Gov. Jared Polis signed dozens of bills into law this week, including the watered-down collective bargaining legislation and hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for public schools.

Signed on Friday, Senate Bill 230 extends collective bargaining rights to approximately 36,000 county employees throughout the state. The bill provides the rights in most counties with populations over 7,500, allowing county employees the opportunity to unionize and bargain on pay, job safety and other issues. 

“These workers staff our public health departments, maintain our roads and keep our communities safe,” said House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, who sponsored the bill. “They deserve the right to join together to improve their workplaces and negotiate for better pay and benefits.”

The bill was one of the most contentious of the session, spurring hours of debate and hundreds of proposed amendments, mostly from Republicans in opposition. The bill had started out two years ago as an ambitious plan to allow all public sector employees – county, municipal, special district, higher education and K-12 education – to unionize.

In the end, compromises watered down the bill to exempt 26 of the state’s 64 counties, including 22 with populations under 7,500, two home rule counties and Denver and Broomfield, which are both cities and counties. Also, the concessions made ultimately included affirmation of the rights of county commissioners to reject any collective bargaining agreement with their workers. Ultimately, the bill changes little in state law – county workers already had the right to unionize and five counties already have collective bargaining agreements with their employees. 

On Thursday, Polis signed a host of bills to expand and fund public education, including House Bill 1390, which increases total funding for public schools by $431 million to a record $8.4 billion. That increases funding for K-12 public schools by an average of $545 per student, which aims to reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay and provide individualized support to students. 

“I am proud to say Colorado is investing in teachers, students and K-12 public schools,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, chair of the House Education Committee. “This year’s school finance act will increase per pupil funding to a record high. … More resources lead to stronger schools, improving learning and better preparing students for the road ahead.”

In addition, Polis signed Senate Bill 127, which increases funding for special education students by over $80 million per year, and House Bill 1350, which creates a $91 million grant program to build partnerships between employers and postsecondary education institutions. 

Other education bills included Senate Bill 8, which waives college tuition for some foster students; Senate Bill 192, which connects students with jobs; House Bill 1294, which supports special education in charter schools; House Bill 1407, which allows veterans to audit college courses; House Bill 1107, which improves higher education for people with disabilities; House Bill 1220, which provides loan forgiveness to educators; House Bill 1376, which updates school discipline and data reporting; and, House Bill 1366, which creates grant programs for postsecondary education.

Polis also continued last week’s theme of approving bills to increase affordable housing, signing House Bill 1051 – extending the Colorado Affordable Housing Tax Credit until 2031 – and Senate Bill 159 – creating a $150 million loan program for housing infrastructure, financing and rehabilitation.

“We’re making the largest investment in affordable housing in Colorado state history and I couldn’t be more proud,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton, who sponsored SB-159. “This once-in-a-generation investment will boost the supply of affordable housing and make an affordable home a reality for so many Coloradans across our state.”

More notable bills signed also included Senate Bill 180 to spend $28 million on free transit fares during the summer; Senate Bill 134 to spend $4 million on the state fair master plan; House Bill 1153 to create a streamlined adoption process for parents conceiving through assisted reproduction; and, Senate Bill 148 to invest $5 million in a behavioral health facility for Colorado’s land-based Tribes.

Polis also signed the following bills this week:

• House Bill 1287 establishes protections for residents of mobile home parks
• House Bill 1309 increases the amount of drugs hospitals can give to sexual assault victims
• Senate Bill 107 creates the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb license plate
• House Bill 1365 creates the Institute of Transportation Technology at Colorado State University Pueblo
• House Bill 1316 funds Colorado water conservation board projects
• House Bill 1327 researches the abuse and deaths at federal Indian boarding schools in Colorado
• House Bill 1278 creates the state Behavioral Health Administration
• Senate Bill 177 invests $12.2 million to improve statewide behavioral health care coordination
• Senate Bill 202 matches money for property tax revenue collected by school districts
• Senate Bill 199 studies the protection of native pollinating insects