Town Hall Meetings this week! We're almost halfway done with the session!
Rounding the Halfway Point
We are almost halfway through this year's legislative session! That means we are at the point of the year in which we are voting on numerous bills each day, some of which have already made their way to the Governor’s desk.
Just like ours, communities across the state and the legislators that represent them are also asking for solutions to affordability, public education funding, public safety, accessible health care, and a healthy environment. I feel confident that we, at the Capitol, are working hard to make Colorado an even better place to live for all.
Please read on to learn more about what I and the rest of the legislature is doing this session to respond to YOUR feedback! And, I hope to see you at one of my upcoming town hall meetings to continue this conversation.
Town Halls Meetings Coming Up
I hope you are able to join me at one (or more!) of the in-person and virtual town halls we are hosting in March, and stay tuned for even more town halls across SD8 in the coming months!
Update on I-70 Closures
I know that recent crashes and subsequent closures on I-70 have affected many in Senate District 8. As a fellow commuter on I-70, I understand how frustrating and discouraging it is to be continuously inconvenienced because of reckless driving. When I-70 is shut down, it not only affects travelers but also delays the transport of local goods, hurts our local economy, and threatens our capacity for emergency response.
While the legislature has made progress in enforcing safe driving conditions by passing bills that require traction equipment on I-70 during winter conditions (HB19-1207) and investing significantly in transportation infrastructure improvements, (SB21-260) there is clearly much more to do.
For these reasons, I and my colleagues who represent the I-70 mountain corridor have been in conversations with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to discuss ways we can further enforce safe driving on the interstate. While many options are still being discussed, here is what we are doing NOW to address these issues:
CDOT is lowering speed limits through Glenwood Canyon, metering traffic with snow plows & increasing speed enforcements checkpoints
CDOT is continuing to work on improvements to secondary routes such as CO13, US 40, US 284, and Cottonwood Pass, as part of their 10 year plan
I am working with my colleagues at the legislature to write and introduce legislation soon to enhance standards and enforcement for safe driving
We will continue to work on immediate and long term solutions to these disruptions, and you can read more about these coordinated efforts here.
Bill Updates
I'm excited to announce that even more of my bills have passed the House and Senate, and all of them did so with bipartisan support. Please read on for an update on my bills that have moved one step closer towards becoming Colorado law!
🏠SB23-001:Public-Private Partnerships for Affordable Housing on Under-Utilized State-Owned Land Senators Roberts (D) & Zenzinger (D) | Representatives Bird (D) & Lukens (D)
Allows and incentivizes public-private partnerships to develop affordable housing on unused state land. One of the first projects funded by this legislation will occur on underutilized CDOT land in Eagle County and spur partnerships between local governments and developers to build workforce housing.
Status:CLEARED Senate Local Government & Housing Committee 6-1, sent to Appropriations.
🏗 SB23-006:Creation of the Rural Opportunity Office Senators Roberts (D) & Rich (R) | Representatives Catlin (R) & McLachlan (D)
Creates the Rural Opportunity Office in state government to connect communities to programs and resources for economic development, energy transition, and community support.
Status: CLEAREDSenate Business, Labor & Technology Committee 9-0, sent to Appropriations.
🚜 SB23-050:Eligibility For Agricultural Future Loan Program Senators Roberts (D) & Simpson (R) | Representatives Holtorf (R) & McCormick (D)
Expands opportunities for farmers and ranchers to apply for loans made available specifically for our state's agriculture producers.
Status:PASSED the Senate 30-0, sent to House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee.🎓 SB23-096: In-State Tuition Classification Institution Of Higher Education Senators Roberts (D) & Lundeen (R) | Representatives Amabile (D) & Soper (R)
Increases the amount of Colorado merit scholars that institutions can count in an academic year from 8% to 15%, and permits Peace Corps volunteers to qualify for in-state tuition.
Status:PASSED the Senate 32-0, sent to House Education Committee.🎓 HB23-1007: Higher Education Crisis and Suicide Prevention Representatives Catlin (R) & Amabile (D) | Senator Roberts (D)
Requires higher education institutions to print suicide prevention contact information on student identification cards.
Status: PASSED the House 59-3 & PASSED the Senate 34-0, sent to Governor's desk.
Continues high-cost support mechanism funding for rural telecommunications providers to assist with rural broadband deployment.
Status: PASSED in the House 58-3 & PASSED the Senate 33-1, sent to Governor's desk.👨🚒 HB23-1072: Civil Defense Worker Compensation Representative Velasco (D) | Senators Roberts (D) & Will (R)
Allows civil defense workers that are employed during disaster emergencies, like wildfires and pandemics, to be compensated for their response.
Status: PASSED in the House 58-5 & PASSED the Senate 35-0, sent to Governor's desk.🚓 HB23-1102:Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driving Enforcement Representatives Evans (R) & Bird (D)| Senators Roberts (D) & Hansen (D)
Expands and funds the Office of Transportation Safety for local enforcement of alcohol and drug-impaired driving.
Status:CLEARED the House Judiciary Committee 13-0, sent to House Appropriations. ☀️HB23-1137:Solar Garden Net Metering Credits Stabilization Representatives Lukens (D) & Valdez (D) | Senators Hansen (D) & Roberts (D)
Adjusts the calculation by which Community Solar Gardens (CSGs) receive metering credits to increase predictability, thereby attracting more solar customers.
Status: PASSED the House 45-17, sent to Senate Transportation & Energy Committee.
Meeting Community in SD8 and at the Capitol
Honoring the retirement of Debbie Curtis, longtime director of the South Routt Library District, with a tribute from the Capitol
Hosting a wonderful town hall in Steamboat Springs with Representative Meghan Lukens
Meeting with medical providers from Garfield, Eagle, and Clear Creek counties during Youth Mental Health Action Day.
Speaking with representatives from Eagle Valley Mountain pride on LGBTQ+ rights
Meeting with Recycle Colorado advocates from Eagle County
Celebrating Mountain Family Health Care's new center in Avon - and discussing ways to support our rural community health centers
🚨 New Bills 🚨
🧼 SB23-150:Require Labeling Disposable Wipes Senators Roberts (D) & Will (R) | Representatives Froelich (D) & Frizell (R)
Requires manufacturers to label packages of non-flushable, disposal wipes with the phrase "Do Not Flush" to protect our sanitation systems and water quality.
Status:Introduced in Senate, assigned to Business, Labor, & Technology Committee.
🥩SB23-152:Sunset Continue Custom Processing Meat Animals Senators Roberts (D) & Pelton (R) | Representatives Holtorf (R) & Young (D)
Continues the regulation of the custom processing of meat animals until September 2032.
Status: CLEARED the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee 6-0, sent to Senate Appropriations.
💧 SB23-177:Colorado Water Conservation Board Water Projects Appropriations Senators Roberts (D) & Simpson (R)
Appropriates funding to the Colorado Water Conservation Board projects across the state to improve our water infrastructure.
Status: Introduced in the Senate, assigned to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
🏥 HB23-1226:Hospital Transparency and Reporting Requirements Senators Roberts (D) & Will (R) | Representatives Soper (R) & Kennedy (D)
Clarifies the information that hospitals are required to report to the state department for the transparency report and authorizes the state to enforce these reporting standards.
Status: Introduced in the House, assigned to Health and Insurance Committee
🩺 HB23-1224:Colorado Option Health Insurance Plan Improvements Senators Roberts (D) | Representatives Brown (D) & Jodeh (D)
Develops a uniform format for displaying standardized health benefit plans, expands the timeline for commissioners to review rate filings, and requires greater transparency around whether standardized plans are offered or not.
Status: Introduced in the House, assigned to Health and Insurance Committee
🏛️ HB23-1222:Cases of Domestic Violence in Municipal Court Senators Roberts (D) | Representatives Duran (D) & Weissman (D)
Prohibits the prosecution of an alleged act of domestic violence in municipal courts and establishes that county and district courts retain jurisdiction over such cases.
Status: Introduced in the House, assigned to Judiciary Committee
...and more! Stay tuned as I work to introduce more bills that protect our state's water 💧 enhance driver safety 🚗 and protect livestock owners from the reintroduction of wolves🐄. Once bills are introduced, I will continue to share updates in legislative newsletters and Op-Eds, but you can also follow along at my official legislative webpage.
.
Check out my Most Recent Op-Ed
Please read my most recent Op-Ed to learn more about how public-private partnerships can address some of our state's biggest challenges, including our affordable housing crisis.
As always, please feel free to contact me via e-mail, phone, or text. I always value your feedback, ideas and questions on my legislative work, and I look forward to hearing from you throughout the session.
