Governor Polis Signing Bills to Reduce Cost of Childcare for Kids and Families, Increase Access to Housing, and Provide Additional Tax Relief to Health Care Workers
Governor Signing Bills to Strengthen Backcountry Search & Rescue, Protect Wildlife and Drivers
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Governor Polis is signing bills into law to support child care providers and hardworking families, increase access to housing, strengthen backcountry search and rescue capacity, and provide tax relief to health care workers, and protect wildlife and ensure the safety of Colorado drivers.
“We are reducing daycare costs for kids and hardworking families, providing additional tax relief for health care workers, expanding our workforce and supporting our rural communities and I’m excited to have signed these bipartisan bills to save people money,” said Gov. Polis.
In Eagle County, Gov. Polis signed transformational legislation to support child care providers and hardworking parents. The bipartisan HB22-1006 Child Care Property Tax Exemption sponsored by Representatives Dylan Roberts and Kevin Van Winkle, Senators Kerry Donovan and Jim Smallwood will expand the existing property tax exemption for nonprofit child care centers, allowing these exemptions to include properties that are leased by a child care center. This new law signed by Gov. Polis incentivizes the creation of new childcare spaces and will reduce rent for existing childcare tenants and therefore reduce childcare costs for parents.
A major focus of this historic legislative session was on addressing housing challenges and increasing the housing supply in Colorado. Gov. Polis also signed a bipartisan bill HB22-1304 sponsored by. Rep. Roberts and Bradfield and Sens. Coleman and Gonzales to two new grant funds that will support local investments in affordable housing, and we hope to see local governments and communities working together to find innovative solutions to our housing challenges and take advantage of this new opportunity. Rep. Roberts Chaired the Affordable Housing Task Force.
Gov. Polis then headed to Steamboat Springs Fire Station to sign the bipartisan SB22-225 to ensure that Coloradans can count on strong and reliable emergency services and modernizes the state’s emergency Medical Services Act. The Governor also signed a bill, HB22-1251 sponsored by Rep. Roberts and Senator Jeff Bridges, which creates the office of Cardiac Arrest Management within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to support the healthcare system in managing much-needed equipment like defibrillators, promoting awareness around sudden cardiac arrest and providing educational opportunities to achieve life-saving skills. Gov. Polis issued a signing statement on this bill.
Later this afternoon in Summit County, Gov. Polis will SB22-168 Backcountry Search And Rescue sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Perry Will and Senators Donovan and Bob Rankin to strengthen search and rescue capacity in Colorado, making the great outdoors a safer place for everyone - demand on search and rescue teams has skyrocketed over the last few years as more and more Coloradans are getting outside and last year Gov. Polis will sign additional legislation to support search and rescue operations.
Gov. Polis will then sign the bipartisan SB22-151 Safe Crossings For Colorado Wildlife And Motorists sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Perry Will and Senators Jessie Danielson and Tammy Story to help protect iconic wildlife and drivers. Last week, Gov. Polis visited a wildlife crossing at US160 between Durango and Pagosa Springs. While in Frisco the Governor will sign SB22-158 Species Conservation Trust Fund Projects sponsored by Representatives Karen McCormick and Will, Sen. Donovan and SB22-166 Nongame Conservation Check-off Extension sponsored by Representatives McCormick and Will and Sen. Donovan
Also in Frisco Gov. Polis will sign bipartisan legislation to extend an income tax credit to more health care workers and provide relief and expand to this workforce during a critical time. HB22-1005 Health-care Preceptors Tax Credit is sponsored by Representatives Julie McCluskie and Will and Sen. Bob Rankin. The Governor will also sign a bipartisan bill SB22-172 Colorado Rural Health-care Workforce Initiative to help expand the health care talent pipeline in rural Colorado by incentivizing our colleges and universities with health care programs to set aside slots in these programs for students to work in rural areas of Colorado. The law is sponsored by Senators Faith Winter and Bob Rankin, Reps. Roberts and Janice Rich. Gov. Polis also signed a bipartisan bill to support rural communities, SB22-200 Rural Provider Stimulus Grant Program led by Senators Joann Ginal and. Rankin Representatives Julie McCluskie and Matt Soper.
###