CUT Supported Bills
HB1219 – Requirements for Better Understanding Metropolitan Districts
The Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) supports this bill. This bill requires that Metropolitan Districts provide additional notice of annual meetings, how to run for officer positions and contact information for the district. It also specifies information that should be made available on the district’s website. This bill provides important information access and transparency for current ratepayers and future property purchasers. CUT has some concern that enforcement and compliance is not specified.
Sponsors: Carlos Barron (R), Jacqueline Phillips (D), Kyle Mullica (D), Shannon Bird (D), Monica Duran (D), Eliza Hamrick (D), William Lindstedt (D), Lesley Smith (D), Brianna Titone (D), Jenny Willford (D)
Bill Status: In Committee
HB1242 – Government Transparency Laws
The Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) supports this bill. This bill makes several changes to the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) and to open meetings laws, including making the first five hours of CORA search time free and reducing additional charges to $25 per hour. This bill makes government information more accessible and affordable. It increases government transparency to the citizens. Definitely a move in the right direction!
Sponsors: Lori Garcia Sander (R), Byron Pelton (R)
Bill Status: Dead
CUT Opposed Bills
HB1272 – Construction Defects & Middle Market Housing
The Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) opposes this bill. To be certain, existing construction defect laws are impeding new construction, and as a result, housing affordability. But this bill creates as many problems as it solves. More mandated inspections increase costs, and the carrier of the liability burden is unclear. Is it the architect? The engineers? The constructor? And mandating by legislative fiat the number of plaintiffs required for class action is unacceptable micro-management.
Sponsors: Shannon Bird (D)”, Andrew Boesenecker (D)”, James Coleman (D)”, Dylan Roberts (D) , Ryan Armagost (R)”, Brandi Bradley (R)”, Jarvis Caldwell (R)”, Sean Camacho (D)”, Chad Clifford (D)”, Cecelia Espenoza (D)”, Lindsay Gilchrist (D)”, Ryan Gonzalez (R)*, Tony Hartsook (R)”, Rebecca Keltie (R)”, William Lindstedt (D)”, Jacqueline Phillips (D) , Rose Pugliese (R)”, Gretchen Rydin (D)”, Matt Soper (R) , Rebekah Stewart (D)”, Rick Taggart (R)”, Ron Weinberg (R)*, Ty Winter (R)”, Dan Woog (R)*, Lisa Frizell (R)*, Paul Lundeen (R)*, Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D)*, Kyle Mullica (D)”, Byron Pelton (R)”, Marc Snyder (D)”
Bill Status: In Committee
HB1297 – Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise Update
The Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) opposes this bill. We will start with the Safety Clause. No public safety is involved. None. Then there is the Gifts, Grants, Donations Clause, which can become a hoarding spot for cash to be used later by interested parties on matters only barely related to the topic. Now, down to brass tacks: This bill increases ‘fees’ on private insurance carriers, which are then added on to the premiums of rate payers. The newly collected money is used to buy-down the cost of insurance for others. We have long suspected our General Assembly of harboring desire and intent to run private insurance completely out of Colorado and leave us with the State Government as the only insurance available. Government run healthcare is sub-optimal. Govemment run healthcare increases costs, reduces quality, and limits accessibility. SC
Sponsors: Kyle Brown (D)”, Lindsay Gilchrist (D)”, Iman Jodeh (D)”
Bill Status: In Committee
SB181 – Sunset Just Transition Advisory Committee
CUT members unanimously oppose this bill. The bill continues the Just Transition Advisory Committee in the Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) indefinitely. It is currently set to sunset on September 1, 2025. The purpose of this committee is “to alleviate the effects of the coal-related facilities closures on local communities.” CDLE operates a website on the program. Neither it nor the bill summary seem to be able to point to more than one example of a person finding new employment from the program. But this committee has managed to push out a lot of taxpayer money. The unstated purpose of the committee was to support forcing Colorado into 100% intermittent energy sources by 2040. This committee is ultimately just a salve for the consciences of those throwing hundreds of employees out of work. Sunset this useless committee.
Sponsors: Dylan Roberts (D)”, Faith Winter (D)”, Sheila Lieder (D)*, Meghan Lukens (D)”, Marc Catlin (R) , Nick Hinrichsen (D)*
Bill Status: In Committee
