Statement: Colorado’s 73rd general assembly concludes with major wins for kids, but work still remains

Statement: Colorado’s 73rd general assembly concludes with major wins for kids, but work still remains

DENVER – The Colorado General Assembly concluded the 2022 legislative session with impressive wins for Colorado kids and families, and numerous accomplishments that tackled systemic inequities. Our state legislators took on one of the largest government restructurings in decades by reimagining early childhood in Colorado; affirming their commitment to kids and families by expanding health coverage and behavioral health services; and demonstrating that Colorado is the best state to raise a family by making vital investments in equitable school finance and housing security.  

The achievements we saw during this legislative session represent a culmination of tireless, yearslong work across a variety of statewide coalitions comprised of advocates, educators, care providers, partner organizations, and more. After more than four years of collaboration within the Legislative Interim Committee on School Finance, HB22-1202 was the committee’s first bill to be passed. Initial discussions of this legislation began in 2019, as advocates worked to establish a new measure to identify students at risk of poor academic outcomes due to economic disadvantage. With many other states also experiencing problems with reliance on free and reduced-price lunch eligibility as a singular proxy for poverty, Colorado now has the opportunity to lead the way in designing a solution. 

As the work to create the new Department of Early Childhood continued, the Better Beginnings Colorado Coalition led the coordinated effort to implement this department of and Universal Preschool Program through the passage of HB22-1295. This monumental success comes after over a year of drafting a nearly 600-page bill, which centered the input of providers, community members, and parents gathered from over 100 stakeholder meetings across the state.  

The TANF and the Cover All Coloradans Coalitions have been developing their legislative effort for years as well, leading to significant advancements in both family economic security and expanded health care equity and access, respectively. These diverse coalitions represent the best of Colorado. The Children’s Campaign is immensely grateful to work alongside these groups, which are full of passionate advocates and experts who know our state and constantly strive to develop policies that set our kids and families up for success. 

The Colorado Children’s Campaign is proud to play a critical role in advancing these wins for Colorado kids and families. These improvements to child well-being are a reminder of what we can accomplish together, and will inform the upcoming midterm election as we reaffirm our values of ensuring every chance for every child. We recognize that with these successes, even more effort remains in the implementation of these critical policies. With the continued commitment of coalitions and advocates, we will work year-round to ensure these policies continue to center families who face the most barriers to opportunity —we invite you to join us for the work ahead.