Rachel Zenzinger for Colorado

Breaking news! Governor Jared Polis has called for a special session of the legislature to further address property tax reforms. The special session will begin on Monday, August 26.

Polis calls special session to work out property tax compromise Lawmakers hope to head off a pair of ballot measures that local governments fear could 'gut' their budgets.

Fire danger still high on Colorado Day. Read all about it and more in this week's newsletter: https://conta.cc/3SwZ5IA

Fire danger still high on Colorado Day Rachel Zenzinger Newsletter   August 1, 2024 Fire danger still high on Colorado Day As of this morning, there are still four major fires burning along the the Front Range, making this Colorado Day a m

There are some very dangerous fires that have popped up in Jefferson County. You can track the situation and get the latest updates from the Jeffco Sheriff’s website or by clicking below.

Quarry Wildfire Updates | Jefferson County, CO Stay updated on the latest information about the Quarry fire in Jefferson County, including evacuation orders, road closures, and safety measures for residents.

Several new bills from the legislative session are slated to take place on August 1. The article runs through them with a description of each bill:

Water, wolverines, firearm sales among new laws set to take effect Aug. 7 More than 200 new Colorado laws will take effect on Aug. 7.

I want to thank President Joe Biden for his many years of public service, and I wish him all the best in his post-Presidential life.

Understanding wildfire risk in Colorado and what we're doing about it. Read all about it and more in my newsletter: https://conta.cc/4d7JzdR

Understanding wildfire risk in Colorado and we're doing about it Rachel Zenzinger Newsletter   July 19, 2024 Understanding wildfire risk in Colorado and what we're doing about it According to a 2023 analysis from the Colorado State Forest Service, just under half o

Great news! Efforts to address the teacher shortage in Colorado are working. This stems from legislation that I sponsored a few years ago. I’m happy to see that we are indeed making a dent and filling the gaps.

Teacher shortage? Colorado has a $10,000 stipend for that The state is seeking applicants for a program that gives $10,000 stipends to educators who are teaching under alternative licenses while earning their degrees. The program helps schools hire teachers in certain fields.

Big news in Arvada! I want to commend and thank Lorie Gillis for her work as city manager, as well as her interactions with the legislative delegation, and wish her good luck in her future endeavors.

https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/2024/07/12/arvada-city-manager-lorie-gillis-resigns-after-nearly-two-years-on-the-job/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0zngcPH5qOCO1Nj-CAnHN70r6gpW7OJvhe57aPReK_SxHw8kJGnGWqu30_aem_9YA__cOc9UAoUwVS4S294w

Arvada City Manager Lorie Gillis resigns after nearly two years on the job - Arvada Press Less than two years after Lorie Gillis was given the reins of the city team, Arvada is once again on the hunt for a new city manager. Arvada’s City Council accepted Gillis’ resignation at an executive session on July 1. Her last day with the city will be on Aug. 2 and Deputy City Manager […]

Happy Independence Day! I hope you celebrate safely and that you take a moment to listen to this advice from an Air Force veteran who asks that we consider leaving the pyrotechnics to the municipalities.

Opinion: Want to thank me for my service? Use your “freedom” to not light off your own fireworks this Fourth of July. “If you mean it when you say, ‘Thank you for your service,’ take the money you spend on fireworks and donate it to veterans support organizations.” — Michael Jenet

JDLI endorses Rachel Zenzinger!

You might have heard about a new bill (HB24-1340) that we passed this session establishing a Colorado Promise program for higher education. Here is a great article that explains the details of the program and how it will work.

What to know about Colorado’s new tax credit for college Colorado students have another route toward two years of free college.

Celebrate safely this Independence Day! This month's newsletter contains tips for staying cool, links to local fireworks shows, and the lastest news from the JBC. To read all about it and more, click below!
https://conta.cc/4cINUUK

Celebrate safely this Independence Day Rachel Zenzinger Newsletter   July 2, 2024 Celebrate safely this Independence Day It is officially summer and one of the best times to live in Colorado. However, before you head out this week for that

There are a number of new laws that will go into effect starting July 1. One of those laws is HB24-1407 Community Food Assistance Provider Grant Program, where we combined the food pantry assistance program and the food bank assistance program into a single program. The purpose of the grant program is to provide grants to procure and distribute nutritious foods that meet the needs of eligible entities' clientele. Combining these two similar programs will help us be more efficient and better meet the needs of organizations that serve individuals in need of food assistance.

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1407

New laws set to take effect on July 1, including gun restrictions and housing regulations New laws taking effect on July 1 include firearm restrictions, deepfake disclosures, and false slates of electors. Read more about the changes.

Another article about a bill I sponsored a few years ago that is producing key results!

“The Colorado Re-Engaged (CORE) initiative became law in 2021, and for the first time, it recognized that more than 25,000 Coloradans who invested time and money but for a variety of reasons had to stop their education, could be eligible for a degree to reflect the work they’d done.”

A new program in Colorado recognizes students who didn’t complete their bachelor’s degree with an associate degree The Colorado Re-Engaged (CORE) initiative became law in 2021, and for the first time, it recognized that more than 25,000 Coloradans invested time and money but for a variety of reasons had to stop their education.

There were a number of contested races in yesterday’s Primary Election. I want to congratulate candidate Representative Lindsey Daugherty who successfully won the District 19 Democratic primary race to succeed me in the state senate. Here is a summary of all of yesterday’s primary races:

Elisabeth Epps, Tim Hernández unseated as Democratic legislative primary results are a mixed bag for progressives The Democratic primaries will determine the political trajectory of the state Capitol for years to come

It’s primary Election Day today! You have until 7:00 pm tonight to get your ballot in. Drop it off at a secure drop box (not the mail—it’s too late for that) or go to a Voter Service Polling Center. Here’s some more information. Thank you for being a voter!

It’s primary Election Day in Colorado. Here’s what voters need to know. Colorado is a same-day voter registration state, so you can even register to vote until polls close at 7 p.m. tonight

This article does a good job of explaining one of my recent bills, SB24-143, and how it interacts with other initiatives (including a few of my prior bills). By leveraging these bills, Colorado is well-positioned to continue serving as a national leader in aligning education and workforce systems.

New Colorado Legislation Links CTE and Apprenticeship Systems New Colorado legislation that will integrate workforce and education systems to better support transitions from education into career.

Both the “Back to Work” and “Finish What You Started” programs are a result of bills that I sponsored and passed. I’m glad to see that they were successfully implemented and made a positive difference!

Community Colleges Celebrate Success of “Back to Work” Program When construction work dried up during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jay Crick turned to Pikes Peak State College to get his career back on track.

I went to the Capitol today for a JBC meeting and to hear the quarterly revenue forecast, and came home with two new awards! Thank you Adams State University and Colorado Autism Services Coalition for the recognition!

The JBC learned quite a bit about the net benefit to our economic growth when you invest in the arts. I’m glad that we took action this year in various ways.

Thank You, Legislators - 2024 Video from Colorado's Arts, Culture and Creative Sector Colorado's arts, culture and creative sector had some big wins during the 2024 legislative session. Join CBCA and the statewide arts community in thanking ou...

Happy Juneteenth! In 2021, President Biden signed into law a bill declaring June 19, also known as “Juneteenth,” a federal holiday. Marking the official end of slavery in Texas, Juneteenth is now also a Colorado state holiday after Governor Jared Polis signed it into law in 2022. Enjoy the celebration!

After a fantastic town hall meeting this morning with three incredible nonprofit organizations—Colorado Gives Foundation, Jefferson Center for Mental Health, and Ralston House—I had the honor and privilege of attending the DDRC’s 60th Anniversary party at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. These incredible organizations have provided so much community benefit for Jefferson County and the region.

Bill signing ceremonies wrap up, concluding legislative session. Read all about it and more in this month's newsletter. https://conta.cc/45kuOle

Bill signing ceremonies wrap up, concluding legislative session Rachel Zenzinger Newsletter   June 12, 2024 Bill signing ceremonies wrap up, concluding legislative session Last Friday, Governor Polis signed into law the final set of bills passed by the General Ass