The House approved a bill dealing with water conservation Jan. 28. This is the first bill Rep. Brianna Titone (D-Arvada) introduced this session and the first to pass the House.   

“Water takes up a big part of the budget in most homeowners associations,” Titone said.“Our state is facing a drought so it’s critical that we are responsibly managing our water usage — especially in communities on the Front Range and in rural Colorado.”   

HB19-1050 will help promote water-efficient landscaping on property subject to management by local supervisory entities. HB19-1050 passed the House on a vote of 54-19. 

Even as Colorado and other western states suffer from drought and severe water shortages, members of homeowners associations, as well as residents of some metropolitan special districts, often pay exorbitant water bills to satisfy requirements in their bylaws. Bylaws can be written in such a way that makes changing them time-consuming, burdensome, and cost prohibitive for an association or district. Allowing homeowner associations and special district boards to modify their master landscaping plans will save water and lower costs. 

The bill now goes to the Senate. 

The House also passed two of Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp’s bills Jan. 28.

HB 19-1008 would permit more schools to apply for Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grants for new or rebuilt Career and Technical Education (CTE) facilities. This bill would bring SHOP classes back to schools and is intended to provide opportunities for kids who want to go into alternative careers. The second bill, HB19-1044, would ensure behavioral health treatment for patients who lack the decision-making capacity at the time of admittance.

“Throughout my time at the legislature, I have made it a focus to make sure that we offer these career options for kids,” said Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada.) “I grew up in a construction family and understand the importance of bringing these jobs to our students and making sure they have the skills to get ahead in life.” 

Through HB19-1008, any CTE program approved by the Department of Education, such as agriculture, natural resources and energy, STEM, arts and design, skilled trades and technical sciences, health science, and education are careers that can request the BEST grant. 

Both bills received unanimous approval by the House vote of 64-0. Both bills now go to the Senate.