DENVER—Today, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce released its 2023 policy platform for the upcoming legislative session. The platform, which focuses on the major priorities and issues for the business community in the 2023 legislative session, names housing, sustainability and economic competitiveness as the Chamber’s policy pillars for the upcoming year.
The Denver Metro Chamber’s policy leaders are available for interview and comment, including the Chamber’s president and CEO, J. J. Ament; the Chamber’s vice president of government affairs, Adam Burg; and executive director for the Colorado Competitive Council, Rachel Beck.
“The Chamber is excited to share our policy priorities for the upcoming legislative session,” said Adam Burg. “Over our long history, no organization has better represented the Colorado business community than the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. We know that 2023 could bring a variety of challenges and opportunities to Colorado businesses, and we're ready to continue our long-standing tradition of being the preeminent advocate and voice for business under the Gold Dome.”
The Chamber released the following for their 2023 policy platform:
The Chamber firmly believes that clean air and water benefit all Coloradans, and we can meet environmental goals with reasonable, well-developed policies that don’t sacrifice a thriving economy for environmental extremism. Proposals that reflect the political and economic realities of our community – such as funding the transition toward new technologies while emphasizing the importance of natural gas, reexamining and revitalizing Colorado water law for current times, incentivizing the use of public transit, and expanding market-based approaches toward the use of renewable energy – create a Colorado where businesses and residents can thrive together.
Due to elevated prices and rising interest rates, the affordability of purchasing a home is at its lowest point in more than 33 years. In just the past seven years, the cost of purchasing a home has doubled, with half of that increase occurring over the last two years. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Colorado is the ninth least affordable state for housing.
Colorado has failed to build enough housing to keep up with demand. In the Metro Denver area, the deficit ranges between 64,000 and 129,000 units. Seven counties in the Metro Denver area have housing deficits, and 98% of all Coloradans live in a county with an aggregate housing supply shortage.
The Chamber supports not just the development of affordable housing, but housing for all Coloradans. We believe in policies that allow local governments and developers to build and preserve not only designated affordable homes, but also homes for those in the “missing middle” income brackets and beyond. Policies focused on increasing housing supply – such as construction litigation reform, reviewing and revising outdated land use and zoning policies, increasing sustainable and viable access to capital, and ensuring competitive housing markets – create a Colorado where residents can live where they work, simultaneously investing in their communities and their family’s financial security.
The Chamber hears more and more from members, executives and site selectors about concerns regarding where Colorado is headed when it comes to policy. They worry that the cost and regulatory burden of doing business in our state is on the rise. The Chamber emphasizes how crucial it is to prioritize our economy and workforce as we continue pandemic recovery efforts. It inherently believes that businesses want the best for their employees and their community, and that a robust workforce is necessary to create thriving neighborhoods and cities.
Ensuring Colorado has the talent to fill available jobs and meet employer demand is a key priority for the Chamber. Young, highly educated and skills-based workers populate Metro Denver. The region’s combination of health, family and career opportunities makes for a balanced life that’s nearly impossible to match. Through unique, innovative efforts led by the Metro Denver EDC, such as TalentCO, we enhance the regional economy via the expansion and retention of primary jobs and capital investment.
The Chamber also believes it should collectively focus its efforts on policies that will lead to a sustainable workforce and healthy business climate – such as investing in K-12 and higher education, better aligning resources to address crime and homelessness, breaking down barriers of entry to employment, and focusing on workforce development initiatives while also fostering tax friendliness and a reasonable regulatory environment. These policies help Colorado grow and attract a well-educated and productive workforce, which fosters vibrant, diverse communities across our state.
To view the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s full 2023 policy platform, visit: https://denverchamber.org/policy/2023-policy-platform/
For 155 years, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce has been a leading voice for Colorado’s business community. With a membership that spans the state, the Chamber is an effective advocate for small and large businesses. The Chamber’s family of organizations includes the Metro Denver EDC, the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center, and the Colorado Competitive Council. For more information, go to denverchamber.org.
The 2022 Mid-Term Elections are (mostly) over and the Chamber’s Government Affairs team has been diligently following outcomes to formulate a broader legislative strategy based on results.
The predicted red wave that never materialized has kept the levers of power mostly intact in Colorado, with Democrats largely in control at the local, state and federal levels. Read more to hear how changes, or lack thereof, at each level will impact your business and business advocacy.
All four statewide elected officials won their races by comfortable—if not large—margins, as Colorado voters sent Governor Polis, Secretary of State Griswold, Attorney General Weiser and Treasurer Young back to their respective offices for four more years. Things were similar for seats in the Colorado General Assembly, though many of the General Assembly races were much closer than the statewide races. It appears Democrats are poised to expand their majorities in both chambers—23 seats in the Senate (a record margin for the party) compared to Republican’s 12 seats, and 46 in the State House, compared to the Republican’s 19 seats. With the reelection of every Democrat in statewide races and an expansion of a Democratic majority in the General Assembly, many observers argue that Colorado is no longer a purple state, as Democrats command wide majorities. With Governor Polis’s reelection by a comfortable margin (58% of the vote) and Democrats holding the State House and State Senate, we can expect to see a Democratic trifecta in the state for at least another two years.
In years past, there has been room for business advocates to take advantage of slimmer margins to broker deals and leverage the need for compromise to achieve results, that luxury will not exist in 2023 as Democrats have only increased their cushion. We’re confident in the relationships we’ve built at the Capitol with members of both parties in both chambers; however, these margins will put the business community in a defensive position on issues like employee-employer relations, green building initiatives, clean commuting, crime prevention and business incentives.
It remains to be seen how lockstep the newly elected Democratic super majorities will be. Where the business community might have space to navigate is between the newly elected and/or progressive left and more seasoned, moderate Democrats. We also hope to see Governor Polis bring a pragmatic, reasonable voice to some of the policy conversations. Fractures between the party and a proactive executive branch could be the only things to slow an agenda fueled by a near veto proof majority.
That leads us into another key impact of the 2022 election—powershifts within the Capitol. The new roster of leadership for both parties is as follows:
Our maneuverability on key issues will be focused on those party dynamics, the quality of the relationships we have at the Capitol, and the impact of the data and stories we deliver in testimony. This is where we will tap you, our members, through our advocacy network mentioned below, to collect those stories and to share them with legislators while they do their decision making.
In Federal elections, Colorado is likely to have a Congressional delegation consisting of seven Democrats and three Republicans. Senator Michael Bennet, previously regarded as a vulnerable incumbent, cruised to reelection against his challenger Joe O’Dea, a moderate Republican and construction magnate in the state. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s seat in CD-3 proved to be unexpectedly competitive. The district, with an R+9 tilt, was regarded by observers as a safe bet for the Congresswoman as she ran for reelection; however, once returns poured in, challenger Adam Frisch (D-Aspen) took a small but steady lead.
Congresswoman Boebert eventually overtook Frisch, and on Nov. 18, with all but a few votes remaining, Adam Frisch conceded the race to Congresswoman Boebert. Congresswoman Boebert squeaked out a close victory and will return to Washington, D.C. for her second term in Congress.
Colorado had two open House seats this election, CD-7 and the newly-apportioned CD-8. In CD-7, State Senator Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood), defeated her opponent, Erik Aadland (R-Pine), in the seat being vacated by Congressman Ed Perlmutter, which is a Democratic hold.
Colorado was apportioned a new Congressional seat in redistricting, and this open seat was won by State Representative Yadira Caraveo (D-Thornton), who beat State Senator Barb Kirkmeyer (R-Weld). The newly formed district includes parts of Adams, Larimer and Weld County, and tilts to Republicans by two points. Most observers gave Senator Kirkmeyer a slight edge to win the race, but it will be Representative Caraveo heading to Washington, giving Colorado Democrats another seat in D.C. Notably, the race for CD-8 is a prime example of the impact third-party candidates can have in close races. Libertarian candidate, Richard Ward, ended up winning just over 9,000 votes – enough to perhaps have shifted the result away from a Senator Kirkmeyer victory.
On a national level, control of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate will likely be mixed. In the House, Republicans have clinched enough seats to take over control with a slim majority. In the Senate, Democrats have maintained their slim majority, garnering 50 seats in the chamber, which is sufficient to hold the majority since Vice President Kamala Harris can break a tie vote. The Senate hinged on close races in both Arizona and Nevada, which were called last weekend, both of which favored Democratic incumbents over their Republican challengers.
In Georgia, incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock and his Republican competitor Herschel Walker are headed to a runoff scheduled for Dec. 6. Republicans see this race as a hedge to deny Democrats a formal majority and split the Senate 50-50.
While control of the U.S. house lies with Republicans, the Senate will remain in Democratic control. This is in stark contrast to the last two years, wherein Democrats held the House and took control of the Senate, giving President Biden the legislative trifecta that helped him pass key parts of his agenda. Now that Republicans have won the House of Representatives, Washington will see divided government once again: this can serve as a way for more bipartisan legislation to be passed, which allows for more deliberation and could lead to better policy outcomes. It could also create barriers for President Biden to continue passing agenda items he sees important. In controlling the Senate, Democrats continue to hold the power with judicial appointments and, should a Supreme Court seat become vacant, President Biden’s nominee would have a higher probability of being confirmed with a united executive branch and Senate.
We expect that with split chambers, federal policy will be contentious and likely gridlocked. Only time will tell if that gridlock will be a blessing or a curse as leaders pitch solutions to nationwide inflation and recessionary concerns.
Voters determined the fate of a multitude of ballot initiatives. The Chamber identified a few statewide initiatives and a few local to the city and county of Denver. The Chamber opposed Proposition 121, Proposition 122, Denver Initiative No Eviction Without Representation and Denver Initiative Waste No More.
Colorado voters supported Proposition 121 to reduce state income tax, passing it with 65% of the vote. Proposition 122, which decriminalizes mushrooms for medicinal purposes, was also approved by voters, albeit by a much narrower margin, with 53% of voters approving the measure. Denver voters rejected the Denver Initiative No Eviction Without Representation and passed Waste No More.
While we did not have an official position on Proposition 123, voters supported the initiative to create a fund for affordable housing development. Voters chose to reject all but one alcohol-related initiatives—approving the sale of wine in grocery stores by a slim margin.
The outcome of Colorado’s ballot measures painted a more nuanced picture of voter behavior than the candidate races might suggest. The hair splittingly close passage of Proposition 122 on mushrooms and Denver’s rejection of No Eviction Without Representation indicates that even in an increasingly Democratic state, there are limits to what voters are comfortable with. Coloradans are still pragmatic even if they are no longer “purple.”
Colorado voters supported dedicating tax dollars to affordable housing via Proposition 123, while simultaneously reducing how much they were willing to pay into taxes via Proposition 121. In effect, what has been created is a tighter environment for the state’s budget. Colorado state legislators will now have to navigate the headrush of total party control and the sobering reality that they might not be able to afford their agenda. The tighter state budget combined with an uncertain economic forecast will instead force legislators to make uncomfortable decisions about their programmatic priorities in 2023. If there were ever a reason for division between moderates and progressives, budget requests would be a good one.
Finally, while we didn’t have a position on Denver Referred Question 2L, it passed with over 80% of residents in favor. This initiative will change election procedures and timelines in the City and County of Denver and has moved the city’s general election up from the first Tuesday of May to the first Tuesday in April during odd-numbered years. If you’ve been watching Denver’s mayoral race so far, you’ll have noticed it’s a crowded field. Not only is Denver’s top job up for grabs, ten out of thirteen City Council seats are contested. This new, more compressed timeline will make an already competitive election even more brutal for candidates.
Our mission is to challenge our lawmakers to enact legislation that has been thoroughly developed, debated and improved by involving a broad group of stakeholders. Policy is frequently described in either apocalyptic or utopic terms. However, we believe that real policy and meaningful solutions happen somewhere in between those two extremes. We support legislation that advances the interests of our business community and the workforce we employ throughout Colorado. When one party controls all levers of government, our role in driving deliberation, compromise and leading with the business community in mind becomes ever more salient, and we pledge to continue this mission in the 2023 legislative session and beyond.
Join the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Colorado Competitive Council on Jan. 4 for their annual Business Legislative Preview breakfast. This event gives leaders from the Colorado General Assembly an opportunity to directly address the business community, and emphasize their plans and priorities for Colorado businesses in the upcoming session.
The Chamber will also discuss its legislative priorities for the session, sharing what it believes will be the most impactful and important issues for business in the upcoming year.
Ensure your business is prepared for any hurdle this legislative session by registering for the Business Legislative Preview today!
We work to keep our members informed about impactful policy and create opportunities for them to take a stance. However, in today's political and policy climate, it is important to show lawmakers the people behind the businesses they are affecting.
In addition to policy email updates, the Chamber has a new action platform that allows the unique voices of the business community to be heard across the state.
Sign-up to join our advocacy network to help us promote investment, job creation and a competitive business climate in Colorado and the Metro Denver region.
DENVER – The Colorado business community heard from expert transportation and infrastructure panelists and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber’s 2022 State of the City address. The event, presented by United Airlines, provided a platform to discuss the current state of the transportation industry, as well as the goals and priorities for the future.
The event also celebrated United Airlines’ 85th year of service in Denver. As a “birthday” celebration, United distributed prizes to event attendees and discussed United’s commitment to Denver and sustainability during their sponsor remarks. After their new lease at the Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver is now the largest hub in their system, giving them the ability to fly about 700 flights out of Denver a day. As the largest private employer in Denver, United also plans to expand their employee base from 7,000 to 10,000 in three to five years, and has the goal to be carbon neutral, without using offsets, by 2050.
“We’re excited to celebrate 85 years here in Denver,” said United Airlines’ vice president of the Denver Hub, Matt Miller. “But today is less about the past and more about our future. We’ve invested in our people, our customers and the community of Denver to be the best hometown airline we can be.”
The panel featured a variety of transportation and infrastructure community leaders. Raymond Gonzales, EVP for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and president of the Metro Denver EDC, moderated the discussion. Gonzales was joined by Debra Johnson, general manager and CEO for the Regional Transportation District; Shoshana Lew, executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation; Mayor Jackie Millet, City of Lone Tree and former Chair of the Metro Mayors Caucus; and Michael Sheehan, senior vice president of Special Projects for DEN.
During the panel, the conversation focused on the use of federal and state dollars for infrastructure projects, crime and safety on public transit, fair pricing of transit costs, collaboration between the organizations on increasing public transportation accessibility, sustainability goals and efforts of each organization, and the EPA’s non-attainment reclassification for Metro Denver and the Northern Front Range.
The panel lasted for an hour, and at the end, all panelists were asked, “If you had a magic wand to remove one obstacle to achieve the vision you have for the Metro Denver region, what would that be?”
Johnson focused on having a robust public transportation network. Stating that we don’t currently have one, Johnson said she doesn’t look at other transportation services as being competing, but complimentary. She stressed the need to collaborate across networks and organizations to properly serve communities.
Lew stressed that many needed projects aren’t addressed until damage has been done. Lew said that many important issues are known ahead of time, but it often isn’t until irreversible damage has started that any one takes action.
Mayor Millet’s big barrier were construction defect litigation issues. She emphasized that we all want to attract and retain talent, and in order to grow her own community, she needs more affordable and workforce housing options.
Sheehan’s desire was to continue resilience and sustainable growth for the region. He stressed that DEN is 27 years old, and many of the systems and processes are outdated. DEN’s goal is to continue their growth in a sustainable way as they prepare themselves to meet the needs of their travelers.
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s president and CEO, J. J. Ament, gave closing remarks, summarizing the Chamber’s insights on the state of Metro Denver. Ament focused on limiting government restrictions on businesses for Colorado, specifically mentioning the EPA non-attainment reclassification as a burden for Coloradans.
Ament stated, “The Chamber, who helped regulate the original Air Quality Commission, knows how critical our environment is to our economic success and physical health. But we also know that burdensome and expensive regulations that don’t actually solve problems facing our businesses, residents, or even the environment, are unwise.”
Ament continued to say that the Chamber is leading a coalition against the EPA reclassification. The coalition is in pursuit of more, “pragmatic, scientific and less economically damaging approaches to continue the substantial emissions reductions we’ve seen, and maintain and improve [Colorado’s] air quality.”
There was also mention of the Inflation Reduction Act, the large reconciliation deal recently passed by Congress, with Ament emphasizing the move of Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Alabama. “If we really want to address inflation, part of that is reducing unnecessary spending, such as spending $1 billion to move something that’s part of our community,” said Ament. The move of these headquarters impacts nearly 1400 Colorado jobs and many have called for the move to be challenged.
Ament closed by emphasizing that collaboration between the private and public sector is needed for innovation and growth, and he stressed, “We will strive to strike that balance to both protect our environment and our economy. We can do both at the same time.”
To learn more about the Denver Metro Chamber’s political stances, visit https://denverchamber.org/policy/current-state-legislation/
About the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
For 155 years, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce has been a leading voice for Colorado’s business community. With a membership that spans the state, the Chamber is an effective advocate for small and large businesses. The Chamber’s family of organizations includes the Metro Denver EDC, the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center, the Colorado Competitive Council, B:CIVIC and Prosper Colorado. For more information, go to denverchamber.org.
DENVER – May 12, the Colorado business community heard from Gov. Jared Polis and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce about the outcomes of the 2022 legislative session at the Chamber’s 2022 State of the State address. The event, presented by Xcel Energy, provided a platform for Gov. Polis, the Chamber and other business leaders to discuss the talent and workforce challenges that Colorado businesses are facing. The event follows the end of the legislative session each year.
Gov. Polis and Denver Metro Chamber president and CEO, J. J. Ament, were joined by Rachel Beck, senior director of government affairs at the Chamber and executive director of the Colorado Competitive Council (C3). A panel to discuss workforce challenges and solutions was held with Michelle Marks, Chancellor at University of Colorado Denver, as the moderator. Panelists included Jake Hirsch-Allen, North America workforce development and higher ed system lead at LinkedIn, Dr. Ian Kristic, regional head and industrial/organizational psychologist at the Myers-Briggs Company, Naeem Ishaq, EVP and CFO for Checkr, Inc., and Meaghan Sullivan, executive director for CareerWise.
“We can be proud as Coloradans of the effort [the legislature] made on workforce issues,” said Gov. Polis to the audience of almost 800 business and community leaders at the Colorado Convention Center’s Four Seasons Ballroom. Gov. Polis cited that Colorado has already recovered more jobs than were lost during the pandemic, and that the state’s workforce participation rate is one of the highest in the nation.
Despite this recovery, a big focus for Gov. Polis was the talent shortage, “We need more talent. And we need to do a better job identifying talent.” He stressed that there is a need in Colorado to provide more alternative pathways for students and to help with upskilling and reskilling current workers.
Gov. Polis discussed Senate Bill 234, which will transfer $600 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars toward alleviating the $1 billion Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund debt accrued during the pandemic, as a way that Colorado businesses will save money from this legislative session. He also mentioned Senate Bill 238, which will save Colorado property owners $700 million in the 2023-24 tax years. When discussing Senate Bill 238, Gov. Polis stated, “I want to thank J. J. [Ament] and the Chamber for your support on that property tax bill.”
Rachel Beck shared the Chamber and C3’s perspectives on the outcome of the legislative session, stating that their stances support the business community and encourage policy that makes Colorado the best place to live, work and do business. Beck stated, “This session, the Chamber and C3 have shown our strength as collaborative partners by brokering compromises on critical business issues.”
Beck also warned about a lack of stakeholder input in the legislative process, saying, “Veterans of the legislative process will tell you that single party control – no matter which party it is – often results in a lack of stakeholder engagement – and it has this year.” Beck referenced Senate Bill 136, which would have gutted the use of special districts, and House Bill 1152, which would have barred employers from firing employees using marijuana on the job, as legislation that dangerously avoided stakeholder input.
J. J. Ament also commented on the Chamber’s perspective, “Look, the reality is that the business community had an effective legislative session. Unemployment insurance, property tax relief and avoiding or tempering many of the most impactful mandates and regulatory burdens some legislation included. That was the good.”
Ament continued with the difficulties the Chamber and business community faced this session, “In some cases, let’s be honest, we got what we didn’t want—when the legislature degraded the spirit of the Labor Peace Act and overruled local control regarding collective bargaining.” Ament is referencing the passing of Senate Bill 230, which gives counties the right to collectively bargain, a bill that the Chamber has been opposed to since the session began.
The panel discussion reflected much of Gov. Polis and the Chamber’s beliefs for the talent shortage, with panelists stating that providing upskilling and reskilling for workers, and alternative pathways for students to gain workplace skills are the sure ways to strengthen Colorado’s workforce and encourage homegrown talent. There was a focus on fair chance hiring, which is supported by the Chamber through its Prosper Colorado initiative, and on having businesses provide input in training programs for students.
Ament closed with a reminder for the audience, “No matter what side we’re on, please don’t take this for granted: we live and work in a place where we can access our political leaders and express our support for or opposition to any issue in freedom … We should cherish and defend our freedom and democratic capitalism—and the responsible exchange of ideas to make our communities better and stronger—where everyone has a voice.”
To learn more about the Chamber’s stances for the 2022 legislative session, visit denverchamber.org/policy/current-state-legislation
About the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
For 155 years, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce has been a leading voice for Colorado’s business community. With a membership that spans the state, the Chamber is an effective advocate for small and large businesses. The Chamber’s family of organizations includes the Metro Denver EDC, the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center, the Colorado Competitive Council, B:CIVIC, Prosper Colorado and the Denver Opportunity Youth Initiative. For more information, go to denverchamber.org.
This week in policy:
With the days dwindling down to the end of the legislative session, we are still seeing some major bills launch. One piece of legislation introduced just this week is Senate Bill 238, which could reshape the next few years of Colorado property taxes.
This bill was unveiled on Monday by Gov. Jared Polis and state lawmakers, and it was drafted to appease supporters of a ballot initiative that would cap property tax increases and result in $1.3 billion fewer dollars collected by local governments. The ballot measure is sponsored by Colorado Concern; however, the organization has suggested they may stop pursuing a constitutional approach as long as Senate Bill 238 doesn't change and passes the legislature.
Our president and CEO, J. J. Ament, spoke at the bill’s press conference earlier this week. He stressed that this bill helps further economic recovery and will be a huge relief to Coloradans.
Senate Bill 238 is part of the Polis administration's attempt to temporarily reduce the state's assessment rates, which help determine the taxable value for residential and commercial properties. This change is meant to partially offset the sharp increases in property tax bills that are coming over the next two years as a result of our high-demand housing market.
Currently, property taxes paid by Colorado owners are expected to rise by nearly $3 billion in tax years 2023 and 2024 because of higher property values. The proposal in Senate Bill 238 slows that increase, and property taxes would rise by a lower amount to save taxpayers about $700 million.
For the 2023 tax year, the bill reduces the residential assessment rate used to calculate property taxes from 7.15% to 6.765%. Additionally, the first $15,000 in taxable value of a residential property would be waived.
For commercial properties, the assessment rate in 2023 would be reduced from 29% to 27.9%. Additionally, roughly the first $30,000 in taxable value of a commercial property would be waived.
The bill amplifies and extends temporary discounts that lawmakers approved last year, and it further lowers the rates for 2023 and maintains these low rates through 2024. Residential and commercial properties will have their assessed values temporarily reduced in tax year 2023 by a set dollar amount of $10,000 for residential and $30,000 for commercial. The overall impact of the savings would differ from place to place due to property taxes being impacted by a combination of state and local factors.
The bill also includes other changes to property tax assessment formulas.
But even with the changes, property tax bills may still rise for many owners since the reduced rates may not fully offset the increase in value in next year's reassessment.
An additional downfall is the bill's plan to spend $400 million to help schools and local governments withstand the reduction in property tax revenue. Half the money will be spent by the legislature this year through the general fund. The second half will also come from the general fund, but it will count toward the $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion that is projected to be owed to Coloradans from next fiscal year because of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights cap, likely impacting TABOR refunds.
As the cost of doing business and living in Colorado continues to increase, the Chamber supports measures that will lighten the tax burden for local businesses and property owners. However, as an organization we strongly prefer a legislative approach to this important issue, because formulas added to the Colorado constitution lack flexibility and aren't able to adapt readily to change to change upon implementation. While the pulling of $200 million from future TABOR refunds warrants caution, we are optimistic about this bill and its ability to provide relief to Colorado's property owners.
Join the Chamber's Advocacy Network!
We work to keep our members informed about impactful policy and create opportunities for them to take a stance. However, in today’s political and policy climate, it is important to show lawmakers the people behind the businesses they are affecting.
In addition to policy email updates, the Chamber has a new action platform that allows the unique voices of the business community to be heard across the state.
Sign-up to join our advocacy network to help us promote investment, job creation and a competitive business climate in the Colorado and Metro Denver region.
Here are the bills we took a stance on this week.
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This week in policy:
The Chamber's Legal Advisory Committee (LAC) works throughout the session to collaborate with bill sponsors and other stakeholders on complex legislation that might need amendments or changes to make the legislation more friendly to Colorado’s business community.
Recently, our LAC team has been incredibly successful in providing feedback to legislators that transformed legislation in ways that make business compliance, partnership and growth more feasible. Though the Chamber initially opposed House Bills 1119, 1272, a previous version of 1367 and Senate Bill 176, we have now moved to a neutral position because of changes LAC advanced.
The Chamber originally opposed House Bill 1119 because, when first introduced, the bill created the potential for frivolous litigation for government contractors or businesses that make claims for payment to state and local governments. After our Legal Advisory Committee provided feedback to legislators, over a dozen amendments have been made and adopted to this bill.
Each of the concerns raised by our LAC team were addressed by either the bill sponsors or the Attorney General's office, including lowering the penalty structure and giving courts more discretion over penalties; clarifying that actual knowledge, rather than negligence, of a false claim is required; and creating safeguards against abuse by whistle blowers and their attorneys. Most importantly, LAC helped to create significant incentives for self-reporting, including lower penalties and a streamlined settlement process.
We have also seen desired change with House Bill 1272. The Chamber originally opposed House Bill 1272 the grounds that attorney's fees incentivize accountability to file meritorious claims and are a crucial tool to deter frivolous litigation from plaintiffs.
After working with our LAC team, amendments have been made to House Bill 1272 that limit its scope. Now, in lawsuits filed to make constitutional changes, a judge has discretion to dismiss attorneys' fees. Amendments have also added a good faith provision, and, most importantly, amendments preserve attorneys' fees in the event of a nuisance lawsuit, providing an important protection for businesses against frivolous litigation.
Thanks to the work and commitment of our legal group, the Chamber is now neutral on House Bills 1119 and 1272.
Our LAC team also worked vigorously to help reform the Protecting Opportunities And Workers' Rights Act (POWR), which was first introduced in 2021 as SB21-176. The Chamber opposed this bill last year over our significant concerns that the untested and subjective new legal standards established in the bill would result in a wave of increased litigation and costs for companies without a culture of harassment.
The 2021 version of the bill ultimately died in the Appropriations Committee last year. After substantial interim work between bill proponents and the business community, a compromise was crafted that would create new protections for workers with fewer changes to legal precedent: House Bill 1367. This bill expands the definition of employee to include those in domestic service; extends from six months to 300 days the time that workers have to file a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission; and repeals the prohibition against recovery of certain damages that now applies only to discrimination cases that center around the age of the worker.
Though we are grateful of the work that has been done on this issue, we are cautious of any future legislative attempts to re-write existing legal standards With that in mind, the Chamber is neutral on House Bill 1367.
Despite our efforts to meet a resolution on this issue, the POWR Act died in a late-session hearing in the House Judiciary Committee. Even though this bill did not come to fruition, the Chamber appreciates the ability of bill sponsors and our LAC team to work together in creating a bill that worked more cohesively with the business community.
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Bill Expecting Introduction Soon
The Chamber has been closely monitoring the status of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UITF) throughout this session, and it's now clear that lawmakers are planning to introduce a bill as soon as this week.
Colorado's unemployment insurance trust fund ran out of money in Aug. 2020, but unemployed workers still got paid due to Colorado getting a loan from the federal government. By April of 2021, this loan had grown to $1 billion.
Even as workers returned to work and employers paid premiums to the trust fund, the federal loan was still more than $1 billion as of April 15, 2022.
The drafted legislation would send about $600 million to the depleted unemployment insurance trust fund to lower this $1 billion federal debt that is weighing on employers across Colorado.
Employers, who bear the sole responsibility of repaying this trust fund, are paying the highest rate possible this year in unemployment insurance premiums in an attempt to replenish this fund. However, even higher payments could be faced in 2023 as a solvency surcharge and the loss of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act credit are added to the list of fees.
While some details are still being negotiated, the bill is also expected to alter certain aspects of Colorado's unemployment system. The alterations are slated to include continuing a COVID-era fund offering unemployment benefits to people living in the U.S. illegally who aren't eligible for aid under federal law, as well as making a permanent change allowing people to collect more benefits even if they secure part-time work.
The Chamber is keeping a close eye on this and we expect to see legislation on this issue soon.
Chamber's State of the State Still Accepting Registrants!
The Chamber's annual State of the State event has just expanded its location to accommodate a rush in registrations.
With this event just weeks away, members of the community have eagerly been registering to hear from keynote speaker Gov. Jared Polis and an array of panelists that will analyze the outcomes of this legislative session and address the state of Colorado's workforce.
In addition to Gov. Jared Polis’ keynote address, we will also be hearing from Jake Hirsch-Allen, North America workforce development and higher ed system lead for LinkedIn, Noel Ginsburg, founder & CEO for CareerWise, Dr. Ian Kristic, regional head and industrial/organizational psychologist at the Myers-Briggs Company, and Naeem Isaq, EVP and CFO for Checkr.
Make sure you register for State of the State on May 12 while you can!
Join the Chamber's Advocacy Network!
We work to keep our members informed about impactful policy and create opportunities for them to take a stance. However, in today’s political and policy climate, it is important to show lawmakers the people behind the businesses they are affecting.
In addition to policy email updates, the Chamber has a new action platform that allows the unique voices of the business community to be heard across the state.
Sign-up to join our advocacy network to help us promote investment, job creation and a competitive business climate in the Colorado and Metro Denver region.
Here are the bills we took a stance on this week.
Neutral
Oppose
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.
