State

Payback? Democrats gut, then reject party mate’s proposal on county commissioners

9Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

coloradopolitics.com, State

Payback? Democrats gut, then reject party mate’s proposal on county commissioners

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A Democrat on Friday saw his proposal dealing with the number of county commissioners first effectively gutted by an amendment and then killed by his party mates, a rare sight that might have its genesis in the legislator's lawsuit over the caucuses' practice of meeting away from the public view. That lawsuit outlined a secretive process by which Republicans and Democrats met to discuss legislation or discussed policies via messaging apps effectively outside of the purview of the state's Open Meetings Law. The lawsuit ultimately led to a settlement. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

Former CBI scientist intentionally manipulated data, casting doubt on 652 cases, investigation reveals

9Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

State, The Colorado Sun

Former CBI scientist intentionally manipulated data, casting doubt on 652 cases, investigation reveals

By Olivia Prentzel | Colorado Sun Aformer forensic scientist intentionally manipulated DNA evidence during her 29-year career at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, casting doubt on at least 652 criminal cases she handled, including some of the most high-profile trials, according to investigation findings released by the agency Friday. That number could grow as outside investigators continue to review DNA testing done by Yvonne “Missy” Woods, after a probe revealed she manipulated data in the testing process and in some cases, posted incomplete test results, in the cases she handled between 2008 and 2023. The discovery is putting all of Woods’ work into question and CBI is also looking at her work dating to 1994, when she started working for CBI. The agency launched the investig...

Colorado Supreme Court committee votes to explore role of AI in practice of law

8Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

gazette.com, State

Colorado Supreme Court committee votes to explore role of AI in practice of law

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics An advisory committee to the Colorado Supreme Court recently created a subcommittee that will evaluate existing rules barring the unauthorized practice of law to determine if changes are necessary to accommodate emerging artificial intelligence-powered legal tools. The March 1 vote of the Advisory Committee on the Practice of Law came at the request of the Colorado Access to Justice Commission. The commission advocates for expanded legal aid and better tools for self-represented litigants in civil cases. The commission's director, Elisa Overall, noted AI tools can foster access to justice and efficiency in the legal profession. "In collaboration with Colorado Legal Services, the ATJC is in the process of developing a robust online legal inform...

Colorado lawmakers battle over legalization of supervised drug injection sites

8Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado lawmakers battle over legalization of supervised drug injection sites

BY Marissa Ventrelli | COLORADO POLITICS The Colorado legislature is diving anew into the debate over "safe injection sites" — places where a person can consume illicit drugs under the supervision of medical personnel— with opponents saying it encourages illegal drug use, while supporters arguing it will yield positive results in the ongoing public health crisis. Drug overdoses have killed thousands of Colorado residents in the last few years. Last year, 522 people died from drug overdoses in Denver alone, the most since tracking began in 1923, according to city records. And though final numbers for overdose deaths statewide won't be available until this summer, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment recorded 1,454 total drug overdose deaths among Colorado residents from 2...

Colorado House Democrats kill proposal pushing for tougher approach to fentanyl crisis

8Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado House Democrats kill proposal pushing for tougher approach to fentanyl crisis

By Thelma Grimes | Colorado Politics Michael Fiore, the outreach coordinator for Voices for Awareness and Project Facing Fentanyl, remembered selling drugs to support his addiction and skating through the system before getting clean — after serving a prison term in New York. Fiori said when people figure out they only need to carry less than 4 grams and all they will face, if caught, is a simple misdemeanor, they will do that. Addicts, he said, do not learn until they are held accountable. “Sympathy causes a disconnect in recovery,” the once 20-year addict told members of the House Judiciary Committee during a late-night hearing on Wednesday. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

Proposed sweeping changes to Colorado charter schools could divide Democrats

8Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

coloradopolitics.com, State

Proposed sweeping changes to Colorado charter schools could divide Democrats

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A trio of state Democratic lawmakers is pushing a sweeping proposal to boost what they describe as accountability but which critics say flies in the face of local control and unfairly targets charter schools. Notably, the biggest pushback is likely to come from members of their own caucuses and Gov. Jared Polis. Reps. Tammy Story of Evergreen and Lorena Garcia of Adams County, along with Sen. Lisa Cutter of Littleton, introduced House Bill 1363, a 55-page bill that seeks major changes in how charter schools operate. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

How a friend’s death turned Colorado teens into anti-overdose activists

7Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

State, The Colorado Sun

How a friend’s death turned Colorado teens into anti-overdose activists

By Rae Ellen Bichell | Colorado Sun Gavinn McKinney loved Nike shoes, fireworks, and sushi. He was studying Potawatomi, one of the languages of his Native American heritage. He loved holding his niece and smelling her baby smell. On his 15th birthday, the Durango teen spent a cold December afternoon chopping wood to help neighbors who couldn’t afford to heat their homes. McKinney almost made it to his 16th birthday. He died of fentanyl poisoning at a friend’s house in December 2021. His friends say it was the first time he tried hard drugs. The memorial service was so packed people had to stand outside the funeral home. Now, his peers are trying to cement their friend’s legacy in state law. They recently testified to state lawmakers in support of House Bill 1003, a piece of legisl...

WATCH: All Veterans Honor Guard honored at Colorado Capitol

7Mar

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kdvr.com, State

WATCH: All Veterans Honor Guard honored at Colorado Capitol

By Dan Daru | KDVR-TV Fox 31 It was a super Tuesday for the men and women of the All Veterans Honor Guard at the Colorado Capitol. But, it had nothing to do with voting. “We are an organization of veterans and volunteers that provides honors for our departing veterans at Fort Logan National Cemetery,” said Maury Smith, All Veterans Honor Guard commander. On Tuesday, March 5, the guard was recognized and honored by the state of Colorado and state Rep. Anthony Hartsook of Colorado’s 44th District, which encompasses portions of Douglas County. GET THE FULL STORY AT KDVR-TV FOX 31

Secretary Griswold ‘unfit’ and ‘lacks integrity’ House Republican letter reads

7Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Secretary Griswold ‘unfit’ and ‘lacks integrity’ House Republican letter reads

By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice A month has passed since Republicans in the Colorado House of Representatives first called upon Speaker Julie McCluskie to hear Articles of Impeachment for Secretary of State Jena Griswold. “Since being elected, the secretary of state has used her position as a platform for her partisan political ideology and has proven herself unfit for this elected position,” a new letter from Rep. Ryan Armagost and signed by 16 other Republicans reads. The letter, dated March 6, 2024, terms it imperative to have the matter placed on the legislative calendar. “The secretary of state has consistently been criticized for her lack of transparency and questionable bias,” Armagost’s letter continues. “Her partisan political beliefs are constantly the subj...

Colorado House Republicans push move to impeach Jena Griswold after SCOTUS keeps Trump on ballot

7Mar

By nadiaNo Comments

coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado House Republicans push move to impeach Jena Griswold after SCOTUS keeps Trump on ballot

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Colorado House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese and a fellow Republican legislator on Wednesday called on the chamber's Democratic speaker to bring to the floor a resolution to impeach Secretary of State Jena Griswold, arguing that Griswold's "partisan political ideology" has prevented the Democrat from carrying out her duties. In a letter delivered late Wednesday to House Speaker Julie McCluskie by Pugliese and state Rep. Ryan Armagost, nearly every member of the House Republican caucus insisted that Monday's U.S. Supreme Court decision keeping Donald Trump on Colorado's presidential primary ballot underlines the urgency of their impeachment resolution, which the lawmakers say was submitted to the speaker's office nearly a month ago. Griswold, an...