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State funding could be withheld from Colorado cities that don’t tie housing to transit under new affordability push 
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State, The Colorado Sun

State funding could be withheld from Colorado cities that don’t tie housing to transit under new affordability push 

By Brian Eason | Colorado Sun Colorado Democrats on Tuesday introduced a bill that would send millions of dollars to cities that agree to encourage denser housing near transit — and withhold state highway funding from those that don’t. The measure, House Bill 1313, is a key piece of Democratic Gov. Jared Polis’ plans to address the state’s housing shortage and combat climate change. It relies heavily on financial incentives, such as affordable housing tax credits and infrastructure funding, to coax cities into developing transit-oriented communities — a departure from last year’s failed attempt to force cities to zone for apartments and townhouses. But it has a punitive side, too: Affected cities that don’t take steps to meet housing goals laid out in the bill could see cuts ...
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Video: RMGO’s Ian Escalante discusses the Colorado Legislature’s 2024 anti-gun bills
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freestatecolorado.com, State

Video: RMGO’s Ian Escalante discusses the Colorado Legislature’s 2024 anti-gun bills

By BRANDON WARK | Free State Colorado Colorado’s anti-gun legislators are attempting some of the most egregious restrictions on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms that Colorado has ever seen. From outright gun bans, to expensive concealed carry requirements, these politicians have no regard for law-abiding gun owners or the Second Amendment. Fortunately, Colorado has a Pro-Gun Advocacy Organization called Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (also known as RMGO). RMGO is effectively fighting back through lawsuits, lobbying, and electoral work. Ian Escalante is the Director of Operations for RMGO. His passion for Liberty is matched by his knowledge of legislation. In this video, Ian provides a detailed look at all of the anti-gun bills that have been filed so far, and explains what kind...
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First Amendment expert: Proposal from Democratic leaders ‘completely’ exempts lawmakers from open meeting laws
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coloradopolitics.com, State

First Amendment expert: Proposal from Democratic leaders ‘completely’ exempts lawmakers from open meeting laws

By Luige Del Puerto | Colorado Politics Leaders of the Colorado General Assembly, along with several Democratic members, are seeking sweeping exemptions for lawmakers from the state's open meetings law, which contains guarantees of transparency when officials craft policies. The exemptions only apply to the legislature, not to other policymaking bodies such as a city council or county commission.   It's not immediately clear if the proposal is a direct response to a lawsuit filed in July against leaders of both House caucuses. That lawsuit from two Democratic legislators claimed the Democratic and GOP caucuses each held mandatory secret meetings at least weekly during the 2023 legislative session, directing legislative aides to omit or disguise the meetings on legislators' calenda...
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State legislature is closed for President’s Day, will resume business Tuesday
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coloradopolitics.com, State

State legislature is closed for President’s Day, will resume business Tuesday

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Here are legislative committee hearings and other events of note for the week ahead for the Colorado General Assembly. Committee schedules are subject to change. Schedules for both the House and Senate can change at any time. This website is the best resource for keeping up with daily activities.  Options for public testimony during committee hearings can be found here.  Regulations for remote testimony by the public can be found here. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Colorado lawmakers scramble to find funds for schools, communities grappling with immigration crisis
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado lawmakers scramble to find funds for schools, communities grappling with immigration crisis

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Colorado's policymakers are looking for ways to help communities grappling with the costs of accommodating roughly 40,000 immigrants who arrived in Colorado in the past year. The Department of Public Safety is requesting nearly $10 million in supplemental funding for organizations that offer services and assistance to immigrant families.  More specifically, the money will go toward housing and legal aid for the immigrants who came to Colorado after illegally crossing America's southern border.  "Colorado is committed to providing the resources we can for the communities and organizations working on the frontlines to support new arrivals during this crisis, and we are grateful for their work," a spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis...
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New $30 million Colorado rental assistance program launches this week
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State, The Colorado Sun

New $30 million Colorado rental assistance program launches this week

By Tatiana Flowers | Colorado Sun State leaders opened a new temporary rental assistance grant program this week that will use $30 million approved by the Colorado legislature in November to try to keep people in their homes after eviction filings reached record high numbers in pockets of the state last year. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs launched the first pre-application process through the Temporary Rental Assistance Grant program Thursday. The first round of pre-applications will remain open until 5 p.m. Tuesday. Coloradans who aren’t selected to move forward in the process to receive funds, and others who miss the deadline, will have another chance to apply when grant program leaders reopen the process again on the 15th day of each mon...
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Colorado House committee kills bill to increase punishment in child sex crimes
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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado House committee kills bill to increase punishment in child sex crimes

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A Democratic-controlled House committee killed legislation that supporters said would put more teeth into Colorado law following hours of testimony, in which victims who were bought and sold as children for purposes of sexual exploitation sought to persuade lawmakers to advance the measure.   House Bill 1092 would have mandated minimum sentences for those who buy children for sexual exploitation. The bill was heard in the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, which is also known as the "kill committee." On Thursday, the panel lived up to its nickname, killing the bill on an 8-3 party-line vote. Advocates said they aren't giving up and promised to be back next year. More than 50 witnesses packed ...
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Colorado could become the first state to require in-person voting in jails 
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State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado could become the first state to require in-person voting in jails 

By Olivia Prentzel | Colorado Sun Colorado could become the first state to require county jails to set up in-person voting stations for incarcerated voters under a Democratic-backed bill that has sparked criticism that it would pose financial and logistical hurdles to already-strapped sheriff’s offices. Advocates of Senate Bill 72 say placing polling stations inside jails would reduce barriers to a fundamental right for those eligible to vote. Opponents say the current system is working and the new law would be an “unfunded mandate” that would cause disruptions. In Colorado, incarcerated people awaiting trial or serving a sentence for a misdemeanor conviction are eligible to vote. If passed, it could impact nearly 6,000 people who are confined waiting for a trial...
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Purchase, sale and transfer of so-called assault weapons would be banned in Colorado under new bill
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State, The Colorado Sun

Purchase, sale and transfer of so-called assault weapons would be banned in Colorado under new bill

By Jesse Paul | Colorado Sun Two Denver Democrats on Tuesday introduced a measure that would ban the purchase, sale and transfer of a broad swath of semi-automatic firearms, defined in the bill as assault weapons, in Colorado.  The lead sponsors of House Bill 1292 are Reps. Elisabeth Epps and Tim Hernández. They introduced the legislation with 14 cosponsors, all of them House Democrats.  It’s unclear whether the measure, which is similar to legislation that failed in the Capitol last year, will have enough political support to pass out of the House, let alone the Senate. Democrats control both chambers. (Measures need 33 votes to clear the House and 18 to pass the Senate.) If it passes the legislature, the bill would be met by a skeptical Gov. Jared Polis, w...
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Hundreds of formerly federally regulated Colorado wetlands and streams are unshielded right now
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State, The Colorado Sun

Hundreds of formerly federally regulated Colorado wetlands and streams are unshielded right now

By Jerd Smith | Colorado Sun What’s the best way to protect hundreds of acres of wetlands and streams in Colorado, in the absence of federal rules that once did that work? It’s one of the biggest water issues facing state lawmakers this year. But as the legislative session kicks into high gear, there is no consensus yet on how to proceed. Last week, Republican Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, introduced Senate Bill 127 as a first stab at figuring it out.  At issue is how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now defines so-called Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, which determines which waterways and wetlands are protected under the federal Clean Water Act. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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