Democrat Katie Stewart and Republican Cleave Simpson say they spent the majority of the 120 days that comprise Colorado’s legislative session working together to bring the rural perspective to the state’s metropolitan hub.
“Cleave and I align on so many things because the district that we represent is vastly different from the Denver metro area,” Stewart said during a legislative update hosted Saturday by the League of Women Voters of Montezuma County at the Cortez Public Library.
In an era of stark political polarization, state Rep. Stewart and state Sen. Simpson, whose districts include most of Montezuma County, say they maintain a good working relationship, supporting each other’s bills and prioritizing rural healthcare.
“Eighty percent of what we do – I don’t know, it’s even probably greater than that – is truly bipartisan conversations and efforts,” Simpson said.
In the audience was Joe Theine, CEO of Southwest Health System, who works regularly with both legislators to bring rural healthcare priorities to the state Legislature.
“Both of you represent a long history of people who have represented Southwest Colorado for both parties in both the House and the Senate – you wear that mantle well,” Theine said. “The trust that you place in us to help legislate is very much appreciated.”
During the discussion, Stewart and Simpson talked about their joint sponsorship of a bill requiring Medicaid to reimburse emergency medical services staff for treatment on scene. Proponents say the bill, which passed and goes into effect January 2027, would keep rural EMS services afloat and save patients trips to the emergency room.
“We're looking at cost savings for the state of Colorado of $4 (million) to $5 million every year because an ER is the most expensive place for somebody to go,” Stewart said.
“I was the Senate sponsor on that,” Simpson interjected.
“I did all the work,” Stewart said to chuckles from the audience.
Simpson has also worked with other Democrats, specifically on criminal justice reforms.
He described his own journey into the world of behavioral health, joking that as a farmer and former coal mine employee, he was surprised to be assigned to the state’s committee on the Treatment of People with Behavioral Health Issues in the Criminal Justice System.
“I didn’t have any connection either in the behavioral health space or in the criminal justice space,” Simpson said. ”So it was quite an eye opener for me.”
With the committee, he worked to pass a bill for defendants deemed unable to competently stand trial, even after receiving mental health treatment. Many of those defendants – some accused of serious violent crimes – are released without being monitored, on the basis of being labeled nonrestorable and incompetent.
The issue gained statewide traction after Colorado resident Solomon Galligan allegedly attempted to kidnap an elementary school-age boy after three previous charges against him were dropped due to his incompetent and nonrestorable status.
“Fifty years ago, Colorado would have just incarcerated those people – and just out of sight, out of mind. But that’s a violation of people’s constitutional rights,” Simpson said. “You can’t just let them back out into the public. It’s just problematic. But you can’t ignore them. You’ve got to create space and facilities and opportunities and treatment programs for them.”
Beginning next year, the new law authorizes prosecutors to seek mental health treatment or long-term care for individuals with mental or developmental disabilities who committed violent crimes or other serious offenses that pose a significant risk to the public.
“I was really proud to sponsor that with my Democratic colleague in the Senate, Judy Amabile from Boulder,” Simpson said.
Audience members did not shy away from contentious issues when questioning the two representatives. One asked the representatives about their opinions on two initiatives to appear on the November ballot for Colorado voters concerning transgender children and students.
One proposes banning transgender athletes from competing in school sports teams aligned with their gender identity while the other restricts gender affirming surgeries for minors and prohibits the use of Medicaid dollars to fund those surgeries.
Stewart voiced strong opposition to both while Simpson said the initiatives would likely be cumbersome to enforce as law.
“So many ballot initiatives (are) a result, again, of one party controlling everything for eight years, and a group not feeling an opportunity to have a voice and be represented at the General Assembly,” Simpson said. “Republicans own this. We don’t always put forward thoughtful, engaged candidates.”
Attendees also expressed concerns about data center water usage.
Stewart said two bills died in committee over the last legislative session. One provided tax incentives for data center construction and the other leveled further taxes on data centers. She said many of her constituents that have contacted her don’t want data centers built in Southwest Colorado.
“I had a conversation with a lobbyist from Google last summer and I said, ‘Talk to me about the water usage’ and he said, ‘Well, you know, in lower elevations we can cool with air,’” Stewart said. “And I was saying, ‘Great, that just solves your problem right there. Don’t build it here.’”
Simpson agreed, saying it would be difficult for him to approve tax incentives for data centers to build in Colorado, especially considering the drought plaguing the state and the potential for rising energy bills for surrounding communities.
“There are so many other states offering ridiculous incentives. I don’t see it in the near future that those mega data centers are going to get built,” Simpson said.
Closing out the discussion, Karen Sheek, chair of the League of Women Voters of Montezuma County, offered her gratitude to the legislators for their continued collaboration.
“It’s nice to see that we can have people that can move across the aisle,” she said.
avanderveen@the-journal.com
