In the Governor's "State of the State" address last week, he framed his comments with a guiding question: What do we want to look like when we are 150 years old? I was thrilled to hear Governor Polis open his remarks with that question, especially considering I sponsored legislation last year to begin planning for our 150th birthday as a state:

It is a good question to ask. I believe that if you want to arrive successfully at your destination you need a roadmap on how to get there. Governor Polis used that question throughout his speech to outline his policy agenda for the coming session. He touched on many more topics than I have space to outline here, but I'll focus on a few that stood out to me. Before getting into the details of his future agenda, I'll note another nice shoutout he gave me for my work on trasnportation:

Later in his speech, he discussed his goals for education. This is an area where I believe we are mostly aligned, particularly with regard to funding. He mentioned prior successes such as free full day kindergarten and universal preschool, as well as some higher education and workforce goals he would like to tackle this session, including greater support for adult eduation. But it was his comments about K12 education that caught my attention:

This is a very lofty goal and I am happy to see the Governor prioritize education funding so prominently in his speech. As chair of the Joint Budget Committee, education funding will be top of mind for me personally, and for the entire JBC. Even though this year's budget will be noticeably tighter, especially since we will no longer receive financial assistance from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), we are fully on board with eliminating the budget stabilization factor by the time our state turns 150.

There were two other areas of his speech where he did not mention my name specifically, but highlighted legislation that I am sponsoring. The first was a bill to address affordable housing:

While we made tremendous progress last year with regard to housing, we are still a long way off from actually solving the problem. The Governor emphasized repeatedly his desire to continue working on the issue, and I expect the legislature to take up this call in various forms this session. The second area was legislation to address auto theft:

I am pleased to announce that the recommendation mentioned by the Governor and endorsed by the CCJJ Sentencing Task Force support, is legislation that I authored and will introduce in about a week's time. We plan to host a press conference on Monday, January 30 to outline the details of the bill, so stay tuned!

Again, there were many more policy areas the Governor highlighted than we have space for here. If you are interested in some added context, the Colorado Sun wrote a nice annotated transcript of the full speech. I’m appreciative of the Governor’s commitment to making Colorado a safe and affordable place to live, and I am looking forward to collaborating with him to make our journey to our 150th birthday a productive one!

Universal Preschool Applications Open: Enrollment for Universal Preschool, known as UPK, began last week. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, Colorado 4-year-olds can receive at least 15 hours per week of free, voluntary preschool through the state’s new Universal Preschool (UPK) Colorado program, administered by the newly created Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC).Universal preschool supports early learning to better prepare children for success and to reduce achievement gaps. UPK Colorado will pay for every four-year-old child in the year before they are eligible for Kindergarten to attend a minimum of a half-day of preschool for the 2023-24 school year. Some three-year-olds will also qualify for free part-time preschool. The application is quick and simple, with placements beginning mid-February. For more information on eligibility, how to apply, or how to find a preschool provider, click HERE.

Tips for saving money on energy bills: Colder temperatures have moved into Colorado, and with the increase in natural gas prices it pays to know how to save money on your energy bills. Xcel Energy offers several tips and programs to help you save on your energy bills. You can find this information on the Energy Saving Tips page at xcelenergy.com. While natural gas price increases primarily affect the bills of natural gas customers, the company also purchases natural gas to generate electricity, so electric customers may see some savings by conserving as well. Finally, if you are having trouble paying your energy bills, know that Xcel Energy will always work with customers to provide options. Learn more by visiting xcelenergy.com/EnergyAssistance or by calling 1-800-895-4999. Also, for more options, check out the Colorado Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) or visit Energy Outreach Colorado.

Annual Talent Pipeline Report released: Last month, the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) released the ninth annual Talent Pipeline Report, which analyzes and explains labor market information, highlights talent development strategies, and provides data-informed opportunities to enhance the talent pipeline in Colorado. The 2022 Talent Pipeline report identifies several key trends such as shifts in demand, the top jobs in Colorado, and opportunities to align supply with industry demand. To read the full report, click HERE and to read the overview, click HERE.

JBC Recap for the week of January : In January, the JBC considers department requests for adjustments to appropriations for the current fiscal year; these requests are called "supplementals".The JBC began working through the supplemental process this week.

On Thursday, the JBC heard requests coming from the Department of Natural Resources, Judicial Department and Independent Agencies, Department of Early Childhood, Department of Education, Department of Local Affairs, and Department of Law.

the JBC continued working through the Supplemental Process.

On Friday, the JBC heard requests from the Department of Public Safety, Department of Labor & Employment, Department of Public Health & Environment, Department of Human Services, Department of Revenue, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Treasury, Office of the Governor, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Capital Construction, and the Department of Regulatory Agencies. To view the requests and committee actions, click HERE.

Coming Up This Week: The JBC will next meet Monday, January 23rd upon adjournment of the House & Senate to continue consideration of supplemental requests for the Departments of Higher Education, Health Care Policy and Financing, and Human Services. (schedule).

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.

SB23-001 Authority Of Public-private Collaboration Unit For Housing: Concerning additional functions of the public-private collaboration unit for public projects that provide housing. The bill was assigned to the Senate Local Government & Housing Committee and will be heard on Tuesday, January 24 at 2 pm.

SB23-007 Adult Education: Concerning enhancing adult education in Colorado. The bill was assigned to the Senate Education Committee and will be heard on Monday, January 23 at 1:30 pm.

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 was introduced and assigned to the Senate Finance Committee.

HB23-1001 Expanding Assistance For Educator Programs: Concerning expanding financial assistance for educator programs. The bill was assigned to the House Education Committee and will be heard on Thursday, January 26 at 1:30 pm.

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 assigned to the House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee and will be heard on Thursday, January 26 upon adjournment.

HB23-1061 Alcohol Beverage Retail Establishment Permit: Concerning permitting a retail establishment to serve complementary alcohol beverages at a place of business. The bill was introduced and assigned to the House Business and Labor Committee.

HB23-1089 Special Education Services For Students In Foster Care: Concerning the continuation of special education services for a student in foster care when the student moves. The bill was introduced and assigned to the House Education Committee.

The Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation, known as the Jeffco EDC, has resumed their monthly "Caffeinated Conversations With the Delegation." The Jeffco EDC is excited to host Senator Zenzinger for their next event on Thursday, February 2 at 7:15 am at Corvus Coffee Roasters, 9528 W 58th Ave, Arvada. This event is open to all EDC investors. For more information, send a message to Jansen at jtidmore@jeffcoedc.org.

We want to thank everyone who joined us for our monthly town hall meeting last Saturday. For constituents who prefer a more relaxed setting, we are resuming our monthly ‘Brewing’ event where constituents can hang out and chat about what’s on your mind while sipping a craft beer. Mark your calendar now for January, 31 at 7 pm. Location TBD. For more information, click HERE.

Our February town hall meeting will take place in a new location. Please plan to join us on Saturday, February 18 from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm at the Indian Tree Golf Course Clubhouse, 7555 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80003. Our topic next month will be the "Future of Healthcare." For more information, click HERE.

Over the years, I have worked with members of the media to help keep my legislative work transparent to the public. Here is a list of articles that have appeared in the media over the past week. For a complete list, click HERE.

Westword: America 250-Colorado 150 Commission Has a Tough Job Ahead

The Fort Morgan Times: Any car stolen in Colorado — even cheap ones — should be a felony, lawmakers say

Alamosa News: Sen. Simpson faces new, old challenges in legislative session

The Denver Post: Any car stolen in Colorado — even cheap ones — should be a felony, lawmakers say

The Gazette: Colorado looks to stem the closure of schools for students with intense needs

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: