Policy Councils

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Imagine a place in which all the best business policy minds, those operating businesses, and government officials come together, working constructively to forward job creation and the Colorado economy.  That’s a Colorado Chamber Policy Council.  It’s exciting and interesting, and yes, council members really do impact the outcomes – their work helps Colorado’s economic future.

Policy Councils are at the core of the Colorado Chamber’s work, offering a unique opportunity for members to add their expertise and judgment to our policy-making and influence legislation and regulations that impact business. Council meetings provide an open and frank dialogue between our members, key legislators and state agency leaders.

How to Join a Council

All Colorado Chamber members can join one or more councils by letting a Chamber staff member know of your interest. As a council member, you’ll receive up-to-the-minute notices of current issues of interest to that council and invitations to council meetings, meet with relevant government officials, be invited to help craft legislation, weigh-in on proposed legislation, offer insight to the Colorado Chamber advocacy team on areas in which you have expertise, and perhaps testify for or against legislation. Contact Lauren Schwartz at [email protected] for more information.

Visit our Resource Center for updates on recent legislation and regulations.

Tax Council

Phil Horwitz
Chair
Phil Horwitz
Moss Adams, Director
Meghan Dollar
Contact
Meghan Dollar
(303) 866-9601

The Tax Council represents the state and local tax interests of the Colorado Chamber’s multi-industry membership and the Colorado business community. This council provides expertise on legislative and regulatory proposals that would increase the burden of business taxes, fees and regulations on companies.  The council works closely with the Colorado Department of Revenue, the Legislature and the Governor’s Administration to equalize or reduce the state tax burden on businesses and to maintain a competitive business climate in Colorado.

Energy and Environment Council

Doug Benevento
Chair
Doug Benevento
Holland & Hart, Partner
Meghan Dollar
Contact
Meghan Dollar
(303) 866-9601

The Colorado Chamber’s Energy & Environment Council provides expertise in the areas of air, water, industrial waste and energy. The council meets monthly during the legislative session and the subcommittees meet on an as-needed basis. In order to ensure that legislation and regulation do not unfairly increase the costs of doing business or make it burdensome for regulated businesses to function, the council works closely with state regulatory agencies, the General Assembly, and the executive branch.

Subcommittees

Energy
Air Quality
Shannon PollmillerShannon Pollmiller
Black Hills
Senior Environmental ProfessionalJohn JacusJohn Jacus
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP
Partner
Industrial Waste
Lynn KornfeldLynn Kornfeld
Holland & Hart
Partner
Water
Gabe RaczGabe Racz
Vranesh and Raisch, LLP
Partner

Governmental Affairs Council

Melissa Osse
Chair
Melissa Osse
HCA Healthcare Continental Division/HealthONE, Vice President, Government Relations
Meghan Dollar
Contact
Meghan Dollar
(303) 866-9601

The Governmental Affairs Council is comprised of members of the business lobbying corps at the State Capitol who are, or who represent, Colorado Chamber members, including corporate lobbyists, trade association lobbyists and contract lobbyists.

The Colorado Chamber lobbying team presents the Chamber’s Legislative Agenda and lobbying strategy and enlists the help of Council members, who also discuss the issues they are lobbying on behalf of their respective The Colorado Chamber-member clients.

Please note: Because of the strategic nature of the Governmental Affairs Council, membership is open only to lobbyists who are Colorado Chamber members or who lobby on behalf of one or more Colorado Chamber members. Unlike other Colorado Chamber councils, the Governmental Affairs Council implements a broader business agenda based on parameters and policies set by the Colorado Chamber Board of Directors.

Health Care Council

Beverly Razon
Chair
Beverly Razon
COPIC, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs
Meghan Dollar
Contact
Meghan Dollar
(303) 866-9601

The Health Care Council provides Colorado Chamber members with expertise in all areas of health care concerns related to businesses. The council is focused on state-level health care legislation that affects Colorado employers. Specifically, the council focuses on legislation that impacts the cost of purchasing health benefits. The council promotes efforts to increase:

  • Competition within the marketplace;
  • Value for quality benefits;
  • Accountability for regulatory guidance; and
  • Access to quality health plans;

Members of this council include experts from the health insurance and health provider industries.

Labor and Employment Council

Stacey Campbell
Chair
Stacey Campbell
Campbell Litigation, P.C., Shareholder
Meghan Dollar
Contact
Meghan Dollar
(303) 866-9601

This council oversees labor and employment-related legislation and policy issues that impact the Colorado Chamber’s members and the business community. The focus of this council is to address employer restrictions or mandates that increase costs for business, fight attempts to increase the regulatory burden on labor and employment issues, and ensure the voice of business is heard on all legislative issues that broadly impact employers across the state.

This council has taken the lead on issues of critical importance in recent years, serving as the voice of employers on policies like paid family and medical leave, paid sick leave, wage transparency, restrictive scheduling mandates, and workplace harassment legislation.