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< Back December 21, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY DELAYS 2021 SESSION  DENVER, CO — House and Senate Democratic leadership today announced a plan for the beginning of the First Regular Session of the Seventy-third General Assembly. The General Assembly will convene on January 13 and meet for as little time as is necessary to address urgent business and attend to certain constitutional and statutory obligations such as swearing in new members. The General Assembly will then go into a temporary recess, with the aim of returning to the Capitol tentatively on February 16 to continue the legislative session when the peak of the pandemic will hopefully have subsided. However, if an emergency arises that requires immediate legislative attention, the General Assembly maintains its commitment to responding with resolve in whatever format deemed necessary, including temporarily coming back into session to pass urgent legislation. After making this announcement, Democratic leadership released the following statements: “From the very beginning, we’ve worked hard to find ways to protect the health and safety of the public, legislative staff, and lawmakers while allowing for public participation,” said Speaker-designate Alec Garnett, D-Denver . “Recessing until mid-February will place us farther out from the holiday spike in COVID cases and will allow the bulk of our legislative work to take place when we hope it is safer and more Coloradans will have received the COVID vaccine. We’ll continue to look at the data and listen to public health experts to guide our decisions. When we return, we’ll take up the people’s work and pass laws to build back a stronger Colorado.” “It is extremely important that as we navigate returning for legislative session, we weigh the safety concerns for people’s health alongside the many changing factors that will guide our decision making,” said Senate President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo . “Last month, with a great deal of planning and coordination, we were able to convene a highly-effective special session aimed at alleviating Colorado’s most immediate needs going into the winter season. Now as we approach our regular session, we are committed to acting with the same precision and forethought – diligently prioritizing what matters most to our state and completing mission critical work before temporarily exiting the building. That’s why we have decided to delay our official legislative session until safer conditions in the state become more clear.” “With the first vaccines being distributed in our state, the end of this pandemic is finally in sight– but it’s time for Colorado to be more vigilant, not less,” said House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo . “Delaying our legislative session is a responsible and science-driven choice that will protect the health and safety of the public while ensuring that we’ll be able to get our work done on behalf of the people of Colorado. This pandemic has exposed and heightened many existing inequities in our economy, and we’ll come back in February ready to work towards ensuring every Coloradan has a fair shot at success.” “The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines are currently being administered in Colorado, which is promising news for the future, but the pandemic is far from over,” said Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder . “As our state works to administer the vaccine over the next several months, we must remain cautious and do everything we can to limit large gatherings and potential super spreader events. With that in mind, we have decided that the most responsible way to ensure the health of the public as well as our legislative staff is to delay session until we can more safely reconvene. We will continue to closely monitor public health data in the coming weeks and months as we eagerly await our return to the Capitol. In the meantime, we are firmly committed to crafting the most effective legislation we can to support hardworking Coloradans in their recovery.” On January 13, space inside the Capitol will be limited to ensure social distancing. Most ceremonial activities will be postponed to a later date, and few guests are expected in the building. Earlier this year, the Colorado Supreme Court agreed with the General Assembly’s position that Joint Rule 44 allows the legislature to pause its work during a declared public health emergency and return at a later date without those days during the recess counting towards the 120-day limit. While the General Assembly is in a temporary recess, the Joint Budget Committee will continue to meet, with virtual participation continuing for those hearings. Additional year-round committees may also meet during this time. Given the new timeline, deadlines for members to finalize and introduce their bills will be pushed back. Previous Next

< Back June 30, 2020 PUBLIC HEALTH AND AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT BILL SIGNED INTO LAW BROOMFIELD, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed Representative Dominique Jackson and Yadira Caraveo’s bill to improve air quality and protect public health into law. “Focusing on Colorado’s air quality is about more than protecting the environment, it’s about improving public health at a time when respiratory threats are at an all time high,” said Rep. Caraveo, D-Thornton. “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, I saw the dire public health consequences of poor air quality up close and personal in my pediatric clinic. This bill takes important steps towards cleaning up our air and protecting the health and wellbeing of all Coloradans.” “This bill represents one of several bold, concrete steps the legislature took this year to improve the quality of the air we breathe and to protect public health,” said Rep. Jackson, D-Aurora. “While the dire effects of climate change become more apparent every day, and this pandemic rages on, it’s more important than ever to ensure we are meeting air quality standards and enforcing regulations here in Colorado.” SB20-204 will protect Colorado’s public health and air quality by ensuring that environmental regulations are enforced and working to bring our state into compliance with federal ozone standards. It creates the TABOR-exempt Air Quality Control Enterprise in the Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The Enterprise would conduct air quality monitoring, assessment, data analysis and research and report on it to the General Assembly to promote science-based air quality policy. Governor Polis also signed HB20-1155 into law, Representative Alex Valdez and Mike Weissman’s bill to give home buyers more options with regards to energy efficiency products and infrastructure in new homes, such as electric vehicle charging, electric water heating and solar panel systems. Previous Next

< Back April 12, 2023 Housing Protections for Victims of Wildfires and Natural Disasters Advance in House DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed bills to expand reverse mortgage protections and strengthen minimum housing standards for tenants after a natural disaster. Both bills passed by a vote of 9-4. “Wildfires, floods and other natural disasters have devastated communities throughout Colorado, including mine, leaving many to continue to struggle financially or suffer from negative health outcomes from the aftermath,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, sponsor of HB23-1266 and HB23-1254. “These two bills expand tools that help homeowners rebuild after substantial damage and protect renters from having to endure living conditions that may cause short or long-term health issues due to damage stemming from a natural disaster. The last thing anyone should be worrying about when their community has been damaged in a wildfire is the long-term financial and health impacts.” “After a devastating natural disaster, our vulnerable communities need extra protections to help them repair,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB23-1266. “Seniors who have relied on reverse mortgages to afford everyday necessities shouldn’t be made financially unstable by a natural disaster outside of their control. Our bill creates a residency exception so seniors aren’t forced to live in an unsafe environment simply because they’ve taken out a reverse mortgage.” Reverse mortgages allow older homeowners to borrow from the equity of their home. Under current law, reverse mortgages may become due and payable if the homeowner does not reside in the home they are borrowing money from as a principal residence, with an exception for temporary absences up to one year.. HB23-1266 would create another exception to the residency requirement for homeowners when their property is uninhabitable due to a natural disaster or another major incident outside the control of the homeowner. This exception would allow a homeowner who is engaged in repairing the home and plans on reoccupying, listing for sale, or selling the house to live elsewhere for up to five years. “This law will better protect renters who end up living in a unit that causes negative health impacts due to wildfire damage or other environmental disasters,” said Rep. Javier Mabrey, D-Denver, sponsor of HB23-1254. “Renters should be empowered to raise issues in their home that impact their health and safety without fear of retaliation, this bill provides that peace of mind.” Colorado’s “Warranty of Habitability” law requires a landlord to maintain their property to a standard that is considered safe and fit for habitation. A report conducted after the Marshall Fire called for the General Assembly to pass legislation to increase the standards to protect Colorado renters from unsafe living conditions. HB23-1254 bolsters renter protections in the state’s warranty of habitability by adding damage due to an environmental public health event to the list of conditions that make a property uninhabitable. It would also add additional protections for members of a vulnerable population, including allowing a tenant to terminate their lease if certain conditions are met. The bill also prevents a landlord from retaliating against a renter that makes a complaint about the living conditions. Previous Next

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

< Back May 6, 2024 Bill to Improve Gig Worker Rights, Boost Transparency Passes House DENVER, CO – The House today passed legislation sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Naquetta Ricks that would improve flexibility, fairness, safety, and transparency for gig transportation network company (TNC) workers and consumers. SB24-075 passed by a vote of 43-19. “Gig workers deserve to know how much they will get paid before they accept a job, and this bill will give them better clarity so they can make informed workplace decisions,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “This bill improves gig workers’ rights while providing much-needed transparency to consumers so they know what their money is paying for.” “The gig economy has exploded in recent years, and we must address the lack of worker protections and consumer transparency to ensure fair wages and autonomy,” said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora. “This bill aims to address these issues by requiring companies to disclose the distance, direction, and fare of a ride to drivers before they accept it and share fare information with customers so they know how much of their rideshare is going to their driver. Without this information, drivers and customers are left in the dark and are vulnerable to being over-charged or underpaid.” Gig work has risen over the last decade, but many workers struggle to make ends meet or plan for their financial future due to the volatile nature of their earnings and unjust terminations. SB24-075 would address a number of issues gig workers and consumers face by requiring the following: Companies must disclose terms and grounds for termination or deactivation of drivers and communicate their reconsideration process; Companies must disclose the fare, distance, and direction to all drivers before they accept a ride, which can prevent last-minute ride cancellations initiated by drivers; Companies must disclose fare information to customers, including the total amount paid and how much of that the driver received; and Companies must disclose some ride and app activity-related information to the state of Colorado, such as total mileage driven, deactivations and reconsideration results, and more. The bill aims to provide TNC drivers with transparent information about tasks and earnings, and customers with the information needed to make decisions about how much to tip. Additionally, the bill would protect drivers by giving them a basic level of transparency about how deactivations are considered and can be appealed. Previous Next

< Back May 11, 2023 SIGNED! Brown’s Bill to Streamline Clean, Solar Energy Projects BOULDER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation to make it faster, easier and less expensive for local governments to approve solar installation projects. This law, sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Matt Soper, helps local governments implement free automated permitting and inspection software by establishing a grant program to offer one-time financial assistance. “With this law, it will be easier and cheaper for Coloradans to transition to solar energy and take climate action,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville . “Permitting can be a huge barrier to bringing new solar energy sources online, and this legislation speeds up the permitting process, so more Coloradans can begin powering their homes with clean, renewable energy. Streamlining this permitting process saves local governments and their residents time and money, cuts bureaucratic red tape and boosts the transition to renewable energy.” HB23-1234 , establishes the Streamlined Solar Permitting and Inspection Grant Program to assist local governments with the start-up costs associated with implementing free automated permitting and inspection software. This program would offer one-time financial assistance to implement the software, helping local governments to review and approve residential solar projects faster. Automating the permit and inspection process will reduce costs for consumers and local governments and accelerate Colorado’s transition to clean energy. Previous Next

< Back May 19, 2021 HOUSE ADVANCES ESGAR’S BIPARTISAN BILL TO INVEST IN COAL TRANSITION COMMUNITIES Majority Leader Esgar’s bipartisan bill to support coal workers and communities passes House on Second Reading DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Majority Leader Daneya Esgar’s bill to invest millions into helping communities transition. This bill is part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus , a package of legislation that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. The bill passed on Second Reading. “Coal-dependent economies in Pueblo and across the state are going through major growing pains as our economy moves toward renewable energy, and I’m determined to provide workers and their communities with the support they need to transition and thrive,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This major investment in the Office of Just Transition will make a substantial difference for affected workers and communities like mine. I’m proud of the colleagues who have worked with us to support this office and our communities, and I hope others will join us soon.” The Office of Just Transition was created by the legislature in 2019 to support coal workers, employers, and communities as they plan for the future closings of coal plants and mines upon which their communities depend. As market shifts, consumer choices and environmental policies move our state toward renewable energy, the Office and the Just Transition Action Plan were created to ensure a smooth adjustment for our coal transition communities . HB21-1290 , also sponsored by Rep. Perry Will, R-New Castle, would invest $15 million of state stimulus funds into the Office of Just Transition. Of that amount $8 million will go to the Just Transition Cash Fund and $7 million to the newly created Coal Transition Worker Assistance Program account within the fund. The bill requires the Office of Just Transition to use these funds to implement the Just Transition Action Plan and provide funding for existing programs that make targeted economic development investments in coal transition communities for business retention, creation, expansion and attraction; infrastructure investments; and strategies for attracting increased investment in these communities. In turn, the Coal Transition Worker Assistance Program’s share of the funding will be allocated to programs that directly assist coal transition workers, including apprenticeship programs, financial planning support, tuition reimbursements, job search assistance, on the job training, or other strategies to help workers transition to as prosperous a future as possible. Previous Next

< Back March 12, 2024 Legislation to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Address Disparity of Care for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Passes Committee DENVER, CO - The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Lorena Garcia and Iman Jodeh to improve maternal health care in Colorado. HB24-1262 includes modifying the midwife licensure process and creating a new professional title, collecting more data on mistreatment during the perinatal period, and requiring advance notice to a patient when a facility reduces or ends maternal health care services. The bill passed by a vote of 11-0. “Our country is in a maternal health crisis and we need to focus on expanding care options and identifying causes of maternal mortality and mistreatment to better protect the health of our Colorado families,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County. “A report found that 89 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in Colorado were preventable, and this is especially true for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Our legislation works to increase access to maternal care, including midwives, to provide trauma-informed care, safe transitions, and other wraparound services so pregnant Coloradans can receive the care they need.” “As a new mom, I know how important it is to have quality health care providers by your side that will advocate for the best health outcomes for you and your baby,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “Families should have the freedom to choose a health care provider that best fits their needs, especially for the Black and Indigenous Coloradans that are two to three times as likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth. This bill will help improve Coloradans’ access to life-saving health care to keep Colorado families safe and healthy.” Starting September 1, 2024, HB24-1262 would require any individual who practices certified professional midwifery to have a valid license. The bill would update the title of “direct-entry midwives” to “certified professional midwives” (CPMs) and change the regulation from registration to licensure. The licensure process includes passing an exam, graduating from an accredited midwifery education program, holding a CPM credential from the North American Registry of Midwives, being certified by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross to perform adult and infant CPR, or having an equivalent education that is approved by the director of the Division of Professions and Occupations. The bill would also: Provide more direction to the Civil Rights Commission on how to collect reports of mistreatment in maternity care to help identify ways to address prenatal mistreatment and discrimination, Create an advisory panel to provide recommendations on disciplinary actions against CPMs, Add a midwife who is practicing in a freestanding birth center, in a rural area, or as a home birth provider to the Environmental Justice Advisory Board, Require a health care facility that provides maternal health care services to provide notice at least 90 days before the reduction or end of these services, Require the Colorado Maternal Mortality Prevention Program to study closures and availability of perinatal health care, impacts on affected populations, and provide recommendations to the General Assembly, and Add pregnancy as a protected class for the purposes of discrimination in places of public accommodation. The Colorado Maternal Mortality Review Committee made recommendations to combat the maternal mortality crisis, including increasing access to varied health care like midwifery, addressing maternal health workforce shortages, and studying the impact of facility shortages on Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, rural, and immigrant and refugee communities. A 2022 report found that 38 percent of Colorado counties are a maternal health care desert, meaning they don’t have perinatal health care providers or birth centers. A 2023 report found that Black Coloradans are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or within one year postpartum, while Indigenous communities are three times as likely. Previous Next

< Back May 22, 2024 Governor Signs Bills that Revitalize Colorado’s Community Solar Program, Modernize Electric Grid Legislation aims to leverage hundreds of millions of federal dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act and position state to meet climate goals BOULDER, CO – Today, Governor Jared Polis signed two pieces of legislation that revitalize Colorado’s community solar program , set new standards for equitable clean energy policy, and modernize Colorado’s energy distribution systems. SB24-207 , sponsored by Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, and Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, as well as Representatives Alex Valdez, D-Denver, and Matt Soper, R-Delta, is a bipartisan law that will put Colorado in a strong position to leverage hundreds of millions of federal dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act to expand access to the clean energy transition, upgrade Colorado’s electric grid, and reduce energy costs. “Colorado has ambitious goals of rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, electricity generation, building heating and cooling, water heating, and industrial fuel uses,” said Fenberg. “Our bills remove barriers to renewable energy, so every Coloradan who wants to access clean energy will be able to do so at a cost that won’t break the bank. With unprecedented federal funding opportunities through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, now is the time to revitalize Colorado’s grid and solar programs to meet our climate goals.” “Colorado is committed to meeting our renewable energy goals, and this new law will make it easier for Coloradans to harness renewable energy power, no matter what their living situation is,” said Valdez. “This is an exciting bipartisan bill that allows Coloradans to utilize solar power even if they don’t have rooftop access of their own, saving them money and helping Colorado transition to green energy.” “After the major power outages at the beginning of April, it was clear that utilities need to do more to guarantee energy resiliency during extreme weather or natural disasters,” said Hansen. “We need a strong electricity system to make sure we can reduce emissions, lower consumer costs, and improve reliability. A part of this also includes making Colorado’s community solar program more accessible to lower-income individuals and renters. Together, these policies will support our transition to clean energy while saving folks money on their energy bills” Community solar projects generate electricity that flows directly to the electricity grid. Community solar subscribers pay for a share of the electricity generated by the project, and then receive bill savings on their electricity bill in the form of a monthly credit. Community solar paired with storage alleviates stress on the grid and avoids costly transmission system upgrades. Colorado was the first state in the nation to pass community solar legislation - however, only one percent of Xcel’s customers are able to participate in community solar due to the program’s outdated design and limited size. The law improves the future of community solar in Colorado by: Requiring investor-owned utilities to continue allowing for the development of community solar projects; Reserving at least 51 percent of community solar projects for income-qualified residential subscribers; Delivering income-qualified residential customers a 25 percent bill credit discount, which increases to up to 50 percent with federal tax credits; Adopting subscriber enrollment methods and consumer protections; and Giving the Public Utilities Commission discretionary authority to evaluate community solar program requirements in 2028 and beyond. In order to accomplish Colorado’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meet state and federal decarbonization targets, Colorado’s electric grid needs updating. The second law, SB24-218 , also sponsored by Fenberg and Hansen, as well as Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Representative Kyle Brown, D-Louisville, includes a suite of policy changes to modernize and prepare the electric grid for the future. Improving the distribution system helps communities and utility consumers electrify heating and cooling in buildings, accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and solar energy, and reduce air pollution. “Colorado Democrats are making significant progress on environmental protections, and this law helps our state prepare for more electrification,” said Duran. “It’s crucial that we continue our efforts to combat climate change, which is why we passed this law to better expand our capacity to distribute electricity, support our workers, and create jobs.” “Addressing the threats of climate change is a top priority of mine at the Capitol, and I am proud that our legislation is now Colorado law,” said Brown. “Renewable energy is on the rise, and we have to ensure our infrastructure is up-to-date to accommodate our new energy systems. This new law will boost our economy and modernize our electrical grid to ensure a safe and smooth transition to renewable energy.” Coloradans have faced delays when installing electric vehicle chargers or rooftop solar, and delays in meeting our larger transportation and building electrification goals will persist if the distribution system isn’t updated. The law directs investor-owned utilities with more than 500,000 customers (qualified utility) to modernize the electric grid to the benefit of customers and to achieve state energy goals by: Improving distribution system planning to ensure investments meet transportation and building electrification goals, support distributed energy resources, and prepare for a changing energy marketplace; Addressing the cost allocation for infrastructure upgrades to avoid one customer paying for the cost of a system upgrade that would support state electrification goals and benefit other customers; Providing a long-term structure for how utilities will recover costs for distribution system upgrades while maintaining rate stability; Making workforce investments to provide the skilled workforce required to achieve these infrastructure upgrades; Clarifying the process and timeline for accommodating beneficial electrification loads and connecting customer-sited distributed energy resources to the qualified utility electrical grid; Establishing a Virtual Power Plant program that can help save customers money by taking advantage of distributed energy resources; and Expanding the undergrounding of powerlines and other community benefit investments to avoid the risks of wildfires and power outages during severe weather events. 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< Back May 20, 2021 PASSED! NATURAL DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT DENVER, CO– The House today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Lisa Cutter and Perry Will that would create the Community Behavioral Health DIsaster Preparedness and Response Program to ensure mental health services are a component of the state’s natural disaster response planning. The vote was 43-20. “As the realities of climate change have worsened, Colorado has had to respond to too many devastating tragedies – wildfires, floods, droughts and mass shootings – that have left our communities reeling and our neighbors in need of immediate physical and mental health care,” said Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County. “By incorporating behavioral health into our state’s disaster response and preparedness plans, we can offer more of the services Coloradans impacted by disasters need during some of their most difficult moments. Connecting people with the services they need in the aftermath of a disaster can ensure that they have support in the long run to rebuild and recover.” HB21-1281 , sponsored by Representative Lisa Cutter and Perry Will, creates the Community Behavioral Health Disaster Preparedness and Response Program in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The program is intended to enhance, support, and formalize behavioral health disaster preparedness and response activities of community behavioral health organizations. Disaster behavioral health response differs from traditional psychotherapeutic interventions. The goal is to support normal behavioral functions and decrease stress, which allows for more normal brain activities, such as decision-making, problem solving, and cognitive processing. The intent of disaster response is to promote individual, family, and community resilience and it helps affected individuals return to a pre-disaster level of activity as quickly as possible. Disaster response methods include triage, basic support, psychological first aid, and making appropriate professional referrals in the community. Community mental health centers are already operating a number of programs that would fall within the scope of this fund, especially as they relate to COVID-19, but funding for these programs is fragmented and much of the federal funding is expected to discontinue. The bill would provide funding to community behavioral health organizations for the disaster response services they provide. Previous Next

< Back Lukens: Local Ideas Become 2024 Legisation Jan 25, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Steamboat Pilot & Today . On Jan. 10, we started our 120-day session at the Colorado State Capitol. Alongside my colleagues from both sides of the aisle and as a member of the Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee and Education Committee, I anticipate an exciting session as I bring forth initiatives that will revitalize the Western Slope that we call home. Economic prosperity I am pleased to announce that my priority bill to create jobs in rural Colorado — Reauthorization of Rural Jump-Start Program — was the first bill introduced in the entirety of the Colorado House of Representatives during the 2024 Legislative Session. While traveling throughout Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco and Eagle counties over the past year, I have heard from many constituents about the need to support our workforce. For us on the Western Slope, small businesses are vital to the economy of our towns, which is why I am passionate about passing the Rural Jump-Start Program to provide financial incentives to our small businesses. Another priority in the next 120 days is boosting and strengthening our workforce. To continue to increase industry and education collaboration and support the needs of employees, I am introducing a bill to continue investing into the Opportunity Now Program and establish a refundable tax credit. By solidifying the state’s investments into our local communities, we can sow the seeds of transformational change and help families regain their economic footing after the tumultuous last few years. Education and mental health In huge education-related news, the Governor’s budget request officially eliminates the Budget Stabilization Factor, which is a significant win for our students and educators. I look forward to the budget process during which school funding will be a priority. In my experience as a high school teacher and a lawmaker, I’ve noticed that students and teachers lack the resources to thrive both inside and outside the classroom. One of my favorite accomplishments in the past year was earning the Mental Health Legislator of the Year by Mental Health Colorado, and I’m proud to continue prioritizing mental health in schools through a few new bills. Teaching is not an easy job. The last thing our educators need is to feel unsafe in their own classrooms. Another piece of legislation I’m working on would create an Advisory Committee that focuses on reviewing and recommending safety improvements so that our kids and teachers can feel safe and welcome in their schools. Previous Next

< Back January 28, 2020 OIL AND GAS AND MINING OPERATORS UNDERREPORTING PRODUCTION, LIKELY NOT PAYING THEIR TAXES Audit reveals unacceptable levels of reporting noncompliance and millions in lost tax revenue and fines to the state and local governments DENVER, CO — The Joint Legislative Audit Committee today heard an audit of severance tax systems within the Departments of Revenue and the Department of Natural Resources, which shows unacceptable reporting noncompliance from oil and gas and mining operators that may have left state and local governments without millions in tax revenue. Severance taxes are meant to “recapture a portion of the wealth that is lost when nonrenewable natural resources are removed from the earth and sold for private profit.” These taxes are used to fund water infrastructure, local government projects, and a variety of conservation efforts. “This audit shows how oil and gas operators have failed to pay millions in tax revenue to the state, local governments, and their communities, all the while running expensive television ads to tout their contributions to the state,” said Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder). “We have one of the lowest severance tax rates in the nation and yet operators aren’t even paying what they owe. This highlights yet another aspect of the oil and gas industry that has gone unchecked for years, and we need a reliable reporting and compliance system so this industry can no longer skirt the system with impunity.” “This report is astounding and reveals years of noncompliance by oil and gas operators, potentially leading to millions of dollars in unreported production,” said Audit Committee vice-chair Rep. Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City). “This money is critical for local governments, and is intended to be used for infrastructure projects in communities impacted by the extraction industry. “I supported this audit because Coloradans and state agencies need to know how much oil and gas is being produced in our state, and it’s now crystal clear that oil and gas operators are failing to pay their taxes and report this information,” said committee member Rep. Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada). “I look forward to working with the Departments of Natural Resources, Revenue, and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to swiftly fix these extremely troubling issues and get the severance tax system in order.” The audit report found that the state is largely unaware of how much oil and gas is produced because operators have failed to report this information as required by law. As a result, the state has likely lost millions of dollars in severance taxes. Of the 420 operators that produced oil and gas in the state from 2016 to 2018, 316 of them submitted incomplete monthy well reports or failed to submit as many as 50,055 required monthly reports. If the maximum $200 per day fine was imposed for failing to report this information, the state would have collected as much as $308 million in fines from oil and gas operators for the violations over two years. Furthermore, only eight of 79 mine operators submitted production reports in 2017, and 73 percent of the operators in the report’s sample failed to submit Oil and Gas Withholding Statements, which are used to enforce severance tax compliance. After applying all applicable deductions and credits, the state’s effective severance tax rate is just .54 percent of gross revenue for oil and gas. This audit, although focused on 2016 through 2018, shows extensive and systemic failures on the part of industry to comply with state reporting and tax remittance requirements. Previous Next