New Laws Helping Everyday Coloradans Go Into Effect Friday, August 3

DENVER – On Friday, August 3rd, over 90 new laws that help middle-class Coloradans go into effect. Bills range from advancing affordable healthcare to improving renewable energy efforts to assisting small businesses. Below are a few of the new laws:

Healthcare:
SB 231: Creates a repository to accept and distribute donated cancer drugs  (Sen. Lois Tochtrop, Rep. Dianne Primavera)
HB 1354: Creates an income tax check-off for the Reproductive Cancers Fund to educate about, screen for, and to treat cancer (Rep. Primavera, Sen. Peter Groff– goes into effect September 1st)

Help Our Heroes:
HB 1149: Improves access to absentee voting for overseas residents (Rep. Joe Rice, Sen. Steve Ward)
HB 1352: Allows fallen service members’ families to obtain special license plates (Rice/Ward)
HB 1253: Prohibits insurance carriers from denying coverage to members of the uniformed services (Rep. Alice Madden, Sen. Brandon Shaffer)
HB 1275: Allows the CO National Guard to receive forfeited property (Rep. Rice, Sen. Josh Penry)
HB 1364: Protects military personnel from insurance scams. (Rep. Rice, Sen. Chris Romer)

Renewable Energy/Conservation:
HB 1145: Encourages use of state lands for development of renewable energy resources. (Rep. Mike Merrifield, Sen. Ken Gordon)
HB 1220: Requires government entities to purchase “green” products (Rep. John Kefalas, Sen. Groff)
HB 1169: Allows rural Coloradans to generate their own power from renewable sources (Rep. Judy Solano, Sen. Brandon Shaffer)
SB 51: Creates high performance standards for state-funded buildings (Sen. Gordon, Reps. Rob Witwer & Claire Levy – goes into effect September 1st)

Support for Small Business:
HB 1148: Allows owners to have multiple vehicle registrations that expire on the same day.  This reduces time at the DMV and eases paperwork for small businesses. (Rep. Rice, Sen. Suzanne Williams)