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< Back June 24, 2022 SPONSORS OF COLORADO’S LAW TO PROTECT ABORTION BLAST SCOTUS RULING TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE DENVER, CO – Majority Leader Daneya Esgar and Representative Meg Froelich, sponsors of Colorado’s Reproductive Health Equity Act , today released the following statements after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Statement from Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo: “This decision by five Republican-appointed Justices is a travesty of justice, a perversion of our Constitution, and a tragedy for the American people. In a ruling that restricts the rights of all Americans and opens the door to ban marriage equality and contraception, the Court has stripped millions of women of our bodily autonomy, reproductive freedom, and the rights that have been the law of the land for over fifty years. We knew overturning Roe vs. Wade was a real possibility, which is why I lead the charge on the Reproductive Health Equity Act to protect abortion because we trust people to make their own, private medical decisions. It was signed into law in Colorado, but our fight isn’t over. We must continue our efforts to protect access to abortion in Colorado and support the countless individuals who will have to travel to our state for an abortion or carry unsafe pregnancies to term.” Statement from Representative Meg Froelich, D-Englewood: “For decades, Republican politicians and secretive outside groups worked to put conservatives in power on the Supreme Court in order to overturn Roe v. Wade and ban abortion. With this decision, ultra right-wing politicians are now free to impose their own beliefs on everyone else, send abortion providers and patients to prison, and put bounties on anyone who helps them. In large parts of our country, women have become second-class citizens overnight and no longer have the right to determine their futures and make decisions that impact their livelihoods. People in these states will be forced to carry pregnancies to term, travel out of sate, or seek potentially unsafe abortions, a burden that will disproprtinately fall on women of color and lower-income Americans. This disgraceful decision imperils the lives of those seeking an abortion and threatens the health, economic security and freedom of millions of Americans.” The Reproductive Health Equity Act updates Colorado’s laws to protect reproductive rights and codifies the fundamental right to choose to continue a pregnancy and give birth, or to have an abortion. At least 519 laws to restrict abortion care have been introduced in 41 states so far this year according to the National Women’s Law Center . Colorado remains committed to ensuring abortion remains safe, legal, and accessible. Recently, House Democrats defeated three Republican-led bills that would have jeopardized that right, including: HB22-1079 , which would have placed an unconstitutional ban on abortion in Colorado with no exceptions. The bill explicitly directed Colorado to disregard federal law and federal court rulings and would subject Colorado judges who support access to abortion to impeachment. In addition, it would have allowed a private right of action against abortion providers, and potentially patients too. HB22-1047 , which would have banned abortion in Colorado with no exceptions. The bill would have also criminalized miscarriages and would have subjected abortion providers to imprisonment. HB22-1075 , which would have established a registry to track and surveil abortion patients and providers. It also would have created a roadmap for abortion opponents to identify and further threaten abortion patients and providers. Previous Next

< Back February 27, 2020 REP. DONALD VALDEZ’S AMBER ALERT NOTIFICATION READINESS BILL ADVANCES UNANIMOUSLY DENVER, CO– The House State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee today voted unanimously to pass Representative Donald Valdez’s bill to ensure Colorado’s AMBER Alert notification system stays up to date with the latest telecommunications technology. The bipartisan bill has already passed the Senate unanimously. “AMBER Alerts help our law enforcement officials protect some of the most vulnerable Coloradans,” said Rep. Donald Valdez, D-La Jara. “It is critical that our state stays up to date with the latest technology to notify Coloradans during an AMBER Alert emergency, and this bill will do just that.” SB20-079 requires the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to send AMBER Alerts using technological applications that promote the largest reach of community notifications. While Colorado’s current method of sending AMBER Alerts meets the criteria, this bill will ensure that Colorado’s AMBER Alert system keeps up with technological advances in the future to ensure the widespread receival of these critical alerts of missing children. Previous Next

< Back March 25, 2024 House Passes Bill to Save Coloradans Money on Prescription Drugs DENVER, CO – The House today passed a bill to save people money on prescription drugs. HB24-1010 would streamline prescription drug access for Coloradans with chronic, complex, rare, or life-threatening medical conditions and save them money on life-saving prescription drugs. “Health care decisions should be based on the health and safety of a patient, not dictated by profits for health care insurers,” said Rep. Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora. “Doctors are sometimes required to order medications for their patients through specific pharmacies, which leads to delays in care and additional costs for patients. We need to make sure Coloradans can access the medication they need, when they need it and this bill breaks down prescription drug access barriers while saving Coloradans money.” HB24-1010 , also sponsored by Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, passed by a vote of 48 to 15. The bill would protect Coloradans’ access to critical provider-administered prescription drugs by breaking down unnecessary barriers, including added fees, that make it difficult for patients to access their life-saving medication. The bill would: Prohibit insurance carriers from requiring certain prescription drugs to be available only by specific pharmacies, or only at in-network pharmacies, Prevent insurance carriers from limiting or excluding provider-administered prescription drugs due to the patient’s choice of preferred pharmacy, or Prohibit insurance carriers from imposing additional fees, copayments, or coinsurance due to the patient’s choice of preferred pharmacy or if the provider-administered drug was not provided by a pharmacy in the carrier’s network. Previous Next

< Back April 17, 2023 Bill to Save Coloradans Money on Hospital Costs Advances DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation in a preliminary vote to prohibit facility fee charges for preventative care and telehealth appointments to save Colorado patients money. “Surprise bills like hospital facility fees are making it more difficult for Coloradans to seek the care that they need because they can’t afford to be surprised by hundreds or thousands of dollars in hidden costs,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “We need hospital billing to be more transparent for both health centers and Colorado patients so there is a common understanding of what the health care industry can charge and so patients know what to expect. By passing this bill to protect patients, Coloradans will save money and won’t be billed for many exorbitant facility fees.” “Preventative care is crucial to identify and address health care concerns before they become too aggressive to manage without expensive treatments,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “Without preventative care, hospitals bear the cost of expensive services due to worsened health conditions, especially if the patient is unable to afford these emergency services. By prohibiting facility fees on preventative care and telehealth appointments, Coloradans will save money on care that keeps them healthy and alive and avoid surprise fees they can’t afford.” Some health care centers have started to charge patients hidden fees, often called a facility fee, on top of the health care services they are already being charged to cover operating costs. These fees can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars and are impossible for families to budget for, since there is no transparency as to how these fees will be applied. HB23-1215 prohibits health care providers from charging a facility fee for outpatient telehealth or preventative care. Health care providers would also be required to share information about facility fees to patients and post information on their property. The bill makes it a deceptive trade practice to not share facility fee information to patients. The bill also requires a report to be produced by December 1, 2023 that outlines the details of the impact of facility fees to better understand what these fees cover and how these fees impact patient cost and patient health. An annual report will also be required to improve data collection on facility fees and to increase transparency on the effects of these added costs. Previous Next

< Back March 27, 2019 JANET BUCKNER’S BIPARTISAN ORGAN DONOR BILL PASSES COMMITTEE (Mar. 27) – Speaker Pro-Tem Janet Buckner’s bipartisan bill passed out of the House Health and Insurance committee today. The bill prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing premiums for living donors based on their status as a living donor. “We shouldn’t be punishing people who are trying to save lives,” said Rep. Buckner, D-Aurora. “This bill will address this problem and ensure that people who are trying to help others aren’t charged more or worse, denied insurance all together.” HB19-1253 prohibits a person who offers life insurance, disability income insurance, or long-term care insurance from discriminating against a person based solely on the person’s status as a living organ donor. In addition, in 2020, the state department shall develop materials to educate the public on the benefits of being a living organ donor and their access to insurance. In 2018, 263 Coloradans died or became too sick to remain on the transplant waitlist while there were 168 living organ donors in Colorado. Currently, 1872 Coloradans are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. HB19-1253 passed the committee with unanimous, bipartisan support and now goes to the House Appropriations committee. Previous Next

< Back Rep Cutter: It’s time to invest in our most valuable asset — Colorado kids Sep 18, 2022 See more Rep. Lisa Cutter, Sen. Tammy Story, Sen. Jessie Danielson President John F. Kennedy Jr. once said, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future” and we couldn’t agree more. If we want to build a brighter future for all of us, then we have to invest in our most valuable asset: our kids. We’ve raised our families here in Jeffco, sending them to our public schools and watching them flourish in our community – we have navigated or are navigating the same school system you are, and we want to make sure all of our children get the high quality education they deserve. We can’t think of anything more important than ensuring young Coloradans have the tools they need to grow, succeed and thrive. After all, our kids are our future leaders – and one day, we’re going to pass the torch on to them and we need to give them the tools and training they need right now to be prepared. As mothers ourselves, we want to give our children the best future possible, and that future starts with a quality education. That’s why we prioritized passing policies this year to prepare students for success so every Colorado kid – no matter where they live – has an equal shot at success. First, we sought to give our youngest Coloradans a leg up by implementing universal pre-K and providing high-quality early childhood education opportunities for every child. Decades of research has shown that greater access to early childhood education leads to better outcomes for children all the way into adulthood, but far too many parents across Colorado simply can’t afford it. Providing up to 10 hours a week of free universal preschool for families means more kids will have access to the nurturing early education programs they need to grow, it will be easier for parents to get back to work and we will save families money. This is a win for families with young children, and a win for our economy. We also made a historic investment in K-12 education through the 2022 Public School Finance Act. The new law increases per pupil funding to a historic high of $545 per student, which school districts can use to reduce classroom sizes, increase teacher pay, and help provide more individualized support to help students learn. We know high quality teachers and educators are an integral part of our kids’ educational success – the law also breaks down financial barriers to entering the teaching profession through loan forgiveness and stipends for teachers, so we can attract higher quality teachers to the profession and better support our kids. Finally, we wanted to make sure our students are equipped with the tools necessary to attain a higher education degree and be successful in the workforce. Higher ed is the key to a bright future for many Colorado students, but too many folks are finding it hard to afford the cost of a degree. That’s why we fought to keep the cost of tuition down, while creating more pathways for students to get the skills and training they need to land a job in their field of choice. Colorado students entering the workforce need efficient and effective pathways to gain the experience and training they need to earn a degree and, ultimately, a good-paying job. We passed legislation to expand credential pathways to help Coloradans seeking to further their education or get the training they need to land jobs in high-demand industries, a measure that will accelerate our economic recovery and help businesses fill critical gaps in the workforce. As our students head back to school, we’re reflecting on all of the things we accomplished this year to make sure our kids are on the best path forward to achieve their dreams. Through the measures we passed, we will not only prepare our students for success – we will also help develop our workforce and power our economy as we continue to move Colorado forward. But the work doesn’t stop here – our kids will always be our priority. We look forward to continuing to pass meaningful policies that will help ensure Colorado learners frompreschool through high school, and beyond are adequately prepared for life beyond the classroom – because when our students succeed, we all succeed. Previous Next

< Back May 19, 2021 HOUSE ADVANCES BILL TO REFORM AND IMPROVE PRE TRIAL DETENTION DENVER, CO– The House today advanced Representatives Steven Woodrow and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez’s bill to reform pre-trial court processes for bond hearings and strengthen due process by ensuring timely access to justice under the law. The bill passed on second reading. “Too often, Coloradans languish in our jails for excessive periods of time while awaiting trial for minor offenses,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver . “One of the foundational values of this country is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. This reform of our pre trial and bonding processes will ensure a more timely, more efficient and more just system for those awaiting a trial in Colorado.” “Improving the manner in which our courts hold bond hearings and handle monetary bonds will keep our jails from overcrowding and will further the cause of justice for individuals who have yet to have their case heard in court,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “Holding an individual behind bars for days before a bond hearing or for hours and hours after bail has been posted is not justice. I’m proud of the work we did today.” HB21-1280 requires courts to hold an initial bond hearing with an arrested individual within 48 hours of arrival at a detention facility and changes statute to allow these hearings to be conducted online or over the phone. Some counties throughout the state already hold bond hearings six or seven days a week. For rural and under-resourced jurisdictions, this bill creates and funds a statewide bond hearing officer to better allow hearings to be held on weekends and holidays. The bill also makes several changes to the monetary bond process. It requires that a defendant who has posted bond be released no later than six hours later, allows bonds to be paid by cash, money order, or cashier’s check, ensures that a defendant receives receipt of the payment of their bond, and prohibits officers from requirings bonds to be paid in the defendant’s name. Lastly, it requires each jail to establish a way to pay bond online by January 1, 2022. Previous Next

< Back December 9, 2024 Speaker McCluskie Announces Committee Appointments DENVER, CO – House Speaker Julie McCluskie today made committee appointments for the 75th General Assembly, including the chairs and vice chairs for the ten House committees of reference. For the first time in history other than a brief period in 2022, women make up the majority of members in the Colorado legislature. “Coloradans trust Democrats to fight for what they value most, and we are proud to lead the way to make Colorado more affordable,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I’d like to congratulate every lawmaker appointed to committee leadership positions; their experience and expertise are invaluable for our chamber. I’d also like to recognize our caucus leadership team; their commitment to expanding opportunities for members to participate in committee leadership positions reaffirms our values. House Democrats are excited to continue our work to lower costs for families, safeguard our air and water, build safer and healthier communities, and protect our future.” Elected by the House Democratic Caucus last month, the majority leadership team includes six women, five of whom are women of color. Committee structure, leadership and majority caucus appointments are made by the Speaker, and traditionally, members of the leadership team do not chair committees. House Democrats Committee Assignments for the 75th General Assembly: Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee (9-4) Chair, Representative Karen McCormick, D-Longmont Vice Chair, Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs Representative-Elect Katie Stewart, D-Durango Representative-Elect Lesley Smith, D-Boulder Representative Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora Representative Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs Representative Tammy Story, D-Conifer Appropriations Committee (7-4) Chair, Representative Emily Sirota, D-Denver Vice Chair, Representative Shannon Bird, D-Westminster Representative Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins Representative Brianna Titone, D-Arvada Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs Representative Junie Joseph, D-Boulder Representative Karen McCormick, D-Longmont Business Affairs and Labor Committee (8-5) Chair, Representative Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora Vice Chair, Representative Steven Woodrow, D-Denver Representative Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch Representative-Elect Gretchen Rydin, Littleton Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs Representative Sheila Lieder, D-Littleton Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo Representative William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield Education Committee (8-5) Chair, Representative Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs Vice Chair, Representative Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista Representative Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial Representative-Elect Jacque Phillips, D-Thornton Representative Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver Representative-Elect Lesley Smith, D-Boulder Representative-Elect Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver Representative Tammy Story, D-Conifer Energy and Environment Committee (9-4) Chair, Representative Alex Valdez, D-Denver Vice Chair, Representative Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs Representative-Elect Amy Paschal, D-Colorado Springs Representative Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora Representative Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn Representative Junie Joseph, D-Boulder Representative Kyle Brown, D-Louisville Representative Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City Representative-Elect Sean Camacho, D-Denver Finance Committee (8-5) Chair, Representative William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield Vice Chair, Representative Brianna Titone, D-Arvada Representative Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch Representative Junie Joseph, D-Boulder Representative Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County Representative-Elect Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood Representative-Elect Sean Camacho, D-Denver Representative-Elect Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins Health and Human Services Committee (9-4) Chair, Representative Kyle Brown, D-Louisville Vice Chair, Representative Sheila Lieder, D-Littleton Representative Eliza Hamrick, D-Centennial Representative-Elect Gretchen Rydin, D-Littleton Representative Karen McCormick, D-Longmont Representative-Elect Katie Stewart, D-Durango Representative-Elect Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver Representative-Elect Lisa Feret, D-Arvada Representative Regina English, D-Colorado Springs Judiciary Committee (7-4) Chair, Representative Javier Mabrey, D-Denver Vice Chair, Representative-Elect Michael Carter, D-Aurora Representative-Elect Cecelia Espenoza, D-Denver Representative Chad Clifford, D-Centennial Representative Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver Representative Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County Representative-Elect Yara Zokaie, D-Fort Collins State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee (8-3) Chair, Representative Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn Vice Chair, Representative Chad Clifford, D-Centennial Representative-Elect, Cecelia Espenoza , D-Denver Representative Javier Mabrey, D-Denver Representative-Elect Lisa Feret, D-Arvada Representative Meg Froelich, D-Englewood Representative-Elect Michael Carter, D-Aurora Representative Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee (9-4) Chair, Representative Meg Froelich, D-Englewood Vice Chair, Representative-Elect Rebekah Stewart, D-Lakewood Representative-Elect Amy Paschal, D-Colorado Springs Representative Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins Representative Iman Jodeh, D-Aurora Representative-Elect Jacque Phillips, D-Thornton Representative Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora Representative Alex Valdez, D-Denver Representative Steven Woodrow, D-Denver Previous Next

< Back March 8, 2024 Bill to Improve Colorado’s Air Quality Passes Committee DENVER, CO – The House Energy & Environment Committee yesterday passed legislation to tackle Colorado’s ozone pollution problem. HB24-1330, sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon and Representative Jenny Willford, is part of a package of bills that builds on the work of the 2023 Legislative Interim Committee on Ozone Air Quality. “Breathing the air in your neighborhood shouldn’t trigger an asthma attack or nosebleeds, yet this is a reality for many of our community members,” said Assistant Majority Leader Bacon, D-Denver. “We need to act now to clean up Colorado’s air quality that for more than a decade has disproportionately plagued low-income communities and led to dangerously high ozone levels. This important legislation tightens up permitting regulations for oil and gas operators and makes sure minor pollution sources are being properly accounted for. For years, we’ve battled poor air quality in our communities, and this bill brings us closer to safe, cleaner air for us all.” “At times, our air quality has been deemed the worst in the world – we need to take steps now to reduce air pollution and keep our neighbors safe,” said Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “Thanks to our legislative efforts during the interim, this bill overhauls Colorado’s emissions permitting process and requires oil and gas operators in the nonattainment area to more thoroughly account for their emissions. Our bill also creates requirements for new oil and gas operations in the nonattainment area, which includes the Denver Metro and northern Front Range. Taking these steps is necessary not only to reduce haze and smog, but to protect the health of our kids and the air we breathe.” HB24-1330 , which passed committee by a vote of 9-4, would work to clean up Colorado’s air by updating the state’s emissions permitting process for oil and gas operations. This bill requires all the individual sources of pollution at a proposed oil and gas location to be treated as one source in the construction permit application process. Currently, a permit is required for each individual source and the pre-production emissions from proposed oil and gas drilling sites are not considered in the air permitting application, despite contributing to the formation of ground-level ozone. This bill would “aggregate” emissions across an oil and gas site, including pre-production emissions, ensuring a more accurate accounting of the air quality impact of each operation. This legislation would also create new requirements for new or modified minor pollution sources within the Denver Metro/North Front Range nonattainment area. As outlined, for a construction permit of a new minor source to be approved in the nonattainment area: The source must meet all applicable regulations, including demonstrating that it will not cause or contribute to an exceedance of any applicable ambient air quality standard; The operator must take at least as many emissions offline as it plans to bring online; and The operator must avoid construction in a disproportionately impacted community. Additionally, the bill would require oil and gas operators to obtain a construction permit from the Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) before the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) makes a final determination to issue a permit to drill or frack. The goal of H24-1330 is to make Colorado’s emissions permitting process more robust to ensure clean air, protect public health and comply with federal law. For more than a decade, Colorado has failed to meet federal air quality standards for ozone air pollution, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect public health. In 2022, the Denver Metro and northern Front Range was reclassified as a ‘ severe nonattainment zone,’ meaning the area is in severe violation of the health-based air quality standards known as the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Previous Next

< Back August 13, 2024 Rep. Mauro Statement on Wildfire Matters Interim Committee Meeting DENVER, CO - Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo, today released the following statement on the fourth meeting of the Wildfire Matters Review Committee : “Conversations around wildfire mitigation, first responder and firefighter workforce issues, and long-term health risks are crucial, especially as many Colorado communities on the Front Range have suffered from multiple wildfires in recent weeks. We have spent the last few months learning from professionals and organizations dedicated to wildfire prevention to determine what potential policy solutions can protect our communities from wildfire damage. Today’s meeting was a great first step in drafting legislation that can make our communities more resilient and mitigate wildfire risks to keep Coloradans safe and protect our firefighters, foresters, and other community first responders.” “These conversations are essential to have, especially as Colorado communities continue to recover after the recent fires in Boulder, Larimer, and Jefferson counties. I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all of our firefighters, first responders, and volunteers who have spent the last few weeks helping those who live in evacuation zones.” Previous Next

< Back April 4, 2019 HOUSE VOTES TO IMPROVE APPLIANCE ENERGY EFFICIENCY Every House Republican votes against bill to help consumers and businesses save money, conserve energy & water (Apr. 4) – The House approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, and Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, that would set up-to-date energy and water efficiency standards for commercial and residential products that are not already regulated under the federal government. “Hardworking Coloradans are already saving about $500 per year from federal appliance standards. This bill will help them save more,” said Rep. Froelich. “While product options and performances have increased, there are still ways that we can save people money and better conserve our state’s precious water while reducing pollution emissions.” HB19-1231 would set in place energy and water efficiency standards for 15 commercial and residential products for which there are no existing federal standards, saving Coloradan families their hard-earned income while ensuring the overall quality of the products they purchase. “Commonsense energy efficiency standards will put more money in the pockets of Coloradans in Fort Collins,” said Rep. Kipp. “ This is about saving energy, saving water, and saving money. This bill contains proven, cost-effective methods to help consumers save.” Setting energy efficiency standards is one of the most effective ways to cut carbon pollution emissions. While some appliances have been voluntarily produced using the Energy Star and WaterSense labelling programs, setting appliance standards at the state level will remove the poorest-performing products from the market. The bill passed the House floor with a vote of 40-23. It now heads to the Senate. Previous Next

< Back March 28, 2023 House Committee Passes Legislation to Increase Access to Reproductive Health Care SB23-189 works to make reproductive health care more accessible and affordable DENVER, CO – The House Health & Insurance Committee today passed legislation to make reproductive health care, including abortion, more equitable and accessible. SB23-189 is part of the Safe Access to Protected Health Care legislative package and works to increase insurance coverage and close accessibility gaps for reproductive health care. “The last thing on anyone’s mind when receiving life-saving care, including an abortion, should be – can I afford this? However, financial barriers keep that question top of mind for too many Coloradans,” said Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City . “This bill will increase access to reproductive health care by reducing surprise billing and filling gaps in insurance coverage. I was privileged enough to pay for my own abortion out-of-pocket, but you shouldn’t have to be in my shoes to receive the health care you need. Our bill ensures that all Coloradans, regardless of income level or zip code, are supported in accessing reproductive health care and STI treatments.” “Inequity in health care access is a systemic problem, which is why we’re committed to breaking down barriers and making it possible for all Coloradans to receive the reproductive health care they need,” said Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Unincorporated Adams County . “Our bill makes accessing reproductive health care, including abortion and STI treatment, more equitable and affordable. To achieve reproductive freedom for all, we need to prioritize health care access for underserved communities and communities of color, and uproot the barriers that hold people back from receiving the care they need.” Increasing Access To Reproductive Health Care : SB23-189 passed committee by a vote of 8 to 3. This bill would limit surprise medical billing and remove patient cost sharing for reproductive health care services and treatment, including but not limited to sterilization, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and abortion care. This bill expands access to contraception and related information for all Coloradans, specifically for minors, by modernizing a 1971 law currently in place and aligning it with Colorado’s Public Health code. Additionally, this bill expands family-planning related services and treatment for routine visits. Through the Family Planning Access Collaborative created in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), the department would work to examine issues related to access to family planning services, gaps in coverage, and confidentiality of services. SB23-189 additiontally prioritizes access to life-saving HIV medication by including coverage for the treatment and prevention of HIV by health benefit plans. Previous Next