2011 Legislative Status Report
Click on the gateways to find the bills the Bell is tracking this session. You will find the title of the bill, a short summary, the sponsors, links to a fiscal note and summary of fiscal impact. In some cases you will find the Bell's position, but the Bell does not take a position on all of the bills it tracks.
TABOR, state finance and regulatory issues
Gateway 1: A Healthy Birth
A healthy pregnancy leading to a healthy birth is the first gateway to a life of opportunity. A baby who is born healthy is likely to enjoy more opportunities in life than one not born healthy.
Gateway 2: A Safe and Stimulating Early Childhood
A child who masters literacy skills in elementary school will enjoy many more opportunities in life than a child who does not master these skills.
Gateway 3: Building a Solid Base for Literacy
A child who masters literacy skills in elementary school will enjoy many more opportunities in life than a child who does not master these skills.
Gateway 4: Establishing a Healthy Lifestyle in Childhood and Adolescence
Kids who develop healthy habits early are more likely to enjoy good health throughout their adult lives and into their senior years than kids who develop unhealthy habits.
Gateway 5: Leaving High School with a Diploma and the Skills to Succeed
Graduating from high school not only marks the beginning of one's passage to adulthood, it is an increasingly critical milestone on the road to opportunity. A high school diploma represents the successful acquisition of the knowledge and skills needed to function in the working world and to pursue further education and training.
Gateway 6: Access to Education and Training for Adults
High school graduates who have access to affordable colleges or technical schools can get the knowledge and skills to become productive members of the workforce with financially successful careers.
Gateway 7: A Healthy Adult Life
Those who enjoy sound physical and mental health or are able to get adequate treatment when they need it are likely to be more productive, advance faster in their careers, earn higher incomes and enjoy a better quality of life throughout their adult years.
Gateway 8: Earning a Decent Living and Building Wealth
A job with benefits that pays at least enough for a family to be self-sufficient and to build assets is the surest path into the Cycle of Opportunity.
Gateway 9: A Financially Secure and Healthy Retirement
A secure and healthy retirement should be the reward for a life of hard work and contribution to family and community.