Now that the election is behind us, I have been hard at work preparing to represent Senate District 8 in the Colorado State Senate. After traveling across the ten counties in our district and hearing your concerns and desires for the future of our corner of Colorado, I am energized to take your ideas to the Capitol when we begin our work on January 9th, 2023.
With 2022 coming to a close, please enjoy this final legislative newsletter of the year with updates from the interim session, a preview of what to expect in 2023, and ways to stay informed and involved with my legislative work in the new year.
Monthly Op-Ed: Thank you, voters
Check out my latest op-ed, where I thank the voters of Senate District 8, detail what I learned on the campaign trail about finding common ground despite differences, and outline my goals for serving our district in the upcoming legislative session.
Moving forward, we'll be sending these updates to all the Senate District 8 newspapers including theCraig Daily Press, Rio Blanco Herald Times,Sky Hi News, Steamboat Pilot, The Mountain Ear, the Clear Creek County Courant, the Valley Voice, the Summit Daily, and others.
Upcoming Town Hall Meeting: January 5th
Please join Speaker-designate Julie McCluskie, Representative-elect Meghan Lukens and me for a virtual town hall on January 5th! We will use this time to preview our agendas for the upcoming legislative session and answer questions. I hope you are able to join us!
RegisterHEREto get the Zoom link and submit your questions HERE. If the Zoom webinar is full, please join the Facebook Live HERE.
On the Road in Senate District 8
Many of my bills and voting decisions are informed by conversations I have in the community during the interim session. For that reason, I have been continuing to travel across the district to meet with county commissioners, school superintendents, community groups, and everyday constituents to hear how the legislature can support local initiatives and to receive feedback on my developing legislative agenda. I even had the privilege to hear bill ideas from the 3rd graders at Gypsum Elementary School!
Meeting with the Rio Blanco County Commissioners in Rangely
At YouthPower365 Turkey Trot in Eagle-Vail with my family
With the 3rd grade class of Gypsum Elementary
Before touring Northwest Colorado Health in Craig
Back at the Capitol, I have been working to put these ideas into action with my Democratic and Republican colleagues. So far, we have started to draft bills to develop and maintain workforce housing, conserve the Western Slope’s water supply, revitalize our rural economies, and address many other issues of importance to Senate District 8.
Preview of the 74th General Assembly
On January 9th, I will be officially sworn in as your next State Senator. From then, I will spend the following 120 days at the Capitol introducing, debating, and voting on bills. During this time, each legislator serves on several committees, in which bills are heard, amended and voted on before moving to a full vote in the House or Senate.
For the 74th General Assembly, I am excited to announce that I will be serving as Chair of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee and as a member of the Local Government & Housing and Judiciary Committees.
The Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee generally considers matters concerning water, agriculture, wildlife, and recreation. In addition, the committee has legislative oversight responsibility for the state departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources. I’m honored to have this opportunity to advance legislation that supports our agricultural industries and protects our precious natural resources, which are increasingly under threat due to a historic rise in drought and wildfires.
Open Enrollment for health insurance is November 1, 2022 - January 15, 2023, and Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, is ready to help you get covered. It is the only place Coloradans who don’t qualify for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and don’t get health insurance from their job can apply for financial help to offset health insurance costs. And this year, due to changes in state and federal law, there is more financial help available to Coloradans for health insurance!
Need enrollment assistance? Connect for Health Colorado offers free help all around the state. Visit ConnectforHealthCO.com or call 855-752-6749.
Staying in Touch
As always, please feel free to contact me via e-mail, phone, or text. You can also reach out to my new legislative aide, Annie Nelson, who some of you may recognize from her work in Grand and Summit Counties on the campaign trail!
I always value your feedback, ideas and questions and look forward to hearing from you throughout the new year.
