House Joint Resolution 25-1030

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 25-1030

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Winter T. and Bacon, Armagost, Barron, Bottoms, Bradfield, Bradley, Brooks, Caldwell, Carter, DeGraaf, Duran, Garcia Sander, Gonzalez R., Hartsook, Johnson, Keltie, Luck, Pugliese, Richardson, Suckla, Taggart, Weinberg, Woog, Bird, Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Clifford, English, Espenoza, Froelich, Garcia, Gilchrist, Hamrick, Jackson, Lieder, Lindsay, Lindstedt, Lukens, Marshall, McCormick, Paschal, Phillips, Ricks, Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Smith, Soper, Stewart K., Story, Titone, Valdez, Velasco, Willford, Woodrow, McCluskie;

also SENATOR(S) Mullica and Pelton B., Daugherty, Amabile, Baisley, Ball, Bridges, Bright, Carson, Catlin, Cutter, Exum, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Kolker, Liston, Lundeen, Marchman, Michaelson Jenet, Pelton R., Rich, Rodriguez, Simpson, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Winter F., Coleman.

CONCERNING GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT OF PRODUCTS WITH FORCED LABOR COMPONENTS.

WHEREAS, The State of Colorado recognizes the equal and inalienable rights of all humans as the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world; and

WHEREAS, Many products procured by governmental entities of the State of Colorado are made with components that are mined, produced, or manufactured, wholly or in part, by forced labor; and

WHEREAS, Forced labor means all work or labor that is exacted from an individual under the menace of any penalty for nonperformance of the work or labor and for which the individual does not offer the work or labor voluntarily, including forced, indentured, or oppressive child labor; and

WHEREAS, Oppressive child labor is a condition of employment under which an individual under fourteen years of age is employed in an occupation hazardous for the employment of children, such as manufacturing or mining; and

WHEREAS, Concerns about the use of forced labor to create certain components and materials prompted the federal government to pass the "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act" (known as the UFLPA) with overwhelming bipartisan support; and

WHEREAS, The "Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2013" (known as the TVPRA 2013) mandates the U.S. Department of Labor to maintain a list that identifies products that utilize forced labor in violation of international standards, and such information is critical in combating forced labor and child labor issues; and

WHEREAS, Forced labor distorts global and local economic markets and undercuts ethical businesses and economies that rely on fair labor practices; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:

(1)  That the State of Colorado deplores the use of forced labor and finds that it is repugnant, violates basic human rights, constitutes discrimination, and damages free and fair competition; and

(2)  That the State of Colorado will utilize its purchasing power to support businesses that create, retail, or utilize products or materials that are ethically sourced or manufactured without forced labor and encourage the state and local offices of economic development to pursue the location or relocation of businesses that ethically source or manufacture products and materials without forced labor to the State of Colorado.

Be it Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to Governor Jared Polis; Phil Weiser, the Attorney General of Colorado; Eve Lieberman, the Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade; Patty Salazar, the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies; Will Toor, the Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office; the governing bodies of all counties in Colorado; President Donald Trump; and Colorado's Congressional Delegation.