We are back this week with round two of Healthier Colorado’s media digest. With April now upon us and the state budget officially under consideration in the House, it is crunch time at the legislature.
Read on for more about: the progress we’ve made towards protecting Colorado youth and users of all ages from the danger of unregulated AI chatbots; funding for critical childcare support for Colorado families; the new Healthier Colorado Advisory Committee; and what’s on our radar for the weeks ahead.
🏛️ At the Capitol: Legislative Updates
Here’s where things stand on the bills and issues we’re tracking this session.
SENATE COMMITTEE HEARING HAPPENING TOMORROW! HB26-1263: Protecting AI Chatbot Users from Harm Sponsored by Sen. Jodeh, Sen. Carson, Rep. Camacho, and Rep. Mabrey
HB26-1263 has been assigned to the Senate’s Business, Labor and Technology Committee and will be heard on Tuesday afternoon.
Bill supporters including technology experts and youth advocates will attend to offer their testimony to the committee. Healthier Colorado’s policy experts, who have played a key role in shaping and advancing the legislation, will also testify in person and will be available for further discussion and to answer questions.
ICYMI, floor debate in the house was productive – a number of amendments were introduced making updates to language, and continuing to reflect the extensive and ongoing stakeholding process.
As AI technology continues to advance rapidly, protecting Colorado users can’t wait. This bill is a critical first step and will now move to the Senate with bipartisan sponsors Carson and Jodeh.
NEW BILL INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE, PASSED FINANCE COMMITTEE! SB26-180: Investment Performance Authority Sponsored by Sen. Bright, Sen. Marchman, Rep. Garcia, and Rep. Taggart.
In Colorado, child care is both unaffordable and unavailable. Colorado is one of the most expensive states in the nation for child care, and the state does not have enough licensed child care seats to meet the needs of working parents.
This bill would use investment returns to serve Colorado’s highest-need families. The legislation creates a new mechanism for generating revenue to subsidize the cost of child care through eligible entities, such as enterprises. Those entities would opt into the program, allowing a portion of the interest generated through their investments to be used to support families in affording child care.
Healthier Colorado’s Senior Policy Manager, Christina Walker, shared, “No family should have to choose between going to work or school and finding safe, quality care for their child. But that’s exactly the impossible situation thousands of Colorado families are facing right now. This bill won’t solve the child care crisis overnight, but it will reduce the harm of these freezes for the families who need help the most. And at a moment when Colorado’s budget is under serious strain, it does so without tapping the general fund, making this a lifeline that doesn’t come at the expense of other critical priorities.”
This bill will be heard in the Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, May 5th.
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, READY FOR THE GOVERNOR! HB26-1260: Updates to Child Care Assistance Programs Sponsored by Rep. Garcia, Rep. Willford, Sen. Cutter, and Sen. Bright
In an overwhelming demonstration of support for affordable childcare in Colorado, HB26-1260 was passed on the Senate’s consent calendar on April 30th.
Read the UPDATED fact sheet to learn more.
PASSED THE SENATE, VOTE IN HOUSE FINANCE THIS AFTERNOON! SB26-131: Sports Betting Protections Sponsored by Sen. Ball, Sen. Pelton, Rep. Woodrow, and Rep. Woog
Following its passage out of the Senate, SB26-131 was introduced in the House and is waiting to be heard in the Finance Committee on Monday afternoon.
ICYMI: At nearly the exact same time that the bill passed out of the Senate, supporters and experts were gathered just a few blocks away at Hudson Hill for a panel discussion, hosted by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, which featured former NBA player and financial advocate Lawrence Funderburke, Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D., of the American Institute for Boys and Men, and gambling recovery advocate Rob Minnick of ODAAT Gambling Awareness for a data-driven panel on the public health impact of online sports betting. Speakers detailed an industry that has exploded since 2019.
SB26-131 honors voters’ choice by allowing the legal sports betting market to continue while strengthening consumer protections and public health safeguards
📅 Coming Up: Key Dates to Watch
Here’s what’s on our radar in the weeks ahead.
Monday, May 4th SB26-131: Sports Betting Protections is scheduled for a committee hearing in House Finance.
Tuesday, May 5th HB26-1263: Protecting AI Chatbot Users From Harm will be heard in the Senate Business Affairs and Technology Committee at 2:00pm.
Tuesday, May 5th SB26-180: Investment Performance Authority will be heard in Senate Appropriations.
Anticipated Wednesday, May 6th or Thursday, May 7th HB26-1263 and SB26-180 on the Senate Floor.
Thursday, May 28 Mind Our Future Colorado hosts a gubernatorial candidate forum on child and youth mental health, streamed live on CBS Colorado.