February Update!
Bills Passing. Town Hall Meetings Happening. Lots of Work Ahead!
We are one month into the legislative session and we've hit quite the stride! Please see below for exciting legislative updates and details on my upcoming town hall meetings across Eagle & Routt Counties.
Check out my monthly column in the Vail Daily & Steamboat Pilot!
|
|
Happenings at the Capitol and elsewhere
|
|
Clockwise from top left: (1) Speaking to CBS4 about my health care bill (click for video). (2) Passing "Kevin's Law" on the House floor (click for video). (3) Joining Governor Polis and other legislative leaders for a health care town hall in Frisco. (4) Speaking at the Colorado Water Congress Annual Convention.
|
|
Upcoming Town Hall Meetings
Come talk with me and other area legislators. Hear an update from the Capitol and ask questions. Free and open to the public.
Eagle - with State. Sen. Kerry Donovan. Saturday, February 9. 10:30-Noon. Eagle County Building (Commissioner's Room). Full details.
Steamboat - Sunday, February 10. 3:30-5pm. Bud Werner Library. Full Details.
Basalt - with State Sen. Donovan and State Rep. Julie McCluskie. Saturday, February 23. 10:30-Noon. Basalt Regional Library. Full Details.
Avon - Paid Family & Medical Leave Listening Tour Stop. Saturday, February 23. 2:30-4:30pm. Avon Library (organized by Mom's Rising but I will be stopping by). Full Details.
Can't make it but still have a question or concern? Contact me and we can chat over the phone, via e-mail, or I'll schedule a one-on-one meeting with you:
Cell: (970) 846-3054
E-mail: Dylan.Roberts.House@state.co.us
|
|
Bills Introduced
As bills get finalized, I walk them from my office to the House floor and then they are formally introduced. Here are the House (and Senate) bills I'm sponsoring that have been formally introduced so far:
HB1004: Proposal for a Public Health Insurance Option
This bill will set in place the process of instituting a state-backed public health insurance option in Colorado so that people and families purchasing health insurance on the individual market will have choice, competition, and lower prices. Bi-partisan sponsorship: Reps. Marc Catlin (R-Montrose), Rep. Dylan Roberts (D-Avon) and Sen. Kerry Donovan (D-Vail).
Status: PASSED the House Health and Insurance Committee with bi-partisan vote of 9-2. Awaiting a vote in House Appropriations.
Related article: Dylan Roberts' bill to create a public health insurance option gains steam via Steamboat Pilot.
|
|
SB004: Address High-Cost Health Insurance Pilot Program
This bill will implement a state-run pilot program to allow residents of counties facing the highest health care costs to participate in state benefit plans and allow consumers to collectively negotiate rates directly with providers. Sponsorship: Sen. Donovan and Rep. Roberts
Status: Introduced in the Senate and assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee; awaiting a hearing date.
HB1030: Unlawful Electronic Sexual Communication
This bill creates a criminal penalty for persons in a position of trust who are found guilty of sending texts messages to a child describing or including explicit sexual conduct. Bi-partisan Sponsorship: Reps. Roberts and Soper.
Status: Introduced to the House Judiciary Committee.
Related article: Sexually explicit text acquittal in Craig breeds anti-sexting law via Craig Daily Press.
HB1035: Remove Fee Cap Electrical Inspection Local Government Higher Education
This bill will afford public inspection entities the flexibility to set fee rates for electrical inspections. Current law forbids local governments and public education institutions from charging more than 15% of the state fee to perform an electrical inspection. This bill removes the existing cap, increasing inspection efficiency. Bi-partisan sponsorship: Reps. Rich and Roberts, Sen. Woodward.
Status: PASSED House Transportation and Local Government Committee and the House of Representatives on a bi-partisan vote of 60-1; awaiting hearing date in the Senate.
HB1077: Pharmacist Dispense Drug Without Prescription In Emergency
This bill is named “Kevin’s Law” in honor of Kevin Houdeshell, a young man who had Type 1 Diabetes and died because he could not get access to insulin. Five years ago, his prescription had run out and he could not get it renewed over the holidays. If Kevin’s Law is adopted in Colorado, pharmacists would be able to dispense life-saving medication in cases of emergency without a prescriptiondr. After a 64-0 vote in the House, this life-saving bill is on to the Senate and we are hopeful Governor Polis will sign it into law soon.
Bi-partisan sponsorship: Rep. Roberts, Sens. Tate (R) and Pettersen (D).
Status: PASSED the House Health & Insurance Committee and the House of Representatives with UNANIMOUS votes; Assigned to Senate Health & Human Services Committee and awaiting a hearing date.
HB1113: Protect Water Quality From Adverse Mining Impacts
Water is our state's most precious resource and we should do everything we can to protect it and this bill is aimed at doing just that. The bill is two-fold: it firsts looks to hold new hard-rock mines accountable by prohibiting self-bonding for clean-up costs. Second, the bill requires new hard-rock mines to have an end-date for clean-up, ending perpetual, cyclical water use in clean-up efforts. Sponsorship: Reps. Roberts and McLachlan
Status: PASSED the House Rural Affairs & Agriculture Committee and House 2nd Reading. Final vote on House floor by the end of the week.
Related article: House Committee Approves McLachlan-Roberts Bill To Make Clean Water a Priority.
HB1120: Youth Mental Health Education And Suicide Prevention
This bill will expand access to youth mental health services and encourage additional mental health education and awareness in Colorado schools. This bill is inspired by an Eagle County High School student and is featured in this timely Colorado independent article. Sponsorship: Reps. Michaelson-Jenet and Roberts, Sen. Fenberg.
Status: Introduced in the House and assigned to the House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee; hearing date is February 20.
HB1121: Fifth-year High School & ASCENT Program Students
This bill expands opportunities for fifth-year high school students and students enrolled in the ASCENT Program in Colorado schools so that more students can get ahead of their college course work while still in high school at institutions like Colorado Mountain College. Sponsorship: Reps. McCluskie and Roberts.
Status: Introduced in the House and assigned to the House Education and House Appropriations Committees; hearing date Tuesday, February 12th at 1:30pm.
SB071: Child Hearsay Exception
This bill amends the statutory exception to the hearsay rule allowing a child's out-of-court statement to be admissible in court if: (1) a child under the age of 13 is the alleged victim in a criminal proceeding; or (2) if the child describes all or part of an offense of unlawful sexual behavior in a criminal proceeding. This is a small but important change to ensure that child victims are better represented in criminal proceedings. Sponsorship: Sen. Fields and Rep. Roberts
.
Status: Introduced in the Senate and assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 6th at 1:30pm.
|
|
Other Topics at the Legislature
|
|
How To Stay In Touch
I hope to see you at one of my upcoming Town Hall Meetings!
In the meantime, please always feel free to contact me via e-mail, phone, or text:
E-mail: Dylan.Roberts.House@state.co.us
Office: 303-866-2923
Cell: 970-846-3054
Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates!
|
|
Thank you for the privilege to serve this great district and the State of Colorado.
My best,
Dylan
|
|
|
|
|