chris holbert
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State House minority fires first shot in ‘kill committee’ message war
State House Republican leadership Tuesday lamented that, just four days into the legislative session, promises to foster bipartisan comity at the Capitol were already breaking down. They pointed to the fact that a suite of high priority conservative bills had been assigned by Democratic leadership straight to the chamber’s State Affairs kill committee – which…
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In State of the State, Hickenlooper digs back into fiscal thicket
Gov. John Hickenlooper likely had to rewrite the State of the State speech he delivered Thursday, or at least rethink it. He surely thought he would be addressing a Legislature controlled by Democrats working in concert with a Clinton administration in Washington. Things didn’t turn out that way. Instead, the governor as speaking to the…
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Colorado senators optimistic for 2017 legislative session, but prepared for Washington-induced spiral
In Colorado’s upper legislative chamber everything is different and everything has stayed the same. For years, Democrats have held the reins of power at the Capitol, and Republicans have exerted what influence they could by acting as the loyal opposition – mainly by blocking bills and offering alternative policy narratives. Most observers expect that arrangement…
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Legislative leaders look past Trump election year partisanship, set groundwork to get things done
In the wake of this year’s long, fractious election season, Colorado’s new legislative leaders say they are looking forward to a productive lawmaking session next year at the Capitol, to which swing-state Colorado voters are again sending a divided Legislature – a Democratic House and Republican Senate. Sources at the Capitol, including top House and…
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House GOP leadership chosen, Rankin nearly quits JBC
Saying he wanted signs of support from his Republican colleagues before he agreed to continue serving on the Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee, that’s what state Rep. Bob Rankin of Carbondale received during a party leadership caucus at the state Capitol Thursday, Nov. 10. Rankin, who has been the House GOP member on the JBC for…