2023 Colorado Legislative Report
In 2023, CoPIRG supported 17 bills at the legislature on a range of public interest issues that protect consumers, safeguard our public health and improve our quality of life across Colorado.
Pesticides
The chemicals used to grow our food and maintain our parks and playgrounds are putting our health at risk.
The food we buy should be safe to eat, and our parks and playgrounds shouldn’t be filled with chemicals that put our health at risk, especially when those risks include cancer and developmental disorders. Choosing to buy organic, gardening without pesticides, and avoiding chemical fertilizers are all important, but only collective action will stop the use of these dangerous chemicals.
The Latest on Pesticides
Save the Bees: Legislature passes bill limiting bee-killing pesticides
Why give to PIRG this Earth Day?
Updates
Two wins: Save the bees and truth-in-labeling for compostables
Colorado poised to be 9th state to protect bees, limit neonic insecticides
Today’s Pollinator of the Day: Birds
Featured Resources
Save the Bees Web-Bee-Nar
Guide to planting a pollinator-friendly garden
Glyphosate In Beer and Wine
Did You Know?
In the U.S., 26 million pounds of glyphosate, the main chemical ingredient in Roundup, are sprayed on public parks, playgrounds, schools and gardens in a year.
What We're Doing
We’re working to ban RoundUp in parks, playgrounds and other public spaces until it is proven safe. Learn more
The Latest
The weed killer Roundup has been linked to cancer. It’s time to ban it.
Roundup's main ingredient is a probable human carcinogen, but it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with it. The EPA must ban it, unless and until independent research proves it safe.
Toxic PFAS chemicals are being sprayed on crops across the country
Chemicals linked to cancer shouldn't be anywhere near our crops and the fields where we grow our food.
How the widespread use of a bee-killing pesticide is threatening our food supply
We rely on bees to pollinate more than 70 of the 100 crops that provide 90% of the world's food — but as our society uses more bee-killing "neonic" pesticides, bee populations are plummeting.
Conversations from the Capitol – 2022
With the legislative session wrapped, CoPIRG staff had the chance to talk to several legislators who sponsored CoPIRG-backed bills that resulted in big wins for consumers, our health, and our quality of life.
Statement: Supreme Court rejects Bayer’s appeal against Roundup ruling
The Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to hear an appeal by Bayer, allowing lawsuits claiming glyphosate, the main active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, causes cancer to move forward. Bayer, the maker of Roundup, had appealed the case of Edwin Hardeman who said he developed cancer due to his use of Roundup on his property for decades. The court’s action upholds the ruling of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in favor of Hardeman, upholding a $25 million judgment. The declined appeal opens the opportunity for thousands of similar cases to continue.
Team
Melgar
Danielle
Melgar
Food & Agriculture, Advocate, PIRG
Rusch
Emily
Rusch
Vice President and Senior Director of State Offices, The Public Interest Network
