House Democrats were pleased with themselves Thursday when they advanced a pair of partisan bills aimed at helping rural Colorado.

Both were the work of Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Eagle, who was appointed last October to fill the vacancy left when Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush of Steamboat Springs left the legislature to run for U.S. House.

The House Health, Insurance and Environment Committee passed House Bill 1205, which sets up a $6 million financial aid program for those whose incomes is between 400 percent and 500 percent of the federal poverty level from July 1 this year through the end of 2019. The aid would those who live in where insurance rates ae the highest in Colorado and spend more than 20 percent of their household income on insurance premiums.

“They earn too much to qualify for federal stipends and too little to afford their premiums,” Roberts said in a statement.

The legislation passed on a 7-6 vote.

Roberts is co-sponsoring the bill with Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail. Another of their bills, Senate Bill 5, would direct the state to provide administrative help for rural counties struggling with job losses because of lost employers.  The bill passed the Senate 22-13 last month.

The legislation passed the House on a voice vote Thursday, and after a record tally in the next few days it should be on its way to the governor’s desk to become law. Sen. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, also is a co-sponsor.