Governor signs law safeguarding jobs for Colorado workers

PUEBLO – With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Hickenlooper today finalized an effort to ensure more Colorado businesses and workers benefit from state contracts. The Keep Jobs in Colorado Act, HB 13-1292, sponsored by Senators Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood) and Jeanne Nicholson (D-Gilpin County), changes the criteria government agencies use when awarding competitive bids on contracts funded by state dollars.

Gov. OKs two policies significantly affecting southern Coloradans

BENT COUNTY -- Today, Gov. John Hickenlooper, alongside southern Colorado advocate Sen. Angela Giron (D-Pueblo), gave the OK to two policies, crafted by Sen. Giron, that will help southern Coloradans.

The two different policies do the following:

1. Address the rights of corrections officers
2. Convert the unused Ft. Lyon Correctional Facility into a transitional homeless shelter for veterans

Four new laws to protect Colorado’s natural resources

AVON -- Gov. Hickenlooper, alongside Sen. Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass), signed several conservation bills into law this past weekend, protecting wildlife, land, and water.

“Coloradans need to protect Colorado’s natural resources.  I am proud of the work on conservation and protection of our natural resources this past session.  The bills signed into law by the Governor this week address the importance of wildlife, land, and water conservation. These bills are critical to local economies as we know rural communities depend upon clean flowing rivers and protected landscapes,” said Sen. Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass), a prime sponsor for SB 13-175, SB 13-019, and SB13-188, and a co-sponsor for SB 13-224.  

Gov. Hickenlooper signs ambitious school finance reform into law

DENVER -- Today, before a cheering crowd of educators and lawmakers, Governor John Hickenlooper signed a rewrite of Colorado’s Preschool through Grade 12 school finance policy.  The revamped formula, which was a two-year endeavor by Senators Mike Johnston (D-Denver) and Rollie Heath (D-Boulder), has three goals: (1) improve the adequacy of our education system; (2) equitably distribute state funding; (3) achieve financial stability for Preschool-12 education in Colorado.

The plan will foster economic development through proven education programs and reforms.  Notably, it allows for full-day kindergarten for all kids in Colorado, and early childhood education for at-risk three and four year olds.

Sen. Hudak honored for law requiring mandatory reporting of elder abuse

DENVER -- Today, Gov. Hickenlooper signed into law the bill sponsored by Sen. Evie Hudak (D-Westminster) requiring mandatory reporting of elder abuse.  Sen. Hudak has worked on this legislation for two years, creating the Elder Abuse Task Force last year to determine what provisions are necessary to make the law work in Colorado.

“We need a culture that protects our parents and grandparents as they age -- a culture that respects people in their later years, when they are most vulnerable.  The elderly are easy targets for predators.  We need to ensure that these predators are found and stopped, and mandatory reporting helps us do that,” said Sen. Evie Hudak.

Sen. Heath helps businesses grow

BOULDER  -- Gov. John Hickenlooper signed an enterprise reform bill (HB 13-1142) into law, creating significant change to Colorado’s enterprise zone tax credit system. Boulder-area legislators Sen. Rollie Heath (D-Boulder) and House Majority Leader Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst (D-Niwot) sponsored the bill, which was signed at the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, yesterday.

Colorado’s Rural and Urban Enterprise Zone system is intended to provide incentives for job creation in rural or economically underperforming areas. However, the prior system allowed certain larger companies to receive large credits, raising questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the credits as an economic development tool.

Breakfast does a brain good

DENVER -- Today, Gov. Hickenlooper gave the final ok to legislation by Sen. Angela Giron (D-Pueblo) that will ensure kids do not go hungry throughout the school day.

The Breakfast after the Bell Nutrition program phases in a requirement that schools -- where at least 80 percent of the students qualify for federal free or reduced lunch -- serve breakfast to all students after the official start of school, beginning in 2014/2015.  By 2015/2016, every school with at least 70 percent of students who qualify for federal free or reduced lunch, will participate in the program.

Five essential child protection bills signed into law

DENVER -- Today, Gov. Hickenlooper signed five essential child protection bills into law.  Sen. Linda Newell (D-Littleton), Sen. Jeanne Nicholson (D-Gilpin County), and Sen. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins) stewarded the legislation through the process.

Child welfare reform is needed in Colorado.  Within the past six years, there have been 202 child deaths due to abuse and neglect, and 75 of those fatalities had previous involvement with the system.

It’s a law: Keeping Coloradans and the economy healthy

DENVER -- Today, alongside Sen. Irene Aguilar (D-Denver), Gov. Hickenlooper signed legislation that will give an additional 160,000 uninsured Coloradans health coverage.

The legislation expands Medicaid eligibility from 100 percent of the federal poverty level to 133 percent of the federal poverty level.  133 percent equates to $31,322 for a family of four, and it will affect about 20 percent of the total number of uninsured people statewide.

A dog day at the legislature

DENVER --  Amid barking and cheers, today, Gov. Hickenlooper gave the ok to two laws affecting Colorado pets.

Sen. Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood) and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood) worked together to name shelter and rescue dogs and cats as the official state pet.  The idea for the legislation was thought up by a student from Rooney Ranch Elementary in Lakewood and students from Peakview School in Walsenburg.  The students worked with the legislators see it through.