Yesterday, Secretary of State Jena Griswold certified the November 2022 ballot. In addition to candidates for federal, state, and local office, a number of statewide measures will also appear on your ballot. Voters will determine the outcome of six voter-initiated propositions and five measures that were referred by the state legislature. These issues range from an affordable housing proposal to legalizing mushrooms. Given the variety of measures that will appear on the ballot this year, now is the time to dig in and see what these issues are all about.

There are two ways for an initiative to appear on the ballot. One way is for the state legislature to refer a measure by passing a concurrent resolution/bill. If the measure passes through the legislature, the proposal will automatically appear on the November ballot. Referred measures do not require the Governor's signature and they do not require petition signatures. The five measures referred to the ballot by the state legislature consist of three proposed amendments to the Colorado Constitution, and two measures propose changes to our Colorado Revised Statutes. Here are the measures:

Amendments make changes to the Colorado constitution and require 55% voter approval. Propositions make changes to the Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) and only need approval from a majority of voters (50% + 1).

The second method for a measure to appear on your ballot is through a citizen-led petition process. The peition process can be complex and lengthy, and consists of several steps. If the proponents successfully navigate the initial steps, they must then collect a certain number of voter signatures. The number and type of petition signatures varies depending on whether the measure is constitutional or statutory. Once the signatures are collected, turned in and verified (within the allotted time), the Secretary of State will place the measure on the ballot. Six citizen-initiated propositions will appear on your ballot in November. Here are the measures:

In addition to these 11 statewide ballot measures, voters in Jefferson County will also see three county-specific issues on their ballots as well. Click here to view a description of the proposed county measures.

The best way to learn about the various issues is through the Colorado Blue Book. The Blue Book provides voters with the title, text, and description of the measure, as well as pro and con statements. In addition to the Blue Book, we also plan to devote our upcoming town hall to reviewing and discussing this year's ballot proposals. We are hosting several guest speakers who will speak in depth on a few select ballot measures, including affordable housing, taxes, and countywide issues. For more information, click HERE.

We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of another Arvada Police Department officer killed in the line of duty. While responding to a disturbance in a southeast Arvada neighborhood, Officer Dillon Vakoff was shot and killed. Officer Vakoff was an Arvada resident and a graduate of Ralston Valley High School. We want to pass along our condolences to the family and friends of Officer Vakoff, as well as the entire Arvada Police Department.

Monetary donations to Officer Vakoff's family can be made through the Colorado Fallen Officer Foundation. This will be the only official donation site for Officer Vakoff. Also, you may leave a sign of support on a patrol vehicle parked outside of the Arvada Police Department. This is a tragic loss to this community, to the Arvada Police Department, and to his family and loved ones. His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

September is National Preparedness Month: Are you prepared in the event an emergency or disaster in your community? National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. For extensive emergency preparedness resources, including how to make plan and how to prepare for a major disaster, go to Ready.gov.

Jeffco Public School District proposes closing 16 schools: On August 23, the Jeffco Board of Education met and recommended the closure and consolidation of 16 elementary schools throughout the district, six of which reside within Senate District 19 (Thomson, Parr, Campbell, Peck, Sheridan Green and Witt). While the news about closures and consolidations is far from ideal, I think the board members have plotted a thoughtful and strategic approach to solving the problems caused by a steady decrease in Colorado’s school-aged population. In the coming weeks, the District and Board has created opportunities for affected communities to communicate what they want and need in this process. Members of the public are welcome to attend these Community Conversations. For more information, click HERE.

Omicron Vaccine now available throughout Colorado: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially approved Pfizer and Moderna’s updated COVID-19 omicron doses to protect from both the original COVID-19 virus and the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. Coloradans can now get an omicron dose from providers across the state, including many primary care offices, community health centers, pharmacies, and community vaccination sites. Pfizer’s omicron dose is authorized for people aged 12 years and older. Moderna’s omicron dose is authorized for people aged 18 years and older. To find an omicron vaccine visit covid19.colorado.gov/vaccinefinder.

President Biden announces student loan relief for borrowers: In late August, the Biden administration announced they would be taking actions to provide targeted student debt relief. The program will provide up to $20,000 in debt cancellation to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in debt cancellation to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers who earn less than $125,000 per year or households earning less than $250,000 are eligible for debt cancellation. In addition, they are extending the federal student loan pause a final time through December 31, 2022 to provide borrowers a smooth transition back to repayment. More information will be available to borrowers in the coming weeks to find out whether they qualify for debt cancellation and more details on the proposed revamp to the repayment program. For more information, clikc HERE.

The Future of Olde Town Open House: The City of Arvada will host an open house on September 21 for members of the public to vew a summary of the feedback they collected on the Speak Up Arvada survey concerning the future of Olde Town Arvada. The Open House will be from 4 pm - 6:30 pm at the Denver Beer Company in Olde Town, 768 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. This will be a great opportunity to see what the community thinks about the direction city leadership should take with regard to the Arvada down town. If you are not able to attend, click HERE for more information.

Even though we are no longer meeting down at the Capitol every day, we continue our legislative work during the interim by participating on various committees. Here is an update on the meetings that I have attended in the last month:

Legislative Interim Committee onSchool Finance: The Committee met two times last month to study issues related to school finance and consider changes to the Public School Finance Act of 1994. The Committee has put together a public survey in order to gather input on potential changes to the school finance formula that the Committee may explore, as well as to gather feedback on the breakout sessions held at the committee's August 30 meeting. The survey can be found HERE and should take only a few minutes to complete. Surveys are due by Wednesday, September 21. 

CDOT Efficiency & Accountability Committee: The committee met on August 18 and we discussed the idea of adding maintenance into the Bridge and Tunnel Enterprise's mission, which would be a legislative change. The committee will not meet again during the interim. For more inforamtion on CDOT, click HERE.

Colorado Commission on Higher Education: The Commission met on September 1 and mainly focused on formulating the new strategic plan for higher education. While the proposal is still in formation, the key tenets of the new plan will include these five objectives:

For more information on the work of the Commission and the strategic plan, click HERE.

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority: At our monthly board meeting, we discussed Proposition 123 Dedicated State Income Tax Revenue for Affordable Housing Programs. Currently, Colorado does not have a dedicated source of revenue to support affordable housing programs. While CHFA did not author the proposition, if the measure passes, CHFA would be responsible for implementing several components of the measure. For more information on the "Make Colorado Affordable" proposal, click on this Colorado Public Radio story HERE.

Joint Budget Committee meeting scheduled: The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) is charged with studying the management, operations, programs, and fiscal needs of the agencies and institutions of Colorado state government. Throughout the year, the JBC holds a number of meetings and considers a range of documents to help prepare budget recommendations for the General Assembly. On Thursday, September 22 at 9 am, the Joint Budget Committee will meet with the state's economists to receive the 3rd quarter revenue forecast. Following the forecast, the JBC will continue meeting to hear department supplemental requests. To view the agenda and to tune into the meeting, click HERE.

EMS Service and Sustainability Task Force: All the members of the task force have been named and the first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 29, 2022 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM. The EMS Sustainability Task Force was created by the passage of SB 22-225. This will be a virtual meeting and members of the public are welcome to attend. This initial meeting will focus on the objectives, goals, methodology of function and organization of this important effort. Understanding that the EMS Sustainability project provides a base from which we have the opportunity to truly analyze all aspects of Colorado's Emergency Medical Services system and develop strategies to sustain, improve and modernize our pre-hospital care system. For more information, click HERE.

Please join us for our monthly legislative town hall meeting on Saturday, September 17 for a discussion on the November ballot measures. We will give a brief overview on all the initiatives that will appear on your ballot, and our speakers will do a deeper dive into four specific issues: affordable housing, taxes, the Homestead Tax Exemption, and county-specific issues. Join us in person at the Standley Lake Library at 10:30 am. For details, click HERE.

SB22-008 Higher Education Support for Foster Youth: Concerning postsecondary education support for certain students who have been in out-of-home placement.

SB22-011 America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission: Concerning the establishment of the America 250 - Colorado 150 commission.

SB22-017 Fluid Milk Products Not Divisible Load: Concerning the determination that a load of fluid milk products hauled by a vehicle is not a divisible load under the vehicle weight limits permitted by law.

SB22-054 Recommend Community School for Turnaround Plan: Concerning the addition of a recommendation that a district public school be converted to a community school if the district public school fails to make substantial progress under its turnaround plan.

SB22-064 Neighborhood Youth Organizations: Concerning requirements for neighborhood youth organizations that provide services designed for the development of youth.

SB22-085 Colorado Safe Student Protection Program: Concerning creating the Colorado safe student protection program. Postponed Indefinitely

SB22-121 Tuition Revenue Pledged by Institution Higher Education: Concerning increasing the amount of tuition revenues pledged by an institution of higher education.

SB22-127 Special Education Funding: Concerning funding for special education services.

SB22-137 Transition Back to Standard K-12 Accountability: Concerning measures related to the transitional return to standard education.

SB22-142 Repeal Municipal Bond Supervision Advisory Board: Concerning the repeal of the municipal bond supervision advisory board.

SB22-144 Public and Nonprofit Entities Rideshare Contracts: Concerning the provision of transportation services by a transportation network company not in connection with a business operated for profit.

SB22-146 Middle Income Access Program Expansion: Concerning the expansion of the Colorado housing and finance authority's middle income access program.

SB22-159 Revolving Loan Fund Invest Affordable Housing: Concerning the creation of a revolving loan fund within the division of housing in the department of local affairs to make investments in transformational affordable housing.

SB22-162 Administration Organization Act Modernization: Concerning the modernization of the terminology used in the Colorado Revised Statutes relating to the organization of Colorado state governmental agencies without altering the status of the powers assigned to those agencies pursuant to the "Administrative Organization Act of 1968."

SB22-164 Correction Property Tax Disclosure Information Metropolitan District: Concerning the substitution of the word "treasurer's" in place of the word "assessor's" in a statutory provision requiring disclosure of property tax information for purchasers of newly constructed residences within the boundaries of a metropolitan district.

SB22-192 Opportunities for Credential Attainment: Concerning the creation of opportunities for credential attainment, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

SB22-202 State Match for Mill Levy Override Revenue: Concerning providing state matching money for property tax revenue collected by school districts.

SB22-210 License Supplemental Health-care Staffing Agencies: Concerning the regulation of supplemental health-care staffing agencies by the department of public health and environment.

SB22-215 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Cash Fund: Concerning the creation of the "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" cash fund to be used for non federal match funding requirements for infrastructure projects eligible to receive federal funding under the federal "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act."

SB22-216 Reallocation Of Limited Gaming Revenues: Concerning the reallocation of the limited gaming tax revenues for fiscal years following a significant decrease in the revenues, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

SB22-217 Programs That Benefit Persons With Disabilities: Concerning motor vehicle related programs that benefit persons with disabilities, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

SB22-225 Ambulance Service Sustainability And State Licensing: Concerning emergency medical services in the state, and, in connection therewith, creating an emergency medical services system sustainability task force and requiring ambulance services to obtain a state license from the department of public health and environment.

SB22-235 County Administration of Public Assistance Programs: Concerning county administration of public assistance programs, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

SR22-003 Single Parent Day: Concerning recognition of Single Parent Day in Colorado.

SJR22-006 Police Week and Peace Officers' Memorial Day: Concerning declaring the week of March 11-16, 2022, as Police Week, and in connection therewith declaring March 15, 2022, as Peace Officers' Memorial Day.

HB22-1009 Continue Workforce Diploma Pilot Program: Concerning continuing the workforce diploma pilot program as the workforce diploma program. Postponed Indefinitely

HB22-1031 Consumer Right to Repair Powered Wheelchairs: Concerning a requirement that a powered wheelchair manufacturer facilitate the repair of its powered wheelchairs by providing certain other persons with the resources needed to repair the manufacturer's powered wheelchairs.

HB22-1051 Mod Affordable Housing Tax Credit: Concerning modification of the Colorado affordable housing tax credit, and, in connection therewith, extending the time during which the credit may be claimed and increasing the yearly amount of credits that can be allocated.

HB22-1057 Public Employees' Retirement Association Employment After Teacher Retirement: Concerning public employees' retirement association employment after retirement limitations.

HB22-1093 Updates to Bingo and Raffles Law: Concerning the conduct of charitable gaming activity, and, in connection therewith, modernizing the "Bingo and Raffles Law" to accommodate the use of improved electronic aids and devices in the conduct of games of chance and making an appropriation.

HB22-1099 Online Marketplaces and Third-party Sellers: Concerning mandatory disclosures of third-party sellers selling through online marketplace.

HB22-1101 Public Employees’ Retirement Association Service Retiree Employment in Rural Schools: Concerning the expansion of a program that allows a public employees’ retirement association service retiree to work full-time without any reduction in the service retiree’s retirement for benefits for a rural school district that has a critical shortage of qualified individuals with specific experience, skills, or qualifications that the service retiree has.

HB22-1114 Transportation Services For Medicaid Waiver Recipients: Concerning authorizing a transportation network company to provide nonmedical transportation services to persons who are enrolled in certain medicaid waiver programs, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

HB22-1162 Motor Vehicle Digital Number Plates: Concerning authorization to use digital number plates in lieu of metal number plates on a vehicle.

HB22-1202 At-risk Student Measure For School Finance: Concerning the creation of a new measure in the public school funding formula for identifying at-risk students, and, in connection therewith, creating a working group in the department of education to implement the new measure in a future budget year.

HB22-1220 Removing Barriers To Educator Preparation: Concerning removing barriers in educator preparation to support educator candidates entering the educator workforce.

HB22-1245 Foster Youth in Transition Program Clarifications: Concerning clarifications related to the foster youth in transition program.

HB22-1248 Extend School Leadership Pilot Program: Concerning continuation of the school leadership pilot program, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

HB22-1250 Nonsubstantive Changes to Title 7 of Colorado Revised Statutes: Statutes: Concerning nonsubstantive changes to title 7 of the Colorado revised statutes.

HB22-1255 Improve Higher Education for Students With a Disability: Concerning measures to improve postsecondary education outcomes for students with a disability.

HB22-1258 Essential Services For Youth Special Districts: Concerning the creation of an essential services for youth special district in each judicial district in the state. Lost on Third Reading in the House.

HB22-1290 Changes to Medicaid for Wheelchair Repairs: Concerning changes to medicaid to allow for expedited repairs to complex rehabilitation technology.

HB22-1293 Medical Record Requests By Attorneys: Concerning the provision of medical records in the custody of a health-care facility. Laid over in the House on Second Reading.

HB22-1294 Special Education Services in Charter Schools: Concerning additional pathways to provide special education services to children with disabilities in charter schools.

HB22-1320 Achieving a Better Life Experience Savings Accounts: Concerning the achieving a better life experience (ABLE) savings program for individuals with disabilities, and, in connection therewith, modifying who may create and control an ABLE program account, preventing the state from filing certain claims against an ABLE program account upon the death of the designated beneficiary, and allowing contributions to an ABLE program account that are withdrawn for qualified disability expenses to be deducted from a taxpayer's federal taxable income for purposes of determining the taxpayer's state taxable income.

HB22-1329 2022-23 Long Bill: Concerning the provision for payment of the expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the state of Colorado, and of its agencies and institutions, for and during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, except as otherwise noted.

HB22-1331 Supplemental Funding for Facility Schools: Concerning supplemental funding for facility schools, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. 

HB22-1333 Increase Minimum Wage for Nursing Home Workers: Concerning an increase in the minimum wage for nursing facility employees, and, in connection therewith making an appropriation. 

HB22-1334 Food Distribution Program Administrative Fee: Concerning the collection of an administrative fee from an agency that receives commodities through a food distribution program.

HB22-1336 Streamline Processing of Judicial Department Collections: Concerning the streamlining of the processing of certain money collected by the judicial department. 

HB22-1339 Merge Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles Cash Funds: Concerning the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account of the highway users tax fund, and, in connection therewith, merging the licensing services cash fund into the account and requiring account investment earnings to be credited to the account. 

HB22-1340 Capital-related Transfers of Money: Concerning capital-related transfers of money.

HB22-1341 Marijuana Tax Cash Fund: Concerning measures to ensure that the marijuana tax cash fund is in balance.

HB22-1390 Public School Finance: Concerning the financing of public schools, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

HB22-1395 Transportation Innovation Grant Program: Concerning creating the competitive transportation innovation grant program to address the public school transportation shortage. Laid over in the House in the Appropriations Committee.

HB22-1415 Repeal Registered Manager Requirement Liquor Licensees: Concerning elimination of the requirement that certain businesses licensed to sell alcohol beverages for consumption on the licensed premises register a manager of the licensed premises with the state licensing authority.

HB22-1418 Extension Of Certain Unused Tax Credits: Concerning the extension of the period for which unused and expiring Colorado job growth incentive and enterprise zone income tax credits may be carried forward to subsequent years.

HJR22-1002 Study State and Interstate Highway Vehicle Weight: Concerning a request that Congress allow the state of Colorado to conduct an analysis of and possibly move forward on harmonizing the gross vehicle weight for trucks on the Interstate Highway System in Colorado with that of other state highways.

HJR22-1006 Military, Veterans, Missing in Action/Prisoner of War Appreciation Day: Concerning recognition of military, veterans, and MIA/POW Appreciation Day.