Results Matter

My experience bringing people together to solve some of Colorado’s toughest challenges continues to guide my work at the State Capitol. Over the course of my time in the legislature, I have passed more than 100 pieces of legislation focused on making health care more affordable and accessible, strengthening behavioral health services, protecting consumers, supporting children and families, investing in our communities, addressing the impacts of the Marshall Fire, and ensuring state government works efficiently and responsibly.

The 2026 legislative session was unlike any other. Colorado faced one of the most difficult budget environments in recent history, requiring difficult conversations, careful prioritization, and thoughtful decision-making. As a member of the Joint Budget Committee and Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, I had the privilege of helping guide the state through these challenges while protecting the core programs and services that Coloradans rely on every day. During the 2026 session, I passed 65 pieces of legislation that continued my work to expand access to health care, strengthen behavioral health, improve consumer protections, support local governments, and make state government more accountable and effective.

My approach to public service has always been grounded in collaboration and problem-solving. Before serving in the legislature, I worked as a health policy advisor to Colorado governors and members of the United States Senate, helping shape policies that protected the Affordable Care Act, expanded access to COVID-19 testing during the pandemic, and lowered health care costs for families. That experience taught me that lasting progress comes from listening to people, bringing diverse perspectives together, and finding common ground.

That same philosophy has shaped my work in the legislature. I have led efforts to improve health insurance affordability, strengthen Colorado’s behavioral health system, protect homeowners and consumers, expand access to care, support wildfire recovery, and invest in safer, healthier communities. Following the Marshall Fire, I worked alongside local leaders and community members to help Louisville recover and have continued to champion policies that help families rebuild and better prepare Colorado for future disasters.

Throughout my time in office, I have remained focused on the priorities that matter most to the people I represent: lowering costs, improving access to quality health care, strengthening public safety, protecting our environment, supporting working families, and ensuring every Coloradan has the opportunity to succeed. While the challenges facing our state continue to evolve, my commitment remains the same — to deliver thoughtful, effective policies that make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives.

Transforming Health Care and Expanding Access to Care

Improving health care affordability, accessibility, and quality continues to be one of my highest priorities. Too many Coloradans struggle with high costs, difficulty finding providers, and a complicated health care system that does not always work for patients and families.

My background in health policy has given me a unique perspective on the challenges facing our health care system. I understand the importance of holding insurance companies accountable, strengthening our provider workforce, and ensuring that policies are designed around the needs of patients rather than just the systems that serve them.

Over the past few legislative sessions, I have championed legislation to strengthen Colorado’s health care system by expanding behavioral health access, increasing transparency, protecting consumers, and making coverage more affordable for families across our state.

• HB26-1002: Strengthens Colorado’s mental health workforce by addressing insurance “ghost networks” and expediting provider credentialing. Too often, patients believe they have access to providers through their insurance plan, only to discover that those providers are unavailable or no longer accepting patients. This legislation helps ensure Coloradans can actually access the care they are promised.
• HB26-1147: Creates additional transparency and oversight for host homes serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, ensuring these programs provide safe and effective support.
• HB26-1425: Protects children and families who rely on applied behavioral analysis (ABA) services by professionalizing individuals and facilities providing this essential care.
• SB26-006: Requires insurance parity for non-opioid pain management medications, expanding treatment options for patients and supporting safer approaches to pain management.
• SB26-032: Strengthens access to vaccines and immunization services to help protect the health of Colorado communities.
• SB26-178: Provides $140 million for key health care affordability programs, helping Colorado continue efforts to lower costs and keep residents insured.
• HB26-1347: Ensures every child in foster care is screened for eligibility for federal benefits, helping connect vulnerable children with resources they deserve.
• HB26-1070: Increases transparency in dental insurance network leasing agreements and strengthens consumer protections.
• SB26-187: Creates a Medicaid commission to study and evaluate opportunities to strengthen Colorado’s Medicaid program and improve outcomes for patients.
• HB25B-1006: Funds Colorado’s health insurance affordability programs by authorizing $100 million in tax credit sales.
• HB25-1309: Strengthens protections for individuals seeking gender-affirming care in Colorado.
• HB25-1259: Modernizes rules for fertility clinics and gamete donation to improve transparency and patient protections.
• HB25-1154: Creates a new enterprise to oversee accessible communication services for Coloradans with disabilities.
• HB25-1109: Ensures death certificates reflect a person’s gender identity.
• HB25-1094: Limits PBM profits, increases transparency, and allows audits of their contracts.
• HB25-1092: Allows physician assistants and nurse practitioners sign death certificates after registering with the state system.
• HB25-1063: Legalizes the prescription, distribution, and use of crystalline polymorph psilocybin in Colorado upon its approval by the USDA.
• HB25-1027: Revises Colorado’s disease control rules, updates school immunization requirements, and replaces the Governor’s emergency epidemic committee.
• HB25-1002: Requires Colorado health plans to provide mental health and substance use coverage equal to physical health coverage.
• SB25-289: Establishes a system for donating unused prescription drugs (and veterinary medications) to eligible patients.
• SB25-083: Limits the use of restrictive employment agreements for health care providers from certain non-compete and non-solicitation exemptions and tying permissible covenants for minority-owners to a formula based on their compensation.
• SB25-048: Requires large group health plans to cover obesity and prediabetes treatments, including lifestyle programs, surgery, and FDA-approved medications.
• SB25-010: Allows health insurers to send required notices electronically with consent while ensuring paper copies remain available on request.
• HB24-1258: Ensures that if a health insurance carrier exits the market, individuals who enroll in a new plan during a special enrollment period receive credit for the deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs they’ve already paid that year.

Protecting Consumers and Making Insurance Work for Colorado Families

Insurance is meant to provide peace of mind during life’s most uncertain moments. Yet too many Coloradans are facing rising premiums, fewer coverage options, and growing uncertainty about whether their insurance will be there when they need it most.

I experienced these challenges firsthand in the aftermath of the Marshall Fire. As a Louisville City Councilmember, I was on the ground the very next day helping my community recover—working with local partners to secure thousands of gallons of bottled water until safe drinking water was restored, coordinating with city and county officials to accelerate debris removal, and partnering with my fellow councilmembers to deliver millions of dollars in tax relief for underinsured families rebuilding their homes.

Since joining the legislature, I have continued that commitment by removing barriers to recovery and strengthening protections for Colorado homeowners. I secured $14 million in state funding for Marshall Fire recovery, led the effort to exempt rebuilding costs from state sales tax, and passed legislation ensuring renters displaced by the fire could return to safe and healthy homes.

I also championed measures to combat underinsurance and increase accountability for insurance companies, mortgage servicers, and homeowners associations in wildfire mitigation and recovery.

As Colorado continues to face increasing risks from wildfires, extreme heat, drought, and other severe weather driven by our changing climate, I remain committed to ensuring families can protect both their homes and their financial security. Throughout my time in the legislature, I have worked to improve transparency, affordability, and accountability across Colorado’s insurance markets. This year, I continued that work by advancing legislation to address one of the state’s most pressing challenges: preserving access to affordable, reliable homeowners’ insurance for every Coloradan.

• SB26-155: Creates the Strengthen Colorado Homes Enterprise to improve homeowner insurance affordability and availability. This legislation builds on ongoing efforts to make sure Colorado families can protect their homes without facing impossible costs.
• HB25-1205: Launches a new plan to make sure every homeowner can access basic property insurance, even in disaster-prone regions.
• HB25-1182: Regulates how insurers use predictive risk models when setting rates, ensuring fairness and transparency.
• HB24-1091: Protects homeowners’ ability to install and maintain fire-hardened building materials by prohibiting HOAs and other property restrictions from banning these wildfire-resistant upgrades. The bill still allows HOAs to adopt reasonable design and appearance standards for fire-hardened fencing within their communities.

Taking Climate Action and Advancing Sustainability

Colorado has always been a leader in protecting our environment, investing in clean energy, and preparing for the impacts of climate change. I believe sustainability is not only an environmental priority — it is an economic priority, a public health priority, and a responsibility we have to future generations.

My approach has always been focused on practical solutions that protect our communities while encouraging innovation and economic opportunity.

• SB26-003: Expands Colorado’s battery stewardship laws by requiring electric vehicle battery recycling and responsible disposal, helping ensure Colorado’s transition to clean transportation is sustainable from beginning to end.
• HB25-1096: Requires certain cities, counties, and the state electrical board to adopt automated permitting platforms for residential solar installations and report on their use.
• SB25-299: Provides stronger safeguards for homeowners purchasing clean energy systems.
• SB25-163: Requires battery producers to join or create recycling programs by 2027 and bans disposal of covered batteries in landfills starting in 2030.
• SB25-182: Adds “embodied carbon” reductions to Colorado’s eligibility list for clean-energy property financing and tax credits, meaning building materials and construction practices that reduce cradle-to-gate emissions by at least 15% can qualify for incentives.
• HB24-1235: Reduces the impacts of aviation on nearby communities by expanding access to unleaded aviation fuel, adding community representatives to the Colorado Aeronautical Board, and directing the state to evaluate and address the health and quality-of-life impacts of aircraft noise. The law also provides tax incentives and grants to help airports and aircraft owners transition away from leaded aviation gasoline.

Supporting Students, Educators, and Higher Education

Education is the foundation of a strong economy and thriving communities. Every student deserves access to quality schools, strong educators, and opportunities to succeed.

This session, I supported legislation that strengthened school funding, invested in literacy, and supported Colorado’s higher education institutions.

• HB26-1174: Adjusts school finance funding for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
• HB26-1175: Allows State Education Fund dollars to support literacy programs and recognize outstanding educators through the Teacher of the Year program.
• HB26-1356: Repeals Colorado’s local accountability grant system.
• HB26-1372: Extends operational funding requirements for the Auraria Higher Education Center.

Supporting Children, Families, and Human Services

Strong communities are built by ensuring families have access to the resources they need to succeed. From early childhood programs to public assistance systems, government has an important role in supporting Coloradans during every stage of life.

• SB26-181: Modifies Colorado Works reserve and cost-of-living adjustment policies.
• HB26-1349: Updates funding for prevention services programs within the Department of Early Childhood.
• HB26-1429: Reforms administration of county public assistance programs to improve efficiency, accountability, and access.

Responsible Budgeting and Effective Government

Serving on the Joint Budget Committee and as Chair of House Appropriations has reinforced my belief that government must be both compassionate and responsible. Every dollar spent by the state represents a commitment to Colorado taxpayers, and every budget decision affects real people and communities.

This year required difficult choices, but I remained committed to protecting essential services while improving transparency, accountability, and efficiency within state government.

• HB26-1289: Updates multiple Colorado tax expenditures and credits.
• HB26-1178: Clarifies when the state controller may authorize spending above appropriated amounts.
• HB26-1385: Redirects behavioral health funding to support public defenders and prosecutors.
• HB26-1390: Updates oversight of health disparities grant program evaluations.
• HB26-1396: Modifies the structure and operation of Colorado’s disaster emergency fund.
• HB26-1405: Authorizes transfers from certain cash funds into the General Fund.
• HB26-1407: Reallocates unused ARPA-related state funding.
• HB26-1408: Updates procedures for state agency budget requests.
• HB26-1409: Directs remaining marijuana tax cash funds to public schools.
• HB26-1413: Expands sick leave and military leave protections for certain public employees.
• HB26-1416: Authorizes transfers involving the Colorado Economic Development Fund.
• HB26-1419: Addresses TABOR-related over-refunds of excess state revenues.
• HB26-1423: Requires annual community corrections budget and data reporting.

Investing in Transportation and Infrastructure

Strong infrastructure connects communities, supports economic growth, and improves quality of life. This session, I supported efforts to ensure Colorado’s infrastructure investments are transparent, sustainable, and responsive to community needs.

• HB26-1348: Updates allowable uses of broadband infrastructure cash funds.
• HB26-1394: Converts the motorcycle operator safety training fund into an annually appropriated cash fund.
• HB26-1398: Updates allocation of retail delivery fee revenues.
• HJR26-1022: Designates part of Arapahoe Road as the “Road of Remembrance.”

Looking Ahead

I am honored to continue representing our community at the Colorado State Capitol. Every bill passed this session reflects conversations with constituents, collaboration with stakeholders, and a commitment to finding solutions that improve people’s lives.

While there is still more work to do, I remain focused on building a Colorado where families can thrive, communities are supported, and government works for everyone.

I look forward to continuing this work and bringing forward thoughtful solutions to the challenges facing our state.

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Paid for by Kyle for Colorado. Registered Agent Kyle Brown.