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Colorado abortion rights bill advances after 14-hour hearing
Emotionally charged witness testimony on a bill to enshrine the fundamental right to an abortion in Colorado law stretched into the early morning hours Thursday, as snow blanketed the Capitol grounds. House Bill 22-1279, which sponsors titled the “Reproductive Health Equity Act,” brought hundreds to weigh in on reproductive rights potentially jeopardized by the U.S. […]
Here are Colorado’s top 10 consumer complaints in 2021
In observance of National Consumer Protection Week, which runs from March 6 through March 12, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office released a list of the most common types of consumer complaints in the state. Weiser, a Democrat, encourages people to file complaints about product or quality issues, incorrect billing, false advertising, deceptive business practices […]
Tough on crime or Second Amendment. This firearms possession bill poses a choice.
Debate over which crimes should prohibit someone from possessing a firearm in Colorado has created an interesting political dynamic at the Capitol — forcing Republicans and Democrats to weigh public safety interests and gun rights. House Bill 22-1257, which passed the Colorado House of Representatives on Friday, is the product of months of debate and […]
Juneteenth would become official Colorado holiday under proposed law
Last year, President Joe Biden signed legislation to make June 19 — or Juneteenth, a day long celebrated by African American communities across the country — a federal holiday. Juneteenth commemorates when in 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and ensured that enslaved people there would be freed. It’s celebrated as the day when […]
In signal of broad support for Ukraine, Colorado resolution gets unanimous OK
State representatives on Monday unanimously passed a resolution signaling their support for Ukraine in the face of Russian attacks. The measure expressed broad support among both Republicans and Democrats in the Colorado General Assembly — as in Congress — for the Ukrainian people’s defense of their country, and for U.S. sanctions against Russia. While some […]
Rash of catalytic converter thefts prompts bipartisan measures at Colorado Capitol
As thefts of catalytic converters rise in Colorado, state lawmakers are proposing policies they hope will reverse the trend. Catalytic converters, which make a vehicle’s exhaust fumes less polluting, contain precious metals, making them attractive to thieves. But as more and more of the car parts are stolen, and as global supply chains still feel […]
More than a million Coloradans could have criminal records automatically sealed under proposed bill
Groups that normally find themselves on opposite sides of policy debates — conservatives, business associations, criminal justice reform advocates and social justice organizations — have united behind a bill in the state Legislature. They say it would improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with lingering criminal records. Belle Phelan, now a program […]
Three candidates face off in one of Colorado’s most competitive legislative districts
In one of the most competitive legislative districts in the state, two Democrats with deep community ties prepare to face off in June, while a state senator whose new address puts him inside the redrawn district’s lines is hoping to sway voters to the Republican side. This is Senate District 11, which contains the diverse […]
Pueblo vacancy committee elects Hinrichsen as Sen. Garcia’s replacement
A vacancy committee selected a replacement for Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia, a Pueblo Democrat who is leaving the state legislature for a Pentagon appointment. Nick Hinrichsen, who had already launched a 2022 campaign for the Senate District 3 seat, will now finish out Garcia’s term. Garcia is resigning effective Feb. 23, but his term […]
Colorado researchers review health effects of high-potency pot products
Researchers have made “a great deal of progress” on reviewing available evidence of high-potency marijuana products’ health effects, the dean of the Colorado School of Public Health told state lawmakers Friday. The scientific review is required under 2021 legislation, House Bill 21-1317, that sought to address concerns from parents about potential harms of edibles, wax, […]
Coloradans convicted of DUIs could get licenses reinstated sooner under proposed law
After a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Coloradans aren’t supposed to be able to drive for at least 30 days. A driver’s license is typically revoked for nine months after a first offense, though people can apply for reinstatement with an interlock device after one month. But many people get […]
Special education funding in Colorado would get permanent boost under bipartisan bill
A bipartisan bill that passed its first committee test Wednesday would permanently change the way the state funds special education. Colorado has never paid school districts the full amount needed to serve students with disabilities, according to a model developed in 2006 that’s never been adjusted for inflation. Senate Bill 22-127 — sponsored by Sens. […]