2020 General Assembly Update
On Wednesday, the 72nd General Assembly officially began their annual 120-day
legislative session. Despite a highly productive package of pro-cleantech and
climate change bills being signed into law last year, I expect another busy session for
CCIA. On day one, several bills were introduced that would impact the cleantech
business community including a renewable gas standard, energy storage tax
changes, a rural start-up grant program, biodiesel blend mandate, a cleantech
innovation pathway for new technologies for investor owned utilities and more.
This session, CCIA is leading the charge to extend and expand the successful
Innovative Workforce (Intern) program that many CCIA members have utilized.
Additionally, I expect more bills dealing with fine-tuning various tax policies for
clean energy projects and technologies and addressing efficiency in the built
environment.
All this talk about tax policy can’t take place without dealing with the harsh
budgetary realities of Colorado’s Tax Payer Bill of Rights (TABOR) which prevents
the legislature from raising revenue and requires tax refunds in good economic
years – hint, we are entering another refund year. This means that bills considered
a tax expenditure (like tax incentives) or that cost to the state to implement will be
under a tight microscope yet again. As always, we will prioritize the continued
funding of the Advanced Industries Accelerator grant program.
You can stay in the loop by joining CCIA’s Policy Committee and our weekly calls
during the legislative session. The first call will be held on Tuesday, January 21 at 9:30 AM. This is a benefit available to all member companies in good standing. If you are
