I’ve only ever served in the majority. Getting used to a split legislature has been an adjustment. Some maintain that having split control is a recipe for success. Extreme policies from both parties inevitably go up in smoke, and what rises from the ashes are good policies that have broad, bipartisan support and appeal. Although I applaud areas where Democrats and Republicans were able to find common ground this session, I’m frustrated that some really good policies never made it through.

A bill that would have made sure homeless Colorado youth (“unaccompanied minors” is the technical term) can qualify for in-state tuition at Colorado colleges and universities died in the Senate. Two proposals to provide a raise for Colorado’s lowest-paid workers also failed this year. Speaker Hullinghorst’s effort to convert the Hospital Provider Fee into an enterprise to provide some relief from the budgetary challenges posed by TABOR also met a quick end in the Senate. Funding for reproductive services that have demonstrated proof in reducing teen pregnancies and abortions failed to sway Senate leadership, despite having bipartisan support in the House. And, finally, the Denver metropolitan area seeing some of the fastest rising housing costs in the country continues on unaddressed. Whether it’s resolving construction defect litigation or adding more state support for affordable housing is worthy of debate, but the status quo is no longer acceptable.

As an eternal optimist, I choose to focus on the positive. After many failed attempts over many years Colorado will finally have meaningful penalties for habitual drunk drivers. Colorado is no longer one of only five states that does not have a felony DUI law in place for motorists who are convicted of drunk driving after multiple offenses. Emotional pleas from family and friends of victims of drunk driving finally got this policy over the finish line and onto the governor’s desk. Similarly, bipartisan agreement was reached on reducing the amount of standardized testing occurring in our schools. Colorado has been a leader in education reform and part of those efforts is making sure data is collected to prove students are improving academically each year. Republicans and Democrats came together to trim state assessments (as much as a 25 percent reduction in overall testing) while preserving accountability systems for schools. Lastly, as we are required to do every year, the Legislature passed a balanced budget, one that makes significant investments in education and transportation.

There are many more big issues facing Colorado in the coming years. I’m disappointed to say that many of these looming predicaments were left unaddressed in this legislative session. My hope is that we will come back next year refreshed and ready to tackle the big issues. Only by doing so can we live up to Colorado’s tradition of never shying away from a challenge and doing it together.

– Rep. Dominick Moreno, a Democrat, represents Commerce City