A $45-million, controversial plan to turn a now-vacant, rural campus that previously housed teens in the criminal justice and foster care systems into a “recovery campus” for the homeless passed its first Capitol hearing Monday. A committee voted 4-3 to advance the measure despite festering questions about why Gov. Jared Polis’ administration shut down the […]
Rhonda Fields
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Proposition 119, which would have raised Colorado marijuana taxes to pay for out-of-school learning, fails
Colorado voters on Tuesday rejected a proposal to increase taxes on recreational marijuana to pay for out-of-school support services for students like tutoring and therapy. Supporters of Proposition 119 admitted defeat at about 8:30 p.m. With more than a million ballots counted at 10 p.m., the measure was failing with 54% rejecting the initiative and […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Proposition 119: Colorado voters will decide whether to raise marijuana taxes to pay for out-of-school learning
Colorado voters will decide next month whether to raise taxes on recreational marijuana to help fund a new state program aimed at providing Colorado students with out-of-school learning opportunities. The program, called Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress, or LEAP, would pay service providers, like private tutoring companies or even public school teachers looking for extra […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Democrats pursued a no-policy-left-behind mantra for Colorado’s 2021 legislative session
Colorado Democrats’ massive bill to drive down health care costs suddenly appeared to be in real trouble. It was late May in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and three of the four Democrats on the panel were raising concerns about the policy in House Bill 1232. “I believe we have a lot more […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Democrats’ big health insurance bill was amended 21 times. Here’s how it has changed.
It was a public option bill, and then it wasn’t. It required the health care industry to cut costs by 20% at one point, but now that figure has been slashed by a quarter. For weeks, the legislation threatened doctors with fines and licensing consequences if they didn’t participate in the initiative, but now physicians […]
Posted inElection 2020, News, Politics and Government
8-hour, Republican-led hearing on Colorado’s election integrity ends without evidence of widespread fraud
There was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Colorado presented during a day-long, legislative hearing held by Republicans Tuesday on the state’s election integrity. But there was plenty of bipartisan praise for Colorado’s voting systems and processes. “We are the gold standard for voting in our country,” said El Paso County Clerk and Recorder […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers’ coronavirus aid plans include distributing $22.5 million in taxpayer money through nonprofits
Colorado lawmakers are planning to channel $22.5 million in coronavirus economic aid through nonprofits, a move that Democrats say will allow the money to reach people faster and target those unable to access government assistance, including immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. The money represents about 10% of the roughly $200 million in relief the […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Election 2020, News, Politics and Government
Gun-control groups see Colorado’s U.S. Senate race as a big opportunity. But it’s complicated.
Colorado’s Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner has effectively been a top target for Giffords, a national group pushing for more gun-control legislation and candidates willing to champion those measures, since its inception four years ago, said Joanna Belanger, the organization’s political director. In fact, Belanger says, Giffords has been engaged in a “years-long effort to […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s sweeping police accountability bill now requires officers to face imminent threat before using deadly force
Colorado Democrats’ sweeping police accountability bill won preliminary approval Monday in the state Senate after undergoing a number of changes, including the addition of a prohibition on the use of deadly force by officers unless they face an imminent threat. Currently, officers may use deadly force if they reasonably fear for their lives or the […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Law enforcement warns of unintended consequences with Colorado Democrats’ sweeping police accountability bill
An inability to recruit officers. Financial burdens small law enforcement agencies can’t handle. Sullied prosecutions. As Colorado Democrats’ sweeping police accountability bill received its first hearing on Thursday, police, prosecutors and Republican state lawmakers raised concerns about unintended consequences. “This bill is needed. We agree these types of actions are needed to respond to the […]