CCLP presented our fourth Policy Forum event discussing tax credits in Colorado.
Recent articles
NHeLP and CCLP file for expedited review of civil rights violations in Colorado
On Sept 16, NHeLP and CCLP submitted a complaint to the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, addressing the ongoing discriminatory provision of case management services for individuals with disabilities in Colorado.
CCLP’s 26th birthday party recap
CCLP celebrated our 26th birthday party while reflecting on another year of successes on behalf of Coloradans experiencing poverty.
Small business displacement and Business Navigators
CCLP partnered with the city and county of Denver to administer a two-year program connecting Denver’s historically underinvested businesses with guides to programs, resources, and services available to them.
CCLP testifies in support of an Equal Justice Fund
On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, Lydia McCoy, CCLP’s Executive Director, provided testimony to the House Judiciary Committee for House Bill 24-1286, Equal Justice Fund Authority. CCLP is in support for HB24-1286.
Members of the House Judiciary Committee,
Thank you Chair and members of the committee. I’m Lydia McCoy, CEO of Colorado Center on Law and Policy, a nonpartisan anti-poverty organization, and I’m here today in support of House Bill 24-1286.
At CCLP, we believe laws and policies are only as good as their implementation and enforcement. In order for the rules of government to work as intended, all people need access to the support and representation of legal professionals to protect them from harm and help them navigate complex systems.
This is particularly true in administrative hearings. Many Coloradans who rely on Medicaid are currently being dropped from the program due to procedural errors, as people attempt to renew their coverage after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The only way for these families to stay covered after a termination is to file an appeal with the Office of Administrative Courts. It is very challenging for these families to sift through notices and medical documents, to file exhibits and to prepare to testify in front of a judge, all on their own. For families on Medicaid, an attorney can mean the difference for access to life-saving doctors, therapists, and medicine.
The same is true for SNAP benefits—also known as food stamps. Currently 95% of people who appeal a SNAP decision in Colorado do so without a lawyer. The result is that these Coloradans are five times less likely to get a favorable ruling than the national average. What is at stake in these cases is someone’s ability to feed themselves and their families.
We know through data that having access to legal representation changes outcomes. It is well documented by empirical studies that people are better able to navigate the legal system when they have an attorney. You just heard that civil legal aid also makes good economic sense—for every dollar invested in Colorado Legal Services, the state of Colorado receives more than six dollars of immediate and long-term financial benefits.
In Colorado, despite having the fourth largest number of people living in poverty among western states, we are near the bottom for how much funding we provide for legal aid. We also know that Colorado has among the lowest court filing fees. By raising these fees, using the same mechanism that most other western states use to fund civil legal aid, this bill would provide more Coloradans access to critical legal services, while improving the judicial process for everyone. I ask for your support.
Thank you for your time and I welcome any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Lydia McCoy
Executive Director
Colorado Center on Law and Policy
Update 5/4/2024: HB24-1286 passed the House and Senate and is onto signatures.