The second session of the 70th General Assembly came to a close May 11. With a divided legislature, every bill that passed did so with bipartisan support. Each and every day of the session, I worked hard to support legislation that best serves House District 24 and all of Colorado.
I am proud to say that I passed several bills this session that will increase conservation awareness, level the playing field for veterans entering the workforce and support senior citizens across Colorado.
After two years of work, my bill to legalize rain barrels (HB16-1005) passed and was signed into law. This commonsense bill now allows Coloradans to install barrels to catch rainwater that falls on their property, letting homeowners conserve a little water for their tomato plants or flowers.
I also passed a bill that will help veterans transition into the civilian workforce. This bill (SB16-134) ensures that the skills and education a vet gains while in service are considered as qualifications when receiving a license from the state. This breaks down bureaucratic barriers standing between a vet and economic security for their family.
Continuing my fight against elder abuse, I passed HB16-1027, which will allow videotaped depositions to be used in court. Criminals who prey on older Coloradans deserve to be brought to justice, and this bill helps preserve the evidence to lead to successful convictions.
Sadly, Senate Republicans killed several important bills. My Equal Pay in State Contracts Act (HB16-1001) would have required businesses that receive state contracts pay women and men equally for the same work. Senate Republicans also killed my bill that would have protected employees from retaliation if they discuss their wages with each other.
And although my Wage Theft Transparency Act passed the House with strong bipartisan support, it was defeated by Senate Republicans. Their "no" vote provides protection for dishonest employers who are caught cheating employees out of their pay.
So we had wins and losses, but I was brought up to know that many things worth fighting for don't come easily. That's why I am more determined than ever to keep fighting to protect Colorado working families, who deserve a fair shot at economic security when powerful interests stack the deck against them. That's how we rebuild a strong Colorado middle class and a better Colorado.
It is an honor to be represent you at the Capitol. Please contact me with any comments, concerns or questions at jessie.danielson.house@state.co.us or 303-866-5522. For more information on Town Hall Meetings or my monthly happy hours, visit jessiedanielson.com.
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.comhttp://goldentranscript.net/stories/Danielson-Vets-seniors-and-homeowners-helped-this-session,213978?branding=15
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