Democratic lawmakers are asking the Colorado Supreme Court to decide whether a proposed tax change that could generate millions for K-12 education is constitutional. Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights typically requires voter approval for tax increases. This proposal would gradually increase local school district property taxes without a vote under the premise that voters a […]
Colorado Supreme Court
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Judge rules Colorado cities cannot enact their own gun restrictions, case could move to state Supreme Court
Boulder has been blocked from enforcing its 2-year-old ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines in the city — potentially providing the state Supreme Court an opportunity to review whether the state’s cities can create their own gun ownership restrictions, a judge said. Boulder County District Court Judge Andrew Hartman ruled March 12 that the […]
Posted inHousing, News, Politics and Government
Colorado cities can’t force developers to build affordable housing. Democratic lawmakers want to change that.
More than two decades ago, Telluride’s leaders were grappling with the growing pains of a booming resort industry. Housing prices shot up, forcing many workers to live outside of San Miguel County. The town responded by passing an ordinance in 1994 requiring developers to create affordable housing for a portion of the new workers generated […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Supreme Court confirms that Democrats’ speed-reading of bills violated state constitution
In a 4-3 decision handed down on Monday, the Colorado Supreme Court confirmed that Democrats in the state Senate violated Colorado’s constitution in 2019 when they ordered bills to be speed-read by computers. The situation arose from Republicans’ efforts to stall the lawmaking process in protest of Democratic policies two years ago, namely a rewrite […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Nicolais: Colorado’s judicial system is broken. Can Chief Justice Boatright fix it?
An emotional Colorado Chief Justice Brian Boatright addressed the legislature and the people of Colorado on Thursday. The judicial branch has been battered by allegations ranging from discrimination to sexual assault and coverups, and now massive cracks in the ivory tower of the judicial branch threaten to crumble its reputation and Coloradans’ faith in the […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Judicial Branch faces major challenges in culture, diversity and trial backlogs, chief justice says
Colorado’s embattled Judicial Branch faces major challenges in addressing its workplace culture and diversity on top of a yearslong trial backlog caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright told the legislature on Thursday. “We will think anew and we will act anew,” Broatright said as he delivered an emotional […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s judicial branch to be investigated for sexual harassment, gender discrimination
Outside investigators will examine allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination within the state’s judicial branch, the Colorado Supreme Court announced Tuesday. Representatives from Gov. Jared Polis’ office, the Colorado Attorney General’s office and the state legislature will form a panel by the end of the week to select the independent investigators. The investigators will […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
A guide to how Amendment 23, “the budget stabilization factor” and “the negative factor” shape education spending in Colorado
The fight over school funding in Colorado has become one of the state’s most consequential political battlegrounds, a defining issue in elections and governance from the local level all the way up to the governor’s office. But following the debate can be difficult. Lurking behind every fight over teacher pay and four-day school weeks is […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News
Colorado Supreme Court updates definition of common-law marriage to include LGBTQ, nontraditional couples
The definition of common-law marriage in Colorado was expanded on Monday by Colorado Supreme Court rulings in three cases dealing with how couples who are not formally married divide assets when one person dies or leaves the relationship. While legal protections for couples and their children have increased significantly in the decades since the Colorado […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Nicolais: A Colorado Supreme Court justice put principle over personal preference in two recent cases
When the Colorado Supreme Court issued twin pre-Christmas rulings denying political subdivisions government immunity from anti-discrimination laws, I really thought I would be writing a column lauding the outcome. I thought I would be cheering the court’s decision to close a loophole through which organizations like Denver Health and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office […]