By Daniel Ramos, Executive Director, One Colorado
Last year was a historic session for LGBTQ Coloradans and their
families. One Colorado championed bills for some of the most vulnerable
members of our community, with legislation that improves the everyday
lives of LGBTQ youth, transgender, and nonbinary Coloradans. The strong
bipartisan support of those bills further demonstrates that LGBTQ
equality is a nonpartisan issue.
This session, we continue to advocate for vulnerable members of the
LGBTQ community by working to affirm LGBTQ youth in foster care,
increasing access to PrEP, PEP, and other HIV prevention medications,
adding gender identity and gender expression to Colorado’s
Anti-Discrimination Act, and banning the gay and trans panic defense. We
look forward to lifting up the voices of the LGBTQ community and
partnering with our bill sponsors to bring legislation forward that will
address the gap between legal and lived equality of LGBTQ Coloradans
and their families.
How did we identify our legislative priorities?
One Colorado completed the One Colorado For All Statewide Tour in the
fall of 2019, which hosted 18 community meetings across the state to
hear from supporters on the issues that were impacting their
communities. Those stops included: Breckenridge, Salida, Aspen, Denver,
Durango, Colorado Springs, Greeley, Fort Collins, Westminster, Aurora,
Louisville, Pueblo, Westcliffe, Alamosa, Highlands Ranch, Steamboat,
Grand Junction, and Montrose.
With over 105,000 supporters in all 64 counties across the state, One
Colorado has one of the largest active supporter networks in the state.
Through
those community meetings and engagement with partner organizations, One
Colorado’s top-tier legislative priorities include supporting the
following pieces of legislation:
House Bill 20-1061 HIV Infection Prevention Medications Bill
When this bill goes into law, Coloradans will be able to go directly to
a pharmacy to receive either an initial treatment regimen of PrEP or a
full treatment regimen of PEP after a brief consultation with a
pharmacist. The legislation will allow for pharmacists to dispense both
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis)
without a prescription from a physician. Pharmacists currently have the
authority to dispense Plan B and naloxone without a prescription. The
legislation also prohibits insurance companies from requiring patients
to obtain authorization prior to using their benefits to obtain the
medications and also prohibits insurers from requiring that a patient
undergo step therapy.
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