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Colorado Senate panel rejects Gov. Jared Polis’ nominees to wildlife commission
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado Senate panel rejects Gov. Jared Polis’ nominees to wildlife commission

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Last year, Gov. Jared Polis appointed three people — allegedly with ties to the animal rights community — to the state's parks and wildlife commission  But those nominees still had to go through a confirmation process with the state Senate, and on Thursday, the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee rejected two of the three, claiming they lacked the necessary qualifications to represent the constituents tied to those seats and as required by state law. The nominations of Gary Skiba and Jessica Beaulieu, who were appointed to represent sportspersons (hunters and anglers) and outdoor recreation and state parks, respectively, were both rejected on 4-3 votes. But they still have a chance to stay on the commission ...
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WATCH: Colorado Democrats unveil portrait of Joe Biden, paid for by Joe taxpayer
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coloradopolitics.com, State

WATCH: Colorado Democrats unveil portrait of Joe Biden, paid for by Joe taxpayer

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Colorado Democrats unveiled the state's portrait of President Joe Biden in a ceremony Friday at the state Capitol.  Biden's portrait will be displayed, along with his 45 predecessors in the state Capitol's third floor Presidential Portrait Gallery. This year's presidential portrait was commissioned by the Capitol Building Advisory Committee and paid for with taxpayer funds delegated to the legislature. That's a change from the past, when the portraits were paid for largely by private donations. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Colorado lawmakers discuss funding AI software to detect guns in schools
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado lawmakers discuss funding AI software to detect guns in schools

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A proposal seeks to prevent shootings by providing schools with funding to acquire, install and operate AI-driven software that — the company behind the technology claims — can detect guns and alert law enforcement within seconds of the weapon's detection. The Colorado House Education Committee discussed the measure without voting on Wednesday.  Sponsored by Rep. Brandi Bradley, R-Roxborough Park, House Bill 1123 would provide additional financing to the state's School Safety Disbursement Fund. The exact amount has not been determined.   READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Denver Democrat didn’t attend a Colorado House floor debate in person until 45 days into legislative session
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State, The Colorado Sun

Denver Democrat didn’t attend a Colorado House floor debate in person until 45 days into legislative session

By Sandra Fish | Colorado Sun State Rep. Elisabeth Epps attended her first House floor session in person Feb. 23 — 45 days into Colorado’s 120-day legislative session — after asking Democratic leadership in the chamber in mid-January for permission to participate remotely “indefinitely, unfortunately” because she said she’s “experiencing an extended health condition.” That’s according to a Colorado Sun review of House journals, as well as an examination of emails and texts between the Denver Democrat and House leadership and staff obtained by The Sun through an open records request.  In requesting remote participation, Epps did not disclose her health condition. Her first day of in-person House floor attendance came a day after The Sun asked her about her ...
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Hartsook: Record-setting session dominated by ‘extreme Progressive’ wing of Democrat party
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Hartsook: Record-setting session dominated by ‘extreme Progressive’ wing of Democrat party

By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice The speed with which legislation is flowing in the Colorado Legislature is unprecedented, Rep. Anthony Hartsook told constituents Wednesday in a newsletter. Hartsook serves Douglas County residents in House District 44. “The legislature is well on its way to a record or near-record year for the volume of legislation,” he wrote. “I continue to fight for tax relief, parental rights, public safety, veterans and small business.” In an address Saturday to Weld County residents, Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer predicted bill count could reach 1,000. The bill total presently sits at 470. Hartsook sponsored House Bill 1156, which would allow issuance of a special event permit to a chamber of commerce and its members related to events where alcohol m...
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Colorado lawmakers review bill on refusing DUI-related blood tests, motor vehicle offenses
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado lawmakers review bill on refusing DUI-related blood tests, motor vehicle offenses

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A sweeping measure that would deal with a host of motor vehicle offenses, including refusal to submit to a blood test for drunk driving, is awaiting a vote from the House Judiciary Committee. The main provisions in House Bill 1135 actually deal with motor vehicle offenses committed by commercial drivers. But the bill's broad title, on offenses related to operating a motor vehicle, gave the sponsors latitude to include other issues. Reps. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs, and Matt Soper, R-Delta, attempted to address several roadway problems with the measure, which a committee reviewed — but took no action — on Tuesday. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Colorado bill proposes library committees to consider whether to ban books, other content
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado bill proposes library committees to consider whether to ban books, other content

BY Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A panel of Colorado legislators tackled — but decided against voting for now — a measure that would create an official process for parents, students and the public to object to materials in a school or public library, diving squarely into an issue that has divided communities and at times pitted parents against each other across America.     The sponsors agreed that Senate Bill 049 needs changes to address points raised by both sides of the issue.  As introduced, SB 049 would create the Committee for School Libraries, which would be composed of individuals appointed by school districts to consider requests and complaints. A separate committee would be created at local levels for public libraries. Members of the...
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Colorado conservatives want a property tax cap. The state’s bipartisan tax commission hates the idea.
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State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado conservatives want a property tax cap. The state’s bipartisan tax commission hates the idea.

By Brian Eason | Colorado Sun In late January, Colorado’s bipartisan tax commission took an informal poll among its 19 members to gauge support for the dozen or so ideas they’d been discussing to deliver tax relief to homeowners. One emerged as a clear loser: a cap on property tax revenue growth. The concept — backed by influential conservative and business groups outside the Capitol — ranked among the lowest of any proposal among the committee’s members, garnering strong opposition from Republicans and Democrats alike. “Hard caps are a terrible idea,” Sen. Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat and chair of the commission, told The Colorado Sun in an interview. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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Are laws cracking down on car theft responsible for downward trend in Colorado?
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Are laws cracking down on car theft responsible for downward trend in Colorado?

By Thelma Grimes | Colorado Politics Colorado found itself atop most lists of states with the highest car thefts and associated crimes in the last several years — record-breaking numbers that had been accumulating since 2020 and which put pressure on the governor and legislators to respond. Notably, lawmakers, upon the urging of the governor, passed a law that made all car thefts a felony, decoupling the severity of the crime from the value of the car and tying it instead to behavior so that the penalty becomes more severe with repeat offenders.      But lawmakers haven't introduced a lot of bills devoted to auto theft this year. Is that because the laws enacted are working? READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Final votes on gender identity bills delayed as Colorado House members continue debate
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Final votes on gender identity bills delayed as Colorado House members continue debate

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Two bills to allow individuals, including minors, to choose their names conforming to their gender identity are on hold after an intense debate in the House on Monday delayed voting on the measures.  Under current law, a person convicted of a felony who wants to change their name must show "good cause." House Bill 1071 would add gender identity to the list of "good causes" a person could cite for a name change. The bill has drawn fierce opposition from House Republicans, which got underway on Monday with an amendment from sponsor Rep. Lorena Garcia, D-Adams County, to name the bill after a transgender woman, Tiara Latrice Kelley, a drag queen and performer at Club Q. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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