Legislative Session Reconvenes: Chamber Weighs in on 5 Bills
State legislators are off to a busy start as the session reconvened Feb. 16, introducing nearly 300 bills so far. That means the Chamber’s Public Affairs team is working hard and fast, too, making sure lawmakers are considering the business community’s perspective when they draft bills and vote.
So far, the Chamber is largely supporting legislation, especially bills that help businesses during the pandemic. Senate Bill 80, introduced by Sen. Rob Woodward (R-Loveland), Rep. Shannon Bird (D-Westminster) and Rep. Mary Bradfield (R-Colorado Springs), and House Bill 1074, introduced by Rep. Mary Bradfield (R-Colorado Springs), both offer protections from liability claims for businesses that are following COVID-19 public health orders, recognizing the extensive work these businesses have put into keeping customers safe.
We also support Senate Bill 85, sponsored by Sen. Joann Ginal (D-Fort Collins), Sen. Jim Smallwood (R-Castle Rock) and Rep. Susan Lontine (D-Denver), which requires the Colorado Division of Insurance to hire a contractor to perform actuarial reviews of proposed legislation that may impose new health benefit mandates on health benefit plans. This bill would help legislators and constituents understand upfront the costs that Coloradans may incur as the result of health benefit mandates and conduct data-driven cost benefits analyses.
The Chamber has long believed in tailored, career-based training for kids earlier in their education, and that’s why we also support Senate Bill 106, sponsored by Sen. James Coleman (D-Denver), Sen. Kevin Priola (R-Henderson), Rep. Barbara McLachlan (D-Durango) and Rep. Mark Baisley (R-Roxborough Park). This bill requires the Department of Education and the State Board of Education to consider whether an innovative learning plan includes opportunities for students to participate in apprenticeships, internships and technical training or skills programs. The bill also creates an innovation pilot program to disburse state funding to postsecondary education and training programs on behalf of low-income students who graduate early from high school and are participating in the pilot program prior to enrolling in the first or second semester of their fourth year of high school.
Opposing Threats to Labor Peace Act
We are currently opposing House Bill 1049, sponsored by Rep. Tonya Van Beber (R-Greeley) and Rep. Kim Ransom (R-Parker), which would prohibit an employer from requiring union membership or payment of union dues as a condition for employment. This legislation would weaken Colorado’s Labor Peace Act, the delicate and hard-earned balance between business and labor that was established in the 1940s and represents the only compromise of its kind in the country. We recognize that many existing and prospective businesses would prefer Colorado adopt the right-to-work model, given its flexibility in defining jobs and assigning duties, as well as assurance that no employee ever be forced to pay into a union that they don’t support. Even so, our business community has held on to this carefully crafted compromise and continues to oppose any efforts to modify it. Chamber President and CEO Kelly Brough submitted testimony to that end for the bill’s hearing today.
Just Getting Started
The team at the Chamber continues to monitor a number of other critical bills – from those impacting energy transmission to broadband.
With 110 days left in this session, we still have a lot of work ahead of us. We’ll continue to advocate on your behalf and provide you with updates. If you have questions, you’re always welcome to contact our Public Affairs team.