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HB 1098, the crime victim alert system bill, advances, but without Republican committee support. Here’s why.
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

HB 1098, the crime victim alert system bill, advances, but without Republican committee support. Here’s why.

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice It would be difficult to say what turned Republican support against a bipartisan bill Tuesday in the House's Judiciary Committee — the considerable expenditure required in a down fiscal year or the potential raised of harm to gun owners. House Bill 25-1098, by Delta Republican Rep. Matt Soper and Democrat Rep. Rebekah Stewart, aimed at establishing an automated system to alert crime victims to changes in their cases, lost all but Soper's support from the minority caucus. "I'm a huge advocate for victim's rights," said Republican Rep. Rebecca Keltie, a member of the committee. "The fiscal note is a concern." Implementation and maintenance of a notification system by a third-party vendor would require a $500,000 investment this fiscal year a...
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Colorado’s top 10 drug criminals arrested, facing deportation under DEA operation
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Approved, Fox News, National

Colorado’s top 10 drug criminals arrested, facing deportation under DEA operation

By Christina Shaw  | Fox News The DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division said 10 of Colorado’s worst drug criminals were arrested under "Operation Return to Sender" and handed over to immigration enforcement. Their efforts have led to the arrest of more than 90 people over the past 16 days. DEA RMFD said on social media that at least three of those arrested were part of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA). The 10 suspects whose photos were provided are some of the most serious criminals arrested, but a DEA spokesperson said there are worse offenders in the remaining 80-some suspects. READ THE FULL STORY ON FOX NEWS
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Liquor and grocery stores are feuding again over who should get to sell what products
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Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

Liquor and grocery stores are feuding again over who should get to sell what products

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Much like a bar regular returning for happy hour, Colorado’s liquor wars are back at the Capitol, beginning this year with another attempt to limit the growth of grocery stores selling a full portfolio of beer, wine and spirits. Senate Bill 33, which cleared its first committee on Feb. 6 and awaits a hearing Friday before the Senate Appropriations Committee, is the first bill this session to pit varying interests in the alcohol-sales sector against each other, but it may not be the last. And while it got bipartisan support in its first vote, it has a long road ahead of it, much like two liquor-focused bills in 2024 that received early backing only to die late in the session despite numerous attempts to amend them to a consensus satisfaction. ...
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Ganahl: Parents speak up about rash of alleged sex crimes by staff in Jefferson County schools
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Ganahl: Parents speak up about rash of alleged sex crimes by staff in Jefferson County schools

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice A letter sent by parent-led organization Jeffco Kids First (JKF) to the superintendent of Jefferson County schools and its board of education on Feb. 7, urges them to acknowledge shocking and dangerous issues in the district. Lindsday Datko, leader of JKF, asks that the district publicly implement immediate triage operations to address risks, and ensure accountability and adherence to sound processes, policies and laws. It ends with a call for a public update on these matters.  There is a board meeting Thursday, Feb. 13, at 5 p.m. at the Ed Center in Golden. Here is the link to participate virtually or live: https://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/about/board-of-education/board-meetings.  Some examples referenced in the c...
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Rep. Evans, the grandson of immigrants, joins U.S. House’s Hispanic Conference
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Rep. Evans, the grandson of immigrants, joins U.S. House’s Hispanic Conference

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, the grandson of Mexican immigrants, has joined the U.S. House's Congressional Hispanic Conference, his office announced Wednesday. The first-term congressman represents Colorado's 8th District, including most of Adams and Weld Counties. “I'm proud to celebrate the values and contributions of Hispanic Americans and their stories — like my Abuelito Chavez who earned his citizenship fighting for our country in World War II," Evans said in a statement for the announcement by the conference's chairman Tony Gonzales. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to lower inflation, strengthen public safety and make the American Dream more attainable." Evans spent 12 years in the U.S Army, rising to the rank of captain, and ...
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It’s take three for the unpopular, anti-gun SB 3 returning Thursday to the Colorado Senate floor
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

It’s take three for the unpopular, anti-gun SB 3 returning Thursday to the Colorado Senate floor

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice It's a déjà vu moment in the Colorado Senate. Senate Bill 25-003 will be up for a second reading Thursday, Feb. 13, for the third time in three weeks. The bill, which some have said would make Colorado the most anti-gun state in the country, has been laid over twice — in a Democrat-controlled Senate — almost assuredly because the majority party does not have the votes to pass the measure. Without a second reading the bill is frozen in the Senate and may not be taken up by the Colorado House. The Senate convenes at 9 a.m. Thursday. SB 3 is a wildly unpopular bill among conservatives and among vulnerable Democrats, many of whom believe it is unconstitutional. If passed, the bill, led by Democrat Sens. Tom Sullivan and Julie Gonzales and spon...
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Bipartisan bill to help inmates clear warrants before release sails through committee
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Bipartisan bill to help inmates clear warrants before release sails through committee

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Occasionally, there is a concept with such merit that it transcends party lines in Colorado's General Assembly. House Bill 25-1116 is one of those, Denver Democrat Rep. Jennifer Bacon says. "It is such a good idea that Rep. Ryan Armagost and Jennifer Bacon would be on the same bill," Bacon noted. She is the assistant majority leader in the Colorado House for the Democrats. Armagost, a Republican representing Larimer and conservative Weld County, is the minority party's whip. Together, they are the House sponsors of the bill that would help Department of Corrections inmates have a more successful reintegration into society. "When an inmate is getting released, they are notified [of release] just prior to their release," Armagost said, ex...
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HOA foreclosure bill that would add homeowner protections is back in front of lawmakers
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Approved, CBS Colorado, State

HOA foreclosure bill that would add homeowner protections is back in front of lawmakers

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado A new bill being considered by Colorado lawmakers would protect homeowners from losing everything should they end up in foreclosure with their HOA. Colorado resident Holly Crystal is among those testifying in support. For nearly 10 years, Crystal has been in and out of court. "I will say this has absolutely changed my life," she said. She says it was the only way to fight a property dispute with her homeowner's association. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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King Soopers files for temporary restraining order against striking employees
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Approved, kdvr.com, Local

King Soopers files for temporary restraining order against striking employees

By Brooke Williams | KDVR-TV Fox 31 News King Soopers has filed for a temporary restraining order against union workers, accusing picketers of harassing customers amid a strike across 77 Denver metro grocery stores. King Soopers employees who are represented by the Colorado grocery union UFCW Local 7 went on strike last Thursday after several months of failed negotiations. Many workers continue picketing outside of Denver metro area stores this week. The grocery giant filed a lawsuit against the union on Friday, accusing the union of unlawfully requiring it to bargain with out-of-state labor unions that do not represent its associates. Tuesday, King Soopers filed a complaint in the Denver District Court calling for a temporary restraining order against the union. ...
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Colorado Springs approves long-debated City Council e-bike policy
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Approved, gazette.com, Local

Colorado Springs approves long-debated City Council e-bike policy

By Seth Boster | The Gazette The Colorado Springs City Council on Tuesday voted 6-3 to expand electric bike access across parks and open spaces after another long discussion that represented the culmination of a yearslong debate. After hearing dozens of residents supporting and opposing the move, Parks Department Director Britt Haley told council members: "We've been working on a policy since 2018 because we need this in some format." READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
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