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House Health & Human Services

Wednesday, February 25, 2026·5h 22m·▶ Watch / Listen

The House Health & Human Services committee killed a pregnancy advance directive bill on a 7-6 party-line vote, advanced a Black maternal health equity bill unanimously, sent a dementia/assisted living bill to Finance over a $36,000 fiscal note, and heard extended — and sharply divided — testimony on a vaccine access bill whose final vote outcome was unclear from the transcript.

Key Actions

·HB 26-1085 – Pregnancy Advance Directive (Killed)No Vote

+ 4 more actions

Controversies

HB 26-1085 – 'shall' vs. 'can' language for offering the pregnancy directive

Representative McCormick stated 'I heard you say can, but the language of the bill says shall, meaning that they have to. And that's, that's a big difference in what you just described as a can,' directly challenging Representative Keltie's description of the form as something a doctor 'can offer.'

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“The larger ethical reality to prioritize discomfort over documented disparities is a political choice. To delay modest reform while preventable harm continues is a policy decision. Questioning targeted equity legislation despite unequal outcomes is not neutrality. It is maintenance of the status quo.”

Representative English — Closing argument for HB 26-1044, the Black maternal health equity bill, after hours of testimony documenting higher pregnancy-related mortality rates for Black women in Colorado.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Move HB 26-1085 as amended to the Committee of the WholeFailed
Yes (7)Lisa Feret, Eliza Hamrick, Karen McCormick, Gretchen Rydin, Katie Stewart, Sheila Lieder, Lindsay Gilchrist
No (6)Carlos Barron, Mary Bradfield, Brandi Bradley, Regina English, Dusty Johnson, Dan Woog
Postpone HB 26-1085 indefinitelyPassed
Yes (7)Lisa Feret, Eliza Hamrick, Karen McCormick, Gretchen Rydin, Katie Stewart, Sheila Lieder, Lindsay Gilchrist
No (6)Carlos Barron, Mary Bradfield, Brandi Bradley, Regina English, Dusty Johnson, Dan Woog
Move HB 1107 as amended to the Finance/Appropriations CommitteePassed
Yes (12)Carlos Barron, Mary Bradfield, Brandi Bradley, Regina English, Lisa Feret, Eliza Hamrick, Karen McCormick, Gretchen Rydin, Katie Stewart, Dan Woog, Sheila Lieder, Lindsay Gilchrist
No (1)Dusty Johnson
Move HB 26-1044 as amended to the Committee of the WholePassed
Yes (13)Carlos Barron, Mary Bradfield, Brandi Bradley, Regina English, Lisa Feret, Eliza Hamrick, Dusty Johnson, Karen McCormick, Gretchen Rydin, Katie Stewart, Dan Woog, Sheila Lieder, Lindsay Gilchrist
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TranscriptPreview
Okay. The Health and Human Services Committee will come to order. Our first. We're going to see. We are going to hear four bills today. Two are going to have been laid over for action to today. We are going because of the amount of people we have signed up, which we're so grateful that people are engaging, but we want to make sure we get to everyone. So testimony is going to be limited to two minutes and we will have panels of questions that. That will be limited to 10 minutes. We have a lot of important heavy topics today, so just want to remind everyone, we all come from different perspectives and please remain focused on the bill and respectful to our colleagues to the folks that are testifying. So with that, we will turn it over to Representative Kelty to talk. We're going to take the roll first. Moving too quickly. Sorry. Mr. Shidoun, could you please take the role? Of course. Representatives Baron. President Bradfield. Here. Bradley. Here. English. Here. Frey. Here. Tamrick. Here. Johnson. Here. McCormick. Here. Ryden. Here. Stuart. Here. Woog. He's on his way. Excused. Leader. President. Madam Chair. Here. Okay, now…
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