
Capitol review: 4 key immigrant bills passed, but a big one failed
"Many thousands of legal and unauthorized immigrants are living in fear in Colorado, in part the result of the White House’s aggressive stand on detainment and deportation." "With Democrats in power at the Capitol this session, lawmakers worked on several policies meant to provide some relief to the immigrant community. They were successful with several, but lost a key one: Gov. Jared Polis refused to support policies to limit the reach of federal immigration enforcement offi

Capitol review: Lawmakers chipped away at opioid epidemic with 6 bills
"State lawmakers made strides toward curbing the opioid epidemic in Colorado, which claims at least one victim every day. In the just-ended session, they passed policies to expand treatment in rural Colorado, to stock an overdose-reversal medication in public places, and to require some jails and prisons to offer withdrawal medication to certain inmates." "Those efforts come as opioid-related deaths held steady in 2018, with heroin and fentanyl overdoses inching up, according

OPINION: Legislative Wrap-up, by Colorado Center on Law and Policy
"Today is the last day of the 2019 legislative session in Denver, and here’s where things stand with the bills that Colorado Center on Law and Policy has led or helped develop this year:" Read full article #LeslieHerod #2019LegislativeSession #healthcare #employment #housing #homelessness

New legislation aims to tackle opioid crisis in Colorado
"Senate Bill 227" “Harm Reduction Substance Use Disorders” would explicitly authorize schools to carry naloxone, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses. It would also allow hospitals to serve as syringe exchange sites, expand the household medication take-back program, and create mobile response teams to provide medication-assisted substance use treatment in jails." "The bill was sponsored by Pettersen and Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver. In the House, it was sponsored by Ken