New legislative session begins this week

Happy New Year, and happy new session! The second regular session of the seventy-fourth general assembly will begin this Wednesday, January 10. The first day will mostly feature pomp and circumstance, but this year's opening day will be the last of my legislative career, so I'm looking forward to it. You are welcome to view the festivities online beginning at 10 am by clicking HERE.

While the first week can be characterized as rather slow, legislatively speaking, our first round of bill deadlines also takes place this week. Our first bill, known as a pre-file, will be introduced and assigned to a committee on opening day. Then, our next two bills will follow toward the end of the week, and our last two regular bills (of five total) will be due the following week. I plan to discuss my first five bills at our legislative town hall meeting on January 20. For more information, click HERE.

Don't worry if you are not able to attend the town hall. I will continue to write about my legislative agenda here in these newsletters, as well as update you on all the latest happenings from the state capitol. However, if you need to get in touch, please feel free to call, visit, or email. My long-time aide, Aaron Silverstein, will also return for my last session, and he stands ready to assist as well. We are pleased to welcome two new interns to our office (which I will write about in a future newsletter), but we are always interested in volunteers too. Please let us know if you are interested!

I suspect that as my last first opening day it will all feel rather bittersweet. Nevertheless, I am excited by the prospect of a new session and I look forward to tackling some big and important issues facing our community like affordable housing, education funding, and economic prosperity. I plan to approach the work with my trademark problem-solving attitude and collaborative spirit. Serving as your state senator has been an honor of a lifetime and I'm excited for the new legislative session to begin!

CHFA's Middle Income Housing program thriving: Since its creation in 2017, CHFA’s Middle Income Access Program has supported the new construction of 932 units across 8 developments in Denver, Keystone, Steamboat, Gypsum, Estes Park, Commerce City, Breckenridge, and Silverthorne. The program was created to help finance apartments for renters earning between 80% and 120% AMI. These households--also referred to as the “missing-middle"--earn too much to be eligible to qualify for subsidized affordable housing assistance, but often, they don’t earn enough to be able to afford market-rate rent. Recently, 70 additional units of middle-income housing were added as a result of Sen. Zenzinger's bill SB22-146, which expanded the Middle Income Access Program. For more information about this innovative and critical resource that is helping Colorado meet its housing needs, click HERE.

Series of reports demonstrate progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions: The Polis administration released a series of reports that demonstrates progess made toward Colorado’s commitment to tackling the climate crisis. The reports include:

• The biannual progress report on the Colorado Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap, which outlines key steps Colorado has taken in updating its emissions reduction roadmap.
• The Statewide Greenhouse Gas Inventory, which documents Colorado’s current progress and future projections for making progress towards greenhouse gas reduction targets.
• A legislative report, which summarizes key 2023 Statewide Greenhouse Gas Inventory findings and provides recommendations for near-term actions to further reduce greenhouse gas pollution. 

Publishing these reports and making them available to the public helps ensure Coloradans stay up-to-date on Colorado's work and progress toward meeting our ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals and tackle climate change.

Westminster City Council to host town hall: Please join Mayor Nancy McNally, Mayor Pro Tem Sarah Nurmela, and the Westminster City Council for a town hall on Thursday, January 18, from 6:30-8 pm at the College Hill Library. The recently seated City Council is excited to meet with the community and hear your suggestions or ideas, as well as answer questions you may have. If you have questions for the City Council, please consider submitting them in advance HERE. Online questions will be accepted until Tuesday, January 16, at noon. Participants will also be able to submit written questions at the event. The meeting will be livestreamed and recorded on the City’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. For more information, click HERE.

Volunteers needed for Arvada Point In Time count: In the 2023 Community Survey, Arvada residents identified finding solutions to homelessness as a top priority. You can be part of the solution by volunteering for a few hours on the night of Jan. 22 to help with the Point In Time (PIT) count, which determines the number of unhoused people in our communities. You can learn more about the PIT on the City of Arvada's website.

Monday, January 8: Beginning at 9 am the JBC will have a hearing for the Office of the Governor. Then, from 1:30 – 5 pm the JBC will conduct Part 1 of their hearing with the Colorado Department of Higher Education, the Colorado Commission on Higher

Education, the Colorado Geological Survey, and History Colorado.

Tuesday, January 9: Beginning at 9 am the JBC will conduct Part 2 of their hearing with the Colorado Department of Higher Education with a series of panels. Panel 1a: Colorado Community College System and Local District Colleges; Panel 1b: Area Technical Colleges; Panel 2: Metropolitan State University of Denver and Colorado Mesa University

Then, from 1:30 – 5 pm the JBC will conduct Part 3 of their hearing with two more panels: Panel 3: Adams State University, Western Colorado University, Fort Lewis College and

Panel 4: University of Colorado System, Colorado State University System, Colorado

School of Mines, University of Northern Colorado.

Wednesday, January 10: The Committee will not meet today due to Opening Day.

Thursday, January 11: Beginning at 1:30 pm the JBC will receive an overview of FY 2023-24 supplemental requests and the December 2023 forecasts, and consider supplemental requests for the Departments of Agriculture, Law, Local Affairs, Natural

Resources, Regulatory Agencies, and Transportation.

Friday, January 12: Upon adjournment the JBC will consider supplemental requests for the Departments of Public Safety, Revenue, State, Early Childhood, and Labor & Employment. From 1:30 – 5 pm the JBC will continue with supplemental requests as needed. To view the full JBC schedule, click HERE.

The Denver Post: Colorado legislature readies new attempt at land-use and zoning reform

Colorado Springs Gazette: Housing takes center stage anew as lawmakers prepare to convene for new session

Colorado Politics: Housing takes center stage anew as lawmakers prepare to convene for new session

Colorado Politics: New laws for a New Year: laws hit the books on Jan. 1

The Colorado Sun—The Unaffiliated: Medicaid provider rate clash. Lauren Boebert fallout

Colorado Politics: A look back at the Colorado legislative session's biggest stories this year

Ark Valley Voice: Law to Support Retired Military Members and their Families Goes into Effect

The Colorado Sun: Colorado’s governor wants colleges to hold tuition below inflation. His budget doesn’t provide money to do so 

December 29, 2023 RELEASE: 2023 Colorado Senate Democrats Accomplishments

Chalkbeat Colorado Legislative Preview

Chalkbeat Colorado will host their annual legislative preview panel on Monday, January 8 from noon - 1:30 pm. This year’s conversation will be held virtually on Zoom. Topics could range from what’s next for school funding as pandemic relief dries up, how Colorado high schools can better prepare students for college and the workforce, what changes would help universal preschool work better for families and providers, and how to balance progressive politics at the Capitol with the realities of local control. Panelists will include: Sen. Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, Rep. Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada.

Please register for the event HERE.

Legislative Town Hall Meeting: Legislative Preview



Please join us on Saturday, January 20 at 10:30 am for our first town hall of the new session! We will provide the community with a legislative preview , including information on the state legislature, bills we plan to sponsor, and how you can engage with legislators at the Capitol. For more information, please go to my website or click HERE.

Zenzinger campaign meets fundraising goal!

I'm very pleased to announce the we not only met our 4th quarter fundraising goal, we exceeded it! Thanks to the generosity of over 120 donors, we have reached $57,000 so far. I am grateful for the early support, especially as I prepare to head back to the state legislature for my last session. Your early investment helps me assemble the tools I need to win next November. If you haven't had an opportunity to make a contribution toward my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner, you still can (even while I am in session). Just click HERE to donate. Thank you!!

Wheat Ridge Mayor Bud Starker Endorses Zenzinger

“It has been my privilege to be able to work with Rachel Zenzinger around important issues such as affordable housing, homelessness, public safety, senior services and supporting families. She is an active listener, collaborative in seeking policy solutions and responsive to the needs of her constituents. Her record of public service speaks volumes about her leadership capabilities, and I am excited to endorse her run for Jefferson County Commissioner and look forward to continuing our work together.”

—Bud Starker, Wheat Ridge Mayor

Endorsements of Rachel Zenzinger's campaign for Jeffco Commissioner are pouring in! To view the latest, click HERE. If you'd like to join the list of supporters, please send an email to: rachelforcolorado@gmail.com.