kevin priola
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Church and state divide GOP, Democratic Colorado lawmakers
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Democrats and Republicans argued over two bills that mixed church and state last week at the Colorado Capitol. Senate Bill 201 would extend an three-hour exemption from childcare licensing requirement for churches to six hours during church activities. The bill is set for another recorded vote on the Senate floor next Thursday. The legislation is…
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Bill aimed at drug abuse has tough time against Colorado doctors’ orders
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Legislators talk a lot about fighting the drug abuse epidemic, but the fate of a bill aimed at helping by connecting doctors writing prescriptions directly to pharmacies is going to down to the wire House Bill 1279 is supported by the Colorado Retail Council, which includes pharmacies who say it’s a common-sense measure to reduce the…
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Colorado Senate gives preliminary pass to PERA fix
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DENVER – The Colorado Senate gave an initial OK to a bill that seeks to shore up the state’s ailing public pension plan Monday morning. Senate Bill 200 still has to pass a formal vote in the upper chamber, where Republicans have a one-seat majority, before the Democratic majority in the House has its chance to…
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Bill to fix PERA amended to exclude taxpayers from ‘shared responsibility’
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A bill to fill a $32 billion to $50 billion hole in the Public Employees’ Retirement Association won’t have the public employers’ help, if it keeps an amendment passed in Senate Bill 200‘s first committee vote Thursday. In a five-member committee with three Republicans, Sen. Jack Tate. R-Centennial, needed to make the change to secure…
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PERA fix plows ahead to shore up Colorado public pension plan
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A Colorado Senate committee listened to four and a half hours of testimony on how to fix the state’s shaky pension plan Tuesday, but it didn’t take a vote. Instead, the Finance Committee will reconvene Thursday to throw amendments at Senate Bill 200. At stake is a plan to fill in a projected pension shortfall…
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Colorado Senate Republicans: Still a ‘NO’ on banning bump stocks, but yes to RMGO money
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The Trump administration is OK with a ban on bump stocks. The Florida Legislature, despite opposition from the National Rifle Association, last week approved a package of gun control measures, including a ban on bump stocks that increase the firing capacity of normal rifles. Colorado’s state Senate is a week away from hearing a bill that…
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Bill to link doctors to pharmacies online combats forgeries for opioids
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A bipartisan bill filed in the Colorado House last week would make it harder for drug abusers to forge or duplicate prescriptions on paper to steal opioids, and it’s kind of simple: Prescribers and pharmacies should close the loop online. The bill would require podiatrists, dentists, physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses and optometrists, as…
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Bill to fill PERA’s $32 billion shortfall rolls out to a tentative start
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The sponsors called the compromise to fix PERA a starting point, not a finish line, as a bill to do so was introduced Wednesday. Senate Republicans and House Democrats agree, however, that lawmakers must make sure the money the state pension brings in is enough to support its retirees. Current workers, retirees and taxpayers all…
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Rep. Brittany Pettersen pleased with bipartisan leadership on opioid plan
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State Rep. Brittany Pettersen was pleased after Gov. John Hickenlooper finished his State of the State address Thursday. He, Senate President Kevin Grantham and House Speaker Crisanta Duran agreed with her: Something must be done about Colorado’s opioid abuse epidemic. Each of the leaders made finding answers a priority. “We really have all of our…