The 2023 Colorado legislative session began in early-January. Several Councils have already signed on to support legislative bills aimed at helping young children, families, and communities thrive. Check back throughout the legislative session to learn more about bills supported by VFS Prep and Councils.
- SB23-189 Is Access to Reproductive and Preventive Health Services: which, among other things, reduces surprise billing – this is only one of the important impacts of this bill.
- SB23-214 Family Planning Funding in the Long Bill: Increases funding for the Family Planning Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment to serve more people at clinics across the state.
- Two bills that directly impact our work are:
- HB23-1091 The Child Care Contribution Tax Credit Renewal: was renewed for another 3 years. Child Care providers rely on the donations incentivized by CCTC (an estimated $60 mil yearly, statewide) to fund their programs, increase quality wages, improve access to care for families, expand capacity & provide professional training & career pathway support for staff.
- HB23-1290 This bill is so that we are able Retain Revenue for Universal Preschool: Refers a question to the November 2023 voters about whether to retain excess revenue raised from Prop EE, a ballot measure Coloradans passed overwhelmingly in 2020. Prop EE raised taxes on tobacco and nicotine products to fund a free, voluntary UP Program. Retaining the additional rev. will allow CO to provide Universal preschool services and extend additional preschool programming to more children, especially those with qualifying factors who need it most.