2022 Legislative Session In Review
Now that the 2022 Colorado legislative session is in the rearview mirror, we’re excited to share updates that have happened in the policy space for the Rocky Mountain Partnership over the last six months! 

Below, you’ll find a quick overview of what took place during this legislative session, as well as other policy work underway.
RMP's Approach to Policy Work
  • For RMP, policy is not just state legislation, but also what is happening at the organizational, local, regional, and national levels.

  • For anything to improve, “systems” have to change, not just programs and behaviors. 

  • Other entities focus on state legislation exclusively. We are focused on what policy and systems level changes need to be made for the four priority areas at ALL levels.

  • Each of the collective work areas has specific goals and strategies that involve policy and systems-level improvements needed at the organizational, local, regional, state, and national levels to achieve the result. See those below.
RMP Policy Priorities Moving Forward
RMP has identified four collective work areas so far this year to make our vision and mission a reality. Our work moving forward is to drive policy related to each of these four areas.

As you know, those work areas are (click on each logo to learn more):
As of June 1, RMP has approved moving forward with three policy priorities related to these work areas:

  • Clear Pathways to Top Jobs: ​​Increase funding to support school districts and community colleges (starting by supporting 27J Schools to pass their mill levy override in 2022) 



These policy priorities comprise everything from local government policy changes to organizational policy intervention. We will keep you updated on the progress of each of these goals as work progresses.
2022 State Legislative Session Work
Wednesday, May 11th marked the official end of Colorado's 2022 Legislative Session. Over the course of the 120-day session, over 100 bills passed. This includes all three of the bills RMP supported, as well as a number of other bills RMP chose to monitor.

It’s important for us to ensure our legislative delegation understands who the Partnership is, what we do, our priorities, and how state policy impacts our work. Participating in the legislative session is one way for us to do this. At the same time we are building these relationships and moving state policy, we’re committed to keep local and organizational policy work moving forward as well!
How did the bills RMP supported do?
All three bills supported by RMP passed and are awaiting the Governor's signature. These bills include:

  • HB22-1005 Health-care Preceptors Tax Credit
  • HB22-1010 Early Childhood Educator Income Tax Credit
  • HB22-1281 Behavioral Health-care Continuum Gap Grant Program
How did the bills RMP monitored do?
20 of the 23 bills RMP monitored through the session passed. Most of these bills are currently awaiting a signature from the Governor, though six of these bills have already been signed into law:
  • ​​HB22-1003 Youth Delinquency Prevention And Intervention Grants
  • HB22-1006 Child Care Center Property Tax Exemption
  • HB22-1055 Sales Tax Exemption Essential Hygiene Products
  • HB22-1056 Emergency Temporary Care For Children
  • HB22-1282 The Innovative Housing Incentive Program
  • HB22-1283 Youth And Family Behavioral Health Care
  • HB22-1287 Protections For Mobile Home Park Residents
  • HB22-1304 State Grants Investments Local Affordable Housing
  • HB22-1326 Fentanyl Accountability And Prevention
  • HB22-1346 Electrician Plumber Licensing Apprentice Ratio
  • HB22-1349 Postsecondary Student Success Data System
  • HB22-1350 Regional Talent Development Initiative Grant Program
  • HB22-1359 Colorado Household Financial Recovery Program
  • SB22-099 Sealing Criminal Records
  • SB22-146 Middle Income Access Program Expansion
  • SB22-147 Behavioral Health-care Services For Children
  • SB22-159 Revolving Loan Fund Invest Affordable Housing
  • SB22-160 Loan Program Resident-owned Communities
  • SB22-003 Community College Nursing Bachelor Degree Eligibility
  • SB22-116 Increase Occupational Credential Portability
What else happened during the legislative session? 

The short version: a lot. There were some major pieces of legislation that passed, and they’ll impact Coloradans in both the short and long term. To get a full picture, check out legislative session wrap-ups from three major news sources below. 
Following Up on 2021 Legislative Session Work
Over the last year and a half, the RMP Team has been monitoring the bills supported by the Partnership last year to track how they’re implemented and whether they’re having the intended effect. Those 9 bills that were supported by the Partnership are: 

  • HB21-1117 Local Government Authority Promote Affordable Housing Units
  • HB21-1134 Report Tenant Rent Payment Information To Credit Agencies
  • HB21-1222 Regulation Of Family Child Care Homes
  • HB21-1258 Rapid Mental Health Response For Colorado Youth
  • HB21-1294 K-12 Education Accountability Systems Performance Audit
  • HB21-1330 Higher Education Student Success
  • SB21-027 Emergency Supplies For Colorado Babies And Families
  • SB21-148 Creation Of Financial Empowerment Office
  • SB21-232 Displaced Workers Grant

These bills will also be mapped on the scorecard, so we can see how the implementation of these bills are having a direct impact on the Partnership’s collective work areas
HB21-1330: Higher Education Student Success

The bill that has made the most progress since its passing is HB21-1330 Higher Education Student Successs. In January of this year, the Student Success and Workforce Revitalization Task Force released a report to the legislature outlining a range of bold and innovative efforts Colorado can undertake to make the state more affordable and create student success in today’s work environment. View the report by clicking the button below.
Rocky Mountain Partnership | rmpartnership.org