The second regular session of the 73rd General Assembly came to a close last week. Upon reflection of this past session, I think the one word that best summarizes our work was "Resilience." Given the past few years, we were very focused on doing everything in our power to get things back to normal. We devoted a high number of bills toward helping Coloradans recover from the pandemic mentally, financially, and physically. And while our economy may have bounced back pretty well, many families are still dealing with the aftereffects of pandemic-induced inflation, rising costs, catastrophic wildfires, and global uncertainty. That's why we focused our legislation on creating a stronger, safer, and healthier Colorado.

This year, legislators introduced 657 bills, which is up by 29 bills compared to last year. Among those bills, 147 were postponed indefinitely, 137 have already been signed into law, and the remaining 377 bills are on their way to the Governor for action. When there are more than 10 legislative days remaining, the Governor has 10 days to sign a bill into law or veto it. If there are fewer than 10 legislative days remaining, like now, the Governor has 30 days to act. Since the legislature passed a high volume of bills with fewer than 10 days remaining, I expect the next month to be filled with bill signing ceremonies.

I sponsored 60 pieces of legislation, including 23 Senate bills, 32 House bills, and 4 resolutions. For the sixth year in a row, 100% of my legislation received bipartisan support, with 97% receiving bipartisan co-sponsorship and 88% with a bipartisan co-prime sponsor. And 12 of my bills passed through the legislature unanimously! I mention these statistics because I know from speaking with constituents that working collaboratively at the Capitol is a high priority for our district. In fact, I would say that my common sense approach and willingness to work on compromises was my biggest contribution to the legislative proccess this session.

The majority of my bills fell into three categories: Education, the State Budget, and Housing. I started off the year serving as the Chair of the Senate Education Committee, so I committed to sponsoring a high number of bills that affect children and youth. I also carried a number of bills to increase disability services and assistance for seniors. Midway through the session, however, I was elected to fill a vacancy on the Joint Budget Committee and my focus switched toward sponsoring bills connected to the state budget.

I also sponsored several bills as a result of my service on the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force.

In addition to the housing task force, I also sponsored legislation connected to my other interim committees such as: the Legislative Interim Committee on School Finance, the Transportation Legislation Review Committee, the Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force, and the Statutory Revision Committee. Here is a list of my favorite bills that I sponsored this session:

A few favorite "runner-ups" include: SB22-011 America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission, SB22-192 Opportunities for Credential Attainment, and a pair of Right to Repair bills for wheelchairs HB22-1031 and HB22-1290. Also, I was honored to sponsor and organize this year's Police Week and Peace Officers' Memorial Day, in honor of Gordon Beezley of the Arvada Police Department who was killed in the line of duty last summer.

I will close by noting that in addition to my bills, I am also proud of the legislation sponsored by my colleagues. While I did not always agree with every bill, I know that our work this session was instrumental in building up our collective resiliency. We established two new offices: the Behavioral Health Administration and the Office of Early Childhood. We passed transformative legislation to address our affordable housing and behavioral health crises. We made huge strides toward increasing funding for education at all levels--early childhood, K-12, higher education, workforce development and adult education. And we invested nearly $1 billion of one-time federal funds into programs that help address the high cost of living and save people money.

All in all, I believe it was a very productive session! For more details on the bills I sponsored and for a complete list, click HERE or view the list below. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you in the state legislature.

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: Concering 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 terminoloy 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 "treasuer'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 "Infrastructur Investment and Jobs Act" cash fund to be used for nonfederal match funding requirements for infrastructure projects eligible to receive federal funding under the federal "Infrastrucure 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.

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.

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 cocntrol 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.

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.

During the interim: Now that the formal business of the legislature has wrapped up, I will no longer be traveling down to the State Capitol. We will, however, continue to host various town hall gatherings, respond to questions, and work to resolve constituent concerns. My aide, Aaron Silverstein, will be checking our phone messages periodically and you can still reach us by email at SenatorRachelZ@gmail.com. Our response time will be slower, however, depending on our summer/fall schedules. I will continue to serve on several interim committees including: Joint Budget Committee, School Finance, TLRC, and Statutory Revision Committee. I hope you will consider joining us for our next town hall meeting where we will provide a legislative wrap-up. You can find more details HERE.

COYAC accepting nominations: The nonpartisan Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) has openings for new members. The Colorado Legislature created COYAC in 2008 to give Colorado's youth a voice in the lawmaking process. This statewide organization is dedicated to civic service learning, and COYAC members analyze issues and policies that impact the lives of young people. I have had the pleasure of working on several bills resulting from COYAC, including SB22-008 on Higher Education Supports for Foster Youth. Applications are open now through June 13. For more information, click HERE.

Colorado Newsline: What Colorado lawmakers passed, amended, killed in legislative session's final days

The Denver Post: Bill to combat fentanyl passes in closing minutes of Colorado legislative session

Law360: Colo. lawmakers OK extending Enterprise Zone tax break

Kaiser Health News: In a first, Colorado to legalize Right-to-Repair for electric wheelchairs

Law360: Colo. lawmakers vote to extend affordable housing tax credit

The Colorado Sun: Effort to ban sale of flavored tobacco, nicotine products in Colorado goes up in smoke

Colorado Public Radio: Flavor ban bill dies in Senate committee as session scrambles to wrap up

Denver Business Journal: Colorado whistleblowers could gain permanent protections under bill

For a full list of this week's press and videos visit rachelforcolorado.com/news.

Please join us on Saturday, May 21 from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm for a virtual legislative town hall meeting. The legislative session ended on May 11, so we will provide a legislative wrap-up of the session. In addition, we will host several reporters who cover the Capitol to get their perspective, including Jesse Paul of the Colorado Sun, Ed Sealover of the Denver Business Journal, and Alex Burness of the Denver Post. For more details, click HERE.