By Legislative Liaison Carolyn Martin
I can’t keep track of how many times I’ve been asked, “Why won’t the legislators listen to us?” The maximum opportunity for our voice to be heard was when we voted last November. But, ultimately, we need to ask ourselves: how well did we articulate our values and principles to our neighbors who vote? Warning signs abounded, but did we heed them?
The policies brought forth this session are nothing new. Some of the bills are repeat bills that failed in the split legislature of the past several years. Others are imports from blue states around the country. Sadly, we are reaping what we have sown.
(Please, read these bills for yourself; below are my simplistic one-sentence takes on these bills.) Here’s a brief rundown of some of the transformative bills this session:
Parental Rights
- HB19-1032 Forces public and charter schools to teach to sex ed to state standards that normalize homosexuality and transgenderism.
- HB19-1120 Lowers the age of consent for mental health care without parental consent to 12 years old.
- HB19-1129 Silences Christian counselors and prohibits parents from getting talk therapy for their children that would affirm Christian views of sexuality and gender.
Economy
- HB19-1257 & HB19-1258 Allows the state to keep all future tax money collected above the limit laid out in the Colorado Constitution without having to ask taxpayers. Creates an end run around TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights). If HB19-1257 passes, a referendum will be placed on the 2020 ballot asking the voters to approve this money grab.
- HB19-1261 Forces utility companies to switch to expensive means of creating energy.
- HB19-1262 Increases funding for full-day Kindergarten. (This could lead to lowering the compulsory age for school.)
- SB19-181 Limits the ability of oil and gas companies to get permits. This could possibly destroy the industry in Colorado.
- SB19-188 Institutes a new $1B tax to pay for family medical leave.
Constitutional Rights
- HB19-1177 Allows the taking of a person’s guns by force when they are seen as a threat. (Read the bill to determine for yourself if the bill upholds due process and presumes innocence.)
- HB19-1243 Lowers the age to vote in certain elections to 16 years old.
- SB19-042 Enters Colorado into a multi-state compact to tie our electoral votes for President to the national popular vote.
With just over a month to go there is more to come, and we may not have seen the worst of it. Stay tuned!
Special Invitation
You are needed for a special prayer time at the Capitol. Tuesday, April 9th at 11 am. Room 351.
Register for Homeschool Day at the Capitol
Bring your family and friends to the Capitol on Thursday, April 25th. Let’s show the legislators how much we care about our children and the freedom to home educate them!
Trusting in the mighty power and grace of Jesus,
Carolyn Martin, CHEC Legislative Liaison
carolyn@chec.org
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