This past Saturday, Colorado lawmakers officially hit the halfway mark of the 120-day legislative session with many big-ticket issues still in the works.
After introducing 450 bills, of which 322 are still awaiting action, legislative leaders have pointed out that while these first 60 days have been at a slower pace, everything will be ramping up for the remainder of the session, which ends May 11.
One big issue that we have yet to see any updates on is collective bargaining. State legislators in Colorado are discussing a proposal for a new law that would allow people working for cities, counties, schools, public hospitals and other local government entities the right to collectively bargain. The proposal in question would force public-sector employers to recognize unions when workers form them and negotiate contracts with them. This change in public-sector employment practices would occur without the consent of voters, and it would be an outright affront to local control, something many of our local government partners value.
The bill has not yet been introduced, but the idea already faced firm resistance from many in the community, including Governor Polis. Governor Polis made clear to the bill sponsors and advocates that he would not support the bill in its initial form. While speculation continues to swirl about the potential for the legislation to be more limited, possibly to only include higher education and counties, we continue to have serious concerns about any state mandated collective bargaining proposal.
Voters should be allowed to decide whether public employees can unionize in their own community, particularly because the implications of a strike are a direct cost to community members. That is why we have fought to ensure that the Colorado voter has a place at the table when it comes to their pocketbooks, and why we have pushed for decades to allow employers to decide what is best for their own organizations.
With many pressing issues still up in the air, collective bargaining being one of them, we are eagerly awaiting the second half of the legislative session. You can view our stances and justifications on current bills on our legislation page.
Here are the bills we took a stance on this week.
Support
- House Bill 1282 creates the innovative housing incentive program and enables businesses that manufacture housing stock to apply. The bill appropriates $40 million to the fund to encourage housing manufacturers to develop affordable housing stock. This bill allows developers to access vital state funds so that Colorado’s vibrant and competitive workforce can afford to live and work in the state.
- Senate Bill 146 transfers $25 million to expand the middle-income access program through the department of local affairs. The fund has previously proven to be effective, and we applaud the legislature for continuing a viable program without re-inventing the wheel. At a time when housing prices are skyrocketing, this bill creates an opportunity for our workforce to access affordable housing.
Oppose
- House Bill 1272 eliminates the provision under current law that a defendant be awarded attorney fees in tort actions if the court grants the defendant’s motion to dismiss prior to trial. The use of attorney’s fees as a measurement of accountability to file meritorious claims is a crucial tool to deter frivolous litigation from plaintiffs.
- House Bill 1285 prohibits hospitals from collecting debts accrued by patients during periods when the hospital was not in compliance with federal hospital price transparency laws. The bill also makes debt collection against patients during times of non-compliance an unfair practice under the Colorado Fair Debt Collections Act and allows the department of public health and environment to consider this during license renewal. While we recognize the need for and importance of price transparency, we also trust that our hospitals operate in compliance with federal standards. The Chamber believes that additional regulatory and compliance framework at the state level further complicates our health care system and hospital licensure requirements.
- House Bill 1287 amends the Mobile Home Park Act and the Mobile Home Park Act Dispute Resolution and Enforcement Program. This bill prohibits a landlord from increasing rent greater the rate of inflation or 3% over any 12-month period for mobile homes. The Chamber believes that our economy functions best when prices are set by the market. As such, introducing rent stabilization measures in one housing sector could lead us down a slippery slope that would end with negative consequences for our entire housing supply.
Testimony
- House Bill 1119: Colorado False Claims Act | Opposition Testimony
- House Bill 1272: Repeal Of Attorney Fees On Motions To Dismiss | Opposition Testimony
Read our justifications for these positions and more on our current legislation page.
Have questions or concerns about policy? Contact our Government Affairs team.
