State Sen. Janet Buckner, an Aurora Democrat, announced Thursday that she plans to resign at the start of the legislative session in January.
Buckner is the second senator to announce their resignation in the weeks following their reelection. She was unopposed in her Nov. 5 reelection.
Buckner has served in the legislature since 2015, when she was selected to replace her husband, state Rep. John Buckner, after his death. She was first elected to the Senate in 2020.
“After a personally challenging year, it is time for me to step aside and prioritize my family and health,” Buckner said in a statement.
Her legislative achievements include implementing the state’s universal preschool program, a law against discrimination based on hair traits historically associated with race, and addressing maternal mortality.
“My journey in public service began nine years ago after my husband, John, passed away, and it has been a joy and honor to build on his legacy and forge a path of my own,” Buckner said. “I am extremely proud of the work he and I did to ensure that every child has access to a quality education and every Coloradan has the opportunity to succeed.”
In a statement, Gov. Jared Polis called her “a friend and champion for the people of our state and Aurora.”
“From her focus on issues like free preschool, education, saving people money on health care and so much more, she has put the people of Colorado first,” Polis said in a statement. “… When her husband John passed away in 2015, Janet didn’t hesitate to step up and powerfully build upon the legacy of his service. Janet and John are giants of the community and will leave a lasting legacy.”
Her resignation announcement follows that of Denver Sen. Chris Hansen, also a Democrat. Both will officially step down Jan. 9, the day after the next legislative session begins.
Democrats hold 23 seats in the chamber to Republicans’ 12, limiting the effect of the vacancies on the chamber’s margins, but potentially leaving the districts unrepresented for weeks after the start of the 120-day session.
Their replacements will be chosen via vacancy committees, which could meet before the session starts but have not been scheduled.
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