Rocky Mountain Voice

Menu

Complete Colorado

Colorado budget battle reveals deep divide over spending priorities
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado budget battle reveals deep divide over spending priorities

By Rep. Scott Bottoms | Commentary, Complete Colorado Nearly two millennia ago Jesus of Nazareth said, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). Colorado’s Capitol is a long way in space and time from ancient Israel, but the principle remains and is often illustrated during the legislature’s annual budget week. We see where people’s values are by programs that lawmakers do – or do not – fund. The first observation about budget week is a broad one: Governor Polis and majority Democrats like to make a distinction between Washington DC and Denver. They speak of the ‘Colorado way’ so as to suggest that the dirty and deceitful politics of the national capitol never make their way to the state one. Don’t believe it. Here’s an example: with all the talk of ...
Read More
Cutting Social Studies Tests Means Less Accountability For Schools
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Cutting Social Studies Tests Means Less Accountability For Schools

By Ari Armstrong | Commentary, Complete Colorado If “public education is the bedrock of Colorado’s democracy,” as Democratic sponsors declare in the TABOR-busting Senate Bill 26-135, then why do lawmakers want to cut social-studies testing from two grades to one? Someone might conclude that not even the legislators believe the slop they’re slinging on behalf of the teachers’ unions. A look at social-studies testing Given how abysmally most Colorado students perform on the social studies portion of the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, maybe it’s no wonder that some legislators want to sweep the evidence of underperforming public schools under the rug. If you look at CMAS results by year, you’ll find that the last publicly-released data f...
Read More
Colorado Lawmakers Push Major Expansion Of Public Utilities Commission Authority
No Comments
Uncategorized, Approved, Complete Colorado, State

Colorado Lawmakers Push Major Expansion Of Public Utilities Commission Authority

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado DENVER – Colorado lawmakers are trying to introduce major changes to how the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) operates. The PUC, consisting of three members appointed by the governor, oversees numerous industries serving the public, from setting rates for your monthly electric bill to regulating Ubers. New legislation not only extends the PUC for another 11 years, but also introduces an onslaught of changes claiming to protect Coloradans.  However, according to critics, it adds additional burdens to an already over-regulated industry, takes transparency away from consumers and gives an already powerful board of unelected bureaucrats, even more power in other areas. Rideshare companies targeted House Bill 26-1326, Sunset ...
Read More
Colorado Lawmakers Open Door To Unlimited Conversion Therapy Lawsuits After Supreme Court Ruling
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, State

Colorado Lawmakers Open Door To Unlimited Conversion Therapy Lawsuits After Supreme Court Ruling

By Savana Kascak | Complete Colorado DENVER–Despite the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) recently slapping down Colorado’s ban on so-called “conversion therapy,” legislative Democrats are taking yet another swing at influencing conversations mental health professionals have with clients around gender indentity. This time around, it’s the threat of lawsuits at any time in the future, and with no limit on potential damages. As previously reported by Complete Colorado, SCOTUS in March struck down a 2019 statute barring state licensed therapists from engaging in “efforts to change an individual’s sexual orientation, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attraction”  The court held t...
Read More
Federal lease sale brings $8 million boost as Colorado energy shifts to Washington-controlled land
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, State

Federal lease sale brings $8 million boost as Colorado energy shifts to Washington-controlled land

By Savana Kascak | Complete Colorado DENVER–The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) quarterly oil and gas lease sale in Colorado generated over $8 million, the most successful such sale the federal lands agency has enjoyed in recent years. The BLM, as well as energy policy experts credit the successful lease sale in large part to the Trump administration’s pro-energy production policies. According to its recent press release, the BLM on March 31 leased 68 parcels of federal land for drilling in Colorado, generating $8.1 million. Over 42,000 acres were leased across Weld, Jackson, Routt, Arapahoe, Delta, Mesa, Rio Blanco, Gunnison, and Garfield counties. This sale was conducted with lower royalties embedded in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which reduced th...
Read More
Commentary Questions Whether Colorado Leaders Mirror The Power They Protest
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Commentary Questions Whether Colorado Leaders Mirror The Power They Protest

By Jon Caldara | Commentary, Complete Colorado Though most of us celebrate “No Kings Day” on July 4, the Trump-deranged got a head start last weekend with rallies around the state. Attendees bravely fought oppression by blocking traffic for people with jobs. Rally-goers demanded freedom from tyranny, many right after voting to ban all but beige house paint at their HOA meetings. After pausing briefly to DoorDash something gluten-free, they returned to the barricades to secure democracy in Colorado for one more day. They risked everything, except mild discomfort, to call the guy who won both the popular vote and the electoral vote a tyrant. Yes, I’m having fun at their expense. And yes, they have a point. When you build a country on principles instead of a per...
Read More
First In The Nation Reform Bill Limiting Unreliable Drug Test Arrests Signed By Polis
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, State

First In The Nation Reform Bill Limiting Unreliable Drug Test Arrests Signed By Polis

By C.J. Ciaramella | Complete Colorado DENVER–Colorado recently enacted a law protecting criminal defendants arrested due to roadside tests for drugs, becoming the first state in the country to recognize widespread instances of wrongful arrests due to police departments’ use of often unreliable field drug kits. Both chambers of the Colorado legislature unanimously passed House Bill 26-1020, and Gov. Jared Polis signed it into law on March 26. Under the new statute, police can no longer make arrests solely for misdemeanor drug possession based on the results of what are know as “colorimetric” field drug tests and instead must issue suspects a summons to appear in court. The act also requires courts, before a defendant enters a plea in a case where a field test was used, t...
Read More
Colorado Democrats Advance Broad Package of New Gun Regulations
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, State

Colorado Democrats Advance Broad Package of New Gun Regulations

By: Savana Kascak | Complete Colorado DENVER–A series of gun rights restrictions are at various stages in the Colorado’s legislative process, with some bills awaiting action by Gov. Polis, others still in the committee process, and a heavily negotiated gun barrel regulation bill held up in its final reading in the House.   Red flag expansion Senate Bill 26-004 ‘Expand List of Petitioners for Protection Orders’ passed third reading in the House on March 20 with a 39-24 vote and is awaiting action by Gov. Polis.     The Democrat sponsored bill dramatically expands those eligible to file for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) under Colorado’s so-called ‘red flag’ law, to include teachers, health care providers and “institutional petitioners.’ I...
Read More
Colorado Bill Could Undermine TABOR Protections Redirecting Billions Away From Taxpayers
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado Bill Could Undermine TABOR Protections Redirecting Billions Away From Taxpayers

By Nash Herman | Commentary, Complete Colorado Senate Bill 135, legislation that could permanently end the refund of overcollected tax dollars, as well as radically raise revenue limits under Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) amendment, just received a new fiscal note predicting an even bigger blank check for the legislature than before.  This follows the updated revenue forecast presented to the Joint Budget Committee (JBC).  Let’s see what changed.  Budget hole gets bigger Legislative analysts predict that this year’s “budget shortfall” will be approximately $1.5 billion, based on the March 2026 Economic and Revenue Forecast.   While that means a haircut to General F...
Read More
Colorado Medicaid Crunch Leaves The Most Vulnerable Disabled Residents Facing Deep Cuts
No Comments
Complete Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado Medicaid Crunch Leaves The Most Vulnerable Disabled Residents Facing Deep Cuts

By Jon Caldara | Commentary, Complete Colorado This is a selfish column. The legislature is about to hurt my disabled son. My son, Chance, has Down syndrome and a few years ago would have been labeled “retarded.” Then “developmentally delayed.” Now the hypersensitive prefer “intellectually disabled.” Whatever the term is this week, the reality hasn’t changed. This 21-year-old man cannot consistently count to five, can’t read and can’t write his own name. He needs constant supervision for choking risks. He still needs help toileting. And that’s just the start. Medicaid was designed for people like him, our most vulnerable. And I am grateful for it. In between passing laws barring misgendering and expanding tax credits to buy electric bicycles, the s...
Read More