Colorado lawmakers are one step away from securing guaranteed unpaid leave from their day jobs during the legislative session, after the House narrowly approved a proposal Thursday aimed at making it easier for working‑class residents to serve in the General Assembly.

Senate Bill 087, sponsored by Sens. Katie Wallace, D-Longmont, and Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, and Reps. Kenny Nguyen, D-Broomfield, and Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora, would require businesses to allow employees who are members of the General Assembly to take unpaid leave during the regular legislative session and special sessions.

The bill passed on a 33-31 vote in the House, with all Republicans and nine Democrats voting against it. The bill cleared the Senate on a 23-11 vote, with all Republicans except Pelton voting no. It now heads to the governor’s desk for signature.

The bill, as proposed, would exempt small businesses and employees who make more than 120% of their area’s median income.

Wallace previously told Colorado Politics that the bill is intended to diversify the General Assembly, where the average member is currently over 50 and either retired or working a high-paying job.

“The predominant folks we’re trying to make sure are included in this bill are public sector employees, like teachers, firefighters, and county employees,” Wallace said. “Those folks who really are experts in their issue-areas because of their direct experience in them, but they can’t access this because they would have to give up their job. You need people from all these different career backgrounds to inform the policy, but they can’t come here because of their careers. It kind of defeats the point.”

Republicans argued that being an elected official is a sacrifice, and one that will likely come with a pay cut.

“We must remember that this job is a public service,” said Rep. Ava Flanell, R-Colorado Springs. “It’s not meant to be easy, and we are here to serve our constituents, not ourselves. You are a public servant, and there is some sacrifice that has to be made when taking this position.”

Flanell also argued that if lawmakers stuck to the five-bill limit, they’d have more time to do their outside jobs.

During the House debate, Lindsay told her colleagues, “A representative democracy works best when the people making decisions reflect the full range of experiences, backgrounds, and economic realities of the communities they serve. The General Assembly should include working-class residents, caregivers, public service employees, small business owners, and people in hourly or non-traditional jobs, not just those who can afford to serve.”

Colorado lawmakers are paid just over $40,000 a year — nowhere near enough to support a family without a second job or income, she said.

Employers are required to provide leave to individuals performing other civil duties, such as military service or jury duty, Nguyen reasoned.

Other Republicans opposing the legislation said they agreed that changes were needed to make running for office more accessible to people across different age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds, but didn’t believe this was the way to do so.

While the session is 120 days, being a state lawmaker is undoubtedly a full-time job, said Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta. He believed lawmakers should be paid accordingly, but felt SB 087 took a “scary approach” to solving the issue.

“To me, it’s difficult to vote yes on a bill to preserve jobs for legislators when legislators make a choice to run,” added Rep. Lori Garcia Sander, R-Eaton, saying that she believed the bill equated to lawmakers “patting themselves on the back” and ensuring they kept their own jobs while their constituents worried about holding down a job.