Rocky Mountain Voice

State

Ibotta CEO warns impending Colorado AI law ‘makes us look like we don’t get it’
Approved, Business Den, State

Ibotta CEO warns impending Colorado AI law ‘makes us look like we don’t get it’

By Max Scheinblum | Business Den Feb. 1, 2026, could be the turning point for Colorado’s tech economy. That’s when SB205, a bill Gov. Jared Polis signed into law last May, goes into effect. The Consumer Protections for Artificial Intelligence legislation aims to proactively prevent consumer harm by regulating the use of “high-risk” artificial intelligence in “consequential decisions.” Those decisions include anything from school admissions to job applications to bank loans and insurance claims where AI systems help decide outcomes. The language of the law includes both the developers of the software and deployers of it, such as schools, city governments or businesses with over 50 employees. Leaders within the tech industry and outside of it, including some of the state’s l...
ACLU sues to block use of Alien Enemies Act to deport TdA members in Aurora
Approved, denvergazette.com, State

ACLU sues to block use of Alien Enemies Act to deport TdA members in Aurora

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Colorado to try to block the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to remove immigrants unlawfully living in the U.S. who are accused of being members of a Venezuelan gang. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent President Donald Trump from using the wartime act, arguing the White House proclamation designating members of Tren de Aragua as "alien enemies" does not satisfy the tenets of the Alien Enemies Act. Specifically, a gang’s criminal activities "do not constitute an 'invasion or predatory incursion' under the AEA and the Act was a wartime authority meant to address 'military' attacks," the ACLU argued in the lawsuit. AC...
HB25-1312 and the silencing of parents: What the Rocky Mountain Summit revealed
Approved, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

HB25-1312 and the silencing of parents: What the Rocky Mountain Summit revealed

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice From court-ordered gag rules to the looming threat of custody loss, this isn’t hypothetical — it’s happening now. Colorado families gathered at the Rocky Mountain Summit in early April to share what it means to raise children under a system that increasingly treats concern as abuse. What happened at the Summit Held April 6 in Englewood, the event brought together medical professionals, whistleblowers and families.  Their message was clear: parents are being sidelined by courts, schools and legislation that favors affirm-only practices. And proposed legislation like HB25-1312 may take things further, redefining parental objection as emotional abuse under the law. The Summit marked a milestone for 14-year-old Chl...
Colorado taxpayers footed $7.3M bill for dead Medicaid enrollees, audit finds
Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Colorado taxpayers footed $7.3M bill for dead Medicaid enrollees, audit finds

By Nicole C. Brambila | Denver Gazette Thousands of deceased Coloradans stayed on the state’s Medicaid rolls, as the state continued paying managed care organizations to cover them, a lapse federal investigators flagged as wasteful in a recent audit. Colorado made an estimated $7.3 million in capitation payments between 2018 and 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG). The payments continued for some Coloradans months after their deaths because of outdated reporting and system delays, state officials said. Simply stated, capitation payments are fixed monthly fees paid to managed care organizations for each Medicaid enrollee. “We know that there is fraud, waste, and abuse in the system that we have...
House Minority Leader Pugliese: Parental rights transcend party lines
Approved, Newsmax, State, Top Stories

House Minority Leader Pugliese: Parental rights transcend party lines

By James Morley III | Newsmax Colorado House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, told Newsmax Saturday that "parental rights in an issue that transcends party lines" in light of recent bills passed in the state Legislature that she said aim to erode the authority of parents. Last week, the Colorado House of Representatives passed House Bill 1312, which Pugliese said will punish a parent for referring to a transgender child by their birth name and gender, calling it "coercive control." "What this bill basically says is if you don't subscribe to a certain ideology, you could lose your children," she said during an appearance on "America Right Now." READ THE FULL STORY ON NEWSMAX
Linnebur: Rural Colorado’s energy boom isn’t luck—it’s leadership
Approved, State, The Daily Sentinel

Linnebur: Rural Colorado’s energy boom isn’t luck—it’s leadership

By Tyler Linnebur and Evan Underwood | Commentary, The Daily Sentinel Rural Colorado is experiencing a surge in economic growth thanks to smart federal policy and local energy leadership. Federal energy tax credits, combined with Colorado’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, are revitalizing rural communities by creating diverse, durable jobs and attracting new investment. By supporting both traditional and renewable energy sources, Colorado is proving that a balanced approach delivers real results where they’re needed most. Energy legislation over the past few years reinforced efforts to boost clean energy production and manufacturing across the country. These programs support technologies ranging from solar and wind to energy storage, electric vehicles, and advanced manufacturing. B...
CPW confirms second gray wolf reintroduced to Colorado dies in Wyoming
Approved, DENVER7, State

CPW confirms second gray wolf reintroduced to Colorado dies in Wyoming

By Stephanie Butzer | Denver 7 DENVER — For the second time this year, a gray wolf that was translocated to Colorado from Canada as part of the second round of reintroductions has died in Wyoming. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) sent a brief press release about the second death around 6:45 p.m. Friday, saying they had learned about the male wolf's death in Wyoming on April 9. The wolf was part of the 15 animals — which included seven males — that had been captured in British Columbia earlier this year and brought to Colorado. CPW coordinated with Wyoming Game and Fish to obtain the wolf's GPS collar. Wyoming state law prevents other details from being shared, CPW said. When the first translocated wolf died in Wyoming on March 16, a CPW spokesperson told De...
State sends $8M to 12K residents—billions more remain in unclaimed property
Approved, DENVER7, State

State sends $8M to 12K residents—billions more remain in unclaimed property

By Shannon Ogden | Denver7 DENVER — Colorado, you have some money coming to you. The Colorado Department of the Treasury is mailing $8 million in unclaimed property to 12,000 Coloradans. The checks will arrive in the next few weeks and can be cashed immediately without further action. Twice yearly, companies transfer assets to the Department of Treasury when they can't locate the owners. The state said it currently holds more than $2 billion in unclaimed funds owed to 15 million people or entities. State Treasurer Dave Young said this round of checks includes some sizeable payouts. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVER7 NEWS
Why HJR25-1023’s logic for killing TABOR collapses under basic constitutional history
Approved, completecolorado.com, State, Top Stories

Why HJR25-1023’s logic for killing TABOR collapses under basic constitutional history

By Rob Natelson | Complete Colorado To understand why some members of the Colorado legislature are unworthy of your trust, look no further than their current effort to take away your state tax refunds and abolish your right to vote on taxes, spending, and debt. An astounding 44 of 100 lawmakers are sponsoring House Joint Resolution (HJR) 25-1023. This resolution would spend tax dollars on a lawsuit to void the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Coloradans voted to add this valuable protection to the state Constitution in 1992. I’ve listed the sponsors at the end of this column, so you can see who they are and what districts they so poorly represent. I’ve also included a link so you can see their party affiliation and email addresses and another link so you ...