State Senator Coleman: My 2021 Session Recap
State Senator James Coleman
Friends, after being elected to serve as your next senator for Senate District 33, I committed my legislative agenda to overcoming three of the largest challenges in our communities: a prison recidivism rate of 50% in Colorado, increasing youth violence, and a staggering black wealth gap. I am proud of the bills that I have been able to work on with my colleagues in the General Assembly this year, and I am eager to see how they can help the people in my communities and the rest of Colorado.
Prison Recidivism:
The majority of my legislative agenda focused on reducing Colorado’s prison recidivism rate. I passed three bills: SB21-153: Department of Corrections Offender Identification Assistance Program, SB21-138: Improve Brain Injury Support In Criminal Justice System, and HB21-1214: Record Sealing Collateral Consequences Reduction, with the hope that each one will be able to effect a different part of the criminal justice system. While individuals are still incarcerated, we will now begin to look at the impact of potential traumatic brain injuries and start helping individuals to overcome the challenges associated with those injuries. On release, an individual will now be guaranteed to have a state issued ID card or driver’s license. Years later, if an individual does not recidivate, we now have stronger programs to seal previous records and help reformed individuals continue to advance their lives.
Reducing Youth Violence & Education:
Studies continue to show that if children and young adults have other means to occupy their time, there is less of a chance that they will be involved in violent interactions. To continue to develop innovative education practices and provide our students with more choices, I passed SB21-106: Concerning Successful High School Transitions. This will create programs in select districts across the state to give students more opportunities and pathways to employment and secondary education if the student has already finished the requirements for their fourth year.
Black Wealth Gap Economy
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still recovering from unprecedented economic challenges. We have seen first-hand how this has continued to disproportionally affect communities of color. To begin to change these approaches, as part of the $40 million Colorado Startup Loan Fund in HB21-1288: Colorado Startup Loan Program, we included specific language and statistical requirements to ensure that people of color have access to this support program.
It is my honor to continue to serve as your state senator in Senate District 33. While we are proud of our work this past session, we now have to begin working for 2022. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with issues that you recognize in our communities that I might be able to help with.