As they say during Planet Money on NPR, let's do the numbers:
Last week I passed two bills out of the senate, two bills out of committee and onto appropriations, three bills out of committee and placed on the consent calendar, 31 supplemental requests in JBC, and I survived one filibuster!
Speaking on SB19-039 during Third Reading
The top news item last week was a lengthy floor debate on my bill, Senate Bill 39, over inter district transportation. At issue was an amendment added to a bill last year to support foster care students. A district court judge ruled the amendment unconstitutional because its purpose was to "expand school choice" and had nothing to do with foster children, thereby violating Colorado's single-subject rule. It's pretty rare to debate a bill until the wee hours this early in session, but I didn't mind standing up for good policy.
The second biggest news item from last week was the passage of my bill, Senate Bill 3, out of the Senate Education Committee. This bill aims to address our teacher shortage in Colorado by creating an educator loan forgiveness program for teachers who commit to teaching in a shortage area. Districts can use the incentive program to help recruit teachers to fill nearly 3000 educator vacancies we currently have throughout Colorado.
You can keep track of the bills we plan to hear in committee and on the floor this week on the Senate Calendar and you can watch or listen by clicking HERE.
'Stand by your ad' bill in committee on Wednesday
I am very pleased to present a bipartisan and common sense bill to close campaign finance loopholes.
Senate Bill 68 will require any electioneering communication expenditure over $1000 to disclose who paid for the ad, regardless of when the ad is published and whether or not the phrase "vote for" is used.
Presenting bills in committee
What do I mean by loopholes? Current law says that electioneering communication over $1000 must be disclosed to the Secretary of State 30 days before the primary and 60 days before the general election. But as you all know, campaign ads do not stop during the months of July and August! We unintentionally created a window whereby the existing rules do not apply when we moved our primary from August to June. The bill will restore the rules during that window so that we are consistent throughout.
Furthermore, current law also says that advertisements prominently featuring candidates for election are not considered electioneering communication unless it uses the words "vote for." The ad could be multiple pages featuring photos of me and my opponent, describe our characters, make claims about our policies, and it is not considered electioneering. I believe the public has right to know who is trying to persuade them and the entities that create these pamphlets should stand by their ad and say who paid for it.
I tried to address this problem back in 2017, but the bills were defeated in committee. (Click
HERE to read more.) This year's bill, however, has bipartisan support and a large number of co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle. It will be heard on Wednesday, January 30.
Meet Amber Hott, intern
I am extremely pleased to be supported down at the Capitol by some extraordinary people. I will introduce them all to you in the coming weeks, beginning first with Amber Hott, our intern.
Amber is a student at Red Rocks Community College studying psychology and political science. She has completed her Associate's degree and will be transferring soon to my alma mater, Regis University, to complete her Bachelor's degree. She is a resident of Westminster and lives in Senate District 19. We are very pleased to have Amber on board!
This week in JBC...
Monday, January 28
1:30 pm Consideration of Supplemental Request Comebacks for the Office of State Planning & Budgeting, Elected Officials, and JBC Staff
Tuesday, January 29
Upon Adjournment Meet as Necessary to Finalize Supplemental Requests
2:00 pm Meet as Necessary to Finalize Supplemental Requests
Wednesday, January 30
Upon Adjournment Joint JBC meeting with House & Senate Health
1:30 pm Meet as Necessary to Finalize Supplemental Requests
Thursday, January 31
Upon Adjournment Joint JBC meeting with House Energy Committee
Meet as Necessary to Finalize Supplemental Requests
Rachel Zenzinger won election to the Colorado State Senate, representing District 19, in November 2016. She also served as Senator for SD19 in 2014. Sen. Zenzinger is a member of the Joint Budget Committee, the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, a member of the Statutory Revision Committee, a member of the Interim School Finance Committee, and a board member of the Statewide Internet Portal Authority.
Date & location change for next 'Coffee' event
Please mark your calendar for Thursday, February 7 from 7 am - 8 am for our next 'Coffee With Constituents' event. I am the chair of Senate Appropriations and we meet Friday mornings for our hearings. Therefore, we must shift our regularly scheduled event from Friday to Thursday.
And, because we anticipate a larger crowd, we are trying out another new location: Morning Story Restaurant, 8025 Sheridan Blvd, Arvada (where the Egg & I used to be located). They will have menus available to order breakfast (at your own expense) and the coffee will be on us! Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns!
The Colorado Association of School Executives day at the Capitol
Tracking your Senator
On Monday, we celebrated
Martin Luther King Jr. day... On
Tuesday, we had a
JBC joint meeting with the House and Senate Transportation & Energy & Local Government committees... I passed my bill
SB19-017 out of the Senate Transportation Committee... In JBC, we heard
Supplemental Requests for Departments of Labor & Employment, Personnel , Public Health & Environment... Also in JBC, we did
Figure Setting for the Community Provider Rate and for Common Policies and State Compensation... I attended the
Colorado Mesa University legislator reception... I also attended the
Colorado Motor Carriers legislative reception... On Wednesday, we had a
JBC joint meeting with the House and Senate Education Committees... We debated and passed my bill
SB19-39 on Inter District Transportation during second reading... I passed three
Statutory Revision Bills out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee... In JBC, we did
Supplementals for Departments of Higher Education, Human Services, Judicial Branch and Independent Agencies, Natural Resources and Revenue... On Thursday, I met with
PACE providers from around Colorado... We passed
SB19-039 on third reading... I presented
SB19-003 on Educator Loan Forgiveness out of the Senate Education Committee... In JBC, we did
Supplementals for Departments of Capital Construction, Health Care Policy and Financing, Law, Public Safety, Correction, and Education... I hosted a
town hall meeting on the NPV bill, presented by Sen. Mike Foote... On Friday, we had a
JBC joint meeting with the House and Senate Judiciary Committees... I also met with
CHFA to discuss housing... on Saturday, I met with
constituents to discuss education funding... On Sunday, I attended the
Jeffco Dems Italian Feast.
We had a great turnout for a Q&A Town hall with Sen. Foote on NPV
If there is an event you think I should attend, please notify me!
Sen. Mike Foote speaking at Q&A on National Popular Vote bill
Donations to
Rachel For Colorado
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