Colorado Rep. Leslie Herod Reflects on the 2019 Legislative Session
"The 2019 legislative session might have ended on May 3, but Colorado Rep. Leslie Herod is still working. On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis signed eight bills she sponsored into law. The octet focused on criminal justice—including parolee voting rights and “ban the box,” an effort to eliminate questions about criminal history on initial job applications." "It’s all part of what has been a busy year for the Denver Democrat, who also took on several leadership positions, including l
A breakdown of the 8 issues Colorado lawmakers will study before the 2020 legislative session
"The rising prison inmate population in Colorado — and the cost to house them — is a long-simmering issue at the Capitol that is getting a new look." "This year, state lawmakers even approved reopening part of a long-shuttered state prison in Cañon City despite adamant opposition to the idea just a year earlier. To get a better handle on the trend and the options to address it, lawmakers approved the Prison Population Management committee." “If the trend doesn’t reverse, we a
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
State Representative Leslie Herod Has a Story to Share
"The 2019 session, which began this past month, will be a pivotal period for Herod. She’s coming off a big win: The Caring 4 Denver campaign not only passed in the November election, but it did so with 70 percent of the vote. “I was shocked by the margin,” Herod says. “It just reinforced that Denverites do care about each other.” This session, Herod will be busy as the vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee and chair of the House Finance Committee. She’ll also lead the C
Politics (Not) as Usual
"Leslie Herod isn’t new to the Capitol, but the Park Hill resident is emblematic of the change that’s come to the Colorado General Assembly—and to the U.S. Congress. Herod, who is black and gay, first ran for office in 2015. But, she told 5280 articles editor Natasha Gardner, “I wasn’t going to be elected despite my sexual orientation. I was going to be elected. Full stop.” As Gardner details in “State Representative Leslie Herod Has A Story To Share,” the rising Democratic s
Compliance News Flash
"The Colorado State Legislature convened last week and Representatives Jovan Melton and Leslie Herod introduced H.B.19-1025, the Colorado Change to Compete Act, which would enact ban the box requirements for private employers in Colorado. If passed and signed into law, employers would be prohibited from inquiring into a job applicant’s criminal history on an initial application. Employers would also be prohibited from advertising or stating on the application that a person wi
Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity Colorado sets 2019 legislative agenda
"Democratic Rep. Leslie Herod of Denver told Colorado Politics Friday that AFP's criminal justice ideas "fits in well" with Democrats' legislative agenda." "Criminal justice reform is not and should not be a partisan issue," Hood said. "Our society benefits not one bit if we focus only on incarceration. I welcome AFP to the table to find real solutions to this complex issue." "But at least one Democratic operative views the new approach with skepticism." Read full article #Le
Colorado to hold CDOC accountable for dangers posed to transgender inmates
"In May of 2018, the Colorado House of Representatives passed a resolution by Reps. Leslie Herod, Adrienne Benavidez and other legislators, including Pete Lee and Tony Exum, to address the issue of discrimination suffered by transgender inmates in CDOC care. The resolution ordered CDOC to establish policies to protect transgender inmates that are consistent with the Prison Rape Elimination Act and standards set out by the American Correctional Association and the National Cor
‘Ban the Box’ bill targets discrimination against people with criminal records
"In 2016 and 2017, Colorado’s Legislature took up the question of whether to prohibit employers from asking job applicants up-front about their criminal records. Both times, committees in the Republican-controlled Senate rejected the idea." "But it’s a new day at the Capitol, with Democrats having seized control of the Senate in November while maintaining a majority in the House. And on the opening day of this year’s legislative session, Democratic Reps. Leslie Herod and Jova
The top 10 issues to watch in Colorado’s 2019 legislative session
"Democrats’ efforts in recent years to pass legislation to support Colorado’s immigrants living in the U.S. illegally repeatedly have been blocked by Republicans. And now they are expected to return." "Look to Democrats to bolster funding and potentially work to expand the state’s driver’s license program for those in the U.S. unlawfully. It has been plagued by long wait times for applicants because of a lack of resources." "Also, state Rep. Leslie Herod said she plans to rei
