A Democrat-led Senate panel has killed a bill that would reduce the use among state employees of nondisclosure agreements. The bill’s Republican backers say public servants’ actions on the job should be transparent. Colorado Politics reports that Republican Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer’s bill would have barred state employees from abiding by nondisclosure and so-called non-disparagement agreements — with […]
Pete Lee
Posted inEnvironment, News, Politics and Government, Water
Colorado lawmakers wanted to tackle the state’s PFAS problem. They are taking more of a baby step.
Colorado lawmakers hoped this year to accelerate regulation of a group of man-made chemicals called per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are often used in firefighting foam and have contaminated drinking water in communities across the state. But a bipartisan bill to do just that was stripped of its most comprehensive elements during its first hearing at […]
Posted inBusiness, Education, Energy, Environment, Growth, Health, News, Politics and Government, Transportation
Colorado’s 2020 legislative session begins this week. Here’s a rundown of 10 issues to watch.
A year after engineering a major policy shift in Colorado, the Democratic-led General Assembly returns to the state Capitol this week with much left on its to-do list. Like the 2019 session, the question this year is how far the party will go in the 120-day lawmaking term to reshape how Colorado provides health care, […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Colorado poised to revisit murder law that can send people to prison for life — even when they didn’t kill anyone
Jeff Johnson. Lisl Auman. Curtis A. Brooks. All three were convicted of first-degree murder in Colorado, which carries an automatic life sentence without the possibility of parole. None of them killed anyone. But Colorado’s felony murder law, similar to statutes across the nation, allows for defendants to be charged and found guilty of first-degree murder […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Attempted recalls of Democratic state senators dead after proponents decide not to turn in signatures
For the second time in a week, efforts to boot elected Democrats from office in Colorado have fallen short. The campaigns to recall Democratic state Sens. Pete Lee, of Colorado Springs, and Brittany Pettersen, of Lakewood, told the Colorado Secretary of State’s office on Tuesday that they will not be turning in the signatures they […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Interest in reforming Colorado’s system to recall elected officials is building — on both sides of the aisle
With attempted recalls of elected officials continuing to sweep across Colorado, interest in reforming the state’s system for ousting people from elected office is growing and early ideas are being debated for possible legislation to be introduced during the 2020 lawmaking term. The push for change — which may have to be approved by voters […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Jared Polis recall backers say they don’t have enough signatures to force election to oust Colorado’s governor
Backers of the effort to recall Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced on Friday morning that they did not collect enough signatures to force a special election on whether to boot the Democrat before his first year in office ends. Friday was the end of a 60-day period during which supporters of the recall needed to […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Recall petition against Senate President Leroy Garcia approved, campaign can start collecting signatures
A recall petition targeting Colorado Senate President Leroy Garcia was approved Monday by state elections officials, meaning opponents of the Pueblo Democrat can being collecting signatures in an attempt to oust him from office. Garcia is the latest — and most high profile — Democratic state lawmaker to be targeted by a recall campaign following […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Recall petitions approved for 2 Democratic state senators as Colorado Republicans’ recall effort kicks into gear
Petitions to recall two Democratic state senators have been approved by election officials, kicking months of threats by Colorado Republicans to oust Democratic lawmakers from office into high gear. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office said opponents of state Sens. Pete Lee, of Colorado Springs, and Brittany Pettersen, of Lakewood, can begin gathering signatures to […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Democrats postpone paid family leave effort until 2020, opt for study after mounting pressure against bill
Democrats at the Colorado Capitol won’t meet one of their prime goals this year, passing a paid family and parental leave bill, opting instead to study how to resolve differences surrounding the bill in hopes of pushing forward in the 2020 legislative session. The resolution comes after weeks of mounting pressure from business groups against […]