Bill to Watch: SB 22
Far too many Colorado families experience the “cliff effect” — the point at which recipients see a sudden loss of public benefits (or work supports) upon reaching a certain income threshold.

Senate Bill 22 would expand a pilot program to mitigate the cliff effect in childcare subsidies. Currently, the program is limited to 10 counties, but the legislation lifts the restriction. The bill, which is championed by the Bell Policy Center, supported by CCLP and sponsored by Sen. Beth Martinez Humenik, R-Thornton, was approved by the Colorado Senate and is heading to the House.

On the radar
SB 2 would direct the Secretary of State to submit to voters the question of whether Colorado’s benefit exchange can impose a fee (referred to as a “tax” in the legislation) to continue operations. CCLP opposes the bill, which was approved by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday.

SB 54 permits local governments to raise the minimum wage within their jurisdictions. CCLP supports the bill and helped develop a similar bill that failed in the Senate in 2015.

HB 1002 reinstates a law that expired last session that allows parents to take leave from work in order to attend school or academic-related activities for their kids. CCLP supports the bill.

Women’s Legislative Breakfast
Rosemary Lytle, Executive Director of Positive Impact Colorado and President of NAACP’s Colorado, Montana and Wyoming State Area Conference, will be the keynote speaker at the 27th Annual Women’s Legislative Breakfast.

The event takes place Feb. 23 at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 1370 Grant St. in Denver. This annual event sells out every year, so register now.