Governor Jared Polis used his first State of the State speech to call for free, full day kindergarten in Colorado. He urged lawmakers to take steps to reduce the high school dropout rate in the state. He also announced formation of a new office, the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care. It will be run by Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera. The Governor also wants to close corporate tax loopholes so that tax rates can be reduced for Colorado families. Polis wants to continue efforts to achieve 100 percent renewable energy in Colorado by 2040. He called for safeguards to allow communities and homeowners to have say about nearby fracking operations. He asked lawmakers to approve family leave for state workers and called on lawmakers to take steps to stem the opioid crisis
The speech was long on vision and short on specifics. But Polis made it clear he wants bold action to address the major issues facing Colorado.