Colorado House Democrats

Key Accomplishments from the 2009 Legislative Session

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Colorado By the Numbers

• 100,000 – Coloradans who will have access to the affordable health care they need thanks to the Colorado Health Care Affordability Act.

HB 1293 — Rep. Jim Riesberg (D-Greeley), Sen. Moe Keller (D-Wheat Ridge), Sen. Betty Boyd (D-Lakewood)

• 8,000 – Jobs to be created by the investment to rebuild Colorado’s broken bridges and crumbling roads with the FASTER jobs bill.

SB 108 — Sen. Dan Gibbs (D-Summit County), Rep. Joe Rice (D-Littleton)

• $0 – Colorado’s budget deficit!

Speaker Carroll to Host Town Hall for Rep. Rice

While Rice is in Iraq with Army Reserve, Carroll Holds In Absentia Meeting 7/11

For a few months while he is in Iraq as a Colonel with the Army Reserve, State Representative Joe Rice (D-Arapahoe County) won’t be able to talk to his constituents face-to-face, but he is still keeping in touch.

He has sent home to family and friends his photos and his personal on-the-ground insights of his experiences in Iraq.   While off duty, he even somehow manages to return emails, texts and phone calls from his base in Baghdad. And since he’s not able to attend his standard monthly town hall meetings, he asked the Speaker of the Colorado House to be there in his stead.  Speaker Terrance Carroll will share legislative updates with Rep. Rice’s constituents and will pass their questions and concerns back to him overseas.

Before he left for Iraq, Rep. Rice said, “I think it is important to be in touch with the people in House District 38. At our town halls, the people in my district always come with thoughtful questions and comments, and I always leave with new ideas about how to move Colorado forward. Some of my best legislative ideas have come from ideas brought to me by constituents.”

WHAT:          An In Absentia Town Hall for Rep. Joe Rice

WHO:           Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll

WHEN:        10:00 AM on Saturday, July 11, 2009
WHERE:        Bemis Public Library    www.littletongov.org/Bemis
                   6014 S. Datura Street, downtown Littleton, 80120

The event is free and open to the public.  Coffee and snacks are available in the library.

--Posted by Staff

Too Many Deaths Lead to Overdue Carbon Monoxide Detector Law

DENVER – It took years of work by Representative John Soper (D-Adams County) to build a coalition with  fire and health officials,  with citizens whose lives have been affected by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and with Rep. Lois Court and Senator Chris Romer whose constituents were killed by such poisoning in recent months. 

But today, all that work is worth it, although nothing eases the pain of the deaths of the Lofgren family, Lauren Johnson, and the hundreds more killed by CO poisoning in Colorado each year.  As of today, all new homes and apartments are required to have CO detectors.   

Rep. Soper said, “I am proud to see this bill finally become law. We have lost far too many Colorado lives. As an electrician, I know that the installation of carbon monoxide detectors is a reasonable addition to new homes that will prevent senseless deaths and injuries.” 

Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass) was a co-sponsor on HB 1091.  “It’s with deep regret that the Lofgren family lost their lives in my community and I hope that as a result of the passage of this bill, we will prevent tragedies like this in the future. It’s a very simple concept that will save lives.  By requiring carbon monoxide alarms in residential properties we will keep people safe and impact everyone’s lives in Colorado.  We cannot allow another unnecessary death from carbon monoxide.” 

Rep. Lois Court (D-Denver) said, “I applaud the Johnson’s and the Lofgren’s many family and friends for their activism and commitment to passage of this law.  They raised the awareness of this danger and have helped many others avoid the tragedy they’ve experienced.” 

A CO alarm costs $15-$30; consumers should place one on each floor of existing homes.  For more information on CO poisoning visit www.knowaboutco.com 

Click here for posts featuring Representative Court

Click here for posts featuring Representative Soper

--Posted by Staff

Speaker Announces Citizen Appointments to the Long-term Fiscal Stability Commission

Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll has appointed three community leaders to the Long Term Fiscal Stability Commission, an interim committee.  Saying that "They bring a deep understanding of the issues from a variety of perspectives" to the Commission, Speaker Carroll appointed The Honorable Carol Boigon, Mr. Cris White, and Dr. Kirvin Knox to the Long-term Fiscal Stability Commission.   

Carol Boigon, Denver City Council At-large member. Past executive director of the Mayor’s Office for Education and Children. 

From her City Council website: 
  
"A few of my recent accomplishments of which I’m most proud include: 

•         Led the effort to add more police officers using current city resources
  • Worked to increase transparency of City budget and accounting
  • Key player in the redevelopment of the Lowenstein Theater/Tattered Cover Bookstore
  • Helped revise zoning to support small businesses
  • Denver leader in supporting changes to TABOR to free up funds for education"
  
  Cris A. White, Chief Operating Officer of Colorado Housing and Finance Authority.  Cris has been with the CHFA for 20 years serving in various capacities including loan origination, credit administration, and asset management.  In January 1996, Cris left CHFA for a position with GE Capital where he assisted with the startup of that company’s Small Business Finance office in Denver.  Cris returned to CHFA in 1997. Cris serves on the Executive Committee of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, Mayor Hickenlooper’s Denver Housing Plan Task Force and served on the housing committee of the Downtown Denver Partnership.   
  
  Dr. Kirvin Knox.  In 1964, Kirvin began his career in animal science as a professor at Colorado State University and later became the director of the CSU metabolic laboratory. In 1972 he moved to the University of Connecticut (UConn) as professor and head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences. Later he served as a dean. After 20 years he retired from UConn and returned to CSU as vice provost for Agriculture and University Outreach and dean, College of Agricultural Sciences. He has more than 50 published scientific papers and has held leadership positions in international organizations, distance education organizations and also consulted in Italy (FAO), India (USAID), Switzerland (WHO), and Pakistan (USAID). He has received many awards, citations and recognitions and recently was elected to the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame and named the Educator of the Century by the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.  

Click here for posts featuring Speaker Carroll

--Posted by Staff 

House to Return $900,000 to State from General Assembly Budget

DENVER -- Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll announced that the Colorado House of Representatives – including the Majority Democrats, the Minority Republicans, and the administrative divisions – will return approximately $900,000 from its operating budget to the State’s General Fund for this fiscal year which ends today.

“House staff and leaders have consistently been wise stewards of the budget,” said Speaker Carroll.  “We take seriously the idea that the taxpayers are our bosses, the money we spend is theirs, and we are accountable to them.”

--Posted by Staff