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Senate Democrats — including Colorado’s John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet — refuse to go along with GOP spending plan
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State, The Colorado Sun, Top Stories

Senate Democrats — including Colorado’s John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet — refuse to go along with GOP spending plan

By Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press via The Colorado Sun WASHINGTON — A day before a shutdown deadline, Senate Democrats are mounting a last-ditch protest over a Republican-led government funding bill that already passed the House but failed to slap any limits on President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to gut federal operations. Senate Democrats are under intense pressure to do whatever they can to stop the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, which is taking a wrecking ball to long-established government agencies by purging thousands of federal workers from jobs. U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, said Wednesday during a virtual town hall he would vote against the Republican bill and vote “no” on the Senate...
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Who gets to know? Lawmakers, media and watchdogs wrangle over public records access
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Who gets to know? Lawmakers, media and watchdogs wrangle over public records access

By RMV Staff | Rocky Mountain Voice Last year Democrat lawmakers created a loophole to dodge public scrutiny—and Governor Polis made it law. Now it’s easier for lawmakers to evade state open meetings law, through written and electronic communication. Republicans Sen. Byron Pelton and Rep. Lori Garcia Sander introduced House Bill 25-1242 to repeal and close that loophole. But the bill was killed in committee along party lines, reinforcing a trend toward less transparency at the state capitol. In response, a coalition of government watchdogs and media groups from across the political spectrum is pushing a ballot measure to strengthen public access to records and keep legislative meetings open. Transparency advocates, including the Independence Institute, League of Women Voters an...
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“Education desert” bill would let charters open without school board approval in underperforming areas
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun, Top Stories

“Education desert” bill would let charters open without school board approval in underperforming areas

By Erica Breunlin | The Colorado Sun New charter schools authorized by the Colorado Charter School Institute would be allowed to open in communities with low-performing schools — possibly without approval from local school boards — under legislation that Colorado Senate President James Coleman is considering introducing at the Capitol this year. Coleman, a Denver Democrat, is also exploring the prospect of giving Colorado school districts “the option to solicit proposals from their communities for new quality schools,” including traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, innovation schools or “other innovative education models.” The key factor in opening new schools in areas with struggling schools, Coleman said, would be “demonstrated community demand from acros...
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CO AG Weiser on DOJ’s review of Tina Peters’ case: “Grotesque attempt to weaponize the rule of law” 
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

CO AG Weiser on DOJ’s review of Tina Peters’ case: “Grotesque attempt to weaponize the rule of law” 

By RMV Staff | Rocky Mountain Voice The DOJ is now reviewing whether federal agencies engaged in politically motivated lawfare in the high-profile case of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters. In response to the DOJ’s filing, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser urged the Denver federal court to reject its interference. The DOJ’s recent move to review Peters’ prosecution for "political bias" is a rare and unprecedented step, leading many to question whether this is a genuine concern for justice or simply an attempt to suppress dissent. Peters was sentenced to nine years behind bars for actions related to the forensic imaging of Mesa County's election management system in 2021.  The mainstream narrative has painted her as a criminal, but the DOJ’s sudden interest in reviewing h...
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Congressman Gabe Evans introduces BELOS Act to support military families
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Approved, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Congressman Gabe Evans introduces BELOS Act to support military families

By Tori Ganahl | Rocky Mountain Voice In a move to honor America’s fallen service members and their families, Colorado Congressman Gabe Evans has introduced the Benefits that Endure for Lifetimes of Service (BELOS) Act, a bipartisan bill that would provide free lifetime National Park passes to families of veterans who passed away due to service-related illness or injury​. The bill is named in honor of First Sergeant Marc Belo, a decorated U.S. Army soldier who dedicated 30 years of his life to serving his country.  Belo was a first responder at the Pentagon on 9/11 and deployed three times—to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. He passed away in 2024 due to cancer linked to his military service​. Rep. Evans, a fellow veteran who served alongside Belo, emphasized the signif...
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House Democrats push “most outrageous” SB25-003 forward after 12-hour hearing
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

House Democrats push “most outrageous” SB25-003 forward after 12-hour hearing

By RMV Staff | Rocky Mountain Voice The sheriff in town may be tasked with the administrative burden of weighing in on your future firearm purchase, if Democrat lawmakers have their say. Although sheriffs from El Paso, Lake, Mesa and Weld counties testified that Senate Bill 25-003 is both unconstitutional and difficult to enforce, the House Judiciary Committee advanced the legislation after twelve hours of testimony. The bill started as a full ban on manufacturing and selling semiautomatic guns but has since been watered down.  The latest version still imposes severe restrictions, requiring would-be buyers to navigate an onerous and bureaucratic process, including an additional background check, training requirements and even sheriff approval. House Republicans took to Twi...
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Taxed and voiceless: How a debt trap turned Meadows Metro District residents into an ATM for bondholders
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Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Taxed and voiceless: How a debt trap turned Meadows Metro District residents into an ATM for bondholders

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Imagine paying a $200 tax each month for a community infrastructure project that was completed decades ago. To add insult to injury, consider being told that you’ll continue doing so for 100 years.  That’s the reality for approximately 20,000 property owners who reside in Meadows Metro District (MMD), Castle Rock's largest neighborhood in Douglas County. The MMD ‘limited tax’ general obligation bonds were issued in 1989 to finance infrastructure, including roads and sewer systems. The project’s initial price tag was $57 million. But residents have paid approximately $400 million, with a remaining debt of $600 million due to a negative amortization structure.  How did a ‘limited tax’ bond turn into a debt that...
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Mesa County Commissioner advocates for fair share of transportation dollars
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Mesa County Commissioner advocates for fair share of transportation dollars

By Lindy Browning | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice With an ever shrinking budget, and an ever increasing demand for state money for road repairs and construction due to increasing population and use on the Western Slope, Mesa County Commissioner, Bobbie Daniels went to the state legislature to put a spotlight on the needs of western Colorado. Her testimony highlighted the growing disparity between urban and rural infrastructure funding and the critical need for investment in the roads that keep Colorado moving. Rural communities, which already face resource limitations, are disproportionately affected. Large-scale infrastructure projects in these areas rely heavily on state and federal funding. Yet, much of the transportation budget is allocated to specialized urban pro...
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Department Of Education cuts staff by 50 percent
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Approved, National, The Federalist, Top Stories

Department Of Education cuts staff by 50 percent

By Breccan F. Thies | The Federalist The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday evening that it will be cutting its staff by about 50 percent as part of a “reduction-in-force” to start downsizing the department. In a press call, a senior department official said that of the 4,133 employees currently at the Education Department, 1,315 will be subject to the reduction-in-force — a formal governmental process. That number is on top of the 259 employees who utilized the deferred resignation program, 313 who took the voluntary separation incentive payment of $25,000, and another 63 probationary employees who were terminated in February. “Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are...
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Anderson: SB25-003 faces Constitutional hurdles under the Bruen standard
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Anderson: SB25-003 faces Constitutional hurdles under the Bruen standard

By Phillip Anderson | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Many conservatives and Second Amendment advocates have raised concerns about the constitutionality of SB25-003, a bill that seeks to make it significantly more difficult for Coloradans to exercise their Second Amendment rights. These advocates argue that if the bill becomes law, it will not withstand a constitutional challenge under the Bruen standard established by the Supreme Court of the United States. If you do not closely follow Supreme Court cases or have never heard of the Bruen standard, you may be unsure what to make of these claims. The Bruen standard of review in Second Amendment cases originates from New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen. In this case, two New York residents challenged a s...
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