Things are heating up around Colorado. Personally, when I see temperatures in the high 70s and 80s this time of year, I pack my car and head toward them. It was a close call whether to point toward Pueblo or Grand Junction this weekend, both providing clear skies and late-spring temps. Pueblo is hosting its inaugural Steel City Music Showcase, but Grand Junction is having its downtown restaurant week, and some of my favorite trails in the state are out west.
At the Capitol things are heating up in a more figurative way, as the legislative session enters its final month. Lawmakers are working on finishing touches, and starting to send things over to Gov. Jared Polis for his signature. If you missed our update on what’s in the final draft of the state budget, check it out here, then move on to the new bills and legislative dramas detailed below.
Let’s get this show on the road.
Reporter
THE NEWS
HEALTH
Hospitals suing patients over unpaid bills would have to put their names on the lawsuits under new Colorado bill
15,000
Patients sued by UCHealth between 2019 and 2023
UCHealth, the state’s largest health care provider, has sued thousands of patients each year over what it claimed were unpaid bills, according to a joint investigation by The Colorado Sun and 9News. But many patients had trouble discerning who was suing them, since the health care provider’s name was nowhere to be found. As John Ingold reports, a bill passed by the House Judiciary Committee could change that.
POLITICS
Republican state representative left a loaded handgun in Colorado Capitol bathroom
On Tuesday night a janitor at the Capitol discovered a 9mm Glock sitting on the shelf of a single occupancy restroom. After reviewing footage, the Colorado State Patrol, which provides security at the Capitol, determined it belonged to State Rep. Don Wilson, a Monument Republican, and that it sat unattended in the restroom for 23 minutes. The incident comes as the legislature is debating an expansion to the list of places where people are prohibited from carrying a firearm. Jesse Paul reports.
EDUCATION
Bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to change Colorado’s school funding formula after 30 years
$3,450
Per student funding hike in East Grand School District if the formula gets restructured
Colorado is finally funding its schools to the level required by the state constitution for the first time since the Great Recession, but the formula that divvies up those dollars doesn’t equitably account for who needs the money most. Erica Breunlin reports on a bill that would shift more funding toward students with greater learning needs, students living in poverty, and schools in rural and small districts that have been historically underfunded.
CULTURE
These professional skiers want to broaden the idea of mountain town fashion
Professional skiers Hadley Hammer and Kellyn Wilson have had enough with a quiet signaling that people who wear duct-taped shells, Mellys and Blundstones, are the “hardcore” skiers in mountain towns. So they started Togs, a fashion-focused newsletter where they muse on everything from hand-me-down coats to clogs, with the intention of widening what people consider the “mountain town uniform.” Parker Yamasaki has the story.
Section by Parker Yamasaki | Reporter
THE COLORADO REPORT
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Section by Kevin Jeffers | Product Team
THE OPINION PAGE
COMMUNITY
CARTOONS
In “What’d I Miss?” Ossie points out that it’s been a weird last several days in politics and journalism, but he has a storyline to explain it — and it’s not much weirder than reality.
Jim Morrissey also zeroed in on the expulsion of a Sun reporter from the GOP state assembly, and its broader implications.
Meanwhile, Drew Litton taps into the mindset of the NFL draft-obsessed Broncos fan base.
The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy and submit columns, suggest writers or provide feedback at opinion@coloradosun.com.
Podcast Playlist
CONVERSATION
Each weekday The Daily Sun-Up podcast brings you a bit of Colorado history, headlines and a thoughtful conversation. We keep it tight so you can quickly listen, or stack up a few and tune in at your leisure. You can download the Sun-Up for free in your favorite podcasting app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or RSS to plug into your app. This week our range of topics goes from safety on the slopes to vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicles.
🗣️ Remember, you can ask Siri, Alexa or Google to “play the Daily Sun-Up podcast” and we’ll play right on your smart speaker. As always we appreciate your feedback and comments at podcast@coloradosun.com.
Section by David Krause | Editor
Grand Junction won this round. Any weekend plans?
— Parker & the whole staff of The Sun
Corrections & Clarifications
Notice something wrong? The Colorado Sun has an ethical responsibility to fix all factual errors. Request a correction by emailing corrections@coloradosun.com.
