Monica Irasema Duran (born January 8, 1960) is an American politician who is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives representing the 23rd district, which includes the communities of Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Applewood, Mountain View, and East Pleasant View, in Jefferson County.^[1] Prior to reapportionment, Duran represented the 24th district in Jefferson County.

Before getting involved in politics. Duran worked in the dental industry for more than 30 years.^[2]

Duran was elected in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 63 percent of the vote over 37 percent of Republican candidate Arthur Erwin.^[3] She was previously a member of the City Council for Wheat Ridge, Colorado.^[4] Shw was re-elected in 2020.^[2]

From 2020 to 2022, Duran served as majority co-whip for the House. She is a member of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, the Children's Caucus, and the Colorado Legislative Animal Welfare Caucus. Duran also co-chairs the General Assembly's Democratic Women's Caucus.^[2]

During her tenure, Duran has sponsored bills that included creating minimum standards of care for animal shelters and rescues, creating a office to improve work on missing or murder cases involving indigenous people and a bill aimed at protecting domestic abuse victims by preventing abusers from possessing firearms.^[2]

In November 2022, Duran was selected to become the majority leader of the Colorado House of Representatives for the 2023 legislative session.^[5][2]