WHERE I STAND
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I believe in an open, transparent, and responsive government and want you to know where I stand on issues that impact us in Jeffco and across Colorado.
While I work every day to address Colorado’s immediate, urgent concerns, I am also committed to innovating long-term solutions so that we can correct today’s problems and set our future generations up for success. A big part of this is recognizing the intersections between seemingly unrelated topics. For example, wildfire mitigation – one of my key issues – is connected to the economy, mental health and the environment. Small business success depends on quality education and equity for women and vulnerable groups. No single issue stands alone.
Click on any of the links below to read more about my policy positions and review my record on the issues.
ECONOMY
The economy must work for everyone – families, workers and employers. Businesses need to succeed, and so do hard-working Coloradans. Anyone working full time should be able to afford a place to live and to feed, clothe and educate their children. This requires creating local responses to global economic events, safeguards against profiteering and price-gouging, and a tax structure that balances priorities. I have supported policies to help small businesses as well as provide relief for families.
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As a small business owner, I’ve learned that balancing my company’s priorities with the needs of my employees doesn’t have to be a zero-sum proposition. Customers want to work with businesses that do the right thing, and governments should make doing that right thing simpler, especially as we rebuild from the pandemic. My work on projects as diverse as workforce development and shortening supply chains through recycling end markets will help small businesses do well by doing good for our communities.
Bills Prime Sponsored: HB22-1001, HB22-1364, HB22-1413
Bills Co-Sponsored here and here.
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Here's more work we did together to improve the economy in Colorado
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Providing Expedited Relief through the Colorado Cashback: Here in Jeffco and across the state, pandemic-induced inflation has caused Colorado families to spend more of their hard earned paychecks while getting far less for their money in return. To help ease the financial pinch, I supported SB22-233 which speeds up the timeline for refund checks to help families afford basic necessities like gas and groceries. All full-time residents of Colorado who filed their 2021 income tax returns by June 30th, 2022 received a check. Thanks to our healthy state budget, urgently-needed relief checks have increased, which means every Colorado taxpayer received at least $750 – $1,500 for joint filers – giving folks more financial freedom to fill up their gas tank, put food on the table, buy school supplies, and pay their bills.
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Saving People Money on Housing: Democrats are saving Coloradans money on housing by investing $428 million in pandemic relief funds to preserve and construct new affordable housing. This funding is going toward loans to leverage private and local dollars to construct affordable homes; direct grants to nonprofits and local governments to build affordable homes; investments in middle-income housing; and innovative housing solutions such as modular homes. (HB22-1304, SB22-159, SB22-160, SB22-146, HB22-1282). Additionally, we extended the Colorado Affordable Housing Tax Credit for an additional seven years, providing $420 million in additional tax credits over the next decade (HB22-1051), fostered economic mobility among mobile home park residents (HB22-1287), and protected veterans and active military members from housing discrimination (HB22-1102).
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HEALTH CARE
Quality health care shouldn’t be a luxury – access for all is a basic right. And no one should risk mortgaging their future when they’re in the middle of a crisis. We need price transparency, rational fees and controls on unwarranted markups. New delivery technologies like telehealth along with old-fashioned support for rural hospitals and health care workers will improve outcomes and actually reduce costs over time. We’ve made significant progress on these issues over the past four years, including passing a public option that will cap premiums and make health care more accessible and affordable for Coloradans. We also reduced the cost of prescription drugs by creating the Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board. No one in Colorado will have to go without critical medications because they can’t afford them. I’m proud to have co-sponsored both of these bills.
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Bills Prime sponsored: HB21-1232
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Bills Co- Sponsored here and here.
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Here's more work we did together to improve access and the quality of health care
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Increasing Behavioral Health Care Access: Democrats passed legislation to expand access to behavioral health care and save people money on the treatment they need to support their health and well-being. This $450 million package utilized pandemic relief funds to expand access to critical services for adults, youth, and families; increase access to substance use disorder treatment; bolster the behavioral health workforce; and add desperately needed residential treatment beds. (HB22-1281, HB22-1303, HB22-1283, SB22-196, HB22-1302, SB22-147, SB22-148, SB22-181, SB22-177). I also voted for a landmark bill (HB22-1278) to streamline and improve access to Colorado’s behavioral health system.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
I’ve always known that any of us who could get pregnant could also be robbed of the right to make decisions about our own bodies. But I was still shocked, outraged and deeply concerned for those most at risk when Roe v. Wade was overturned. Children impregnated by rape or incest. People living in poverty and without the means to secure a safe abortion. Women of color, who already struggle to receive the same level of health care as white women.
Government has no place in the most private, and often most heartbreaking, decision someone makes. Whether or not to remain pregnant is a deeply personal decision, and should be left to a patient, their family, their faith and their doctor.
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I was deeply involved in executing the first two Womxn’s Marches in Denver and co-founded the Democratic Women’s Caucus at the legislature. Our mission is clear about creating a just and equitable world, specifically in guaranteeing reproductive healthcare freedoms to all. In 2022, I was proud to cosponsor the Reproductive Health Equity Act. My position never has, and never will, waver. I will continue to do everything in my power as a legislator and private citizen to ensure that medical decisions related to pregnancy are based on health needs, not a political agenda.
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Here's more on the Reproductive Health Equity Act:
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Reproductive Health Equity Act: Access to reproductive health care – including abortion care – is a fundamental right, and gives our communities the power to control their bodies and their futures. HB22-1279, which I enthusiastically cast my vote for, establishes that every individual has the fundamental right to use or refuse contraception, continue their pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion, and declares a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights.
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WILDFIRE MITIGATION
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I have forged deep and productive relationships with the firefighting and forest health community through my service on both the Wildfire Matters Interim Committee and the Forest Health Advisory Council. With their input, I have worked on creating dedicated, long-term funding to address the overwhelming amount of mitigation that must be done. Addressing global climate change will help in the long run, but right now we need to mitigate hazards close to home. Legislation I have passed will provide approximately $18 million to support mitigation efforts throughout the state. I’m particularly proud that this legislation was crafted so that local governments have the resources for their unique and specific needs.
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We must also support the hard work of the firefighters who protect our community, especially volunteers, and I’m proud to have helped provide them with access to mental health care, funds for proper personal protective equipment and reimbursement for missed work and out of pocket expenses. There is more work to do, and I look forward to continuing to lead in this important space.
Bills Prime Sponsored: HB22-1011 and SB22-002
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ENVIRONMENT​
I was born in Colorado and am deeply connected to its natural beauty. I know that most residents feel the same – it is part of our identity as Coloradans. Environmental stewardship and conservation should have no partisan boundaries. The water, air and land we all enjoy is bountiful, but ultimately finite and we must do everything in our power to protect these precious resources. Climate change is a real and significant threat to the future of our children, but Coloradans are smart and resourceful. I know we have the ability to help change this dangerous trajectory. I have passed landmark policy to keep dangerous chemicals out of our water, and led state efforts to increase recycling and move toward a zero-waste circular economy, which is an investment in our future. It conserves land, reduces climate-changing methane emissions and keeps literally millions of dollars of potential resources out of landfills.
Bills Prime Sponsored: HB22-1355, HB21-1162, and HB22-1159
Bills Co- Sponsored here and here.
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Here's more work we did together to protect our environment:
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Historic Air Quality Investments: During the summer of 2021, Colorado had 65 days with ozone alerts, and in April 2022, the Northern Front Range was downgraded to a “severe” violator of federal ozone standards by the EPA. In response, I proudly voted for a comprehensive package of bills to clean up Colorado’s air and ensure future generations have healthier air to breathe. We made a record $111 million investment to improve Colorado’s air quality through immediate emission reduction strategies and air quality monitoring (HB22-1362), deploy clean transportation initiatives such as electric-powered school buses and e-bike sharing programs, and incentivize the reduction of emissions (SB22-193).
Protections From Air Toxics: Toxic air pollution leads to poor health and higher risks for disease and cancer. I voted for legislation this year to reduce toxic pollution from harmful chemicals by establishing health-based air quality standards for hazardous air pollutants (HB22-1244).
Seasonal Free Public Transit: We also invested $10 million in the Revitalizing Main Streets grant program for communities to provide free transit rides during ozone season, which will improve air quality and reduce pollution through increased use of public transit (SB22-180).
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MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health is health. Period. Like any health challenge, mental illness impacts people at school and work, in families and communities. And we all bear the cost of poor outcomes. I’ve worked to bring insurance parity between mental and medical health treatment, to support the behavioral health workforce, to provide reliable resources for mental health in disasters, support mental health in schools and more.
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Here's more on the work my colleagues and I did to improve behavioral health care in Colorado
Increasing Behavioral Health Care Access: Democrats passed legislation to expand access to behavioral health care and save people money on the treatment they need to support their health and well-being. This $450 million package utilized pandemic relief funds to expand access to critical services for adults, youth, and families; increase access to substance use disorder treatment; bolster the behavioral health workforce; and add desperately needed residential treatment beds. (HB22-1281, HB22-1303, HB22-1283, SB22-196, HB22-1302, SB22-147, SB22-148, SB22-181, SB22-177). I also voted for a landmark bill (HB22-1278) to streamline and improve access to Colorado’s behavioral health system.
Behavioral Health Care Workforce: If we want to achieve our goal of transforming Colorado’s behavioral health system and better meet the needs of patients, then we need a robust workforce to help us do it. A new law I sponsored (SB22-181) directs the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) to invest $72 million to bolster and stabilize the state’s behavioral health care workforce, which will help more Coloradans access the critical care they need to thrive. The BHA’s workforce plan must include efforts to diversify the behavioral health workforce, expand the peer support professional workforce, reduce the administrative burden on providers, and support the existing workforce. The bill also provides funding to the community college system to build a robust career pathway for the behavioral health field.
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Bills Prime Sponsored: SB21-154
Bills Co-Sponsored here and here.
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EDUCATION
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Quality public education is a pillar of our democracy and a foundational responsibility of our government. From Pre-K to post secondary education, we need to provide our children with the tools they need at every stage to forge a productive and happy life. In Colorado, we are fortunate to offer free, full-day Kindergarten for all children because of our legislation in 2019, and up to 10 hours a month of Universal Preschool. I’m also working on making public schools an even better investment in our future by addressing bullying, promoting media literacy and finding resources to improve students’ mental health. And I’m committed to working to make higher education more affordable.
Bills Prime Sponsored: HB21-1221
Bills Co-Sponsored here.
Here's more on the work my colleagues and I did to improve our education systems
Child Care and Free Universal Preschool: I can’t think of anything more important than investing in Colorado’s most valuable asset: our kids! That’s why I supported legislation to help child care providers save money and stay open (HB22-1006, SB22-213) and create free universal preschool for every Colorado family that will help parents get back to work and save families thousands of dollars (HB22-1295).
Major Increase in K-12 Education Funding: The 2023 School Finance Act raises the statewide average of per pupil funding to $10,614 and reduces the Budget Stabilization Factor by $180 million, while committing lawmakers to fully eliminating the Budget Stabilization Factor for the 2024-2025 school year.
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VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Everybody deserves to be cared for, but the fact is some groups are at higher risk than others just by virtue of race, age, disability or gender orientation. To be the society we aspire to be, I work and vote to support veterans, seniors, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled persons, all of whom are more vulnerable to poverty, hunger, bullying, discrimination, housing and food insecurity. I believe Colorado should not tolerate racism, bigotry or hatred in any form.
Bills Prime Sponsored: HB20-1323 and SB22-187
Bills Co-Sponsored here and here.
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WOMEN AND FAMILIES
When women prosper, economies grow. But women as a group are economically disadvantaged, for a myriad of reasons, including the burden of caregiving. Pay inequity with men coupled with lower workforce participation results in higher rates of poverty. Equal pay, educational opportunities, support for caregivers, and access to childcare and healthcare are proven to benefit women, and that lifts families, businesses and communities.
Women also prosper when they have control over their own bodies and reproductive decisions. The government has no right to make intimate, personal decisions about what a woman does with her body. This is the antithesis of freedom. We were able to pass important legislation, supported by the majority of Coloradans, that protects the rights of women to make their own choices.
Bill Prime Sponsored: HB22-1364
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Bills Co-Sponsored here and here.
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PUBLIC SAFETY
I stand with the roughly three-quarters of gun owners who support commonsense regulations to promote gun safety and responsible gun ownership. It is not sound policy to allow criminals easy access to guns, and we need to continue working to keep guns out of their hands by passing sensible gun violence prevention measures.
Public safety also means standing with police, military and first responders. Anyone tasked with protecting us deserves our full support. To me this means giving them the assistance, training and tools they need to do the job we’re asking them to do. It also means not asking them to be our only resource to address mental health, homelessness and addiction. We need constructive alternatives to criminalizing these problems.
Bills Prime Sponsored: SB22-007
Bills Co-Sponsored here.
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Here's more on the work my colleagues and I did to make Colorado safer
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Community Safety Investment Act and Safer Streets Act: Every Coloradan deserves to feel safe in their community, which is why I voted for several bills that will prevent crime and improve public safety. The Community Safety Investment Act (SB22-145) invests $30 million to implement proven public safety strategies like co-responder models, violence interrupter programs, and support for recruiting and training law enforcement who reflect the communities they serve. The Safer Streets Act (SB22-001) helps communities make critical improvements to cut down on crime and improve public safety through neighborhood upgrades, such as better lighting to increase visibility and improved design of shared community spaces. HB22-1003 invests $2 million in projects that demonstrate an evidence and community-based response to reducing youth involvement in the juvenile justice system.
Preventing Catalytic Converter Theft: In response to the rising prevalence of catalytic converter thefts across our state, I voted for legislation that will crack down on stolen catalytic converters. SB22-009 gives state regulators more oversight of aftermarket sales of catalytic converters and makes it easier to prosecute those selling stolen ones. SB22-179 adds civil penalties for offenses related to catalytic converter theft, while HB22-1217 creates a grant program to increase public awareness around catalytic converter theft and provide financial assistance to victims.
Supporting Victims and Preventing Identity-Based Violence: In an effort to support crime victims and prevent violence, I voted for the following: HB22-1234 creates a grant program to prevent and respond to identity-based violence; SB22-049 updates the Victim Rights Act to make it easier for victims to navigate the criminal justice system and bring perpetrators to justice; and HB22-1243 invests $14 million to improve school security and increase student access to behavioral health care in public schools.
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