Rachel Zenzinger Newsletter

March 31, 2024

In like a lion, out like a lamb?

Not in the state legislature!


No doubt you have heard the old saying, “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.” This phrase comes from the idea that, if the weather at the start of March was bad (roaring, like a roaring lion), then the month should end with good weather (gentle, like a lamb). While that certainly may be the case for weather in Colorado, we see the exact opposite happening when it comes to the legislature.


Judging on the number of bills and the type of bills stacked up in the queue, April looks to be like one big rora. The two largest bills outstanding at this point are HB24-1430 the 2024-25 Long Appropriations Bill (also known as the budget), and SB24-188 Public School Finance (which funds our schools). In addition to the budget bill, there are approximately 40 orbital bills traveling with the budget this year. The budget and the orbital bills were debated in the House last week and will be up for third reading tomorrow. The budget bills will then head to the Senate for consideration later in the week. You can see the list of budget bills below (marked New!).


The other big bill making its way through the process is the School Finance Act. The bill unanimously passed through the Senate Education Committee last week, and then must be debated by the full Senate before heading over to the House. I was very pleased that we finally eliminated the budget stabilization factor, and we made the "one-time funding" for rural schools, a permanent part of the formula. Next stop will be the Senate Appropriations Committee this week.


In addition to these two large bills, there are a number of controversial bills just now starting to move through the legislature. Some of these bills may have passed out of their first committee and were stacking up in the Appropriations queue in either the House or Senate waiting for the budget to be finalized. After we adopt the budget, pending the amendments, we will know how much money we have available for legislation, and bills with an appropriation will start to move. We have less than six weeks left in the session to get it all done. So button up, hold on to your hats, and brace yourselves... here comes the roar!


P.S. May all who celebrate have a very Happy Easter!

Campaign Update!

Honored to receive nomination!


I was honored to learn that my name officially will appear on the ballot for Jefferson County Board of Commissioners. I appreciate the demonstration of support I received at the Jefferson County Democratic Assembly Saturday. I received the nomination without opposition, which means I will be the sole Democratic candidate on the June primary ballot. I am grateful to the delegates who voted for me, and I am humbled by their overwhelming confidence in my ability to serve as their next Jeffco Commissioner.


Now the campaign shifts into the next gear, and this would be a good time for you to donate to my campaign, if you haven’t already. You can make a contribution online by clicking HERE, or you can send a check to: Rachel for Colorado, 8274 Ammons Circle, Arvada, CO 80005. (The contribution limit is $2850 per individual.) Thank you!

New Zenzinger Bills

Passed! SB24-188 Public School Finance: Concerning the financing of public schools. The bill was introduced and assigned to the Senate Education Committee. The bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee unanimously and was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.


Passed! SB24-170 America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission: Concerning the America 250 - Colorado 150 commission. The bill passed out of the Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Commmittee and was referred to the full Senate.


Passed! HB24-1017 Bill of Rights for Foster Youth: Concerning a bill of rights for youth in foster care. The bill passed out of the Senate Health & Human Services and referred to the full Senate.


In committee this week: SB24-174 Sustainable Affordable Housing Assistance: Concerning state support for sustainable affordable housing, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. The bill will be heard in the Senate Local Government & Housing Committee on Tuesday, April 2 at 2 pm.


SB24-106 Right to Remedy Construction Defects: Concerning legal actions based on claimed defects in construction projects. The bill passed out of the Senate Local Government and Housing Committee and was referred to the full Senate.


New! HB24-1384 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics: Concerning applying for federal grants related to certified community behavioral health clinics.


New! HB24-1388 Transfers to the Nurse Home Visitor Program Fund: Concerning an increase in the percentage of money transferred to the nurse home visitor program fund from the tobacco litigation settlement cash fund, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1389 School Funding 2023-24 for New Arrival Students: Concerning providing funding to schools in the 2023-24 budget year for increases in pupil enrollment after the 2023-24 budget year pupil enrollment count day, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1391 Appropriation Authority Educator Licensure Cash Fund: Concerning extending the continuous appropriation authority for the educator licensure cash fund.


New! HB24-1393 Accelerating Concurrent Enrollment Program Modifications: Concerning measures to reduce the cost of the accelerating students through concurrent enrollment program, and, in connection therewith, making and reducing an appropriation.


New! HB24-1394 Mill Levy Equalization: Concerning funding for charter school institute mill levy equalization, and, in connection therewith, increasing and decreasing appropriations.


New! HB24-1395 Public School Capital Construction Assistance Fund Transfer Date: Concerning delaying a transfer from the marijuana tax cash fund to the public school capital construction assistance fund, and, in connection therewith, reducing an appropriation.


New! HB24-1397 Creative Industries Cash Fund Transfer: Concerning cash funds that provide funding for the creative industries division in the office of economic development.


New! HB24-1400 Medicaid Eligibility Procedures: Concerning medicaid eligibility procedures.


New! HB24-1401 Appropriation to the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing for Denver Health: Concerning making an appropriation to the department of health care policy and financing for payments to the Denver health and hospital authority.


New! HB24-1402 Evaluation of Colorado Department of Higher Education Information Technology: Concerning an evaluation of the department of higher education's information technology functions and services by the office of information technology, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1403 Higher Education Support Homeless Youth: Concerning postsecondary education support for students experiencing housing disruptions in high school, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1404 Financial Aid Appropriation Alignment: Concerning an exception for appropriations of less than two million dollars in new legislation to the requirement that appropriation increases for student financial aid align with appropriation increases to institutions of higher education.


New! HB24-1405 Higher Education Special Education Services Funding Medicaid Match: Concerning the increased money received pursuant to the federal "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" used for health services at the university of Colorado, and, in connection therewith, reducing an appropriation.


New! HB24-1407 Community Food Assistance Provider Grant Program: Concerning the creation of the community food assistance provider grant program, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1408 Expenditures for Care Assistance Programs: Concerning expenditures for care assistance programs, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1409 Employment-Related Funding & Workforce Enterprise: Concerning the funding of employment-related services in the state through the department of labor and employment, and, in connection therewith, making and reducing appropriations.


New! HB24-1410 Changes to Just Transition Office: Concerning administrative changes to the just transition office in the department of labor and employment.


New! HB24-1411 Increase in Property Tax Exemption Filing Fees: Concerning an increase in the amount of fees paid to the property tax exemption fund for filing property tax exemption forms.


New! HB24-1414 Repeal COVID Heroes Collaboration Fund: Concerning repealing the COVID heroes collaboration fund, and, in connection therewith, transferring the balance of the fund to the general fund.


New! HB24-1415 State Employee Reserve Fund: Concerning the state employee reserve fund, and, in connection therewith, transferring thirty-one million one hundred sixty thousand dollars from the state employee reserve fund to the general fund.


New! HB24-1416 Create the Healthy Food Incentives Program: Concerning the creation of the healthy food incentives program, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1419 Transfer to Stationary Sources Control Fund: Concerning a transfer of ten million dollars from the energy and carbon management cash fund to the stationary sources control fund.


New! HB24-1420 Transfer to Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund: Concerning the transfer of money from the general fund to the Colorado crime victim services fund.


New! HB24-1421 Modifying Public Safety Program Funding: Concerning modifying funding for grant programs administered by the division of criminal justice in the department of public safety, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1422 Capital Renewal Project Cost Threshold: Concerning the cost threshold of controlled maintenance projects for capital renewal.


New! HB24-1424 College Opportunity Fund Transfer to General Fund: Concerning the transfer of one million four hundred ninety-six thousand dollars from the college opportunity fund to the general fund.


New! HB24-1426 Controlled Maintenance Trust Fund Transfer: Concerning transferring the balance of the controlled maintenance trust fund to the general fund.


New! HB24-1427 Public Employees' Retirement Association Study Conducted by an Actuarial Firm: Concerning a requirement that the state auditor retain an actuarial firm with experience in public sector pension plans to conduct a study regarding the public employees' retirement association, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.


New! HB24-1429 Transfer from Unused State-Owned Real Property Fund: Concerning a transfer from the unused state-owned real property fund to the general fund.


New! HB24-1430 2024-25 Long Appropriations 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, 2024, except as otherwise noted.

In the Media

March 30, 2024 Colorado Politics: Colorado faces budget deficit as lawmakers consider $2 billion more in spending


March 30, 2024 Colorado Springs Gazette: Colorado faces budget deficit as lawmakers consider $2 billion more in spending


March 30, 2024 The Villager: A solution to reviving the condominium market is finally at hand


March 28, 2024 The Denver Post: Colorado lawmakers 2024-25 state budget proposal: higher ed, auto theft


March 28, 2024 KOA Radio: State Sen Rachel Zenzinger Talking Construction-Defects Reform Bill


March 26, 2024 Colorado Politics: Colorado lawmakers adopt cuts, hard choices as state faces $170 million budget shortfall


March 26, 2024 The Colorado Sun: Colorado school funding proposal increases per-student spending


March 26, 2024 Colorado Politics: Colorado lawmakers adopt cuts, hard choices as state faces $170 million budget shortfall


March 25, 2024 Colorado Springs Gazette: Restoring condos to Colorado's housing equation


March 25, 2024 Colorado Politics: Colorado lawmakers adopt cuts, hard choices as state faces $170 million budget shortfall

March 29, 2024 RELEASE: Zenzinger, Michaelson Jenet’s Bill of Rights for Foster Youth Clears Committee


March 27, 2024 RELEASE: 2024 School Finance Act to Pay Off B.S. Factor, Fully Fund Colorado Public Schools Clears Committee

Events

Legislative Town Hall Meeting: Topic TBD



Please join Representatives Bird, Daugherty, Titone and Senator Zenzinger on Saturday, April 20 at 10:30 am for our monthly legislative town hall meeting. The topic is still TBD, but the meeting will still be a good opportunity to connect with your legislators. The location for the town hall will be the Indian Tree Golf Course, 7555 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80003 (and NOT the library). For more information, click HERE.

About Senator Rachel Zenzinger

Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada) was re-elected to a second term in the Colorado State Senate, representing District 19 (Arvada & Westminster) in November 2020. Previously she served on the Arvada City Council. Senator Zenzinger is the Vice Chair of the Joint Budget Committee and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. She is also a candidate for Jefferson County Commissioner, District 1.


200 East Colfax, Denver, CO 80203 | SenatorRachelZ@gmail.com

303-866-4840 office | 303-748-0770 cell

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