By Rep. Megan Lukens
When Congressional Republicans passed a budget last month that handed out massive tax cuts
to corporations, it created a billion-dollar hole in Colorado’s state budget. H.R. 1 threatens
Medicaid services, cuts SNAP food assistance for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans, and
causes health insurance premiums to spike by nearly 40 percent on the Western Slope. For
families in House District 26, this will make health insurance unaffordable for many of our
neighbors. When Washington Republicans chose to slash federal funding that Colorado families
depend on, Colorado state legislators did not sit back and hope for the best. Instead, we came
together in a special legislative session to pick up the pieces and protect the services our
Western Slope communities rely on.
Rural Healthcare Hanging in the Balance
Congress’s failure to extend enhanced premium tax credits will hit Western Slope families hard,
with individual market premiums set to increase by nearly 40 percent in our communities. Here
in Colorado, we have worked tirelessly through our reinsurance program to bring down
healthcare costs for families. We have proven that smart investments can make healthcare
more affordable. During our special session, we passed HB25B-1006 to invest additional
resources in reinsurance to keep premium increases down to around 20 percent statewide.
We also restored access to Medicaid services at Planned Parenthood for over 10,000 patients
whose appointments were cancelled when federal legislation immediately removed reproductive
health providers from the Medicaid program. This ensures that Coloradans can continue
accessing cancer screenings, family planning consultations, and STI testing from the providers
they trust.
From regular checkups to emergency care, our rural hospitals and clinics are vital to the health
and safety of our communities. If rural hospitals close, families will have to drive hours for basic
care, and our community would lose good-paying local jobs. This year, I sponsored HB25-1085
to help our county hospitals run more efficiently and HB25-1223 to study what our rural hospitals
need to stay strong. That is how you support healthcare – through thoughtful investments, not
reckless cuts that put hospitals at risk.
Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes, Not Cutting Services
In order to protect hardworking Coloradans from Washington’s irresponsibility, we took a
balanced approach that made corporations pay their fair share. We passed multiple bills that
collectively close corporate tax loopholes that have allowed companies to dodge nearly $1
billion in taxes they owe Colorado.
HB25B-1002 cracked down on offshore tax havens and foreign bank accounts that let
companies avoid Colorado taxes, and stopped giving Colorado tax breaks to corporations for
investments they make in other states rather than here at home. HB25B-1003 ended special tax
breaks for insurance companies that were not actually creating jobs in our state – the State
Auditor found that most companies were actually eliminating jobs while claiming these special
breaks and HB25B-1001 limited excessive tax breaks for higher-earning business owners.
These were not cuts to essential services – these were smart decisions to ensure that
corporations benefiting from federal tax cuts also contribute fairly to the Colorado communities
where they do business.
Supporting Families and Students
When Republicans cut SNAP food assistance, it put over 600,000 Coloradans at risk of going
hungry – including more than 300,000 low-income families with children, older adults, and
people with disabilities who depend on this program to put food on the table each month. Rather
than allowing Congress’s cuts to stand, we took action with SB25B-003, which adjusts
Proposition MM, a ballot measure we are putting before voters this November. If it passes,
Proposition MM will raise up to $95 million per year by limiting state income tax deductions for
households earning over $300,000. These new revenues will first ensure that our successful
Healthy School Meals for All program continues to provide free, nutritious meals to all public
school students across Colorado, and then any remaining funds can help support SNAP to keep
vulnerable families fed.
A Pragmatic Approach That Works
This special session, I sponsored SB25B-005, which makes a practical adjustment to wolf
program funding. This legislation reallocates the $264,268 originally set aside in this year’s
budget for importing additional wolves from Canada to instead help make health care more
affordable for all Coloradans. All existing funding for wolf management, conflict mitigation, and
livestock compensation remains in place. It simply requires that any future wolf procurement
come from funding sources outside of taxpayer dollars, recognizing that our wolf population is
growing successfully on its own.
The Colorado Way Forward
This special session showed our commitment to putting families first over corporate interests.
We protected essential services, closed unfair tax loopholes, and made strategic investments in
healthcare affordability and food security.
I remain committed to bringing our community’s pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach to the
State Capitol. Whether it’s supporting our rural hospitals, helping families afford health
insurance, or finding practical solutions to complex challenges, I will continue advocating for the
investments our Western Slope communities need.
As always, I want to hear from you about the issues that matter most to our communities.
Please reach out to me at [email protected] with your thoughts or ideas.
Together, we will continue building a stronger future for House District 26.
Onward!
