In many ways, the first day of this legislative session last week felt like the first day of school. I was excited to reconnect with friends and colleagues, and I was eager to learn about the new bills and policies we have been been crafting in recent months. As in other sessions, I'm determined to work hard on the goals we have outlined for ourselves.

In his opening day remarks, Senate President Leroy Garcia outlined the direction we hope to take this session. He touched on three major themes that were consistent with my own priorities of Education, Environment and Economy:

The first ten bills introduced on Opening Day usually reflect our policy goals for the session, and I am pleased that the Senate and House included two of my bills in their top ten lists. They were respectively the Higher Education Support for Foster Youth (SB22-008) and the Continue the Workforce Diploma Program (HB22-1009).

A few of my other bills were introduced last week as well, including SB22-011, a bill that will create a commission to plan for the official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. House Bill 22-1051 will increase and extend the Colorado affordable housing tax credit program. You can track all my sponsored bills on my website, and I will discuss these bills and more (including answers to questions submitted by participants) at my upcoming town hall meeting.

"State of the State" address: I joined my colleague, Rep. Brianna Titone, in the House chamber last week to listen to the Governor's "State of the State" address. After a challenging year for our state, I felt the speech struck a hopeful tone. The Governor focused his remarks on the resiliency of Coloradans, and he discussed plans for how we will work together on our common goals. Woven throughout the speech were ways we plan to help save Coloradans money, make our state more affordable, and keep our communities safe. To read the full speech, click HERE and to watch the speech, click HERE.

Early Childhood Leadership Commission unanimously approves Universal Preschool Program recommendations: Last week, the ECLC presented their final recommendations for a Universal Preschool program in Colorado. These recommendations will guide implementation of a new, voluntary, universal preschool program that will help strengthen Colorado's early childhood infrastructure. These recommendations build on decades of work in early childhood, and align with the Department of Early Childhood Transition Plan, which was also unanimously approved by the ECLC last fall.

Dr. Morgan Medlock becomes Colorado's first Behavioral Health Commissioner: Governor Polis announced last week the appointment of Dr. Morgan Medlock as the new Behavioral Health Commissioner for Colorado. Dr. Medlock previously served as the Chief Medical Officer and Director of Crisis and Emergency Services for the Washington, D.C. Department of Behavioral Health. This is a cabinet-level position recommended by the Behavioral Health Task Force, and Dr. Medlock will lead the newly formed Behavioral Health Administration. For more information on her appointment, click HERE.

Colorado launches Employee Ownership Tax Credit: The new Employee Ownership Office, a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), launched a new Employee Ownership Tax Credit program. The tax credit will be available to Colorado-headquartered businesses that want to convert to an employee ownership model and will cover up to 50% of a qualified business' conversion costs for use on their state income taxes. For more information, click HERE.

Marshall Fire Response Guides: As you know, the Marshall Fire in Boulder County last month forced over 35,000 people to evacuate and destroyed or severely damaged over 1,000 homes. If you were impacted by the fire, or know someone who was affected, here are some helpful resources: Marshall Fire Resources, Boulder County Community Wildfire Fund, and Colorado Responds. Also, I wish to thank the many individuals who participated in the gift card drive last week!

Supporting essential grocery store workers: The grocery workers in Colorado have endured extremely difficult circumstances, and their work is critical to our economy and our lives. They deserve fair treatment in terms of benefits, working conditions, and compensation. I implore both sides to negotiate in good faith, and put an end to this work stoppage in the most amicable and compassionate way. In the meantime, in am proud to stand with the essential grocery store workers of UFCW Local 7 as they strike, and encourage others to support these workers as well.

Since the last edition of the newsletter, the following is a list of important meetings, conversations, or events that I have attended as part of my work as your state legislator.

Here are the latest press articles that touch on legislative issues from the past week. You can view the full list on my website by clicking HERE.

Chalkbeat Colorado: A look at the Colorado legislature’s 2022 education bills

Chalkbeat Colorado: Colorado State of the State: Polis promises more investment in education

Chalkbeat Colorado: Education a top priority as Colorado legislature convenes

The Center Square: State higher education task force submits final recommendations to lawmakers

The Pagosa Daily Post: Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force Releases Its Report

Colorado Newsline: Colorado Democrats plan to tackle K-12 education, high cost of living in upcoming session

Due to the rise in COVID cases, we have decided to temporarily return to our virtual town hall format. The legislative town hall meeting will be on Saturday, January 22 at 10:30 am. We will be presenting a 2022 Legislative Preview. For more information, including the Zoom link, click HERE.