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WILLIAMS: Shortchanged on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day

August 7th was Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, but if you live in Colorado you probably wouldn’t know.

While the national awareness day was trending on Twitter and written about in publications like Vox and Fortune, nearly every publication in Colorado failed to highlight the importance of Black Women’s Equal Pay Day.

It is particularly concerning that the media failed to cover Black Women’s Equal Pay Day while providing ink and airtime for such important holidays as National Donut Day on May 24th, National Hotdog Day on July 18th, National Cheesecake Day on July 27th, and International Cat Day on August 8th. In all seriousness, the pay gap between black women and other peer groups is no joke.

Nationally, women make 80 cents for every dollar white men make. In Colorado, the pay gap is slightly less — 81 cents for every dollar their white male counterparts make. But the pay gap is even more pronounced for women of color — black women make just 63 cents to every dollar white men make, according to the National Women’s Law Center. But what does that actually mean in real dollars?

Given that the median annual income for black women in the United States is $36,227 and $57,925 for white men, black women make nearly $22,000 less per year. In Colorado, the annual pay gap — not accounting for race — is $9,938.

Nearly 80 percent of black mothers are primary breadwinners for their families — just think of the power that extra $10,000 or $20,000 dollars could provide! A black woman could afford the annual in-state tuition and fees at a four year university or a two-year community college in Colorado, at least a year of childcare, or a year’s worth of groceries for a family of four.

It has been 55 years since the United States introduced the Equal Pay Act, but the reality is that a gender pay gap persists — particularly for black women. And as long as it does, black women will continue to struggle. Struggle to provide for their families; struggle to pay for healthcare and housing; and struggle to buy everyday necessities like groceries and medicine. These strong women, many of them friends and family members of mine, go above and beyond to provide for their families. But they shouldn’t have to work harder to make as much as white men and women.

If nothing is done, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research predicts that black women won’t likely see equal pay until 2125.

Women deserve to get equal pay for equal work, regardless of race. But as long as we continue to acknowledge national food days instead of critical issues like equal pay, we may be waiting a lot longer than 2125 for pay equality.

Angela Williams is a Colorado State Senator representing Senate District 33 and Chairwoman of the Black Caucus

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Twelve New Laws Sponsored by Senator Rachel Zenzinger Took Effect on August 8th

A Total of 21 Pieces of Legislation and a Resolution Sponsored by Rachel Zenzinger Have Become Law

Arvada, CO – August 9, 2018 – Yesterday, twelve new pieces of legislation sponsored by Senator Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada), passed by the General Assembly, and signed into law by Governor John Hicknelooper went into effect. In addition to these 12 new laws, Senator Zenzinger also passed 9 laws and a resolution that took effect prior to August 8th.“I’ve fought tirelessly to pass inclusive legislation that reflects our state’s attitudes and serves the people of Colorado better, whether it be fixing outdated oddities in existing legislation or finding solutions to our state’s most pressing issues,” said Senator Zenzinger, who represents District 19, which incorporates the Jefferson County side of Westminster and most of Arvada.“Because I serve a politically diverse district in the State Senate, I carefully examined each piece of legislation to see how it would benefit the members of my district and Colorado. I proudly support each piece of legislation and know that these new laws will help Coloradans - regardless of party or politics,” added Senator Zenzinger.Senator Zenzinger is a member of the Education Committee, Transportation Committee, Statutory Revision Committee, Student Safety and Youth in Crisis Committee, School Finance Interim Committee, and the CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation) Efficiency and Accountability Committee.These 12 pieces of legislation that took effect on August 8th include:Education

  • Enforcement Statewide Degree Transfer Agreements - SB18-069 – This bill concerns the enforcement of statewide degree transfer agreements, allowing individuals to freely transfer credits between institutions of higher education without having to spend additional money to retake courses.

Children and Domestic Matters

  • Outdated References to "Illegitimate" Children - SB18-095 - The bill removes or modernizes outdated statutory references to a 'legitimate' or 'illegitimate' child and a 'child born out of wedlock.' Colorado only recognizes parentage of a child and acknowledges that the parent and child relationship extends equally to every child and every parent, regardless of the marital status of the parents.
  • Terminology Referencing "Rights of Married Women" - SB18-090 - The bill modernizes the language in statutory sections concerning the 'rights of married women' to be inclusive of married men and women.

Transportation

  • Odometer Reading Physical Vehicle Identification Number Verification - SB18-102 - The bill repeals the requirement that the odometer be read when a motor vehicle's identification number is physically verified.
  • Private Interstate Commercial Vehicle Registration - HB18-1042 - The bill creates the expedited registration program. The program authorizes the department of revenue to promulgate rules authorizing private providers to register interstate commercial vehicles. The provider may collect and retain a convenience fee.
  • Reporting Requirements Department Of Transportation And Department Of Public Safety To General Assembly - HB18-1137 - Pursuant to section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), Colorado Revised Statutes, any report that is required to be made to the general assembly by an executive agency or the judicial branch on a periodic basis expires on the day after the third anniversary of the date on which the first report was due unless the general assembly, acting by bill, continues the requirement. The bill continues reporting requirements of the departments of transportation and public safety.

Human Services

  • Modernize Early Childhood Council Language - HB18-1141 - The bill removes outdated references in statute to 'early childhood care and education councils'. The term is no longer used. Instead, these entities are referred to as 'early childhood councils'.

Environment

  • Reporting Requirements for Park Fees Set by Rule - HB18-1139 - The bill removes obsolete references to a statutory subsection that was repealed on September 1, 2017. Because the repealed statutory subsection concerned the manner in which the parks and wildlife commission sets fees by rule, the bill replaces the obsolete references with references to the parks and wildlife commission's fee-setting rules.

Government

  • Repeal Nomination Vacancy Filling In Municipal Elections - SB18-107 - The bill repeals the process by which a vacancy in nomination may be filled for an election conducted under the 'Colorado Municipal Code of 1965' and makes conforming amendments.
  • Remove Term "Pauper" From Colorado Revised Statutes - HB18-1142 - The bill modernizes the language in statutory sections by replacing the terms 'pauper' and 'paupers' with 'indigent' or 'indigent persons'.
  • Public Officials Oaths & Affirmations - HB18-1138 - The bill establishes a single uniform text for swearing or affirming an oath of office and the requirements regarding how and when an oath or affirmation of office must be taken, subscribed, administered, and filed

Courts

  • Unconstitutional Language Interest On Damages - SB18-098 - The bill amends section 13-21-101 (1), Colorado Revised Statutes, concerning interest on damages to reflect a 1996 decision made by the Colorado supreme court that ruled certain language in that subsection violated the equal protection clause of the constitution.

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ABOUT SEN. ZENZINGER:An Arvada resident with a deep background in education and public school advocacy, Rachel Zenzinger was elected to the State Senate in 2016. Before coming to the State Senate, Rachel was elected twice to serve on the Arvada City Council, where she also filled the role of Mayor Pro Tem. Rachel had previously represented the district when she was appointed to serve in the State Senate for the 2014 legislative session. She currently serves on the Senate Education, Transportation, and Statutory Revision Committees. Sen. Zenzinger is also a member of the School Finance Interim Committee and the CDOT Efficiency and Accountability Committee.

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Transcript of Minority Leader Guzman's opening day remarks

Colorado Senate Minority Leader Lucia Guzman delivered the following address on the opening day of the 2018 legislative session.

Mr. PresidentMr. President Pro TemMr. Majority LeaderMr. Assistant Minority Leader

ColleaguesFamily and friends

I have been honored to serve as the Democratic Leader of the Senate for these years, and my first desire today is to honor and thank those Senators whose last session of service begins today:

Senator Cheri JahnSenator Andy KerrSenator Irene AguilarSenator and President GranthamSenator LundbergSenator Lambert

The graduating class of 2018 has made significant contributions to the State of Colorado and served their constituents with honor and respect. Please join me in applauding their service.

We know that those of us entering our last legislative session are not yet finished with our work. Each of us joins all of you in making this session of the 71st general assembly one of historic progress for the people of Colorado.

Today, I’m honored to welcome and recognize some special guests.

Every year, each of our 35 Senate Districts selects one student to serve as a member of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC). These students play a vital role in advancing the values of civic engagement in our next generation of leaders.

I’m honored to introduce the exceptional young woman chosen to represent my own Senate District in Northwest Denver County: Winta Goyne

Winta’s family came to our country as refugees from Eritrea. A journey that began in a refugee camp at the age of 2 brought her to this moment and her new home in Denver. Now, she’s an outstanding 10th-grade student at North High School. Both of her parents are hardworking, proud residents who hope to become full citizens of the United States.

I’d also like to welcome our friends from the Bureau of Land Management and the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary.From the BLM are Jayson Barangan and John Beck. From the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary are Michelle Sander, Executive Director and Stephanie Lindsay, Lead Trainer as well as Michelle’s two children, Carson and Preston and three members of the GEMS Board.

Through the efforts of dedicated professionals and volunteers alike, they’ve made great progress in balancing protecting the wild horse population and the management of our cherished public lands. This cooperative spirit in service of preserving Colorado’s unique natural beauty and ecosystems is a wonderful example of what makes our home state so special.

President Theodore Roosevelt once said that “what makes a hero is the romantic notion that they stand above the tawdry give and take of everyday politics, where division gives way to unity, and where the nation regains its lost innocence, and the people share a sense of purpose."

I believe that elected officials must strive to live up to these ideals each and every day. Last year’s legislative session has been called one of the best in decades thanks to our collective will to reach across the aisle. When we allow divisions to give way to unity, we pass major bills that improve the lives of the people we’re bound to serve.

This spirit of collaboration and unity shows us a better way forward. A way to cross the bridges that divide rural and urban, rich and poor. A way to truly commit to our shared purpose of guaranteeing that a good life is available to all Coloradans. And we must commit to that vision, now more than ever.

Over the past several decades, Colorado families have been hit hard by a brutal economic reality: everything keeps getting more expensive, but people barely make enough money to keep up.

Rent, housing, childcare, healthcare. The cost of living marches to new heights every year, but paychecks stay the same.

Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans work full-time jobs that pay less than what it takes to keep a family of four out of poverty.

Despite having one of the strongest economies in the country, Colorado spends roughly $2,000 less per K-12 public school student than the national average — lagging behind 37 other states.

The obscene cost of healthcare continues to drive families into debilitating debt when a loved one gets sick or injured — even if they have insurance.

These are just a small sample of the challenges we must face together. The question remains whether or not we can summon the collective courage to put partisanship aside and advance an agenda that improves the lives of the working and middle class.

In years past, we’ve seen far too many bipartisan bills die along party-line votes in Republican-controlled Senate Committees.

A bipartisan affordable housing bill offering relief from obscenely high housing costs in urban and rural Colorado alike — killed.

A badly-needed transportation bill, which saw collaboration from both parties — died in committee.

Effort after effort to finally expand high-speed broadband Internet to our rural and mountain communities — blocked.

Today, I invite us to look past conventional partisan labels, Democrat, Republican and Independent...and work to advance a policy agenda that truly serves the working class:

Let’s work together to make healthcare available for all.

Let’s create a public option that gives every resident of our state the choice to get affordable care through Health First Colorado.

Let’s legally brand pharmaceutical price gouging as what it is — a deceptive trade practice — and create real consequences for companies that maximize their profits at the expense of access to life-saving drugs.

Let’s continue our bipartisan work to confront the opioid crisis by expanding access treatment and addiction counseling, stopping the over-prescription of dangerously addictive pain medications, and fight to keep the cost of behavioral health services as low as possible.

Let’s work together to join nearly every other nation on earth in providing paid leave for the people of Colorado. Let’s stop forcing parents to choose between being present for some of the most precious moments in their children’s lives and putting food on the table. Let’s stop forcing workers from going to work with the flu because they have no other option.

As state employees, elected officials like us have the opportunity to earn paid time off. How can we continue to deny the people of Colorado the same opportunity?

Let’s work together to ensure the long-term health of PERA, our state retirement program that currently serves 500,000 Coloradans. Let’s make sure that we create a long-term, automatically adjusting solution that keeps pace with cost of living and provides peace of mind for our retirees.

Let’s make sure every Colorado has access to high-speed broadband Internet — an absolute necessity for modern life and business. Far too many rural and mountain communities across Colorado remain isolated from the growing opportunities offered by broadband services. Many students in schools across Colorado are falling behind because of the lack of access to reliable Internet.

Doctors and nurses and physician assistants cannot serve people who live far from their offices through telemedicine without high-speed Internet. Ranchers, farmers, and exciting startup programs throughout rural Colorado remain at a disadvantage. This year, there is a bipartisan bill to usher in a major expansion of broadband Internet access. Our colleagues are ready, the people are ready. Internet Service Providers must get with the program this year. Let’s make it happen.

On these and so many other issues, we have an opportunity to create a Colorado where the building blocks of a good life are available to everyone, not just a privileged few.

A better world is possible — for all.

We’ve seen what happens when we set Coloradans up to succeed. We see it in the entrepreneurial spirit that drives our states’ businesses. In Colorado’s craft beer industry. In specialized outdoor companies like Osprey in Cortez, or Melanzana in Leadville.

We see in women like April Archer, a true entrepreneur who’s with us here today. April owns Sarabella Fishing, a company launched in 2014 out of frustration with the lack of fishing equipment tailored to women. Today, April’s company produces fishing rods with a variety of weights and grips so that women across the country can enjoy one of her favorite pastimes with their families just as she does with hers.

We envision a world where these success stories are not the exception, but the rule.

Finally, I cannot in good conscience let today pass without speaking to this unique moment in political history. In order to be genuine advocates for the working class, we must be honest about the root causes of one of the most urgent problems plaguing our society: the ever-widening gulf between the ultra-wealthy and the rest of us.

The truth is that the economic struggles of the middle and working class are not the inevitable outcome of economic forces beyond our control. They are a direct result of a broken system where money buys access and influence for powerful interests at the expense of everybody else.

A political system corrupted by money is at the core of almost every major issue we face.

Elected officials who fail to acknowledge this reality are part of the problem. If we want to solve it, we can start by giving a stronger voice back to the people we serve.

While we can’t control what happens at the federal level, we can continue to protect state-level politics here in Colorado from the same fate.

Anti-corruption reform will be at the heart of our agenda in 2018 because we must do everything in our power to build a political system that truly works for the people.

This legislative session, we are introducing a bill that will cap the flow of unlimited money into county and school board elections. And we will fight to require transparency from the monied interests pouring millions of dollars into our elections.

To borrow one more quote from Theodore Roosevelt: "If we condone political theft, our civilization itself cannot endure.”

We will never stop fighting to protect our political system from corruption. A government that truly represents the people — the very foundation of a free society — cannot exist any other way.

Let me tell you about the vision of a political leader who is a hero of mine and day by day becoming the hero of his constituents. He is following through on the challenge of rebuilding a dying community — one of many across Colorado whose community is changed because of the end of longtime business investments. Through his hope, hard work, building community and relationships across the aisle.The good senator from Montrose is guiding one of his communities towards a business shift.

He has dared to move the promise of hemp production and has plans for developing the business which include bringing jobs, training and a new life to an area long lost hemp, a new agricultural product in places where old ways have gone by. I have taken the personal move towards establishing the hemp award and this award goes to the great senator from Senate District 6. A true hero who has dared greatly taken risks and made sacrifices.

When we were kids, we had no toys to speak of, but we did have a tree to climb. The tree was a chinaberry tree. It had small, but hard green berries. We each choose a limb of the tree that we called our own. We took our pocket knife and carved our name in the limb to secure our very own property right.

We would take some old thin limbs from the tree and some old inner tube rubber and make ourselves some slingshots. While we were above the yard, we would shoot at my daddy’s chickens. Some didn’t survive. And we had to let our dad believe that, for some odd reason, some of his chickens had heart problems and died on the spot from a heart attack. We loved climbing that tree.

My brother climbed almost to the top. As high as he could go without losing his balance. I chose the limb closer to the trunk of the tree. It was a strong limb, and I could sit comfortably for a long time. My brother tried his best to coax me up to his highest limb. He would say, “I can see in Charles Black’s backyard.I can see the train coming” and he would say, “come on up and you can see”.

His limb was high enough to see above the leaves. And he no doubt had a clear view of things I could not see. But to this day, I don’t know if he was really seeing what he said he saw or if he was making it up just to get me to climb where I did not want to climb. We would even climb the tree at night, and he said, “I can see the stars — Come on up,” or “I can see the milky way from here”. I always loved the stars and I wanted so much to believe him. I wanted to experience what I could not see. To believe in the unknown

One day, when no one else was around, I climbed to my limb and on up, up to as far as I could go. I secured myself on the spindly limb. Looked around, above the tree leaves, and I did not see the train coming down the track, nor could I see in the backyard of Charles Blacks. But I could see far more than when I sat on my own limb. I could see farther than ever before and did not fall off.

As electeds, we are dared to heed the call to risk the unknown for the promise of greatness. Not for the greatness of oneself, bt for the greatness of  a people. The greatness of our society. Of the state of Colorado.

Those of us who have one last session have one last chance to accomplish something else for Colorado.

To those staying and for those preparing to leave, whether or not we accomplish all of our goals, we must continue to set the stage for daring to be the best that we can be. There will be the urge to consider the unknown, always calling us to go places we’ve not been before.

My advice: climb up there. So that you can know that you did the best you could to fulfill the promises made to those who elected you to build an even better Colorado.

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Legislative Leaders to Meet on Review of Workplace Harassment

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Denver, CO – Responding to workplace harassment allegations involving Colorado legislators, House and Senate leadership announced today that they will meet to consider a review of how workplace harassment issues are handled in the General Assembly.

The Executive Committee of the Legislative Council will meet to discuss moving forward with hiring an independent consultant to review the legislature’s existing procedures regarding workplace harassment and issue recommendations to the legislature, as well as to determine the review’s scope and timeline.

The review will involve gathering research and seeking input from interested parties during the course of the review, and holding a hearing on the recommendations and any proposed rule changes that result from the review. The review will also look at issues including but not limited to:

  • A best-practices survey of workplace harassment policies in other states and the private sector
  • Whether an independent body or other neutral third-party organization should be established to handle workplace harassment complaints and potential models to consider
  • Suitable methods for reporting complaints, including online reporting options
  • How confidentiality should be handled in workplace harassment or sexual harassment complaints
  • Suitable remedies for complaints of workplace harassment
  • Record keeping
  • Protections against retribution
  • Proper safeguards to allow patterns of harassment to be clearly detected and handled appropriately
  • Best practices for awareness and training on what constitutes workplace harassment and the procedure for filing a complaint under the policy

As a part of the review, research and input will be gathered from a wide range of sources, including but not limited to: the Office of Legislative Legal Services, Legislative Council, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the state Department of Personnel and Administration, the state attorney general’s office, human resources and employment law experts, victims’ advocacy groups, legislators, employees and others who do business at the legislature.

In addition to setting up this process, the leaders agreed to discuss formalizing proposals for workplace harassment training to be conducted annually for all legislators and staff and to be expanded to offer the most comprehensive training available.

The Executive Committee of the Legislative Council includes Senate President Kevin Grantham, House Speaker Crisanta Duran, Senate Majority Leader Chris Holbert, House Majority Leader KC Becker, Senate Minority Leader Lucia Guzman and House Minority Leader Patrick Neville. The date and time of the Executive Committee meeting will be announced as soon as it is confirmed.

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This press release was originally published on November 21, 2017. Please visit our press page for follow-up questions and additional media inquiries.

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Senate Minority Leader Guzman Calls for Rep. Steve Lebsock’s Resignation

 

Denver, CO -- Today, KUNC reported that nine people have come forward with accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct against Rep. Steve Lebsock. Senate Democratic Leader Lucia Guzman released the following statement:

“Steve Lebsock’s behavior is unacceptable, and he must resign immediately. No one should be made to feel unsafe by unwanted sexual advances, period.

We stand with Representative Winter and applaud her decision to come forward, as well as the eight others who chose to speak up and seek justice. Coming forward with an accusation of sexual harassment is an incredibly difficult decision, and we commend those who have spoken out regarding their experiences.

We take this issue extremely seriously, and will strongly advocate for a thorough and impartial investigation of these allegations. The very fact that so many victims have come forward is a clear indication that the Colorado legislature’s process for reporting and addressing sexual harassment is in urgent need of review and improvement.

The massive number of people across the country who have come forward with their own stories in response to the #MeToo campaign shows how commonplace this behavior has become. That enduring incidents of sexual harassment is an expected aspect of so many people’s day-to-day lives speaks to a systemic crisis in America’s workplaces.

We strongly encourage victims who are comfortable speaking out to do so, and will stand with them in ensuring that this crucial issue continues to receive the attention it deserves. The national movement to finally end a culture that protects harassers and abusers has gained undeniable momentum in the past month. We will continue to fight for policies that both prevent as many of these incidents as possible and provide true justice for victims."

Full report from KUNC: Lawmakers And Lobbyists Accuse Steve Lebsock Of Sexual Harassment; Speaker Calls For His Resignation

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This press release was originally published on November 10, 2017. Please visit our press page for follow-up questions and additional media inquiries.

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Guzman: Potential DACA Repeal "Anti-American"

  

Denver, CO -- Senate Democratic Leader Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, released the following statement on the news that President Trump is deciding whether or not he will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA):

“The very idea of deporting the children of immigrants, who were brought to this country through no fault of their own and have grown up here, gone to school, worked, and have been wonderful members of our communities is nothing short of anti-American. Here in Colorado alone, DACA has allowed over 17,000 young people to pursue their American dreams without fear of deportation. We passed legislation so Dreamers who graduate high school in Colorado can access in-state college tuition rates. Some of our proud educational institutions have even made scholarship and work opportunities available so those young people can pursue their dreams. Is the President really going to turn back the clock on them?”

“It is my sincere hope the President considers very carefully what the consequences of ending DACA would be for the 800,000 young people who have only known the United States as their home. They have been contributing members of our society, and they embody the ideals that make our country great. The President needs to make the right decision, and not take action that would separate families and tear us apart as a country.”

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This press release was originally published on August 30, 2017. Please visit our press page for follow-up questions and additional media inquiries.

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