In theory, Gov. Jared Polis could keep Colorado under emergency-declaration status for as long as he’s leading the state, giving himself broad powers that he wouldn’t otherwise be able to wield during calmer times. Big spending? Yes. Suspending regulations? That’s OK. Creating temporary laws? The governor has that power. Republicans in the Colorado legislature want […]
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Posted inBig Idea, News, Politics and Government
Big idea: Colorado governor calls his billion-dollar coronavirus stimulus plan a “one-time opportunity”
Colorado has a “once-in-a-generation opportunity,” Gov. Jared Polis said, and it lies within his billion-dollar economic stimulus proposal to help the state rebound from coronavirus. “This billion dollars will really, I think, reflect on this legislature, on me, on the state, on all of us. It’s a one-time opportunity that no recent legislature has had,” […]
Posted inBig Idea, Crime and Courts, News, Politics and Government, Transportation
Big Idea: Colorado drivers shouldn’t lose licenses just for being too poor to pay court fines
In her passionate defense of the right of working families to keep their drivers licenses in order to get to jobs and support each other, Rep. Leslie Herod says she now has backing from the Colorado State Patrol to end suspensions over unrelated court fees. Colorado should join other states in stopping the practice of […]
Posted inBig Idea, News, Politics and Government
Big idea: It may soon be illegal for Colorado to voluntarily share immigrants’ personal information with ICE
Personal information privacy is a hot topic these days, especially within Colorado’s immigrant communities. Many people refrain from accessing basic services — including coronavirus tests and vaccines — for fear their information will be shared with immigration officials. An upcoming bill seeks to assuage those fears. Sen. Julie Gonzales and Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, both Denver […]
Posted inBig Idea, Business, COVID, News, Politics and Government
Big idea: Colorado could extend to-go cocktails beyond coronavirus to make them the “law of the land”
It’s about the only thing from the pandemic that people want to keep. A bipartisan bill up for debate this legislative session would allow the to-go Moscow mules, Manhattans and margaritas that became a welcome part of quarantine life for many Coloradans to keep flowing. Lawmakers last summer passed legislation to allow restaurants to continue […]