The 9th Edition of Healthier Colorado’s Scorecard Recognizes Legislators From Both Parties Who Prioritized Policies to Improve Coloradans’ Health and Well-Being

DENVER, CO – Today, Healthier Colorado released its 2026 Legislative Scorecard recognizing the Democratic and Republican state legislators who prioritized the health of Coloradans in this year’s legislative session. Healthier Colorado scored legislators based on their sponsorship of and votes on the organization’s pro-health policy priorities across four categories: Care Access, Bridging the Gap, Healthy Communities, and Early Childhood.

This year’s legislative winners are:

• Care Access: Senator Cathy Kipp (D-Fort Collins), Senator Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton), Senator Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa), Representative Kyle Brown (D-Louisville), and Representative Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction)

• Bridging the Gap: Senator Iman Jodeh (D-Aurora), Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Weld County), Senator Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa), Representative Kyle Brown (D-Louisville), and Representative Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction)

• Healthy Communities: Senator Matt Ball (D-Denver), Senator John Carson (R-Highlands Ranch), Senator Byron Pelton (R-Sterling), Representative Sean Camacho (D-Denver), Representative Javier Mabrey (D-Denver), and Representative Dan Woog (R-Erie)

• Early Childhood: Senator Lisa Cutter (D-Jefferson County), Senator Scott Bright (R-Platteville), Representative Lorena Garcia (D-Unincorporated Adams County), and Representative Rick Taggart (R-Grand Junction)

For the 2026 session, Healthier Colorado scored bills protecting users of AI chatbots, creating common-sense guardrails for online sports betting, promoting access to immunizations, strengthening Colorado’s health care workforce, protecting access to child care assistance, and more.

“Despite an incredibly difficult fiscal environment, this session offered proof that progress is still possible,” said Joshua Ewing, Executive Director of Healthier Colorado. “The progress made this year – and reflected in our scorecard – is a testament to the importance of electing and re-electing champions from all backgrounds, perspectives, and regions that prioritize the health and well-being of Coloradans. Since 2018, Healthier Colorado’s scorecard has served as an important public record helping voters who care about improving the health of individuals, families, and communities award their elected officials’ service or hold them accountable.”

Healthier Colorado uses its Legislative Scorecard to provide transparency to the public on how their elected officials voted on issues that are key to improving the health and well-being of people across the state. The scorecard is also used to guide Healthier Colorado’s political giving program, which invests in ensuring pro-health candidates from both sides of the aisle are elected and re-elected.

The scorecard recognizes the top three Democratic and Republican lawmakers from both the House and Senate in each category. Additionally, Healthier Colorado’s Legislative Leadership Circle recognizes legislators who voted on the side of health for every bill Healthier Colorado scored. This year, 43 legislators earned their place in the Legislative Leadership Circle.