Colorado State Lawmakers Convene Special Session With Goal Of Creating A Stimulus

DENVER (CBS4) - As businesses struggle and thousands of Coloradans are without jobs, a special session of the state legislature begins Monday. Gov. Jared Polis called for the session earlier in November to find ways to help, because Congress hasn't delivered on another stimulus relief check.

"I think we are all trying to come together and help Coloradans," said state Rep. Hugh McKean, a Republican.

State legislators are hoping to come to the rescue with a special session and a docket of spending bills.

"We have some general fund revenue to come in and provide in a one-time basis to create a stimulus," said House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, a Democrat

So what will these bills do? First and foremost, a pair of bills aims to help small businesses like restaurants and bars through direct aid.

"This will be about $57 million that will go out in direct assistance through grants and fee waivers and things like that," Senate Majority Leader Stephen Fenberg, a Democrat.

That is paired with a bill that will allow them to hold onto sales taxes they collect temporarily.

"It's going to help provide those bars and restaurants a little bit of extra revenue," Garnett said.

Next up, a bill that will provide $50 million of housing assistance to renters and their landlords.

"Landlords, people who own properties and who rent them and who can't collect rent -- they still have mortgage payments to make," said Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert, a Republican.

There is also a bill that will increase the state's broadband capacity, Fenberg says, "So students and teachers can work and learn remotely."

There is a bill that will appropriate $5 million to the energy outreach Colorado Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund.

"This will help folks who are unable or struggling to pay their utility bill," Fenberg said.

There's a bill that will distribute $45 million to child care providers to keep doors open and create new options, especially for rural Coloradans.

"People might typically think that child care wouldn't be a big issue for people in rural Colorado but it actually is," said Holbert.

There is a bill to help out food pantries that are running low on supplies but right now Coloradans are depending on more than ever.

"We'll devote $3 million to replenishing these essential community services," Garnett said.

Finally, there is a bill that allocates money for the state response to COVID-19.

"About $100 million that will go towards ensuring that the state can continue to respond," said Fenberg.

This special session is for the sole purpose of addressing issues like these, so no other legislation can be introduced. However, Republican legislators will be discussing in caucus how to make sure legislators can play a bigger role in the future.

"How the legislature might have more of a role in responding to statewide disaster emergencies like pandemics," said Holbert.

They will also consider other ways to help Coloradans that aren't just spending and allocating. Like easing restrictions, and how and when restrictions are implemented.

"So that what we're really trying to do is just give businesses and really just everybody a chance to recover a little," said McKean.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say they are doing what they can to help but agree that further action from Washington could do much more than they are able to. Most bills have bipartisan support and the session is expected to be a short one.

Lawmakers will be taking extra precautions to stay safe during the session. They will be able to participate remotely for floor work, and there will be limited committee work with remote public testimony options. There will be daily rapid testing and KN95 masks for legislators and increased social distancing.