Weekly Policy Update: CBSA’s Priorities for the 2020 Legislative Session
By: Colorado BioScience Association Date: 01/02/2020
January 8th marks the first day of Colorado’s 2020 legislative session, but CBSA has already been hard at work advocating on behalf of our members and the patients they serve. This session, we will continue to advocate for a pro-innovation policy environment that fosters the growth of our life sciences ecosystem and the development of breakthrough treatments and cures.
Our 2020 state policy priorities include:
Protect Patient Access to Health Innovation
CBSA works to ensure patients have access to the therapies and technologies they need. To support this commitment, CBSA advances proposals that enhance competition, create opportunities for negotiation, and lower out-of-pocket costs for patients.
Strengthen Incentives for Innovation
CBSA advocates for a public policy environment that supports incentives for innovation and offers predictability on the path from research to market. CBSA works to ensure that any new legislative or regulatory proposals will not impede research, place undue burden on the industry, or have unintended consequences for our members.
Increase Capital and Growth
CBSA fosters the growth of successful access to capital programs, including the Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program, the Advanced Industries Investment Tax Credit, and the Advanced Industries Export Program. CBSA advocates to bring new investments to Colorado and explore new funding models that could attract additional public and private capital.
Promote a Supportive Tax and Regulatory Environment
CBSA advocates for proposals to strengthen the state’s tax and regulatory environment, which is crucial to maintain and grow a competitive life sciences ecosystem. This includes efforts to modernize the state’s economic development incentives and enact new tax policies to spur company and capital formation. CBSA also works to prevent erosive measures that could make it harder to expand current companies or attract new life sciences companies to our state.
Cultivate an Educated Workforce
CBSA supports workforce development initiatives to create a talent pipeline for the growing life sciences ecosystem. CBSA champions efforts to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education and encourages the development of educational pathways, internship programs, and other initiatives to grow Colorado’s life sciences workforce. This includes reauthorization of the Innovative Industries Internship Program in 2020.
Advance Industry Priorities within the Colorado State Budget
Colorado’s economy remains one of the strongest in the nation, yet each year the state faces difficult budget decisions. As the state legislature allocates funding and determines where cuts need to be made, CBSA works to ensure key priorities are fully funded and past legislative efforts remain intact.
You can also learn about CBSA’s 2020 federal policy priorities here.
For more information about CBSA’s policy and advocacy efforts, please contact Emily Roberts, Vice President at eroberts@cobioscience.com or (303) 592-4071.
Stay up to date with what is impacting the life sciences community during the session.