Renewable energy bill to benefit economy, employment, and environment

DENVER – Today, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed Senate Bill 13-252 into law - landmark legislation that will boost Colorado’s rural renewable energy standard and create clean energy jobs. Senate President John Morse (D-Colo. Springs) and Sen. Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass) carried the bill in the Senate, and Speaker Mark Ferrandino (D-Denver) and Rep. Crisanta Duran (D-Denver) carried it in the House of Representatives.  Both Pres. Morse and Sen. Schwartz heralded the bill’s signing as twin triumphs for Colorado’s economy and environment.

Colorado roads to be safer with fewer uninsured motorists

DENVER -- Today, Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) put the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act (SB 13-251) into law.  It will go into effect on August 1, 2014.

Sen. Jessie Ulibarri (D-Commerce City) moved the legislation through the legislature with the backing of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, the County Sheriffs of Colorado, community leaders and faith organizations. It allows temporarily documented and undocumented noncitizen residents to obtain a Colorado driver’s license.  The license can only be used to drive in Colorado. The license will state clearly on its face that it cannot be used for federal identification, voting or public benefit purposes.  

As of now, some immigrant Coloradans cannot obtain a license, even though immigrants live in every county in Colorado and some continue to drive without access to a license or insurance.

Cha-ching! Help is on the way for working families

DENVER -- Today, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed SB 13-001, the Working Families Economic Opportunity Act, into law.  Sen. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins) and Pres. John Morse (D-Colo. Springs), alongside numerous Colorado families and other advocates, teamed together to get it through the legislature.   

The law establishes a permanent state-level Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit for working families, which are proven to enhance the economic stability of families, improve education outcomes for their children, and support local businesses.

Sen. Guzman helps wrongly imprisoned Coloradans rebuild their lives

DENVER – Today, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill creating a state compensation program for persons who are found innocent of felony crimes after serving time in jail, prison, or juvenile placement.

“This law is about righting a wrong,” said Sen. Lucia Guzman (D-Denver), the bill sponsor. “The state cannot give back the days and years lost to wrongful incarceration, but now it can provide the resources and support necessary for victims to reenter our communities and build successful futures.”

Sen. Jones and Sen. Schwartz champion green building, job creation

DENVER – Today, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed two bills into law that will create clean energy and construction jobs, help Coloradans save on their energy bills, and reduce air pollution. Sen. Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass) and Sen. Matt Jones (D-Louisville) are the prime co-sponsors of SB 13-212, which creates the opportunity for new energy conservation and renewable energy financing options for commercial property owners.

Pot public safety regulations put into law

DENVER -- Today, three vital and bipartisan bills sponsored by Sen. Cheri Jahn (D-Wheat Ridge) were signed into law by Governor John Hickenlooper.  The legislation is in response to Amendment 64, which was approved by Coloradans in a statewide vote in 2012.  Amendment 64 legalizes the use and limited possession of recreational marijuana for people 21 and older.  Sen. Jahn worked for several months on the bipartisan Amendment 64 task force and Amendment 64 joint committee to craft the legislation.

Governor signs law providing additional relief to fire victims

SB 13-288 allows payments above the limits of the CO Governmental Immunity Act

COLORADO SPRINGS – In response to the deadly and devastating Lower North Fork fire in 2012, Gov. Hickenlooper today signed a bill authorizing larger settlements to victims who brought claims against the state. The law, SB 13-288, sponsored by Senate President John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) and Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman (R-Colorado Springs), allows victims of the Lower North Fork fire to receive additional payments in cases where settlements exceed the maximum allowable amount under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (CGIA).

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.