Opinion / House Report
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TABOR- Will We Be Fooled Again?
Monday, April 15, is Tax Day. So, it seems like a good time to talk about HB 1257, and our Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. This bill was brought by the Speaker of the House, K.C. Becker. If this passes...
Families First
We have officially completed 93 days in the legislature and have 27 to go, 549 bills have been introduced. This week we addressed the only activity we are statutorily required to do; we passed the bud...
Putting Our Money Where Our Mouths Are
We hear it over and over, it's not guns, it's mental health. And the Republicans, including this Republican, vote against any and all gun regulation. Because we know one thing; people kill people,...
Tyranny of the Majority
Today, March 24th, is officially the 80th day of the 72nd General Assembly. Today 472 bills have been introduced. At this time, I have 15 bills and I am happy to say all but one of my bills have...
Friends for the Future of Colorado
A few years ago, I, along with several other legislators, former legislators and political activists, started talking about our Republican party and how far it's moved from Ronald Reagan's big tent....
Needles, YES! Straws, NO!
Every day, I get hundreds of emails telling me how to vote on various issues. These are usually the issues that make the news; Sex Education, National Popular Vote and The Red Flag Bill, to name just...
Another Controversial Bill and More Late Nights
It's Friday, 9 p.m. and we are still discussing what is being called the Red Flag Bill, House Bill 1177, "Concerning Creation of an Extreme Risk Protection Order." You've heard about this on the...
An Assault on Our Founding Father's Intentions
As I write this article it is day 48. We have 72 days left. It is 7 p.m. and we are back on the floor of the house where we have been discussing the bill for the National Popular Vote. Our country was...
Maternal Mortality and other Issues
One of the questions around the Capitol this week is "Where are all the bills?" We are 1/3 of the way through the 120-day session and only 325 bills have been introduced. I say only because last...
Only 31 New Bills This Week
As far as new bills go, this has been a slow week. Only 31 new bills were introduced in both the House and Senate. We now have 175 bills in the House and 135 in the Senate. For those of you who say...
You Knew It Was Coming
So far this year, as of the 21st day of the legislature, 278 bills have been introduced, with 168 House bills and 110 Senate bills. Despite Democratic control of both chambers, 110 bills have...
16 Days, But Who's Counting?
We have now completed 16 out of 120 days. As of Friday afternoon, a total of 244 bills have been introduced, 138 in the House, 106 in the Senate. De-Brucing On Thursday, Speaker Becker requested a...
Week 2...
By the end of week two, 124 bills had been introduced in the House and 82 in the Senate. And they are moving through quickly. During the first meeting of the Energy and Environment Committee I was...
The Legislative Session is Off and Running
The first week of the First Regular Session of the 72nd General Assembly has come and gone amongst much pomp and circumstance. We had opening day where 65 State Representatives were sworn into...
Fountain Valley Water Concerns
I want to thank everyone in this community who has been so vigilant and concerned about the state of water in the Fountain Valley. We all know that in October 2015 the Environmental Protection Agency...
Time to Do What's Best for Colorado
In November I was fortunate to win my fourth, and last, election to the Colorado State Legislature. This was possible due to the hours and hours of support and help I received from a core of 12...
Mental Health Treatment Improvements
The election is over and I want to thank everyone who voted for me. I also want to assure those of you who didn't that I will continue to represent each and every one of you to the best of my...
A Day to Honor Our Veterans
On May 13, 1938, Congress, commemorating the signing of the armistice between the Allies and Germany, passed an Act, (52 Stat. 351, 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a), recognizing the 11th of November as a legal...
Health
As the ranking member of the Colorado State House Committee on Public Health and Human Services, I frequently attend meetings and seminars on related topics. Recently I was at the El Paso County...
Amendments Y and Z
Both of these amendments are designed to do away with the partisan re-arrangement of voting districts we experience every 10 years. You may have heard the term "gerrymandering." Gerrymandering refers...
Vets and Votes- Why It's Important
In the next few weeks two important events will take place. Ballots and Veteran's Day! You should know by now how much work I've done to help our Vets. I honor, respect, and APPRECIATE them every day....
Funding Education and Paying Teachers in Colorado
The state of Colorado, through your senators and representatives, allocates money on a per-pupil basis and sends that money to the local school districts. Seems fair, but it may not be. A large...
Pushing People Over the Cliff
As a fiscal conservative, I am very aware of the impact I have if I vote for something that spends YOUR money. And this certainly applies to any expansion of benefits. However, there are cases where...
Family Medical Leave... is Colorado ready?
Many people believe that the job of a legislator is part time. Nothing could be further from the truth. During our "break" we spend hours developing legislation for the upcoming session. Working with...
Medicine, Why Does It Cost So Much?
Both candidates for governor of Colorado have indicated their plans for providing healthcare to Coloradans. In essence, Mr. Polis wants a big government approach with health decisions made by...
