Colorado lawmakers have endorsed a package of job-creation bills today, intended to create tens of thousands of positions in transportation and to help rural communities.

The bills include plans to help small businesses get credit; entice large new companies to Colorado; and develop “green” jobs.

Other bills would add transportation jobs to fix roads and bridges, create rural medical jobs and promote job training.

Senator Gail Schwartz, a Democrat from Snowmass, said even though Colorado’s jobless rate is lower than other states, 47,000 Coloradans lost jobs over the past year.

Senate President Peter Groff said the goal of the legislation is to develop an atmosphere conducive to job creation.

Tony Gagliardi, Colorado director of the National Federation of Independent Business, representing 7,500 small businesses across the state, said small businesses provide jobs to three-quarters of the state’s work force.

He said when small businesses can’t get banks to loan them money, they lose the ability to expand and jobs are lost.

Schwartz said another bill would expand broadband to rural communities that are having a hard time attracting new businesses.