The Colorado Youth Advisory Council met over the last weekend in February, working hard on the group’s policy recommendations to present to the Legislature in another month.
I’m the legislator co-chair of the council, so rather than heading home, I joined the group in its efforts. Since carrying the bill creating COYAC, now nine years ago, I continue to be impressed by the incredibly in-depth and thoughtful conversations and questions that I’m hearing from our young people on difficult public policy matters.
We met in Colorado Springs in an effort to occasionally have meetings outside of Denver. This helps them see and experience different parts of our wonderful state from a public policy perspective. This also increases the ability of different legislators to visit with the council while at home for the all-too-short weekend during the session.
The youth council members heard from Sen. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, who has served on the Joint Budget Committee for a number of years, and were able to vet their ideas and ask questions regarding state finances of a very knowledgeable member of that powerful legislative committee. Rep. Janak Joshi, R-Colorado Springs, met informally with the council members and Senate President Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, had dinner with the students, quizzing them with his own youth policy questions and hearing a preview of their recommendations.
Sen. Cadman told the council members that while he originally doubted the value of the COYAC when first presented with the proposal in 2008, he’s now a true believer in what the youth council provides to the Legislature. He noted that the council members will be the kind of future public servants that we need in our state and country.
In this era of heightened partisan division, it’s very refreshing and encouraging to see two council members, one an ardent Bernie Sanders supporter, and another, equally ardent about former President Reagan’s leadership, sit together at a table, debating some points fiercely, but also finding areas of common agreement. It does my heart good to witness such capabilities and I’m grateful knowing that these young people are indeed some of our future leaders. A couple of past COYAC members, now graduated from college, are working as legislative aides at the Denver Capitol.
Each year, the youth council picks the topics of greatest interest and concern from their viewpoint, often different than what legislators might think. They then research those issues and formulate state-level policy recommendations. Sometimes they’ll suggest legislation be passed or recommend agency or local governmental action. Preventing teen suicide and better ways of identifying and dealing with teen depression often comes up, but so do other topics like promoting better access to vocational learning, highlighting the need and value of life skills courses, and the student perspective on the frequency and type of testing in high school.
Teen drug and alcohol use is another valuable topic of conversation, especially in light of Colorado’s legalization of recreational marijuana. Many dollars are being spent in the public sector to discourage youth marijuana use, especially because of the negative impacts on brain development, but the critical question is whether the money is well spent on effective efforts. COYAC members provide valuable input on this challenge and I expect that they’ll hear more questions from legislators on this topic when they come to the Colorado Capitol in April.
Ellen Roberts represents Senate District 6 in Colorado’s General Assembly. The district encompasses Montezuma, Dolores, La Plata, Archuleta, Montrose, San Miguel, San Juan and Ouray counties. Contact Sen. Roberts by phone at (303) 866-4884, or by e-mail ellen.roberts.senate@state.co.us.
