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To fund school meals, bill proposes raising taxes on high earners
With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, state lawmakers announced a new proposal to permanently fund free school meals. House Bill 22-1414 would refer a ballot measure to Colorado voters, asking them to approve a cap on itemized and standard tax deductions for individuals earning a federal adjusted gross income of $300,000 […]
New health benefit mandates would get more scrutiny under proposed law
In recent years, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has expressed concerns that state legislation requiring health insurance carriers to provide new benefits could drive up the cost of care. For example, Polis signed a 2021 law that forced state-regulated insurance plans to provide alternatives to prescription opioids, but with the caveat that lawmakers should develop a […]
$700M property tax relief package unveiled by Gov. Polis, state lawmakers
Gov. Jared Polis joined a group of state lawmakers to unveil a much-anticipated, last-minute proposal to provide temporary property tax relief for Colorado homeowners. The legislation announced Monday would provide $700 million of relief over two years as Colorado homeowners prepare to see their property tax bills grow significantly. According to a recent analysis by […]
New Colorado law restricts transcript withholding based on unpaid debts
At 19, Karly Schwab was hit with a debt that would take her seven years to pay back to the University of Colorado Boulder. It stemmed from her parents filing for bankruptcy, she said, a move she didn’t realize would affect the federal loans she’d used to pay for school her freshman year. “My sophomore […]
Colorado Rep. Matt Gray, suspected of DUI, won’t run for reelection
A Democratic state representative who was recently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence won’t seek reelection to a fourth term, the Broomfield County Democratic Party confirmed Tuesday evening. Colorado Democrats plan to replace him on the ballot through a vacancy committee. “As there was no primary challenger the (House District 33) Vacancy Committee […]
Colorado House passes bill to address fentanyl overdose crisis
Following an emotional debate, the Colorado House passed a bill aimed at addressing the fentanyl overdose crisis. The legislation passed Monday on a mostly party-line vote of 43-22. House Bill 22-1326 now heads to the Senate, where members of the public will have a second opportunity to testify on the comprehensive legislation. The sponsors include […]
Rep. Gray refused DUI test when police arrived at elementary school, report says
Democratic state Rep. Matt Gray arrived at a Broomfield elementary school Thursday afternoon to pick up his two young children when a school staff member called police, suspecting him of being drunk, according to a Broomfield Police Department report that Newsline obtained through a records request. The news that Gray had been arrested on suspicion […]
$400 refunds to go to Colorado taxpayers this summer, state leaders announce
Democratic state lawmakers plan to send $400 checks to Colorado taxpayers this summer, Gov. Jared Polis announced at a Monday news conference. The refunds — which are required under the Colorado Constitution, but normally go out in different ways — will lighten the burden of crushing inflation, state leaders said. The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood consumer price index, which accounts […]
More Coloradans could be charged with felony possession under latest fentanyl bill
Legislation addressing the rise in overdose deaths earned initial approval in the Colorado House of Representatives on Friday, after amendments to felonize possession of less than a gram of a substance containing fentanyl failed on the House floor. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin, has fueled a rise in fatal […]
State Rep. Matt Gray arrested on DUI charge in Broomfield
State Rep. Matt Gray, a Broomfield Democrat and former prosecutor, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of driving under the influence, a Broomfield Police Department spokesperson confirmed. In a since-deleted tweet posted Friday morning, Gray denied he was intoxicated. Gray’s arrest was first reported by the Colorado Sun. Gray, 41, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. at […]
Data brokers provide ‘back doors’ for ICE to target immigrants, report says
Colorado sanctuary laws prevent county sheriffs and state agencies from sharing personal data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But according to a new report, ICE enjoys access to extensive information on the people it targets for deportation through the data sharing platform LexisNexis. “Colorado law enforcement data gets into ICE’s hands by two main private-sector […]
Colorado child care proposal includes informal ‘family, friend and neighbor’ providers
In one of the most expensive states for child care, Colorado lawmakers want to invest about $100 million of the federal COVID-19 relief money they received last year into expanding available spots at care centers. Bipartisan legislation unveiled Wednesday would also include funding and training for the informal and unlicensed “family, friend and neighbor” providers […]