douglas county
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Advocates tout new Colorado law targeting child exploitation
Douglas County officials and advocates celebrated the passage of a bipartisan bill Wednesday aimed at strengthening penalties for sexual crimes against children. House Minority Leader Jarvis Caldwell, a sponsor of Senate Bill 26-015, said the measure addresses gaps that previously allowed some offenders to avoid prison time. “The idea that you could rape a child…
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Colorado justices acknowledge judge’s misunderstanding of law in eminent domain case
Members of the Colorado Supreme Court appeared to agree on Tuesday that a Douglas County judge incorrectly believed he lacked the authority to allow a property owner to pursue evidence challenging a government entity’s legal right to take the property through eminent domain. But during oral arguments, multiple justices bristled when an attorney for the…
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Union presses Douglas County School District to negotiate first contract in 13 years
A Douglas County teachers’ union is urging the Douglas County School District to begin negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement after going for more than 13 years without one. The Douglas County Federation of Teachers (DCF) asked the Douglas County School District Board of Education to pass a resolution recognizing the union as the bargaining…
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DougCo commissioners challenging open meetings violation
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners is challenging a recent court decision that found the board violated Colorado Open Meetings Law. County commissioners filed a petition Thursday seeking a rehearing from the Colorado Court of Appeals. On April 2, the appellate court ruled that a trial court erred in rejecting a preliminary injunction that would…
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Douglas County approves AI system for sheriff’s investigations
Douglas County commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of an artificial intelligence system to assist the Sheriff’s Office with investigative analysis. The system is designed to help investigators process large volumes of data more efficiently and turn it into usable investigative leads, officials said. “This system dramatically improves how we process large and complex databases, turning…
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Douglas County seeks state Supreme Court review in open meeting case
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners intends to petition the Colorado Supreme Court to review a recent court decision that found the board had violated the Colorado Open Meeting Law. The case stems from 11 “closed, unnoticed” meetings held by the county commissioners between December 2024 and April 2025, as well as three executive sessions…
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Colorado counties cannot challenge state law restricting immigration contracts, appeals court says
Colorado’s second-highest court ruled on Thursday that counties lack standing to challenge a 2023 state law that restricts their ability to contract with the federal government or private entities for immigration detention. A three-judge Court of Appeals panel agreed with a trial judge that the Colorado Constitution provides the legislature with broad power to enact…
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Appeals Court rules Douglas County violated open meeting laws
The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that Douglas County Commissioners violated Colorado open meeting laws in a series of closed meetings leading up to the county’s failed home rule special election. The Thursday ruling reversed a trial court’s denial of a preliminary injunction, finding the meetings were subject to open meeting laws and plaintiffs demonstrated…
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Douglas County task force targets development regulations
Douglas County kicked off its first Red Tape Reduction Task Force Thursday aimed at speeding up commercial and industrial development timelines in the county, a move leaders said is necessary to keep the county competitive with other regions nationwide. The task force will review the county’s development and regulatory processes to identify permitting “hurdles” in…
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Newly formed PAC promises a stronger voice for southern Colorado businesses
A new political action committee has launched in southern Colorado, aiming to strengthen and elevate the voices of local businesses and their regional influence on state-level policy. Over the last two years, the Colorado Legislature has enacted more than 1,000 new laws that have burdened businesses with added costs and excessive regulations, and several more…