Latest news with #LaborPeaceAct
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Polis vetoes 11 bills, a personal record, passed in 2025 by Colorado Legislature
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs Senate Bill 25-183 into law on April 25, 2025 at the Colorado Capitol. The bill implements Amendment 79, a constitutional amendment that guarantees the right to abortion and lifts a prohibition on public funds for care. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline) Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed 476 bills approved by the Colorado Legislature this year and vetoed 11 measures, a record for him. The previous veto record from Polis was 10, during the 2023 legislative session. In 2019, he vetoed five bills, in 2020 three bills, in 2021 three bills, in 2022 four bills, and in 2024 six bills. Here are the bills state lawmakers approved that Polis declined to sign into law this year. Senate Bill 25-5, dubbed the Worker Protection Act, would have removed Colorado's unique requirement for a second election following a simple majority vote to form a union. Polis said from the start of the 2025 legislative session that he would reject the measure unless a compromise between labor and business interests came about. The second vote requires 75% approval for workers to be able to negotiate whether every employee must pay representation fees, regardless of union membership. Colorado is the only state to have that system. It was created through the Labor Peace Act over 80 years ago. Polis' last veto of the year went to House Bill 25-1004, which would have banned the use of computer algorithms to set rent in the state. Consumer advocates and bill supporters blasted the veto, which Polis said was necessary as several lawsuits related to rent algorithms run their course. That includes an antitrust lawsuit Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined last year targeting RealPage. The Biden administration released a report last year that found software from companies like RealPage cost Denver renters an extra $136 per month, one of the highest monthly cost increases in the country, and is used in over 45% of multifamily rental units in the city. House Bill 25-1291 aimed to increase safety for passengers who use ride-share services like Uber and Lyft, but Polis vetoed the measure after the companies threatened to pull out of Colorado if it passed. The bill would have allowed for optional audio and visual recording during rides and a ban on drivers offering their passengers food and drink. It would have also added new background check requirements and allowed a person to sue a company or driver, instead of going to arbitration, in the case of death, sexual assault, personal injury or kidnapping. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jenny Willford, a Northglenn Democrat who said she was sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver last year. Prosecutors charged the man who allegedly attacked her in May, and Willford is suing Lyft over the incident. Bill sponsors said they will continue to pursue options to increase safety for riders, and Polis directed the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies to work with sponsors to find new policy ideas. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A bipartisan measure that would have changed Colorado Open Records Act timeline requirements was the first bill Polis vetoed this year. Senate Bill 25-77 would have extended the timeline that a records custodian has to respond to a CORA request, except for requests from journalists. It also would have given entities more time to respond to a request if they decided the request was for financial gain, like obtaining information on a large group of people in order to solicit business. Polis said the measure gave records custodians too much discretion to determine the intent of someone requesting a record. He also said he supports 'more, not less, openness and transparency' in his veto letter. Supporters of the bill said it was intended to give public officials a reasonable amount of time to respond to an increasing volume of requests. Polis vetoed Senate Bill 25-86, which was intended to protect vulnerable young people from predatory social media users who try to sexually exploit them online or sell them drugs or guns. It would have required social media companies, such as X and Meta, to investigate and remove users they determine violate policies around those behaviors. It also would have required companies to hand over related materials to law enforcement within three days of a request. The Senate voted to override Polis' veto of the bipartisan bill, but the House did not, so the veto stands. Polis said in his veto letter that the measure required social media companies rather than law enforcement to enforce the law. Bill sponsors have said they will bring the measure back in future sessions. House Bill 25-1088, which received unanimous bipartisan approval from the Colorado Legislature, would have eliminated surprise billing for ambulance rides. Polis vetoed the measure, saying while it was well-intended to save rural Coloradans money, it would have ultimately increased health insurance premium costs. The bill would have required insurance companies to pay for out-of-network ambulance rides at set rates. 'I have been provided with estimates on premium impact that range from $0.73 to $2.15 per member per month, which means a family of four would likely pay as much as one hundred dollars more per year in insurance premiums if I were to sign this bill; by every estimate, this bill raises costs for consumers,' Polis said in his veto letter. House Bill 25-1026 would have eliminated copayments people in Colorado Department of Corrections custody have to pay for health care visits, as well as fees for missed appointments. Polis said the measure 'micromanaged' CDOC policy and said decisions on such policies are better determined by the department itself. The department is already restricted to a $5 maximum copay charge for people in custody. On the same day he vetoed the bill, Polis issued an executive order directing CDOC to review and revise its policies on medical copays to reduce the cost for the incarcerated person, and waive the cost for certain services. It also tells the department to enhance its data collection regarding fees charged for missed appointments. Supporters of the bill said it would have reduced barriers to necessary medical treatment. House Bill 25-1122 would have required commercial self-driving vehicles to have a person with a valid driver's license present in the vehicle, a measure intended to increase safety on the road. Polis said in his veto letter that the bipartisan measure would have effectively created a 'first-in-the-nation prohibition on autonomous commercial vehicle testing and operations.' 'While we as a country have yet to see widespread adoption of autonomous commercial vehicles, deployment in Colorado presents potential opportunities for improving safety,' Polis said in his veto letter. 'Allowing HB 25-1122 to become law would require a driver to be present in commercial vehicles, which may undermine innovation of future technologies that could increase road safety.' Senate Bill 25-1220 would have required dietitians and nutritionists to be licensed through the state Division of Professions and Occupations after passing certain educational requirements. In his veto letter, Polis cited a 'sunrise review' the Department of Regulatory Agencies conducted in 2024 that advised the Legislature against regulating dietitians and nutritionists 'due to a lack of evidence of harm to justify regulation of this entire group of professionals.' Polis said the review was 'well-researched and thorough,' so he agrees with its findings that the professions don't need state regulation. House Bill 25-1147 would have prevented municipal courts from inflicting harsher sentences for low-level crimes than the state would for the same crime. The goal of the bill was to align state court practices with municipal court practices. Local governments opposed the bill, claiming it violated the rights of Colorado's home-rule municipalities. Polis said in his veto letter that the measure 'significantly restricts a municipality's ability to react to local crime trends in ways that a local government deems most appropriate to improve public safety in their community.' The bill also included provisions that would have clarified that defendants have the right to counsel in municipal court, and that municipal court proceedings should be open to the public, concepts Polis said he would have supported on their own. House Bill 25-1065 would have allowed people age 72 and older to permanently opt out of jury duty. The bipartisan bill also would have allowed people living outside of Colorado, such as a college student, to temporarily opt out. 'Older adults have so much to contribute to our communities and a state law that creates an arbitrary age-based threshold for exclusion from one's civic duty isn't warranted,' Polis said in his veto letter. The governor indicated he would be open to future discussion of allowing people to postpone jury service for good reason. Currently, a juror can postpone their jury duty for up for six months for any reason. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Polis vetoes Colorado bill that would have eased union formation
State Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat, speaks at a rally outside the Governor's Residence in Denver, where labor advocates urged Gov. Jared Polis to sign Senate Bill 25-5, the Worker Protection Act, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Colorado Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a bill on Friday afternoon that would have repealed a requirement for a second election to form a union, a provision that's unique to the state. The veto was expected, as Polis, a Democrat, said from the start of the 2025 state legislative session that he wanted to see a compromise between labor and business interests over the issue. That never came. Senate Bill 25-5 would have repealed the state requirement for a second election following a simple majority vote, per federal law, to form a union. The second vote requires 75% approval for workers to be able to negotiate whether every employee must pay into representation fees, regardless of union membership. Colorado is the only state to have that system. It was created through the Labor Peace Act over 80 years ago. 'I believe there must be a high threshold of worker participation and approval to allow for bargaining over mandatory wage deduction. And SB 25-005 does not satisfy that threshold, which is why I am vetoing the bill,' Polis wrote in his veto letter. 'Nonetheless, I was and remain open to changes to the Labor Peace Act. The law can and should be amended to more fairly allow workers to choose union security.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Polis wrote that the current system makes it easier to fully unionize at smaller companies than at larger ones 'where organizing might be even more important.' He encouraged labor and business leaders to continue conversations about how to update the law. 'This two election framework makes Colorado a unique 'hybrid,' allowing for union security unlike 'open shop' states, but requiring a high threshold of approval to achieve it. I am disappointed we did not find common ground that would have resulted in me signing an updated and fairer Labor Peace Act,' he wrote. The bill was a priority for labor groups and progressive Democrats in the Legislature this year. It passed on party-line votes in both chambers, which Democrats control by wide margins. 'This veto from Governor Polis is a betrayal of working people in Colorado, but also one we are not surprised about,' Wynn Howell, Colorado Working Families Party state director, said in a statement after the veto. 'Given that he is one of the wealthiest men in Colorado, it is no shock that he is woefully out of touch with public opinion on this question.' Howell called on Attorney General Phil Weiser and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, two Democrats in the race for Colorado governor next year, to weigh in on whether they would have signed the bill. 'Will Senator Bennet or AG Weiser stand with workers? Or will they just be more of the same stale and out of touch anti-worker politics in Colorado? Neither one has said publicly whether they would sign the Worker Protection Act, and at this point their silence is deafening. We urge them to answer that question clearly and unambiguously,' they wrote. Business groups applauded the veto. 'CCA members value the voice of their employees,' Colorado Contractors Association President and CEO Tony Milo said in a statement. 'It is of utmost importance to ensure their voices count when it comes to deducting union dues from their paychecks. The Governor did the right thing today for workers across Colorado.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These bills on labor issues passed the Colorado Legislature in 2025
Labor advocates rallied outside the Governor's Residence in Denver to urge Gov. Jared Polis to sign Senate Bill 25-5, the Worker Protection Act, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) Colorado's 2025 legislative session exposed some sharp fault lines within the Democratic Party when it comes to labor issues. Though Democrats hold solid majorities in both the state Senate and the House of Representatives, measures backed by progressive lawmakers to protect workers from extreme heat and to prohibit the use of surveillance-based algorithms to set wages were among the bills that died in the face of opposition from moderates. The session's biggest priority for labor groups, a bill aimed at making it easier for workers to unionize, made it through both chambers of the Legislature but is expected to be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis at the behest of business groups. The party's progressive and moderate wings clashed over several other proposals, including a bitter fight over changes to tipped minimum wage laws. Here are the major labor bills lawmakers enacted before adjourning their regular legislative session on May 7. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Senate Bill 25-5 would repeal the state's Labor Peace Act, a 1943 law that erected a unique obstacle to workers seeking to form a union in Colorado. Under the law, unionizing workers, after winning a simple majority vote to form a union, must hold a second election and obtain 75% approval to negotiate so-called union security — a requirement that all represented workers pay dues, even if they don't support the union. The Labor Peace Act is effectively a modified version of the so-called 'right to work' rules enacted by many conservative states. Democratic majorities in the Legislature approved SB-5, dubbed the Worker Protection Act. But Polis said earlier this year that he would only sign the bill if it met the approval of business groups like the Colorado Chamber of Commerce. When talks between the two sides stalled, lawmakers passed SB-5 anyway. Polis has indicated he will veto the bill. He has until June 6 to do so. Labor leaders have vowed to revive the Worker Protection Act next year. As originally introduced, House Bill 25-1208 would have meant steep wage cuts for tipped workers in Denver and Boulder, forcing those cities to dramatically increase their 'tip credits' — the dollar amount that employers can subtract from the minimum wage paid to tipped workers, as long as tips make up the difference. The bill's sponsors, Denver Democratic Reps. Steven Woodrow and Alex Valdez, pitched the wage cuts as necessary relief for a struggling restaurant industry. But they backed off that plan after intense pushback from labor and progressive groups and a series of long, contentious committee hearings at the Capitol. Instead, the amended version of HB-1208 would allow, but not require, local governments to increase their tip credits. In theory, a local government could raise the minimum wage for non-tipped employees as high as it wished, while maintaining a tipped minimum wage of $11.79 an hour, the statewide minimum. Polis has not yet taken action on the bill. House Bill 25-1001 would make a variety of changes aimed at combating wage theft, including raising the cap on wage-theft claims from $7,500 to $13,000, streamlining the process of adjudicating claims and increasing penalties on employers for repeated and 'willful violations' of the law. 'Colorado workers lose hundreds of millions of dollars per year in wages due to theft from bad-acting employers,' Sen. Chris Kolker, a Centennial Democrat and HB-1001 sponsor, said in a statement on the bill's passage. 'With this legislation, Colorado's labor force would more quickly and easily access their owed wages so they are fairly compensated for the work they do.' The bill was approved by Democrats on party-line votes in the House and Senate. Polis has yet to take action on the bill. Senate Bill 25-128 would repeal a provision in state law guaranteeing access by 'key service providers' — including medical personnel, attorneys, legal advocates and clergy — to farmworkers on private agricultural properties during off hours. That protection was passed by Democratic majorities in the Legislature in 2021 as part of a larger piece of legislation known as the Farmworkers Bill of Rights. Sponsors, including Democratic Sen. Dylan Roberts of Avon and Republican Sen. Byron Pelton of Sterling, said the 'cleanup bill' was needed after a 2021 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found a similar access provision enacted in California unconstitutional. The bill would leave intact the vast majority of the wide-ranging 2021 farmworkers' rights measure. Some farmworker advocates opposed SB-128, arguing the law's protections for health care provider access weren't covered by the Supreme Court ruling and should be left in place. The bill passed with bipartisan support, with a handful of progressive Democrats in both chambers opposed. Polis has not yet taken action on it. Senate Bill 25-83 would extend Colorado's prohibition on 'restrictive employment agreements,' including non-solicitation and non-compete agreements, to cover physicians, dentists and advanced practice nurses. Those professions would no longer be included in the category of 'highly compensated workers' that are exempted from the non-compete ban under current law. Bipartisan majorities in the Legislature approved SB-83, with a handful of Republicans opposed. Polis has yet to take action on the bill. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Axios
14-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Despite Democratic control, Colorado resembles right-to-work states
Colorado's blue-state status is tarnished by a prominent red mark: a legacy of suppressing labor unions. Why it matters: This legislative session, Democratic lawmakers and labor leaders worked in tandem to flip the dynamic with a bill that would make it easier for unions to collectively bargain. Yes, but: Democratic Gov. Jared Polis plans to veto the bill and keep Colorado aligned with conservative, right-to-work states. State of play: Colorado is unique given its requirement for a second state-run election before unions can collectively bargain and collect mandatory union fees. The second election requires a 75% supermajority of those voting or more than 50% of all eligible voters, whichever is greater. By the numbers: The extra hurdle contributes to a low union membership rate in Colorado — 8% in 2024 — putting it on par with right-to-work states like Alabama, Kansas and Mississippi, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The lack of a union contract leads to lower wages and benefits, as well as reduced workplace safety, researchers report. What they're saying: In a recent interview, Polis says he believes "there's a better solution for Colorado than the Labor Peace Act," but he wants a compromise between labor unions and the business community that is "sustainable." The two sides negotiated for months but reached an impasse at the end of the legislative session. The big picture: The current law took hold in 1943 as part of deal between workers' rights and business interests. Critics consider it a byproduct of the era's backlash against organizing workers and a vestige of a movement that shares roots with white supremacy campaigns. Business interests argue that removing the second vote would hurt Colorado's competitiveness in recruiting companies, citing an industry-backed study that warned about reduced job growth and a higher cost of living. Flashback: In 2007, the last time Democrats controlled the governor's office and state Legislature, the party's lawmakers passed a similar bill to eliminate the second labor election, but then-Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter vetoed the measure. The next year, voters rejected a ballot measure to make Colorado a right-to-work state. The bottom line: The union fight won't end with the governor's veto of Senate Bill 5.
CBS News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Dust barely settled from Colorado's 2025 legislative session, already talk of special session
Colorado's legislative session is over, now the fallout begins. Gov. Jared Polis speaks during a press conference with Colorado Democrats following the end of the spring 2025 legislative session Thursday, May 8, 2025. CBS News Lawmakers sent some 400 bills to Gov. Jared Polis' desk, and he's already announced he's vetoing one of them. The bill, sponsored by Democrats, would change the state's Labor Peace Act to make it easier for unions to collect dues from non-union members. The governor said he wouldn't sign the bill without buy-in from both labor and business. As Polis decides the fate of hundreds of bills, he's also warning lawmakers he might call a special session. "We are watching what Congress does," Polis said during a press conference Thursday. Polis says, if congressional Republicans follow through on proposed spending cuts, he will likely reconvene the legislature to deal with impacts to programs such as Medicaid, which covers about one in five Coloradans. "If we come back into a special session, it will clearly be on the Polis administration and the tax-and-spend Democrats in the legislature," said state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer (Col-R), who sits on the Joint Budget Committee. Kirkmeyer says Democrats need to prioritize spending. While theTaxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) caps how much the state can spend, Democrats have hinted at a ballot measure to raise the cap after an effort by some members to dismantle TABOR altogether stalled in the Colorado House of Representatives. "Thirty-one Democrat members of the House, 13 Democrat members of the Senate coming after TABOR, preview of coming attractions," state Sen. Paul Lundeen (Col-R) said during a press conference. Republicans warned Democratic bills expanding protections for undocumented immigrants and transgender individuals could also cost the state federal funding. The governor worked to amend the bills and has not said if he will sign them. Colorado Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie (Col-D) defended them. "I think our response in the legislative session was about protecting people's civil rights -- whether that was a newly arrived individual from another country, or it was a person from our LGBTQ community," McCluskie said during a press conference. The U.S. Department of Justice sued Colorado last week over immigration policies and Colorado Attorney General's office has filed 18 lawsuits against the Trump administration. Polis says he will work with the administration where possible. His priorities, Polis says, haven't changed. The first bill he signed post-session creates regional building codes for manufactured housing. "Our challenges in Colorado around making housing more affordable, making our communities safer haven't changed," Polis said. "And who's in the White House doesn't affect the steps we need to take here." In addition to federal spending cuts, some lawmakers are concerned an artificial intelligence law could also prompt a special session. Polis and the Attorney General asked the legislature to delay implementation of the law, which takes effect in February, but an eleventh-hour effort to do that failed. In addition to the union bill, the governor has also expressed concerns about a bill regulating rideshare companies. He hasn't said if he will sign the bill, but Uber has threatened to leave the state if he does.
