Last week we officially hit the halfway mark of the 120 day session. For the most part, the session was plodding along at its normal rate, but things shifted dramatically overnight--literally. On Thursday, the House debated two bills, HB23-1219 and HB23-1164, for more than 24 hours, resulting in a rare Saturday session. The Senate also debated a series of controversial bills on gun safety, SB23-170, SB23-168, and SB23-169, but wrapped up debate around midnight.

In honor of all the "drama" last week, and with a nod toward the Academy Awards this evening, I am bringing back a newsletter tradition of highligthing several bills this session with their own award. Please note that I am not making light of our work or diminishing the seriousness of the controversial debates we experienced last week. I just thought it would be fun to showcase some bills that could have gone unnoticed. And without further ado...

Best Car Chase: SB23-097 Motor Vehicle Theft And Unauthorized Use

What would the Oscars be without slapping crime in the face..err, I mean a good car chase? Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, there have been some great car movies! This bill sped through the Judiciary Committee unanimously, and was Gone in 60 Seconds through the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senate District 19 caught The Love Bug with this Bill because it promotes equity for victims by making all car theft a felony regardless of the car’s value. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 100% Fresh rating, calling it an Easy Rider decision to base the level of crime upon the behavior of the offender rather than the value of the value of the stolen vehicle.

Best Supporting Actor: SB23-023 CPR Training in High Schools

"It Girl" Manikin No. 5 has just announced she has been chosen as the new face for CPR and AED instruction in high school curriculums across the state, which this Bill now offers for inclusion in the Colorado comprehensive health education program. Manikin No. 5 has long been an icon of glamour and elegance, with a personal style tailor-made for health and safety. Both fans and critics exhaled a sigh of relief as Manikin No. 5 finally won her gold statue when the Senate approved of the bill unanimously.

Best Song: SB23-060 Consumer Protection In Event Ticketing Sales

"It’s me, Hi, I’m the problem, it’s me." Well, not really, but ticket prices are! Swifties, if you are stuck in a Lavender Haze for tickets, we have a bill for you! This Bill expands the definition of deceptive trade practice for online ticket resales, exempts select tickets from sale limitations, and outlines a civil penalty structure for violations. And hey, this isn’t "covert narcissism disguised as altruism like some kind of Congressman"--this is the real deal! The bill had some debate on the Senate floor, but passed 27-7 and now heads to the House. (Apologies to Taylor Swift for borrowing so many song lyrics from her latest album Midnight.)

Best Foreign Language Film: HB23-1004 Language Access In Insurance Documents

"Like a good neighbor, our translators are there." That was the jingle heard around the world that just lost Best Song to SB23-060. However, HB23-1004 did take home Best Foreign Language Film because it adds long overdue foreign language requirements for certain insurance policies.

Spike, a fan favorite of the classic "The Land Before Time," never won his gold statue. Commemorating the extensive career of our beloved Stegosaurus, Universal Pictures teamed up with Steven Spielberg and the Colorado Legislature to petition for the Academy Awards to deliver the Lifetime Achievement tribute. George Lucas, the film’s original Executive Producer, designed a special Stegosaurus State Fossil license plate that will be made available to applicants that make a donation to a qualifying nonprofit organization.

Best Technical: SB23-049 Special Mobile Machinery 

Special Mobile Machinery (SMM) is machinery that is pulled, hauled, or driven over a highway that is not used for transportation purposes and commonly used in construction.

 

Best Set Design: SB23-001 Workforce Housing (Authority Of Public-private Collaboration Unit For Housing)

Concerning additional functions of the public-private collaboration unit for public projects that provide housing.

Best Original Art: HB23-1061 Alcohol Beverage Retail Establishment Permit

Current law authorizes an art gallery to be issued a permit to serve complementary alcohol beverages. The bill broadens this permit to retail establishments.

Best Visual Effects: SB23-059 State Parks And Wildlife Area Local Access Funding

Our outdoor areas have the best visual effects after all!

Hello! I’m a recently retired former college philosophy instructor, high school science teacher, and software developer. In my free time I play tennis and pickleball, bike, game, and enjoy long walks to the convenience store.

2023 represents the second session I’ve worked for Senator Zenzinger. I chose to intern for the Senator partially as simply a desire to serve, help the senator, and learn more about how Colorado politics works.

And learn I have! I’ve seen the formalities of how bills become law and, perhaps more importantly, how ideas for laws initially form. I’ve also seen that, despite understandably having a fundamental perspective that informs all their decisions, legislators generally are really interested in for/against argumentation and are open to reasoned persuasion. Though I’ve heard stories from the past that have certainly raised my eyebrows, I’m overall coming away less cynical about government than before.

Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates Holds First Meeting: Members of the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates held their first meeting last Tuesday, to explore the underlying causes of recent spikes in energy prices. The Committee heard testimony and asked questions of panels of experts representing the Public Utilities Commission, the Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate, the Colorado Energy Office, and Energy Outreach Colorado. The Committee’s next meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 14 at 2:00 p.m. To learn more about the Committee’s work HERE.

Safe Access to Protected Health Care Bill Package Introduced: In light of the recent United States Supreme Court Dobbs decision, Colorado Democrats introduced the Safe Access to Protected Health Care Package. The bills seek to: protect the rights of patients, providers, and future health care professionals (SB23-188); prohibit deliberate misinformation in our communities (SB23-190); and make care more affordable and accessible by closing gaps in insurance coverage (SB23-189). The package of bills will help ensure that reproductive and gender affirming health care remains accessible, affordable and without discrimination. For more information, click HERE.

JBC Recap for the week of March 6:  Last week was the final week of Figure Setting. On Monday, the JBC considered figure setting recommendations for the Department of State and Capital Construction and considered potential legislation to run with the long bill.

On Tuesday, the JBC reviewed potential legislation and considered figure setting recommendations for the Office of the Governor, Colorado Energy Office, Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and the Department of Natural Resources.

On Wednesday, the JBC considered figure setting recommendations for the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, and Office of Community Living.

On Thursday, the JBC considered figure setting recommendations for Behavioral Health and Higher Education.

And on Friday, the JBC considered figure setting recommendations for Information Technology Projects, the Department of Law, OIT, and staff comebacks.

Coming Up This Week: The JBC will next meet Monday, March 13 for the consideration of Figure Setting Comebacks from the Office of State Planning & Budgeting, Judicial Branch, Elected Officials, and JBC Staff. On Thursday, March 16 the JBC will hear presentation from Legislative Council Staff and the Office of State Planning and Budgeting the economic forecasts. To view the full schedule or to tune in, click HERE.

Please plan to join us this Saturday, March 18 from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm at the Indian Tree Golf Course Clubhouse, 7555 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80003. The topic for March will be the State Budget proposal. For more information, click HERE.

March 11, 2023 Vail Daily: Vail formalizes regional agreement for planning of Dowd Junction workforce housing

March 9, 2023 Vail Daily: Romer: Metro districts are essential to increased housing options

March 5, 2023 Denver 7 News: Denver PD announces car tracking program to curb auto thefts, quickly find stolen cars

March 2, 2023 Colorado Public Radio: Bill for tougher auto theft penalties advances at Colorado legislature

March 2, 2023 Colorado Politics: Metro district bill would protect homeowners

March 2, 2023 Colorado Newsline: Bipartisan Colorado car theft bill advances through state Senate committee

March 1, 2023 The Gazette: EDITORIAL: A Colorado crackdown on auto theft

February 28, 2023 Colorado Newsline: How a new state office could help to solve Colorado’s housing crisis

March 10, 2023 Gov. Polis Signs Bipartisan Bills into Law to Cut Red Tape, Support Colorado’s Teachers & National Guard Servicemembers

March 7, 2023 Gov. Polis Signs Bipartisan Joint Budget Committee Supplemental Bill Package

Below is a list of bills that I am sponsoring that have been introduced and are awaiting action from either the House or Senate. For a full list of bills, click HERE.

NEW! SB23-182 Temporary Suspension Of Medicaid Requirements: Concerning the temporary suspension of certain statutory requirements for medical assistance programs. The bill was introduced and assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

SB23-049 Special Mobile Machinery Registration Exemption: Concerning the registration exemption for special mobile machinery, and, in connection therewith, eliminating the requirement that an owner of such machinery regularly have at least one thousand items of such machinery in the state to obtain a registration exempt certificate for the machinery. The bill passed through the Senate on Second Reading unanimously.

SB23-094 School Transportation Task Force: Concerning the creation of a task force to report on measures to improve school transportation. The bill passed through the Appropriations Committee unanimously.

SB23-097 Motor Vehicle Theft And Unauthorized Use: Concerning the adoption of the 2023 recommendations of the Colorado commission on criminal and juvenile justice regarding motor vehicle offenses committed by a person who is not the owner of the motor vehicle. The bill passed out of the Senate on Second Reading unanimously.

SB23-155 Sunset Continue Nursing Home Administrators: Concerning the continuation of the regulation of nursing home administrators, and, in connection therewith, implementing the recommendations in the 2022 sunset report by the department of regulatory agencies. The bill passed out of the Senate on Second Reading unanimously.

HB23-1001 Expanding Assistance For Educator Programs: Concerning expanding financial assistance for educator programs. The bill was rescheduled for Monday, March 13 at 1:30 pm in the Senate Education Committee.

HB23-1053 Veterans' Cemetery Department of Public Safety Gifts Grants Donations: Concerning the authority to accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations, and, in connection therewith, authorizing the division of veterans affairs to expend gifts, grants, and donations in support of the western slope military veterans' cemetery, authorizing the department of public safety to accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations in support of its purposes, and creating the department of public safety gifts, grants, and donations fund. The bill was signed into law.

HB23-1228 Nursing Facility Reimbursement Rate Setting: Concerning nursing facility reimbursement rate setting. The bill will be heard in the House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee on Tuesday, March 21 at 1:30 pm.

In an effort to be transparent and accessible, here are the events and meetings that I have attended in the last week as your state senator: