Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition

While we had an incredibly difficult session that was overshadowed by really hard cuts to Medicaid, we still want to take a moment to lift up the work our team did to pass good policy this session.

CCDC 2026 Legislative Session Success:

✅Passed: HB26-1382 - Protects the community’s control of the CO Disability Funding Committee by moving it to a special purpose authority

✅Signed Into Law: HB26-189 - Regulates algorithmic decision making technology (including AI) to protect consumers and give them the right to pursue anti discrimination claims against the deployer and developer

✅Passed: HB26-1425 - Creates both a professional and facility license for ABA providers (who are currently unlicensed) to protect kids’ health and safety during this treatment

✅Passed: HB 26-1147 - Increases protections and oversight for people with disabilities living in host homes

✅Passed: SB 150 - Increases RTD accountability, including a paratransit study

✅Passed: HB 1043 - Increases penalties for ride sharing companies who discriminate against PwDs

ID: A graphic that is titled "CCDC 2026 Legislative Session Successes" and includes all of the text in this caption. A broad lined drawing of the state Capitol dome is on the right hand side of the image with a green check mark in the upper right hand corner. The CCDC logo is on the bottom right side of the graphic.

CCDC is excited that Governor Jared Polis announced this afternoon that Gretchen Hammer will be the new Acting Director at HCPF. Ms. Hammer has a long track record of Medicaid advocacy in the nonprofit world and was the Medicaid director under Governor Hickenlooper. She brings both subject matter expertise and knowledge of the communities in Colorado who rely on Medicaid. We are looking forward to collaborating with her as we navigate many of the challenges facing Colorado's Medicaid program in the months to come.

Governor Polis Makes Cabinet Announcement | Colorado Governor Jared Polis DENVER - Today, Governor Polis announced the new acting Executive Director for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and the Behavioral Health Administration Commissioner (BHA). Stephanie Beasley will be stepping up to lead BHA, while Gretchen Hammer will lead HCPF. Hammer will s...

Thank you to everyone who joined us and our partners earlier today!

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for Disability Rights Advocacy Day. We had over 300 people with disabilities pack the Capitol! Our community had conversations with dozens of legislators and got to share our experiences with people making the decisions about our lives. Huge thank you to everyone who helped make the day possible, including: Representative Chad Clifford, The Arc of Colorado, Disability Law Colorado, Center for People With Disabilities, Colorado Developmental Disabilities CouncilThe Association of Colorado Centers for Independent Living, Atlantis Community, Inc., JFK Partners, PASCO (Personal Assistance Services of Colorado), Northwest Center for Independent Living, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Signal Behavioral Health, Colorado Access, North Metro Community Resources, Developmental Pathways, AdvocacyDenver, Arc Thrift Stores, Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind, The DeafBlind Action Team, Ability Connection Colorado, Connections Colorado, Parent to Parent of Colorado