State

Contentious Reparations Debate Emerges at Colorado State Capitol

4Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

State, thelobby-co.com

Contentious Reparations Debate Emerges at Colorado State Capitol

By The Lobby As discussions surrounding racial equity and historical injustices continue to gain momentum across the country, Colorado's Black lawmakers are putting forward legislation that includes a high-profile study on the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination in the state. While SB24-053 aims to quantify the economic repercussions on Black residents and propose remedies, the contentious topic of reparations is looming in the background. Read the bill HERE. Although no lawmaker has explicitly used the term "reparations" so far, it is clear that the issue is part of the broader conversation. The study seeks to shed light on Colorado's historical role in creating discriminatory policies and examine their impact on Black communities today. PRIME SPONSORS ...

Democrats want a ‘pet tax’ and registry in Colorado

3Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

State, thelobby-co.com

Democrats want a ‘pet tax’ and registry in Colorado

By The Lobby In yet another attempt to nickel and dime hardworking Coloradans, Democrats have proposed a ridiculous new bill that would create a burdensome "Pet Animal Registration System." Colorado House Bill 24-1163 aims to impose a tax of up to $8.50 on every pet in the state, including invertebrates, with the tax being payable annually. Not only does this bill require pet owners to register their pets with the state, but it also mandates the assignment of a "designated caregiver" for each pet. Failure to name a caregiver would result in an annual cost of $25 per pet. There is no limit or cap on the taxation, meaning that pet owners could potentially face exorbitant costs. This tax would be in addition to any local taxes, such as dog licenses, further burdening pet ...

The Replacements: 28 lawmakers appointed to 29 seats by small groups of party insiders

3Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

coloradopolitics.com, State

The Replacements: 28 lawmakers appointed to 29 seats by small groups of party insiders

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics With close to a third of lawmakers being appointed to office instead of elected by voters, the Colorado General Assembly likely holds a record that few state legislatures would want. A Colorado Politics analysis showed that of 24 out of the 28 current state lawmakers appointed by vacancy committees, fewer than 40 party insiders on average picked the individuals who would represent the people at the state Capitol, instead of the 89,000 residents of a House district or the 165,000 people who live in a Senate's political boundary. The 28 lawmakers who gained their positions — one legislator was picked twice to two different seats for a total of 29 appointments — through a vacancy go back all the way to 2010, when now-Sen....

Colorado House Democrats pass resolution to stifle honest debate and silence GOP voices

3Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

State, thelobby-co.com

Colorado House Democrats pass resolution to stifle honest debate and silence GOP voices

By The Lobby In a stunning display of partisan politics, Colorado House Democrats have passed House Resolution 24-1004, drawing strong protests from House Republicans who argue that changing these rules is a deliberate attempt to suppress conservative voices. The resolution, offered by House Majority Leader Monica Duran, passed on a party-line vote of 42-19, further highlighting the growing divide between the two parties. Minority Leader Rose Pugliese of Colorado Springs spoke out against the resolution on behalf of her caucus, pointing out the hypocrisy of Governor Jared Polis and House Speaker Julie McCluskie. Minority Leader Rose Pugliese speaking in opposition to House Resolution 24-1004, February 2, 2024. Both Polis and McCluskie had called for more civility and "...

Doug Bruce, author of TABOR, will seek GOP nomination in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District

3Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

coloradopolitics.com, State

Doug Bruce, author of TABOR, will seek GOP nomination in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Doug Bruce, the author of Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, is considering joining the Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn. "I am strongly leaning toward becoming a candidate," Bruce, a former state lawmaker from Colorado Springs and El Paso County commissioner, told Colorado Politics. The anti-tax advocate said he plans to decide within weeks whether to jump in a primary field that has swelled since Lamborn's surprising announcement last month that he would not seek a 10th term in Congress. "I think if I ran, I would be the best candidate," Bruce said. "I was a big fan of Doug Lamborn, and I think one Doug deserves another." READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

In Colorado, poll finds Biden’s lead over Trump half of 2020 margin

2Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

National, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

In Colorado, poll finds Biden’s lead over Trump half of 2020 margin

What a difference four years can make. In 2020, Joe Biden’s route to the White House included a cruise control victory of 13.5 percentage points in Colorado over President Donald Trump. Although Biden still has a firm grasp on the state, an Emerson College poll released Friday and conducted from Jan. 23-28 finds Biden’s projected margin of victory has shrunk to 6% in the Centennial State. Colorado holds 10 Electoral College votes and 270 are needed to win the Presidency. In the Emerson College poll, which included polling of four states in the presumed general election field of Trump vs. Biden, 76% would vote for one of the two candidates, 13% choosing “someone else” and 11% remaining undecided. “Both Biden and Trump are experiencing lower levels of support compared to 2020,...

Unaffiliated voters can cast ballots in Colorado’s GOP primaries this year, federal judge rules

2Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

State, The Colorado Sun

Unaffiliated voters can cast ballots in Colorado’s GOP primaries this year, federal judge rules

By Sandra Fish | The Colorado Sun Unaffiliated voters – who make up the largest share of the Colorado's electorate – will still be allowed to participate in the state’s Republican primaries after a federal judge Friday rejected the Colorado GOP’s latest attempt to exclude them. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer found the GOP failed to prove that Colorado’s law allowing unaffiliated voters to cast ballots in partisan primaries violates Republicans’ constitutional rights. He also wrote that the party “presented no evidence suggesting that Colorado’s semi-open primary system causes candidates to moderate or change their policy stances on specific issues.” The decision may be appealed, though it’s not clear there’s enough time for an appeal to be settled before t...

Neighbors of a Colorado CD3 candidate filed for a protective order in 2021

2Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

National, State, thelobby-co.com

Neighbors of a Colorado CD3 candidate filed for a protective order in 2021

By The Lobby | The Lobby Neighbors of Republican candidate Russ Andrews, who is running for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, filed for a protection order against him in 2021, according to court documents. The initial motion for a civil protection order stated that the complainants had endured ongoing noise issues from Andrews, including frequent cursing, yelling, and screaming. The neighbors had previously reported these incidents to their homeowners association. Tensions between Andrews and his neighbors reached a breaking point on October 7, 2021, when a verbal altercation prompted the neighbors to contact authorities. Court documents reveal that the protection order was sought after Andrews allegedly made threatening remarks towards his neighbors, causing them to fea...

Lawmakers eye safety fix on I-70 by targeting commercial drivers

2Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

State, thelobby-co.com

Lawmakers eye safety fix on I-70 by targeting commercial drivers

By The Lobby | The Lobby Colorado state lawmakers are targeting commercial truckers in their hope to reduce winter traffic jams on I-70, and critics argue that they are focusing on the wrong group of drivers. The winter season often turns I-70 into a parking lot, particularly in the mountainous areas. While vacationers and weather conditions contribute to the congestion, lawmakers at the state Capitol are pointing their fingers at experienced commercial truckers as the main culprits. According to Sen. Dylan Roberts, a Frisco Democrat and bill sponsor, many of the accidents in recent winters have been caused by semis speeding in the left lane while attempting to pass other cars. He claims that these accidents are completely avoidable. As a result, SB24-100 is now being considered a...

Wolf suit against CPW challenges process of reintroduction

2Feb

By nadiaNo Comments

State, thefencepost.com

Wolf suit against CPW challenges process of reintroduction

By Rachel Gabel | The Fence Post The Colorado Conservation Alliance filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against the United States Fish and Wildlife Commission, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission, Dan Gibbs in his capacity as the executive director of Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and Jeff Davis in his capacity as director of CPW on Dec. 14, 2023. The CCA has challenged the defendants’ process for wolf introduction in the state of Colorado and said in a release, their legal challenge is two-fold. First, after review by wildlife experts and veterinarians, the CCA believes that the environmental impact statement (EIS) issued by USFWS supporting the 10(j) rule is significantly deficient under the requirements of the federal National Environmenta...