H_HHS_2025A 02/18/2025 11:50:01 AM Committee Summary

The prime bill sponsors, Representatives Garcia Sander and Lukens, introduced House Bill 25-1160 to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill creates a mental health pilot program in the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). The program will provide 42,000 students with access to an online behavioral health prevention tool. The BHA will contract with a suitable tool provider by January 1, 2026, and report to the General Assembly on the program’s progress in January 2027. The program repeals on June 30, 2027.



The bill sponsors requested that the bill be postponed indefinitely.

The committee was placed in a brief recess.

The committee came back to order.

The primary bill
sponsors, Representatives Garcia and Sirota, introduced House Bill 25-1011
to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill creates new
requirements for child care centers owned by institutional investment entities.
An institutional investment entity is defined in the bill as an investment
company or a venture capital fund that owns at least 20 percent of a child
care center and operates and franchises five or more child care centers.
The bill requires child care centers owned by an investment entity to post
and update child care pricing on their website. An investment entity must
provide 60-day notice to employees and families of any changes to employment,
enrollment, and eligibility when acquiring a child care center. The Colorado
Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) may require an investment entity to
annually submit information about the entity’s general financial condition.
If the child care center is found to be non-compliant, the CDEC can take
further disciplinary action.



The bill sponsors
provided a handout to the committee (Attachment B).

The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Allison McMurtry,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.



Alison May, representing
KinderCare Learning Companies, testified in opposition to the bill.



Shannan Meyer,
representing Primrose School at Lowry, Primrose School of Parker, Primrose
School of Centennial, testified in opposition to the bill.



Ms. Naomi Janowiak,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Laurie Scoggins,
representing the Goddard School, testified in opposition to the bill.



Jenna Borkoski,
representing Learning Care Group, testified in opposition to the bill.



Stephanie Branscum,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.



Mindy Goldstein,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Dawn Alexander, representing
Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado, testified in opposition
to the bill.



Kendra Dunn, representing
Colorado Department of Early Childhood, testified in opposition to the
bill.



Mr. Dean Pappous,
representing The Gardner School, testified in opposition to the bill.



Kathlyn McHenry,
representing Early Care & Education Consortium, testified in opposition
to the bill.



Ms. Sara Flater,
representing Mother Forward, testified to amend the bill.



Alethea Gomez,
representing Colorado Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC),
testified to amend the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Hunter Nelson,
representing Small Business Majority, testified in support of the bill.



Elliot Haspel,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Heather Tritten,
representing Colorado Children’s Campaign, testified in support of the
bill.



Additional written
testimony was submitted to the committee (Attachment C).

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

The bill sponsors provided closing comments on the bill.

Members of the committee provided closing comments on the bill.

The committee was placed in a brief recess.

The committee came back to order.

The primary bill
sponsors, Representatives Clifford and Froelich, introduced House Bill
25-1017 to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill codifies
federal law and legal precedent in state statute and requires the Department
of Health Care Policy and Financing to create a community integration plan
for serving individuals with disabilities.



A handout was
provided to the committee (Attachment F).

The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Jack Johnson, representing
Disability Law Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



Ms. Molly Kirkham,
representing the Arc of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



Craig Towler,
representing Center for People With Disabilities, testified in support
of the bill.



Ms. Bethany Pray,
representing Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of
the bill.

Mr. Michael Neil,
representing Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, testified in support
of the bill.



Mr. Carson Covey,
representing Family Voices Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



Mr. Jose Torres-Vega,
representing El Grupo Vida/CCDC/ADAPT, testified in support of the bill.



Megan Bowser,
representing Family Voices Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



Mr. Brent Belisle,
representing Arc of Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties, testified
in support of the bill.

Wendy Buxton-Andrade,
representing Mental Health Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



Ms. Coral Cosway,
representing Alzheimer's Association of Colorado, testified in support
of the bill.



Ms. Toffee Webb,
representing SW Center for Independence, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Jacob Ancell,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Ms. Sabrina Padilla,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Waverly Bowser,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Dr. Trisha Raque,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Pamela Bisceglia,
representing ADVOCACYDENVER, testified in support of the bill.



Asher Bogdan,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Ms. Christina
DeBello, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Ms. Elizabeth
Moran, representing The Arc of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Francesca Maes,
representing CCDC and CCA, testified in opposition to the bill.



Mary Henneck,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



DeeAnn Ying, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.



Betsy Lodge, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.



Thomas Perille,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Bryan Grewe, representing Atlantis Community Inc., testified in support of the bill.

Amy Ferrin, representing
Colorado Department of Human Services, testified to amend the bill.



Rachel Entrican,
representing Colorado Health Care Policy and Financing Department, testified
to amend the bill.



Additional written
testimony was submitted to the committee (Attachment G).

The bill sponsors provided closing comments on the bill.

Members of the committee provided closing comments on the bill.

The bill sponsor responded to questions from the committee.

Amanda Lofgren, representing
Colorado Health Care Policy and Financing Department, testified to amend
the bill.



Chris Underwood,
representing Colorado Health Care Policy and Financing Department, was
available to answer committee questions.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Nicole Zamparelli,
representing Colorado Assisted Living Association, testified in support
of the bill.



Mr. Stephen Fisher,
representing WellPower, testified in support of the bill.



Ms. Molly Wiley,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.



Leslie Kalechman,
representing AARP Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



Mr. Carson Covey,
representing Family Voices Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Jose Tores-Vega,
representing El Grupo Vida/CCDC/ADAPT, testified in support of the bill.



Additional written
testimony was submitted to the committee (Attachment L).

The bill sponsors provided closing comments on the bill.

Members of the committee provided closing comments on the bill.