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An exhausting & unprecedented legislative session
In a daily evolving landscape at least one thing is certain, the 2020 Legislative Session is done. With a two and a half month recess from March to May, the Colorado legislature adjourned Sine Die on June 15, later than any date in its history. They won’t be back in session now until January 2021, but there is still a lot to unpack from this year. Nearly half of the 651 bills introduced failed to pass, and the bills Western Colorado Alliance was tracking were no exception. But in their place we saw a suite of COVID-19 relief bills as the legislature scrambled to simultaneously cut the state budget by 3.5 billion, while also creating opportunities to help keep residents and businesses afloat.
When the legislature came back together at the end of May, they did so with a common understanding that any bills introduced or passed were going to be fast, free, and friendly — and the path ahead seemed straight forward. But as 2020 has proven, you can’t count on anything, and on May 25th, a day before the legislature reconvened, the tragic death of George Floyd sent the nation into upheaval. In prior conversations there seemed to be an unspoken rule that any bills not directly addressing COVID would be in poor taste to prioritize moving forward. But George Floyd’s death changed that. Colorado was suddenly in a position to immediately respond to racial injustice, and several law makers, with years of lived experience, had well thought out bill language ready for action.
What normally takes weeks, legislators spent just days reviewing and voting on bills. As they worked to address the pandemic, they simultaneously tackled the very big issues of police brutality and racial inequity.
SB20-217 the Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act passed through the legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Polis. Thanks, in part, to members of Western Colorado Alliance, our legislators heard from over 300 residents in western Colorado asking them to support this bill. A resounding thank you to Senators Ray Scott, Bob Rankin, Don Coram, and Kerry Donovan, as well as Representatives Dylan Roberts, Julie McCluskie, Marc Catlin, Barbara McLachlan, and Janice Rich, who all voted in support of this sweeping police reform legislation. All West Slope legislators with the exception of two, Rep. Matt Soper and Rep. Perry Will, voted in support. The bill accomplished a lot, including mandating the use of body cameras by July 2021, prohibiting the use of chokeholds by police, and ends qualified immunity for law enforcement. So are we done righting the wrongs of systemic racism? Absolutely not. But, this is a great first step.
A suite of COVID relief bills also passed through the legislature. These include housing assistance, funds for behavioral health, utility bill payment assistance, a small business recovery loan program, sick leave for employees, and more.
The Legislative Committee at Western Colorado Alliance is currently drafting a legislative synopsis with a breakdown of the COVID relief bills, focusing on how western Colorado residents can take advantage of these programs.
Our kids and teachers bore the brunt of the budget shortfalls this year. Sixty bills introduced to support children and public schools died. This includes the elimination of the state tax credit for teachers who buy their own school supplies. And it makes this the 11th year in a row that education is defunded in Colorado. HB20-1420 Adjust Tax Expenditures for State Education Fund attempted to make up the $250 million in shortcomings, but ultimately was only able to make up $120 million. Still, this bill increases funding to the State Education Fund as well as expands the earned income tax credit to 15% of the Federal EITC in 2023, and closes tax loopholes, instead prioritizing lower income tax payers.
Speaking of taxes, the legislature passed SCR20-001 Repeal Property Tax Assessment Rates, sending a question to the ballot in November, asking voters to repeal the Gallagher amendment.
Originally approved by voters in 1982, the Gallagher amendment put the onus of property taxes on businesses and commercial building owners by limiting residential property taxation. The economic impact of the coronavirus means we’ll see a hefty cut in property taxes, leading to a larger decrease in school funding.
It was exhausting just to follow from this side of the Rockies, and I imagine our legislators were relieved to see this session come to a close. They won’t get much rest as many of them have elections coming up in a few months.
Our Alliance isn’t giving them a rest either, as we are currently holding in-district meetings with legislators. I hope you’ll join me in giving a collective round of applause to all of our West Slope legislators. This year they worked tirelessly to prioritize the needs of Coloradoan’s in this unprecedented time.
Jeriel joined the Western Colorado Alliance staff in February 2017 (back when we were still Western Colorado Congress), but you may remember her as our Canvass Director for the successful Minimum Wage ballot initiative in 2016! In her young career, Jeriel has worked with engaged citizens across Colorado on issues ranging from veterans' affairs, healthcare and women’s rights. Jeriel has called Grand Junction and the Western Slope home for 16 years, and enjoys running, hiking, biking and crafting with her daughter Emma.