2022 Colorado Senate Voters Guide

Legal. Supports the Women’s Health Protection Act, “to permanently protect the right to choose.” “The choice…should be made by a woman and her doctor—not politicians.”

Mostly ban. In August 2022 said abortions should be legal through 20 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions after for rape, incest, and life of the mother. In 2020 voted for ballot measure to ban abortion after 22 weeks, with no exceptions. Opposes public funding for abortion care.

Yes. Supports clean energy tax credits, a price on carbon pollution, and greenhouse gas standards. Voted for a bill to provide clean energy infrastructure and voted for $369 billion in clean energy incentives. “If the Senate doesn’t act urgently on climate, I fear my kids and grandkids won’t recognize Colorado.”

No. “There’s no doubt that the climate is changing… how much of it’s caused by man-made…there’s a debate there still to be had.” “We can’t shut down our electric grid” while China is “approving hundreds of coal mines.” Wants more natural gas production on the Western Slope.

Increase. Introduced legislation that would create a new federal watchdog to regulate the country’s biggest technology companies. Supports “smart federal investments in basic research and development” and in “infrastructure for future generations.”

Decrease regulation, “the number-one thing crushing working Americans and businesses.” Mixed on investment. Supported federal aid programs during the pandemic, but “this attempt to turn the hardships of this past year into a hard left fiscal policy is dead wrong.” Supported the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Tighten. Introduced a bill to clean up abandoned oil and gas wells and strengthen bonding requirements and local input on public land lease sales. In 2020 questioned EPA’s decision not to strengthen air quality standards.

Loosen. Opposes “government getting in the way of business,” and “rules and regulations and red tape.” Regarding fossil fuel environmental regulations, “would default to those people that know — oil and gas people.”

More. Voted for a bill calling for enhanced background checks for buyers under 21, and more funding for states to enact red-flag laws. Called for universal background checks, limiting the size of magazines, and banning access to “weapons of war.”

Unclear. Said that “maybe (senators) should” look at raising the age for buying an AR-15-style gun from 18 to 21. Then said,  “it’s about mental health. It’s not about putting more laws in place.” “We can protect our schools without infringing upon our God-given rights.”

Yes. Voted to require Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Would maintain Medicare and Medicaid and “extend the dignity and security of health care to every American. Called for “a national testing and contact tracing strategy” to tackle COVID.

No. Said reductions in some programs, including Social Security and Medicare, will be necessary “in order to manage the (nation’s) debt. Said “Mask mandates and Big Brother schemes to penalize the unvaccinated” are ”bureaucratic arrogance” and won’t help.

Coauthored bipartisan immigration reform. Cosponsored the Dream Act creating a pathway to citizenship for young people brought to the U.S. illegally. Supported the DACA program. Seeks “a bipartisan solution” for DACA Dreamers.

“Believes in building the wall, securing the border, ending the flow of fentanyl.” “We need border agents. We need a border wall.” “Then we must find a pathway to citizenship for our Dreamers and streamline our immigration process. It’s common sense.”

Easier. Cosponsored a bill to “protect workers’ right to…bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces.”

Likely harder. Said, “Don’t confuse union bosses with rank-and-file American workers.”

Expand. Cosponsored the Equality Act, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. “We must enshrine protections for LGBTQ Americans into law.”

Expand. Supports a bill protecting same-sex marriage. “You’ve got a lot of politicians in both political parties who spend way too much time trying to tell people how to live their lives. That’s just not me. I live my life. You live yours.”

Legal. Cosponsored the Marijuana Justice Act, which would make marijuana legal at the federal level and expunge federal convictions for marijuana use and possession.Legal. Cosponsored the Marijuana Justice Act, which would make marijuana legal at the federal level and expunge federal convictions for marijuana use and possession.

No position found on federal legalization. “It’s settled law here in Colorado.” Supports giving marijuana businesses access to banking. Is concerned about high-potency marijuana and making sure “kids don’t have access to it.”

Raise. Cosponsored legislation to raise the federal minimum to $15 per hour over four years. “We don’t want to have a minimum wage that’s so low that people working 40 hours a week have to be on public assistance just to support their families.”

No position found.

Introduced a community policing bill to fund law enforcement partnering with local responders and mental health professionals, based on Denver’s STAR program. Supports banning chokeholds, and no-knock warrants in federal drug cases.

Unclear about force. Sees “a time of growing lawlessness and crime.” “Will stand up for law enforcement,” and “defend our communities from rampant crime.” Supports Denver’s STAR program.

Yes. Supports Biden’s student loan plan, but says college debt cancelation “does nothing to address the absurd cost of college or fix our broken student loan program.” “It ignores the majority of Americans who never went to college.”

No. Called Biden’s forgiveness program “unbelievable.” “Biden is going to recklessly transfer student loan debt onto working Americans.” And canceling loans “would penalize” those who already paid.

More. Cosponsored a corporate profits minimum tax. Says economy works well “for large corporations and the wealthy,” but families and workers “have been left behind.” Has proposed raising the top income-tax rate, for the wealthiest taxpayers, to 44 percent.

Less. Opposes the tax increases on large corporations in the Inflation Reduction Act, saying that companies will raise prices to make up for higher taxes. Opposes new tax-law-enforcement funding for the IRS as “irresponsible.”

No. Cosponsored the John R. Lewis Voting Rights bill to prevent practices that would reduce voting rights. Supported a bill to implement nationally automatic registration, early voting, and vote-by-mail.

No position found.