Week ten in the books

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Dear Southern Colorado,

I hope this email finds you well. Week ten of the legislative session has been busy and I'm continuing to help address the needs of rural Colorado.

This week, we had two more of my bills go through committee and pass the House on third reading. We also had several important votes throughout the week that I want to update you on. As always, don't hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or ideas. Please read the rest of the newsletter to learn more about my efforts to help House District 62.

Here's to another productive week!

Sincerely,

Donald

Protecting Water

As a farmer and a rancher, Representative Valdez understands the importance of protecting rural Colorado's water. Water is the lifeblood of our land, and it is our responsibility to preserve that water for generations to come. Renewable Water Resources (RWR) aims to purchase local agricultural water and export it to Douglas County. Representative Valdez strongly opposes the RWR exportation plan.

In the Legislature

Equal Pay Day:

On Tuesday, members recognized equal pay day during floor work. In the words of Representative Kipp, "For twenty-five years, equal pay day has drawn attention to gender-based pay disparities by highlighting how far into the new year a woman must work on average to earn what a man did in the previous year...We shouldn't be satisfied until equal pay day is no longer necessary at all." Representative Valdez supports efforts to improve gender equality and will continue to advocate for equal pay for equal work.

HB 22-1111: Wildfire Insurance Protections

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives advanced House Bill 22-1111. This bill will ensure homeowners displaced by wildfires receive a fair and comprehensive payout for lost property wildfires. A few months ago, our state witnessed the horrific destruction caused by the Marshall Fire. As a leader in wildfire mitigation and prevention, Representative Valdez understands the urgent need for this bill and will continue to support efforts that make it easier for wildfire victims to receive their claims for lost property. We encourage you to read more about this bill on the General Assembly Website.

HB 22-1247: Additional Requirements Nursing Facility Funding

On Thursday, the House passed HB 22-1247, which allocates $27M to support nursing facilities. In the words of bill sponsor Leslie McCluskie, “Colorado’s skilled nursing facilities need assistance, and we’re delivering with $27 million in state and federal funds to help them stay open and attract the workforce they need. This funding will be directed at the facilities with the greatest need to shore up their finances so Coloradans won’t lose access to affordable skilled nursing options.” This bill passed the house on a vote of 59-2. Representative Valdez will continue to support Colorado's nursing facilities as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. Feel to learn more about the on the Colorado General Assembly Website.

HB 22-1099 & SB 22-024: Crime Prevention

On Thursday House Bill 22-1099 and Senate Bill 22-024 were signed into law. The House bill requires online marketplaces to verify the identities of online sellers, which will prevent the sale of stolen goods. Furthermore, the Senate bill creates harsher punishments on those who have been charged with witness intimidation. As stated by Representative Roberts, "These new laws focus on giving law enforcement effective tools to prevent crime, and I'm proud Governor Polis signed them into law." Representative Valdez was a strong supporter of these bills and looks forward to enacting policies that will prevent crime in the future. To read more about these bills, visit the Colorado General Assembly Website.

HB 22-1101 & HB 22-1057: Improvements to Rural Education

Yesterday, the Governor signed two bills that will improve Colorado's rural education system. First, HB22-1101 will allow retired public employees to return to full-time work in rural school districts without impacting their retirement benefits. This program will also include school nurses and paraprofessionals.

HB 22-1057 will waive the limitations for the number of days qualified service retirees can substitute teach. This bill essentially makes it easier for retired teachers to go back to teaching. There is a severe shortage of teachers across our state, especially in rural areas. This bill is a critical step in addressing this shortage and providing quality education.

Committee Meetings This Week:

Agriculture, Livestock, and Water Committee:

During Monday's Agriculture, Livestock, and Water Committee, Representative Valdez testified in favor of House Bill 22-1264. This bill will update references to the Federal Food and Drug Administration to FDA. It is imperative that we streamline the language of important laws. This bill will simplify statutory language, making it more accessible to Colorado wanting to learn more about health care. This bill unanimously passed the House Agriculture, Livestock, and Water Committee. This bill passed the house on third reading by a vote of 62 to 1. We will continue to monitor this legislation as it progresses through the Senate.

Representative Valdez testifying on behalf of HB 22-1264

Transportation and Local Government:

During Tuesday's Transportation and Local Government Committee, Representative Valdez testified in support of Senate Bill 22-108. This bill clarifies state law for truck drivers and operators regarding the weight of their vehicles. Under this bill, drivers would have to present a certified scale ticket if their vehicle has been modified to change the weight by 300 pounds or more. This bill also requires certified vehicle weighers to include the identification number, year of manufacture, and make on a weight certificate if the vehicle has been modified to change the weight by 300 pounds or more.

We've had truckers call our office about their vehicle's weight limit. This bill is a critical step in meeting their concerns by clarifying state law and ensuring these vehicles are up to standard. This bill was unanimously passed by the House Transportation and Local Government Committee and the House on third reading.

During Wednesday's Transportation and Local Government Committee, members discussed Senate Bill 22-083. This bill supports the creation of broadband throughout Colorado. As someone from rural Colorado, Representative Valdez understands the need to upgrade broadband in remote areas of the state. This disparity between rural and urban areas must be addressed and the Representative will support efforts in the future that improve broadband access and bridge the rural/urban divide.

Representative Valdez testifying on SB 22-108.

Community Outreach:

Latino Advocacy Day:

On Monday, Representative Valdez met with visitors and constituents as part of Latino Advocacy Day. This was a great way for the Representative to hear from members of the latino community about the issues they care about. Representative Valdez deeply values their input and community engagement. If you want to share your ideas and concerns, feel free to email or call our office.

Representative Valdez speaking with visitors for Latino Advocacy Day

Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus:

On Thursday, Representative Valdez took part in a legislative Sportsmen's Caucus meeting. As a farmer and a rancher, the Representative understands the issues facing hunters, anglers, and conservationists. This was a great chance for caucus members to discuss important topics like the creation of Fishers Peak State Park, the Hunter Education Bill, the introduction of grey wolves, and the keep Colorado wild initiative, among other topics. Those in attendance included legislators, the Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources, and other leaders in conservation and wildlife management.

Representative Valdez attending the Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus.

School Groups Visiting the State Capitol:

Throughout this week, the Capitol was lucky to have several groups of school children visiting from all over the state. Representative Valdez values speaking with kids and hearing about their experience visiting the Capitol. Children are the future of Colorado. Therefore, it is imperative that we educate them about our civic institutions and make them feel welcomed and heard when speaking with lawmakers.

Representative Valdez speaking to students visiting from all over Colorado

Lake Powell Water Level:

On Tuesday, Lake Powell, a major reservoir that feeds water to the lower Colorado River Basin, fell below 3,525 ft. This is a critical marker and reaffirms the need to address the drought in the Western United States. Water scarcity is an issue that we are already dealing with, and we must enact policy to protect our water resources as soon as possible. As someone with close ties to the agriculture industry, Representative Valdez understands the importance of conserving water and will continue to protect Colorado's water.

Rural Resources, Information, and Programs

Skill Advance Colorado
"Colorado First and Existing Industry Job Training Grant Programs support Colorado’s workforce development by providing grants to both existing businesses and those locating to or expanding in Colorado. By reimbursing costs associated with job training, the programs increase transferable job skills that support business competitiveness and enhance workers’ resumes and long-term employment opportunities."

Colorado Rural Resiliency and Recovery Roadmaps
"This program provides technical assistance and grants for regional teams of rural communities to drive economic relief, recovery, diversification and long-term resilience."

Rural Technical Assistance Program
"This program helps rural communities create economic development strategies by providing free technical assistance and consulting services."

Rural Jump-Start Program
"This program helps economically distressed communities attract new businesses and jobs."

Enterprise Zone Program
"This program encourages development in economically distressed areas of the state through tax incentives."

Location Neutral Employment Community Matching Grant
"This grant provides marketing funds to help rural areas attract out-of-state companies to create new jobs in their communities."

All Rural Programs and Funding
Click the above link to view a more comprehensive list of rural programs and funding from the Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Care for Colorado Program:
"The Care for Colorado program is made up of a coalition of partners across the state that share important messaging about preserving and protecting our state’s natural resources."

In the Community

Events in Pueblo

-E-commerce Masterclass: How to Build an Online Business

Events in Alamosa

-Acoustic Bluegrass Jam on March 22nd

Events in Monte Vista
-Here is the events calendar for Monte Vista

-Monte Vista Crane Festival:
-The Monte Vista Crane Festival wrapped up last weekend. However, you will still be able to see the cranes since they usually stay in the San Luis Valley for roughly six weeks before flying north.

Fun Facts and Information

1. Conejos County is home to the first church created in Colorado, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish [1]

2. Costilla County is home to the oldest town in Colorado, San Luis, which was founded in 1851 [2]

3.) "Covering nearly 8,000 square miles in southern Colorado, the San Luis Valley is the largest valley in the state and the largest high-altitude desert in North America." [3]

[1] “Conejos County, Colorado.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Feb. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conejos_County,_Colorado.

[2] “Town of San Luis.” Home, https://costillacounty.colorado.gov/community/town-of-san-luis#:~:text=San%20Luis%2C%20the%20oldest%20town,present%20population%20of%20approximately%20750.

[3] Yongli. “San Luis Valley.” Articles | Colorado Encyclopedia, 13 Mar. 2020, https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/san-luis-valley.