Monday - Sunday, these are the days of my life.

Monday - In the midst of a heavy legislative calendar, the ASSET bill was signed into law by the Governor! What a thrill to be at Metro State University with over 500 people gathered to celebrate. I was honored to be able to speak, briefly. I will always be very proud of the work that happened inside and outside the Capitol to pass this legislation.

Governor Hickenlooper signing the ASSET bill!   Yes we can!

Tuesday - I presented the Elections Modernization Act on "seconds" on the Senate floor. We started at 5:00pm and went until 1am the following morning! Sheesh, it was quite an evening. I was excited and nervous at each step of the process to pass this bill and getting it passed on seconds in the Senate was a huge leap. After a few more steps this week, the bill is in its way to be signed by the Governor.

Jessie, Sean, and Carolyn - part of the team that made the Elections bill possible!

Wednesday - I had to present four different bills in three different committees AND chair a committee. I was running from committee room to committee room all afternoon. I'm not sure how I survived it but, I did - barely. That night, I attended the New Era Spring Dinner and received their Hands on Democracy award - a fun evening after a stressful day.

I love this picture!

Thursday - Lots of work continued in the Senate but, I was able to briefly attend an 8:00am gathering with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and 100 middle school students from throughout the state. She was amazing and the students were sharp and articulate. There were 3 outstanding girls representing Pueblo and I am so glad I got the chance to meet them.

Pueblo was WELL-represented with these girls!

Friday - We worked late into the night, again. And it was a roller coaster day for my Ft. Lyon bill. It was killed early in the day but, it lives on as part of a bill I'm running on behalf of correctional officers. I'll keep fighting.

I take this bill with me everywhere I go!

Saturday - The Saturday morning session that was originally scheduled to help us catch up on work was cancelled because we worked late into the night a few times this week. I began moving out of the temporary apartment I rent during the 5 months of the legislative session. I didn't know I had so many clothes. Whew!

Moving is a pain but, I'll be glad to be spending a little more time in Pueblo.

Sunday - Laundry day and a whole morning to spend catching up with my daughter and husband. I answered a bunch of emails and spent the late afternoon at Bessemer Park for the Cinco de Mayo festivities. I was invited to speak and give a legislative updated. I never expected the warm welcome I received and I felt so appreciated by the community I work hard to serve well.

43rd Annual Cinco de Mayo Day of Education in Bessemer Park

Sick!....and still going strong!

The Elections Modernization bill passed out of Senate State Affairs on Wednesday on a 3-2 vote. This is an extremely bi-partisan piece of legislation. The Committee heard from both Ds and Rs who have worked on this bill and Ds and Rs who support it. The majority of the County Clerks eagerly await 1303 to be passed - most of whom, are Republicans.  I remember 

reading a March 28^th communication from the Chair of the Colorado Republican Party where he encouraged folks to contact the Governor and legislators to defend the responsible and secure options we need to vote. I’m thrilled to report that this bill meets all of those expectations. The bill will be heard on by the whole Senate in the upcoming week.

Olympic Medalist Missy Franklin stopped by the Capitol on Friday where she received a joint tribute from the House and Senate. I love that she brought one of the five medals she won at the London Olympics last summer. She generously allowed folks to hold the gold medal and take pictures with her. I learned that this high school senior has won many awards including USA Swimming's 2012 Swimmer of the Year and the Sullivan Award for top amateur athlete. I was glad we took a bit of time to honor her and I enjoyed meeting her.

On Saturday, I took a trip to Ft. Lyon with a couple of Senate colleagues and folks from the Governor's office. We're making some decisions about re-purposing the complex which started out as a veteran's hospital and more recently, was a correctional facility. The buildings they'll be using as a transitional residential community for the homeless are in great shape. The program will provide substance abuse supportive services, medical care, job training, and skill development for residents.  I appreciate the growing Senate support to put the Ft. Lyon facility to good use and help mitigate some of the double-digit unemployment in Bent County. 

A mock-up of what rooms will look like in the re-purposed facility.

I'm gonna try and spend this afternoon resting up - I'm sick with some kind of flu and super sore throat. We've got a week and half of this session left and still tons of work to do!!!

Elections Bill Testimony

These are my remarks as I presented the Voter Access and Elections Modernization Act today to the Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs committee:

I am excited for the opportunity to present HB 13-1303 because this is an exceptional bill that brings our elections into the 21st Century. Although many have remarked that this is model legislation for our whole country, this is clearly a Colorado solution, and crafted specifically to suit our unique elections needs. This bill is a culmination of work done by various stakeholders and reflects decades of practical experience in civic engagement and administering elections. It impacts coordinated and general elections.

On November 29th, 2012, all members of this General Assembly received a letter from the County Clerk’s Association stating that “we have a very good election system, but it is no longer meeting all needs of our voters.” They stated their desire to work with legislators to improve our elections system to focus on the “needs of citizens over political interests or personal ambition.” It was the clerks who proposed a meeting to examine our election system and make needed adjustments to better serve Coloradans. This bill is a product of that collaboration. That’s the way I “officially” became involved but, I have some personal experiences that drove me to work on and carry what I believe may be the most important bill of my legislative career. I walked precincts a lot this last year and in the month prior to the 2012 election I encountered a great many age-eligible voters who hadn’t yet registered to vote. I was often surprised at the level of engagement of these folks – we had some of the best conversations about issues impacting our country and our community. And I walked away ultimately, disappointed that they’d be unable to express their engagement in casting a ballot.



As legislators we say we want to hear from our constituencies, we want them to inform us of critical issues and come testify in support of our bills to address those issues. So, it is our responsibility to do everything we can to ensure this most basic form of engagement, voting.

We know that voting is the hallmark of our democracy. We need to make it simpler, more accessible, and more convenient to eligible voters in CO by giving Coloradans full options on how and where they vote.

This bill does three things:

· It makes our elections and voting more efficient, cost effective, and simpler.

· It modernizes voter registration and modernizes voter list maintenance so that it is more secure, and in-line with 21st century technology and 21st century standards.

· And it expands voting options

Let’s start with registration: 1303 will provide enhanced registration opportunities – including registration by mail, online, or in person. Please note: 1303 changes the standard voter registration deadline and state residency requirement from 29 days (what it is currently) to 22 days before any election. At any time, eligible citizens may register at County Clerk’s offices during normal business hours. But, starting 15 days before Election Day, voting service and polling centers will open and folks can register there all the way through Election Day. Coloradans may also register on the internet through the Online Voter Registration System (OLVR system) until 8 days before the election.

This system cleans up our voter rolls, with live poll books at service and polling centers so elections officials can better locate a voter’s record and determine eligibility. The system will utilize the postal service’s National Change of Address forms and automatically notify elections officials when a person moves, triggering proactive voter outreach and improving the accuracy of Colorado’s voter rolls.

All eligible voters will receive a mail ballot, and there will be options to return that ballot by mail or at a ballot drop off location. If you’re like me and you prefer to vote in person, this bill also provides voters the chance to do that by going to a voter service & polling center starting 15 days before the election. Most people aren’t like me - more than 70% of voters used mail ballots in 2012, but there are still circumstances and people that require in-person voting.

It’s important to note that this is not a “one size fits all” solution – this legislation recognizes the differences between counties in terms of geography, population and resources. The uniformity of having voter service and polling centers opening 15 days before any election will help ensure that any issues associated with registration or voting are adequately addressed. This bill allows for maximum flexibility while providing commonsense solutions at the county level.

This system enhances security, and strengthens protections against fraud. Let me say that again, this system enhances security, and strengthens protections against fraud! Elections officials will have real time access to the statewide voter file, allowing them to see who has voted.

With the robust protections already in place, the simplified elections system created by this bill will ensure Colorado has the cleanest elections possible.

And, HALLELUJAH, this bill eliminates the confusing Inactive Failed to Vote status.

Let’s talk about cost savings: the County Clerks put together a comprehensive, 47 line-item assessment of current costs under our present system and projected costs under 1303. The total savings in operational cost and equipment purchases is over 50% with small and medium sized counties realizing a slightly greater percentage of savings then large counties.

Finally, I want to say a few words about our process… all of this bill’s sponsors concur that our process has been incredibly thoughtful. As you all know, when we bring together stakeholders to work on legislation, we look for people who have hands-on experience. We sought input from civic engagement groups and Colorado’s clerks. Unfortunately, when this bill was heard in House committee, Colorado’s Secretary testified that we sought to exclude him. Frankly, that is just not true. In fact, before this legislation was introduced, we reached out to him to present the components of the legislation; we were even scheduled to meet with him. Sadly, we were uninvited.

At least 75% of the Clerks are supporting this legislation, and the Clerks Association has taken a formal position of endorsement. The County Clerks have a particularly credible voice – after all, they know what works and what doesn’t. The letter they sent last November said clearly, we can do better. This is a bipartisan show of strength for a bill that will give every active registered voter a ballot and a choice for how to cast their ballot. I want to publicly thank the clerks for their careful input and work to make this legislation a viable reality.

As excited as I am for the opportunity to present 1303, I’m even more excited for you to hear from those folks on the ground. Even though I’ve been working for months on this bill – this is a bill born of years of practical experience of those on the front lines of election reform. I know this committee well and I know you do your homework so, I’m eager to have you hear from these experts. I’m confident they can answer all of your questions and put to rest any concerns.

Fun Times and Serious Work

2013 Boys & Girls Club Champions of Youth Dinner!!!

The Boys & Girls Club of Pueblo County held their annual fundraiser last night. The Club is where I became rooted in service to Pueblo. I spent 27 years working there working with kids and families. My daughter, Melanie Bravo, grew up in the Club and now serves Pueblo as the Club President/CEO.  I proudly continue my support of the Club and being there last night with staff, former staff, board members, other community supporters, and kids was like coming home.  I give great thanks to the Club for the role they’ve played in my life, my daughter’s life, and the lives of Pueblo families who rely on them for quality programs and fantastic youth development.

My youth partner and I won this foosball game against Rep. Garcia.

Would I consider it a highlight of the week? I don’t know but, it was certainly exciting! I had a meeting with the Denver Post Editorial Board this week.  Yup, the Denver Post. They invited Rep. Pabon, Rep. Hollinghorst, a Republican County Clerk, a Democrat County Clerk, Elena Nunez from the non-partisan group Common Cause, and me to talk about the Elections Modernization bill. As you may know, this bill simplifies the elections system and gives eligible Colorado voters the most options to cast a ballot. I wasn’t surprised this piece of legislation caught the attention of their editorial board. I am surprised that our Secretary of State is opposed to it. Over 75% of County Clerks (most of whom are Republicans) have come out in support of this bill that simplifies the elections process and saves money. We met with members of the Denver Post editorial board for an excellent conversation on the merits of the bill. It was a rather formal process and I might have felt a little nervous or intimidated but I am so excited about the legislation and confident in our team. 

The bill passed the House State Veterans and Military Affairs committee last week.

Their board really did their homework and they asked in-depth questions. It was a great process and I was so engaged in the discussion that I was late getting back to the Capitol to present a bill I’m running with Sen. Ted Harvey (R-Highlands Ranch).  Luckily, Harvey didn’t wait for me; he presented our bill solo and got it passed through committee in 5 minutes! I was sorry to be late but this was great prep for when I present the elections bill to the Senate State Affairs Committee.  KRDO scheduled a live radio interview with me about the elections bill at 7:30am on Thursday and I was even ready to answer questions that early in the morning. I’m ready to get this passed in the Senate and to the Governor to be signed into law! 

Lots of Pueblo and Southern CO folks were on hand for the signing!

On Friday, the Governor signed an Executive Order establishing a statewide committee for the 2013-2014 commemoration of the events surrounding the Ludlow Massacre and Great Coalfield Wars of 1913-1914. In September of 1913, the Great Coalfield War began when striking miners were evicted by the Colorado Fuel & Iron company (CF&I) from their company-owned homes and moved into tents along the Colorado plains. At the height of this conflict, on the morning of April 20, 2014, a skirmish broke out between striking miners and the Colorado State militia. This event, labeled the Ludlow Massacre, ended with the death of over 20 people, which included guardsmen, miners, and their wives and children. The death of children at the Ludlow Tent Colony thrust the Coalfield War into the media spotlight, with national scrutiny focused on the Rockefellers, who were majority shareholders in CF & I. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the Rockefellers and CF&I developed an employee representation plan that transformed industrial worker-company relations. For over 18 months, a diverse group – including historians, scholars, union members, Colorado National Guardsmen, archaeologists  tourism representatives, etc. – has gathered along the Front Range to plan activities, exhibitions, curriculum, lectures, and events to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Ludlow Massacre.  

Dawn DiPrince is one of the Commission members working on the commemoration.

I was proud that the Governor chose to recognize the on-going work of this group and prouder still that so many friends are members of this commission. You can see a full list of committee members here. Many activities are planned between September 2013 and December 2014 and I hope to attend most of them! 

Fast and Furious

It's that time of the year when things are moving fast and furious. I have time for nothing other than legislative work, work, work!

Equal Pay Day Resolution - For the third year, I ran a resolution to acknowledge pay inequities between men and women. Women continue to earn only 77 cents for every dollar that their male co-workers earn. This pay disparity is felt even more strongly by women of color. African American women are paid 69 cents on the dollar and Latinas are paid 60 cents on the dollar. This translates into a loss of about $431,000 in pay, on average, over a woman's 40 year career.
Tuesday, April 9th, was Equal Pay Day – a day to recognize and protest this shocking and pervasive wage gap. Tuesday, because it symbolizes how far into a second week a woman must work to earn as much as her male co-worker earned in the previous week. April, because it represents how long a woman must work to earn the same amount that a man earned in the previous year.
Click on this VIDEO to hear my remarks at the rally. The woman at the far right is none other than former Colorado first lady, Dottie Lamm. I think back to all of the girls and young women I have worked with over the past 30 years. They deserve better and need us to ensure better than this system of inequity. Pay equity makes good economic sense. We already have incremental and achievable solutions that will ease future retirement costs and strengthen our economy. We know that when we strengthen the security of mothers, we strengthen the security of families, and we strengthen the security of our country.

Bills - I presented 5 of my bills to Senate Committees this week. It's pretty unusual to be presenting so many in one week and it called for my every spare moment to be spent prepping.  SB210 - which seeks to correct the system which determines overtime for correctional officers. and SB216 - which allows the Youth Offender System to continue serving 18 and 19 year olds were presented in front of the Judiciary Committee. I was glad to be able to present both those bills on the same day. The other three, SB207 - the bill granting permission for mental health professionals to use a new technique when treating mental health patients, HB1006 - a bill to provide students breakfast at school, and HB1234 - a bill to allow the Dept of Agriculture authority for consolidation, I presented in Heath and Human Service and the Appropriations Committees. This flurry of activity was in addition to chairing State Affairs Committee, which met twice this week (and heard bills until after 9pm on Monday) and the Capital Development Committee which normally just meets once a week and we had so much work to do that we had to meet twice. On Tuesday, alongside floor debate and the Equal Pay resolution and rally, I participated in a national press call calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform that includes a pathway to citizenship. Press conferences were a theme throughout the week and I even had a press interview on KGNU radio at 6:30 am on Thursday.

Not the greatest picture - most of us are cut out!

Latin@ Caucus - Our caucus is still going strong! In lieu of our regular weekly meeting, we opted for a bit of social time in Rep. Pabon and Sen. Guzman's district at a popular eatery, Pinche Tacos. It was nice to have a bit of down time with some colleagues and I would certainly recommend the food. All of the tacos we ate were muy, muy, muy delicioso - especially the tacos de lengua!

 Missed Opportunity - I was debating bills on the Senate floor until after 10pm on Friday night. No easy task for an early riser (4am) who had to drive back to Pueblo. Sadly, it meant I had to miss speaking at the Spring Migrant Youth Leadership Institute (SMYLI). They had their conference at Pueblo Community College and I was scheduled to speak to them Friday evening. I've spoken to their students the last 2 years and it was a great disappointment to miss out. I'm wearing my SMYLI bracelet with pride all week long. I was glad that my friend, Theresa filled in to share a bit about what's going on at the Capitol!

The Gov's own version of a Beer Summit and the Modernization of our Elections!

This morning, I took some social time to meet friends, coming from church, for breakfast at Mt. Carmel. While I was there, I got to spend some time with my little friend, Mario. Walking outside with him reminded me that weeds are only unloved flowers so we picked some so-called weeds and adorned our hair with them. Happy Spring!

Mario and I are sprouting flowers from our heads.

 Last week, the Latino/a Caucus sat down to a beer summit with our Governor and some key staff.  Skye (the Governor’s dog), was around the office but not allowed into the conference room where we gathered. Colorado beers were flowing and since I’m not a beer drinker, I was happy to find a microbrewed root beer. Lt. Governor Joe Garcia joined us and we had a great conversation about how pleased we are that the power of the Latino vote is evidenced in bipartisan support of key pieces of legislation in both chambers. While this meeting was not intended to address any specific legislation, it was an opportunity to discuss overarching values that guide the Caucus. Our timing could not have better as the Governor had just come from spending the afternoon with President Obama. We were able to hear about their time together and Governor Hickenlooper was quick to add that while the President’s gratitude for the passage of our gun safety legislation was directed at him, he recognized that the thanks is to be shared among many people. Drinking a cold one with the Governor, Lt, Governor, staffers and colleagues was great way to spend a Wednesday evening and we were all pleasantly surprised to receive over 90 minutes of the Governor’s time – most folks are happy to get 15 minutes with him. I had to cut out a little early to get to a stakeholder’s meeting but, it was certainly time well spent. I look forward to continuing to build strong relationships that will serve all of Colorado well.

 

The Latino Caucus and Black Caucus gathered for a reception at the beginning of the session.

Lots of people have asked me if I was able to talk with the President or see him speak when he was in Denver on Wednesday. Sadly, I wasn’t. The State, Veterans, and Military Affairs committee was hearing SB1, the Working Families Economic Opportunity Act. I chair the State Affairs Committee and so even though I was invited to see the President, my committee responsibilities took precedent. This bill hopes to be Colorado’s version of an Earned Income Tax Credit. The EITC is a refundable tax credit extended to low and middle-income working families; the credit varies depending on whether a taxpayer is single or married and the number of children in the home. Increasing a family’s paycheck is good for business because more money in people’s pockets means that people spend more in our local economies, which helps to sustain and create jobs. For every $1 received from EITC, $1.60 goes back into the local economy. The bill passed out of our committee with unanimous support! All Democrats and Republicans recognized the value of supporting a bill that is pro-family and pro-economic stimulus.

I hosted a community coffee on Saturday and it was very well attended. While we talked about a wide variety of issues and bills, one particular bill caught the ear of the Chieftain reporter present. Election reform is on the horizon! I am sponsoring a bill to be introduced next week that will simplify the election system, give consistency to voters, allow several voting options, and remain budget-friendly to counties. I’m excited! Look for more info as the bill drops this coming week. In the meantime, check out this article in the Colorado Statesman!

Living within our means and investing in the future…

This week, we passed a balanced budget that goes a long way to help Colorado families. The Senate assembled a fiscally responsible budget that begins the process of restoring cuts to public education, shoring up the safety net and investing in our people and our economy.  This budget reflects our values of a government that lives within its means and cares about the most vulnerable among us, and one that invests in our future. We increased K-12 funding, higher education funding, made greater investments in economic development, tourism, and mental health. My first two years in the Senate were all about making budget cuts, but this year we’re starting to restore those cuts.  Colorado is paving the way for national economic recovery. It was a long and difficult negotiation but, it felt good to move away from making cuts and begin to restore funding as we reduced the waitlist for people with developmental disabilities, invested in child welfare/protection, and increased sex offender treatment in prison. Our budget added funding for the Senior Homestead Act and senior services for transportation, living independently in their homes longer, and Meals on Wheels. We also increased oil & gas inspectors, added air quality studies and infrared detection for oil & gas, and we set aside a 5% reserve for a rainy day. The budget goes on for deliberation in the House this next week. Take a look at some more info if you are interested in budget specifics!

Our aides, Sasha and Donna, enjoying a drink with the interns before Jessie and I arrive!

My office mate, Senator Ulibarri, and I gathered our aides and interns for dinner Wednesday night as a small token of our gratitude for their hard work in the first half of a difficult and historic session. We wanted to acknowledge their work, especially in dealing with the fallout from the gun legislation. They bore the brunt of some pretty awful messages directed at me and at Jessie and their workloads were expanded. We committed to providing a broader experience more tailored to their individual interests in this second half of the session and I am so proud of the quality team we have working to make us look good.  Jessie and I arrived late (due to budget deliberations) and I forgot to snap a picture of the whole group but, I promise to include a group photo in a future blog.