In this update:
- Recap and Preview
- Administration Updates
- Legislative Updates
- Election Updates
- Budget Updates
- Client Opportunities
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There is just more than a month left in the legislative session. The budget passed the Senate and moves on to the House this week. After passing legislation around gun violence prevention, and reproductive health, the legislature turns to issues of affordable housing and hospital regulations, which are also expected to be drawn out fights. |
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Housing
This week, the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee will hear a series of bills meant to increase affordable and safe housing in the state. HB23-1253 would fund a study of the prevalence and impact of corporate-owned housing. HB23-1254, if passed, would work to improve health and safety standards for residential property. HB23-1255 would prohibit local governments from restricting building permits for residential property.
The Senate will also focus on housing this week, with the Local Government and Housing Committee hearing HB23-1095, 1190, SB23-206, and SB23-213. The bills would eliminate certain predatory clauses in rental agreements, give local governments the right of first refusal to match an offer to buy residential property to use as affordable housing, increase disclosure regulations for radon, and update several provisions of land use law to address housing needs across the state.
Budget
The House will likely spend the entire week debating the budget long bill and 32 “orbital” bills that help implement various aspects of the budget. The bills were heard in the House Appropriations Committee on Monday, along with House passage of a number of orbital bills. Additional debates in the full House will happen on Tuesday and Wednesday, with final adoption expected on Thursday and Friday.
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Reproductive Health Care
The House passed three reproductive health care measures aimed at increasing access to abortion, gender affirming care, and treatment for STIs. The bills now head to the governor.
Hospital Regulation
A slate of bills which deal with the operation of hospitals in the state passed committee with significant amendments.
HB23-1243 would impose requirements on hospital community benefit programs. The bill passed with eight amendments limiting penalties that can be levied on hospitals and adding more input from hospital officials in the rulemaking process.
HB23-1226, a bill to increase financial transparency requirements for hospitals, had a similar trajectory. While it passed the House Public Health Committee, it did so with eight amendments, five of which limited the impact on hospitals by reducing fines and better align the reporting requirements with industry standards.
Public Health
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed SB23-195 and HB23-1183, which would give patients greater access to critical medications by mandating that insurance companies accept payments from third party sources on behalf of the patient and remove prior authorization requirements for certain drugs.
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EV Infrastructure Getting Mixed Reviews |
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With electric vehicle (EV) sales sharply increasing in Colorado and around the country, the state is working to keep up. The rapid expansion of EV infrastructure, including more than 7,500 new charging stations in the next two years, will come at a steep cost - one that many don’t believe Colorado can support. Furthermore, rising concerns about the environmental impacts of manufacturing charging stations and car batteries are leading critics to wonder if the focus on EV infrastructure is heading in the right direction for our state.
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State and Federal Environmental Agencies Release Environmental Justice Plan |
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The disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalized communities, such as low-income and minority populations, is the focus of a plan released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). You can read the plan here. Information regarding a public meeting on the new plan is below in the ‘client opportunities’ section.
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Reproductive Health Bill Faces Constitutional Challenge |
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The bill may violate Colorado’s ‘single subject’ law – a state constitutional provision that governs how legislation is written by legislative staff. The bill’s inclusion of gender affirming care came under scrutiny by House Republicans who requested the opinion from nonpartisan staff. The bill sponsors called the issue a drafting error and believed an amendment had addressed the issue. The bill may be subject to litigation if it is determined the law was violated.
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Prescription Drugs and Candy Bars Coming to a Vending Machine Near You |
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A bill which would allow licensed pharmacies to dispense certain prescriptions through vending machines passed the legislature and is on the way to the governor, where we expect it to become law. The hope is that the measure will allow patients to get medication in a more convenient and timely manner, which would increase access, particularly in areas where pharmacies are limited.
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Governor Opposes Process for Wolf Introduction Under Proposed Bill |
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The legislature and Gov. Polis are once again at odds, this time regarding the implementation of the 2020 ballot initiative to reintroduce gray wolves to the state. While the governor has expressed his support for the reintroduction of wolves, he said he does not support the process outlined in SB23-256.
The bill would require the state to obtain a 10(j) rule from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which would grant Colorado collaborative authority over reintroduction efforts. The bill would also prohibit wolves being reintroduced until all litigation tied to the 10(j) rule is resolved, which supporters consider critical. While the governor’s concerns with the bill are unclear, he has indicated that his intention is to get a 10(j) rule for Colorado by December of this year, per the timeline in the ballot measure. This bill would introduce a new timeline, one which is uncertain and may result in delays in implementation.
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The Colorado Democratic Party Has a New Chair |
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Eagle County resident Shad Murib was elected the new state chair of the Democratic Party over the weekend. Murib was endorsed by several high-profile Colorado Democrats, including former Congressman Ed Perlmutter. Murib was a senior staffer in Jared Polis’ 2018 run for governor and John Hickenlooper’s 2020 run for US Senate. He is also the husband of former Colorado Senate President Pro-Tem, Kerry Donovan. |
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Though the Senate added 15 amendments, the House will debate the introduced version of the bill. The Joint Budget Committee will then be assigned to work out any differences between the Senate and House version of the bill once both chambers have passed the budget.
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Internet For All: Colorado Broadband Summit -- Save the date for the Colorado Broadband Office’s inaugural Internet for All: Colorado Broadband Summit. The day-and-a-half event will take place April 19-20 at the Westin Westminster in Westminster, Colorado.
Environmental Justice Enforcement Plan Hearing -- The EPA and CDPHE will host a virtual community engagement session on May 1 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss their environmental justice enforcement plan (discussed above) in more detail. Public comment will be heard. You can register here and find more information here.
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If you would like any additional information about any above topic, require more information on a subscription-only article, or if you would like to find time to discuss the above matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact your Michael Best Strategies contact.
Have a great day,
Colorado GR Team
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Government Relations Team
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675 15th Street, Suite 2000
Denver, Colorado 80202
720-240-9515
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