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Kids being kids? Task force to study raising minimum age for juvenile court
A task force made up of youth mental health providers, victims’ services organizations, state lawmakers and members of law enforcement will soon begin meeting twice a month. Progressive state lawmakers and advocates hope it’s the first step in changing how the state responds to Colorado kids who act out. Currently, children can enter the juvenile […]
As psychedelics efforts advance, ‘shrooms could land Denver rabbi in prison
Rabbi Ben Gorelick is facing a felony drug charge, but he’s not too worried. For one, Gorelick’s Kabbalistic Jewish community, the Sacred Tribe, is located in Denver, where voters moved in 2019 to make the possession and use of psilocybin mushrooms law enforcement’s lowest priority. For another, Gorelick argues that his organization’s use of the […]
Alonzo Payne resigns as San Luis Valley district attorney, Colorado attorney general steps in
The day after Colorado’s attorney general announced an enforceable agreement between his office and that of the San Luis Valley District Attorney Alonzo Payne — following a state investigation that found a pattern of Victim Rights Act violations — Payne resigned from his office. Under an executive order issued by Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday, […]
San Luis Valley DA showed pattern of violating victims’ rights, investigation finds
An embattled San Luis Valley district attorney will be required to retain an outside monitor, adopt new policies and implement mandatory training for his office following a state investigation that turned up a pattern of Victim Rights Act violations, officials said Tuesday. “Our action today will work to ensure that the law will be followed […]
County lodging taxes can soon fund housing and child care — with voters’ OK
Until this year, Colorado counties with voter-approved lodging taxes could only use the proceeds for advertising and marketing of local tourism. But state lawmakers passed a bipartisan bill, House Bill 22-1117, that expands the allowed uses of county lodging taxes — paid as a percentage tacked on to the nightly rate at hotels, motels, guesthouses […]
Colorado declines to help other states pursue abortion investigations, executive order from Gov. Polis says
Days after hundreds of protesters called on Gov. Jared Polis to take action in support of abortion providers and patients, the governor issued an executive order that appears to address some of the protesters’ concerns. The governor’s Wednesday order bars state agencies — except when subject to a court order — from providing medical records, […]
Protesters call on Gov. Polis to support abortion rights with executive orders
This April, Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law that codified Coloradans’ longstanding right to get an abortion. After the Supreme Court’s June 24 ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, Polis spoke at a rally for abortion rights and called on Congress to pass a law protecting against state bans. But some abortion-rights protesters […]
Can Republicans flip the Colorado Senate in November?
The last time Republicans controlled the Colorado Senate, it was 2018. Before 2018, the state was considered reliably “purple.” Democrats controlled the governor’s office and state House, but Republicans had the treasurer, attorney general and secretary of state’s offices, along with the Senate. But that was the midterm election when widespread disdain for then-President Donald […]
Elisabeth Epps wins Colorado House District 6 primary race
A nail-biter of a primary race ended in a decisive win for progressive Elisabeth Epps, a self-described abolitionist and former public defender who beat Katie March in the Democratic primary for Denver’s state House District 6. March, who was supported by business groups and the party establishment, led by just 34 votes as of midnight […]
Early results in legislative primary races look good for Colorado incumbents
This fall, all 65 seats in the Colorado House of Representatives and 16 of the state Senate’s 35 seats will be up for election. Just over a quarter of those districts had competitive Republican or Democratic primary elections Tuesday. In almost all of those 23 contested primaries for state House and Senate seats, votes counted […]
Legislative primary results: March leads Epps, Holtorf keeps seat
As of just before 10 p.m. Tuesday, county clerks across the state had thousands of votes left to tally in state legislative primary races. But in most of the contested primaries, a likely winner had begun to emerge based on ballot counts displayed on the Colorado secretary of state’s website. Those included four races in […]
Democrats open field offices in Aurora, Denver on primary election night
In a move billed as a “sign of strength” heading into the general election season, Colorado Democrats took time on primary election night to celebrate the opening of two Democratic Party field offices in Denver and Aurora. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, Gov. Jared Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser and Rep. Jason Crow of Aurora — […]