SPORTS BETTING
Lawmakers negotiated behind the
scenes for months before introducing
the sports gambling bill. The bipartisan
legislation places the question on the
ballot in November of 2019 asking voters
to legalize in-person sports betting this
November by enacting a tax on wagers.
If passed, it would allow bets on games
in-person at mountain casinos and provide
online betting licenses. The state would
collect 10 percent of all proceeds, which
would go toward water conservation
projects.
TOBACCO TAX INCREASE
SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION
REQUIREMENTS CONSUMERS & HEALTH CARE
COSTS
Testimony in the House Committee
beat all records for lengthy hearings when
the public hearing on this bill went until
4:30 a.m. the following day. Debate on the
bipartisan-sponsored measure specifying
how parents who chose not to vaccine their
children could receive vaccine exemptions
lasted 14 hours. Colorado ranks last in
the nation in regards to the number of
kindergarteners who are vaccinated for
measles, mumps and rubella, according
to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. The bill, sponsored
by Democratic Rep. Kyle Mullica and
Republican Sen. Kevin Priola attempted to
change that by requiring parents wishing
to opt out of immunization, for reasons
other than medical, to go through a formal
process with the state. Parents would have
been required to submit a form in-person
the first time they seek a non-medical
vaccine exemption. One of the first acts of the Polis
Administration was to create a new office,
The Office for Saving People Money on
Health Care. The new Governor wants
to make Colorado the first state in the
country to offer state-run health insurance.
Legislation directing state agencies to
study to the idea and report back to the
legislature passed with bipartisan support.
Any future plans would need approval
from federal regulators. The legislature
dealt with the issue of "surprise medical
bills" by passing restrictive measures that
cap the rates out-of-network providers can
charge. Lawmakers had difficulty trying
to find a solution on reinsurance that
could past federal rules. The reinsurance
bill, HB19-1168, was intended to lower
health care costs, however at final passage
not all stakeholders are convinced the
goal will be accomplished. The intent
is lower premiums for health care. This
campaign promise made by Polis, who said
it could happen without any more cost to
Colorado taxpayers has proven difficult
to achieve. Transparency bills targeting
the pharmaceutical industry as well as
hospitals were introduced, with hospital
transparency crossing the finish line as well
as a bill mandating out-of-pocket cost caps
to consumers on insulin medication.
In the final days of the session Governor
Polis indicated he was opposed to legislation
mandating a stringent process that impeded
parental choice. The legislation passed Senate
committee in the wee hours of Thursday
morning on the last week of session but was
not brought up for debate by the midnight
deadline, thereby sealing its demise.
34 | TRENDS
JUNE 2019
In the last weeks of session, a priority
bill for Gov. Polis was introduced that
would have sent a question to voters
to raise taxes on tobacco products by
300% to provide funding for health
care, behavioral health programs and
preschool programs and expanding
learning opportunities. The bill was
met with criticism for its timing and the
significant amount of the tax increase,
with opponents calling it a regressive
tax that would negatively impact more
vulnerable populations. Proponents lauded
the money it could raise for much-needed
behavioral health and preschool programs.
The bill, with threat of lengthy debate
and uncertainty it had the votes to pass in
the Senate was laid over until the end of
session on Thursday.
RENT CONTROL
As the Colorado Sun referred to the 2019
Legislative Session as "The Year of the
Renter" earlier this year, there were many
bills addressing "tenants right" that passed
the General Assembly, including increasing
the number of days before a tenant can
be evicted, regulating application fees
and making it easier for tenants receive
damages when habitability is in question.
Perhaps the most extreme measure was
rent control.
Under current law in Colorado, local
governments are banned from regulating
their rental markets. A bill to allow local
governments to set price controls on rental
units, as well as requiring developers to set
aside a certain number of affordable units
when they approve new buildings died on
the Senate floor when it was determined
there were not sufficient votes to pass the
measure.
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