Author: Ramsey Scott
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House Dems seek to stop up soot-spewing ‘coal rollers’
House Democrats are targeting Colorado “coal rollers” — drivers who modify emissions controls on their diesel cars or trucks in order to intentionally spew black smoke and soot. “This is harassment and it is blinding to bicyclists,” said Rep. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins. “We heard testimony on that. It’s harassment to pedestrians, to people running…
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Bennet fires up support, pitches unity to raucous convention crowd
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, who is running for reelection in one of the most-closely watched congressional races in the country, gave the centerpiece speech at the Democratic Party state convention Saturday in Loveland. His talk energized the crowd of some 4,000 party delegates and drew repeat thrumming interruptions from Bernie Sanders supporters, who chanted for…
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Hullinghorst before Dem state convention: By all means feel the Bern, but learn the rules
State Speaker of the House Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, D-Gunbarrel, who will attend this weekend’s Democratic state convention as a Hillary Clinton delegate, said she appreciates the energy and ideas Sen. Bernie Sanders has brought to the Democratic presidential primary race, but she added that, in light of the tensions around the state’s caucus and delegate-appointing…
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McCann’s ‘ban the box’ bill advances, would strip questions on criminal histories from job applications
A Democratic bill that would remove questions about criminal convictions from first-round job applications cleared a first hurdle in the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday. Minority member Republicans, citing concerns of employers, voted against the bill as a bloc, signaling its doubtful prospects in the Republican-controlled Senate. House Bill 1388, the “ban the box” bill —…
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Budget long bill’s long journey almost complete
Lawmakers tasked with reconciling the House and Senate versions of the $27 billion budget long bill on Wednesday made fast work of the job, pushing aside the most glaring political additions to the bill made over the last two weeks of floor debate. The group restored some of the money cut by the Senate for…
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In unpredictable, anti-establishment year, Colorado senior Congresswoman DeGette still connects
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette is a solid Democratic voice from Colorado’s solid Democratic 1st Congressional District. She’s also a leading champion of women’s rights at a time when women’s rights are a subject of furious political battles. Election analysts expect she’ll waltz into reelection this year. But DeGette is also chief deputy whip in the House,…
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Sherick tops Court in hot SD 31 voting this weekend; three-candidate contest continues
Colorado politics watchers looking for more clarity on the tight state Senate District 31 race after this weekend’s Democratic Party assemblies will just have to wait. Emergency room doctor Steve Sherick topped veteran lawmaker Rep. Lois Court in assemblies held in Denver and Arapahoe counties, but both candidates won enough votes to make it onto…
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With much grumbling, Senate votes overwhelmingly for state budget
Democrats and Republicans in the Senate want you to know they don’t love this year’s $27 billion budget, but they voted for it in a landslide. “The bottom line is, I’m going to vote yes on this budget because of the great work of the Joint Budget Committee members (who drafted it). I’m proud of…
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Two Democrats help kill House oil and gas bill
Democrats at the Legislature who represent some of the Front Range suburban communities at the center of the war over oil and gas drilling in Colorado are continuing to push proposals that would grant local authorities more power over drilling operations. Their efforts are winning headlines and generating social media fireworks even as they are…
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Battle to ‘defund’ Clean Power Plan launches House budget debate
The first skirmish in the war over the state’s budget Thursday centered on coal and clean air and featured the “defund” politics conservatives have embraced in the Obama era. Rep. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, a member of the Joint Budget Committee, proposed two amendments that would cut funding for the state’s Department of Public Health and…