Compromise bill passes, restores cuts to hospitals
With Sine Die around the corner, the Senate finally passed the long-anticipated Hospital Provider Fee reclassification bill, a
lso known as "Sustaining Rural Colorado" or SB17-267. It was a compromise deal that helped avoid a nearly half-billion dollar cut in state and federal aid to hospitals for care to low-income patients.
The bill also included a couple of other key provisions:
Re-classifies the Hospital Provider Fee as an enterprise.
Rural schools will receive a one-time funding boost of $30 million.
Transportation will receive $1.88 billion over 20 years.
Capital construction & maintenance will receive $120 million for upkeep.
A reduction in business personal property taxes--state taxes that all businesses pay on their assets.
One controversial element is an i
ncrease of sales taxes on recreational marijuana to 15 percent, a maximum that is already allowed under current law. For more information on the particulars, see the Denver Post editorial or the Colorado Independent.
After the deal was struck, the logjam of other budget-related bills started flowing again. For example, we passed the Colorado School Finance act, which is necessary to fund our schools. The bill sets the statewide base per pupil funding amount for the 2017-18 budget year at $6,546.20, which is an inflationary increase of 2.8 percent.
We also approved the Joint Budget Committee's conference committee report on the State Budget that included several changes added by either the House or Senate during the budget process. The JBC chose to keep all the amendments I put forward, including the Medicaid transportation services increase.
Sine Die, which means means "without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing", is this coming Wednesday. Any bills that have not gone through the full process by then will die. I believe there are a fair number of bills still on the calendar, which means the last three days will certainly be fast and furious. Stay tuned!
Priority bills cross finish line
Prior to the start of the legislative session, I met with SD19 city officials to better understand the issues in our community. Among the list of issues, both communities expressed concern over construction defects reform and mental health holds in our local jails.
Last week we made progress on those two issues with HB17-1279 and SB17-207.
After four years of fighting over the issue, a construction defects reform bill finally came together. The issue is fairly complex, but the bill addresses some of the concerns by requiring a majority of condo owners in a unit vote before any construction defects lawsuit be filed.
Hopefully this will allow homebuilders to build more affordable units without fear of costly lawsuits, while offering homeowners some assurances in addressing potential defects. The main sticking point about requiring arbitration wasn't taken up in this bill, although I suspect that question will soon be settled by the courts.
The other bill, SB17-207, effectively ends the use of jails to hold mentally ill people who have committed no crimes. Colorado was one of only six states in the nation that allowed individuals in a mental health crisis to be placed in a jail or correctional facility for housing as a last resort.
The bill equips communities, crisis system providers, and first responders with new strategies and resources so that individuals experiencing a mental health crisis are diverted to healthcare settings rather than jail. More specifically, the bill enhanced the Colorado Crisis Response System and provided more accessible options for evaluation, treatment, and crisis response.
I was very pleased to co-sponsor both pieces of legislation, and I am glad that these important community concerns were addressed this session.
Rachel Zenzinger
Rachel Zenzinger won election to the Colorado State Senate, representing District 19, in November 2016. Previously, she served in the same capacity during the 2014 legislative session. During the upcoming, 71st General Assembly, she will serve on the Senate Education Committee, Transportation Committee and the Student Safety and Youth in Crisis Committee.
Final 'Coffee With Constituents' of session
Our final 'Coffee With Consituents' of the session will be on Friday, May 12 from 7 am - 8 am at the Indian Tree Golf Course in Arvada. We will talk about what happened during the session and any ideas you have for the next legislative session. Hope you can join us!
Westminster Pride Day
Every year we try to do our part for the City of Westminster, and we encourage supporters to join us in the city's annual clean-up day. "Community Pride Day" is Saturday, May 13, and we will meet at Thomson Elementary School, 7750 N. Harlan St., Arvada. We'll work our way through the Little Dry Creek open space, looking for litter. The City of Westminster supplies the trash bags and gloves. At the end, we leave the bags for the city to pick up at work crews' convenience. And the best part is the party afterward--a BBQ for all registered participants at City Park, with music, prizes, etc. Please contact Steveto register.
Volunteer Steve Caulk cleaning up on Westminster Community Pride Day
Arvada/Westminster Legilsative Town Meeting
Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 20 at 10:30 am for our monthly legislative town meeting hosted by Representatives Kraft-Tharp, Lang Sias and myself. We will be hosting journalists Peter Marcus and Ed Sealover for a legislative wrap-up. Don't forget we will be returning to the Standley Lake Library, 8485 Kipling St, Arvada, CO 80005. See you then!
Tracking your Senator
On Monday we passed a resolution for
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month... We also recognized the military veterans in Colorado who served in the
Vietnam War... We also recognized
Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day... On Tuesday, we recognized
National Maternal Health Awareness week... I was also interviewed by Nic Garcia of
Chalkbeat on the passing of my STEM diploma endorsement bill... On Thursday we heard a resolution designating April 27 2017 as
"Second Chance Month"... On Friday I served as a judge for the
Foster Elementary Tamale Throw-Down.
Judging tamales at Foster Elementary Tamale Throw-Down
If there is an event you think I should attend, please notify me!
Donations
Can you help us with a contribution? While the campaign activity has concluded, we still need your help so that we may continue keeping in touch with SD19 voters. Your contribution helps us pay for brochures, direct mail, the website, newsletter, and other tools to help make voters aware of what is happening down at the State Capitol. THANKS!
