These times require more courage from state lawmakers

The 2026 legislative session left a bitter taste among those of us who spent 120 days with lawmakers under the gold dome advocating for policies to improve the lives of working folks. For Latino advocacy organizations like mine, Voces Unidas Action Fund, the session was largely defined by missed opportunities, watered-down protections and a profound failure of political courage at the highest levels of state leadership.

Since 2021, Voces Unidas has graded the votes of all 100 state lawmakers on bills impacting priority issues for Latinos in Colorado. We recently released our 2026 Legislative Scorecard covering 58 bills focused on the issues like worker protections, immigrant protections and law enforcement accountability, housing affordability and mobile home park protections, and climate resilience and environmental protections.

And while we celebrate the 21 lawmakers who voted with us 100% of the time with A+ grades and “champion” accolades, the broader story of the 2026 legislative session is that of disappointment and duplicity from those who claim to stand with Latinos, immigrants and rural working families. Just like elected lawmakers have the right to vote how they want, we have the right to grade their performance and express our opinion.

For too long, Latino families have been told to wait, to be patient while our so-called allies navigate the political complexities of the Capitol. This session tested the limits of our patience by completely disregarding our community’s most urgent needs.

The most glaring disappointment this year starts at the top. For the first time in our history, Voces Unidas has issued a formal grade for Colorado’s governor, giving Gov. Jared Polis a D-minus for his performance during the 2026 session. Although this assessment does not cover his full executive tenure, his involvement in the legislative process during his final year was characterized by a lack of transparency, insufficient collaboration and political choices that caused direct harm to our community.

That failure of leadership was mirrored on the Western Slope, where Voces Unidas is based. In a region where we need consistent, courageous representation, our regional delegation failed to meet the moment. Each of the seven Republican lawmakers in the region fell among the 34 state legislators earning F grades, and the Democratic delegation did not fare much better.

Sen. Dylan Roberts of Frisco earned a D-minus because he voted to force immigrant farmworkers to work the equivalent of two extra days before earning overtime (SB-121); voted against basic heat and cold protections for immigrant workers (HB-1272); voted against civil rights accountability during immigration enforcement (No Kings Act); and opposed guardrails on license plate reader surveillance like Flock cameras (SB-070).

Speaker Julie McCluskie of Dillon earned a C because, among other things, she cast the deciding vote to force immigrant farmworkers to work 56 hours before overtime begins (SB-121); voted against requiring social media companies to respond faster to imminent threats (HB-1255); and voted against more lobbyist transparency and a waiting period before politicians can become lobbyists (SB-147).

Rep. Matt Martinez of Monte Vista earned a C because he gave Republicans cover to legalize immigrant farmworker exploitation (SB-121); and also voted against stronger gun dealer safeguards (HB-1126); tracking dangerous firearm parts (SB-043); and forcing social media companies to respond faster to police warrants (HB-1255).

Rep. Meghan Lukens of Steamboat Springs earned a C-minus because she sided with Republicans against immigrant farmworkers (SB-121); voted against stopping tech and data companies from profiting off farmers’ agricultural data without fair compensation (HB-1270); and voted against cutting pollution from power plants (HB-1226).

Rep. Katie Stewart of Durango earned a D-plus because she too sided with industry instead of farmworkers on overtime (SB-121); opposed stronger gun dealer safeguards (HB-1126); opposed tracking dangerous firearm parts (SB-043); and voted against job protections that would make public service more accessible to working people (SB-087).

We are watching who votes with us, who votes against us and who says the right thing in public but folds when workers, immigrants, renters and families need real protection. Too often, “rural issues” are used as a convenient excuse to side with the loudest employer groups, landlord interests, conservative sheriffs and industry lobbyists. In the process, the Latino workers and families who keep rural Colorado running are ignored.

Notably, Rep. Elizabeth Velasco of Glenwood Springs showed that it is possible to listen to rural Latino communities and move community-informed legislation. Velasco, a Democrat representing our home district in Glenwood Springs, earned an A-plus and was named our Legislator of the Year for sponsoring bills important to advancing justice in the Latino community. Her record serves as a stark reminder that the failure of her colleagues is a choice, not an inevitability.

While the 2026 session is behind us, we look forward to the next governor and the 2027 legislative session. We will see who decides to work as partners with the courage to deliver real results for rural Latinos rather than mere lip service.

We are grateful for those leaders who showed up for rural Latino communities with consistency, discipline and courage. And we expect the voting records of all our leaders to match their public commitments.

Alex Sánchez is the president and CEO of Voces Unidas Action Fund.