About this Weekly Policy Brief

This brief is your source for the latest updates on legislation and policies impacting the Rocky Mountain Partnership's priorities. It's not just about staying informed – we want to equip you to understand and engage with the legislative landscape. 

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Gov. Jared Polis signed the first new law of 2024: a bill that temporarily doubles Colorado’s match of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, boosting the amount of money that will go to working families this year. READ MORE

Over 300 bills have been introduced so far during this legislative session. Check out the bills RMP is monitoring in alignment with our priorities below.

As we mentioned in the kickoff email, we aim to provide education, awareness, and essential information about the legislation and policy most impacting RMP's priorities. By doing so, we hope to empower you with the information you need to take action that is most meaningful and impactful to your organization.

New Bills We Are Keeping an Eye On

• SB24-104: Career & Technical Education & Apprenticeships
• HB24-1099: Defendant Filing Fees in Evictions
• HB24-1101: Empower Victims through Access Restorative Justice
• HB24-1107: Judicial Review of Local Land Use Decision
• HB24-1110: Employer to Post Veterans' Benefits Availability
• HB24-1115: Prescription Drug Label Accessibility
• HB24-1120: Resources for Persons in Child Welfare System
• HB24-1122: Protection Orders for Victims of Crimes

• HB24-1125: Tax Credit Commercial Building Conversion
• HB24-1126: Substance Use Disorder Treatment as Bond Condition
• HB24-1144: Income Tax Credit for Mortgage Rate Buy Downs
• HB24-1149: Prior Authorization Requirements Alternatives
• HB24-1152: Accessory Dwelling Units
• HB24-1158: Homeowners' Association Foreclosure Sales Requirements
• HB24-1175: Local Governments Rights to Property for Affordable Housing
• HB24-1176: Behavioral Health Grant for Capital Project

Bills Being Heard in Committee Next Week

Monday, February 5

Senate Education

Time: 1:30 PM

• SB24-017: Distribution of State Share of District Total Program

Wednesday, February 7

Senate Health & Human Services

Time: Upon Adjournment

• SB24-015: Licensed Professional Counselors in Communities

House Health & Human Services

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1088: Modifications to the Child Fatality Prevention Act
• HB24-1046: Child Welfare System Tools

Senate Education

Time: 1:30 PM

• SB24-069: Clarify Individualized Education Program Information

Senate Judiciary

Time: 1:30 PM

• SB24-064: Monthly Residential Eviction Data & Report

Thursday, February 8

Senate Business, Labor, & Technology

Time: Upon Adjournment

• SB24-048: Substance Use Disorders Recovery

House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Time: Upon Adjournment

• HB24-1110: Employer to Post Veterans' Benefits Availability

House Education

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1003: Opiate Antagonists and Detection Products in Schools
• HB24-1087: Professional Endorsement Special Education Teaching

Senate Health & Human Services

Time: 1:30 PM

• SB24-010: Dentist & Dental Hygienist Compact
• SB24-047: Prevention of Substance Use Disorders

House Business Affairs & Labor

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1004: Ex-Offenders Practice in Regulated Occupations
• HB24-1008: Wage Claims Construction Industry Contractors

Bills Out of Committee and Headed to the Floor

• SB24-006: Pretrial Diversion Programs
• SB24-051: Adult Education

• HB24-1007: Prohibit Residential Occupancy Limits
• HB24-1057: Prohibit Algorithmic Devices Used for Rent Setting

LEARN

Take a deep dive into the bills that are most meaningful and impactful to you. Click the button below to view RMP's State Bill Tracker.

WRITE

Write a letter sharing your thoughts about the bills most meaningful and impactful to you Click the button below to download our letter template.

SHARE

Talk directly to legislators about the bills most meaningful and impactful to you by testifying at the statehouse. Click the button below to learn more.

27J Schools releases Community Investments Report

It takes a strong investment to provide students with all the experiences, tools, training, equipment and facilities they need to be successful and competitive in today’s world. 

27J Schools is financially accountable to you. We want you to know how your 27J tax dollar investment is being put to work and the early results we’re seeing.

This report breaks down how your hard-earned tax dollars are giving 27J students a competitive edge in preparing them for the next stage of their life. The 2021 school construction bond and 2022 mill levy override are funding new opportunities for every student. Take a look.

Many teens are rethinking college. This 87-acre campus near Colorado Springs wants to help them find careers without it.

The Pikes Peak BOCES — which provides support, staffing and resources to nine rural districts and 12 bigger districts and other school agencies — is in the early stages of creating what it calls the Pikes Peak BOCES Education Park. It will be a kind of CTE campus where regional students will have new opportunities to explore what it takes to pursue well-paying careers in a range of fields that don’t require a college degree: construction trades, firefighting, veterinary training, food services and culinary arts, cybersecurity, horticulture science, meat sciences and medical services.

Colorado's 'construction defects' law explained

Passed in 2003, the Construction Defect Reform Act was meant to decrease the number of construction defect-related lawsuits. But what exactly are construction defects, and what is so controversial about this law?

Colorado Politics breaks it all down. 

Colorado Department of Law announces Opioid Response Strategic Impact Grant

The Colorado Department of Law announces that it is seeking applications from organizations working to combat the opioid epidemic in Colorado. The focus of this funding opportunity is to allocate Opioid Settlement Funds strategically across the state to generate implementable, far-reaching solutions to combat Colorado’s opioid crisis.

Submission of a Notice of Intent to Apply is requested no later than 11:59 p.m. MST on February 13, 2024.

Questions? Reach out to Ashley Edinger, RMP's Senior Director of Institute & Strategic Supports at AshleyEdinger@RMPBackbone.org.

Rocky Mountain Partnership (RMP) is a group of leaders and community members who are WORKING TOGETHER to ensure that every young person across our region has the opportunity to embark on a successful journey toward economic and social advancement. 

Guided by a globally recognized framework and data, we strive to create impactful, large-scale solutions. We break down silos within existing efforts, optimize regional resources, and advance impactful policies and strategies.