2020 Legislative Impacts

Jul 22, 2020

Though the 2020 session of the Colorado General Assembly (a.k.a. the state legislature or #coleg) was shortened and interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, advocates for pregnant people, infants, and toddlers managed to pass several bills that will support their health and wellbeing of babies and their families. At the same time, movement forward on prenatal, infant, toddler issues was limited by a state budget cut of more than $3 billion. Raise Colorado engaged on a number of bills, including these wins and missed opportunities.

Movement Forward

  • HB20-1009: Suppressing Court Records Of Eviction Proceedings (Rep. Jackson, Sen. Winter) Eviction filing records remain under suppression unless an eviction is ordered by the court. Only after an eviction is executed will it become a public record. RAISE COLORADO POSITION:Active Support. Coalition leaders Kayla Frawley and Lisa Sadar testified at the House Judiciary Committee on January 23, 2020 (audio of testimony at 1:47 -1:56:00). Kayla Frawley and Lisa Sadar testified again in the Senate in support of HB20-1009 on February 26 ,2020 (audio of testimony at 2:25:28). STATUS: Signed by the Governor 03.20.2020; Passed.
  • HB20-1048: Race Trait Hairstyle Anti-discrimination Protect (Reps. Herod and Buckner, Sen. Fields) – Concerning a prohibition against discrimination based on a person’s traits that are historically associated with race. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support.STATUS: Governor signed 03.06.20; Passed.
  • HB20-1053: Early Childhood Workforce Bill (Sen. Story, Reps. Sirota & Wilson) Addressing workforce crisis by streamlining teacher licensing, including a scholarship, grant apprenticeship programs. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. Phyllis Lucas from Clayton Early Learning provided written testimony and Christina Walker read her testimony on 02.04.20, (audio of testimony 2:19:32) Christina Walker provided written testimony on 06.10.20. STATUS: Amended post-COVID to remove cost-driving policies and included provisions from HB20-1006 and 1016. Signed by Governor 07.08.20; Passed.
  • HB20-1136: Easy Enrollment – (Rep. Lontine, Sen, Tate) This bill will create a special enrollment period to allow folks to sign up for health insurance at tax time. Coloradans will be able to ask on their state income tax return for the state health insurance exchange to determine eligibility. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. STATUS: Signed by Governor 07.06/20; Passed.
  • HB20-1420 Adjust Tax Expenditures for State Education (Sen. Moreno and Hansen, Reps. Sirota and Grey) – Concerning the adjustment of certain state tax expenditures in order to allocate additional revenues to the state education fund, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. STATUS: Signed by Governor 07.11.20. Passed.
  • SB20-028 Substance Use Disorder Recovery (Children’s Code Change) (Sens. Petterson and Priola, Reps. Buentello and Herod) Concerning measures to assist an individual’s recovery from a substance use disorder, and, in connection therewith, making and reducing an appropriation. Modifies how the determination of child abuse, neglect, or dependency is determined in situations involving alcohol or substance exposure prenatally. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. Considering the disparity families of color face with the Child Welfare System involvement Raise’s support highlights the harm reduction stance and strengthening the family system. STATUS: Signed by Governor 06.30.20; Passed.
  • SB20-029: Helping Families Access Federal Income Supports (Sens. Fields & Moreno, Reps. Duran and Coleman) Increase Basic Cash Assistance to make up for lack of adjustment for inflation and implement an annual cost of living adjustment. First hearing not yet scheduled. Amended post-COVID as a one-time $500 payment to TANF families from federal TANF reserves. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support.STATUS: Signed by Governor 07.02.2020; Passed.
  • SB20-126: Allow Home Child Care In Homeowners’ Association Community (Sens. Story & Smallwood, Reps. Roberts & VanWinkle) Concerning the operation of a licensed family child care home in a common interest community. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. Christina Walker submitted written testimony due to COVID. STATUS: Signed by Governor 07.08.2020; Passed.
  • SB20-200 Implementation of CO Savings Program (Sens. Petterson and Donovan, Reps. Kraft-Tharp and Becker) The bill creates the Colorado secure savings program fund in the state treasury to consist of money appropriated by the general assembly, money transferred to the fund by the federal government, money from fees and penalties in connection with the program, and any gifts, grants, or donations made to the fund. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. STATUS: Signed by Governor 07.14.20; Passed.
  • SB20-205 Sick Leave For Employees (Sens. Fenberg and Bridges, Reps. Becker and Caraveo) – Concerning the requirement that employers offer sick leave to their employees, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. STATUS: Signed by Governor 07.14.20; Passed.
  • SB20-217 Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity (Sens. Fields and Garcia, Reps. Herod and Gonzales-Gutierrez) – Concerning measures to enhance law enforcement integrity, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. Measures include annual reporting for department accountability, limitations on deadly force, ending qualified immunity and enforces release of body camera footage within 21 days after incidents. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. STATUS: Signed by Governor 06.19.20; Passed.

Missed Opportunities

  • SB20-144: Home Visiting Expansion – (Sen. Fields, Reps. Larson and Michaelson-Jenet) Expanding home visiting services that are evidence-based to serve children and families and promote school readiness. Co-leading with the Colorado Home Visiting Coalition. Christina Walker testified before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on February 20, 2020 (audio of testimony at 25:40)RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Leadership role. STATUS: Postponed indefinitely on February 20, 2020.
  • Paid Family and Medical Leave (a.k.a. FAMLI) – (Sens. Winter & Williams, Reps. Duran & Gray) Creating a paid family & medical leave program to support all Colorado workers. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Leadership role as a member of the FAMLI Coalition Steering Committee. Jacy Montoya Price co-chaired the Coalition Building Workgroup for FAMLI. STATUS: The bill was not introduced. Instead, Colorado Families First is working to get a paid family and medical leave program approved on the November 2020 ballot, an effort that Raise Colorado has endorsed!
  • *HB20-1006: Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (Sens. Story and Pettersen, Reps. McCluskie and Sirota) Creation of a statewide program of early childhood mental health consultation. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. Rachel Shiff, from Clayton Early Learning testified 01.24.20 (audio of testimony at 2:00:21). STATUS: Passed out of House Public Health Care & Human Services to Appropriations on 01.24.20, 06.16.20 amendments failed and laid over in the House Committee on Appropriations; Failed. *Please note: The Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation program was codified in statute through amendments to HB20-1053 (see above).
  • *HB20-1016 Increase Quality in Early Childhood Education Programs (Sen. Petterson, Reps. McCluskie and Wilson) Requires each council seeking to apply for school-readiness quality improvement funding to describe how the council will target and recruit programs that are rated in the system at a level one or higher in the council’s 3-year school readiness plan. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. Christina Walker testified 02.04.20 (audio of testimony at 1:37:02). STATUS: Laid over unamended in House Committee on Appropriations 06.16.20; Failed. *Please note: The quality improvement funding for Level 1 providers was included through amendments to HB20-1053 (see above).
  • HB20-1131: Menstrual Hygiene Products In Schools Program (Reps. Titone & Caraveo, Sen. Winter) Concerning the creation of the menstrual hygiene products accessibility program. This bill would provide menstrual hygiene products to schools through a small grant provided that schools would apply for. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. STATUS: 06.16.20 House Committee on Appropriations Lay Over Unamended; Failed.
  • HB20-1138: Real Property Index Bill (Reps. Coleman & Larson, Sens. Bridges & Gardner) Concerning supplementing the centralized inventory of state-owned real property maintained by the office of the state architect to include all publicly owned real property. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support.STATUS: Passed out of House Transportation and Local Government to Appropriations on 02.19.20; Failed.
  • HB20-1139: Peer Support Professionals (Reps. Caraveo & Pelton) – Concerning supporting the peer support professional workforce. RAISE COLORADO POSITION: Passive Support. STATUS: Amendments failed in the House Committee on Appropriations 6.16.20; Failed.