Opinion / Straight From The Senate
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Legislative session wrap-up
It was an honor representing Senate District 2 at the capitol again this past session. Many bills were passed unanimously, many more in a true bipartisan manner, and unfortunately... — Updated 6/16/2021
Tax relief, or sleight of hand?
SB21-293 CONCERNING PROPERTY TAXATION and another 100 words or so make up the title to a recently introduced bill that would temporarily lower the mill levy and create more classifi... — Updated 6/9/2021
Marijuana concentrates under review
A brief history of marijuana in Colorado: medical marijuana was passed by voters in 2000 followed by recreational in 2012. Both were constitutional amendments and have some conflict... — Updated 6/1/2021
Transportation or Fee Bill?
SB21-260, the much-hyped Transportation bill, finally saw the light of day. I've maintained all along this was a fee bill and not a transportation bill, and apparently the Senate Pr... — Updated 5/25/2021
Transportation or Fee Bill?
SB21-260, the much-hyped Transportation bill, finally saw the light of day. I've maintained all along this was a fee bill and not a transportation bill, and apparently the Senate Pr... — Updated 5/18/2021
Drug Affordability Review Board
The Senate had a long debate last Thursday and Friday on SB-175, the Prescription Drug Affordability Review Board bill. No doubt the sponsors' hearts are in the right place, but...... — Updated 5/11/2021
Budget reconciliation and new bills
The budget came back from conference committee this past week, and as always many of the amendments placed on the budget during hearings in the Senate and House had been stripped... — Updated 5/5/2021
Mental health bills worth the effort
You may have seen or heard that the governor signed two mental health bills this past week. Mental health bills are nothing new; we've seen them every year in my tenure in the... — Updated 4/27/2021
Updates at session's halfway mark
Good news: SB-182, the bill that would not allow law enforcement on school grounds except for the most serious crimes died in committee. The sponsors realized there was more wrong w... — Updated 4/21/2021
Budget Week, or how to spend $34.1B
Remember that this time last year we were all watching the COVID graph climb higher each day and listening to experts take their best guess as to what the future held. So last year... — Updated 4/14/2021
SB21-182: Bully Empowerment Bill
The working title is actually CONCERNING SCHOOL DISCIPLINE, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, ADDRESSING DISPROPORTIONATE DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES AND CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND SUPPORTING... — Updated 4/6/2021
Jail population reduction bill
A jail (not prison) population reduction bill (SB21-062) made it through committee that will be on the floor soon. District attorneys weighed in on both sides. No surprise there,... — Updated 3/30/2021
Illegals and Foreign Money
Many thanks to everyone who attended the BBQ in Calhan where we fed over 300 and raised a few thousand dollars for the homeless. Hope you were able to make it to one of the dozens... — Updated 3/23/2021
Free burgers and bill updates
Announcements first: Free Burgers Saturday, March 20, at the El Paso County Fairgrounds, 366 10th St. in Calhan, beginning at noon. Help us celebrate Meat In Day and Colorado's... — Updated 3/16/2021
Stimulus funds headed our way
Looks like Congress will be sending another round of federal stimulus funds to our personal checking accounts and truckloads of cash will be delivered to every state. However,... — Updated 3/9/2021
Picking up some steam
This doesn't feel like the second week of the session, or even the third if you count those three days in January. More bills have been introduced in a shorter time than would... — Updated 3/2/2021
Back at the Capital - Finally
The Legislature is back in session after a month break, made possible by legislative rules pertaining to a "declared health emergency" and a judge's ruling. Given the good news of... — Updated 2/23/2021
Department hearings and the vaccine
Even with the legislators back in their districts, we're managing to get some items checked off the legislative agenda. Every session each department is required to report to the... — Updated 1/26/2021
Three days at the Capital
The First Session of the 73rd General Assembly began with guests limited to the newly elected senators who were sworn in standing at their desks with family and guests watching... — Updated 1/19/2021
73rd Legislative Session Oulook
This from Senate Leadership: Gavel in on January 13, take care of some constitutional duties, pass a few/some/many bills that are deemed time sensitive and critical. That's a... — Updated 1/12/2021
Highlights from the special session
With the results of this recent special session pretty widely reported I was hesitant to just repeat the final outcome but some of those bills could use little commentary. However,... — Updated 12/15/2020
Special session called by Polis
Finally! When the Senate Republicans called for a special session on July 28 to address COVID-19's impact on schools, the students and their parents, it was called a "political stun... — Updated 11/25/2020
Now it is up to the voters
With the session over, the decision-making shifts to the voters who will decide at the ballot box. The legislature referred three measures to ballot, two constitutional changes and... — Updated 6/24/2020
Some good news in the final week
First: good news for parental rights and homeschoolers as well as a mea culpa from me. I wrote earlier that there was a homeschool exemption in SB20-163 as it left the Senate for th... — Updated 6/17/2020
Progress and surprises
Budget approved by both chambers! It took a Saturday session, but the budget is on its way back to the Joint Budget Committee to iron out the differences between the House and Senat... — Updated 6/10/2020
