Starting on Monday, the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder's office will begin sending out ballots to all registered voters in Jefferson County. This year's ballot will contain a whole host of candidates for federal, statewide, and local office, as well as several statewide and county-specific ballot initiatives. In my opinion, one of the most complete and easy-to-digest voters guides on the candidates and mesuares is The Colorado Sun Voter Guide. They offer information on all the ballot measures, as well as the latest election news.

On the ballot this year are 11 statewide measures and three county issues for you to consider. One of the best ways to examine the statewide issues is through the Colorado Blue Book, an informational booklet that provides voters with the title, text, and impartial analysis of each measure. The Blue Book comes in many forms and languages, most notably in Spanish, and an audio version can also be obtained for free through the Colorado Talking Book Library.

There are a number of ways to get to know the candidates and where they stand on various issues as well. Colorado Community Media published a guide last week, but the content has not been loaded to their website yet. For a more simplified ballot guide, you can see the North Jeffco candidate profiles here on BallotReady. Or, if you would like to see the candidates in person, there are two upcoming opportunities: The League of Women Voters and the Arvada Chamber of Commerce are both hosting candidate forums in the coming week. The Westminster Chamber already hosted a forum, but you can view their candidate interviews HERE.

If you do not receive a ballot by next Friday, you should check in with the Clerk's office for an update. I highly recommend signing up for BallotTrax too, a free service that allows you to track your ballot through the whole process. If you are interested in voting in person rather than by mail ballot, the Voter Service and Polling Centers will open on October 24. If you prefer to drop off your ballot, rather than mail it, the 24 hour secure drop boxes will come online October 17. For more election information, including voting locations, click HERE.

Colorado Free Application Days: To inspire more Coloradans to continue their education, all 32 public colleges and universities in Colorado and several private institutions will allow students to apply for free from Oct. 18-20 as part of Colorado Free Application Days. Admissions application information for each institution is available on the campaign website at https://highered.colorado.gov/cofreeappdays, and fees will be waived for applications submitted from Oct. 18-20 only.

City Manager Mark Deven retires: Back in 2010, I had the honor and privilege of serving on the council that selected Mark Deven to be our city manager. At his retirement party, I presented Mark with the following Senate Tribute: "For eleven years, City Manager Mark Deven has served as a steward of the history and growth of the City of Arvada, Colorado, honorably and with distinction. He improved the lives of Colorado families through enhancements in water, wastewater, and storm water infrastructure, while setting a steady course to financial stability, earning the municipality a AAA bond rating. Throughout his forty one year tenure in local government, Mark Deven was an example of public service which deserves emulation by all in Colorado." The new city manager, Lorie Gillis, began serving in her new role on October 7. Congratulations to both Mark and Lorie!

Public Open House for Olde Town Arvada's Strategic Reinvestment Plan: Last month I attended a Speakup Arvada Open House at the Denver Beer Company to learn more about the Speakup Arvada visioning survey and to see the ideas collected for the future of Olde Town Arvada. As part of the next phase of the five-year Olde Town Arvada semi-permanent street closure plan, the City team is collecting and reviewing data related to business activity, parking demand, and transportation. To learn more about the strategic reinvestment plan for Olde Town, click HERE.

Sheridan underpass construction enters new phase: If you have driven along Sheridan Boulevard near highway US 6 recently, you no doubt have noticed a large construction process underway. The Sheridan Boulevard Multimodal Transportation Improvement project, aka "the Sheridan Underpass", is a federal transportation investment in mobility for all modes of travel. The project will create a direct bicycle and pedestrian connection between Downtown Westminster and the RTD’s US 36 and Sheridan Station. For more information, click HERE.

Disability Services Committee appointments announced: The Colorado Department of Higher Education recently appointed 15 members to Colorado’s Disability Services in Higher Education Advisory Committee that will advise higher education leaders and policymakers on necessary services and best practices aimed at improving access and outcomes for students with disabilities in higher education. This committee was created through House Bill 22-1255, a bill I sponsored and passed last session. The committee's first meeting will be October 26 at 10 am. For more information and to see the committee list, click HERE.

America 250-Colorado 150 Commission appointments announced: The America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission is the result of legislation, Senate Bill 22-011, that I sponsored and passed last session. The commission, housed within History Colorado, will develop programs and plan for the official observance across Colorado of the semiquincentennial anniversary of the founding of the United States, as marked by the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and the sesquicentennial anniversary of Colorado statehood. The following individuals were chosen for the commission: Richard Monfort of Greeley, John “Jay” Seaton of Grand Junction, Nathan Richie of Arvada, Hon. Judge Gary M. Jackson of Denver, Colorado, Ramona Martinez of Denver, and Linda Yip of Greenwood Village. To learn more, click HERE.

Even though we are no longer meeting down at the Capitol every day, we continue our legislative work during the interim by participating on various committees. Here is an update on the meetings that I have attended in the last month:

Colorado Health Care Association Conference: In September, it was my honor to be invited to speak at the annual Colorado Health Care Association conference about the issues we addressed in the legislature last session concerning long term care. In addition to speaking at the conference, I also had the opportunity to listen to some of the challenges our nursing homes are facing, particularly around staffing/workforce and funding. As a result of this important feedback, I am planning on pursuing a bill to re-base the Medicaid nursing home rate next session.

Colorado Apartment Association Housing Summit: Last month I was invited to participate on a legislative panel discussion at the annual Apartment Association Housing Summit. There were several very informative sessions that touched on a variety of housing issues ranging from affordability, the science and ethics of housing regulation, issues facing home builders, rents and vacancy rates, and developing solutions for housing affordability. Based on what I learned, I am planning on pursuing more affordable housing legislation this coming session.

Joint Budget Committee: The JBC met in September for our quarterly revenue forecast and to discuss several supplemental requests. According to Legislative Council Staff and the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting, Colorado's economy continues to expand with positive consumer spending a strong labor market and job growth. However, high inflation has taken a toll and has nearly eroded real gains in earnings or income. To learn more about the forecast, click HERE. The next JBC meeting will be on Monday, November 15 after the election and the new members are seated.

EMS Service and Sustainability Task Force: I was honored to be elected Chair of the EMS Task Force. According to the legislation establishing the task force, phase one of our work will be to conduct an environmental scan on the state of emergency medical services in the state. We will collect input on the current regulatory structure for abulance service oversight, including the the mechanism by which CDPHE and local jurisdictions will share accountability for ambulance service and oversight. This report on the state of emergency medical services in the state will be due by October of next year. The next task force meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 26 at 2 pm.

Housing Colorado Conference: Last week I was honored to participate in a lunchtime panel discussion about affordable housing legislation at Housing Colorado’s annual conference. With a “once in a generation” investment coming to affordable housing, thanks in large part to federal COVID relief money, the discussion focused on both the affordable housing legislation passed by the 2022 General Assembly and how that legislation is going to be implemented. The discussion also highlighted what the future holds for affordable housing policy in the state.

Colorado League of Charter Schools Leadership Summit: Last week I participated on a bipartisan legislative panel for the Colorado League of Charter School's Leadership Summit. This annual event seeks to bring charter school leaders, board members, administrators, business managers, and others together for a day of learning, networking, and sharing. The theme for this year's summit was "Rethinking our Schools." The Legislative panelists discussed a variety topics, namely, the reasons we fight so hard for education under the golden dome. In particular, I discussed SB22-127 on Special Education Funding and HB22-1294 Special Education Services in Charter Schools.

As many of you know, I host a legislative town hall meeting with my House counterparts on the third Saturday of every month. Yesterday, we were very pleased to host our last town hall meeting of the 2022 session. We will NOT be meeting during the months of November and December due to the holidays.

We want to thank everyone who chose to attend one or more of our town hall meetings this past year. We had a very productive and exciting year of programs on a variety of topics including:

We will resume our Town Hall Meeting Schedule in January of 2023. Mark your calendars now for the third Saturday of the month, January 21 from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. Be on the lookout for a town hall topic survey next month. For more information on these and other future events, click HERE.

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: Concerning 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 terminology 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 "treasurer'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 "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" cash fund to be used for non federal match funding requirements for infrastructure projects eligible to receive federal funding under the federal "Infrastructure 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. Lost on Third Reading in the House.

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. Laid over in the House on Second Reading.

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 control 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. Laid over in the House in the Appropriations Committee.

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.