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House adopts resolution recognizing Latino and Latina Advocacy Day amid heated exchanges
Summary
The Colorado House adopted Senate Joint Resolution 11 recognizing Latino and Latina Advocacy Day. Sponsors and supporters praised community organizing; Representative Baron offered an amendment to change wording and said the resolution's language was "divisive." The resolution passed on a recorded vote, 42-20, with three excused.
The House adopted Senate Joint Resolution 11 on Tuesday, recognizing Latino and Latina Advocacy Day and paying tribute to participants who traveled to the Capitol to advocate on housing, healthcare, workers’ rights and protections for migrant communities.
Representative Velasco moved adoption and asked for the resolution to be read in full. The resolution text cited the history of Latino and Latina Advocacy Day (LAD), noting it began in 2007 and has amplified thousands of voices to press for policy change. Supporters described LAD as an opportunity for community members to bring lived experience to policymaking.
Representative Garcia delivered an emotional floor statement describing recent immigration enforcement actions and saying she was "ashamed today. Utterly ashamed." Representative Velasco thanked community members who traveled from across the state and highlighted issues raised during LAD, including housing, environmental and workers’ rights.
Representative Baron said he could not support the resolution as written, calling its language “divisive” and said he had presented an alternate resolution that he described as more inclusive. Baron moved Amendment L001 to SJR11 and argued the alternate language would be “empowering” and avoid portraying Latinos as victims. Floor debate on that amendment included replies from Representative Velasco, who urged members to vote no on the amendment and defended the original language as reflecting historical inequities.
After floor debate and a recorded vote, the resolution was adopted; the clerk reported the vote as 42 yes, 20 no, and 3 excused. The transcript records Representative Ricks voting yes and Representative Morrow excused; the full roll call list was not included in the excerpted transcript.
Ending: The House adopted SJR11 recognizing Latino and Latina Advocacy Day. The adoption followed emotional testimony from supporters and a floor amendment offered and rejected by Representative Baron. The resolution was adopted on a recorded vote, 42-20 with three excused.
