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Longmont City Council Takes Position On Three Legislative Bills, Including Rent Stabilization Bill

At their Tuesday night meeting, Longmont City Council took positions on three different legislative bills that are currently being debated at the state level. One dealt with the “Just Transition From Coal-based Electrical Energy Economy”, one concerned “Emergency Medical Service Providers Licensing”, and the other would "Authorize Local Governments To Stabilize Rent".
Longmont City Council
Longmont City Council

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

At their Tuesday night meeting, Longmont City Council took positions on three different legislative bills that are currently being debated at the state level. One dealt with the “Just Transition From Coal-based Electrical Energy Economy.” Another was concerned with “Emergency Medical Service Providers Licensing” and the other would "Authorize Local Governments To Stabilize Rent."

Just Transition From Coal-based Electrical Energy Economy

Bill HB19-1314 establishes a "Just Transition Office" at the Department of Labor and Employment, within the employment and training division.

City staff’s bill communication reads, “Beginning in 2025, the office, led by a director, will administer the following: Benefits to coal transition workers to enable them to support themselves and their families and to access and complete education and training, resulting in being hired for high-quality jobs and grants to eligible entities in coal transition communities that seek to create a more diversified, equitable, and vibrant economic future for those communities.”

The City of Longmont is dedicated to the goal of transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and this could potentially negatively impact coal mine based communities further down the road. City Council voted unanimously to support this bill with Council Member Marcia Martin absent from the meeting.

Emergency Medical Service Providers Licensing

Bill SB19-242 would allow a certified emergency medical service (EMS) provider to apply for licensure only if they have completed a 4-year bachelor’s degree program from an accredited college or university.

City staff wrote in their bill communication to council, “This bill would likely substantially incur both substantial implementation and ongoing costs by changing the licensing requirements. It would provide two different levels of providers with different requirements, potentially pushing out certificate holders who do not have college degrees.”

The bill would also likely impact firefighters, who are also EMT’s, because they would, upon passage of the bill, have to obtain 4-year bachelor’s degrees.

City staff recommended that council oppose this this bill, which council voted unanimously to do with Council Member Marcia Martin absent.

Authorization Of Local Governments To Stabilize Rent

Bill SB-225 would authorize local governments to stabilize rent at their discretion. Local municipalities would have the ability to enact and enforce any ordinance, resolution, agreement, deed restriction, or other measure that would affect rent on private property in the state of Colorado.

City staff said in their bill communication to the council, “Communities would be better able to keep their workforce housed in their community if there were more affordable homes available within each rental development since it is getting more and more difficult to site and build primarily affordable developments. Since affordable housing is a priority in the Council Work Plan, and this bill provides an additional tool for local governments to use, staff suggests Council supports SB19-225.”

Council Member Bonnie Finley said of the bill, “In order to keep rental properties affordable, a better solution would be to give those owners some kind of property tax rebate to keep them affordable, rather than saying ‘cou have to keep rent at this level’.”

“In the interest of consistency, I’m going to vote to support this, and here’s why: because it creates a tool, like other tools we’ve created for ourselves,” said Council Member Tim Waters during the discussion. “This becomes an option for locals to decide.”

Council, minus council member Martin, voted in support of this legislative bill 4 to 2, with Mayor Brian Bagley and council member Bonnie Finley voting against it.