The Council’s Legislative and Public Policy Committee leads the development of policy priorities related to the five year state plan. The Council works in partnership with community based organizations and state agencies to better understand, educate and advocate about issues affecting people with IDD. The Council is not a lobbying agency; we use education, advocacy, coalition building, stakeholder engagement and other strategies to affect systems change.
The 2025 Council priorities can be found here.
Priorities for 2026 will be posted in January 2026.
The ongoing shutdown of the federal government has made it difficult for many people to contact government offices if they need help with federal programs like Social Security, IDEA, Medicare, and more. If you are unable to get in contact with a federal agency to help you, you can contact your representative or senator for help.
We have created a directory of websites and phone numbers for Colorado’s representatives.
Our Director of Policy and Outreach created this living document after Congress passed a bill called H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” or OBBBA. Learn more about how this bill will impact Coloradans with disabilities. To read the response to the bill, visit our blog post.
This toolkit provides useful tips and information to help prepare you to have an effective voice in advocacy. This guide is intended to allow for better preparation ahead of meeting with your local, state, and federally elected officials. Download the toolkit.
Disability Law Colorado (DLC), our state’s Protection and Advocacy agency, administers the Help America Vote Act or HAVA, which authorized a new protection and advocacy program to protect the voting rights of people with disabilities in 2002. In Colorado we call our program VOTE!
Disability Law Colorado and the Council believe that people with disabilities not only have the right to vote, but also the obligation to make their voices heard. People with disabilities have the right to vote in Colorado including people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who have a guardian and people with mental or behavioral health needs. Click here to view DLC’s Voting Rights Fact Sheet.
Other Resources:
Colorado Secretary of State’s Office – Voters with Disabilities FAQs
US Vote Foundation – Colorado Voters with Disabilities Guide
THINK+change – Plain-Language Colorado Ballot Guide
