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< Back May 28, 2021 IT’S ELECTRIC! BILL TO SAVE CONSUMERS ON UTILITY COSTS ADVANCES DENVER, CO– The House Energy and Environment Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Alex Valdez and Meg Foelich that would promote the use of energy efficient electric equipment. “Technological advances are constantly producing more energy efficient equipment that can save consumers money on their electric bills,” said Rep. Alex Valdez, D- Denver. “Every dollar saved by investing in efficiency measures, is a dollar that can directly help working Coloradans. By incentivising consumers to adopt energy efficient technologies, like electric water heaters and furnaces, we are going to create good jobs, emit less dirty greenhouse gases into our environment, and improve indoor air quality in homes and businesses across the state.” “Colorado can meet our climate goals, create jobs, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and improve both our indoor and outdoor air quality by embracing energy efficiency equipment,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D- Englewood. “The bill we advanced today would ask utility companies to create plans that encourage their customers voluntarily to adopt more energy efficient technologies that will save everyone money and help protect Colorado’s beautiful environment for everyone to enjoy.” SB21-246 directs the Public Utilities Commission to set longer-term energy savings targets for utility beneficial electrification programs and approve plans from investor-owned utilities that would use incentives to promote the use and installation of energy efficient electric equipment. Transitioning to clean electric homes and businesses will improve public health, save energy, create jobs, and help Colorado meet its climate goals by reducing the use of fossil fuels. Under the bill, utilities will develop plans to help their customers replace costly natural gas and propane fueled appliances with high efficiency electric equipment, and utilities must include programs targeted to lower-income households in their plans. Clean heat from appliances such as electric heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and induction stoves will help Colorado reduce greenhouse gas pollution and has potential to help improve indoor air quality and health and safety in buildings. Improving indoor air quality is especially beneficial to families with children, older Coloradans, or who have household members with respiratory issues. Businesses that sell and install energy efficient technologies will see increased demand and growth through greater adoption of more efficient equipment. The legislation explicitly clarifies that beneficial electrification projects be implemented voluntarily without any coercion or discriminatory treatment to customers that decline any incentives that may be offered to them. Previous Next

< Back Lesley Smith Representative Smith was elected to represent House District 49, which spans western Boulder and Larimer Counties plus Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties. She is a member of the House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources and the Energy & Environment committees. Smith had a thirty-year career as a research scientist and a science outreach specialist at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her research focused on the biogeochemistry of wetlands of large river systems, such as the Amazon, Orinoco and MacKenzie Rivers, as well as small alpine ecosystems in Colorado. She focused the latter part of her career on professional development of educators, graduate students and community college students all funded by the National Science Foundation. Smith was the first woman aquanaut to live and work in Aquarius, NOAA’s underwater research habitat. Smith has been a public servant for nearly twenty-years. She served eight years on the Boulder Valley School District, weathering the 2008 recession. She was appointed to the city of Boulder Water Resources Advisory Committee after the great flood of 2013. Additionally, she served as the University of Colorado Regent At-Large. Through her efforts, sustainability was added to the first-ever system-wide strategic plan, and she was a strong advocate for the state to allow out- of-state Native American students with tribal ties to Colorado to receive in-state tuition at all institutions of higher education. She will champion issues related to climate change, the environment and public education.

< Back February 1, 2023 Bill to Bolster Tax Credit Outreach Advances in the House DENVER, CO - Today, the House advanced legislation that would require employers to share tax benefit information to working families. “The Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit can boost workers’ incomes by thousands of dollars, putting more money back into their pockets to help pay for rent, groceries, and other essentials,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley/Evans. “We passed significant tax reforms that have expanded economic assistance for working families by closing tax loopholes that only benefited the very wealthy. When families thrive, our small businesses and local economies do too. Not only will this legislation help more families benefit from the tax credits we’ve expanded, but it will also lead to additional investment in our local businesses.” “We’re improving tax credit accessibility so hard working families know that these savings are available to them,” said Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, D-Arvada. “Under this bill, employers will be equipped with detailed tax credit information to provide with their employees. This will help workers know these credits are available to them in a manner that is easy for employers to share.” HB23-1006 instructs employers to provide information about federal and state earned income tax credits and child tax credits to their employees. The notice must be provided at least once a year in English or any other language used to communicate with the employee. The bill must still pass a final vote in the House before moving to the Senate. This bill builds on legislation passed by the General Assembly in recent years to make Colorado more affordable for working-class families. Representatives Mary Young and Lindsey Daugherty previously passed SB22-182 to help Coloradans file for and receive their earned income tax credits and child tax credits. Colorado Democrats passed HB20-1420 and HB21-1311 , which doubled the state's Earned Income Tax Credit and funded the Child Tax Credit, saving hundreds of thousands of Colorado families money. Previous Next

< Back April 22, 2019 HOUSE GIVES UNANIMOUS APPROVAL TO MCLACHLAN’S BIPARTISAN WILDFIRE MITIGATION BILL Wildfires continue to threaten homes across Colorado (Apr. 22) – The House gave unanimous approval to Rep. Barbara McLachlan’s bipartisan bill to mitigate the impacts of wildfires on Colorado’s mountain communities. “This bill will help address a need that encompasses our entire state. It’s no longer a question of ‘if’ wildfires will happen, it’s a matter of when they will happen,” said Rep. McLachlan, D-Durango. “We have small businesses, homes and hardworking people who depend on having healthy forests. It’s clearly important to fight wildfires and it is also important to take steps to mitigate the scope and severity of wildfires.” Rep. Barbara McLachlan is Chair of the House Education Committee and is a member of the House Rural Affairs and Agriculture committee. HB19-1006 creates a grant program to help with wildfire mitigation efforts in high-risk areas across the state where residential areas are approaching forest land, known as wildland-urban interface areas (WUIs). Colorado has the third highest percentage of households deemed high or extreme risk from wildfires in the entire country. The bill was approved unanimously by the House. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back March 17, 2022 DEFEATED: GOP ANTI-SCIENCE IVERMECTIN COVID MISINFORMATION BILL DENVER, CO – Democrats on the House Health and Insurance Committee today defeated a dangerous and misguided bill sponsored by Representative Stephanie Luck that recklessly promotes the use of ineffective and unapproved drugs like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19. “Other than for a few specific reasons, Ivermectin is meant for animals, and I would know since I’m a veterinarian,” said Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. “GOP politicians urged on by former President Trump have spread dangerous misinformation about unproven COVID treatments and encouraged the use of these drugs, leading to many overdoses. At the same time, they sowed doubt about COVID vaccines, which are proven to be highly effective and which save lives. Their rhetoric based on unscientific claims and misinformation has endangered people’s lives, and I hope this is the last year we see this misguided bill.” HB22-1015 promotes the practice of prescribing hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin off-label for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. The World Health Organization has warned against using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, and the FDA has been vocal about the dangers of using ivermectin , especially veterinary ivermectin, which is intended for livestock. The use of these drugs can cause adverse effects in patients, and they have been proven to be ineffective in treating COVID-19. In the fall of 2021, poison control centers reported seeing a surge in ivermectin overdose calls linked to COVID misinformation. People have been hospitalized after taking ivermectin, even after receiving a prescription . The bill would waive liability for doctors whose patients experience adverse health impacts as a result of being prescribed Ivermectin off label. The bill failed on a party line vote of 4 to 7. Previous Next

Legislation creates apprenticeship programs to help address Colorado’s teacher shortage < Back May 15, 2023 Signed! Bipartisan Legislation to Get More Teachers Into Classrooms LOVELAND, CO - Today Governor Jared Polis signed into law Senator Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, and Rep. Cathy Kipp’s, D-Fort Collins, bipartisan legislation to get more teachers into classrooms by creating a teacher apprenticeship program. Cosponsored by Sen. Mark Baisley, R-Woodland Park, and Rep. Don Wilson, R-Monument, SB23-087 allows the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to create an apprenticeship program that builds on elements of existing alternative teacher licensure programs and would include a bachelor's degree requirement, training programs approved by CDE, and structured on-the-job training. “As a middle school math teacher, I know how critical a quality education is for our kids – but right now there aren’t enough teachers to meet demand, and students and families are suffering as a result,” Marchman said. “This bill will help address those shortages and will provide hard-working Colorado school staff the hands-on training and experience they need to step into teaching jobs and provide our kids with the quality public education they deserve.” “Getting more qualified teachers in classrooms is one of our top priorities, and I’m proud to say we’re knocking down barriers to entering this important career field,” Kipp said. “Our bipartisan law works to address Colorado’s teacher shortage by providing people with paid hands-on training and experience they need to step into teaching roles and provide our students with the high-quality learning opportunities they deserve. Dedicated educators prepare our students for success, and this law creates a pathway for future teachers to begin the career of their dreams.” According to the Colorado Education Association , teacher and staff shortages remain a huge problem in Colorado’s schools, with 85 percent of educators saying that the teacher shortage is significantly or somewhat worse than previous school years. Previous Next

SB25-200 will require universal dyslexia screening for early elementary students in Colorado < Back May 23, 2025 Bill to Support and Identify Elementary Students with Dyslexia Signed Into Law SB25-200 will require universal dyslexia screening for early elementary students in Colorado WESTMINSTER, CO – The Governor today signed into law bipartisan legislation to jumpstart early identification, support, and clear communication with parents or guardians for elementary school students with dyslexia SB25-200 is sponsored by Senators Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, and Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, and Representatives Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial, and Matt Soper, R-Delta. This new law will require schools to either adopt a universal dyslexia screening tool or develop a process to identify students in early elementary grades who exhibit characteristics of dyslexia, adding to existing reading interventions in the Colorado READ Act . “Supporting students with dyslexia requires a different approach than supporting those with general reading challenges – they need specific tools to succeed,” said Kolker. “The vast majority of other states already require universal dyslexia screenings, and with this law, Colorado is stepping up. Early intervention is everything, and every child deserves the opportunity to succeed with the right information and support.” “Dyslexia is the most commonly diagnosed learning disability, yet Colorado schools do not have a universal screening process,” said Hamrick. “As a former teacher, I know early intervention is key to setting our students on a pathway to success. Our new, bipartisan law will require Colorado schools to implement a universal dyslexia screening to ensure our elementary students receive the support, resources and tools they need to thrive.” “My ‘why’ for this bill is my amazing daughter, who has dyslexia,” said Mullica. “Even as a family actively involved in her education, we struggled to get her the support she needed to thrive. The screenings schools currently use for reading challenges don’t go far enough, and one-size-fits-all interventions simply don’t work. By implementing universal, early dyslexia screenings through this law, we can ensure that no child – regardless of their background or circumstance – falls through the cracks.” According to the Colorado Department of Education, dyslexia affects about 15 to 20 percent of the population, making it the most commonly diagnosed learning disability. Early intervention for dyslexia significantly improves educational outcomes. Before this law, Colorado was one of only seven states that did not mandate screenings for dyslexia. Previous Next

The second regular session of the 74th General Assembly concludes today, with Democratic lawmakers securing breakthrough victories on the issues that matter most to Colorado families: saving people money on housing, increasing education funding to historic levels by eliminating the budget stabilization factor, and addressing the climate crisis and boosting transit options. < Back May 9, 2024 Sine Die! General Assembly Democrats Conclude Breakthrough Session by Delivering Major Wins for Colorado Communities DENVER, CO – The second regular session of the 74th General Assembly concludes today, with Democratic lawmakers securing breakthrough victories on the issues that matter most to Colorado families: saving people money on housing, increasing education funding to historic levels by eliminating the budget stabilization factor, and addressing the climate crisis and boosting transit options. “This legislative session has been nothing short of transformational for our families and communities,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder. “Coloradans demanded that we take bold action to address the issues that matter most to them, and I am pleased to say we delivered. Democrats passed legislation that will boost Colorado’s transit system and protect our clean air and water, make housing more affordable, and finally fully fund our schools for the first time in over a decade. I am proud of all we’ve accomplished together.” “This was a breakthrough session on affordability, housing, transit, water, education, transit and so much more,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I’m so proud of our bipartisan efforts to increase funding for Colorado public schools by over $500 million and modernize the school finance formula for the first time in a generation to better support vulnerable students and rural schools. New laws will save Coloradans money on housing and property taxes, better protect renters and slash childhood poverty by increasing tax credits for hardworking people and families. From protecting our rivers, streams and wetlands to boosting rural economies and Colorado agriculture, we came together the Colorado way to deliver lasting results for every community in our state.” “This year we set out to make Colorado a more affordable place to live, work and raise a family,” Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “Today, I’m proud to say that the legislation we passed this year achieves that goal and then some. From passing transformational tax credits that deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in relief to low and middle income families to implementing new protections for gig workers to boosting our workforce across industries, I’m extremely proud of the work that Democrats put in over the last 120 days to build on our progress and set Colorado on a path to a more prosperous future.” “This session was huge. On issue after issue, lawmakers came together and passed policies that were years in the making,” said House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “From preventing gun violence and protecting workers to boosting the incomes of hardworking people and preventing evictions, we made Colorado safer and more affordable for all. I’m particularly proud of the work of our Black and Latino Caucuses who passed critical legislation to support vulnerable people, improve maternal health and make Colorado a welcoming place for everyone who calls our state home.” This year, lawmakers passed bills to save people money on housing and protect renters, increase access to health care and behavioral health care, invest in our students and our schools, expand Colorado’s workforce and improve access to higher education, protect our clean air and water, reduce gun violence, and cut poverty while boosting incomes for hardworking Colorado families. Previous Next

< Back Javier Mabrey Chair of the Judiciary Committee Representative Javier Mabrey was elected to the Colorado State House of Representatives for his first term in office on November 8, 2022. He is the representative for Colorado House District 1, which encompasses Denver’s southwestern neighborhoods. He serves as the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the Business Affairs & Labor Committee during the legislative session, and the Committee on Legal Services year round. Javier's mother raised Javier and his brother Thomas on her own in south Denver, and her only source of income was her social security disability check. Javier and his family know what it means to struggle, to rely on food banks, and eventually face homelessness. Javier dropped out of high school after his family dealt with housing instability and homelessness. He went back to school to become an advocate for families like his. He worked his way through community college washing dishes and delivering pizzas before going to Berkeley Law School to pursue a career representing tenants facing eviction. After law school, Javier helped found a non-profit focused on keeping Coloradans in their homes. Since 2020, Javier's organization has represented thousands of Coloradans facing eviction and successfully advocated for significant policy changes to help renters in Colorado. He now works as an eviction defense attorney and community organizer. Rep. Mabrey has continued his work to address Colorado’s housing crisis by carrying legislation that increases habitability requirements for rental properties to protect tenants from living in a housing unit that may cause negative impacts to their health. He has also successfully passed policy to address gun violence and the rising cost of health care by passing legislation that caps the price of a 2-pack of EpiPens at $60 and allows gun violence victims to seek accountability in court.

< Back Brianna Titone Representative Titone was elected in 2018 to represent House District 27, which comprises Northern Arvada, Golden, Applewood, and the Northwest JeffCo mountains. She proudly serves as the Chair/Vice Chair of the Joint Technology Committee, the Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee and as a member of the House Appropriations Committee. She also serves as the Chair of the Colorado Democratic LGBTQ+ Caucus, a board member with the Colorado State Internet Portal Authority and The Energy Council, as well as national policy committees for the National Conference of State Legislatures. She is the first openly transgender legislator in the Colorado General Assembly and the first transgender person in the nation elected to a legislative caucus leadership position. She worked as a hydrogeologist and geochemist before becoming a citizen activist on equity issues and eventually running for office. Her extensive education includes undergraduate degrees in Physics and Geology and advanced degrees in Geosciences and Information Communication Technology.

Initiative 144 and 145 will reduce pet care in Colorado < Back Rep. McCormick: As a veterinarian and a lawmaker, please don’t let big businesses undermine Colorado pet care Jun 12, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Denver Post here . Initiative 144 and 145 will reduce pet care in Colorado Forty years ago I swore a lifelong oath when starting my career as a veterinarian. Part of that oath affirms that I will use my scientific knowledge and skill to benefit society through the protection of animal health and welfare. It is with that oath, and my lifetime of service to animals and people that I must now sound the alarm to all Coloradans. There are two ballot initiatives being circulated collecting signatures for the fall ballot. These initiatives are being driven by big corporate interests from outside of Colorado. They are Initiative 144 and 145 and are being misleadingly sold to voters as a way to “increase access to veterinary care.” The General Assembly worked very hard this spring in a bipartisan, collaborative way, to develop a robust approach to how best to utilize tele-technologies like video calls in veterinary care. That bill was signed into law by the governor earlier this year, and it passed the House of Representatives unanimously. It is widely supported by veterinarians, veterinary technicians, farmers and ranchers, shelters and humane societies and animal caretakers. The bill strengthens and clarifies that veterinary telemedicine should supplement and not replace in-person care. We absolutely should use telehealth more and this law will make sure it is done right to protect pets. Initiative 144 also has to do with Veterinary Telehealth, but is a danger to pets. 144 would dismantle that well-structured law the governor just signed and eliminate the need for a doctor to ever see your animal in person. The ballot question essentially eliminates the most important tools your veterinarian has to get to the bottom of what is going on — their hands, eyes, ears, and nose. 144 would not benefit people or their animals and would create real safety concerns. It would only help corporate entities focused on profits, allowing them to push medicine to animal owners via online platforms. Animals would be the ones suffering in this situation as they would not be getting accurate care. The second ballot initiative, 145, also funded by outside corporate interests, will allow creation of a new animal health position called a veterinary professional associate or VPA. TA VPA is not licensed to practice medicine, has not gone through an accredited veterinary education program, has not passed a national exam, will not have sufficient liability protections, would not be able to prescribe medicines due to federal law, and will be under-trained through primarily an online master’s program. These VPAs would then be allowed to actually practice veterinary medicine on your pets, including surgery, diagnose diseases, interpret lab test results and prescribe a treatment plan, all without a license. Corporate interests want VPAs to practice medicine without the consumer protection safeguards that exist for licensed veterinarians. If this sounds crazy to you then you can understand my grave concern for the animals of our state for whom we are responsible. Skilled veterinary technicians are already more qualified than this contemplated VPA. They have comprehensive training, take a national exam and are regulated by the state. We passed another strong bipartisan bill to elevate and extend the skills of veterinary technicians with House Bill 1047. There has been over $633,000 granted to Colorado State University by Petsmart Charities to develop a veterinary mid-level position master’s degree. This degree program is not looking to be accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) who is responsible for accreditation of every single College of Veterinary Medicine in the country, including CSU’s, and for every school that graduates Veterinary technicians. In order for this master’s degree to work for Petsmart, who partners with Mars,Inc./ Banfield vet clinics, would need ballot initiative 145 to get on the ballot and pass. There has been over $255,000 contributed toward the effort to get these Initiatives on the ballot by the Issue Committee called ‘All Pets Deserve Care’ registered with the Secretary of State. This entity received its largest single donation of $250,000 from Denver Dumb Friends League. The details into DDFL’s financials to know where the $250,000 came from is not publicly available. Mars, Inc. who owns Banfield and VCA veterinary hospitals across the nation have funded studies in the past that have fed a narrative that the U.S. needs to create a new veterinary position in order to keep up with the demand for veterinary care. These studies have been disputed by many reputable veterinary economists since. But the narrative has taken off and is fueling this push to create a new veterinary worker who in reality won’t be prepared to help animals. We need more veterinarians and more veterinary technicians. Let’s focus on solving that problem. Karen McCormick is a state representative for House District 11. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to ensure students with disabilities receive the education they deserve. < Back June 5, 2024 SIGNED! Bill to Ensure Students with Disabilities Thrive in School DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to ensure students with disabilities receive the education they deserve. HB24-1063 will limit repeated or long-term use of an abbreviated schedule for students with disabilities, and clarify when it is permissible and impermissible. “Every student deserves access to a high-quality education in our state,” said Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley. “However, sometimes students with disabilities are being sent home early for a day or longer – which means they’re being robbed of valuable academics and social-emotional learning. Full day education should be the standard for our students and this law informs parents of their rights, creates a plan to get students back on track to receive a full day of education and makes full day education the norm, not the exception, for every learner. I am committed to making our classrooms and schools more accessible, equitable and welcoming to all and this new law brings us closer to that reality.” “Every student deserves a high quality education and every school should have tools to make this a reality,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County. “ While abbreviated school days are one of those tools, this law will ensure that this tool is being used responsibly with parental consent to ensure the best educational outcomes for all children. Additionally, our law informs parents of their rights and creates a clear legal framework to ensure every student, especially those with disabilities and additional learning needs, has access to a full day of school.” HB24-1063 establishes policies for the use of an abbreviated school day for students with disabilities. Right now, some students with disabilities are sent home early, put on an inconsistent abbreviated schedule, or forced to learn virtually because of behaviors related to their disability. This law will ensure that parents receive proper notice, including their right to consent to, revoke consent, or oppose an abbreviated school day for their child. It also requires regular meetings for the students' Individualized Education Program team to discuss the value or need for continuing an abbreviated or shortened day, ensures that there is a plan in place for the child to get back to attending a full day of school, and provides a clear legal framework for students who are not being awarded a full day of school. Additionally, this law will collect data about the frequency of students not attending a full day of school due to being placed on a shortened schedule, as well as disaggregated student data to better understand the impact of abbreviated school days on students with disabilities and varying abilities. Previous Next