading industries in the state of Colorado. HB23-1011 is supported by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the Corn Growers, Wheat Growers, Wool Producers, Fruit and Vegetable Producers, the Cattleman, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Last year, Representatives Titone and Ortiz passed two trailblazing right to repair laws specifically for wheelchair users. These laws require wheelchair manufacturers to provide parts and software to consumers and eliminate the need for prior authorization to repair powered wheelchairs and other complex mobility devices for Medicaid recipients. These laws provided the framework for HB23-1011. Previous Next

< Back April 22, 2024 House Passes Bill to Address Long-Standing Environmental Injustices in Colorado DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation to help address some of the long-standing environmental injustices that have disproportionately impacted communities of color and low-income communities in Colorado. HB24-1338 passed by a vote of 43 to 18. HB24-1338 , sponsored by Representatives Manny Rutinel and Elizabeth Velasco, would direct the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to carry out recommendations from the Environmental Justice Action Task Force, created by HB21-1266 . “For nearly a year, the Environmental Justice Action Task Force met with community members and collected data-driven information to create a comprehensive checklist to clean up our air and support communities disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution,” said Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City. “This bill implements key task force recommendations, including increased oversight of known polluters, like refineries, and better response time to community complaints of air pollution. By diving deeper into the cumulative impacts of environmental injustice, we can create policy that addresses the pollution negatively affecting our neighbors of color and low-income neighbors.” “Poor air quality and other environmental factors can lead to breathing issues, such as asthma,” said Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs. “We owe it to our neighbors to implement the recommendations of the Environmental Justice Action Task Force to clean up our air, take air pollution complaints seriously and combat long-standing environmental injustices. Environmental justice is a statewide issue, and we all deserve access to clean air and water. Our bill implements the task force recommendations to help our neighbors most affected by poor air quality lead healthy lives.” HB24-1338 would authorize the CDPHE to carry out recommendations of the Environmental Justice Action Task Force and address long-standing environmental injustices. Specifically, this bill would: Increase oversight of petroleum refineries. The bill would fund the hiring of an expert in air pollution control for petroleum refineries. This expert would assess gaps in public health protections and identify the best regulatory tools to fill those gaps. The bill would also require refineries to provide near real-time emissions monitoring and compliance data. Improve response to air pollution complaints. The department’s Air Pollution Control Division would house a new rapid response inspection team to support quicker responses to air pollution complaints by impacted communities. Analyze the cumulative impacts of pollution . The bill would implement recommendations of the Environmental Justice Action Task Force by formally establishing and authorizing the creation of at least two Environmental Equity and Cumulative Impact Analyses to analyze the cumulative air, water, soil, and demographic impacts in specific disproportionately impacted communities. Founded in 2021 through HB21-1266, the Environmental Justice Action Task Force hosted several in-person meetings and gatherings with Coloradans in Commerce City, Grand Junction, Greeley, and Pueblo in addition to receiving more than 300 written comments and survey responses. The task force provided its final recommendations to Governor Polis, the legislature and the CDPHE in 2022. Previous Next

< Back March 3, 2022 BILL TO INCREASE FUNDING TO SCHOOL TO PREPARE AT-RISK STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS PASSES COMMITTEE DENVER, CO – The House Education Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod and Julie McCluskie to create a new method for identifying and serving at-risk students that will count more students as at-risk and direct additional resources to school districts that serve a high population of at-risk students. “Modernizing how Colorado identifies at-risk students is crucial to the success of our students, educators and schools,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “This bill creates a new formula for identifying at-risk students that goes beyond those eligible for free and reduced-price lunches to include neighborhood index and unhoused status, among other factors. We know when schools are provided with the proper funding, they can better serve our students. This bill would boost funding for school districts and help them prepare our students for success.” “We’re focused on finding new ways to identify and serve at-risk students in Colorado so we can prepare them for success,” said Rep. Julie McCluskie D-Dillion “Our legislation takes a modern approach to pinpointing at-risk students by considering multiple factors that can hinder their academic performance. With this information, we can work together with school districts and help them pave the way to better meet the needs of their students.” HB22-1202 which passed by a unanimous vote, would create a new method in the school finance formula to identify students who are at risk of below-average academic outcomes due to socioeconomic disadvantage or poverty. The new formula aims to better pinpoint at-risk students by considering multiple socioeconomic factors that affect them, including eligibility for free lunches, unhoused status and a neighborhood index status. 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 new 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

< Back April 1, 2022 BILL TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AND SAVE COLORADANS MONEY ON HEALTH CARE PASSES COMMITTEE DENVER, CO – The House Health & Insurance Committee today passed legislation to ramp up consumer protections for Coloradans that participate in health care cost sharing arrangements (HCSAs). HB22-1269, sponsored by Representative Susan Lontine, would require HCSAs to submit operating information to the Division of Insurance (DOI) to improve transparency. “This bill aims to improve consumer protections and save Coloradans money on health care,” said Susan Lontine D-Denver. “Right now, very little is known about how HSCAs operate in Colorado and that’s a huge problem for participating consumers all across the state. With routine data collection, we can improve transparency and ensure Coloradans are getting the health care coverage they enrolled in and paid for. HCSA’s are not insurance companies and Coloradans deserve to be protected from contract breaches, fraud and poor health care coverage.” HB22-1269 , passed the committee by a vote of 7 to 4 and would require HCSAs to submit some basic, routine information to the DOI about how they operate. The DOI would then make these comprehensive reports publicly available to improve transparency between health insurance organizations and Colorado consumers. This bill would also provide an avenue for consumers to submit complaints about HCSAs to the DOI. There is limited information on HSCAs including how many of them conduct business in Colorado, the number of consumers enrolled and how many of those consumers receive payouts for their health care costs. Making HSCAs operations information public will discourage misconduct, several notable and egregious instances of which have been documented across the country. The need for this bill stems from consumers signing up for HSCAs as a less expensive alternative to health insurance. However, consumers are often unaware of the full extent of their benefits and have been denied reimbursement or payments for their health care costs in arbitrary or capricious ways. Previous Next

< Back June 9, 2020 HOUSE PASSES SCHOOL FINANCE ACT AND BILL TO TEMPORARILY WAIVE STANDARDIZED TESTING REQUIREMENTS DENVER, CO — The House today passed HB20-1418 , the School Finance Act, sponsored by Speaker KC Becker by a vote of 39-23. “This is one of the most difficult years for education funding in our state’s history, but we did everything we could to prioritize K-12 as we worked to responsibly balance our budget,” said Speaker Becker, D-Boulder. “Our schools and teachers still face enormous challenges to meet the needs of our students. We need to find innovative solutions, like getting rid of outdated tax handouts, to protect K-12 funding in the future and begin to address the fundamental inequities in how our state funds public education.” HB20-1418 is the annual School Finance Act, which sets funding levels for all of Colorado’s school districts and charter schools. This year’s proposal shields K-12 from the worst of budget cuts, reducing funding for all districts by $377.6 million from the prior year amidst a $3 billion revenue shortfall. However, with $510 million in federal CARES Act funding and $37 million in additional federal funding for at-risk students intended to help address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, total school funding increases by at least $169 million overall. While the federal funds are not an offset for cuts due to the revenue shortfall, they go a long way to help schools minimize impacts during this unprecedented situation. The School Finance Act pulls funds from marijuana taxes, school capital construction, and various grant programs and cash funds in order to put dollars where they are most needed – core education funding. The bill also makes various changes to reflect COVID-19’s impacts to the school system. It delays the timeline for school districts to adopt their budgets, since the Long Bill was delayed. It also codifies the suspension of various accountability-related provisions to reflect the Governor’s executive orders and directs the Department of Education to convene a stakeholder group to assess the impact of the COVID pandemic on the 19-20 school year and whether additional changes to accountability systems are needed for the 20-21 school year. Another major provision in this year’s School Finance Act corrects an issue with how local school funding levels are set, which has contributed to the underfunding of our schools over the last 25 years. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled in Mesa v. State that local school funding is set incorrectly in many districts and violates our own statutes, due to districts lowering their mill levies contrary to voter approval. This School Finance Act corrects this violation without impacting anyone’s property taxes by restoring the mill levy in each district to the rate that was adopted by voters or up to a certain limit, and requires credits to offset any increases to property owners. The House also passed Rep. Cathy Kipp’s bill, HB20-1407 , by a vote of 61-0. The bill would respond to the challenges presented by COVID19 by temporarily giving publicly funded colleges and universities the option to waive standardized testing as a requirement for admission for high school students graduating in 2021. “The pandemic has disrupted life for our students as they work to complete their high school education and begin attending college,” said Rep Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “Many students weren’t able to take their standardized tests, so we are changing the requirements for public higher education institutions to allow them to consider other academic credentials, such as GPA and leadership positions when making admissions decisions.” Previous Next

< Back August 7, 2023 JOINT RELEASE: New Laws to Protect Workers from Harassment and Discrimination, Improve Equity in Colorado’s Justice System Go Into Effect New laws include updates to the POWR Act, alternative sentencing options for pregnant people and admissibility standards for youth interrogations DENVER, CO – Three new laws aimed at improving equity in workplaces and Colorado’s justice system take effect on August 7. “SB23-172 provides long overdue modifications to Colorado’s law that will improve accountability measures, create safer workspaces and allow workers to fight back against harassment and discrimination,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, sponsor of SB23-172, HB23-1187, and HB23-1042 . “Another new law I championed allows alternative sentencing options for pregnant people so they can focus on their health, the health of their child, and keeping their families united. Lastly, we know children and teens are very susceptible to deceptive law enforcement tactics. In order to keep our kids from having permanent records for crimes they didn’t commit, we passed legislation to make juvenile statements inadmissible in court if law enforcement uses untruthful practices during interrogation. Together, these laws work to create a more just society we can all benefit from.” “Every year, I work with my community to identify ways we can build a more just and equitable Colorado, and I fight hard to see those ideas become laws,” said Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, sponsor of SB23-172, HB23-1187, and HB23-1042. “There is more hard work ahead to ensure every single Coloradan is treated with dignity and respect, but today’s new laws bring us closer to our goal of a Colorado for all. This year, we can be proud of our efforts to protect Colorado workers from discrimination and harassment of all types, our policy to ensure pregnant Coloradans navigating the justice system are able to care for their newborn while remaining part of their community, and our new law to reduce false confessions from kids and ensure law enforcement is keeping our communities safe by finding the correct perpetrator of crimes.” “Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws needed to be revised to protect our workers, and this law does that and more to foster more equitable workspaces,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of SB23-172 . "No one should have to suffer workplace harassment because it doesn't align with a nearly 40-year old legal standard. The POWR Act modernizes the definition of workplace harassment and discrimination, so we can hold wrongdoers accountable thus creating safer and more productive workplaces in the process. If you’re earning a living, you should be able to do so in a space that’s free from harassment or discrimination, and this legislation puts policies that protect workers first.” “No Coloradan should face harassment or discrimination at the workplace, yet our state still lacks adequate policies to protect our workers and hold bad actors accountable,” said Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, sponsor of SB23-172. “This new law takes an important step forward in deterring bad behavior and better supporting survivors. By improving accountability measures and enhancing equity in the workplace, we will ensure that every Colorado worker can feel safe and secure on the job.” Beginning on August 7, the Protecting Opportunity & Workers’ Rights (POWR) Act ( SB23-172 ) will update the definition of harassment and specify that harassment does not need to be “severe or pervasive” to constitute a discriminatory or unfair practice. The law also deters future harassment by modernizing language around non-disclosure agreements, expanding protections for people with disabilities, and adding marital status as a protected class. The “severe or pervasive” standard was established by the U.S. Supreme Court more than three decades ago and assumes that some harassment is tolerable as long as it is not “severe” and does not happen frequently. It allows employers to tolerate a level of groping, touching, crude sexual or racist comments, and other offensive behavior that creates a toxic work environment and leaves employees as targets for offensive behavior. Eliminating the excessive “severe or pervasive” hostile work environment requirements and replacing them with clear standards for “harass” and “harassment” considers the totality of the circumstances, and allows survivors of discrimination and harassment to better pursue justice. The POWR Act also removes language in the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act that permitted employers to discriminate against people with disabilities or refuse to accommodate them if “the disability has a significant impact on the job." Additionally, it establishes an affirmative defense for an employer if the employer meets certain requirements, including establishing a harassment prevention program and taking prompt action in response to a complaint. “The stress of navigating the criminal justice system on top of a pregnancy can be overwhelming to future parents,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB23-1187 . “This law establishes dignity and respect for pregnant people, allowing alternative sentencing opportunities that keep families united and have the potential to reduce recidivism.” “As a mother I know firsthand how difficult it is to give birth - and adding the trauma of being separated from your newborn makes things even harder,” said Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB23-1187. “Keeping new families together will benefit both infants and parents while reducing the chances of future involvement in the justice system.” Beginning August 7, HB23-1187 allows courts to consider alternative sentencing options for anyone who is pregnant or in the postpartum period. Alternative sentencing options would include bail, diversion, deferred judgment, deferred sentence, and stay of execution. If a defendant is arrested or in custody at a county jail or correctional facility, the defendant may request a pregnancy test following admission to the county jail or correctional facility. Law enforcement would be required to provide the defendant with the pregnancy test within 24 hours after the request, and the request and results would be kept confidential. “As a criminal defense attorney, I see families on their worst days and know innocent kids' extreme distress when they’re accused of committing a crime,” said Rep. Said Sharbini, D-Brighton, sponsor of HB23-1042. “Our law requires juvenile interrogations to be recorded, which means judges can determine if untruthful practices were used in a juvenile’s confession. Weeding out false confessions shifts the focus from innocent people that can help track down the perpetrator and keep our communities safer.” HB23-1042 makes a juvenile’s statement inadmissible in court if a law enforcement official knowingly uses untruthful practices during a custodial interrogation, unless the prosecution can prove that the statement was made voluntarily despite the untruth. It requires an interrogation to be recorded and would allow a judge to use the recording to determine if the statement or admission is voluntary and admissible. While the law officially begins August 7, law enforcement departments have until February 2024 to complete officer training. Previous Next

< Back June 1, 2020 BLACK DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS AND COLORADO LATINO DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS JOINT STATEMENT ON THE POLICE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD For generations, Black Americans are harassed and killed by racist police officers and vigilantes, and every year communities cry out and voice concerns about the unjust treatment of people of color. When it comes to seeking justice, the motives of Black people are questioned, even during simple activities like taking a jog, watching TV in their own homes, or picking up trash around their front yard. Our criminal justice system gives the benefit of the doubt to those who have committed hate crimes, stolen lives and robbed families of their children, spouses, parents, and loved ones. The lack of accountability for the vast majority of perpetrators is rooted in the racist history of our country, including slavery, Jim Crow laws, and the suppression of voting and other civil rights. This legacy has had lingering and devastating impacts on Black communities and continues to cast Black individuals as not worthy of justice, of full protection by the law, or of basic civil rights. This has been seen once again in our nation through the brutal killing of George Floyd by an officer of the Minneapolis Police Department that knelt on his neck while Mr. Floyd gasps that he could not breathe. Witnesses called for the Officer to stop, but the officer ignored their pleas. The officer was then able to walk about freely and live his life for four days before he was charged and arrested. This is not what justice looks like. We the members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado and the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus jointly condemn the tragic killing of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement, and the slow response for justice in the arrest of the officer that took his life. This is a continuation of the systematic racism that has plagued our nation since its inception. This must come to an end. We continue to commit ourselves towards working together on solutions that bring equality and stops the fear, hurt, pain, and loss of life that minorities experience everyday because of the color of their skin. While this took place hundreds of miles away in another state, we recognize that hate takes place here too. In the most recent hate crimes report of statistics released by the FBI, there were “123 reported hate crimes in Colorado [in 2018] compared to 106 in 2017. Of those 123 incidents, 78 were based on race, ethnicity or national origin” ( Westword ). And with hate crimes on the rise, we also mourn all of the deaths of minority Coloradoans who lost their lives from the inexcusable actions of law enforcement like Elijah McClain, Marvin Booker, Michael Marshall, Jessie Hernandez, and De’Von Bailey to name a few. Our respective caucuses are deeply concerned by the increase in bigotry and racism not only across our country, but across Colorado. Just as Latinos and immigrants ask for support from all Coloradans against an increase in xenophobic and racist hate crimes, as the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, we call on Latinos and allies to show collective support and solidarity for the survivors of hate crimes and of police brutality. We mourn the senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless other Black individuals who do not feel safe simply being Black in public or at home. We applaud the recent arrests and investigations of alleged perpetrators of these hateful acts, but rue the fact that arrests and investigations only take place after gruesome video footage is released. A person’s murder should not have to be broadcast in order to achieve some semblance of justice. Furthermore we the members of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado call on the support of African Americans throughout Colorado to stand together for the multitude of families of those that have lost loved ones due to police brutality and hate crimes across this nation. They are our sons and daughters, they are brothers and sisters. Our lives and our liberties must not be stolen from us. We will not accept a double standard. We demand justice and equality. And in our call for justice we remind those that demonstrate their grief to do so in a manner that uplifts our united cause peacefully; our demands for justice must be justifiable in their own right. Our caucuses together ask that all Coloradans stand up against racism, speak up and report hate crimes in your communities, and support each other as neighbors, as communities, and as Coloradans to build a brighter, less fearful Colorado for our increasingly diverse children and future generations. Join us in putting in the effort to make Colorado more inclusive and welcoming for all people: the effort we put in today will save lives tomorrow. Black Democratic Legislative Caucus of Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod State Senator Rhonda Fields State Representative Janet Buckner State Representative James Coleman State Representative Tony Exum State Representative Dominique Jackson State Representative Jovan Melton State Senator Angela Williams Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus State Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez State Representative Monica Duran State Representative Adrienne Benavidez State Representative Alex Valdez State Representative Bri Buentello State Representative Yadira Caraveo State Representative Sonya Jaquez Lewis State Representative Donald Valdez State Representative Kerry Tipper State Senator Robert Rodriguez State Senator Julie Gonzales State Senator Leroy Garcia State Senator Dominick Moreno Previous Next

< Back February 28, 2024 Ricks Bill to Increase Price Transparency Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Business Affairs & Labor Committee today passed a bill sponsored by Representative Naquetta Ricks that would require companies to post the full price of a product, good, or service, including any mandatory fees, to improve price transparency for Colorado consumers. HB24-1151 passed by a vote of 7-3. “From ‘service fees’ to ‘processing fees’, last-minute fees for goods and services cost families over $3,000 per year, taking hard-earned money from Colorado families to boost corporate profits,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “These fees mislead consumers about the true price of a good or service, driving customers away from Colorado businesses that are honest about their prices. Our legislation would require businesses to include any mandatory fees when posting the price of their goods and services so Coloradans can compare prices and trust that the price they see is what they can expect to pay.” HB24-1151 would prohibit a company from advertising the price of certain products, goods, or services unless they disclose all of the mandatory or non-discretionary fees upfront. Violation of this law would be an unfair or deceptive trade practice subject to a fine for each violation. Greystar, the largest apartment management company in the U.S., was recently sued by a Colorado resident for charging hidden fees that were not included in the advertised monthly rental rate. The average American family reportedly spends over $3,200 per year on junk fees. Previous Next

< Back Andrew Boesenecker Speaker Pro Tempore Andy was elected via a vacancy committee to represent House District 53 in April of 2021. He was re-elected in November of 2022 and 2024 and is serving in his third term as the State Representative from House District 53. In addition to serving as the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House, he also serves on the following committees: Transportation, Housing, and Local Government Committee Appropriations Committee Audit Committee Health Insurance Exchange Oversight Committee Wildfire Matters Review Committee In his time in the legislature, Andy has prioritized legislation that reflects the values and concerns of our community. He has championed bills that address affordable housing, climate change, gun violence prevention, healthcare, transportation, public education, and more. In 2023, Andy was recognized by the Colorado Center on Law and Policy as the Legislative Champion of Economic Justice and Equity. Voces Unidas honored Andy with their 2023 Community Ally award, and Health Care for All Colorado recognized him as the 2023 Legislator of the Year. Andy also received the Community Investment Alliance's 2023 Political Impact Award and was recently honored as a Legislative Champion by Young Invincibles. Andy earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Western Michigan University in 2001 and a Master of Divinity Degree from the Iliff School of Theology in 2013. A former public school teacher in a Title I school, Andy has also worked in the non-profit sector. He was previously ordained as a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and worked to advance LGBTQ+ rights within the church. He lives in West Fort Collins with his spouse, Stacey, and their three children.

< Back March 3, 2023 House Passes Prescription Accessibility Bill DENVER, CO - The House today passed bipartisan legislation to improve patient access to necessary prescriptions by allowing for pharmacy dispensing machines so Coloradans can access their prescription outside of a pharmacy’s business hours. “Coloradans with long or untraditional working hours often struggle to access the prescription medication they need because their pharmacy’s hours often don't align with their work schedule,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City . “Pharmacist-monitored dispensing machines would help Coloradans across the state access the medication they need with a remote pharmacist to walk them through the details of their medication. This bill removes unnecessary barriers to improve access to the medication patients need.” HB23-1195 , sponsored by Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Rep. Matt Soper, passed by a vote of 58-4. It would allow pharmacies to operate automated prescription dispensing machines so patients could access their medication outside of regular pharmacy business hours. The machines would only be placed in pharmacy-licensed locations and would be live monitored to prevent theft. The medication would be stocked in the machine and patients would be able to discuss the prescription with a live remote pharmacist. Previous Next

< Back May 8, 2019 STATEMENT FROM HOUSE SPEAKER KC BECKER AND MAJORITY LEADER ALEC GARNETT ON THE HIGHLANDS RANCH SCHOOL SHOOTING (May 8) – House Speaker KC Becker and Majority Leader Alec Garnett issue a statement on the Highlands Ranch School Shooting: “Our hearts break for the victims of the shooting in Highlands Ranch and their families. We are thankful to our first responders but tragically, a life was lost and the lives of many of these children – some as young as five or six – will never be the same. We are still learning more about this situation but what we do know is that Coloradans should not be forced to live with this reality. Students should be concentrating on their education – not active shooter drills. Like many parents, we are deeply concerned about the lasting effects these violent and tragic events will have on our children, their classmates and our communities. And like many parents, we are heartbroken by once again having to talk to our children about mass shootings. Coloradans must refuse to live with the status quo. The state legislature has pursued solutions to gun violence and mental health and will continue to do so to address this crisis, but Washington must also step up to do its job to keep our communities safe.” Previous Next

< Back April 27, 2019 HOUSE APPROVES MULLICA BILL TO KEEP KIDS SAFE Colorado ranks last in kindergarten immunizations (Apr. 27) – The House gave final approval to Rep. Kyle Mullica’s bipartisan bill to address Colorado’s low vaccination rates. Higher vaccination rates decrease the risk of outbreaks of preventable contagious and deadly diseases. “We have an obligation to be proactive – not reactive. This is a public health crisis. Waiting for a tragedy to happen is not an option. This is about the safety of our students and experts have been consulted in crafting this important legislation. Colorado ranks last in the country for kindergarten immunizations. We need to do better.” said Rep. Mullica, D-Northglenn. “I urge the Senate to take up and pass this bill.” Rep. Mullica is a trained trauma nurse by profession. What HB19-1312 does: · Creates a standardized exemption form and requires all exemptions be submitted to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) or the local public health agency. Non-medical exemptions must be submitted in person to the CDPHE or local health agency; subsequent renewals can be submitted in person or online. · Directs CDPHE to include immunization exemption information in its annual presentation to the General Assembly. · Directs CDPHE to develop educational materials for health agencies and schools addressing the medical benefits of immunizations. · Gives the Board of Health authority to determine school-required immunizations, based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This bipartisan bill strengthens Colorado’s vaccination exemption process by incorporating strategies known to increase vaccination rates without removing personal or religious exemptions. During House debate on the bill earlier this week, Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the legislatures only doctor and the daughter of immigrant parents, refuted a statement from a House Republican alluding that the issue with low vaccination rates is not because parents are opting out of vaccinating their children, but rather that diseases are being spread by individuals who have immigrated to the United States. Colorado is seeing an increase in vaccine preventable diseases that are endangering public health. According to a recent report, Coloradans paid $55 million on childhood diseases that vaccinations could have prevented in 2017 alone. Medical experts testified at a House hearing earlier this month in support of this common-sense legislation. Public health and medical experts have raised serious concerns about Colorado’s low vaccination rate . Contagious disease outbreaks are happening around the country, most recently in Washington and New York states. According to the CDC, less than 89 percent of kindergarten-aged children in Colorado have received vaccines for diseases like measles, mumps and rubella. Colorado ranks last in country in this category. That’s below the national average of 94.3 percent and below the level of reaching “herd immunity,” the percentage of the population that needs to be vaccinated to avoid a widespread, public outbreak and protect those with compromised or vulnerable immune systems. Herd immunity is essential in protecting vulnerable people, including newborn babies, seniors and people living with ongoing medical issues. The Senate co-prime sponsors are Sen. Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, and Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. The bill passed the House Health and Insurance committee hearing by a vote of 7-4 on April 15. HB19-1312 was approved on a final vote of 39-20. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next