| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Promise | Topic | Progress | The Quote | The Context | Date Made | Source | Link to Source |
2 | Bring state agriculture offices closer to farmers | Agriculture | No Movement | "We will explore relocation or supplementation of many of the main office’s function to rural areas, as well as placing satellite offices in the areas where farmers and ranchers live so that interacting with the Department of Agriculture doesn’t require a trip to Denver, which can take hours and reduce productivity." | When former Gov. John Hickenlooper left office, the Department of Agriculture was in the process of consolidating all its offices under one roof in the Denver suburb of Broomfield. That, plus the State Fair in Pueblo, are the only department offices listed on the state’s website. Polis says bringing government closer to farms and ranches will improve productivity and customer service, and save taxpayer money. Polis’ first budget request makes no mention of adding satellite offices within the next fiscal year. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
3 | Create grant program to keep Colorado No. 1 in hemp production | Agriculture | No Movement | "Making Colorado the national leader in hemp production ... We will work with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to facilitate grant money to specifically improve hemp manufacturing and processing in our state. Colorado is being put at a competitive disadvantage due to the fact that we don’t have a decorticator, the machine necessary to process hemp." | Colorado’s already No. 1 in hemp production, [according to Marijuana Business Daily]( https://mjbizdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Hemp-Report_Top-10-US-States.pdf), so to fulfill this promise Polis will have to keep the state's position as hemp farming now becomes mainstream elsewhere. Colorado has a wide lead, producing over half of the nation’s hemp in 2017. But it faces stiff competition from tobacco-growing states such as Kentucky, which has actually approved more acreage for hemp production than Colorado. Polis says one key to his strategy is working with the legislature and the state’s universities to obtain a [hemp decorticator for industry use](https://hempindustrydaily.com/mobile-processor-promises-new-fiber-opportunities-hemp-farmers/). Decorticators are used to strip bark from plants for processing, and can cost more than $2 million. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
4 | Provide more financing to young farm entrepreneurs | Agriculture | In Progress | "We must improve access to capital ... with strategic investments from the Rural Colorado Venture Capital Fund to provide seed financing to young aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start a farm or ranch and create jobs through the Agricultural Workforce Development Program." | The [Greater Colorado Venture Capital Fund](https://choosecolorado.com/venture-capital-fund/) was established in 2017 with $9 million to invest in rural startup businesses. [In his budget request](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tS59GK-qDaJYSLfrrAkS7WbSGUA2d0j4/view), Polis sought approval for another $2.5 million a year for a separate Rural Economic Grant Program. It, too, would target rural startups, but like the venture capital fund, it doesn’t have to go to farmers or ranchers. [A bipartisan bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-067) to create the program is pending before the legislature, but funding has not yet been appropriated. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
5 | Create economic development program to attract agricultural and food firms | Agriculture | No Movement | "We will implement a model economic development program to attract agricultural and food firms, such as Ardent Mills, to Colorado to promote research and product innovation at CSU and other state universities, and to strengthen the relationships and markets for Colorado farmers and ranchers and stimulate the rural economy." | Colorado has economic development programs that target a variety of industries — including businesses in rural areas -- that farmers could qualify for. But the state doesn’t have a program that provides special incentives for food or agriculture, as it does for the film industry and a number of others. Whatever he comes up with, it will likely require legislative authorization and funding, particularly if tax incentives are involved. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
6 | Limit "buy-and-dry," and embrace water "ATMs" | Agriculture | In Progress | "We will limit the use of buy-and-dry and instead increase storage capacity while taking advantage of opportunities provided by alternative transfer methods." | The [policies](http://duwaterlawreview.com/alternative-methods-to-success-new-atms-seen-as-solutions-to-colorados-buy-and-dry-proble/) outlined here are addressed in the Colorado Water plan, which was put into place under the Hickenlooper administration. In the campaign, Polis said farmers “have every right to be” skeptical of alternative transfer methods and promised that “managing population growth on the Front Range should not be done at the sacrifice of rural communities.” So far the Polis administration has supported spending millions more in the state budget to implement the plan, but much more is needed. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
7 | Support paid training, internships and other programs for young farmers | Agriculture | In Progress | "We will support the state’s efforts in providing training opportunities and paid internship opportunities for aspiring young farmers, and will support the work of 4-H, FFA, and similar groups, in cultivating agriscience education for the next generation of agriculture producers." | A number of programs in the Department of Agriculture began under the prior administration to help support a new generation of farmers. Polis' team is implementing those programs and continuing the efforts. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
8 | Advocate for immigration reforms to provide legal farm workers | Agriculture | No Movement | "We will represent the state’s farmers and ranchers in advocating for commonsense immigration reform that reforms the H-2A visa program that clear red-tape, reduce costs, and improves workforce predictability and retention." | The H-2A visas that farms use to hire temporary agriculture workers are managed at the federal level, so Polis would need to lobby the Trump administration to make these "reforms." It's not clear if this effort has begun, but it won't take much convincing. Back in early 2018, [the administration announced](https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2018/05/24/h-2a-agricultural-worker-visa-modernization-joint-cabinet-statement) a play to modernize the program and reduce the regulations and [plans to release new application forms](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-room/news-releases/2019/usda-launches-new-farmersgov-features-to-help-with-h2a-applications-managing-loans) in 2019. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
9 | Create a plan to address the "school-to-prison pipeline" | Criminal Justice | No Movement | "I will create a subcommittee of civil rights and education leaders under the commission tasked with creating a blueprint for Colorado schools to end disciplinary practices that disproportionally expel or suspend children of color as punishment in our classrooms." | The Colorado General Assembly in 2012 amended the School Finance Act to [push school districts to reduce suspensions and expulsions](http://cdpsdocs.state.co.us/safeschools/Legislation/CSSRC%20School%20Discipline%20At%20a%20Glance%20FINAL.pdf), and to stop referring students to law enforcement as a form of punishment unless they are legally required to do so. [Advocacy groups say](https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/01/17/third-try-will-this-be-the-year-colorado-gets-a-law-limiting-suspensions-and-expulsions-of-young-children/) the new law has helped, but argue that more changes to disciplinary policies are needed. [A 2015 study](http://padresunidos.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/PJU-01_Report2015_web.pdf) found that while suspensions, expulsions and referrals to law enforcement had all dropped since the measure passed, there were still huge disparities from one district to the next. And minority students were much more likely than white kids to be suspended, expelled or sent to the police. A bill that would [further restrict school discipline](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1194) is pending before the state legislature. | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
10 | Pardons for non-violent marijuana offenders | Criminal Justice | No Movement | "Colorado can choose a better way and lead the nation in dismantling injustice in all corners of our government, and that includes looking at pardons for those convicted of nonviolent marijuana charges." | When Colorado legalized marijuana beginning in 2014, the decision provided no legal recourse to the tens of thousands of Coloradans who had been convicted of marijuana-related offenses prior to legalization. In 2017, [Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a law](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb17-1266) allowing those convicted of misdemeanors to petition to have their offenses expunged, but a [number of lawmakers want the state to go further](https://www.coloradoindependent.com/2018/12/06/colorado-marijuana-convictions-2019/) and clear all low-level marijuana convictions from the books. However, there hasn’t been a bill to do so this session, and absent state action, some cities are moving ahead with [plans of their own](https://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-launches-simplified-program-to-help-clear-low-level-marijuana-convictions). | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
11 | Limit cash bail for nonviolent offenders | Criminal Justice | In Progress | "For our criminal justice system to operate at a high level and prioritize public safety, we must not allow someone’s economic status to be a likely determinant of their outcome in court. As governor, I will seek to limit the use of cash bail in our state for nonviolent offenders as well as speeding up the process for trial proceedings to occur." | A recent [New York Times investigation](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/31/us/bail-bonds-extortion.html) likened the $2 billion bail bond industry to a form of extortion that traps the poor in a vicious cycle of debt — not unlike what can result from predatory payday loans. Critics say requiring cash bail for minor crimes discriminates against the poor, forcing a lose-lose choice between staying in jail to await trial and falling into debt they can't afford. [The legislature in April sent a bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1225) to the governor's desk that would eliminate cash bail for certain low-level offenses, such as traffic-related misdemeanors or shoplifting less than $50 worth of goods. | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
12 | Ending Colorado's use of private prisons | Criminal Justice | No Movement | “I will end our investment in private prisons and reinvest those dollars into rehabilitation, diversion, alternative and restorative justice programs.” | Today, Colorado has three privately run prisons that house around 19% of the state’s inmates. Lawmakers for years have sought to phase out the use of private prisons. The problem: The state doesn’t have enough beds to eliminate them, and at $62 per day per inmate, they’re significantly cheaper than public prisons, which run anywhere from $76 to $124 a day. The state budget bill for fiscal year 2020 continues the use of private prisons. | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
13 | Eliminate the death penalty | Criminal Justice | No Movement | "If the legislature sends me a bill to repeal the death penalty, I will sign it." | A 1972 U.S. Supreme Court decision struck down the death penalty, with Colorado voters in 1974 approving a measure referred by the legislature to reinstate it. [Since then, only one person has been executed.](https://coloradosun.com/tag/death-penalty-series/) Three men, all African-American, are currently on death row, and Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2013 indefinitely suspended the execution of one of them. Polis is not pushing to eliminate the death penalty; instead he’s letting the legislature take the lead. An effort in the 2019 legislative session [to repeal the death penalty failed](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/02/colorado-death-penalty-repeal-effort-is-shelved-indefinitely-with-democratic-votes-lacking/). | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
14 | Mitigate racial disparities in criminal justice system | Criminal Justice | No Movement | "We will work to address racial disparities in our prison population. Addressing institutionalized racism, including police brutality, is paramount in rebuilding trust in our communities... We will also take measures to ensure racial equity across both the laws and prosecution practices in the effort to combat drug abuse." | The topic of racial injustice in prisons and police brutality is not new in Colorado. State lawmakers are moving a series of bills to address elements of the issue. If Polis signs those bills, he can make progress. But so far his administration has not announced other measures to address this issue. | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
15 | Ban bump stocks | Criminal Justice | No Movement | "(I plan to) ban the manufacturing and purchase of ‘bump stocks’ that convert legal weapons into illegal weapons of war." | The Colorado legislature last year rejected an attempt to enact a statewide ban on bump stocks, a type of gun modification that that was used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas. The Trump administration has since banned them nationwide, rendering the debate moot, for now. It’s not clear if Polis will pursue a ban of his own in case a future presidential administration overturns the restrictions. | 8/8/2018 | Gun Violence Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181108174021/https://polisforcolorado.com/gun-violence-prevention/ |
16 | Sign a "red flag" measure into law | Criminal Justice | Accomplished | "We will empower law enforcement and close family members, and prevent people in crisis from having easy access to guns, by passing a 'red flag' law in Colorado." | So-called red flag laws allow judges to order that firearms be taken away from people deemed a significant risk to themselves or others. Colorado Republicans rejected an attempt to pass such a law last year based on concerns about due process, saying it could be used to unfairly deny someone their Second Amendment right to bear arms. The General Assembly [passed a red flag bill in April](https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/28/colorado-senate-red-flag-bill-passes/) over the objections of Republicans and [some Democrats](https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/26/leroy-garcia-red-flag-bill-vote-colorado/), sending the measure to Polis’ desk. He [signed it](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/12/red-flag-bill-colorado-jared-polis-law/) April 12. | 8/8/2018 | Gun Violence Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181108174021/https://polisforcolorado.com/gun-violence-prevention/ |
17 | Improve security at gun shops and increase penalties for illegal gun sales | Criminal Justice | No Movement | "We should work to equip gun shops with strong security measures, like closed-circuit cameras, discrete signage and reinforced windows, which are already required of marijuana dispensaries in Colorado. We can also look to the example of communities outside Colorado, such as Richmond, Virginia, that have strengthened penalties for illegal gun sales and for selling guns to felons and have seen armed robberies and gun homicides drop substantially as a result." | Polis is proposing two policy changes when it comes to gun sales. His administration could encourage voluntary adoption of the increased security measures listed, but full compliance likely would require a regulatory or legal mandate. His endorsement for tougher penalties for illegal gun sales would require legislation. Neither topic is part of legislation in the 2019 session. | 8/8/2018 | Gun Violence Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181108174021/https://polisforcolorado.com/gun-violence-prevention/ |
18 | Divert low-level drug offenders to treatment | Criminal Justice | In Progress | "Ensure that funding from the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program reaches communities by engaging with local governing bodies and police departments to share best practices in diverting low-level drug offenders to treatment rather than jail." | [The LEAD program](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdhs/law-enforcement-assisted-diversion-lead-program) is designed to intervene before a person is booked into jail by providing substance abuse treatment, vocational training courses and housing services. [A bill](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-008) pending in the legislature related to opioid addiction treatment would expand the program to 10 locations from four. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
19 | Appoint members to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission who committed to inclusivity | Diversity/Civil Rights | In Progress | "I would appoint people who are fully committed to an inclusive state, and that means inclusive of people of faith as well as the LGBT community." | On the topic of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Polis said he’d make sure his appointments reflected inclusive values. The comment came amid [controversy](https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/what-masterpiece-ruling-means-for-the-colorado-civil-rights-commission/article_11164ce4-b624-5fd0-82ef-2467f222a831.html) surrounding action the seven-member commission took against a cake baker. So far Polis has made four appointments: Richard Lee Lewis Jr. of Aurora; Kendra Meredith Anderson of Denver; Sergio Raudel Cordova of Littleton; and Ajay Menon of Fort Collins. | 10/17/2018 | 9News Debate | https://www.9news.com/video/entertainment/television/programs/9news-on-demand/polis-and-stapleton-face-off-in-9newscoloradoan-debate/73-8285260 |
20 | Protect the Civil Rights Commission and voting access | Diversity/Civil Rights | In Progress | "I will not entertain any dismantling of Colorado’s Civil Rights Commission, nor will I ever sign a law that diminishes or otherwise harms the ability of people of color to cast a vote." | The controversy surrounding the Colorado Civil Rights Commission after the Supreme Court ruled against its action in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case led Republicans to call for an overhaul. Polis says he would prevent such a move, and with a Democratic-led legislature, it’s not likely to happen. The same applies to voting rights, so the legislature is unlikely to send him a bill that infringes on the right of minorities to cast a ballot. | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
21 | Ensure adequate services for people with disabilities | Diversity/Civil Rights | No Movement | "Lead the nation in recognizing that human beings deserve equal treatment and opportunity, no matter their physical or cognitive abilities. Everyone will be afforded the full protections of their civil rights in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act." | About one in 10 Colorado residents has a disability, according to [a 2018 report](https://disabilitycompendium.org/sites/default/files/user-uploads/2018_Compendium_Accessible_AbobeReaderFriendly.pdf), and recent studies show the state doesn’t lead the nation. A [ranking](http://caseforinclusion.org/data/state-scorecards) of how state Medicaid programs serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities put Colorado in the middle of the pack at 27th in 2019. And the [Disability Compendium report](https://disabilitycompendium.org/sites/default/files/user-uploads/2018_Compendium_Accessible_AbobeReaderFriendly.pdf) shows room to improve when it comes to poverty, employment and other areas. As part of this pledge, Polis also said he would evaluate the current system for “delivery of care and treatment” for people with intellectual, developmental, physical and acquired disabilities and find areas for improvement. The Polis administration will need significant change on a number of fronts to meet this goal. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
22 | Push back against Trump administration trade tariffs | Economy/jobs | No Movement | "We will use the bully pulpit afforded us by the executive branch to amplify the voices of our farmers and ranchers across the state in the federal government’s trade policies, and will forge strategic partnerships with Democratic and Republican governors from nearby states to ensure that our export economy continues to thrive." | Tariffs took a bite out of Colorado’s farming exports last year, causing 24.9% and 18.2% declines, respectively, in pork and cheese exports, [according to](http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/mar2019forecast.pdf) Colorado Legislative Council economists. Trade talks between China and the U.S. have picked up in recent months, but President Donald Trump has given mixed signals, alternately freezing tariffs and mulling escalations. | Sept. 28, 2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
23 | Support equal pay measures based for women and minorities | Economy/jobs | In Progress | "It's about time here nationally and here in Colorado to end pay disparities based on gender and based on race." | The statement expresses support for equal pay measures in Colorado. In Colorado, women receive $0.86 for every dollar for men, [according to](https://www.wfco.org/impact/the-economic-status-of-women-in-colorado-2018) a Women’s Foundation of Colorado report. The disparities for women of color are even greater. Pay discrimination already is illegal under federal and state law, but Colorado lawmakers are considering [a measure](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-085) to allow for legal challenges to enforce it. | 6/18/2019 | Denver7/Denver Post Democratic primary debate | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh0PLyPXCvs |
24 | Create retirement savings plans for private sector workers | Economy/jobs | In Progress | "We’ll help Coloradans without employer-supported retirement programs invest in their future by creating a retirement savings plan for workers to enter into." | As many as 46% of private sector workers in Colorado lack access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or pension, according to a 2015 AARP survey. That includes a whopping eight in 10 small business workers. Some states have stepped in to provide 401(k)-like savings accounts, but efforts to do so in Colorado have been blocked by Republicans. Democrats this year introduced a bill to study the feasibility of such a program. | Economic Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
25 | Expand rural broadband more quickly | Economy/jobs | No Movement | “We will speed that investment (in rural broadband) by changing the law to move resources faster. We’ll give rural towns and citizens the freedom to plan for and invest in broadband by removing the antiquated requirement to conduct costly and time-intensive elections to do so.” | Extending broadband to rural areas has been a top priority for years, and significant progress has been made. In 2015, just 59% of households had access to high-speed internet; [now 83% do](https://www.colorado.gov/performancemanagement/increase-access-reliable-cost-effective-broadband-internet). Polis wants to accelerate that expansion by rewriting the regulations of the Broadband Development Fund, which he says are preventing grants from being issued to worthy projects. He also wants to stop requiring local governments to seek voter approval in order to fund broadband infrastructure. Both would require legislative approval. Lawmakers have offered [one bill on rural broadband](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-107) this session, but it hasn't received a hearing since it debuted in January. It also doesn't address the grant or the election requirement. | 11/7/2017 | Summit Daily, Polis for Colorado | https://www.summitdaily.com/opinion/polis-and-stiegelmeier-overcoming-rural-colorados-broadband-hurdles-column/ ... https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233509/https://polisforcolorado.com/broadband/ |
26 | Bring new industries to rural Colorado to replace shuttered factories and coal mines | Economy/jobs | In Progress | "Revitalize rural communities by bringing jobs in manufacturing, forestry, agriculture and renewable energy development to rural Colorado in a way that takes advantage of the skills our workers already have." | The transition to 100% renewable energy, as Polis wants, is expected to lead to job losses in traditional energy sectors, which often are located in rural communities. Polis said he would “give shut-down factories and mines a new mission” and would work to help revitalize rural communities. The legislature is pursuing a number of policies on this front, and the state budget includes money for some efforts. | Economic Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
27 | Invest public and private resources in food deserts | Health care | No Movement | "Develop partnerships with supermarkets, health-focused foundations, and public transit agencies to refurbish unused buses, for example, and turn them into mobile fresh food markets in food deserts." | A food desert is a low-income area where residents have limited access to grocery stores, and vast swaths of Colorado qualify, [including parts of Denver](https://denverite.com/2016/10/19/denver-food-deserts/). The Colorado Health Institute [estimated](https://www.coloradohealthinstitute.org/blog/food-deserts-thirst-fresh-solutions) that 759,000 residents lived in a food desert in 2010. And Polis’ idea is not a novel one — in fact [one nonprofit](https://www.9news.com/article/life/new-mobile-fresh-food-market-works-to-put-a-dent-in-denver-food-deserts/73-551106686) is using an old school bus as a mobile grocery store. His administration can take action to develop the partnerships, but so far there’s no word that it’s happened. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
28 | Expand the Rural Colorado Venture Capital Fund to address food deserts | Health care | No Movement | "Expand the Rural Colorado Venture Capital Fund to work for the public good by investing in cutting-edge and data-based solutions to rising health care costs and to incentivize entrepreneurs to open markets to combat food insecurity in food deserts." | The Rural Colorado Venture Capital Fund launched in 2017 under then-Gov. John Hickenlooper with $9 million to provide early investment to businesses in 54 of the state’s 64 counties. It is managed by the [Greater Colorado Venture Fund](https://www.greatercolorado.vc/). Polis wants to expand the economic development initiative to target food deserts. If he’s seeking more state dollars, it would require legislative appropriation, but he likely can set the target areas on his own. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
29 | Paid family and medical leave | Economy/jobs | In Progress | “Making sure that every Coloradan has paid family and medical leave will be a priority for our state when I’m governor.” | Democratic lawmakers are pushing forward on a paid family and medical leave program that would start in 2023. [Under the legislation](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/09/paid-family-leave-senate-bill-188-colorado/), employers and employees would pay into a fund that allows up to 12 weeks paid leave with a maximum $1,000 a week depending on income. If it makes it to his desk, Polis can sign it. | 2/25/2018 | Polis for Colorado, Aspen Times | https://www.aspentimes.com/opinion/columns/jared-polis-bringing-universal-health-care-to-colorado/ ... https://web.archive.org/web/20181107223012/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
30 | Support collective bargaining | Economy/jobs | In Progress | "(I will) protect and expand collective bargaining rights while actively opposing attacks on organized labor like so-called “right to work” laws and paycheck deception." | With union-friendly Democratic majorities in both chambers, Polis won’t have to do much on this issue. But there could be opportunities to expand collective bargaining rights, as he promised. In an early test of his commitment, [Polis declined to stop Denver public school teachers](https://coloradosun.com/2019/02/06/jared-polis-denver-teachers-strike-intervene/) from striking over pay in February, even as he warned both sides that the dispute could ultimately hurt future efforts to raise education funding. | 2/1/2018 | Workers Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233311/https://polisforcolorado.com/coworkers/ |
31 | Ensure incomes keep pace with cost of living increases | Economy/jobs | No Movement | "Together we will raise wages for working families and make sure incomes keep pace with the cost of living." | After years of soaring housing costs collided with sluggish wage growth, the economy is [starting to turn in consumers’ favor](http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/mar2019forecast.pdf). In 2018, inflation in the Denver-Boulder-Greeley area slowed a bit to 2.7%, while personal income grew by 5.5% over the first three quarters of the year, thanks to a tight labor market and mandatory increases in the minimum wage. Wages grew at a slower pace of 3.2% from January 2018 to January 2019, but it was still a post-recession high, according to legislative economists. Of course, Polis can’t claim credit for this in the first months of his administration. | 2/1/2018 | Workers Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233311/https://polisforcolorado.com/coworkers/ |
32 | Allow cities to raise the local minimum wage | Economy/jobs | In Progress | "(I will) allow municipalities to raise the minimum wage in their area." | State law currently prohibits local governments from setting their own minimum wage. But [a bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1210) introduced this year would lift the restriction, with the caveat that it can’t go lower than the state or federal minimum wage. Past efforts to do so have been defeated by Republican opposition, but with Democrats in full control of the legislature, the bill has a good chance of reaching the governor’s desk. The state minimum wage is written into the state Constitution, and was last raised through a 2016 ballot measure. It’s currently $11.10 per hour; it’s slated to increase to $12 an hour in 2020, and then will be indexed to inflation in the years to follow. | 2/1/2018 | Workers Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233311/https://polisforcolorado.com/coworkers/ |
33 | Promote profit-sharing and employee-ownership and reduce regulations | Economy/jobs | Partial Credit | "More employees should have access to stock options, profit sharing and company ownership. The companies I started shared ownership with employees, and I want to make it easier and reduce red tape for businesses across Colorado to do the same. " | Polis is a big promoter of co-ownership and employee stock ownership plans (ESOP) for businesses. And he wants his administration to further the push. To do so, he signed an [executive order](https://www.colorado.gov/governor/sites/default/files/b_2019_005.pdf) on April 10, 2019, to establish a commission to help support employee ownership and identify barriers. To fulfill this promise, he will need to take action on what the commission finds. | Economic Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
34 | Establish workforce development commissions across the state | Economy/jobs | No Movement | "We will help rural and coal communities find meaningful work in their field retrain for a new career if they choose, and become entrepreneurs by establishing Workforce Development Commissions across the state." | Colorado’s job training programs operate under the [Colorado Workforce Development Council](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cwdc/council-0) and related local entities. Funded by a federal program, the council’s mission is to help create a trained and skilled employee pool that meets the needs of businesses. It’s not clear how these proposed workforce commissions across the state would operate and how much it would cost to establish. | Economic Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
35 | Create a blue-ribbon commission to study automation | Economy/jobs | No Movement | "We’ll create a blue-ribbon commission of business leaders, labor leaders and citizens to work with the state’s top economists and researchers to put Colorado in the best position to confront the challenge of automation." | The expected impact of automation on the workforce is significant with [a report](https://www.brookings.edu/research/automation-and-artificial-intelligence-how-machines-affect-people-and-places/) from Brookings suggesting 61% of jobs nationwide are susceptible. The risk to Colorado is the eighth lowest because of the state’s high education levels, the report found. Polis can create a commission to study the impacts with his own authority. | Economic Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
36 | Make Colorado the No. 1 state for "public benefit corporations" | Economy/jobs | No Movement | "(Make) Colorado first-in-the-nation for Public Benefit Corporations that measure their impact on our economy, community and our environment, and then make investments in keeping Colorado the best place to live." | A public benefit corporation is a for-profit entity that commits to make a positive societal impact, rather than focus on generating profits for shareholders. Colorado is one of 34 states that allows public benefit corporations, according to one organization’s [estimate](https://benefitcorp.net/policymakers/state-by-state-status), after passing a law creating them in 2013. A state-by-state ranking is difficult to find, so it may prove difficult for Polis to achieve such a subjective goal. | Economic Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
37 | Assist coal communities with financing and worker retraining | Economy/jobs | In Progress | "Support and utilize our skilled workforce by … using innovative financial mechanisms to recapture stranded coal assets and assist communities where coal plants have been retired; retraining and redeploying workers for green energy jobs that can never be outsourced." | The declines in the coal industry are most acute on the Western Slope but leveled off in 2018. Colorado counts about 1,300 jobs in the industry with six active mines, according to [reports](https://www.cpr.org/news/story/colorado-coal-jobs-saw-a-modest-uptick-in-2018). State lawmakers are moving to create a transition office to help coal workers get new education and training, which would address some of what Polis wants to do. The financing mechanisms are not a part of the measure. | Energy Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
38 | Student loan relief for teachers | Education | In Progress | "We have a plan for loan forgiveness ... to provide an additional incentive for teachers to be able to teach in our most underserved areas." | Policymakers view rising student loan debt as a key driver of Colorado’s [rural teacher shortage](https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/07/colorado-rural-teacher-shortage/), deterring young people from low-paying public sector work. But [a state loan forgiveness program](https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2019A/bills/fn/2019a_sb003_00.pdf) hasn’t been funded in years. Lawmakers have offered [a bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-003) to re-authorize the program, which is set to expire July 1, and target rural teachers, but it is still pending. Polis is supporting the effort and made teacher loan forgiveness a priority in his budget proposal. | 6/18/2018 | Primary debate, Denver7 and The Denver Post | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh0PLyPXCvs |
39 | Create a career pipeline for teachers | Education | In Progress | “As governor, I will work with school districts to establish a strong career advancement pipeline for teachers who want to bring their talents and skills learned in the classroom into leadership roles and administrative positions.” | K-12 educators across the country [cite a lack of career advancement](https://www.nnstoy.org/download/career_pathways/CSTCP_21CI_ExSummary_pk_final_web.pdf) as a key deterrent to staying in the profession. This has historically been controlled at the local district level, so it’s unclear how much influence Polis will wield on this issue. He's suggested creating a commission of educators and administrators to advise districts on ways they can improve. Lawmakers this session have introduced two bills designed to help: one promotes professional development for [teachers](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-190), the other targets [principals](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1002). Both have stalled in Appropriations Committee awaiting funding. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
40 | Expand the Head Start program | Education | No Movement | “I will fight for state investment in the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership to expand access to quality care for the state’s most vulnerable infants and toddlers. … This expansion would be targeted to low-income children, children with special needs and children experiencing homelessness.” | The baby sibling of the better-known Head Start pre-K program, Early Head Start provides child development services to qualifying pregnant women and children under the age of 3. In 2017, [Colorado had funding](https://www.nhsa.org/files/resources/2017-fact-sheet_colorado.pdf) for about 1,800 slots -- or 11% of eligible children. But today, its funding comes completely from the [federal government](www.cde.state.co.us/cpp/ecefundinginco), so Polis would have to persuade lawmakers to supplement the federal program with existing budget dollars or to raise funds through new fees or taxes. The program wasn't mentioned in his budget request this year, and there's no pending legislation to expand it. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
41 | Ensure children receive physical education in schools | Education | No Movement | "Work with school districts to ensure that children are receiving quality physical education and that these activities are never restricted as punishment. Ensure that students with disabilities are granted equal access to a quality physical education." | A [2016 study](https://www.coloradohealth.org/sites/default/files/documents/2016-12/PEForAllCOReport_120116_web_0.pdf) by a coalition of Colorado health groups found that physical education opportunities vary wildly from one school district to the next, making it hard to assess how adequate — or not — P.E. is across the state. But anecdotally, the survey found that “children are not receiving adequate time in PE class or moving enough throughout the day.” Guaranteeing P.E. across the state may come down to funding. The report concluded that P.E. has been a casualty of low funding on one hand, and pressure to boost test scores on the other. Lawmakers have offered [a bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1161) creating a $3 million grant program to fund "comprehensive, quality physical education," but it has stalled for months in Appropriations Committee awaiting funding. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
42 | Offer dual and current enrollment at every school district | Education | No Movement | "We will prioritize making sure that 100% of Colorado’s school districts are able to offer dual and concurrent enrollment programs through an associates degree or professional certification, and work to boost enrollment in them." | Polis won’t have far to go to meet his 100% goal. [In 2018](https://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Press/Releases/2019/Concurrent-Enrollment-Report-2019.pdf), 97% of school districts and 85% of high schools offered concurrent enrollment programs, which have wide bipartisan support at the legislature. Meanwhile, the number of high school students taking such classes for college credit has more than tripled since 2009. Still, state policymakers and lawmakers say more [progress is needed](https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2019/04/01/more-college-courses-for-high-school-students-is-aim-of-legislation/) to meet [college attainment goals](https://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/goal-3-improve-student-success/). In 2018, 35% of 11th and 12th graders took concurrent enrollment classes. Lawmakers in March [introduced a bipartisan bill](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-176) to expand dual enrollment offerings and attempt to increase enrollment, but funding has not been appropriated. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
43 | Expand access to STEM, advanced tech jobs | Education | No Movement | "Colorado should expand access to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs to recognize the importance of art and design’s role in shaping our economy. ... Work with vocational schools and trade unions to craft certification programs to increase access to jobs in advanced manufacturing and robotics, and increase technical skills training." | Three-fourths of what Colorado considers its “top jobs” — those in growing industries with lots of openings and good pay — are in STEM-related fields, such as health care, finance and information technology, according to the Colorado Department of Higher Education. The department’s master plan calls for increasing the number of STEM credentials completed from 12,500 to 14,500 a year by 2025, but even that may not be enough to prevent skill shortages in the state’s increasingly STEM-heavy economy. Public-private partnerships are already in place to boost STEM education in the state, but it will be up to Polis, state lawmakers and future administrations to keep them going. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
44 | Increase access to open-source textbooks | Education | No Movement | "Reduce the costs of education by improving access to, and use of, open-source textbooks in public schools and universities." | Polis pledged to make Colorado a national leader in open-source textbooks. The state legislature in 2017 created an [educators council](https://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Reports/legislative/OER/OER_Nov2017.pdf) to study using more freely available online teaching materials in K-12 and college courses to save money for students. A year later, the state funded $550,000 in grants to begin implementing some of the council’s [recommendations](http://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/oer-in-colorado/ ) at districts and universities across the state. But more funding may be needed. The council called for $2.8 million over three years to support the effort, which could save students an estimated $16 million on textbooks. So far, the legislature has [appropriated](https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2018A/bills/fn/2018a_hb1331_f1.pdf) $1.8 million over two years. | 2/1/2018 | Workers Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233311/https://polisforcolorado.com/coworkers/ |
45 | Address equity gaps in education | Education | No Movement | "I will work with the commissioner of education to ensure there is a plan for minority children to succeed academically from pre-K to 12, and in preparation for college. We will make sure that racial and systematic disparities are addressed adequately." | Erasing equity gaps between white students and those of color has been a state policy goal for years. But Colorado still has a long way to go. According to [state figures](http://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/goal-2-erase-equity-gaps/), 84% of white students graduate high school in 4 years, compared to 70% of Hispanics. And while 57% of Colorado adults have a college degree or certificate, just 40% of African-Americans and 29% of Hispanics do. These are among the highest racial disparities in the nation, according to the Lumina Foundation. College attainment figures are all [up slightly](https://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Press/Releases/2019/Colorado-Attainment-Rate-Climbs.pdf) from 2018, indicating prior policy efforts throughout the education pipeline may be helping. Polis is a former state education commissioner, so a collaboration effort is within his reach. | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ | |
46 | Prioritize education in the general fund | Education | Partial Credit | "We need to end decades of under-investing in our schools. Education will be my priority for general fund expenditures." | So far, Polis has been true to his word. Education was [a clear priority](https://coloradosun.com/2019/01/15/jared-polis-budget-request-colorado-2019/) in his first budget request. Polis’ initial proposal requested $227 million for kindergarten, $121 million to freeze tuition at most public colleges and universities and $77 million to reduce the so-called negative factor owed to school districts. Ultimately, budget writers [funded all three](https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/26/colorado-state-budget-2020/), with a slight cut to his kindergarten request because not all districts are expected to implement it by next school year. But if Polis is going to end under-investment in schools, he’ll need to eliminate the estimated $600 million negative factor remaining. | 10/17/2018 | Oct. 17 gubernatorial debate, CTV News | https://twitter.com/CTV_SydneyPaul/status/1052727419071688705 |
47 | New funding for BEST program | Education | No Movement | “I’ll challenge the legislature to improve the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program by seeking out new funding sources to make improvements to our school infrastructure, and by raising the cap on funding that can be allocated to high-need schools.” | Created in 2008, the [BEST grant program](https://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/capitalconstruction-factsheet) was set up to rebuild, repair or replace the state’s most decrepit school buildings. Its revenue comes from the state land trust, the lottery, marijuana taxes and interest -- but it’s not enough. The program [funds](https://www.cde.state.co.us/communications/capitalconstruction-factsheet) $100 million in projects per year, on average, out of more than $240 million in annual requests. The state budget bill for fiscal year 2020 doesn't include new money for BEST. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
48 | Affordable housing for teachers | Education | No Movement | “We can meet our capital construction needs and broaden BEST’s mission to include coordinating with local school districts to build affordable housing that will be available to educators in high-need areas.” | This goes hand-in-hand with Polis’ promise to find new funding sources for the school construction grant program. State school officials and lawmakers for years have suggested looking to housing assistance as a potential remedy for a rural teacher shortage, but dollars are scarce. A stunning 95% of rural teachers are paid less than the cost of living in the districts where they work, a [state study found](http://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Reports/teachereducation/2017/TeacherShortages_Nation_Colorado_Dec2017.pdf). Polis would need legislative approval to also use BEST grant dollars for teacher housing, and so far there’s no legislation to do so. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
49 | Free, universal pre-K and full-day kindergarten | Education | In Progress | "As governor, I will bring together a winning coalition to establish universal full-day kindergarten and preschool in every community across our state within two years.” | State-funded, full-day kindergarten is Polis’ top legislative priority in his first year, and he later amended his pledge to say he wants it to take effect by August 2019. Right now, about 80% of kindergarten students attend full-day programs. The [legislation](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1262) that Polis supports is designed to expand the program andthe budget provides $175 million to cover the cost. The bill is expected to pass, but it won’t be universal. To start, the administration is anticipating 85% adoption across the state in the first year. In terms of preschool, the numbers of slots in Colorado is limited with a waitlist near 8,000. Polis hopes the new full-day kindergarten money will open 5,000 more spots for preschool. But the state legislature didn’t commit money to close the remaining gap. Today, just 23% of Colorado 4-year-olds are enrolled in publicly funded pre-school, and only 8% of 3-year-olds, [according to](http://nieer.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Colorado_YB2017.pdf) the National Institute for Early Education Research. But it won’t close the entire gap right away. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
50 | Better teacher pay and smaller class sizes. | Education | No Movement | “As governor, I’ll take bold action: free preschool and kindergarten, better teacher pay, smaller class sizes.” | [Colorado teacher](https://chalkbeat.org/posts/co/2018/05/01/colorado-was-never-ranked-46th-for-teacher-pay-does-this-change-the-debate/) pay ranks 31st in the country by one measure and [as low as 44th](https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/03/16/592221378/the-fight-over-teacher-salaries-a-look-at-the-numbers) if you adjust for the state’s cost of living. Meanwhile, the average Colorado public school has 17.6 students per teacher, according to the Colorado Department of Education. That, too, is worse than the national average of around 16.1 students per teacher, according to the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics. In Colorado, teacher pay and class size is largely set at the local level. Polis proposed — and lawmakers agreed — to provide more money for education, but it wasn’t tied to teacher pay or class size. Polis said he supports attaching strings to the money, but the state budget in his first year didn’t do it. | Sept. 29, 2018 | Polis for Colorado | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VVB1Oo1KDg |
51 | Pass a voter-approved ballot measure to increase education funding | Education | No Movement | “I will build a winning coalition to go to the ballot box and pass an initiative to better fund our schools and early education opportunities.” | Ballot measures to increase spending are difficult to pass in Colorado, and education proposals are no different. In 2013, then-Gov. John Hickenlooper and top lawmakers supported Amendment 66 to add $950 million in new money for K-12 education only to see it fail at the ballot box. Whether Polis can fare better remains unclear. So far, he’s not backing an education ballot question. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
52 | Issue school construction bonds using marijuana revenue | Education | No Movement | "When federal legal issues surrounding cannabis tax receipts are cleared up, I will advocate for bonding of school capital construction revenues from Amendment 64 and subsequent cannabis tax initiatives." | The uncertainty of a federal crackdown on legal marijuana in Colorado adds a big caveat to this pledge. Congress is working on measures to protect the cannabis industry in states like Colorado, but it’s not clear whether this would give Polis confidence to issue bonds using the $40 million that marijuana revenues contribute to school construction projects. | 11/15/2017 | Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/019/145/original/Polis_2018_Education_Plan.pdf |
53 | Give the higher education agency a stronger mandate to cut college costs | Education | No Movement | "Bolster higher ed’s most important watchdog, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, so that it can forcefully advocate for cost-saving measures at Colorado’s institutions" | Since 2011, tuition at Colorado’s public four-year institutions has increased over 48%, while median income has grown only 34%, according to [a fiscal analysis](https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/fy2019-20_hedbrf.pdf) by legislative budget staff. State budget cuts have taken the brunt of the blame, but analysts have found that the costs of higher education also are rising much faster than inflation — in part because modern science and technology degrees are more costly than liberal arts majors, requiring expensive equipment and laboratories. Polis could either pursue legislation to bolster CCHE’s authority, or work with commissioners to take a more proactive role with their current powers. But cost-cutting won’t be easy at a time when Colorado’s largest institutions are engaged [in an arms race](https://coloradosun.com/2019/02/25/colorado-universities-out-of-state-enrollment/) for out-of-state students. | Higher Education Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
54 | Tie increase in higher ed funding to tuition reductions | Education | No Movement | "I would like to see tuitions come down and that would come out of increased state funding." | Tuition has risen rapidly at Colorado institutions [over the past two decades](https://coloradosun.com/2019/02/25/colorado-universities-out-of-state-enrollment/), in part because of state budget cuts. This year, [lawmakers budgeted](https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/26/colorado-state-budget-2020/) an extra $121 million to hold tuition steady at most public campuses, but none of them reduced tuition, and one — Metropolitan State University — still expects to increase student costs by 3% next year. Polis called the money a place holder and reaffirmed that he wants to see tuition costs reduced. He has suggested [tying funding increases to tuition reductions](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/6gors4/iama_jared_polis_member_of_congress_announcing_my/). But it would take a large infusion of money for university leaders to agree to cut tuition. | 6/18/2018 | Primary debate, Denver7 and The Denver Post | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh0PLyPXCvs |
55 | Expand three-year college degree programs | Education | No Movement | “Help students graduate faster with three-year degrees, by expanding the University of Colorado’s ‘Degree in Three’ pilot program as well as other three-year curriculum options.” | Polis sees three-year degrees as a way to cut student costs and keep them on track to graduate. [The CU Board of Regents in 2017](https://connections.cu.edu/stories/game-changing-online-education-proposal-approved-cu-regents) approved $20 million over four years to launch [a three-year degree program](http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_30808570/cu-aims-launch-3-year-fully-online-degree) that can be completed entirely through online courses. If the program is successful, it could help the state meet its broader goals of increasing credential completion. The [state’s higher education master plan](https://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/goal-3-improve-student-success/) warns that “time is the enemy to postsecondary student success. The longer a student takes to acquire the required credit hours, the less likely" they are to graduate. | 10/9/2018 | Higher Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | |
56 | Eliminate tuition and fees for college internships | Education | No Movement | “Instead of punishing interning students for seeking workplace experience, we’ll reward them. For a student who successfully completes a qualified internship, this experience will directly translate into credit hours that, without charge, will be guaranteed to count toward graduation requirements.” | It’s not clear if every school in the state follows the same policy, but at CU Boulder’s [College of Arts and Sciences](https://www.colorado.edu/anthropology/sites/default/files/attached-files/credit_internship_application.pdf), for instance, students who complete an internship for college credit still have to pay tuition for the corresponding number of credit hours the internship is worth. With the help of lawmakers, Polis could accomplish this goal through legislation. There’s [a bill this year](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1252) that would require a state academic council to develop and implement a plan to give more college credit for work-related experience, but it doesn't address tuition or fees. Polis could also accomplish this through his appointments to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, which oversees the state’s public universities. | 10/9/2018 | Higher Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | |
57 | Create a skill certification task force | Education | No Movement | “Through executive order, we’ll assemble a task force of bright, diverse minds from industry, labor and education to determine how institutions at every level … can develop, adapt, and award meaningful skill certifications.” | Studies show [as many as three in four jobs](https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/recovery-job-growth-and-education-requirements-through-2020/) in Colorado’s economy will require some form of post-secondary education in the near future. But many of the skills sought by employers don’t require four-year degrees. [Policymakers](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hr18-1006) and [business groups](https://coloradosucceeds.org/work-based-learning/colorado-workforce-landscape-analysis/) have long viewed career and technical education as one potential solution to workforce gaps and rising student debt. Through mid-April, Polis had not signed the executive order he described on the campaign trail. | 10/9/2018 | Higher Education Plan, Polis for Colorado | |
58 | Give local governments more say in oil and gas drilling decisions | Energy and Environment | Partial Credit | "It will be the challenge of the next governor to make sure we have the local-control framework in place to give our communities a seat at the table and make sure setbacks statewide are enough, objectively and scientifically, to protect our health and safety." | Local control over oil and gas regulations was at the heart perhaps [the most contentious bill](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/01/oil-gas-legislation-industry-changes/) of the 2019 session, Senate Bill 181. The measure, which Polis supports, has passed the legislature and would fulfill this campaign promise -- once he signs it -- by allowing local governments to regulate where drilling can occur and its impacts on public health and safety. Today, all local regulation of the industry is preempted by state law. | 6/18/2018 | Primary debate, Denver7 and The Denver Post | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh0PLyPXCvs |
59 | Create good-paying green jobs | Energy and Environment | No Movement | "Jared Polis will fight for a future where we still have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and breathtaking natural landscapes to explore. And we’ll do it while creating good-paying green jobs right here in Colorado that can never be outsourced." | Colorado in 2018 employed 57,591 workers in clean energy jobs, [according to the industry advocacy group Environmental Entrepreneurs]( https://www.e2.org/cleanjobsco2017/). That gives Polis a clear benchmark to beat as he seeks to keep this promise. But — assuming the sector continues to grow — it could be difficult to say how much of that growth is a result of Polis administration policies vs. that of his predecessor or private sector industry shifts that are already well underway. | 10/23/2018 | @PolisforCO campaign Twitter account | https://twitter.com/PolisForCO/status/1054888727019810817 |
60 | Strengthen ACRE3 program for renewable energy | Energy and Environment | No Movement | "The Advancing Colorado’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ACRE3) program ... has provided for over $350,000 in grants for farmers and ranchers to unleash the power of renewable energy improvements on their land and save money on electricity. We will strengthen this partnership in the face of draconian cuts at the federal level to ensure this tool is available in Colorado in the future." | The ACRE3 program, which is administered by the state conservation board, had $250,000 in grant funding available this fiscal year for agricultural energy projects, down from $350,000 last year. It’s unclear how much funding — if any — will be available next year. The narrative for next year’s budget doesn’t mention the grant program, nor did the governor’s budget request. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
61 | Reduce methane emissions | Energy and Environment | In Progress | "We must do an even better job here in Colorado protecting our air quality and reducing methane emissions. As #COgov, I will improve and protect our strong emissions standards right here at home." | Polis made the promise in response to [news that the Trump administration](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/epa-seeks-relax-rules-methane-emissions-admits-harmful-health-impacts-n908616?cid=public-rss_20180913) planned to roll back Obama-era methane regulations aimed at reducing emissions. And so far, he’s been true to his word. In March, he directed state regulators [not to pursue a new exemption](https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/politics/polis-blocks-blame-it-on-china-push-to-stop-epa-from-flunking-colo-as-violator-of-air-standards) that would allow the state to duck certain federal air quality requirements. He also supports state legislation, Senate Bill 181, that would direct state regulators to reduce emissions even further. Existing state and federal methane rules are expected to cut emissions by as much as 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to [an environmental coalition’s analysis](https://westernresourceadvocates.org/publications/colorados-climate-blueprint/), providing a benchmark for Polis’ efforts. Legislation has also been introduced that would direct state regulators [to do more to limit methane](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/03/colorado-climate-change-charts/). | 9/18/2018 | @PolisforCO campaign Twitter account | https://twitter.com/PolisForCO/status/1042138274964230144 |
62 | Reach 100% renewable energy by 2040 | Energy and Environment | No Movement | "We can reach 100% renewable energy by 2040 or sooner." | When Polis talks about 100% renewable energy, he is referring to the state’s electric grid. As of 2016, the last year data was available, Colorado utilities generated just over 20% of their electricity from renewable sources — predominantly wind power — so the state has a long way to go. But the state’s largest utility, Xcel Energy, already has [plans](https://www.solarreviews.com/news/colorado-biggest-utility-55-percent-renewables-xcel-proposal-083117/) to get to 55% by 2026. Polis won’t remain in office long enough to see whether he achieves one of his top campaign lines, but he can be evaluated on the efforts he makes to spur Colorado in that direction. | 6/11/2017 | Gubernatorial debate, 9News | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lofvzKiIbds |
63 | Incentivize energy efficiency | Energy and Environment | In Progress | "Regulatory incentives for energy-efficient construction and energy-efficient lighting ... Ensure that utilities have strong incentives for increasing energy efficiency" | The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranks Colorado 14th in the nation for its policies. Various utilities in the state offer rebates and other incentives to consumers for energy-efficient appliances and more. The Colorado Energy Office offers some assistance for low-income residents to reduce their energy needs. On his campaign site, Polis suggested incentives for energy-efficient construction and lighting; encouraging utilities to increase energy efficiency; expanding the state’s program for energy savings performance contracting; increasing incentives for improved energy grid infrastructure and smart-grid investments; and building on existing state policies to “account for the costs of carbon to our economy.” Two bills are pending in the 2019 legislative session to implement [water and energy efficiency standards](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1231) on some commercial products and [update energy conservation codes](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1260) for buildings. If Polis gets to sign them it satisfies part of his pledge. | 7/11/2017 | Reddit AMA | https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/6gors4/iama_jared_polis_member_of_congress_announcing_my/ |
64 | Reduce barriers and costs to installing solar and wind energy | Energy and Environment | No Movement | "As governor, we’ll reduce barriers and costs to siting solar and wind projects on private and public lands, and will fight to upgrade the grid to ensure it meets all of our energy demands while saving ratepayers money." | To expand renewable energy in Colorado, Polis wants to make it easier to approve renewable energy projects. On public lands, he said he wants to expedite the process to “4, 5, 6 months.” It’s not clear whether he’ll need legislation to accomplish this goal, or whether he can do so with executive action. | 9/28/2018 | Agriculture Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005012/https://polisforcolorado.com/agriculture/ |
65 | Fully fund the Colorado Water Plan | Energy and Environment | No Movement | “It’s so important that we make implementing and fully funding and improving Colorado’s water plan a priority in the years ahead. … I’m confident that working together we can achieve (that goal).” | It would take anywhere from [$20 to $40 billion](https://www.summitdaily.com/news/colorado-water-plan-price-tag-doubles-to-at-least-40-billion/) to fully fund the Colorado Water Fund Plan by 2050. That represents a minimum of $625 million a year. Polis hasn’t explained how he would pay for it. His campaign website offers a vague promise to “upgrade our water funding, financing and investment mechanisms to take advantage of new revenue streams and partnerships to fully fund the water plan.” His [first budget](http://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/19lbnarrative.pdf) spends $10 million on grants related to the water plan — that same amount the state spent each of the last two years. | 8/22/2018 | Remarks, Colorado Water Congress | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s77u7bdK66E |
66 | Achieve stream and watershed protection goals | Energy and Environment | In Progress | "We will also ensure that we meet our goal to have 80% of locally prioritized rivers and 80% of critical watersheds covered by stream management and watershed protection plans. We can’t accomplish any of this without responsible funding of municipal, industrial, environmental and recreational water infrastructure, as well as prioritizing the integration of local land-use and water planning." | The 80% goals are embedded in the state’s water plan. The timeline to achieve the goal is 2030 — after Polis leaves office. But his pledge can be measured with progress toward the marks and how he prioritizes funding for the water plan. The fiscal year 2020 budget bill includes $10 million. | Environmental Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
67 | Adopt water contingency plans and make state permitting more efficient | Energy and Environment | Partial Credit | "I will continue the work of formulating interstate contingency plans that benefit Colorado and which can be implemented as we face warmer temperatures, reduced precipitation, and diminished reservoir levels. Finally, we can make the permitting process more efficient and effective for water projects. | To address diminishing water resources, Polis identified two goals: create interstate water agreements and speed the permitting process for water projects. The Polis administration [supported](https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/colorado-river-basin-states-move-forward-contingency-plan-address-looming-crisis) a Colorado River basin plan for droughts in March, and [the legislation is headed to President Donald Trump](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/10/colorado-river-drought-plan-water-cuts/). The work on the permitting process is ongoing. | Environmental Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
68 | Oppose the sale of public lands | Energy and Environment | No Movement | "I will fight any attempt to sell our public lands to the highest bidder or diminish them in any way. ... As governor, I will work to ensure that our public lands are protected from overzealous development and that every Coloradan has every opportunity to have their voices heard in (federal) decisions that affect the future of these lands." | The Trump administration caused a firestorm when it sought to reduce the size of national monuments. There are no plans to shrink federal public lands in Colorado, but Polis is pledging to fight any efforts to do so in the future. Likewise, he said he would push back against development he thinks goes too far. | Environmental Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
69 | Increase funding for Colorado Parks and Wildlife | Energy and Environment | No Movement | "As governor, I will assemble a commission of outdoor recreation representatives, sportsmen and sportswomen and environmental experts to develop a sustainable, fair and sufficient plan to fund CPW." | In 2018, Colorado lawmakers [increased fees](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb18-143) charged by the Parks and Wildlife Division to provide it $19 million more in revenue for fiscal year 2020. Polis said relying on fees is “not sufficient” and suggested other revenue sources are needed because “our natural environment is a public resource that we all have a stake in.” Polis has not proposed a solution and no legislation on the issue is pending in the 2019 session. | Environmental Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
70 | Require developers to pay for habitat mitigation | Energy and Environment | In Progress | "It is becoming a more common practice for Western states and federal agencies to require companies that develop projects, like oil and gas wells and wind farms, to pay private ranchers to enhance or restore habitat on their lands to compensate for habitat damaged in the development process. Colorado should join our Western neighbors in adopting this requirement, which would improve habitat across the state, helping wildlife and providing a new revenue stream for participating ranchers." | In this statement, Polis is endorsing new regulations that would require developers, including oil and gas companies, to complete habitat restoration as part of their projects. To implement these tougher requirements, it would likely take new legislation, and it’s not a topic in the 2019 legislative session. But the new oil and gas regulations in [Senate Bill 181](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/01/oil-gas-legislation-industry-changes/) would allow the state and local governments to adopt such rules in coming months. | Environmental Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
71 | Work to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation program and improve wildlife habitat | Energy and Environment | In Progress | "I will work with my fellow governors and the Colorado congressional delegation to generate sufficient political support to reauthorize and fully fund the ($900 million Land and Water Conservation Fund)." | Tapping his decade of experience in Congress, Polis is pledging to use his new post to lobby for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and wildlife habitat restoration money. President Donald Trump signed a law approved by Congress to make the LWCF permanent, but his budget proposal would eliminate most of its funding. Polis is using his platform to push for permanent funding, [writing on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/jaredpolis/posts/10156986097102530) that the money “is essential for our quality of life.” In a related statement, Polis said he also supports $2.3 billion a year for wildlife habitat protection as recommended by a [blue ribbon panel’s recommendations](https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/8215/1382/2408/Blue_Ribbon_Panel_Report2.pdf) in 2016. It also remains unfunded. At the state level he said he would invest royalties from development of state lands in habitat remediation programs. | Environmental Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
72 | Protect bears and wild horses | Energy and Environment | No Movement | "As governor, I will sign an executive order requesting that CPW evaluate alternative methods to mitigate human-bear conflicts...I will also seek to preserve Colorado’s historic wild horse herds, and oppose inhumane methods of population control, like confinement and castration, in favor of more humane methods to maintain a healthy population." | The number of bears in Colorado is estimated between 17,000 and 20,000, and the rate of problem-bear reports is on the rise. Colorado Parks and Wildlife conducted a [comprehensive study](https://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/16/bear-human-conflicts-colorado/) in 2017 that led to a new outlook on the problem. Polis said he would sign an [executive order](https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/2019-executive-orders) to study it more, which he has not yet done. For wild horses, it’s not clear what action Polis wants to take to protect them, but a recent [Colorado Sun report](https://coloradosun.com/2018/09/27/wild-horse-groups-clash-with-blm-over-new-policies/) showed the issue is becoming more serious. | Environmental Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
73 | Executive order to shut the revolving door | Government/Ethics | No Movement | "I think the revolving door of politics is terrible, I will look into what I could do with an executive order to prevent the revolving door for our appointees." | “The revolving door” refers to the practice of politicians, political appointees and other public officials leaving their government post for a private sector job that could create ethical concerns. The state Constitution prohibits lawmakers and statewide elected officials from being paid as a lobbyist for two years after leaving their public post, but there are no such restrictions for cabinet members and other influential public officials. Former Gov. John Hickenlooper chief of staff Doug Friednash drew scrutiny in 2017 for leaving the administration for his old lobbying firm — which had a fresh contract to lobby on behalf of the governor’s office on taxpayer dime. Polis has not discussed an executive order on this issue. | 11/27/2017 | Twitter reply | https://twitter.com/jaredpolis/status/935217856806993920 |
74 | Eliminate dark money | Government/Ethics | No Movement | "I’ll work to improve our campaign finance laws to get rid of dark money — so that we always know who is trying to influence our elections here in Colorado." | Polis pledged to reform campaign finance during the campaign, during which he faced criticism for putting $23 million of his own money into the race. One item is his pledge to get rid of dark money. A bill to address the issue is advancing at the Capitol, but it includes [a major caveat](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/12/colorado-election-campaign-finance-bill/) that would allow dark money to still exist. Other campaign finance measures that Polis supports include public financing, eliminating political action committees and "special interest donations altogether." None of these has made any progress. | 3/20/2018 | Polis campaign Facebook account | https://www.facebook.com/notes/jared-polis/our-democracy-and-data-is-under-attack/10156358299188921/?__tn__=HH-R |
75 | Keep PERA solvent | Government/Ethics | No Movement | “Making sure that PERA (the Public Employees’ Retirement Association) is solvent for years to come is more than just smart budgeting: it’s keeping our promise to those who have served our state.” | Colorado lawmakers last year passed a landmark reform effort to rescue the state public pension system from the fiscal brink. But a dismal year for the stock market in 2018 will keep the pension’s shaky finances front of mind for the foreseeable future. The state at the end of last year owed public workers $28.8 billion in unfunded retirement benefits. Economic conditions, an aging workforce and short-sighted decision-making by past legislatures and governors all have contributed to the unfunded debt. His ability to meet this pledge will depend on how he addresses the issue throughout his term. | Spring 2018 | A Dignified Retirement, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233540/https://polisforcolorado.com/senior/ |
76 | Protect employees and retirees in future PERA reforms | Government/Ethics | No Movement | “I will reject efforts to reform PERA on the backs of our teaching professionals and state or local employees in the future.” | Polis has said Senate Bill 200, 2018's landmark reform package, placed too much burden on retirees, who saw their annual cost of living raises cut to 1.5% from 2%. If continued market volatility brings PERA back to the table for another round of reforms, Polis can’t keep this promise on his own — the state legislature sets contribution rates and benefit structures. But he could look to influence policy through pension board appointments, budget requests and the threat of his veto pen. Don’t expect to see another round of pension reforms on the immediate horizon, barring a major economic collapse. The last reform package has safeguards in place to protect from minor shocks. | Spring 2018 | A Dignified Retirement, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233540/https://polisforcolorado.com/senior/ |
77 | Research gun violence with state funding | Health care | No Movement | "Because the Centers for Disease Control is not allowed to use federal dollars to research the link between public health and safety and gun violence, I will direct the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to conduct this research using existing state funds." | Backed by the National Rifle Association, a 1996 law known as the Dickey Amendment barred the CDC from researching gun violence as matter of public health. However, that ban was [effectively reversed](https://www.npr.org/2018/03/25/596805354/cdc-now-has-authority-to-research-gun-violence-whats-next) in a March 2018 spending bill. It’s unclear if Polis will continue to push for state-level research, given the changes at the federal level. | Gun Violence Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
78 | Improve school mental health programs | Health care | No Movement | As governor, I will fight to improve the number of school counselors and school-based health clinics able to not only conduct mental health assessments, but also to deliver treatment to students who need help." | To address school violence and youth suicides, Polis said mental health programs in schools needed more resources. In particular, Polis said he would push to increase the number of counselors and school health clinics. His [budget letter](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ioDKUlcKfz3bTPi4XJbNlfCgEQb2PDaw) mentioned the need to address mental and behavioral health, but he didn’t make new money a priority, and the final bill doesn’t include any significant increases in spending in this area. A [separate bill](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1120) to address youth suicides would address the issue at large and add a little more money, but it is still pending and not specific to what Polis is proposing. | Gun Violence Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
79 | Protect a woman's right to an abortion in Colorado | Health care | In Progress | "It's up to the Colorado governor to protect the rights of women." | In Colorado, abortion is legal, and court cases to roll back the protections offered in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision would not affect access to the medical procedure in the state. But so far, Polis is meeting his pledge to protect abortion rights by supporting Attorney General Phil Weiser in [two lawsuits](https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/15/colorado-birth-control-obamacare-lawsuit-exemption/) against the Trump administration. | 10/17/2018 | 9News debate | https://www.9news.com/video/entertainment/television/programs/9news-on-demand/polis-and-stapleton-face-off-in-9newscoloradoan-debate/73-8285260 |
80 | Create special tax districts to finance health clinics | Health care | No Movement | "Create special health districts, similar to Park County’s, to allow towns to invest in building permanent clinics for residents. These clinics can then be rented to providers at a low-cost to bring high-quality, full-service medical care to rural Colorado communities." | Colorado has at least 38 special taxing districts that fund hospitals or clinics, according to the Special District Association of Colorado. [Park County’s]( https://www.sphsdistrict.org/mission-and-vision), which the governor referenced on his campaign site, used a 1% sales tax to [reopen a shuttered clinic](http://www.theflume.com/free_content/article_29377f90-4d5e-11e7-94c4-5f6714fef1c6.html) in an underserved area. But the governor lacks the authority to unilaterally create more like it. Voters within a proposed district’s political boundaries must agree to create one, establish a governing body and approve a funding mechanism. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
81 | Crack down on prescription drug price gouging | Health care | No Movement | "Cut down on prescription drug price gouging by requiring pharmaceutical companies to justify exorbitant price increases that vastly outpace inflation, and penalize companies that put profit over patients." | Pharmaceutical companies can enjoy monopolies on life-saving drugs for years thanks to patent protections that keep generics off the market, enabling them to jack up prices without fear of losing costumers, who are often left with no choice but to pay the exorbitant prices. Outrageous examples abound, but perhaps the most famous was when the maker of EpiPen raised the price of the anti-allergy injection device from [$100 to $600 a year](https://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-mylan-epipen-drug-prices-20180605-story.html). State-level attempts to combat price gouging have been fraught. [A federal court in 2018](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-pharmaceuticals/u-s-top-court-rejects-maryland-bid-to-revive-drug-price-gouging-law-idUSKCN1Q81T9) struck down a Maryland law targeting drug price gouging, saying it interfered with interstate commerce. Colorado lawmakers [introduced a bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1296) this year to require more price transparency from drug makers, but it falls short of what Polis proposed in the campaign. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
82 | Import drugs from Canada | Health care | In Progress | "I will tackle staggering (prescription drug) costs by...enabling Coloradans to more easily import drugs from Canada." | Federal law has long allowed states to apply for a waiver to import medicine from Canada as long as it meets a few criteria: The drugs must save consumers a lot of money, and they have to be just as safe as American drugs. To date, no state has received a waiver, but a few, led by Vermont, are trying. A bill that would set up a Colorado importation program and petition for federal approval is [moving through the legislature](https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/19/canada-prescription-drug-import-colorado/) with the support of Polis’ health department. | 7/31/2018 | @PolisforCO campaign Twitter account | https://twitter.com/PolisForCO/status/1024323806217875458 |
83 | Allow medical marijuana for autism | Marijuana | Accomplished | "I would sign the bill" allowing medical marijuana to be prescribed to those with autism. | Colorado lawmakers in 2018 passed a measure allowing medical marijuana to be used as a possible treatment for autism, but it was [vetoed before it could become law](https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/05/hickenlooper-vetoes-autism-medical-marijuana-bill/). Then-Gov. John Hickenlooper cited “overwhelming concerns” from the medical community in rejecting the measure, angering many supporters who believe it would help with debilitating symptoms. The legislature in March passed a revised version of the bill this year that would also prioritize state grant funding for marijuana research that studies its effects in relation to autism. Polis [signed it](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/02/medical-marijuana-autism-bill-colorado/) April 2. | 7/11/2018 | @jaredpolis | https://twitter.com/jaredpolis/status/1017264771035467778 |
84 | Defend health protections for those with pre-existing conditions | Health care | No Movement | "As #COgov, I will stand strong against any attempt to roll back coverage for folks with preexisting conditions." | With Democrats in control of the U.S. House of Representatives, the conservative fight to repeal the Affordable Care Act and its protections for those with preexisting conditions has shifted back to the courts. A federal judge in Texas late in 2018 [struck down the law](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/us/politics/obamacare-unconstitutional-trump-aca.html) as unconstitutional, and the Trump administration’s Department of Justice in March filed a legal brief agreeing with the decision on appeal. Polis could join [Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser](https://coloradosun.com/2019/01/09/phil-weiser-attorney-general-plans-lawsuits/) in filing a brief to defend the law in court, but so far he has stayed out of the fray. If the law falls, Colorado could also attempt to enact its own protections for those with preexisting conditions through state legislation. | 10/22/2018 | @PolisforCO campaign Twitter account | https://twitter.com/PolisForCO/status/1054480876040384512 |
85 | Expand insurance coverage of gym memberships | Health care | No Movement | “(I will) expand coverage for gym and health-club memberships in insurance plans.” | Many major insurance providers provide discounts or complete reimbursements for gym memberships. For Polis to expand the coverage, it likely would take a mandate or incentives for insurers. So far he has not moved on such measures. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
86 | Universal, single-payer health care | Health care | No Movement | “I will work with other Western states to tackle our shared health challenges. Together, we can pioneer a groundbreaking multistate consortium to offer a universal, single-payer option out West.” | Next to education, healthcare ranks as one of the governor’s top priorities. In the campaign, he reiterated his support for a government-run plan known as “Medicare for All” and pledged to advocate for it as governor. Polis also has promised to give everyone the option of joining a Medicare-like plan that would be administered and funded in a partnership with other Western states, or a stand-alone Colorado program. State lawmakers [explored a pilot program](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/02/colorado-public-health-care-option-bill-2019/) to this effect, but later backed off. | 2/25/2018 | Editorial, Aspen Times | https://www.aspentimes.com/opinion/columns/jared-polis-bringing-universal-health-care-to-colorado/ |
87 | Improve transparency of hospital and drug costs | Health care | Partial Credit | “We will work with the Colorado legislature to improve transparency and understanding of the actual underlying costs of care by requiring hospitals to disclose certain financial information in a manner that is meaningful to both consumers and relevant state agencies in saving Coloradans money. … We must improve transparency by requiring pharmaceutical companies and other providers to publicly disclose pricing, and the expenses that factor into it, to ensure competition can reduce costs for consumers.” | Critics have long blamed the opaque nature of hospital bills and prescription drug costs as a key driver of the astronomical expense of health care in America. How is competition supposed to drive down prices if no one knows there are lower cost alternatives? Polis in March signed a [hospital transparency measure](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1001) into law that requires facilities to provide data to the state. A [drug transparency bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1296) is still pending before the legislature. | Sept. 17, 2018 | A 100-day roadmap, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181202190239/https://polisforcolorado.com/hcroadmap/ |
88 | Create task force to identify barriers to women's’ reproductive health | Health care | No Movement | "Create a task force to identify and address the systemic barriers to reproductive health for women due to economic, racial, ability and immigration-status factors and propose corrective legislation and rule-making." | A 2013 report on health disparities identified unintended pregnancy as one of the top 10 issues in the state. Colorado already has an office of Health Equity and an appointed Health Equity Commission, but they deal with a broader range of issues than reproductive health. Polis has not announced a task force to look at this issue and propose legislation. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
89 | Fully fund Colorado’s family planning initiative | Health care | In Progress | “I will work to ensure that the long-acting reversible contraception programs in Colorado have an adequate and permanent funding source.” | In 2008, a foundation affiliated with billionaire Warren Buffett awarded a grant to Colorado for public health providers to offer free or low-cost, long-acting reversible contraception to low-income women, particularly teens. The use of IUDs and hormonal implants is credited with a 50% reduction in teen births and abortions. The state estimated this saved $70 million in public assistance costs. In 2016, the legislature approved $2.5 million in state dollars for the program, and it has been funded by the state since then. The fiscal year 2020 budget bill that is still pending includes an additional $1 million for the program to fully fund it. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
90 | Bring more plans to the state's individual insurance exchange | Health care | In Progress | "As I pursue universal coverage, I also support more public and nonprofit options on the exchange, including resurrecting a customer-owned co-op, exploring the possibility of opening the state employee benefit plan and Medicaid as options on Connect for Health Colorado, and bringing nonprofit and government risk pooling to more Coloradans." | In 2019, seven insurers offered 124 different plans on Colorado's individual insurance market, but rural areas face fewer options and much higher costs. Some parts of the state have just [one insurer](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2019/02/21/fed-up-with-high-health-care-costs-a-community-asks-for-a-better-deal) and pay significantly higher costs than those who live on the Front Range. Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans share Polis' goal, but bills to provide more options have stalled at the legislature. One such effort would have established a pilot program to let some Coloradans buy into the insurance that state employees receive, but it was withdrawn because of [unexpectedly high costs](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/02/colorado-public-health-care-option-bill-2019/?fbclid=IwAR0F1qR5I1UzcNsxJnTKzb1sUjjDtWCC4b2njQGvxB1gtE9um7YqWxCeGtA). Lawmakers are also considering a bill that would direct the state to develop a [public option plan, such as buying into Medicaid](http://www.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2019A/bills/fn/2019a_hb1004_r2.pdf). | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
91 | Deploy mobile health care clinics in underserved areas | Health care | No Movement | "Invest in deployment of mobile health care clinics in rural and distressed urban areas by partnering with towns, counties, providers and insurance companies." | Physical proximity to care remains a significant problem for much of rural Colorado. In 2017, 11 counties had no hospital, 22 lacked a licensed psychologist and over half of all rural counties lack an active licensed addiction counselor, according to [the Colorado Health Institute](https://www.coloradohealthinstitute.org/blog/blazing-trail-colorado-rural-health-strategy-medicaid-and-medicare). Mobile clinics have been floated as a low-cost alternative to provide coverage in places that lack the populations to support permanent health facilities. But Colorado has relatively few of them — 14 according to [mobilehealthmap.org](https://www.mobilehealthmap.org/map), and most of those are based in the Denver metro area. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
92 | Improve Colorado's health claims database | Health care | In Progress | "Improve support for Colorado’s state-of-the-art All Payer Claims Database and conduct a systemwide audit of the database, cross-referencing other publicly available data to help identify additional health care savings and implement improvements to data collection." | Colorado created a [database](https://www.apcdcouncil.org/state/colorado) for all medical claims through legislation in 2010 and it’s currently managed by the nonprofit Center for Improving Value in Health Care, or CIVHC. Now the state pays for its cost and the fiscal year [2020 budget bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/19lbnarrative.pdf) includes an additional $2.3 million to improve the system. A requirement for an audit is not part of the appropriation. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
93 | 100-Day Health Care Roadmap | Health care | Broken | “Lowering Health Care Costs for Families and Small Businesses: A 100-Day Roadmap ... In Colorado, we can take real and immediate steps to cut the red tape that is aggravating the shortage of health care providers across the state and exacerbating the lack of meaningful competition and local access, and identify and address wasteful administrative burdens in Colorado’s fragmented health care system to reduce costs.” | On the campaign trail, Polis promised to take 10 “real and immediate steps” to reduce health care costs within his first 100 days of taking office. On some, he made progress. But on most, he fell short of his deadline. Because he did not achieve his entire goal by the deadline he imposed, this is marked as a broken promise. Here’s a full accounting, as of the 100-day mark, on where the items stand: 1. Strengthen the Division of Insurance consumer watchdog role — Partial Credit. To give the department more investigative authority, Polis could change its mission. But so far there’s been no movement to add “real investigative and enforcement power,” as he promised. In March, he did sign [a bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1136) authorizing state audits of the health insurance exchange, which represents a step toward greater oversight of premium hikes and benefits. 2. Propose a statewide geographic rating with rural rate protections — Promise Broken. The Division of Insurance estimates that lumping the entire state into one insurance region would save rural customers 21% on premiums, but those on the Front Range would pay 9% more. To date, Polis has not announced a plan to consolidate the state’s 9 rating areas, nor has legislation been introduced. 3. Establish a reinsurance program — In Progress. [Legislation](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1168) to set up a [reinsurance program](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/08/colorado-reinsurance-funding-change/&sa=D&ust=1555365180711000&usg=AFQjCNFJGBqp5HJrVrb7hp0nr3vFgMKYAQ) passed the House on April 8, but it has to clear the state Senate before Polis can sign it into law. 4. Make hospital visits more affordable with transparency — Partial Credit. Polis accomplished what he said he would within 100 days, signing [a bill into law](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1001) requiring hospitals to file annual financial reports to the state for analysis. Time will tell if it achieves the cost savings he promised. 5. End prescription drug price gouging — In Progress. Polis promised three tactics to tackle price gouging: importing prescription drugs from Canada, requiring pharmaceutical companies to disclose financial information and justify price hikes, and outlawing drug co-pays that are higher than sticker price. The Canadian drug proposal has [passed the Senate](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-005), but still requires House approval to reach Polis’ desk. Legislation regarding price transparency and co-pays was [introduced March 29](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1296), but is still pending. 6. Reforming payment methods — In Progress. Technically, this has been in progress since before Polis took office. Under the Hickenlooper administration, the state began a couple of ambitious payment and efficiency reform efforts called the [Colorado Hospital Transformation Program](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/hcpf/colorado-hospital-transformation-program) and the [Accountable Care Collaborative](https://www.colorado.gov/hcpf/accphase2) as well as [a bill](http://www.leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-015), which could study the issue. All seek to do what Polis hopes for here: linking health care payments to the quality of results, not just the quantity of services. By keeping a key player from the Hickenlooper administration, Kim Bimestefer, as the head of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, Polis has helped ensure this work will continue. 7. End the doctor and provider shortage — Broken Promise. Polis said he would use economic development programs, such as the Greater Colorado Venture Fund, to incentivize health care providers to work in rural areas, eliminate burdensome regulations and look at a loan repayment program to boost mental health and substance abuse counseling. But he’s announced no movement on these issues. 8. Expand access to mental health treatment — Partial Credit. Polis announced the creation of a behavioral health task force in early April and the pending state budget includes additional money to pay providers. But the actions fall short of his proposals to study gun violence, enact opioid response recommendations, expand rural school-based health clinics and empower insurance regulators. 9. Support community organizing opportunities — In Progress. Polis is publicly promoting [a program](https://coloradosun.com/2019/02/15/peak-health-summit-county-health-care-prices/) in Summit County to help lower the cost of health care, and he expect to do more to encourage similar efforts. 10. End delays in Medicaid reimbursement — N/A. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing [reported in January](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/2019%20January%20HCPF%20Cost%20Shift%20Analysis%20Report%20Draft.pdf) that the delays in Medicaid reimbursements had been addressed by the time Polis took office. | 9/17/2018 | Health Care Roadmap, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20181202190239/https://polisforcolorado.com/hcroadmap/ |
94 | Reform landlord-tenant laws | Housing/Growth | In Progress | "Landlords shouldn’t be allowed to charge application fees when they know that they have no vacancy, and renters would benefit from disclosure of the condition of their new home before signing a lease. ... I will work to reform our eviction laws to be more humane." | After years of similar proposals going nowhere in a politically divided legislature, Colorado Democrats have effectively made 2019 the “[year of the renter](https://coloradosun.com/2019/04/02/colorado-rent-control-bills-eviction-crisis/),” authoring several bills to boost tenant rights relative to landlords. [One measure](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1106) that looks to reduce application fees awaits the governor's signature. Others still pending before the legislature aim at sweeping eviction reforms at a time when evictions have soared to “shocking” levels, according to one advocacy group. [One bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1118) would give renters more time to pay rent before a landlord can file to evict them; [one](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1170) gives renters more power to complain about living conditions without fear of eviction; another would establish a [legal defense fund](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-180) so low-income renters facing eviction could get free legal help. Landlords counter that such measures will backfire, driving up rental costs on precisely those that lawmakers are seeking to help. | 5/15/2018 | Criminal and Social Justice, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233612/https://polisforcolorado.com/social-justice/ |
95 | Create a permanent affordable housing fund | Housing/Growth | No Movement | "That means ... creating a permanent affordable housing fund." | Democrats and affordable housing advocates for years have complained that Colorado lacks a dedicated revenue source to fund low-income housing projects. Soaring housing costs over the last few years have exacerbated the need, but haven’t changed the political status quo. Emboldened by new Democratic majorities, some lawmakers are trying again in 2019, but they’re looking to tap a potential revenue source that Polis wants to use to fund a tax cut. [The bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2019A/bills/fn/2019a_hb1245_00.pdf) would generate $47 million annually for affordable housing by capping a sales tax collection fee given to retailers. It also pits two Polis promises against each other, making his support uncertain. The department that would administer the fund was neutral on the bill when it appeared in committee. | 6/26/2018 | @jaredpolis personal Twitter account | https://twitter.com/jaredpolis/status/1011578119667322880 |
96 | Redevelop state-owned land for affordable housing | Housing/Growth | No Movement | "...that means redeveloping unused State Land Board land into affordable housing units." | Polis released an affordable housing plan that tapped the little-known [State Land Board](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/statelandboard/about-state-land-board) for help. The board is manages 2.8 million surface acres and 9,000 leases with private companies to use the land the federal government granted to Colorado as a public trust. The current leases include oil and gas drilling, mining, agriculture and renewable energy projects. But its [strategic plan](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1nCGts45Dn0ek9IaGJNSC1kczg/view) doesn’t mention affordable housing. In addition, Polis wants to work with local governments to find vacant lots of rundown properties for affordable housing development. | @jaredpolis personal Twitter account | https://twitter.com/jaredpolis/status/1011578119667322880 | |
97 | Restore gun rights to people convicted of marijuana crimes | Marijuana | No Movement | "With marijuana legalized in Colorado, we should take steps to update our laws to restore gun ownership rights for individuals convicted of marijuana-related offenses." | A bipartisan measure — [Senate Bill 93](http://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-093) — in the 2019 legislative session would have addressed this issue but it died in a Democratic-controlled committee. The measure would remove the prohibition on carrying a firearm if the prior conviction involved the possession or use of marijuana that is now legal. | Gun Violence Policy, Polis for Colorado | ||
98 | Defend legality of opioid alternatives | Marijuana | No Movement | "Protect access to legal alternatives for pain management, like kratom and medical marijuana." | The awareness of opioid addiction has patients looking for other alternatives, including medical marijuana and kratom is a controversial herbal supplement made from a Southeast Asian plant. Medical marijuana is legal in Colorado, so Polis won’t need to do much to protect it as an option for patients. But kratom could prove more difficult. Federal health officials [issued warnings](https://www.denverpost.com/2017/11/14/fda-warning-herbal-supplement-kratom/) in 2017 about its use to treat pain and anxiety, drawing rebuke from Polis, who was a member of Congress at the time. His pledge as governor could face a test soon. The town of Castle Rock is considering a ban on kratom businesses and currently has a [six-month moratorium](https://castlerocknewspress.net/stories/castle-rock-to-consider-local-regulations-for-kratom,274699) that ends in June. | 3/1/2018 | Health Care Policy, Polis for Colorado | https://web.archive.org/web/20180309102612/https://polisforcolorado.com/healthcare/ |
99 | No taxpayer dollars for family separations at the border | Other | In Progress | “I would continue @GovofCO’s executive order to not use taxpayer resources to separate families.” | Former Gov. John Hickenlooper in June 2018 [signed an executive order](https://www.cpr.org/news/story/hickenlooper-bans-use-of-state-resources-to-separate-families-due-to-immigration-status) barring state money from being used to assist a Trump administration policy of separating children from their parents if they allegedly crossed the border illegally. The federal government later ended the policy after [thousands of families](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/17/18186773/families-children-separated-trump-thousands) had been separated, sparking widespread outrage. Polis has not reversed Hickenlooper’s order, so it remains in effect. | 10/23/2018 | https://twitter.com/One_Colorado/status/1054898626705539072 | |
100 | Won't make Colorado a sanctuary state | Other | No Movement | "No," on support for making Colorado a sanctuary state | The Democratic-led state House is advancing [a bill](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1124) that would prohibit any state or local official from assisting in enforcement of immigration law unless it meets certain exceptions. Whether this legislation would qualify Colorado as a “sanctuary state” for immigrants in the country illegally is hard to determine because there’s no set definition. But even [its supporters acknowledge](https://www.coloradoindependent.com/2019/02/27/jared-polis-longtime-advocate-for-immigrants-could-now-stand-in-way-of-two-reform-bills/) this is part of the effect. Polis has said local authorities should handle this issue. He has not said if he supports the measure. | 10/17/2018 | Gubernatorial debate, 9News | https://coloradosun.com/2018/10/18/in-governors-race-jared-polis-proposes-new-tax-carbon-tax-endorses-other-tax-hikes/ |