jared polis
Secretary Haaland meets with Colorado delegation in Grand Junction
During her first official visit to Grand Junction, the nation’s first Native American secretary of the interior, Deb Haaland, wouldn’t say whether the Bureau of Land Management headquarters will remain in the city or return to Washington, D.C. “It’s an open question, but needs to be known soon,” she said. Haaland was joined on Friday […]
Sen. Bennet, Colorado Democrats celebrate rollout of expanded child tax credit
The federal government on Thursday began sending out the first monthly payments to American families under the newly expanded child tax credit program, and the rollout is being celebrated by Colorado Democrats, including Sen. Michael Bennet, who helped lead a push by members of Congress to include the measure in a COVID-19 stimulus package passed […]
$30M in federal COVID relief to support Colorado seniors, domestic violence survivors
Two new Colorado laws will put $30 million from the latest coronavirus relief package passed by Congress toward support for Colorado seniors and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The state of Colorado received a total of $3.9 billion from the March COVID relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. […]
New Colorado law tackles insulin prices
People with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes need prescription insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels. Without access to the medication, diabetes can prove fatal. But rising costs of insulin make the life-saving medication difficult or impossible to obtain for many people, even those with public or private health insurance. Colorado lawmakers, who’ve worked […]
In milestone, Polis ends health emergency executive orders, issues new one
Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday, citing the success of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, announced that he had ended health emergency executive orders related to COVID-19. Polis first declared a disaster emergency, a power granted to the governor by the Colorado Disaster Emergency Act, on March 10, 2020, and he has since issued […]
Ban on single-use plastics, polystyrene signed into law in Colorado
Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday signed into law a bill to phase out the use of plastic bags and polystyrene products at major retailers and restaurant chains across Colorado. Polis put his signature on House Bill 21-1162, dubbed the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, in a brief ceremony at the governor’s residence, joined by bill sponsors […]
Gov. Polis signs climate bill, issues order affirming cap-and-trade opposition
Without fanfare on Friday, Gov. Jared Polis announced that he had signed into law a major climate-change bill championed by top Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups — but also signaled, yet again, his disagreement with many of those groups on how best to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. The governor’s office said in a […]
Polis signs substance use prevention bill but warns against future health insurance mandates
With a bipartisan bill that Gov. Jared Polis signed into law Monday, state legislators forced state-regulated insurance plans to provide optional alternatives to prescription opioids. The law is aimed at preventing addiction and overdose. Polis, however, expressed concern that the legislation — along with recent and future laws that mandate coverage for specific health care […]
Gov. Polis to serve as vice chair of Western Governors’ Association
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will serve as vice chair of the Western Governors’ Association, the bipartisan group of chief executives from 19 states across the West, he announced at the association’s annual meeting on Wednesday. “I’m excited and humbled to serve as the Western Governors’ Association’s vice chair next year,” Polis said. “We’re looking forward […]
Gov. Polis notes funding concerns with bill banning American Indian mascots
Starting June 1, 2022, Colorado public schools must stop using American Indian mascots or face steep fines, under a bill Gov. Jared Polis signed into law Monday. But Polis, a Democrat, wrote an accompanying letter to state lawmakers that cited concerns about the bill. “I am proud of Colorado for this landmark legislation, and am […]
Polis signs bill giving agricultural workers new protections
Advocates for Colorado’s agricultural workers rejoiced Friday as Gov. Jared Polis signed sweeping legislation that grants those workers new rights. Senate Bill 21-87 extends many of the same worker protections that already exist for other industries to agriculture. “SB87 will only strengthen our local food system and local immigrant communities,” Nayda Benitez, an organizer with […]
Here’s what you should know about gun laws in Colorado
In data point after data point, gun violence is historically high in Colorado. In 2020, a near-record number of people killed themselves with a gun, more people were murdered with a gun than any prior year on record, and amid protests against police violence and racial injustice, Colorado climbed to fifth in the nation for […]