Opinion: Colorado caregivers fight for basic rights as billionaires lobby for AI

I have spent the last seven months learning to be a volunteer lobbyist — registering with the Colorado General Assembly, showing up with research, hoping someone will listen.

I became a lobbyist because I became a caregiver. In Colorado, you can be fired or denied workplace flexibility simply because you’re caring for an aging parent, a child with disabilities or a seriously ill spouse. There’s no law protecting you.

Meanwhile, big tech and AI interests have poured significant resources into federal lobbying, shaping regulations for rapidly evolving technologies like artificial intelligence. By contrast, people provide $600 billion in unpaid care annually, with broader national studies valuing unpaid care at over $1 trillion each year. Yet caregivers have virtually no voice in our state capitol.

This isn’t just unfair. It’s economically irrational.

AARP Colorado reports that one in five adult Coloradans — over 1 million people — are employed family caregivers: We’re the accountant leaving at 3 p.m. for Mom’s dialysis. The nurse needing Tuesday mornings for her son’s physical therapy. The engineer working remotely to care for his husband with ALS.

We’re not asking for special treatment. We’re asking not to be punished for keeping our families alive.

National caregiver studies show family caregivers face average lifetime wage losses of $295,000, with 36% reporting moderate to high financial strain. Many quit jobs entirely, losing income, health insurance and retirement precisely when they need stability most.

But here’s what businesses miss: This isn’t just a family problem. It’s an employer problem.

Companies hemorrhage experienced workers because they won’t provide basic flexibility. Replacing an employee costs 50% to 200% of their annual salary. Applied to Colorado’s caregiver workforce, this translates to hundreds of millions in employer losses annually. Supporting caregivers through reasonable accommodations could save employers tens of millions each year in reduced turnover.

That’s why I’m developing the Colorado Caregiver Accommodations and Rights Enhancement, or CARE, Act with legislators for the 2026 session.

The bill would do three things:

First, it would add family caregiver status as a protected class under Colorado’s Anti‑Discrimination Act. Workers couldn’t be fired simply for caring for a parent with dementia or a child with cerebral palsy. Surveys show 42% of Colorado caregivers quit or cut hours due to these demands, and wrongful termination tied to family responsibilities is documented in state and local law.

Second, it would require employers to provide reasonable accommodations — flexible schedules, telework for remote-capable positions, brief phone access for care coordination — unless doing so creates genuine hardship. Many good employers already do this. We’re ensuring everyone has access.

Third, it would create streamlined pathways for family members to become certified paid caregivers through existing Medicaid programs. Right now, families often can’t provide paid care for relatives, forcing them into institutional settings that cost taxpayers far more. This fixes that — at zero cost to the state budget.

The projected impact? Supporting caregivers through reasonable accommodations reduces costly turnover and protects small businesses through mandatory mediation.

I shouldn’t need to become a lobbyist to advocate for basic dignity. But when big tech pours millions into shaping policy for hypothetical AI risks while real people lose jobs caring for family members, grassroots advocacy isn’t optional — it’s survival.

I founded CASI because caregivers don’t have PACs or super PACs. We have stories, data, lived experience and moral authority. In a democracy, that should be enough.

But it’s not always enough. That’s why we need legislators willing to champion working families, not just corporate donors. That’s why we need Coloradans to tell their representatives: “I’m a caregiver” or “This matters.”

Because here’s the truth: We were all cared for at birth. Many of us will need care in aging. Most of us will provide care at some point. Care isn’t a niche issue — it’s the universal human experience.

I’m working to introduce the CARE Act in the 2026 session, pending final sponsor commitments. Meetings with legislators are ongoing to review the proposal.

If we secure sponsors, caregivers will testify about denied promotions and lost wages. Business owners will share how supporting caregivers improved retention. Policy experts will present data showing this isn’t charity — it’s infrastructure for an aging state.

Then legislators will vote. That vote will answer whether Colorado values family caregivers or only listens to those who can afford massive lobbying budgets.

I’m betting on Colorado. I’m betting on legislators taking time to understand this issue. I’m betting on employers who recognize that flexibility is a competitive advantage. I’m betting on everyday Coloradans who understand that supporting caregivers strengthens families, businesses and communities.

But I’m not leaving it to chance. I’m organizing, mobilizing and lobbying. Contact your legislator and say: “I’m a caregiver,” “I know a caregiver,” or “Support the CARE Act when it’s filed.”

Because if big tech can spend millions shaping the future of machines, surely we can invest in the people caring for humans.

Mark Fukae, of Brighton, is the founder of CASI, a Colorado caregiver advocacy organization, and serves as Director of Advocacy for Professionals Who Care, a national nonprofit supporting family caregivers. 

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