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General Assembly advances economic security for low-income Coloradans

The Colorado General Assembly took significant steps toward providing economic and health security for low-income Coloradans during the 2013 General Assembly session. Two issues dominated the agenda for low-income Coloradans: implementing health care reform and tax relief for working families.

2013 Legislative Recap
Medicaid expansion signed into law

CCLP's Health Program Director Elisabeth Arenales joins Gov. John Hickenlooper on the West Steps of the Capitol today for the signing of SB-200, Medicaid expansion. SB-200 will provide opportunity and economic security for thousands of low-income Coloradans. A CCLP report found that 122,000 working Coloradans will be provided health coverage through Medicaid expansion. Many of those are people who in work in jobs that pay so little that they can't afford health insurance

Medicaid expansion report
SNAP supports thousands of families and jobs in Colorado

The Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as

the food stamp program) provides vital assistance to thousands of families

throughout Colorado. SNAP is also a form of indirect economic stimulus.

SNAP benefits are spent at grocery stores, supermarkets, superstores and

farmer’s markets across Colorado. In fact, in 2010 SNAP spending in Colorado

supported roughly 15,000 jobs and produced more than $1.2 billion in

economic output, according to CCLP estimates.

Congress is considering reauthorization of the Farm Bill this summer, which inclcudes the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program, provides vital assistance to thousands of families throughout Colorado and an economic stimulus to the state. A recent CCLP analysis found that in 2010 SNAP spending in Colorado supported roughly 15,000 jobs and produced more than $1.2 billion in economic output.

Read CCLP's economic analysis