Colorado House Democrats

Lawmakers Unveil Mother's Day Gifts

Legislators say thank-you with new laws making moms’ lives easier 

DENVER – On Sunday, in honor of Mothers’ Day, Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff and State Representative Nancy Todd (D-Aurora) gathered at Washington Park in Denver for an event thanking Colorado mothers for all that they do.  The two legislators unveiled how new laws passed this year will make moms’ lives easier.

“Working mothers know, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done,” said Speaker Romanoff.  “Well today – on mother’s day – we’re honoring all their hard work by making their lives just a little easier.”

Speaker Romanoff highlighted the steps Colorado lawmakers took to expand resources available to pregnant women for prenatal care.  He outlined how the legislature increased the Prenatal Plus Program by $500,000, and made the Colorado Children’s Basic Health Plan more accessible to expecting mothers.  The second measure alone will result in upwards of 16,000 more Colorado women – including those facing risky pregnancies – getting the prenatal care they need to ensure safe pregnancies, safe births, and healthy babies.

“Our children are Colorado’s most cherished resource,” said Speaker Romanoff. “And healthy babies need healthy moms.  So we passed laws designed to help more Colorado women get the prenatal care they need to ensure the health and well-being of their babies.”

Democrats Celebrate Successful Session that "Invests in Kids"

Session ends 1 day early, saving taxpayers $15,400

(Denver) House Democrats gathered on the west steps of the Capitol today to celebrate a successful 2008 legislative session.  Over the past 119 days, Democrats have invested in Colorado’s kids -- their health, their green future, their education – so they can get a good job in a thriving economy.

Outgoing Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff opened the rally with these comments, “As the dust settles on this year’s legislative session, one conclusion is clear: children came out on top.”

The Second Regular Session of the 66^th General Assembly marked the fourth year that House Democrats served in the majority, as well as the last session for both Speaker Romanoff and Majority Leader Alice Madden.  Of each legislator’s tenure in the General Assembly, both were clear that this was the single best session for kids.

Outgoing Majority Leader Alice Madden echoed Romanoff’s enthusiasm about the productive steps the legislature took to improve the lives of Coloradans.

“After you give birth to two kids and then chase them around for 17 years, there is nothing you take more seriously than their well-being.  Our legacy will be the type of world we leave them. As a parent and a lawmaker, that’s what has directed me.  So I’m proud we did exactly what we promised to do on opening day: we invested in kids.” 

She pointed to 2008 legislature’s achievements, including ongoing efforts to make grow Colorado’s economy and provide jobs in one of the strongest new energy economies in the world.

“In 2008, we turbocharged our efforts to open the new energy economy to all Coloradans,” Rep. Madden said. “These efforts to improve the clean energy economy have brought high paying, ‘green collar’ jobs to our state.”

“This was a great year to be a kid in Colorado,” continued Speaker Romanoff.   “We did more good for more children in more need than at any other point in modern memory.”

The legislature came to a close today at 9:30 PM, a day early, saving Colorado taxpayers $15,400.

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FAIR Healthcare Bill and Insurance Accountability Act Go to Governor

(Denver)  Two major pieces of health insurance reform overcame fierce resistance and passed through the legislature in its final hours today.

Legislators supported the FAIR Act (Fair & Accountable Insurance Rates) which aims to drive down health insurance companies’ rising rates.  The final version of the bill passed out of the House on a 42-22 vote and now awaits the Governor’s signature.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora) and Senator Paula Sandoval (Denver,) will empower Colorado’s Insurance Commissioner to watchdog proposed insurance rate increases.  Insurers will be required to justify rate increases before they can take effect.

In explaining House Bill 1389, Rep. Carroll said: “If it seems like we are paying more for less, it’s because we are.  Consumers are unhappy with ever-increasing rates and ever-declining coverage. The FAIR Act begins to address that by making sure that our health care is the insurance industries’ bottom line.”

“The implications of over-priced health care are obvious: The primary reason people go uninsured or that businesses drop health insurance coverage is because premiums are not affordable,”  Said Rep. Carroll. “Yet, Colorado law does not require insurance companies to justify their rate increases before they take effect.  That means there is no meaningful oversight on insurance rates in Colorado.  There is not real competition in the market to drive down prices.”

Rice Teaches Students That Honesty is the Best Policy

Runyon Elementary students won’t be penalized for honest mistake

(Denver) Representative Joe Rice (D-Littleton) is helping students at Littleton’s Damon Runyon Elementary School learn one of life’s most important
lessons: honesty is the best policy.

Earlier this year, a fourth grade teacher at Runyon discovered that one of the prompts used on the CSAP writing test was one that her class had used previously during a practice session.

Upon discovering that the prompt was in fact used on this year’s CSAP, the principal, the district, and the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) were notified.  As a result, the students will receive a “no score,” or zero, on the 4^th grade writing CSAP test and Runyon and all Littleton Public School District scores will be negatively impacted.  The school’s ranking will drop from a “high achieving school” to an “average achieving school.”

“When the teacher realized the mistake, she did the honest thing and told the appropriate people,” Rep. Rice said.  “The 4^th grade students at Runyon were penalized for an honest mistake. Is that the kind of lesson we want to teach our kids?  I have always taught my own children that honesty is the best
policy,” he continued.

Rep. Rice has amended a piece of legislation (Senate Bill 212) to put in place procedures to address the Runyon situation and other unintentional errors that may occur with any school in the state of Colorado in the future.  Other schools have been penalized with CSAP scores, including a school where a fire alarm disrupted the test and violated testing procedures.

Specifically, Rice’s amendment allows the Colorado Department of Education to re-administer the test or calculate the score without factoring the error.  In the case of an error that cannot be fixed or recalculated, the state will publish the official score and include what it would have been without the error. The bill, the Colorado Achievement Plan, is on its way to the Governor.   

“Parents and prospective community members often use local schools’ CSAP scores as a guide for choosing a neighborhood,” explained Rep. Rice. “It is important that the area’s property values reflect the high achievement of Runyon’s staff and students.”

The issue was brought to Rep. Rice’s attention by Gretchen Trail, a parent of a 2^nd and 4^th grader at Runyon.  “Not only did Rep. Rice listen to my concerns, he took ownership and put a solution into play.  His ownership and determination sent the right message to our children: even though you are being wrongly punished for an honest mistake, there is someone willing to help prevent this from happening again,” said Gretchen Trail.

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Rep. Solano Passes Sweeping CSAP Reforms

(DENVER)  As new reports indicate that CSAP reading scores have remained flat yet again, lawmakers signaled their opposition to the status quo by supporting the sweeping CSAP reforms in House Bill 1186 on a 35-29 vote.

“We are over-complying with an unfunded federal mandate,” said lead sponsor State Representative Judy Solano (D-Thornton). “We spend nearly $25 million on CSAP with only $9 million from the US Department of Education.   And we require more testing than No Child Left Behind does!”

Rep. Solano wants to improve the use of the dollars used for CSAP testing by streamlining the process and focusing the dollars on proven tests and programs. 

Earlier this year, Rep. Solano and other supporters held large brooms as they vowed to bring in “sweeping reforms.” Today, after the vote, Rep. Solano was presented with a bouquet of brooms. The bill now goes to the Senate where it is sponsored by Senator Suzanne Williams (D-Aurora).

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House Bill 1186: Exempts the test scores of students who are absent on the days that the CSAP is administered.  Schools currently receive a -.5 if a student doesn’t take the CSAP.

House Bill 1357: Improves alignment of the CSAP with the Federal No Child Left Behind requirements to make more effective use of taxpayers’ money.  Decreases funding for testing beyond the federal requirements and puts those savings into proven programs to improve student performance, to train teachers, and to reduce drop-out rates.  HB 1357 eliminates CSAPs in high school and the CSAP writing test in lower grades.

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Representative Gallegos Troubled about Conejos County Hospital Nursing Home Closure

(Denver) Last week, Conejos County Hospital announced that the Long Term Care Unit nursing home will be closing in June.  This news is deeply concerning for State Representative Rafael Gallegos (D-Antonio), a native of the San Luis Valley and longtime supporter of the good work maintained by the Hospital and the Long Term Care Unit. 

Rep. Gallegos stated, “To hear that the nursing home will be closing in June is worrisome for me as I think about the uncertain futures of the 23 residents of the facility and the 36 staff members.  This closure adds to my concern about unemployment and poverty in Conejos County and the San Luis Valley.”

With a 9% unemployment rate in Conejos County and many elderly members of the community on fixed incomes, Rep. Gallegos is determined to seek state-level assistance that may keep the nursing home open.

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Sweeping CSAP Reforms Get Initial Support from House

Rep. Solano: "taxpayers foot the bill to over-comply with a federal mandate."

(DENVER)  Decrying the waste of taxpayer dollars that are being poured into unproven testing programs and calling for increased efficiency of the numerous federal and state tests required by Colorado students, lawmakers passed House Bill 1186 on an initial voice vote today.

“We are over-complying with an unfunded federal mandate,” said lead sponsor State Representative Judy Solano (D-Thornton). “We spend nearly $25 million on CSAP with only $9 million from the US Department of Education.  And we require more testing than No Child Left Behind does! What that means is that taxpayers foot the bill to over-comply with a federal mandate.”

Along with Senator Suzanne Williams (D-Aurora), Rep. Solano wants to improve the use of the dollars used for CSAP testing by streamlining the process and focusing the dollars on proven tests and programs.  Her bill would scale back use of the CSAP in high school and the CSAP writing test in lower grades.

Earlier this year, Rep. Solano and other supporters held large brooms as they vowed to bring in “sweeping reforms.” Today, after the vote, a bouquet of brooms towered over Rep. Solano’s desk.

House Bill 1186: Exempts the test scores of students who are absent on the days that the CSAP is administered.  Schools currently receive a -.5 if a student doesn’t take the CSAP.

House Bill 1357: Improves alignment of the CSAP with the Federal No Child Left Behind requirements to make more effective use of taxpayers’ money.  Decreases funding for testing beyond the federal requirements and puts those savings into proven programs to improve student performance, to train teachers, and to reduce drop-out rates.

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More Flexibility for Schools

Rep. Carroll Breaks Down Barriers to Innovation

DENVER—Today the full House gave final approval to Senate Bill 130. Sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Terrance Carroll (D-Denver), the bill would allow schools and school districts to innovate in their approach to improving student performance by creating Zones of Innovative Performance (ZIPs).

If schools’ applications are approved by their local board of education, they could be granted the power to control budgets, hiring decisions, curriculum, length of the school day and teacher compensation, among other things. Upon local board approval, these schools would submit the innovation plan to the State Board of Education for designation as an innovative school or zone of innovation.

The bill serves as a tool to allow schools to assess their particular needs and to remove barriers by implementing strategies based on individual school assessments.

“This is a landmark bill that will allow schools and school districts freedom from the bureaucratic quicksand that strangles innovation” said Rep. Carroll.

Senate Bill 130 passed the House today on a vote of 53 to 11.  The bill, sponsored by Senate President Peter Groff now makes its way to the Governor’s desk.

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Romanoff Passes Bill Requiring Insurance Companies to Pay What They Owe, When They Owe It

DENVER – Today, Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff’s “Insurance Accountability Act of 2008” passed the House on a bi-partisan 42-22 vote.  The proposal will push insurance companies to pay consumers what they are owed for valid claims.

“Our message to insurers is simple: ‘Pay what you owe – when you owe it,’” said Speaker Romanoff.  “If people buy insurance and pay their premiums on time, it’s only fair that the insurance companies honor their commitment to their policyholders.” 

House Bill 1407, also sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon, strengthens the ability of the Insurance Commissioner to deter unreasonable conduct by an insurer; helps consumers recover their damages; and clarifies the definition of restitution.

Specifically, the bill provides the Division of Insurance increased authority to penalize bad conduct by state regulated insurance companies. 

It also prohibits insurance companies from unreasonably delaying or denying benefits owed to policyholders.  If an insurance company unfairly denies a legitimate claim, customers can take their insurance company to court.  In instances where a claim has been illegally denied, insurance companies would be directed by the court to pay the policyholder twice the full benefits owed plus insurance fees.      

“Too many consumers are trapped in an endless cycle of denials and appeals and delays,” he continued. “This bill will help ill and injured Coloradans recover their damages and get on with their lives.”

The bill now heads to the Senate for further debate.

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Kids, Animals Gather at Capitol to Protect Property Rights

Cowboy Wes Promises to Continue Fighting for Rural Rights

DENVER- Parents and 4-H/FFA children -- the Colorado Coalition Opposing Mandatory 4-H and FFA Premises Registration gathered at the Capitol today.  They were joined by two pygmy goats.

Those in attendance traveled to Denver from all corners of the state to express their efforts to change the State Fair Board of Commissioners' questionable "premises registration" rulemaking regarding 4-H and FFA livestock project animals at the 2008 Colorado State Fair.  They were hosted by State Representative Wes McKinley (D-Walsh).

At the heart of this controversy is the issue of property rights and people in rural communities.  With the premise ID, livestock owners are required to register their animals with a premise ID each time the animal is moved.  For the children and families that participate in the state fair, this can be a burden as animals are often stored at an alternate site.

“While most of us realize that these rules were created to promote the health and safety of the animals, it is an ineffective system that does not accommodate the lives of people in rural communities,” Rep. McKinley said.  He continued, “This is a classic case of the federal government forcing policies down states’ throats. We must protect states’ rights.”