It is truly an honor to represent the good people of House District 47 at the Colorado State Capitol. This year my colleagues and I fought against the continued deterioration of our Constitutional Rights and personal freedoms. Rural Colorado, our values, heritage, and way of life are also under constant attack brought on by urban policy makers. As such, each piece of legislation I proposed this session touched on issues that directly impact people in HD47 and across the state. 

These are the bills I carried that passed this session: 

One of the bills I ran based off the feedback received from constituents across HD47 is HB24-1249 Tax Credit Agricultural Stewardship Practices. This bill incentivizes practices that improve soil health, improve water retention and drought resilience, or create more diverse and beneficial ecosystems such as rotational crops, no tillage, cover cropping, integrating managed livestock grazing on cropland, range improvements, inter-seeding, and compost application. 

Education has been and will always be one of my highest priorities while in office. SB24-099 PERA Employment after Retirement for Rural Schools, allows retired superintendents and administrators to return to work without sacrificing their retirement benefits. This bill was signed into law on April 11th. 

It was an honor to cosponsor, SB24-035 Strengthening Enforcement of Human Trafficking which allows a crime of violence sentence multiplier to be added to existing human trafficking charges, increasing possible sentencing terms. Additionally, the bill increases the statute of limitations to bring a claim for human trafficking.This bill was signed into law on April 11th. 

I seized the opportunity to be the prime sponsor of SB24-018 Physician Assisted Licensure Compact, a bill allowing PA’s with a license in a state that has signed the compact to more easily become authorized to practice in any other participating state. This will aid in our attempt to provide quality healthcare in HD47.

HB24-1457 Asbestos & Lead Paint Abatement Grant Program creates a Pilot Program in the Department of Health and Environment that may award grants to rural local governments to help offset costs associated with removing asbestos and lead paint from housing, commercial buildings, and other development programs. Additionally, the bill creates a cash fund to house money generated from existing penalties and fines collected for violations of laws around hazardous waste materials. 

SB24-220 Overweight and Oversize Motor Vehicle Permits enables the Department of Transportation or the Colorado State Patrol to issue expedited single-use overweight or oversize permits during emergencies. It is essential to ensure that rural counties, particularly those in the Eastern Plains along the Ports to Plains Corridor, receive proper compensation for the use of their roads. 

HB24-1244 Minor Autopsy Report Release Requirement changes current law to clarify that the autopsy report prepared regarding the death of a minor “is not a public record” as defined in CORA. Coroners would have to release certain basic information surrounding the death of a minor, if someone makes a request: the name, cause of death, time, place and manner of death, and age, gender and race or ethnicity of the deceased minor. This bill was brought forth by the Coroners Association and the parents of children who were brutally murdered. These families were re-traumatized when the deaths of their minor children were fetishized by the press. 

HB24-1319 Fire Fighters License Plate Expiration on Transfer stipulates that these plates expire if they are transferred to a different vehicle, ensuring the Colorado Professional Fire Fighter Foundation can continue to provide assistance to fallen or injured fire fighters and their family members.

Additionally, I was proud to vote “yes” on HB24-1448 New Public School Finance Formula, a bill that provides increased funding to over 25 schools in House District 47. For the first time in over 30 years, our schools in rural Colorado will receive the funding our children deserve. 

Tax relief has been at the forefront of Coloradans’ concerns for years now. Members of my caucus joined forces with individuals across the aisle to craft SB24-233 Property Tax, a bill that, when signed into law, will provide over $1.4 billion dollars in property tax relief combined with $435 million dollars in income tax relief in the next few years. 

As I consistently remind my colleagues, we are no longer fighting against partisan issues at the statehouse. We are fighting for American issues. I look forward to continuing my fight for HD47 during the 75th General Assembly next year.

Ty Winter, Assistant Minority Leader

House District 47