Policies, people impact Sonnenberg’s journey

As he readies himself for the next phase of his career in public service, Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, recently reflected on the policies and people who have been a part of that journey at the state Capitol.

Ten of the 13 Senate bills Sonnenberg sponsored in 2022 made it through the General Assembly to the governor’s desk. As of Monday, May 30, five had already been signed into law. The governor has until June 11 to sign the rest.

Sonnenberg said his most significant bill in 2022 is Senate Bill 53, which would allow someone who is hospitalized during a pandemic to have one family visitor of their choice. It’s to counter the isolation for many who were hospitalized during the pandemic, whether they had COVID-19 or not.

As of Monday, Gov. Jared Polis had not yet signed the bill, which initially struggled to get through the Senate but won final passage on the General Assembly’s final day.

Along with Sen. Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, Sonnenberg co-sponsored a bill to provide $60 million to retire wells in the Republican and Rio Grande river basins, in order to comply with contract compliance. Polis signed that bill on May 23.

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