It’s difficult to assess when a special session of the Colorado legislature is genuinely special. During the 1970s it seemed like Gov. Dick Lamm was convening a special session to deal with grasshopper infestation on the eastern plains every other summer. An appropriation was approved for the Department of Agriculture to purchase presumably toxic insecticides in order to protect Colorado crops. Several years ago, I ran into the former governor and inquired, “Where did all our grasshoppers go?” He replied, “I don’t know, but if you figure it out, please let me know.”

A few years later I ran across “Locust” by Jeffrey Lockwood at a yard sale. Lockwood is an academic entomologist and for a mere 50 cents I discovered the disappearance of this Biblical plague in America can be traced to the destruction of locusts’ breeding grounds across the Rocky Mountains by the encroachment of human development. It is encouraging to find something positive about population growth. Locusts, of course, remain a threat to agriculture in Africa, most recently to wheat crops in Sudan. I passed my copy on to Dick.

A quarter century passed without a special session until Bill Owens decided to tackle Colorado-specific immigration curbs in the early aughts of this century. House Minority leader Andrew Romanoff carried a perceived complicity for this legislation as an albatross in his many Democratic primary races. Protests that “It would have been even worse without our participation” offers a weak tea to immigration policy zealots. John Hickenlooper also convened a special session recently in hopes of striking a bargain with Republicans on civil unions together with several other issues. Whether he misread his discussions with then-Speaker Frank McNulty or he was double-crossed remains a mystery, but his civil union proposal for gay couples failed on a party line vote.

The COVID-19 relief session called by Gov. Polis for this week is unique and unlikely to ever be replicated. It could be argued that the legislature overreacted to the budget depredations anticipated to ensue from the stay-at-home orders this past spring. When it reconvened in May, the JBC drastically cut funding levels throughout state government. It turns out, perhaps inexplicably, that state revenues have proven stronger than expected. This surplus can now be used to provide targeted relief for the residents and small businesses most adversely affected.

Make no mistake, this is a Dutch Boy with his finger in the dike rescue plan, and without a federal fiscal response, the legislature will only purchase a brief respite from further and deeper economic pain. Democratic leadership indicated Sunday afternoon that they expect to enjoy bi-partisan support for seven bills addressing critical friction points threatening to collapse a shaky Colorado economy. Following his positive COVID test and quasi-quarantine, Jared Polis will have to negotiate details with leadership via Zoom. It’s hoped the entire package can be hastened through both chambers in just three days. I suspect it will require a week. Other proposals, including a COVID liability waiver, are expected to be thrown into the mix.

Senate President Leroy Garcia pointed out that, “We cannot afford to wait any longer” for congressional help. Departing House Speaker K. C. Becker emphasized that, “Congress must act soon.” Colorado can’t be far from witnessing the mammoth queues appearing throughout the nation at food banks. Our Capitol has been cleaned, rapid COVID tests will be required to enter and all hearings will take place virtually. It was acknowledged that the arriving legislature may need to tweak this legislation in January as its first order of business. In the meanwhile, it is hoped we can prop up our small businesses, child care facilities, tenants and landlords, arts and cultural institutions, food banks and public health providers until cavalry arrives.

Our departing president predicted the media would stop talking about the corona virus on Nov. 5. He was wrong about that just as he has been wrong about most things. We should be proud that our governor and our legislature are willing to step out on thin ice to protect and assist all those most at risk. Even if their efforts prove insufficient, they will buy time and, for that, they deserve our thanks. Better yet, I expect this will be something very special – a bipartisan attempt to help every resident. Good on all of them. And stay safe!