Top 10 Reasons Colorado Rocks!

Colorado Is Cooler This HOT Summer For These 10 Reasons

1. LOVE is all around US!

Thanks to the legalization of civil unions, thousands of committed couples now have critical legal protections and responsibilities -- from making medical and end-of-life decisions for a partner, to adopting children together.

Did You Know: Recognizing civil unions between same-sex partners in Colorado will positively impact the state budget by nearly $5 million over the next three years.

2. You Can Vote From Your Couch

Congratulations Colorado! Voting just got easier. It’s up to you: Vote by mail, in person or drop your ballot off.

Did You Know: This bill will save counties money by making the elections process more efficient. It is projected to save counties at least $4.9 million over the next two years.

3. Happy Families

Now hardworking Colorado residents can receive a few hundred dollars a year to help with medical and childcare expenses and buy food for their families.

Did You Know: Increasing a working family’s income by just $1,000 through tax credits raised their child’s test scores by 6% and in turn increased students’ chances of going to college, earning more wages as adults, reducing teenage birth rates and improving the quality of the neighborhood in which those students live as adults.

4. Bravery, Not Bullets

Colorado banned the sale of high-capacity magazines in Colorado, limiting magazines to 15 rounds.

Did You Know: High-capacity magazines are used in at least 14% of all gun murders. Legally purchased high-capacity magazines were used in both the Aurora Theater and Newtown school shootings

5. MADE IN COLORADO

Colorado reformed the way the state contracts business. When bidding out for services, state agencies now focus on more than just the bid. They now include other factors, such as wages and benefits that would help Colorado workers.

Did You Know: In 2010-2011 alone, the state of Colorado signed contracts with out-of-state vendors in the amount of $794 million dollars. This law brings back some of those tax dollars.

6. School Rocks!

Colorado’s undocumented students who graduate from Colorado high schools will now pay the same in-state tuition rates for college as their peers.

Did You Know: College graduates are less likely to be caught in a cycle of poverty. Students with a college degree help strengthen the economy, vote more often, and contribute more to the state tax base and are less likely to end up in the corrections system.

7. Earth, Wind & Solar

Colorado now creates good-paying Colorado jobs in rural areas while providing new sources of clean wind and solar energy.

Did You Know: The Colorado Clean Renewable Energy Bill will expand clean reliable energy to all of Colorado and open up new job markets across the state. Wind power has already proven to be a year-round bonus crop for Colorado farmers.

8. Safe & Sound

Colorado becomes safer by allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses and training.

Did You Know: This law reduces our insurance rates because of fewer uninsured motorists. That means up to 60,000 more Colorado drivers could join the insurance pool, bringing costs down. This bill will save public resources in court time for driving without a license or insurance.

9. Let’s Talk About Sex

Real sex education is now a reality in Colorado, thanks to a new law that creates sex ed programs that are medically accurate and provide age-appropriate information on birth control, abstinence, healthy relationships and disease prevention.

*Did You Know: Teen childbearing in Colorado costs taxpayers at least $184 million in 2008.

10. Let Me Register Yo!

Colorado’s 16- and 17-year-olds can now pre-register to vote for when they turn 18. Taylor Cain (left), also a 16-year-old Denver student, said, " We want to be engaged in our democracy now to prepare for our future."

Did You Know: Since many of the teens that pre-register will do so at the DMV or online, the bill is expected to reduce voter registration errors and save on form processing.