In preparation for the 2026 Legislative Session that commenced the second week of January, GAPP (Government Affairs and Public Policy Committee) met monthly through the end of 2025. Our contract lobbyist team – Capitol Success – informed us about budget meetings and activities at the State Capitol. Our Executive and Deputy Directors held meetings with the Governor’s Office and stakeholder groups in preparation for likely legislative action in the new Session.

Capitol Success has described Medicaid as “the driver of the budget” for 2026, whose focus has attempted to encompass the social determinants of health to which CNA is committed. With the anticipated changes to healthcare coverage and Medicaid cuts, our Southwest regional members have met outside of GAPP to discuss pending changes and needs in their areas. Ongoing budget shortfalls mean that bills without fiscal notes stand the best chance of advancing in this Session.

SB25-045, the Colorado Healthcare Payment System Analysis (HPSA) that was passed by the 2025 Session, ran a vigorous campaign of fundraising through community support to enable the Colorado School of Public Health to implement its three-part directive:

• Analysis of draft model legislation for a single-payer healthcare system;
• Exploration of alternative reforms to achieve universal healthcare coverage;
• Assessment of system-wide costs, financing mechanisms, payment policies, and impacts on patients, providers, employers, rural communities, the economy, and public health.

The goal is data collection.

And GAPP has continued to look at the Sunset of the Nurse Practice Act, scheduled for the end of this year, through the eyes of various interest groups formed around specific aspects of the Act. 

2026 Bills can be found on the “Bill Tracker” link, under the Advocacy tab on the CNA homepage (www.coloradonurses.org ). This list of priority bills cites the position taken by CNA (“Support, Oppose, or Monitor”) and is regularly updated during Session to reflect the work that GAPP completes.

GAPP will host the 2026 Nurses Day at the Capitol on Thursday February 26th. This annual event gives nurses the opportunity to spend a day observing the legislature in action and a chance to meet and interact with legislators. Places are limited, so advance sign-up is necessary. See the CNA website for details and watch for emails.

GAPP is an official committee of CNA and meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month throughout the Legislative Session, from 6:15 to 8 PM. All 15 voting member places are currently filled, but all CNA members and students are welcome at GAPP meetings and can access the registration details and more information about GAPP by going to: https://www.coloradonurses.org/gapp/ . (Click the “Advocacy” tab on the CNA Homepage and then click “GAPP.”) Meetings are regularly attended by CNA’s Executive Director Mark Longshore and Deputy Director Margaret Bishop. Mary Satre and Mavis Mesi-Goresko were re-elected in November as co-chairs of the committee and Amy Diamond has another year in her term as recording officer. Capitol Success, our contract lobbyist team, is represented by Gil Romero, Ryan Romero, and Alec Romero.

Just as GAPP is kept informed by our team of contract lobbyists, the committee in turn informs the CNA Board, to whom they are responsible. GAPP’s work is guided and supported by the action statements and position papers passed by CNA membership