January 2025 Phone: 303-866-2936SHOW UP! TALK TO EVERYONE! BE POSITIVE! 75th General Assembly – First Regular Session The first regular session of the 75th General Assembly started on January 8, 2025. It was great to see familiar faces and some new ones! This year I will be serving on the House Finance and Business Affairs & Labor committees. With every bill that comes before the House, I am dedicated to supporting proposals that will better the lives of people in Highlands Ranch (House District 43) and the lives of people in Colorado.   My Work in Committee  My first two bills both passed the House Finance Committee this Monday. HB25-1012 passed unanimously— this bill redirects underutilized tax credits to a refundable tax credit for Colorado National Guardsmen pursuing education opportunities through the Colorado Guard’s tuition assistance program. HB25-1037 passed with bipartisan support. This bill provides public school teachers with a refundable income tax credit of $1000/school year or $500/semester. Our teachers in Colorado are often forced to pay for classroom supplies, supplemental educational materials, and even some field trips out of their own pocket. This bill offers them the respect they deserve for their often underappreciated work.  I was also honored to present HB25-1048 with my colleague, Rep. Soper, to the House State Affairs Committee. This was a Tax Oversight Interim Committee bill with multiple bipartisan sponsors to require the state to set up a centralized searchable database site with all the grants and tax credits one must make an application to obtain. Unfortunately it was defeated 5-6 with all the Republicans voting against it and a few Democrats, including a couple who voted for the identical bill last session. Transparency and good governance reforms are never popular with those in power, and it is often a lonely fight with little reward, but I will continue to push for such measures as they are essential for the long-term health and trust in government. India Republic Day Celebration  It was a great honor to take part in the India Republic Day Celebration at the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of the Rockies last Sunday. This event is always very enjoyable and I look forward to it each year. Highlands Ranch Senior Center The Highlands Ranch Senior Center is now open! It is a place to serve all those in our community who are over 55 years of age. With a plethora of fitness classes, art classes, and socializing spaces, we hope that aging gracefully with community support is a hallmark of our community. Learn more about the offerings and supports for seniors at the Senior Center, here. Pre-session Townhalls  I had a great time talking with constituents who came to catch up on things I’ve been doing in the interim and also to hear my ideas for the upcoming legislative session. I always love hearing about what is on people’s minds and answering their questions. I’m looking forward to future townhalls where I can continue updating my constituents on what is happening at the a Colorado Capitol. As always, I am also available to hear constituent concerns through email and phone call. Upcoming Local Elections The Highlands Ranch Metro District will hold its next director election on May 6, 2025. Four seats will be up for election, find more information here: https://www.highlandsranch.org/government/board-of-directors/elections Highlands Ranch Water will hold its next director election on May 6, 2025. Two at-large seats will be up for election, find more information here: https://www.highlandsranchwater.org/vote New Legislative Aide  Shane Wittstruck is my new legislative aide at the Capitol. As a Political Science and Psychology double major at MSU Denver, she is interested in all things policy. You can reach out to them at [email protected] In the News Colorado Sun — How many vacancy-appointed lawmakers will be serving in the Colorado legislature this year Denver 7 — Colorado leaders explore changing how vacant legislative seats are filled Copyright (C) 2025 Representative Bob Marshall. All rights reserved. |
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