State Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat, prepares to speak in favor of an amendment on an eviction protection bill in the Senate chamber at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on March 25, 2024. A bill aimed at barring landlords from using algorithms to set rents died in the Colorado Senate on Wednesday after a group of moderate Democrats joined Republicans to reject a more forceful House version of the measure.
Supporters had pitched the legislation as a way to stop property owners and landlords from harnessing software to collude and fix rent prices. The bill was targeted at RealPage, a software developer that has reportedly been part of aand that company officials stated their technology was “driving” higher rents. The company also faces a class-action lawsuit in Colorado.
On Tuesday, Ginal told The Denver Post that it was a “free country” and that people should be able to use apps and algorithms they pay for. The allegations against RealPage hadn’t been proven, she said, and lawmakers should wait for the results of ongoing litigation and investigations. That set up Wednesday’s vote. Together with the Senate’s minority Republicans, Ginal and five other Democrats — Sens. Kyle Mullica, Chris Hansen, Dylan Roberts, Kevin Priola and Rachel Zenzinger — voted to stick to their version, meaning the bill was dead.
But Gonzales told The Post on Wednesday that the amendment came from RealPage. She said the lobbyist hired by the company had offered her the exact same amendment a few weeks ago.Gov. Jared Polis, lawmakers unveil new oil and gas fee in climate deal aimed at defusing ballot war