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< Back Rep. Barbara McLachlan: Bipartisanship Accomplishments May 13, 2022 See more The following op-ed was published in The Pagosa Daily Post. As we hit the 120th day of the 2022 session, I reflect on our accomplishments. After several nights working past midnight, then coming back to work early the next morning, survival right now feels like a major success. Some of our proudest bipartisan accomplishments include: Passing the School Finance Bill. It is a requirement every year, but this one felt great. It decreased the Budget Stabilization Factor by $182 million, which is now at its lowest amount since it started in 2009. Funding was raised on average $545 per student to a $9,559 per pupil total, and we paid our debt to Special Education. We know we have more to do, but we’re happy to keep this priority. Addressing the fentanyl crisis. Democrats and Republicans passed a bill with much tighter restrictions on drug possession. If a person is caught with more than 1 gram, they are now subject to a felony drug charge, but can turn that felony into a misdemeanor if they can prove they did not know any fentanyl existed. We appropriated money for test strips and lifesaving treatments, expanded addiction treatments in jails and added harsher punishment for dealers. The Senate and House agreed in a Conference Committee to pursue this strong, but compassionate language, and avoided unduly burdening the work of prosecutors and law enforcement. Supporting our county employees. Senate Bill 22-230, gives more than 36,000 workers the collective bargaining rights that private-sector and state employees in Colorado already have. Employees now have a seat at the table with Commissioners, and need to agree on their contract, giving them opportunities they did not have before. I ran one amendment exempting counties with populations fewer than 5,000 people, and voted to raise that number to 7,500. Lowering property taxes. With strong support, Senate Bill 22-238 passed, which will lower Colorado property taxes by $700 million over the next two years, saving the average homeowner $274 per year. The bill was crafted in response to several ballot measures which took much larger chunks out of the tax, but would have repercussions for the educators and local government employees who depend on it. Instead, this bill uses money from the general fund and TABOR surplus to save property owners money. Everyone who anticipated running ballot measures had to sign notarized documents saying they were standing down. Paying off a debt. Senate Bill 22-234 uses $600 million in federal pandemic relief funds to repay some of the money borrowed to support the unemployment insurance trust fund during the pandemic. This investment supports workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, saves lives and prevents an increase in fees to save businesses money. This is my last in-session column of the year. I thank our local newspapers for providing the platform to connect with constituents and appreciate the positive feedback I have received. Please keep in touch, as I look forward to our continued conversations and successes. Barbara McLachlan Previous Next

< Back April 22, 2021 SIGNED! BILLS TO CREATE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMIN. AND PREVENT SUICIDE DEATHS DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills into law that will expand access to behavioral and mental health services for Coloradans and reduce suicide deaths. “The tragedy and devastation of a suicide death or attempt is something that far too many Coloradans have endured,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “Today, we’re taking a great step forward with a comprehensive approach to reduce youth suicide deaths and ensure our communities have the resources they need in the aftermath of a suicide attempt to prevent future tragedies.” “Far too many of us have seen firsthand just how devastating and widespread the impact of a suicide can be on a community,” said Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail. “This bill empowers the Suicide Prevention Commission to proactively prevent, intervene, and react to suicide in Colorado by recognizing and addressing the full scope of the problem. We are meeting the moment with the urgency it requires and I’m proud to see the bill signed into law.” HB21-1119 , which is sponsored by Representatives Daugherty and Rich and Senators Donovan and Coram, expands the Crisis and Suicide Training Grant Program to include “‘train-the-trainer” programs at public schools and funds peer-to-peer specialist programs that help students support their classmates. The bill incorporates postvention and follow-up care into the state’s comprehensive suicide prevention approach to support individuals and communities in the aftermath of a suicide attempt. Importantly, CDPHE will update the department’s suicide prevention resources to include region-specific information for primary care providers on how to recognize and respond to suicidal patients, including information that can be shared with patients and information for health facilities to share upon a patient’s release. Research shows that people who have known someone who died by suicide were 1.6 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts, 2.9 times more likely to have a plan for suicide themselves, and 3.7 times more likely to have attempted suicide. Suicide has become a far more common cause of death among peace officers, medical professionals, and school-aged children. Children or adolescents who know about a friend’s suicide attempt are nearly twice as likely to attempt suicide themselves. “Too many Coloradans have suffered because our state has not addressed gaps in our behavioral health system that prevent people from accessing the care they need,” said Rep. Young, D-Greeley. “Today, Governor Polis signed legislation to create the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, bringing about critical reforms to address gaps and access challenges in our health system to ensure that Coloradans can get the mental health care services they need. This new administration will oversee and administer behavioral health programs in Colorado, creating a more comprehensive approach to connect services with those who need them.” “Mental and behavioral health is critical to Coloradans’ wellbeing, but too often it is treated as a luxury rather than a necessity – with prohibitive costs restricting access to those who need care the most,” said Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora. “HB-1097 sets the groundwork for a more connected, convenient mental health system in our state so that people can receive high-quality, professional help no matter their income level. I am incredibly proud to see this bill signed today and look forward to the difference it will make for our state.” HB21-1097 , sponsored by Representatives Young and Pelton and Senators Fields and Gardner, would create the Behavioral Health Administration to ensure that every Coloradan experiencing behavioral health needs has access to timely, high-quality services in their communities that they can afford. It tasks the Department of Human Services with creating a plan for a single state entity that would be responsible for administering and overseeing behavioral health programs in Colorado. Previous Next

< Back Rep. Amabile: We propose to outlaw encouraging someone to commit suicide Oct 1, 2023 See more This story was published in the Colorado Sun on Oct 1, 2023. Nearly 50,000 Americans completed suicide during 2022 – a stunning number, reflecting a continued rise in the suicide rate of some 35 percent over the last two decades. Numerical tolls provide a blunt gauge for societal problems, but numbers alone can make a problem feel remote and impersonal. People who lose a loved one to suicide experience shock and hurt that is both tender and omnipresent despite the passage of time. A healing instinct motivates us to want to prevent this pain from repeatedly occurring in our community. We have heard from fellow Coloradans reaching out to us as their elected representatives and asking, “what else can be done?” We are answering their call with action that honors the memory of lost loved ones and prevents more families in our state from experiencing this devastating tragedy. Unfortunately, online encouragement and easy access to life-ending materials can lead to unnecessary death by suicide. Last November, a Clear Creek County family’s 17-year-old son was struggling with chronic physical issues and common anxiety when he found a supportive community online that encouraged suicide. From there, he was directed to an online retailer who sold pure sodium nitrite, a substance which has few household uses but has become an increasingly popular suicide method. The price he paid to an online retailer who knew the pure sodium nitrite was being used for suicides was $13.99, shipped by two-day mail. Ingesting the compound, he died shortly afterwards. Sadly, this young man, a constituent of ours, was one of at least 222 people nationwide using this particular poison to complete suicide during 2022. Shockingly, there is an ecosystem online for people who want to complete suicide, outside and distinct from the legal path of medically-assisted suicide; there are deadly materials available online, shipped right to young people. For people feeling intense hurt, depression, or trauma, going online to find a way to heal is common. A web search for relief from a physical ailment generally leads to sites that recommend medication or a physician visit. But people struggling with suicidal ideation who seek help online can easily wind up in a web-based wasteland that offers advice on “how to” take one’s own life. And many heed that sick advice. We plan to introduce two bills in the upcoming General Assembly that could save lives and spare families from the enduring pain of suicide caused by this online reality. The first would explicitly prohibit encouraging an individual to complete suicide, not just by restricting the means as current law does, but by prohibiting advice and encouragement. The First Amendment cannot simply be tossed aside, of course, but we believe the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the validity of restricting speech that is “integral to a criminal act.” The power of words directed at someone who is struggling to maintain mental equilibrium can be just as impactful as handing someone a loaded gun and our statutes should reflect that. Colorado’s End-of-Life Options Act permits qualified medical professionals to assist terminally ill adults to end their lives. But in “non-medical” situations, assisting with suicide is a criminal offense – manslaughter — in Colorado and most other states. However, due to vague language, prosecutors used the suicide manslaughter statute only four times in the last five years. This pales in comparison to the frequency of suicides completed after people receive instruction and encouragement to take their own lives. While difficult to document, with 1,287 people completing suicide in Colorado in 2022, numbers compel us to act. Our second bill would ban the sale of pure sodium nitrite to consumers and require any pure sodium nitrite product sold to carry explicit warnings of harm. Experts know that this type of suicide prevention, often referred to as “means restriction,” can be an effective method to reduce death. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment recently released, to health care providers throughout the state, an advisory on sodium nitrite, noting “an increase in suicide by ingestion of sodium nitrite in Colorado and across the United States.” We commend the Department for taking this important step and look forward to bolstering their efforts with legislation. We have just concluded September, which is Suicide Prevention month. September is not merely about remembering the harm suffered by so many Coloradans or about lending support to families impacted by limitless grief, but is also about taking tangible measures to interrupt the cycle of suicide, and we are ready to get to work. If you or a loved one is experiencing emotional distress, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 988 or Colorado Crisis Services at text TALK to 38255, or access chat via coloradocrisisservices.org , where help and hope are available at any hour, any day. Previous Next

The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to support safety net health care providers and lower health care costs for Coloradans. < Back February 26, 2025 Bill to Protect Safety Net Providers, Save People Money on Health Care Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Health & Human Services Committee today passed legislation to support safety net health care providers and lower health care costs for Coloradans. HB25-1174 passed by a vote of 8-4. “We’re building upon our progress to save you money on health care by reigning in high hospital prices while protecting the safety net providers Coloradans rely on,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “This bill saves small businesses money on health care coverage for their employees and supports our local safety net providers that serve our vulnerable community members. We’re focused on improving access to the high-quality health care Coloradans need, and that requires us to improve the financial health of our safety net providers.” “While we’ve worked hard to drive down the cost of health care, there is more that can be done to improve access and save Coloradans money on health care,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “For example, Coloradans with commercial health insurance pay nearly three times what Medicare reimburses hospitals for the same care. Our legislation supports Colorado’s safety net providers, including community clinics, that often serve our seniors and hardworking families. This bill saves the state and small businesses money while boosting access to high-quality health care.” HB25-1174 will support safety net providers and reduce costs for small businesses by: Establishing reimbursement maximums for in-network (165% of Medicare) and out-of-network (150% of Medicare) on prices paid to certain hospitals through the state employee health plan and the small group market. Creating a feasibility study is required to explore the option for local governments and school districts to participate in a similar reimbursement limit. Safety net providers include primary care and family clinics that provide critical health care to communities across Colorado – like seniors, hardworking families, and rural Coloradans. This bill will support safety net providers by redirecting funds to critical community health centers and providers that serve Coloradans where and when they need care. HB25-1174 will also protect the state budget as tens of millions of dollars are expected to be diverted to the health care safety net and to help state employees with minimal impact on hospital margins. Similar policies in states like Oregon and Montana have proven effective, saving state employees money while relieving budget pressures. Colorado is poised to join these states in leading the charge for equitable and sustainable health care reform. Previous Next

< Back April 12, 2022 COMPREHENSIVE BILL TO PREVENT FENTANYL DEATHS HEARD IN COMMITTEE Legislation significantly increases penalties on dealers and invests in proven public health solutions DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee today held a hearing on comprehensive legislation sponsored by Speaker Alec Garnett and Rep. Mike Lynch to combat the fentanyl crisis and save lives. “This comprehensive fentanyl legislation will save lives by cracking down on the dealers peddling death in our communities and by investing in proven public health strategies that we know are effective,” said Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Our targeted efforts will get this deadly drug off our streets, protect our communities from this poison and keep people alive. I’m disappointed there are people who would rather see this bill die for partisan political gain than work to save lives; lawmakers must come together to pass this life-saving legislation.” “We are seeing unprecedented numbers of overdose deaths in Colorado. The fentanyl crisis demands an aggressive response that will hold dealers accountable and remove this deadly drug from our streets, and that’s what this comprehensive fentanyl legislation will do,” said Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein. “This solution will save lives by giving prosecutors the tools we need to put dealers in prison and protect our communities. This legislation will allow us to respond aggressively to dealers who take Coloradans’ lives when distributing this drug, and I encourage lawmakers to pass this bill.” “This legislation will give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on fentanyl dealers to get this dangerous drug off our streets,” said Rep. Mike Lynch, R-Wellington. “Fentanyl doesn’t care if you are a Republican or a Democrat; people are dying in every community in our state. This bill is a comprehensive solution that will save lives and prevent fentanyl deaths.” “Colorado is confronting a deadly fentanyl crisis, and this comprehensive bill will save lives and prevent fentanyl poisonings and overdose deaths,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “This bill will help ensure that people struggling with substance use disorders get the treatment they need to make a successful recovery. The bill deploys effective public health strategies that emphasize education and awareness, expand addiction treatment and give people the tools they need to protect themselves and others.” A comprehensive approach including both proven public health solutions and enhanced criminal penalties targeting dealers will save lives and get fentanyl off Colorado streets. HB22-1326 will strengthen criminal penalties on any individual distributing fentanyl. In line with other models for substance use convictions, the bill will also integrate mandatory SUD assessments and treatment into the state’s sentencing to ensure people get the treatment they need. The bill focuses on compound fentanyl, which is fentanyl mixed with other drugs or substances, and will provide law enforcement with additional tools to go after dealers while providing treatment options to individuals with an SUD. Individuals who are dealing fentanyl will face increased felony charges, and if the defendant has distributed any amount of fentanyl and it leads to someone’s death, they can be charged with a level one drug felony and face the drug code’s strongest penalties. The bill gives law enforcement tools to require treatment for individuals with a substance use disorder. Defendants in possession of any amount of fentanyl compound will be assessed for a substance use disorder and required to complete an education program developed by the Office of Behavioral Health in CDPHE. Individuals assessed as having a substance use disorder will have to complete mandatory treatment. This crisis also demands a robust public health approach that will address root causes and keep people alive. Colorado will save lives by investing in effective public health and substance use prevention and treatment strategies and giving people the tools they need to protect themselves from this more deadly drug. The legislation directs $29 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to implement recommendations from the Behavioral Health Task Force on effective harm reduction strategies and increased access to substance use disorder treatment in the criminal justice system. While public awareness of fentanyl has risen, education campaigns that promote effective overdose prevention tools will save lives. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will develop, implement and maintain an ongoing statewide prevention and education campaign to address fentanyl education needs in the state, including the message that no amount of fentanyl is safe. The bill will also provide grants to develop and implement community-focused education campaigns on the dangers of fentanyl. The proposal also makes opiate antagonists more widespread, which will help save lives by preventing overdoses. Previous Next

< Back April 1, 2020 CO SUPREME COURT RULES GA CAN PAUSE DURING EMERGENCY, RESUME LATER Court rules in favor of the GA’s position that during a public health emergency declaration, legislative days do not have to be counted consecutively DENVER, CO — House Democratic Leadership today released the following statements after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in favor of the General Assembly’s position on the question submitted in the in the interrogatory : “I’m happy to see the court affirm our position today,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “From the beginning, our priority has been to protect the health and safety of all who work, visit, and frequent the Capitol. This is an unprecedented time that calls for thoughtful action. We will continue looking at the data and talking to public health experts to determine when it is safe to come back to the Capitol. Once we do return, we’ll need everyone at the table to solve our most difficult challenges.” “I’m glad the Court allowed the General Assembly some flexibility during this unprecedented time. This means that when it’s safe to do so, we will come back and continue the people’s work,” said House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “It’s still too early to know when we will be able to reconvene the session, but when we do, we’re committed to listening to legislators from all parties, businesses, communities and Coloradans from across the state on how we can get our economy back on its feet.” With this ruling, the General Assembly will be able to count only “working calendar days” toward the 120-day limit, in the context of this public health disaster emergency. The legislature was faced with the difficult decision to protect public health and potentially fail to meet the people’s need for legislation, or meet the public’s interests by continuing to work on legislation while ignoring the danger to the public. To resolve this question, the General Assembly asked the Supreme Court if legislative days must be counted consecutively during a public health emergency, as determined by the governor, or whether the legislature can suspend operations to be resumed at a later date where they left off. The Interrogatory, posed by HJR20-1006, asked the court to determine if the General Assembly should be forced to either reduce the length of the session and thereby fail to meet its responsibility to serve the citizens of the state by passing legislation in the public interest, or jeopardize the constitutionality of that legislation, including the state’s annual budget. Three additional briefs were filed in support of the General Assembly’s position: A combined brief from the Governor and Attorney General; a second brief from the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials (CALPHO); and a third combined brief from the ACLU of Colorado, Adams County Commissioner Steve O’Dorisio (in his individual capacity), AFT Colorado, Bell Policy Center, City of Aurora, City of Northglenn, Colorado Children’s Campaign, Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, Colorado Fiscal Institute, Counties and Commissioners Acting Together, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, Club 20, Democrats for Education Reform, Denver District Attorney, Good Business Colorado Association, Interfaith Alliance Colorado, Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, Metro Mayors Caucus, SEIU, Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Towards Justice, and Women’s Lobby of Colorado. Previous Next

The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to expand affordable mental and behavioral health for youth and streamline necessary services for people on parole or probation. Both bills passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. < Back April 12, 2023 Lukens Bills to Increase Access to Mental Health Services Pass Committee DENVER, CO - The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to expand affordable mental and behavioral health for youth and streamline necessary services for people on parole or probation. Both bills passed unanimously by a vote of 11-0. “Being a teacher in rural Colorado, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is to remove unnecessary barriers to affordable and accessible mental health care,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “Rural Colorado kids are twice as likely to die by suicide, which is why I’m bringing legislation to connect kids with the services they need to live happy, healthy lives. HB23-1268 also aims to streamline access to resources like substance use treatment to promote public safety and save lives.” SB23-174 , also sponsored by Representative Ty Winter, requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to provide certain behavioral health services for Medicaid recipients that are 21-years-old or younger without requiring a formal diagnosis, removing barriers to access. The services include therapy, evaluation, case management, treatment planning, and other services based on feedback from community members. A study by Mental Health America found that only 34.4% of Colorado youth with depression receive treatment to address their mental health issues. Families on Medicaid often struggle with financial restrictions, transportation to health care centers, and other hurdles to receive appropriate or preventative care. By eliminating the requirement for an official diagnosis, Colorado youth and their families will have quicker and easier access to equitable prevention-focused services to prevent a mental health crisis. HB23-1268 , also sponsored by Representative Gabe Evans, also streamlines access to treatment for people who were involved in the criminal justice system in other states. Under current Colorado law, any person who is serving an out-of-state probation or parole is required to get a criminal background check, fingerprints, and photographs through the Department of Corrections before they can receive court-ordered treatment services. While the background check is only supposed to take 48 hours, they often take weeks to process, keeping patients from accessing the services they need to address issues from mental health disorders, substance use disorder, and support for domestic violence treatment. This bill requires background checks to be completed within 48 hours to shorten waiting times to qualify for life-saving and necessary treatments. It would allow treatment providers to initiate care with individuals on probation or parole who comply with their supervision and have checked-in with law enforcement, giving individuals access to the life saving care they need immediately while also protecting public safety. Previous Next

< Back February 20, 2020 HOUSE PASSES REP. MICHAELSON JENET’S MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS EXAMS BILL Bipartisan legislation would reinforce Colorado as a national leader in mental health parity DENVER, CO– The House of Representatives today passed HB20-1086, sponsored by Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Colin Larson, by a vote of 45-17. The bill would guarantee insurance coverage for annual mental health wellness exams. “This is one of the most important bills I have worked on in my time in the legislature, and I am so pleased that it has passed the House,” said Rep. Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City. “Too many Coloradans don’t have access to the mental health care they need. This bill will go a long way towards breaking down the barriers, may they be stigma, financial or provider availability, that have made it far too difficult for Coloradans to access life-saving mental health care.” HB20-1086 would require health insurance plans to cover an annual mental health wellness examination as a part of their coverage for preventative health care services. The coverage must be comparable to the coverage for a physical examination, comply with federal mental health parity laws, and not require any deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. The legislation aims to further break down barriers to mental health care. Our current system often treats mental health on an expensive crisis-by-crisis basis. By enhancing access to preventative care, the bill would help provide treatment for mental health conditions before someone is faced with a crisis. It would also reduce the stigma around mental health by ensuring we value preventative mental health care in the same way we currently value physical health care. Colorado is experiencing a persistent and rising suicide rate while far too many residents report barriers to accessing the behavioral health care they need. Suicide is the seventh leading cause of death in Colorado. In 2019, 769,301 Coloradans were unable to get mental health services when needed, and 68 percent reported that cost and insurance coverage were barriers, according to the Colorado Health Access Survey. The legislation is supported by Mental Health Colorado, the Colorado AFL-CIO, the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, the Colorado Association for School Based Health Care, the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, and the Colorado Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The legislation will now be considered in the Senate. Previous Next

< Back May 25, 2021 STATE AFFAIRS GIVES STAMP OF APPROVAL FOR COMMUNITY-DRIVEN GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION SOLUTIONS Reps. Hooton and Daugherty’s bill would adjust the state preemption on gun violence prevention laws, empowering local governments to implement their own solutions DENVER, CO — The House State, Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee today advanced a bill to declare that the regulation of the sale and transfer of firearms is a matter of both state and local concern, repealing the state-level preemption that currently prevents localities from enacting stricter gun violence laws than those of the state. The bill passed by a vote of 7-4. “This critical legislation will allow cities and counties to decide if they want higher gun safety standards to meet the wants and needs of their residents,” said Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder. “Our bill is about giving local governments the ability to chart their own course on tailored solutions for gun violence prevention, plain and simple.” “Colorado has a proud and longstanding tradition of local control, and this bill will ensure that communities can exercise the ability to set higher local standards on the critical issue of the sale and regulation of firearms,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “Our state is vast and diverse in many ways, and that’s what makes us strong. Allowing our local gun violence prevention regulations to respect this diversity will only make us stronger.” Current law prohibits a local government from enacting laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit the purchase, transfer, or possession of a firearm. SB21-256 adjusts this prohibition by declaring the regulation of firearms a matter of state and local concern, allowing local governments to set higher standards. Under this bill, local governments would have the authority to enact regulations governing or prohibiting the transfer or possession of firearms, ammunition, or firearm components and accessories, so long as the regulations are more restrictive than state laws on the subject. The bill stipulates that criminal penalties for a violation of these regulations not be brought for a person who did not know or could not be reasonably expected to know that they were in violation of the local regulations. Recently, in the weeks leading up to the tragic shooting in Boulder, a court struck down Boulder’s local assault weapons ban. If it had been law at the time, SB21-256 would have allowed Boulder to keep this ban in place. The bill does not change existing law that allows Coloradans to travel freely throughout the state with a firearm in their vehicle. Previous Next

< Back July 31, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: LAWMAKERS CALL FOR STATE AID, EXTENSION OF UI BENEFITS In letter to Colorado Congressional delegation, members request funding for schools and housing, utility, nutrition and small business assistance Denver, CO – Democratic lawmakers in the General Assembly today sent a letter to the Colorado Congressional delegation urging swift passage of a coronavirus relief package that includes significant aid to states and local governments, education funding, and housing, utility, nutrition, and small business assistance. “We write to you to urge swift passage of a coronavirus relief package that first and foremost includes significant and flexible aid to state and local governments, to help preserve core functions and services for Coloradans amidst the budget crisis,” the members wrote. “We also hope to see an extension of critical unemployment insurance benefits, nutrition benefits, housing assistance, small business support, resources for schools and funding to expand COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. We firmly believe that the proposal released this week by the Senate falls short of meeting the needs of our state in this pivotal moment, and we appeal to you to keep working to incorporate these critical components.” “Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans are agonizing over their financial future, and many are within days or weeks of being unable to pay their bills or losing their homes. We urge you once again to take swift action on behalf of our state to deliver a coronavirus relief package that meets the needs of our communities,” the lawmakers concluded. Nonpartisan organizations across the country, including the National Conference of State Legislatures and the National Governors Association, have also called for additional and flexible aid to state and local governments. The full text of the letter is below and can be read here : July 31, 2020 The Honorable Michael Bennet United State SenatorThe Honorable Cory Gardner United States SenatorThe Honorable Diana DeGette Member of CongressThe Honorable Joe Neguse Member of CongressThe Honorable Scott Tipton Member of CongressThe Honorable Ken Buck Member of CongressThe Honorable Doug Lamborn Member of CongressThe Honorable Jason Crow Member of CongressThe Honorable Ed Perlmutter Member of Congress Dear Members of the Colorado Congressional Delegation: We deeply appreciate your dedication to our state and determined advocacy on behalf of our communities as Congress crafts its latest, and potentially final, coronavirus relief package. The federal resources you have secured to date have served as an essential lifeline for our communities, mitigating the impact of crippling budget cuts to our schools, universities, public health departments and local governments. Yet without further Congressional action, our state will have to reduce services for those who need them the most while thousands of Coloradans lose the economic assistance that has sustained them through this crisis so far. We write to you to urge swift passage of a coronavirus relief package that first and foremost includes significant and flexible aid to state and local governments, to help preserve core functions and services for Coloradans amidst the budget crisis. We also hope to see an extension of critical unemployment insurance benefits, nutrition benefits, housing assistance, small business support, resources for schools and funding to expand COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. We firmly believe that the proposal released this week by the Senate falls short of meeting the needs of our state in this pivotal moment, and we appeal to you to keep working to incorporate these critical components. This year, we had to make significant cuts to the state’s budget to close a $3.3 billion deficit. These cuts have been painful, and the next few years will be even harder, as many of the reductions were one-time cuts that will not be available to lawmakers in the future. Furthermore, some of the most significant reductions were absorbed by institutions that received federal aid, which helped cushion some of the impact of the cuts. Failing to provide additional support would undoubtedly exacerbate our state’s devastating budget crisis and pull the rug out from under our school districts, local governments, and universities who would feel the full brunt of potentially even deeper cuts next year. To meet the needs of our state, the next coronavirus relief package must include at least $500 billion in flexible aid to states and additional funding for local governments, K-12 education and higher education. As lawmakers, we have all seen first hand the devastation this pandemic has had on our communities. If Congress does not boost the federal pandemic response and renew key programs, such as expanded unemployment insurance, we fear that the consequences borne by hardworking Coloradans will only be exacerbated. The legislature has taken swift action to direct federal resources to help Coloradans pay their rent, mortgage and utility bills and to support our small businesses, but this funding will not be enough. The next coronavirus relief package must also include additional housing, utility and small business assistance to bolster our state’s successful relief programs and stimulate our economy. Congress should increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by 15 percent, as more and more Colorado families rely on food pantries and nonprofit assistance. With many Coloradans struggling financially, the demand for these key programs has never been higher. We know Colorado can channel additional assistance directly to businesses and hardworking families to help them make ends meet, but we need Congress to act. Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans are agonizing over their financial future, and many are within days or weeks of being unable to pay their bills or losing their homes. We urge you once again to take swift action on behalf of our state to deliver a coronavirus relief package that meets the needs of our communities. Previous Next