Lowering the Cost of Living
Emily has been fighting to lower costs for Colorado consumers, renters, homeowners, patients and taxpayers. She ended corporate tax giveaways; cut taxes for families with the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Family Affordability Credit; banned junk fees from everyday purchases so companies are now required to inform consumers about the full cost of goods and services up front; created the Universal Pre-K Program that is saving families an average of $6,300 for their four-year-old; and boosted income for home care workers and child care workers.
Defending Democracy
Colorado has a gold standard election system. With universal vote by mail and automatic voter registration, we make voting easy and accessible for every eligible voter. Our system is secure and a model for other states. Emily works each year to make improvements to this gold standard.
Money is at the root of what is wrong in politics. With the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court, an unimaginable flood of dark money has washed over our elections. While we as a state cannot override this federal decision, we can continue to make our campaign finance system as strong and transparent as possible. Emily created campaign contribution limits for offices that previously had none, implemented campaign finance disclosure rules for those seeking to fill vacancies in the General Assembly and strengthened transparency and financial disclosures for candidates for state office.
Protecting Reproductive Rights
Emily has supported legislation to ensure that the government stays out of the relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider. Abortion rights are severely threatened in this country with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. But in Colorado, Emily has helped pass legislation that protects abortion rights, shields healthcare providers from prosecution from other states, and expands access to abortion for low-income women on Medicaid. Emily will stand strong against the annual efforts of Republicans to roll back our rights to bodily autonomy.
Protecting the Environment
As the consequences of climate change continue to affect Colorado’s weather, air quality, public health, and economic growth, Emily has taken action to preserve our environment and our Colorado way of life. Emily served on the House Energy & Environment Committee for 4 years, where she supported landmark laws to regulate the oil & gas industry with health and safety standards, establish Colorado’s GHG emission reduction goals, create statewide recycling infrastructure, ban the use of PFAS in many products, and establish an environmental justice framework in Colorado environmental policy.
Preventing Gun Violence
No parent should have to send their child to school in fear of a school shooting. Active shooter drills should not be the norm for our children. People should be able to shop for groceries without fear. Emily will continue to advance legislation to protect Coloradans from gun violence and prevent Colorado Republicans from rolling back our existing gun safety laws. She took on the NRA to pass legislation that prohibits guns sales in Colorado to people convicted of domestic violence and other violent felonies, and she passed a law requiring anyone selling firearms in Colorado to have a state license.
Improving Access to Healthcare
Affordable, accessible health care should be a right, not a privilege. A person’s ability to access quality, affordable health care should not be dependent upon one’s employment, income, or zip code. Emily has worked to lower prescription drug prices in Colorado, prevented insurance companies from interfering in the doctor-patient relationship, created the Colorado Option, supported the safety net, and brought transparency to hospital facility fees.
Fighting for Workers’ Rights
Emily has passed laws that ensure workers receive paid sick and family leave, cracked down on wage theft, and enacted collective bargaining rights. She co-sponsored the Worker Protection Act, and she supports legislation that strengthens the collective-bargaining rights of public and private sector workers and that prevents persecution of workers who form unions.