Last week, in my inaugural column for ColoradoPolitics.com, I stressed optimism that the legislature could work in a bipartisan fashion to accomplish critical work for the people of Colorado.

Hope springs eternal but optimism dies young.

According to House Republicans, bipartisanship is dead because partisan bills were sent to a “kill committee” used by ruling Democrats to end policy proposals unfavorable to the majority caucus.

That committee of reference is the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, which is stacked this year with six Democrats and only three Republicans.

The bills include some usual suspects which had little chance of passing in the split legislature.

Legislation includes measures around the free exercise of religion, expanding gun rights and some tax breaks for businesses, to name a few.

House Republican Leader Patrick Neville of Castle Rock on Tuesday – less than a week after the legislative session kicked off – accused House Speaker Crisanta Duran of breaking her pledge of bipartisanship, which she highlighted in her opening day remarks.

“Speaker Duran is already at odds with her commitment to bipartisanship and inclusiveness when in just the first week of session she sends Republican bills that support the Second Amendment, provide religious freedom, increase government transparency, reduce burdens on businesses, help ranchers and farmers and better protect students, to her kill committee,” Neville said.

“I highlighted many of these issues in my opening day remarks because they are important to millions of Coloradans, and it’s very disappointing to see Speaker Duran begin this session so unwilling to work with Republicans.”

To be fair, each year the minority caucus cries foul over bills that are sent to kill committees in each chamber. So, there’s really nothing different about this year, and much of the work around transportation funding, construction defects reform and other priority issues won’t likely be derailed by the renewed accusations of partisanship.

I’m still optimistic that the legislature can succeed on these critical matters. But the accusations swirling just a week into the session don’t help.

When asked about it this week at a media availability, Duran shrugged off notions that the Democratic caucus won’t give all measures a fair chance.

“We’re working really hard to find common ground on a variety of different issues and the bills that went to State Affairs, they will get a fair hearing, and we will vet the policy that came forward,” Duran said.

“Every bill will get a fair hearing.”