Last Tuesday's election results turned out favorably for both the House and Senate Democrats in Colorado. There were seven highly contested seats up for grabs in the State Senate, and the party that won those seats would control the majority for the next two years. Democrats won all seven races, which means our State Senate majority grew to 23 Democrats and 12 Republicans. The Democratic majority grew in the House as well, increasing their majority to 46 Democrats and 19 Republicans. And, notably, Colorado made history by electing a record number of women to the state legislature.

Several days following the election, the House and Senate Majority and Minority caucuses held their leadership elections to fill various positions. I was enormously honored to be re-elected by my colleagues to serve on the Joint Budget Committee, and on Monday I will be sworn in as Chair. I am excited to have this opportunity to lead the JBC and to help craft a smart and vital budget at this challenging time in the Colorado economy. A press release describing the full Senate Leadership Team can be found HERE.

I also want to congratulate the three House members that intersect with Senate District 19 on their victories as well: Representative Brianna Titone, who was elected assistant caucus chair, Representative Lindsey Daugherty, and Representative Shannon Bird, who will be joining me as Vice Chair of the JBC. Just as a reminder, we will continue to host our monthly Legislative Town Hall Meeting together on the third Saturday of each month. Mark your calendar now for Saturday, January 21. Click HERE from more information.

The voters have spoken, and we are grateful that they’ve put their trust in us. All the candidates worked incredibly hard, and we’re grateful to everyone who exercised their right to vote. Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and do what we can to move Colorado forward!

Seeking feedback on Colorado Broadband Roadmap: Earlier this year, Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order to accelerate broadband deployment in Colorado. He set a goal to connect 99% of Colorado households to high-speed broadband by Dec. 31, 2027. To that end, the Broadband Office is happy to announce the release of the Colorado Broadband Roadmap, guiding the state’s plan to invest $400 to $700 million in broadband statewide. Also, they are seeking feedback on the plan until Nov. 22. To submit your feedback, click HERE.

Legislative Interns Needed: The Office of Senator Rachel Zenzinger is looking for talented interns for the upcoming 2023 legislative session. Being a legislative intern is an exciting position that puts you in the middle of Colorado’s political action. Interns help in the implementation of the Senator's policy goals by providing administrative, written, and logistical support. If interested, or know of someone, send an email to SenatorRachelZ@gmail.com.

Spikes in Cases of COVID-19, RSV, Influenza and Others: Last week, Governor Polis signed an Executive Order amending and extending the current COVID-19 disaster declaration to include RSV, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment continues to monitor increases in respiratory viruses, including flu, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and COVID-19. The disaster declaration allows agencies to continue to access state and federal funding for recovery efforts, to rapidly respond to changes in the public health environment, and to support the healthcare system to remain appropriately staffed and prepared to respond to public health. For more information, click HERE.

Due to the holidays, we will not be meeting on the third Saturday for our monthly town hall meeting during the months of November or December. We will resume our town hall schedule in January 2023. But, you can mark your calendar now for January 21 from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. For more information, click HERE.