(The Center Square) – Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Monday signed into law several bills passed last week by the General Assembly during its special legislative session on COVID-19 pandemic relief.

The Legislature passed 10 pandemic relief bills during last week's session. On Monday, the governor put his signature on nine of those 10 bills during three virtual bill signing ceremonies throughout the day, with the other bill signed last week.

Among the bills signed by the governor on Monday were Senate Bill 20B-001, which provides $57 million in relief for small businesses. 

“We know that this is not enough, this is not going to save every business,” bill sponsor Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, said. “We simply don’t have those resources, but with the federal government’s continued inaction it was really important for us to come together in a bipartisan way and do everything we possibly could, expend the resources that we do have available and use the tools that we do have available to get as much immediate relief out as fast as possible.”

The governor also signed House Bill 20B-1004, which allows retail businesses and restaurants to retain up to $2,000 a month in sales taxes that would typically be paid to the state.

“With this bill the businesses can keep the funds and use that money to stay open,” Polis said. 

Other legislation signed includes a bill allowing local governments to limit food delivery fees from third-party services, a bill appropriating $5 million for food pantry grants, a bill creating a low-income energy assistance fund, and a bill that provides $54 million for emergency housing assistance. 

Polis also signed bills Monday to establish a grant program for expanding broadband access in education and providing childcare providers in the state with $45 million in relief. 

Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, called the broadband legislation an “incredibly important” bill that would help to keep kids from falling behind in their education.  

The governor last week signed legislation that provides an additional $100 million for public health emergency expenditures.