Two big announcements!

Happy belated Veterans Day! I have veteran family members, and I'm grateful for their service and sacrifice to our country. I'm also thankful that we had another successful election this past week. Congratulations to all the winning candidates within Senate District 19. I look forward to working with the newly elected and returning members of Arvada and Westminster City Councils.

Speaking of working, it looks as if I'll be heading back into the legislative session a little sooner than anticipated. Governor Polis announced a special session of the legislature last week to address the failure of Proposition HH. During a special session, no business may be transacted other than that specially named in the proclamation. For more information, here is a link to the Governor's announcement, and I've written more about the requests below.

The second big announcement last week was a little more personal: I am a candidate for the Jefferson County Commission in the November 2024 election. The seat on the Jeffco Commission essentially came open with a recent announcement by current Commissioner Tracy Kraft-Tharp of Arvada. I appreciate her years of dedicated service and I'm pleased to have earned her endorsement, which you can view below.

After serving eight years as State Senator for District 19 representing Arvada and part of Westminster, I will finish my term at the state capitol in early May, then launch into the election campaign for the job as Jeffco Commissioner. As we get the campaign up and running, I would appreciate any support you could offer by way of a contribution. You can give online, or send me a text and I can share my address if you'd like send a contribution through the mail.

I am very excited about this new endeavor--it seems like the next best opportunity for me to apply my skills in service to the community. And, I am looking forward to returning to the legislature in the coming week. Continue reading below for some more legislative updates!

Governor calls legislature back into session: A Special Session, also known as an Extraordinary Session, can only be convened by the Governor through a proclamation that states the reason for the special session, or by a written request signed by two-thirds of the members of each house to the presiding officer of each house. As I noted above, no business may be transacted during a special session other than that specially named in the proclamation or written request. Here is a list of the eight items Governor Polis called out in his proclamation:

1. Concerning a property tax relief package to reduce Coloradans’ property tax burden in 2023;
2. Concerning the fiscal impact of the tax relief package on the interests of schools and local governments that are funded with property tax potentially utilizing reserves, TABOR surplus, and general fund;
3. Concerning necessary administrative changes attributed to the tax relief package only for 2023;
4. Concerning TABOR tax refund mechanisms only for 2023;
5. Concerning rental assistance only during the 2022-2023 fiscal year;
6. Concerning adjustments to the Earned Income Tax Credit only for the 2023 tax year, utilizing resources available from 2022-2023 fiscal year;
7. Concerning the creation of a process to review and make recommendations on long-term property tax relief; and
8. Concerning the nutrition of over 300,000 food-insecure Colorado children during the summer months by establishing departmental authority to authorize the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program in Colorado beginning in summer 2024.

The General Assembly will convene on Friday, November 17, for at least a three-day period--the minimum number of days it takes to pass a bill. You can follow the action via our website by clicking HERE.

Opportunity to feed hungry children: The last item included in the Governor's special session proclamation is a program known as Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT). This is a new federal program that will provide an estimated $35 million to help families purchase groceries and support the nutrition of more than 300,000 low-income Colorado children when school is out for summer—a time when child hunger typically spikes.

Here is how the program works: Summer EBT benefits can be used to purchase food from authorized SNAP retailers. Children must be eligible for the national free or reduced-price school meals program to access Summer EBT. This includes children who are certified for free or reduced-price school meals and children who can be directly certified due to participation in a means-tested program like SNAP. Families will receive $40/month per eligible child on an EBT card for the summer benefit in 2024.

To participate in this federal program, states must notify the U.S. Department of Agriculture by January 1 and submit their management and administrative plan by February 15. To meet these fast-approaching federal deadlines, the Governor included the program in his call for a special session. I am pleased to be one of the bill's sponsors, and I'm looking forward to getting this program to reduce childhood hunger off the ground as soon as possible.

Governor's budget proposal submitted to JBC: On November 1, as required by the Colorado Constitution, Governor Polis submitted his proposed 2024-25 budget to the Joint Budget Committee. This will be the starting point for the 2024-25 budget discussions. Formulation of the Governor's budget proposal began in late summer and early fall, whereby the executive branch departments submit budget proposals to the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting (OSPB). Mark Ferrandino, the new OSPB director, and his staff, reviewed the budget proposals and forged a budget propposal based on the Governor's priorities.

This is just the beginning of the conversation, however, as the responsiblity for crafting a balanced budget resides with the state legislature. The Joint Budget Committee will convene on Thursday, November 16 to begin our budget deliberations, starting with a series of budget briefings. These briefings consist of written and oral presentations by the JBC staff on the departments' budget requests and related information. The briefings are aimed at stimulating discussion among the JBC members. Following the briefings, the JBC will then discuss the budget requests with the departments in a series of hearings. All briefings and hearings are open to the public and are recorded. To learn more, click HERE.

Jeffco Transcript: State Senator Zenzinger announces bid for Jefferson County Commission

Colorado Politics: State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger will run for Jefferson County commission

National Public Radio: The unlikely connection between universal pre-K and nicotine taxes in Colorado

BizWest: Economic developers recognized at annual conference

Colorado Public Radio: Colorado to fully fund public schools for first time in 14 years

November 9, 2023 Zenzinger announces candidacy for Jeffco Commission

November 1, 2023 Polis-Primavera Administration Eliminates Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities Two Years Ahead of Schedule

Reminder: No Legislative Town Hall in November



Just a quick reminder that we will resume our Legislative Town Hall events in January 2024. We will NOT meet for the months of November or December. Our first town hall of the new session will be on Saturday, January 20, 2024. We will provide the community with a legislative preview. For more information, click HERE.

Commissioner Tracy Kraft-Tharp endorses Zenzinger

“Rachel shares many of the values that I have tried to apply in my work on the Commission. I’m sure she will carry the torch on behalf of important causes such as housing, transportation and business, and she has my endorsement to succeed me in this seat on the Commission.”

—Tracy Kraft-Tharp, Jeffco Commissioner

Endorsements of Rachel Zenzinger's campaign for Jeffco Commissioner are pouring in! To view the latest, click HERE. If you'd like to join the list of supporters, please send an email to: rachelforcolorado@gmail.com.