About this Weekly Policy Brief

This brief is your source for the latest updates on legislation and policies impacting the Rocky Mountain Partnership's priorities. It's not just about staying informed – we want to equip you to understand and engage with the legislative landscape. 

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Three Civic Influencers from RMP recently gave testimony in favor of SB24-164: Institution of Higher Education Transparency Requirements. This proposed legislation aims to assist students in higher education by making the costs of their education more transparent and simplifying the process of transferring credits between institutions.

RMP's Civic Influencers are individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who receive training, mentoring, and compensation to work alongside decision-makers and practitioners in addressing issues that directly affect them. Many of these Civic Influencers have firsthand experience with the challenges of transferring credits between educational institutions, providing them with valuable insights to share with lawmakers.

Read more HERE.

It's budget time at the state Capitol, with lawmakers proposing a $40.6 billion plan for 2024-25.

Read more HERE.

Additional bills RMP is watching was signed into law:

• SB24-006: Pretrial Diversion Programs
• SB24-119: Term Abandonment for Federal Classification Juvenile

Learn more about policies at the statehouse!

See RMP's latest policy overviews, as well as fact sheets shared by partners HERE.

New Bills We Are Keeping an Eye On

• SB24-191: Host Homes for Youth
• HB24-1384: Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
• HB24-1392: Cap Schools in Early High School Graduation Pilot
• HB24-1393: Accelerating Concurrent Enrollment Program Modifications
• HB24-1394: Mill Levy Equalization
• HB24-1403: Higher Education Support Homeless Youth
• HB24-1404: Financial Aid Appropriation Alignment
• HB24-1406: School-Based Mental Health Support Program

• HB24-1409: Employment-Related Funding & Workforce Enterprise
• HB24-1420: Transfer to Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund
• HB24-1430: 2024-25 Long Appropriations Bill a.k.a. the Budget
• HB24-1431: Stable Housing for Survivors of Abuse Program
• HB24-1434: Expand Affordable Housing Tax Credit
• HB24-1437: Prohibit Flat Fees for Defending Indigent Clients
• HB24-1439: Financial Incentives Expand Apprenticeship Programs

Bills Being Heard in Committee This Week

Tuesday April 9th

House Health & Human Services

Time: Upon Adjournment

• SB24-010: Dentist & Dental Hygienist Compact
• SB24-125: Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children
• HB24-1431: Stable Housing for Survivors of Abuse Program

Senate Local Government & Housing

Time: 2:00 PM

• HB24-1318: Modify Rental Premises Person with Disability
• HB24-1057: Prohibit Algorithmic Devices Used for Rent Setting
• SB24-174: Sustainable Affordable Housing Assistance

Wednesday April 10th

House Transportation, Housing & Local Government

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1239: Single-Exit Stairway Multifamily Structure

Senate Judiciary

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1107: Judicial Review of Local Land Use Decision

House Judiciary

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1437: Prohibit Flat Fees for Defending Indigent Clients

Senate Education

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1305: Changes for Concurrent Enrollment Students

Thursday April 11th

House Finance

Time: Upon Adjournment

• HB24-1286: Equal Justice Fund Authority
• HB24-1434: Expand Affordable Housing Tax Credit

House Education

Time: 1:30 PM

• HB24-1363: Charter Schools Accountability

Out of Committee and Headed to the Floor

• SB24-094: Safe Housing for Residential Tenants (headed to the House floor)
• SB24-106: Right to Remedy Construction Defects
• SB24-115: Mental Health Professionals Practice Requirements (headed to the House floor)
• SB24-164: Institution of Higher Education Transparency Requirements
• SB24-188: Public School Finance
• HB24-1259: Price Gouging in Rent Declared Disaster (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1392: Cap Schools in Early High School Graduation Pilot (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1393: Accelerating Concurrent Enrollment Program Modifications (headed to the Senate floor)

• HB24-1394: Mill Levy Equalization (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1403: Higher Education Support Homeless Youth (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1404: Financial Aid Appropriation Alignment (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1406: School-Based Mental Health Support Program (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1409: Employment-Related Funding & Workforce Enterprise (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1420: Transfer to Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund (headed to the Senate floor)
• HB24-1430: 2024-25 Long Appropriations Bill a.k.a. the Budget (headed to the Senate floor)

Bills That Have Successfully Passed in One Chamber

• HB24-1176: Behavioral Health Grant for Capital Project
• HB24-1305: Changes for Concurrent Enrollment Students
• HB24-1324: Attorney General Restrictive Employment Agreements

Bills That Have Successfully Passed in Both Chambers

• SB24-017: Distribution of State Share of District Total Program (sent to Governor Polis)
• SB24-155: Payment of Family & Medical Leave Benefits
• HB24-1003: Opiate Antagonists and Detection Products in Schools
• HB24-1037: Substance Use Disorders Harm Reduction
• HB24-1072: Protection of Victims of Sexual Offenses
• HB24-1087: Professional Endorsement Special Education Teaching
• HB24-1096: School Psychologist Licensure Interstate Compact
• HB24-1098: Cause Required for Eviction of Residential Tenant
• HB24-1122: Protection Orders for Victims of Crimes

LEARN

Take a deep dive into the bills that are most meaningful and impactful to you. Click the button below to view RMP's State Bill Tracker.

WRITE

Write a letter sharing your thoughts about the bills most meaningful and impactful to you Click the button below to download our letter template.

SHARE

Talk directly to legislators about the bills most meaningful and impactful to you by testifying at the statehouse. Click the button below to learn more.

Advancing workforce-development bills aim to give learners in-demand skills

Colorado legislators this month advanced two significant pieces of workforce-development legislation — one bill to create regional talent-development plans and grow an existing grant program, and another to create a system to track student success more closely.

Both House Bill 1364 and HB 1365 are key parts of a package announced two weeks ago by Gov. Jared Polis to get students and upskilling workers equipped with skills that employers need, particularly in evolving or highly in-demand sectors. They also address the two top recommendations offered last fall in a report from the Education to Employment Alliance, a coalition of five business-focused groups seeking to boost talent pipelines in sectors that too often deal with shortages of career-ready workers.

$1.2 trillion spending bill signed into law, averting government shutdown

President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion spending bill into law Saturday, averting a brief partial government shutdown and officially keeping federal agencies funded until October, hours after the Senate approved it overnight.

Get a curated selection of 10 of our best stories in your inbox every weekend.

The bill, which senators passed early Saturday by a 74-24 vote, funds about three-quarters of the federal government for the next six months, while also raising military pay, eliminating U.S. funding for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees and bolstering security at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Questions? Reach out to Ashley Edinger, RMP's Senior Director of Institute & Strategic Supports at AshleyEdinger@RMPBackbone.org.

Rocky Mountain Partnership (RMP) is a group of leaders and community members who are WORKING TOGETHER to ensure that every young person across our region has the opportunity to embark on a successful journey toward economic and social advancement. 

Guided by a globally recognized framework and data, we strive to create impactful, large-scale solutions. We break down silos within existing efforts, optimize regional resources, and advance impactful policies and strategies.