DENVER, CO – The Senate Business, Labor & Technology Committee today gave unanimous approval to a bill that will improve health care affordability by making certain health claims reimbursement data more accessible to Colorado providers and consumers.

Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs) that would update Colorado’s court text reminder system by expanding the use of automated court date text reminders and turning the reminder program into an opt-out system instead of an opt-in system.

DENVER, CO – The Senate Judiciary Committee today gave approval to Sen. Pete Lee’s (D-Colorado Springs) bipartisan legislation to expand a pretrial diversion program and help more Coloradans with behavioral health conditions get the treatment they need.

DENVER, CO – The Senate Education Committee today approved bipartisan legislation from Senator Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada) that aims to help support foster youth seeking higher education opportunities in Colorado. 

DENVER, CO – Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo) today announced he intends to resign as President of the Colorado Senate in order to accept an appointment to serve our nation at the Pentagon.

DENVER, CO – The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) last week unanimously approved a supplemental request by the Treasury Department to ensure SB 21-293’s Property Tax Deferral Program gets up and running on-time.

DENVER, CO – Following the devastating Marshall Fire, the Senate Local Government Committee today voted to advance legislation that would expand an outreach campaign to raise awareness and motivate more than half of the state’s population to better prepare for extreme wildfires.

DENVER, CO – Today, Governor Jared Polis signed into law a tax extension that will continue to save small business retailers money through October 2022. HB22-1027, sponsored by Senator Jeff Bridges (D-Greenwood Village), extends the destination sourcing deadline from February 1, 2022 to October 1, 2022, allowing Colorado small businesses more time before needing to remit sales taxes based on the buyer’s address.

On Wednesday, February 2 at 1:30 pm, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) will hear public testimony on the FY 2022-23 State Budget. JBC Democrats are encouraging Coloradans who wish to share their views with the committee to participate in person or virtually. The public testimony link is included below.

DENVER - Today, Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera joined legislators, cabinet members, and members of Colorado’s federal delegation to announce details of the policy recommendations released by the Affordable Housing and Behavioral Health Task Forces. On Friday, these committees released their official reports with recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on policies to create transformative change in the areas of housing and behavioral health using federal coronavirus recovery money.

DENVER, CO – The Behavioral Health and Affordable Housing Transformational Task Forces today released final reports on their recommendations for using $850 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) pandemic relief funds to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment and make housing more affordable.

DENVER, CO – The Joint Budget Committee this week approved nearly $6 million in additional funding to help county governments impacted by the Marshall Fire make up for lost property taxes as a result of diminished property values in the region.

DENVER, CO – The Colorado General Assembly Interim Committee on School Finance today voted to move forward three major proposals to revamp education funding allocations in Colorado and ensure that every student has an opportunity to succeed.

DENVER, CO – Senators Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood) and Robert Rodriguez (D-Denver) and Representatives Leslie Herod (D-Denver) and Tom Sullivan (D-Centennial) today joined Colorado workers, the Communication Workers of America, Towards Justice, American Federation of Teachers, the Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association, and other worker advocates at a virtual press conference in support of a soon-to-be-introduced bill, which provides permanent whistleblower protections for workers who speak out about health or safety concerns at their workplace.

DENVER, CO – Representatives Lisa Cutter and Tom Sullivan, and Senators Brittany Pettersen and Chris Kolker introduced HB22-1001 the “Colorado Business Fee Relief Act” to the Colorado State Assembly.

COLORADO SPRINGS — Today, Governor Jared Polis discussed plans to reduce driver license fees as a part of the Polis administration’s commitment to saving people money. In a visit to the Colorado Springs Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office, Governor Polis highlighted the Governor’s Fee Reduction Package, which froze driver license fees at around $30, relative to the national average cost of a driver license at about $40. 

DENVER, CO — Last week, Senator Joann Ginal (D-Fort Collins) introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at cracking down on stolen catalytic converters in Colorado.

DENVER, CO – Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo) today welcomed Governor Jared Polis back to Southern Colorado, where the two discussed their work to improve Colorado’s workforce and behavioral health systems, as well as their shared commitment to saving Coloradans money.

DENVER, CO – The Colorado House and Senate today passed measures calling on Congress to defend democracy and pass critical voting rights protections. The measures, HR22-1004 and SM22-001, reassert the validity of the 2020 election results and highlight Colorado’s Gold Standard elections system to the nation as a model for holding free, safe, and secure elections.

DENVER, CO – Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo) and Majority Leader Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) released the following statements today after Governor Jared Polis delivered his State of the State Address.