This spring’s legislative session marks another big win for regenerative policy in Colorado! The Coalition for a Regenerative Future influenced more than 20 new state laws. This work advances all eight building blocks for a regenerative future. Ten bills aligned with The Coalition’s crowdsourced policy platform, which directly links citizens and legislators. The Coalition’s Advocacy Day added four more wins to the mix, and The Alliance’s Board of Directors endorsed nine bills that made it to the Governor’s desk for signature.
Connecting Citizens to Legislators
The Coalition’s 2023 crowdsourced policy platform reached more Coloradans than ever before, intentionally including those who are not the “usual suspects” when it comes to policy. We hosted Coalition brainstorming sessions, partnered with other organizations and attended community events. These efforts resulted in our most collaborative and inclusive platform to date. The platform played a role in the creation of laws that will, among other things, promote safety in the distribution of natural gas, advance thermal energy service, regulate the use of pesticides, remove barriers to water-wise landscaping and streamline solar permitting and inspection grants.
After The Alliance and our partners hosted effective advocacy trainings and provided resources, Coalition members earned four more policy wins on our annual Advocacy Day. One bill increased the flexibility of the ozone season transit grant program, which provides grants to the Regional Transportation District (RTD) to provide free transit services for at least 30 days during ozone season. Encouraging more people to ride transit is an essential strategy to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Other bills strengthen Colorado’s commitment to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A fourth bill introduces higher standards for consumer products and household appliances. These standards will significantly reduce energy and water waste in addition to toxic mercury and smog-forming pollution.
Throughout these efforts, Colorado legislators demonstrated appreciation for the views of their constituents and interest in implementing community-led solutions. We thank them for their hard work and willingness to engage with the diverse membership and transformational ideas of the Coalition.
Successful Endorsements
The Alliance’s Board backed nine other bills that were signed into law. They will require studies into a just transition, waste diversion and innovations to slow the rate of greenhouse gas emissions. They will enforce standards in multiple industries to help protect the health of people and planet. These include improved water conservation in oil and gas operations, increased electric vehicle charging stations and elevated requirements for the labeling of compostable and non compostable products. These bills will support natural stream systems, tax policies that advance decarbonization, and the integration of solar power on agricultural land.
These new laws mark significant wins for both people and planet! The strength of The Coalition lies in our collective voice. We are so grateful to the many hardworking members and partners who helped drive this impact—including Business for Water Stewardship, EcoCycle, the Colorado Energy Office, Harmony Cummings of Colorado Rising and countless others. We believe that every human-made system can transform to be in service to life. Together, we have taken steps to create that transformation.
