Reviews were mixed as the gavel came down last month to end the 2016 session of the Colorado General Assembly. Civil and religious liberties advocates, such as the Anti-Defamation League, were pleased that several problematic bills failed to advance.  At the same time, they could count no major victories.

ADL was actively involved on a number of bills this session. ADL testified against a bill that would have created a back door to vouchers and funneled taxpayer dollars to private, religious education. ADL testified against two bills that would have prohibited nearly all abortions in the state and severely limited woman’s access to reproductive health care services. The bills would have also established a religious definition of personhood in state law. And, ADL mobilized against two bills that would have provided individuals and businesses with religious exemptions from critical non-discrimination laws, allowing them to deny services and public accommodations to Coloradans.

In addition, ADL worked with a bi-partisan group of House and Senate lawmakers in crafting a joint resolution in remembrance of the Holocaust. The joint resolution was introduced and unanimously passed on April 21. The resolution declared May 1-8, 2016 as Holocaust Awareness Week and called upon all Coloradans to teach and remember the great injustices of the past and to commit to prevent similar atrocities in the future.

The 2016 legislative session provided a number of engagement opportunities for the ADL Mountain States Region’s Legislative Liaisons and Board members. Legislative Liaisons are volunteers who work with ADL to develop relationships with lawmakers, monitor legislation, and participate in action alerts on ADL’s priority bills.  Three ADL Board members testified on bills and several Legislative Liaisons monitored a handful of additional bills. Legislative Liaisons and Board members also had an opportunity to tour the Capitol and learn more about the legislative process. And, before the legislative session began, more than two dozen Board members and Legislative Liaisons gathered for a preview of the 2016 session that featured presentations by Senate Minority Leader Lucia Guzman and House Majority Leader Crisanta Duran.

While the 2016 legislative session is over, ADL is monitoring several potential measures that could appear on the November ballot. Those measures include a proposed amendment regarding divestment from Iran.

If you would like to more information on how to get involved as a Legislative Liaison, please contact Jeremy Shaver, Associate Director, at jshaver@adl.org.