Colorado House Democrats

Governor Signs Bill Getting More Abused Kids the Mental Health Support They Need

DENVER – Today, Governor Bill Ritter was joined by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and State Senator Moe Keller (Wheat Ridge), as he signed House Bill 1391.  The groundbreaking bill, which was also carried by State Representative Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction) and State Senator Betty Boyd (Lakewood), provides abused and neglected children the mental health care they need to reduce the likelihood of long term problems associated with abuse.

“One case of child abuse or neglect is too many. In 2006, there were nearly 9,000 confirmed cases.  The consequences are catastrophic and sometimes fatal,” said Speaker Romanoff.  “Today, I'm proud to say we are one step closer to making child abuse a thing of the past.”

The legislation establishes a pilot program for two or three counties to provide mental health screenings, evaluations and services for children between the ages of four and ten who have been the subject of a substantiated case of abuse or neglect.  The program will also be available to their siblings, and is estimated to serve between 400 and 600 children annually.

Research indicates that when abused and neglected children don’t receive adequate mental health treatment, it can significantly hurt their quality of life and future productivity.  Those children are more likely to abuse drugs and commit crimes as youths.  They struggle with school, involve themselves in gangs, and cope with teen pregnancy at a higher rate than their contemporaries. 

A recent survey of 6,000 youths showed that nearly half the children who come into the child welfare system due to abuse or neglect need mental health services.  Of those cases, 75% do not receive the mental health services they require.   

The legislation takes effect July 1 of this year.

-- Posted by staff

Abused Kids to get Mental Health Support

Speaker Romanoff: “We must put an end to child abuse in Colorado”

DENVER – Today, under the eadership of House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and State Representative Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction), the House passed a bill to provide abused and neglected children the mental health care needed to reduce the likelihood of long term problems associated with abuse.

“We must put an end to child abuse in Colorado,” said Speaker Romanoff.  “This bill takes us one step closer.”

House Bill 1391, which passed 61 to 4 and was sponsored by both Speaker Romanoff and Rep. Buescher, establishes a pilot program in two or three counties to provide mental health screenings, evaluations and services for any child between the ages of four and 10 who has been the subject of a substantiated case of abuse or neglect.  The program will also be available to their siblings as well, and is estimated to serve between 400 and 600 children annually.

Speaker Romanoff began authoring the bill last year after a series of news stories about abuse cases throughout Colorado, which ended in the death of several children, shocked the state.

Research indicates that when abused and neglected children don’t receive adequate mental health treatment, it can significantly hurt their quality of life and future productivity.  Those children are more likely to abuse drugs and commit crimes as youths.  They struggle with school, involve themselves in gangs, and cope with teen pregnancy at a higher rate than their contemporaries. 

“Victims of child abuse are a community responsibility,” said Rep. Buescher.  “The damage imposed on abused children is long term and in turn, can injure the whole society.  Child abuse continues to be way too prevalent.  We are working to stop this cycle now!”

A recent survey of 6,000 youths showed that nearly half the children who come into the child welfare system due to abuse or neglect need mental health services.  Of those cases, 75% do not receive the mental health services they require.   

The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is being carried by State Senators Moe Keller (Wheat Ridge) and Betty Boyd (Lakewood).

-- Posted by staff

West Slope Legislator Helps Keep Heat on During Long Winters

More Colorado families to depend on LEAP with looming recession

(Denver) As energy costs continue to rise, it is increasingly difficult for Colorado's most vulnerable residents to afford their home energy expenses. Families with children, senior citizens and individuals with special needs must allocate more of their limited resources to pay their energy bills.

State Representative Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction) is the sponsor of House Bill 1387, to expand the Low-Income Energy Assistance Funding, or LEAP.  The successful program has helped thousands of Colorado families keep their heat on during the long winter months.  The bill passed the House today on a vote of 52 to 13 and now heads to the Senate for full consideration, where it is sponsored by Senator Jennifer Veiga (D-Denver).

“Sometimes families go without necessities like medical care and food in order to keep the lights on.  The LEAP program gives relief to families who are forced to make these tough choices,” Rep. Buescher explained.

The bill creates an extension to a previous law while providing additional funding for an anticipated shortfall in funding in 2009.  Specifically, the funds will continue to be used to provide cash assistance to vulnerable households in addition to taking steps to make homes more energy efficient and safe.

State Champs in the "Knowledge Bowl" Visit the State Capitol

Grand Junction High School students visited the State Capitol today as guests of State Representative Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction).  They are students of Lorena Thompson's Art History Class.  Her students have been state champs in the Knowledge Bowl competition for 12 of the 13 past years.

-- Posted by staff

Pro-Biz Democrats Give a Hand to Small Businesses

Expansion of “BPPT” Exemption Passes House

DENVER – State Representatives Joe Rice (D-Littleton) and Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction) successfully ushered House Bill 1225 through the House on an initial voice vote this morning. Their bill would increase the number of small businesses that don't have to pay a certain tax.

Currently, businesses with less than $2,500 in taxable property are exempt from the business personal property tax or “BPPT;” Reps. Rice and Buescher would raise that amount to $7,000 over a four year period.

Assessors define business personal property as anything that's not nailed down to the floor. For years, Reps. Rice and Buescher have worked to hammer out reforms to the state's business personal property tax.

Rep. Buescher said, “This is a huge bill for small businesses.  The BPPT takes a huge amount of time and paperwork yet generates a tiny amount of revenue for the state.”

Many small business owners find the current tax -- which is based on the value of assets such as computers, furniture, and manufacturing equipment -- burdensome because of the time and resources it takes to complete the paperwork.  It has a 40% administrative cost yet generates little revenue.

According to Rep. Rice, "Given the current state of our economy, it is important to protect and grow the small businesses of Colorado. The business personal property tax exemption will make life easier for over 30,000 small businesses in our state. Small businesses are the sparks that drive our economy. Everybody wins when we're able to create jobs in that sector."

These businesses would be spared the expense of preparing and paying their business personal property tax.  Streamlining the process will free up resources for job creation and business growth.

-- Posted by staff

Colorado Legislators Working to Curb Child Abuse

Lawmakers unveil pilot program to provide more mental health services to victims

DENVER – A recent survey of 6,000 youths showed that nearly half the children who come into the child welfare system due to abuse or neglect need mental health services.  Of those cases, 75% do not receive the mental health services they require. 

Recognizing the need for change, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and State Representative Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction) teamed up with State Senators Moe Keller and Betty Boyd (Douglas County), as well as members of the Kempe Children’s Center today to unveil a bill helping more abused and neglected children get the mental health care they need so they don’t become perpetrators themselves.

“In Colorado in 2006, there were 8,700 confirmed cases of abuse or neglect.  And that’s just the number of confirmed cases – the actual number is undoubtedly much higher.  The consequences of child abuse and neglect are catastrophic and sometimes fatal” Speaker Romanoff declared.  “Our goal is to make child abuse a thing of the past. Colorado can lead the way.”

Studies demonstrate that when abused and neglected children don’t receive adequate mental health treatment, it can significantly hurt their quality of life and future productivity.  Those children are more likely to abuse drugs and commit crimes as youths.  They struggle with school, involve themselves in gangs, and cope with teen pregnancy at a higher rate than their contemporaries. 

West Slope Wineries Win

Rep. Buescher Closer to Popping the Cork

Denver- Colorado’s rocky mountain climate--warm days, cool nights and low humidity-- make perfect conditions to grow and cultivate grapes. In fact, Colorado’s western slope is home to over 80 wineries, most of which are small family vineyards dating back to the 19th Century.   

Thanks to a measure sponsored by State Representative Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction), wine grapes may become more synonymous with Colorado.  House Bill 1359 passed out of the Business Affairs & Labor Committee today on a vote of 11 to zero.

“This will give a turbo boost to Colorado’s expanding wine industry by encouraging partnerships in the production of wine,” Rep. Buescher explained.

Under current law, the growers cannot press their own grapes unless they also own a winery.  Those who do not own a winery, must sell the grapes to a third party to process. The bill proposed by Rep. Buescher would allow wineries to lease their property to growers, allowing the growers to press their own grapes.

“Start-up wineries need creative, flexible, inventive solutions,” Rep. Buescher said.  “The wine industry is known as being capital-intensive, even than the auto industry.” The start-up costs for wineries can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.  The proposed bill would allow multiple growers to share wine making for pressing.

“Increasingly, people are visiting Colorado’s western slope to see our wineries. Helping more wineries set up shop here will be a boost to our tourism economy,” Rep. Buescher said.  Similar laws are already on the books in Washington, California and Oregon.

-- Posted by staff

Rep. Buescher Passes 2 Bills through Committee, helping women with cancer and businesses with solar power

(DENVER)  If  State Representative Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction) continues to have legislative success, each year 7000 Colorado women will continue to get the treatment and assistance they need to fight breast and cervical cancer.

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program (CCPTP) was created in 2001.  Under this program, the Colorado Legislature extended Medicaid coverage to women under the age of 65 who have been diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer, including precancerous conditions, and have little or no insurance coverage.  The program was originally funded in part by tobacco settlement funds and in part by federal funds.

After witnessing its positive impact on breast and cervical cancer victims in Colorado, this year Rep. Buescher introduced legislation (House Bill 1373) to continue the CCPTP for another 7 years.  The bill secures the program’s financial security and ensures that it is not supported by the state’s general fund.  The bill now goes to the Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Buescher also guided a pro-business, pro-solar bill through committee today.  House Bill 1368 clarifies how some businesses, currently exempted from paying sales tax on wind or solar components (such as solar panels, inverters, voltage controls, and wind turbines), can be assessed and by whom.  The Department of Local Affairs will be the sole assessor.  The bill now goes to the House.

-- Posted by staff

Democratic Budget Passes House

Winners: Kids, People with Disabilities, College Students
Losers: Perps, Polluters, Partisans

DENVER – Today, following the House of Representative’s passage of the 2008-2009 budget on a party-line vote, House Democrats held an energetic – and at times emotional – press conference to announce the many winners in this year’s budget.   

“This week, we made significant investments for in children,” said Speaker Andrew Romanoff to a packed capitol atrium.  “We invested in our children’s health care, getting 50,000 more kids the coverage they need.  We invested in our children’s safety, keeping hardened criminals behind bars.  We invested in our children’s education so they can compete in the 21^st century economy from the time they enter preschool until they graduate college.  And we’ve invested in our kids by making sure they can get good, high-paying jobs in the new economy.”   

The Speaker was flanked by State Rep. Bernie Buescher, Chair of the Joint Budget Committee, Majority Leader Alice Madden, State Representative Jack Pommer (D-Boulder), vice-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, and a host of happy House Democrats. 

Lawmakers were also joined by this year’s biggest winners: over a dozen kids with developmental disabilities and their family members who will get long-awaited services, kids who will get the health coverage they need, and college students who will benefit from the financial aid in the state budget.

House Dems Tout Balanced Budget

DENVER – Today, the House started debate on the state’s 2008-2009 budget.  Democratic lawmakers introduced a balanced budget that supports education, economic development and health care for Colorado kids.

“This is a balanced budget that proves what our number one priority is: our children,” said State Representative and Joint Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Buescher (D-Grand Junction). “It allows us to make investments for our children’s future – their health, their safety, their education – so when they grow up, they can get a good job in a thriving economy.” 

Lawmakers stressed the importance of fiscal responsibility while continuing to foster critical sectors in the state to energize Colorado’s economy, such as bioscience and renewable energy.

Democrats also demonstrated today that sometimes the best offense is a great defense. They safeguarded education in Colorado by killing Republican-backed amendments that would have stripped essential funding for renewable energy, health care, economic development and education. For example, Republican-backed amendments would cut at least $120 million from higher education across the state.

“The budget presents us with fundamental choices,” Buescher continued.  “Do you want more criminals on the street, or safe communities for our kids? Do you want sick kids who become sick adults, or healthy kids who grow up to be strong, productive members of the community? Do you want our kids to get a good early education and have the chance to go to college – to have the chance to participate in the global economy? Or do you want them to sit out? 

“After six months of work, I can say happily that this budget ensures our kids are the real winners.”

Debate on various amendments is expected to last well into the evening.  By law, a budget must be approved this year by the 80^th legislative day in the House – which is this Friday – and 87^th legislative day in the Senate. House legislators will likely vote for final passage of the budget tomorrow.

-- Posted by staff