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Committee advances bill to rename Cesar Chavez Day as Farm Workers' Day
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Summary
Sponsors and witnesses told the House State Affairs Committee that HB13‑39 removes Cesar Chavez’s name from state statute following abuse allegations and establishes Farm Workers' Day to honor farmworkers and survivors; the committee forwarded the bill with a favorable recommendation, 11‑0.
Majority Leader Duran and Representative Garcia asked the House State Affairs Committee to support House Bill 13‑39, which would remove Cesar Chavez’s name from state statute and designate March 31 as Farm Workers' Day.
Duran said survivors’ accounts and community testimony prompted the change and argued the bill “is not meant to erase history” but to “center those who too often go unheard.” She cited agriculture’s economic footprint in Colorado and the role farmworkers play in rural communities, noting the bill will honor the movement rather than a single individual. Garcia called evidence collected from union minutes and emails “substantial” and urged members to vote yes to both recognize survivors and elevate farmworkers.
Two witnesses who testified in support underscored the bill’s aim to pair symbolic recognition with policy support. Valerie Collins, an attorney with Toward Justice, urged that renaming “recognizes the people whose labor sustains us all.” Hunter Knapp of Project Protect Food Systems Workers said renaming the holiday would be a “small but meaningful gesture” that signals support for migrant and rural workers.
After public testimony and sponsor closing remarks, Vice Chair Clifford moved HB13‑39 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; Representative Carter seconded the motion. The committee recorded a final vote of 11‑0 in favor of advancing the bill.
The committee will forward HB13‑39 to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.