Advocacy
Your Dedicated Pro-Business Advocate
The Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC believes in the power of a collective voice. We work on your behalf to remove barriers to business, saving you money, time, and red-tape headaches. By prioritizing business owner needs, the Chamber & EDC protects our economy and increases resources available to you to grow and thrive in your work.
Our Results
In 2024, more than 702 bills were introduced during the state legislative session, many affecting your bottom line and how you run your business. The Chamber & EDC advocates on your behalf, engaging with lawmakers and partners across the state to seek a positive business climate that allows Pikes Peak region businesses to grow and thrive, and secure a strong state economy.
Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC
2024 Legislative Session Overview
Prepared by: Joan Andrew Green Turner
This year the Chamber reviewed and took positions on 97 bills. Those positions being support, oppose, amend, monitor or deliberating.
A couple of items should be noted.
The Chamber took a support position on SB 160 – Non-Economic Damages Cap Medical Malpractice Actions. This bill did not pass; however, a compromise bill, HB 1472, did pass that achieved a key goal of having the trial lawyer’s ballot issue to remove all caps withdrawn. HB 1472 is not reflected in the chart data because of the lateness of its introduction.
The Chamber took a support position on SB 127 – Regulate Dredged and Fill Material in State Waters. This bill did not pass, however, HB 1379 (the dueling bill that the Chamber took an amend position on) did pass in a format far better than when introduced with some of the concepts from SB 127.
The Chamber took an oppose position on 29 bills. 5 of these bills that passed were the state land use bills that had been prioritized by the Governor and the Majority Party.
The most disappointing loss was SB 106 – the Construction Litigation Reform bill. After success in getting the bill out of the Senate it was not possible to secure passage through the House in a form to address the problems at hand and move the dial to secure additional housing stock. Expect to see this issue again in the next General Assembly.
Supported Childcare/Senior Legislation that Passed
- HB 1052 Senior Housing Income Tax Credit
- HB 1223 Improved Access to the Child Care Assistance Program
- HB 1237 Programs for the Development of Child Care Facilities
- HB 1387 Preschool Programs Cash Fund
Supported Workforce Development Bills that Passed
- HB1002 – Social Work Licensure Compact
- HB1076 – Purple Star School Program
- HB1096 – School Psychologist Licensure Interstate Compact
- HB1097 – Military Family Occupational Credentialing
- HB1111 – Adopt Cosmetology Licensure Compact
- HB1160 – Economic Development Organization Action Grant Program
- HB1325 – Tax Credits for Quantum Industry
- HB1360 – Colorado Disability Opportunity Office
- SB010 – Dentist & Dental Hygienist Compact
- SB018 – Physician Assistant Licensure
- SB109 – Continue Veterans’ Service-to-Career Program
Key Bills the Chamber Opposed that Failed
- HB1008 – Wage Claims Construction Industry Contractors
- HB1014 – Deceptive Trade Practice Significant Impact Standard
- HB1028 – Overdose Prevention Centers
- HB1057 – Prohibit Algorithmic Devices Used for Rent Setting
- HB1083 – Construction Professional Insurance Coverage Transparency
- HB1245 – Fair Labor Practice Requirements for Broadband Projects
- HB 1260 – Prohibition Against Employee Discipline
- HB 1299 – Short-Term Rental Unit Property Tax Classification
- HB1300 – Home Sale Wildfire Mitigation Requirements
- SB33 – Lodging Property Tax Treatment
- SB159 – Modifications to Energy and Carbon Management Processes
- SB165 – Air Quality Improvements
- SB166 – Air Quality Enforcement
- Legislative Agenda
- Advocacy Partners
The Chamber & EDC evaluates policies based on the following guiding principles:
- Free markets and competition ensure high service levels, innovation, and competitive pricing.
- Taxes, fees, and regulations must not stifle a thriving economy or pose undue burden on businesses, they should be narrowly focused on strategic and necessary goals, undergo a cost/benefit analysis resulting in a positive ratio, and be easy for businesses to understand and comply with.
- Proactive economic development programs help our community attract, retain, and expand businesses that provide high-quality jobs for our residents. These jobs, in turn, improve quality of life for residents.
2025 Priorities
The Chamber & EDC will focus on Legislation falling broadly into the following categories:
Support Proactive Housing Policy
Support increasing attainable and affordable workforce housing stock regionally and statewide. Housing policy must help the market meet our community’s talent needs and enhance the region’s ability to compete nationally for growth opportunities. Housing policies should remove barriers to construction and incentivize development instead of placing new costs on buyers and renters. Policies should encourage cooperation and partnership between all levels of government, the private and nonprofit entities to bring more units to market for all income levels.
Improve and Protect the Business Regulatory Climate
Work to ensure that job creators are supported with a common sense, stable, and business-friendly regulatory environment. We will contest unnecessary or burdensome regulation that unfairly hinders employers as they work to grow, hire, and thrive in our community. Policies should be built on incentives and allow employers flexibility to implement them in a way that best fits their unique operational environments, rather than on rigid mandates and punitive fine structures. We will press for fair and balanced guidelines where regulation is appropriate, so the business community or specific industries are not unfairly or disproportionately impacted. Regulations must be realistic, effective, efficient, and enforceable.
Ensure Good Governance, Efficiency, and Transparency
Responsive, efficient, effective government provides the infrastructure upon which businesses grow and thrive. We must have transparent and predictable processes for licensing, inspections, and any other government requirement that would affect an employer’s operations. We are vigilant in protecting against inefficient government spending and advancing greater government accountability.
Grow and Diversify our Regional Economy
Proactive and focused economic development efforts are key to raising incomes and providing resilience against future downturns for our region’s workforce. We will support policies that help grow and educate a future-oriented workforce ready to meet the needs of expanding industries. We will support well-considered and specific incentives to help attract new employers in targeted industries to the Pikes Peak Region, ensuring new high-wage jobs.
Many of the issues influencing local business are shared with our regional and state peers. The Chamber & EDC partners with organizations, governments, and coalitions across the state to identify and champion pro-business solutions. Some include:
Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry
