Colorado Senate Democrats on Wednesday selected Sen. Steve Fenberg to be the chamber’s next president, a position in which the Boulder lawmaker will help steer the direction of the entire legislature. Fenberg had been serving as the Senate majority leader, the No. 2 position in the chamber. He was elected president by acclamation, without a […]
Steve Fenberg
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
The Colorado Capitol’s next big labor fight: whether to let local public workers unionize
A bill that would grant more public employees in Colorado the right to unionize is shaping up to be the next big labor fight at the state Capitol. The proposal, which will be sponsored by House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, a Pueblo Democrat, would allow people working for cities, counties, schools, public hospitals and other […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s teacher shortage highlights need for more school funding, union boss says
Colorado will continue to face a critical teacher shortage unless state leaders make good on their constitutional obligation to increase education funding, the head of Colorado’s largest teacher union says. “We’re at a crisis point that requires bold action by our legislature,” Colorado Education Association President Amie Baca-Oehlert told The Colorado Sun in an interview […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Economy, Education, Health, News, Politics and Government
What will be debated at the Colorado Capitol when the legislature returns next week
Gov. Jared Polis wants Colorado to become one of the top 10 safest states in the U.S. within five years, he said Thursday night during a virtual Colorado Sun event ahead of the 2022 legislative session, which begins next week on Jan. 12. “It’ll take a lot of work to get there,” he said. Polis, […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
WATCH: We talk with Gov. Jared Polis, key state lawmakers about the upcoming legislative session
Join our lively discussion on the hot issues affecting Colorado this election year. Will there be a lot of action early on? Will the State Legislature accomplish more since it’s an election year? What legislation will lawmakers be teeing up when the session opens Jan. 12? Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun’s political reporter will be […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers still have more than $2.6 billion in federal COVID stimulus to spend
In the summer of 2020, Colorado lawmakers were grappling with deep cuts to the state’s budget amid uncertainty about coronavirus and how the pandemic would impact the state’s economy. Now, as they enter the 2022 legislative session, they have a very different and welcome challenge: deciding how to spend more than $2.6 billion in federal […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District likely means a big change to the CU Board of Regents
State lawmakers want to change the makeup of the board overseeing the University of Colorado system to make sure that residents of the newly drawn 8th Congressional District have adequate representation on the panel. To do that, the legislature next year will likely eliminate one of two at-large seats on the nine-member Board of Regents […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
“We’re (expletive) idiots”: Some Democrats regret Colorado’s new redistricting process now that their party is in charge
In 2018, when Colorado Republicans and Democrats worked together to send Amendments Y and Z to voters in an attempt to tamp down the partisanship in the once-in-a-decade redistricting process, the state’s political landscape looked a lot different. The GOP controlled the state Senate, a U.S. Senate seat and the offices of treasurer, secretary of […]
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 inBusiness, Crime and Courts, Economy, Environment, Health, News, Politics and Government, Transportation
“A lot of big items still out there”: Colorado lawmakers have a massive to-do list with only a month left
The Colorado legislature is entering the final month of its 2021 lawmaking term with a host of unresolved, complicated Democratic priorities, including an effort to reshape the state’s transportation funding system, an overhaul of the health care industry and an equity-focused rework of the tax code. Also pending are four gun control bills, a measure […]