Representative Ty Winter told the Capital Success Group that protecting rural independent pharmacies and exploring nuclear energy permitting are priorities for Southeastern Colorado.

On independent pharmacies: Winter described statewide legislation designed to preserve independent pharmacies and ensure fair reimbursement and dispensing fees for rural outlets. Citing on-the-ground reporting and conversations with pharmacists, he said some independent pharmacies face unsustainable reimbursement rates and that the law seeks to ensure fair pharmacy reimbursement and a dispensing fee to preserve local access. ``What this bill does is make sure that there's a fair reimbursement rate, and they also get a dispensing fee,'' Winter said.

On nuclear energy and economic base: Winter outlined a multi-pronged push to open permitting and study pathways for nuclear energy in Colorado as part of a broader strategy to replace lost jobs and tax base in coal-impacted counties. He said the aim is to create a regulatory framework that would allow localities to consider nuclear development as an option and to capture severance-like revenues where applicable. ``I think a lot of people in this room realize that... This nuclear energy thing's a huge thing for this county and this town because we made sure that you can catch severance tax off of this. Does that mean Pueblo has to build a nuclear plant? No. You guys still have control over what you're gonna do,'' Winter said.

Why it matters: Winter framed both efforts as economic survival measures for rural communities facing industry decline. He emphasized that permitting changes and clearer fiscal analysis of state-level mandates would help counties evaluate tradeoffs and hold larger jurisdictions accountable for policies that have local impacts.

Next steps: Winter said he will continue working with sponsors in the legislature to develop permitting language, fiscal notes and outreach to affected communities; he also urged county leaders to insist on transparent fiscal-impact assessments for future state mandates.