Budget wrapped up, now onto school finance
The General Assembly took final action on the 2023-24 Colorado State Budget last week, sending the "Long Bill" to the Governor for his signature. Balancing the state’s budget in a responsible and thoughtful manner is one of our most urgent priorities as a legislature, and I am pleased to say that this year’s budget hits the mark. We are delivering for Colorado families by making record investments in K-12 education, supporting our health care workers, and creating safer communities--all while keeping our state on solid financial footing. Here is a short summary:
- Long Bill & Legislative Appropriation Bill increased total General Fund appropriations by $1,203.2 million (8.9%) for FY 2023-24.
- More than 2/3 of this increase went to HCPF, including $442 million General Fund, related to the expiration of enhanced federal Medicaid match rates, and $396 million for projected Medicaid enrollment, expenditure changes, and provider rate increases.
- Transfered $294 million General Fund for capital construction & information technology projects. (An additional $18.2 million General Fund was added through budget amendments.)
- General Fund appropriations for Higher Education increased by $147 million (10.1%). Funding for public schools increased by $485 million, and any additional funding will come through a separate bill known as the School Finance Act.
- Maintained a $2.3 billion General Fund reserve (15% of appropriations) for use during the next economic downturn.
Here are some additional priorities that we funded via amendments from our colleagues:
- $75,000 to the Department of Public Health and Environment for suicide prevention by providing mental health first aid training for students
- $4 million in funding for the Community Crime Victims Grant Program in the Department of Public Health and Environment
- $8 million for the Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund in the Department of Public Safety
- $500,000 for the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund within the Department of Transportation
- $1 million Department of Human Services for outreach related to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- $1 million to supplement funding for Denver Health, and another $1 million for Colorado’s rural hospitals
- $2 million to fund a co-responder program within the Behavioral Health Administration
- $500,000 in funding for the Veterans Assistance Grant Program in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
- $100,000 for the Wildfire Capacity Mitigation Development Fund
Now that the budget is finalized, I will focus on my remaining bills that are still in the works, as well as finalize the School Finance Act. As I have noted previously, we fund our schools through a separate bill that follows the budget. The JBC created a placeholder amount for school finance, and any additional changes such as the buy down of the Budget Stabilization Factor, happen in this separate legislation.
Since we are in the final weeks of session, the School Finance Act will move very quickly. The bill will be introduced on Tuesday and receive its first hearing in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, April 19. I will follow up in next week's newsletter the final details.
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Legislative Town Hall Meeting: Legislative Wrap-Up
Mark your calendars now for next month's town hall meeting. Please plan to join us on Saturday, May 20 from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. We will be returning to the Standley Lake Library. The legislative session ends on May 8, so we will provide a wrap-up of what occurred. For more information, click HERE. |
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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. |
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NEW! SB23-281 Limited Transferability Of College Credits Notice: Concerning a required notice of limited transferability of college credits from a private occupational school.
NEW! SB23-283 Mechanisms For Federal Infrastructure Funding: Concerning mechanisms to utilize federal funding under federal infrastructure-related acts.
NEW! HB23-1259 Open Meetings Law Executive Session Violations: Concerning provisions in the open meetings law for an executive session of a local public body, and, in connection therewith, creating a local public body's right to cure a violation of the open meetings law for an executive session, adding prerequisites for a person to challenge a violation by a local public body of the open meetings law for an executive session, and permitting a local public body to recover costs and attorney fees in an action for a violation by a local public body of the executive session provisions if the local public body has cured the violation.
HB23-1061 Alcohol Beverage Retail Establishment Permit: Concerning permitting a retail establishment to serve complementary alcohol beverages at a place of business. The bill will be heard in the Senate Business, Labor & Technology Committee on Tuesday, April 18 at 1:30 pm.
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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: |
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- Celebrated Colorado Electrical Lineworker Appreciation Day
- Presented and passed SB23-001 on affordable housing out of the Senate
- Appropriations Committee met
- Presented and passed SB23-082 on foster youth housing out of the Senate
- Concurred on House amendments to SB23-228 and passed the bill
- Concurred on House amendments to SB23-229 and passed the bill
- Presented and passed SB23-007 Expansion of Adult Education
- JBC meeting to discuss final action on the Long Bill
- JBC met in Conference and finalized the budget
- Recognized Home School Day at the Capitol
- Memorialized former Senator Gloria Tanner
- Presented and passed HB23-1089 on special education services for foster youth out of the Senate
- The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report on the budget (SB23-214) and repassed the Long Bill
- Chaired Senate Appropriations meeting
- Hosted our monthly Town Hall Meeting on mental health
- Attended the Arvada Center Gala "Ball Caps and Ball Gowns"
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About Senator Rachel Zenzinger |
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Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada) was re-elected to a second term in the Colorado State Senate, representing District 19 (Arvada & Westminster) in November 2020. Previously she served on the Arvada City Council. Senator Zenzinger is the Chair of the Joint Budget Committee and Vice Chair of Senate Appropriations.
200 East Colfax, Denver, CO 80203 | SenatorRachelZ@gmail.com
303-866-4840 office | 303-748-0770 cell
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