skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

JD, Usha Vance visit Greenland as Trump administration eyes territory; Maine nurses, medical workers call for improved staffing ratios; Court orders WA to rewrite CAFO dairy operation permit regulations; MS aims to expand Fresh Start Act to cut recidivism.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Dept. of Health and Human Services prepares to cut 10,000 more jobs. Election officials are unsure if a Trump executive order will be enacted, and Republicans in Congress say they aim to cut NPR and PBS funding.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural folks face significant clean air and water risks due to EPA cutbacks, a group of policymakers is working to expand rural health care via mobile clinics, and a new study maps Montana's news landscape.

Volunteer lobbyists to press Colorado lawmakers on homelessness

play audio
Play

Thursday, February 27, 2025   

Coloradans who want to help move the needle on homelessness can still sign up for a lobbying day next Tuesday at the State Capitol.

Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, expects dozens of people to join this year's effort. Folks will meet up in the morning to hear from a couple of legislators. And they'll get a brief training on how to talk with lawmakers about bills that impact people experiencing homelessness.

"Then we send people out in teams to go find legislators - in their office, sometimes they're debating on the floor, sometimes they're in committee - and we encourage them to support our priorities," she said.

Alderman added this year's legislative priorities include homelessness prevention and resolution, housing availability and access, health care, and economic justice. The group is backing a number of bills, including House Bill 25-1168 which adds protections for victims of gender-based violence in rental housing. Those interested can sign up for the event online at 'ColoradoCoalition.org.'

The coalition is also pressing lawmakers to improve the infrastructure needed to address homelessness across the state. Alderman says House Bill 25-1032 would create a homelessness council, made up of representatives from all state agencies and important stakeholders like local governments and nonprofits, to set a statewide strategy.

"Which we think is really important because it kind of sends a message to the entire community that the state is making this a priority," she explained. "But it needs its local government and nonprofit partners to do the work."

The coalition also supports Senate Bill 25-008, to help people experiencing homelessness and survivors of natural disasters and domestic violence get access to driver's licenses and other vital documents. Alderman said they'll also be tracking any measures related to renter's protections.

"Trying to create that balance between renters and landlords to make sure that folks can stay stably housed. Because we know that it's much more difficult to get housed once you've lost your housing," she added.

Disclosure: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Health Issues, Housing/Homelessness, Poverty Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Mississippi's three-year recidivism rate reached 40% in 2023, according to state task force data - among the highest in the United States. (Pixabay)

Social Issues

play sound

For thousands of Mississippians leaving prison each year, a single question looms large: Who will hire me? State lawmakers could remove some of the …


Health and Wellness

play sound

Rural communities in Missouri are bracing for a tough reality as they plan ahead for the possibility of federal cuts to programs such as Medicaid…

Social Issues

play sound

This has been "National March Into Literacy Month" but it may become tougher over the summer to "march" into a public library and ask for help finding…


Students harvest food grown in the school greenhouse and use it for meals in their culinary program's in-house restaurant and cafeteria, creating a sustainable cycle. (Courtesy of Exact Solar)

Environment

play sound

Groups in Pennsylvania are asking Congress to preserve federal clean-energy tax incentives. Concerned about the possible repeal of 30% energy tax …

play sound

By Sara Hashemi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration John…

The USDA reported since April 2024, there have been avian influenza virus detections in 336 commercial flocks and 207 backyard flocks, for a total of more than 90.9 million birds affected.(Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

West Virginians are more concerned about bird flu's effect on grocery costs rather than health implications, and Republican voters are more likely to …

Social Issues

play sound

The federal HALT Fentanyl Act advancing through Congress would increase prison time for fentanyl traffickers. Kentuckians convicted on distribution …

Social Issues

play sound

Labor groups representing thousands of Minnesota state workers find themselves at serious odds with Gov. Tim Walz over his move this week to reduce …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021