Colorado House Democrats

House Dem. Leader Pace Announces New Committee Assignments

DENVER – Today, House Democratic Leader Sal Pace (D-Pueblo) appointed the newest member of the General Assembly, Representative Dave Young (D-Greeley), to two House committees of reference.  

Rep. Young will serve on the House Transportation Committee, and will also take former Representative Jim Riesberg’s place on the House Health and Environment Committee.  Rep. Young’s new role begins tomorrow, the first day the Transportation Legislative Review Committee meets this summer.  

“Transportation and health and environment-related issues are of the utmost importance to this state.  My sister is developmentally disabled, so I know firsthand how vital the health and human services the state provides are to so many Coloradans.  And I believe transportation is a key to our state’s economic success and our ability to create jobs.  I look forward to being a part of the debate and to serving the people of Colorado on these two committees,” said Rep. Young.

“Rep. Young will be a valuable addition to both committees.  His personal and professional experience and passion for these two policy areas will greatly benefit the people of his district and of Colorado,” said House Democratic Leader Pace.

Former Rep. Riesberg previously served as chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee, and as ranking member of the newly named Health and Environment Committee this past legislative session.  

Additionally, Rep. Pace assigned State Representative Deb Gardner (D-Longmont) to replace former Rep. Riesberg on the House Appropriations Committee, and named Representative John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins) as ranking member of the House Health and Environment Committee.  

The full list of Minority Leader Pace’s changes to House committees of reference appears below:

·        Representative Dave Young is assigned to the House Transportation and House Health and Environment Committees, replacing former State Representative Jim Riesberg.

·        Representative Deb Gardner is removed from the House Transportation Committee and assigned to the House Appropriations Committee, replacing former Representative Jim Riesberg.

·        Representative John Kefalas replaces former Rep. Jim Riesberg as ranking member on the House and Environment Committee.

Rep. Schafer Bill Helping Returning Veterans Takes Effect August 10

(Denver)- State Rep. Sue Schafer (D-Wheat Ridge) will see her bill allowing service members returning from war relief from paying any state registration or licensing fees while they are stationed overseas and when they immediately return, take effect on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.

“I think this law can do a lot of good for our deployed and returning soldiers who should be given a chance to adjust to civilian life before they’re forced to deal with the bureaucracy and red tape that has accumulated while they were serving our country overseas,” said Rep. Schafer. 

House Bill 11-1013 exempts all military service people from having to pay registration, certification or licensing feels while they are deployed and up to 6 months after a discharge.   The bill will also exempt service members from continuing education or professional competency requirements while deployed.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Bob Bacon (D-Fort Collins) in the Senate.

Rep. Pete Lee’s Restorative Justice Bill Takes Effect August 10

(Denver) - State Representative Pete Lee’s (D-Colorado Springs) restorative justice bill, House Bill 11-1032, will be taking effect on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.

"Right now one third of our kids don’t graduate from high school and more than 50% of inmates return to prison.  Restorative Justice is the change we need.  Where it is used, when victims and offenders meet face to face, offenders learn about the impact of their crime from the victims, they begin to feel empathy, often for the first time, and empathy is the beginning of transformation,” said Rep. Lee.

Restorative justice is the process of bringing victims, defendants and community members together to talk about an offense and repair the harm done.  Good candidates for restorative justice conferences are those who accept responsibility, show remorse, and are willing to repair the harm caused to the victim and the community. 

In addition to expanding restorative justice in the juvenile system, this bill introduces the program into the adult system for the first time.  Furthermore, the bill expands the Victim Rights Act, encourages schools to adopt restorative justice policies for student misconduct, and authorizes the Department of Corrections to set up a pilot program for victim offender dialogues.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Linda Newell (D-Littleton) in the Senate.

Tyler Bill Creating Craig Hospital License Plate Takes Effect August 10

(Denver)- Rep. Max Tyler’s (D-Lakewood) House Bill 11-1298, creating a special license plate to benefit Craig Hospital, takes effect on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.

“Craig Hospital is a leading facility for spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.  I’m looking forward to this new license plate and the potential it has to raise awareness for this important facility,” said Rep. Tyler.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Nancy Spence (R-Centennial) in the Senate and co-prime sponsored by Rep. Glen Vaad (R-Weld County) in the House.

Kefalas Bill Protecting Youth in Foster Care Takes Effect August 10

(DENVER) –Rep. John Kefalas’ (D-Fort Collins) bill that increases protections for kids in foster care facing abuse, identity theft, and hardship in transition to adulthood takes effect on Wednesday, August 10, 2011.

“Identity theft in the foster care system is a growing problem and I sincerely hope that his law improves the lives of children in the foster care system,” said Rep. Kefalas. 

Senate Bill 11-120 will set up a credit report for young adults in foster care to check for suspicious activity, and establish a mechanism to repair any harm if a youth is a victim of identity theft.  Finally, the bill aims to remove obstacles for foster kids to participate in extracurricular activities to improve their school experience, and provide them with a set of protections to live in a safe and healthy environment.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Linda Newell (D-Littleton) in the Senate.

Rep. Hamner Has Three Bills Taking Effect August 10

(Denver) – State Representative Millie Hamner (D-Dillon) will see three bills that she authored and sponsored take effect on Wednesday, August 10, 2011. 

“Each of these new laws are intended to benefit my district and the state greatly.  They may not seem to have much in common but they actually do: I-70 is what makes the mountain towns I represent accessible and it’s important that we look at every option when talking about ways to clear up its congestion and increase safety; Roundup River Ranch is a new, special camp located in my district for very ill children that will greatly benefit from the tax checkoff funds they raise; and the idea for the service animals bill was brought to me by Summit County Sheriff John Minor, who brought Tommy the K9 to the capitol to ‘testify’ for the bill.  Each bill shows the importance of citizen involvement,” said Rep. Hamner.

House Bill 11-1210 directs the Colorado Department of Transportation to make prioritized recommendations on ways to improve mobility through the I-70 mountain corridor. Recommendations will include an estimate of funding as well as information about potential funding sources. The law also allows for public hearings so that members of the public may propose their ideas to improve mobility in the corridor or comment on actions proposed.   

House Bill 11-1151 will require a person convicted of cruelty to a service animal, such as a police dog, to pay restitution for veterinary care or replacement costs if the animal is killed. 
House Bill 11-1071 creates an income tax return checkoff to collect donations for the Roundup River Ranch, a camp for kids with life-threatening illnesses.

Rep. Kefalas Appointed as Ranking Member of House Health and Environment Committee

DENVER – Today, House Minority Leader Sal Pace (D-Pueblo) named Representative John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins) as ranking member of the House Health and Environment Committee.  Rep. Kefalas, who has served that committee since he was first elected in 2006, replaces former Representative Jim Riesberg as ranking member of the Health and Environment Committee.  

“Given my passion and expertise for health, human services and environmental issues, I am pleased to be selected as the ranking member of the Health and Environment Committee, a leadership role that I am prepared to take on,” said Rep. Kefalas.  

Former-Rep. Riesberg, who was recently tapped by Governor John Hickenlooper to serve as the state’s insurance commissioner, previously served as the chair of what was then called the House Health and Human Services Committee.  Riesberg continued as ranking member of the newly named Health and Environment Committee this past legislative session.

Rep. Dave Young Sworn in to State House, Filling Vacancy in HD50

Rep. Dave Young (D-Greeley), recently appointed by a vacancy committee in House District 50, was sworn in today on the House floor by Chief Justice Michael Bender.  

“I look forward to serving the people of House District 50, and I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of Jim Riesberg, who earned the respect and admiration of those on both sides of the aisle.  I know that his are incredibly large shoes to fill.  I seek to make him and all the residents of my district proud to call me their Representative.

“Born and raised  in Colorado, I was inspired by my teachers to become an educator and work to make our community a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.  I’m proud to have spent my career teaching the next generation of Coloradans, and I believe that it is imperative that every action we take here in the Legislature is a way to leave things better for them,” said Rep. Young.

“House Democrats are delighted to welcome Rep. Young to our caucus.  His background, experience, and passion for public service will be an asset to the House of Representatives and to Weld County residents,” said House Democratic Leader Sal Pace (D-Pueblo).  

Rep. Young was joined by his wife Mary, and his mother, brother and sister, who came up from Pueblo.

About Rep. Young: Before he was selected to represent the constituents of HD 50, he was a senior instructor and adjunct faculty for the Information and Learning Technologies program at the University of Colorado Denver.  

A life-long Coloradoan, Rep. Young taught math and technology in the Greeley Weld 6 School District from 1975 to 1999, and later made a two-year stint as an information architect with iXL, an international Web design firm.  

Rep. Young earned his MA in Information and Learning Technologies from the UC Denver in 2000, and his BS in Mathematics from Colorado State University in 1975. As an instructor for UC Denver, Rep. Young designed and delivered online instruction in eLearning for K-12 teachers, corporate trainers and higher education faculty.

Rep. Young is committed to public service and community involvement. In addition to being an Advocate for Life for the Donor Alliance, he works as a trail maintenance volunteer for the Poudre River Trail.

Lawmakers hiking mountains to raise money for dome

 

Story and Video Courtesy of 9news

ALMA, Colo. (AP) - Several state lawmakers are hiking Mount Democrat and Mount Lincoln to highlight fundraising needs for ongoing repairs to the state Capitol dome.

Democrat Mark Ferrandino tweeted that he's climbing Mount Democrat on Tuesday.

Legislators toured the dome last week to see how water and a freeze-thaw cycle is quickly destroying a Colorado icon.

The cast-iron enclosure of the dome has deteriorated so badly that a 10-pound chunk of cast iron fell off in 2007. Public tours of the dome have been limited since then.

Repair costs are estimated to be $17 million. Officials are trying to raise $12 million to bridge the costs and are asking people to make donations through text messages.

House Democrats Laud Gov. Hickenlooper’s Bottom-Up Economic Development Plan

Today, Governor John Hickenlooper unveiled the “Colorado Blueprint”, a bottom-up plan for economic development that proposes building upon many successful ideas and programs that originated with House Democrats over the past few years to jump-start Colorado’s economy. 

The Colorado Blueprint includes a six-point plan for getting Colorado’s economy moving, including: better marketing and branding for our state, ensuring the vitality of main streets all over the state, increasing access to capital for entrepreneurs, ensuring a highly-educated and well-trained workforce, and cultivating innovation and technology.  The plan builds upon many Democratic legislative initiatives from the past few years, including fostering Colorado’s burgeoning renewable energy and clean tech sectors, to aligning Colorado’s education system to enhance workforce training and economic development.

“I look forward to working with the Governor and my colleagues in the legislature to help Colorado realize the opportunities presented in the Blueprint, in order to put this state on a path towards economic prosperity and increased job growth,” said Representative Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood).  “In particular, ensuring that businesses in Lakewood have access to the workforce of the future that possesses the education and training to be globally competitive is an important strategic goal, and I’m excited to work with them to continue implementing this vision.”

“I’m thrilled to see that the Governor is taking successful ideas enacted over the past few years that originated with House Democrats – like the Angel Investor Tax Credit, and building upon them in the Colorado Blueprint,” said Representative John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins).  “I commend the Governor for finding a funding source for this great program to expand access to capital and create jobs for Colorado’s small businesses and entrepreneurs.”

“From Clean Tech and Renewable Energy to enhancing government efficiency and accountability, this report clearly shows there’s a foundation for prosperity in place that we can build upon,” said Representative Daniel Kagan (D-Denver). “But there’s a lot of work to be done and I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and partner with the Governor’s office to get Colorado’s economy moving, especially by improving our technological and telecommunications infrastructure to foster innovation.”

“From Glenwood Springs to Carbondale, to Gunnison and Lake City, Main Streets all over my district will thrive if the Sustainable Main Streets pilot program is expanded outside of its four initial locations,” said Representative Roger Wilson (D-Glenwood Springs).  “The successes seen in Five Points, Fowler, Monte Vista, and our district’s neighbor city Rifle are testament that the collaborative approach taken in the program can help revitalize business districts all across Colorado.”

“Branding and marketing Colorado as a business-friendly, tech-savvy, and innovation-focused state is a commonsense approach that will be critical in attracting tourists and businesses to Colorado,” said Representative Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs).