07/11/2026
2027 UVC PROPOSED Specific Legislative Goals
DAV Specific Legislative Goals
1. Accreditation requirements for claims preparation.
2. Allocate funds identified in House Bill 25-1132 for Veterans mental health services, to Veteran peer to peer groups and other resources on Colorado Community College and State College and University campuses.
3. Allocate funds identified in House Bill 25-1132 for transportation services in the Mobile Veterans-Support Unit Grant Program created by Senate Bill 21-032.
4. Increase property tax exemption for 100% service-connected disabled Veterans and Veterans with a total disability individual unemployability (TDIU) rating from the VA.
5. Reintroduce CO SB067 - Tuition Waiver for Dependents of Veterans
6. Expand and increase funding for Veteran Treatment Courts across the state.
7. Restore $3 million swept from Veterans Trust Fund in 2020.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS:
1. Improve VSO Services.
A. Establish a program in DMVA similar to the Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel to utilize accredited VSOs from Veteran Service Organizations when counties have VSO vacancies or need additional help. Not to exceed current appropriation for county VSOs.
(NOTE: The OADC does not generally use permanent, in-house staff attorneys to try cases. Instead, it maintains a statewide network, contracting with over 400 private defense attorneys and more than 500 independent investigators, social workers, and paralegals. The OADC operates on an hourly contract model.)
B. Adopt Pennsylvania VSO model and appropriate funds from the VTF to support.
2. Amend section of statute addressing retirement pay income tax exemptions for Veterans 55 and over to include military retirement pay income tax exemption for recipients under age 55. Repeal sunset.
3. Continue the $300,000 budget appropriation Increase funding of Peer Mentoring Programs in Veteran Treatment Courts through the Restorative Justice Programs and Offender Treatment and Services appropriation in the Judicial Department.
Funds could be transferred from the Judicial Department, Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel -- In addition to the transfer authority provided in Section 24-75-108 (5), C.R.S., up to 5.0 percent of the total Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel appropriation may be transferred between line items in the Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel.
NOTE: Office of the alternate Defense Council annual budget= $5,136,720.
4. Increase the number of school districts receiving Federal compensation for military children attending their schools.
5. Implement State Auditor’s recommendations for the 3% Procurement goal for SDVOSBs.
• Work with the General Assembly to:
Clarify how DPA should prioritize SDVOSBs in light of the Statewide Supplier Diversity Program’s statutory responsibilities to reduce the disparities in the utilization of historically underutilized businesses, and about whether DPA should prioritize SDVOSBs separately from other business types.
Clarify the responsibilities and roles of each entity that receives DPA’s annual progress report on SDVOSB contracting, and on what processes agencies should implement to help the State achieve the goal.
Require DPA annual reports on SDVOSB contracting for the State to contain accurate data with applicable context, and to be submitted on time to all required recipients.
Improve training and guidance to state agencies, SDVOSBs, and other stakeholders on the goal and how the preference can be applied.
6. Restore $3 million taken in 2020 from the Veterans Trust Fund (plus interest =$720,000@ 4%), and increase VTF share of the To***co Settlement Fund to 2%.
7. Provide meaningful post‑completion relief for VTC offenders beyond a discretionary “favorable consideration” for sealing.
UVC 2026 Specific Legislative Goals
1. Strengthen County Veteran Service Officers Program—Establish a process to allow the state and individual counties to contract with VA-accredited Veteran Service Organizations to provide free VA-accredited claims support for Veterans.
2. Expand and increase funding for Veteran Treatment Courts across the state.
3. Allocate funds identified in House Bill 25-1132 for Veterans mental health services, to Veteran peer to peer groups and other resources on Colorado Community College and State College and University campuses; and to transportation services in the Mobile Veterans-Support Unit Grant Program created by Senate Bill 21-032.
4. Amend section of statute addressing retirement pay income tax exemptions for Veterans 55 and over to include military retirement pay income tax exemption for recipients under age 55. Repeal sunset.
5. Ensure executive agency compliance with procurement requirements in statute regarding businesses owned by service-disabled Veterans.
6. Increase property tax exemption for 100% service-connected disabled Veterans and Veterans with a total disability individual unemployability (TDIU) rating from the VA.
7. Minimize delays and reduce burdens for military families who have children with Special Education needs.
8. Provide for no-fee camping up to five nights per month in state parks for 50% service-connected-disabled Colorado Veterans.
9. ACHIEVED-Enhance public safety. Allow military protective orders (MPO) to be admitted as evidence when applying for temporary protection from abuse in civilian court. This allows victim advocates to tell their clients a MPO will be admissible in court instead of telling their clients it should be admissible.
ACHIEVED-Increase Peace Officer Responsibilities. Peace officers will ascertain whether a MPO registered in the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database has been issued against someone who was arrested and associated with the armed services. If so, the peace officer will notify the law enforcement agency which entered the MPO into the NCIC database that there is probable cause to believe the service member has violated the MPO.
10. Restore $3 million swept from Veterans Trust Fund in 2020.
