Yesterday our bill, SB186, which will exempt yoga teacher training programs from unnecessary regulation, passed through the House Education Committee and is now headed to the Appropriations Committee. It will be heard by the Appropriations Committee tomorrow morning, and if approved, the House floor shortly thereafter.
Yesterday, we told you to sit tight, but we have just been advised that our opposition is making a lot of noise.
Before tomorrow morning, please send an email to your legislators, and ask your friends, family and fellow yogis to do the same.
If there was ever a time to get loud – this is it.
Email Your Representative
We have been advised that direct messages to your Representative are more effective than blast emailing the entire House. Please email your Representative and ask for their support by:
- First, find your Representative by typing your address into this website.
- Find your Representative in the Colorado General Assembly Directory.
- Click on your Representative and navigate to “Member Home Page.” The Representative’s email address will be listed there.
- Send your member an email asking for their support on SB186. We have provided a draft email below, but you are encouraged to write your own.
Subject Line: Vote YES on SB186!
Dear Representative ___________________,
I am your constituent and I am asking for your support for Senate Bill 186, a bipartisan bill which would protect the rights of yoga studios to operate in Colorado without unnecessary and duplicative regulation by the Division of Private Occupational Schools. Yesterday, the bill passed the House Education Committee 10-1, and previously passed unanimously by the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee, and 32-1 on the Senate floor.
SB186 would prevent the Division from requiring yoga teacher training programs around the state to pay expensive fees and to comply with unnecessary requirements in order to continue operation.
The Division is only supposed to license “occupational” schools in Colorado, but yoga teacher training is not an “occupational” program. In fact, the vast majority of individuals who attend yoga teacher training do not make a living teaching yoga, but rather, attend class for recreational and avocational reasons – like personal improvement or practicing yoga in a group setting. SB 186 seeks to protect this activity.
Many yoga studios that offer teacher training programs are small businesses with tight budgets. The fees imposed by the Division are hefty, and will force small studios to shut their doors. SB 186 would prevent these dire consequences for Colorado’s vibrant yoga community.
There is no need for regulation. For years, yoga teacher training schools have been operating without government intervention. In that time, we are not aware of a single complaint against the state’s yoga teacher training schools . If it’s not broken, why fix it?
Please support Colorado small business and the yoga community by voting “Yes” on SB186.
Sincerely,
___________________
If you are comfortable doing so, please include your mailing address to reinforce for your Representative that you live in his or her District.
We will keep you posted on new developments as soon as they happen. Yoga Alliance® is proud to stand with you to protect YTTs once and for all.