Former Member, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy Committee, Colorado State Senate
Former Member, Educational Success Task Force, Colorado State House of Representatives
Former Member, Health and Environment Committee, Colorado State House of Representatives
Former Member, Judiciary Committee, Colorado State Senate
Former Chair, Local Government Committee, Colorado State House of Representatives
Chair, Health and Human Services Committee
Vice Chair, Joint Committee on Capital Development
Vice Chair, Joint Committee on School Safety
Member, Joint Committee on Treatment of Persons with Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System
Vice Chair, Joint Review Committee on Statewide Health Care
Member, Joint Review Committee on Wildfire Matters
Member, Legislative Audit Joint Committee
Member, State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee
— Awards:
Rising Star Award, Colorado Democratic Party, 2011
— Father's Occupation:
Names of Grandchildren:
Nyrema, Nyla, Nia
— Number of Grandchildren:
Priority Issues:
Fixing Colorado's structural budget deficit problems. We must come together as lawmakers to create balanced budgets through a smart and sensible balance of cuts and revenue.
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice
2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- Yes
3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes
4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes
5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No
6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No
7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- No
8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Tapping into Colorado's "rainy day" fund
- Yes
2. Decreasing funding for public universities
- No
3. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No
4. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No
5. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No
6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase
2. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Increase
3. Environment
- Slightly Increase
4. Health care
- Slightly Increase
5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status
6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Greatly Increase
7. Welfare
- Greatly Increase
8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer
1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status
2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status
3. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status
4. Small business taxes
- Slightly Decrease
5. Gas/Oil taxes
- Maintain Status
6. Property taxes
- Maintain Status
7. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status
8. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Maintain Status
9. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Maintain Status
10. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Maintain Status
11. Do you support applying sales taxes to all online purchases?
- Yes
12. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Individual
- No
2. Political Action Committee
- Yes
3. Corporate
- Yes
4. Political Party
- Yes
5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes
6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes
7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes
8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No
9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes
2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes
3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes
4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No
5. Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction?
- No
6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No
3. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes
4. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes
5. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes
6. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No
7. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes
8. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes
9. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage?
- Yes
10. Should employers be able to ask about applicants' criminal history before interviewing them?
- No
11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- Yes
2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- Yes
3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- Yes
4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- No
5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes
6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes
7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Colorado high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes
8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes
2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- Yes
3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Colorado's energy infrastructure?
- Yes
4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes
5. Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes
6. Do you support increased regulations of the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry?
- Yes
7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes
2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes
3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- Yes
4. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- No
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- No
2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes
3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes
4. Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes
5. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes
6. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes
7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- No Answer
8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Yes
2. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes
3. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes
4. Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Colorado?
- Yes
5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer
In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- My top three priorities in the Senate(1) To confront the challenges facing our communities and state.(2) To protect Colorado's water, air, and people.(3) To retain, promote, and protect our State's business climate.(3) To advance the cause of justice and equality in our state.