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Polis Signs Emergency Care, Abortion Rights Bills Jackie Sedley
Polis Signs Emergency Care, Abortion Rights Bills
Governor Jared Polis has signed a pair of health care bills focused on emergency care in Colorado.
Senate Bill 45 is meant to ensure that residents will receive emergency care, no matter what’s happening at the national level, according to Polis. The bill also orders a study of universal, publicly-financed health care in Colorado.
Polis also signed Senate Bill 130, which is one of a trio of bills passed this session aimed at protecting abortion rights in the state. This particular law requires emergency medical facilities to provide non-discriminatory, immediate care. The Denver Post says SB-130 is broadly applicable, but aims to ensure people can receive an abortion or miscarriage care in emergency circumstances.
Polis May Sign Immigrant Bill
Governor Polis has also indicated he might sign a new bill that would increase the rights of immigrants in Colorado.
Senate Bill 276 received final legislative approval last week, as the 2025 legislative session drew to a close. The governor says the final version of the bill has “workable language,” according to Colorado Politics, although he also said he is still reviewing it.
The bill, if it becomes law, would prevent local law officers from detaining an individual based on an “immigration detainer.” Those are notices issued to local and state law enforcement agencies informing them that the feds intend to arrest someone, which in previous cases has led local enforcement to delay release from custody for “immigration enforcement purposes.”
Republican opponents criticize the measure as so-called “sanctuary policies” that protect people who should be deported.
Ride Hailing Bill
Meanwhile, the ride-hailing company Lyft is openly objecting to a possible new law. KGNU’s Pam Johnson has the details.
Lyft is asking Governor Polis to veto a new bill that would require them to create new safety regulations to better protect riders.
The measure, House Bill 1291, was approved by lawmakers last week. It would require Lyft, Uber, and any similar rideshare companies to conduct regular criminal background checks on drivers, according to Colorado Politics.
It was sponsored by State Representative Jenny Willford, who was sexually assaulted by a Lyft driver in early 2024. The driver was charged in that case on Tuesday.
Such delays would also be addressed by the bill. It would require companies to promptly investigate complaints.
Lyft officials say the bill is well-intentioned, but falls short of what it is meant to do.
Uber has also objected to the bill, and last month threatened to pull out of Colorado if it becomes law.
Boulder Youth Shelter Closes
Boulder’s only youth homeless shelter has shut down.
“The Source” emergency shelter provided 16 beds for people ages 12 to 21, and was the only shelter in the city specifically designated for young people.
TGTHER, the Boulder-based nonprofit serving homeless youth who ran the shelter, said the decision was based in reduced funding and financial uncertainty.
The organization has already furloughed 19 staff from the shelter for up to six months – a decision that a spokesperson told Boulder Reporting Lab was largely driven by a recent decline in public and private funding.
That same spokesperson, Alex Bergland, said the organization is working to address the new gap in services.
County Courthouse Historic Landmark
Boulder County Commissioners will host a celebration of the Boulder County Courthouse at the end of this month.
The courthouse was designated a National Historic Landmark late last year. The designation is based on it being the place where the first same-sex marriage license was issued back in 1975, by then-County Clerk Clela Rorex.
The National Historic Landmark celebration is set for May 30, a Friday, from 10 to 11 a.m. It will be at the courthouse at 1325 Pearl Street, and is open to everyone.
The County Commissioners said in a press release that the event is meant to coincide with the start of Pride month.
