#coleg
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Noonan: New ‘most accessed’ bills list gives peek at political strategy
Republican state legislators dominate as sponsors of the capitol’s new, “most accessed bills” list with three pieces of legislation written to push Democrats over the edge. The top “most accessed” bill, killed in the House chamber, took a direct shot at politicians who support sanctuary cities, meaning Democrats in Denver and Aurora. Second is a…
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Colorado alcohol debate still bubbling despite new law
Colorado isn’t done arguing about where alcohol should be sold. A bill moving through the state Senate would allow more Walmarts and other big-box stores to sell liquor, not just beer and wine. It’s a spirited debate less than a year after Colorado made its biggest alcohol change since the end of Prohibition by allowing…
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Women candidate interest on both sides soars after Trump win
Diana DeGette was not directly part of the 1992 political “Year of the Women,” the historic election cycle when four freshman female U.S. senators were elected. But she did win her first elected office that year, as a Colorado state representative in Denver. DeGette has since represented Colorado in the U.S. House for two decades…
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Noonan: Red meat bill strategy wastes time and money at the Legislature
Patrick Neville, House minority leader from Castle Rock, said at the state GOP’s Capitol Club gathering that, “We’re going to make sure we push some good red meat bills.” For those confused by the term, those are school choice, religious freedom, Second Amendment rights and abortion. News stories outlining Neville’s assurances were published in this very publication.…
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ICYMI: The week that was in politics
While the headlines were again dominated by the goings on, confirmation votes and legal rulings in Washington this past week, politics happens everywhere, so if you missed it, here’s a summary of some of the bigger happenings outside the Beltway in our own little slice of Centennial State heaven: Colorado lawmakers hope they can finally…
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‘Weird year’ so far at Capitol: Protest politics and open-minded cooperation
The legislative session in Colorado has been running for a month. Donald Trump has been president for three weeks. The national political tumult that has marked the early days of the administration has resulted in a stream of public protest in the state and angry exchanges at the Capitol. Three weekends ago, the day after…
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Heavily anticipated hearing on state open records bill delayed
A Senate committee hearing on a much-anticipated state open records bill was postponed Monday, taking the bill sponsor and witnesses lined up to testify by surprise. Senate Bill 40 was set to be heard in the Republican-controlled State Affairs committee this afternoon. News of the delay was announced on the floor of the Senate this…
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YESTERYEAR: Legislature’s Dem minority presses hot-button Medicaid funding issue
… Twenty Years Ago This Week in the Colorado Statesman … Democrat state legislators were making their opinions known on what they contended was a poor handling of Medicaid funding by the Republican majority. The minority party in both chambers had kicked off the 1997 legislative session clashing early and often with GOP leadership over Medicaid. One Senate…