Rocky Mountain Voice

Menu

coloradopolitics.com

Ex-staffers say Colorado’s Office of Public Guardianship is in crisis, ask Polis to replace leaders
No Comments
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Ex-staffers say Colorado’s Office of Public Guardianship is in crisis, ask Polis to replace leaders

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A Colorado office tasked with taking care of some of the state's most vulnerable citizens is once more facing questions about its management, notably after resignations have left it with just a few staffers to care for more than 80 clients. The Office of Public Guardianship is down to two remote guardians, who may live four to six hours away from their wards and who aren't tasked with in-person visits, and it has no in-person guardian for its Denver-based district, Colorado Politics has learned. The remote guardians are responsible for the office's 82 clients, who are primarily based in mental health facilities in Denver and Pueblo. "We can no longer sit back and watch this office be set up to fail," seven former guardians who have ...
Read More
First Amendment expert: Proposal from Democratic leaders ‘completely’ exempts lawmakers from open meeting laws
No Comments
Approved, 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...
Read More
State legislature is closed for President’s Day, will resume business Tuesday
No Comments
Approved, 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
Read More
Colorado lawmakers scramble to find funds for schools, communities grappling with immigration crisis
No Comments
Approved, 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...
Read More
Colorado county clerks are divided over bill to require voting service centers in jails
No Comments
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado county clerks are divided over bill to require voting service centers in jails

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics The state Senate Judiciary Committee is expected in the coming weeks to take its first look at a bill that has divided the usually united county clerks in Colorado over allowing people in jail to vote on election day. This could cost the state between $200,000 and $1 million. If passed, Senate Bill 72 would require county clerks to set up voting service centers in jails and detention facilities to allow eligible prisoners to vote. Clerks in the state's smaller counties are calling it an unfunded mandate, while sheriffs are taking issues with the bill's language regarding possible penalties for jail facilities not in compliance. The bill's fiscal note shows a state cost of $200,000, but opponents claim the real cost could be clo...
Read More
Colorado House committee kills bill to increase punishment in child sex crimes
No Comments
Approved, 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 ...
Read More
Colorado lawmakers give green light to bill prohibiting adult use of cellphones while driving
No Comments
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado lawmakers give green light to bill prohibiting adult use of cellphones while driving

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics A Senate committee Monday gave approval to a measure that will require adults to use hands-free cellphone devices or face harsher penalties for talking on a cellphone while driving. Senate Bill 65 is the latest incarnation of efforts by lawmakers who have been trying for at least 15 years to require adult drivers to keep their eyes on the road, instead of on their cellphones.  Current state law already imposes restrictions around cellphones on drivers under 18. But it's been a much bigger hurdle to impose those same restrictions on adult drivers. The laws affecting adults permit regular cell phone use for voice calls, although they are prohibited from sending text messages or browsing the internet while behind the wheel. ...
Read More
Colorado Senate considers bill to track ‘suspicious’ gun and ammo purchases
No Comments
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado Senate considers bill to track ‘suspicious’ gun and ammo purchases

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A bill being proposed in the state Senate would allow credit card companies to assign codes to the purchase of firearms and ammunition. Sponsors of the bill say such tracking would allow law enforcement to track "suspicious activity" that could lead to crime.  Senate Bill 066 was discussed last week by the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee. If it passes, the bill would require payment networks, such as credit card companies, to provide processors with a newly developed merchant category code, or MCC, that will specifically be assigned to firearms and ammunition. This code, which was established by the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, in 2022, must be assigned by processors to each firearms merchan...
Read More
Cyberattack disables Colorado public defender network
No Comments
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Cyberattack disables Colorado public defender network

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A malware attack on the state public defender's computer system last week has resulted in the disabling of the office's network, the office confirmed on Monday. A spokesperson for the Judicial Department said the courts themselves were not affected by the cyberattack. "As a preventative measure, we temporarily disabled our computer network and are working to safely and securely bring systems back online. Our operations will be limited while the network is offline," said James Karbach, the communications director for the public defender's office. One judge told Colorado Politics that they learned of the problem as early as Friday afternoon. Eric Ross, a spokesperson for the 18th Judicial District in Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln coun...
Read More
The week ahead at the Colorado Capitol: A glance at hearings and events of note
No Comments
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

The week ahead at the Colorado Capitol: A glance at hearings and events of note

By Marianne Goodland | 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
Read More