February 24th
Big week for me at the Capitol! My bill to help disabled veterans with accessing their property tax discount passed the Senate this week with 24 aye votes, my bill to protect patients with medical debt passed out of committee yesterday, and it was announced I'll be on the select committee to investigate causes of our rising utility rates and explore actions to prevent future price hikes.
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I had the gavel in the Senate on Thursday (well for a little while).
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from the desk of Senator Lisa Cutter
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This week several gun violence prevention bills were introduced, and I stood proudly with several friends, colleagues, and constituents who have advocated for these important policies. Our children are begging us to keep them safe at school, and the constant and pervasive threat of violence at school, in grocery stores, and in movie theaters is fueling an already significant mental health crisis in Colorado. This is a uniquely American problem -- other developed nations do not experience the same level of gun violence.
These proposals are simple, commonsense measures that will protect families, keep our public spaces safe, and reduce the threat of violence across Colorado. I am committed to reducing crime and violence of all types, and will continue working to ensure that every Coloradan can feel safe and secure in their community.
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Sen. Jaquez Lewis and I presented our bill about transparency in medical debt billing to the Health and Human Services committee and it was passed! It has been wonderful to work with the Attorney General's Office (it's one of their priority bills this session) to delve into this issue to create transparency for consumers and cap interest rates on medical debt.
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Today, on the anniversary of the violent war of aggression launched by Russia, I was honored to be part of a tribute to three Ukrainian groups in Colorado. Ukrainians of Colorado is located in Littleton and is an all-volunteer organization founded in 2014 to promote the Ukrainian culture and provide services and connections to Ukrainians who come to Colorado. Many of its volunteer members were born in Ukraine and still have family or friends residing there. When the war started, the organization began raising money to help fund humanitarian efforts in coordination with their contacts on the ground in Ukraine.
I can’t imagine the pain of seeing your beloved home torn apart by war. Ukrainians have inspired all of us with their determination, resilience, and heart. Please check out Ukranians of Colorado’s website to learn about upcoming events and opportunities to support them.
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Colorado Democrats are taking action to reduce gun violence by expanding our Red Flag law, increasing the minimum purchase age, establishing waiting periods, and ending the gun industry's immunity to civil suits. We held a press conference yesterday to announce this package, during which there was a false fire alarm, forcing hundreds of people including children in school groups into the 5-degree frigid temperatures outside.
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March 8th at the State Captiol at 9am
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Please join the Democratic Women's Caucus and the African Chamber of Commerce Colorado, USA for a celebration of International Women's Day at the Colorado State Capitol. The celebration will include a Women's History Month Joint Resolution at 9am, followed by a meet and greet with legislators in the First Floor Foyer of the Capitol from 10am to 12pm. Light refreshments and finger foods will be provided.
To secure seating for the Resolution, please arrive at the Capitol by 8:40am and find your seat in the House Gallery on the third floor of the Capitol. If you have any questions, please reach out to Representative Ricks' office at hd40aide@gmail.com
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March 18th at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden at 9:30am
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It will be in the Parker Student Center, in Ballroom D/E. Wait for next week's newsletter for more information on where to park. The date of the town hall has been moved from the March 4th date mentioned in previous newsletters, we apologize for any confusion. We're excited to have it on campus, and hope to see some students attend.
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This week I was appointed to a special committee alongside other Colorado lawmakers to address rising utility costs. Xcel Energy officials have made no secret they’re charging more. They have sought, and gained approval, for several price hikes over the last few years as turbulent energy markets pushed their own production costs higher. Xcel customers are being charged three times as much for natural gas now as they were before the pandemic. This committee will fully explore the issue and potential solutions. To read more about this, follow the link below.
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I'm excited to be one of the senate sponsors for a bill that would regulate facility fees from medical facilities like hospitals, here's this week's local fox news report on a new poll about these fees:
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This session, I'm sponsoring HB23-1060 to provide the necessary resources to continue rebuilding the state forest tree nursery. I toured the facility this fall and saw firsthand both the desperate need and exciting potential. It's such an honor to work with people like Director McCombs to secure a brighter future for Colorado. The Colorado Sun wrote an article this week about the nursery and the critical need it fills.
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Twenty one Jefferson County Schools working together set a new Guinness World Record for their recycling project. Madhvi Chittor demonstrated her leadership through her successful coordination of the schools in this environmentally motivated effort. I applaud her singular focus on trying to protect the planet and help shape a better future for hers and subsequent generations.
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