State

How Colorado’s caucus system works—and why the 2026 midterm elections start now

21Jan

By Jen SchumannNo Comments

Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

How Colorado’s caucus system works—and why the 2026 midterm elections start now

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice If you’ve ever heard the word “caucus” and quietly thought, I’m not entirely sure what that actually means, you’re not alone. Even Eric Trump has admitted he had to ask. While campaigning for his father during the 2016 election, he recalls turning to organizers and asking, “Can someone finally explain what this caucus is?” The room laughed. Not at him—more in recognition. And relatable. A lot of politically engaged adults only learn what a caucus is once they’re already in the middle of politics—sometimes years into voting. Sometimes only after they’re standing in a room where decisions are being made. And sometimes even after they’ve gone a few times. In Colorado, that late learning comes with consequences. This is ...

Colorado prison beds could run out by 2026 and lawmakers face hard choices

21Jan

By External OutletNo Comments

Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado prison beds could run out by 2026 and lawmakers face hard choices

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Spidey sense is tingling on the jail population … I had a reader mention something I thought worth sharing. Colorado has a problem. Our jail’s are nearing capacity. On top of that, we’re struggling to find people willing to guard them.A Corrections1 link is first below. It’s a copy (without the paywall) of a Denver Post article detailing how a Colorado budget analyst for the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee said we’re going to run out of beds for men in prison as early as 2026. Quoting with link intact: “Colorado’s prisons will run out of beds for men in the next fiscal year unless significant changes are made to either reduce the prison population or increase capacity, a state analyst projects in a n...

Merit Academy: Undeniable Change, A Model For Our Next Victory

21Jan

By Guest CommentaryNo Comments

Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Merit Academy: Undeniable Change, A Model For Our Next Victory

By Eric Gil | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The success of Merit Academy in Woodland Park is no secret. When your school is ranked #5 of all K-12 Colorado Public Schools, it is hard to hide. This article is a look into the origin story of Merit Academy, led by Headmaster Gwynne Pekron. A reminder that we still hold the power to shape our children’s futures and that even when faced with centralized control, a path to real change exists. As a former charter school student and public school teacher, Merit’s story of ascension inspires me to look for ways to ensure our future. Increased attention toward public education from concerned parents is one of the many lasting outcomes of the 2020 pandemic and the subsequent shifts in education. In Woodland Park, this ...

Federal judge recommends dismissing school districts’ lawsuit over transgender sports rules

21Jan

By External OutletNo Comments

Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Federal judge recommends dismissing school districts’ lawsuit over transgender sports rules

By Eric Young | Colorado Politics A judge has recommended dismissing a federal lawsuit filed by multiple school districts against the Colorado Attorney General’s and Civil Rights Offices over their policies dictating students’ participation in athletics and activities based on their biological sex rather than gender identity. Last spring, District 49, later joined by Colorado Springs D-11, Academy D-20, Education ReEnvisioned BOCES and El Paso County charter schools, filed the lawsuit against the two state bodies plus the Colorado High School Athletics Association (CHSAA) over what they allege to be discrimination against female student athletes by allowing transgender students to participate in activities that align with their gender identity. The small, rural school ...

A new session, same defiance: How Colorado’s immigration policy put ideology over enforcement

20Jan

By Jen SchumannNo Comments

Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

A new session, same defiance: How Colorado’s immigration policy put ideology over enforcement

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado lawmakers are walking into the 2026 session with the budget already tight. They’re also bracing for more legal fights with Washington. New bills tied to ICE enforcement are moving early, including one that would expand the state’s ability to sue over immigration-related rights claims. That push comes as Colorado is already in federal court over immigration laws passed last session. In Senate Appropriations on April 11, Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer zeroed in on SB25-276's price tag, asking whether its costs would come out of the legislature's roughly $7.5 million set-aside for new mandates and litigation risks. The answer was a quick "Yes"—no hesitation, no alternative funding source offered. Democrats introduced Senate Bill...

Homelessness Isn’t Just About Rent: Denver’s Spending Tells a Bigger Story

20Jan

By Shaina ColeNo Comments

Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Homelessness Isn’t Just About Rent: Denver’s Spending Tells a Bigger Story

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Denver once bought a motel to help move people off the street. Two years later, it made headlines for trying to sell that same property for ten dollars. Denver’s homelessness debate almost always circles back to housing. Rents are high. Wages trail behind. Even when Denver adds housing, the gap doesn’t seem to close. From there, the “it’s housing” argument almost writes itself. But recent data suggest the drivers run deeper than housing alone. A January 2026 analysis from the Common Sense Institute looked at homelessness trends across the country and found that while housing affordability matters, it is not the strongest factor tied to homelessness — especially when it comes to people living on the...

Feds Unveil Colorado River Options as States Miss Agreement Deadline

20Jan

By External OutletNo Comments

Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Feds Unveil Colorado River Options as States Miss Agreement Deadline

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Two months after the seven states of the Colorado River basin failed to reach consensus on managing the waterway, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation issued a set of proposed alternatives. The alternatives are familiar concepts, including “no action” — an unlikely scenario — and certain levels of coordination, including voluntary measures, among the states. One option is driven by the historical, natural flow at one of the reservoirs. Current operating guidelines for the river that supplies water to seven states, 40 million people, 30 tribes and 5.5 million acres of agricultural land will expire at the end of 2026. On Jan. 9, the Bureau issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement that evaluates five operational alterna...

Polis Says Colorado Police Can Work With DEA Despite Sanctuary Law

20Jan

By External OutletNo Comments

The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Polis Says Colorado Police Can Work With DEA Despite Sanctuary Law

By The Denver Gazette Gov. Jared Polis on Friday insisted that local law enforcement officers in Colorado can — and should — work with federal drug enforcement authorities to go after criminal activity. An official of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency earlier said Colorado’s “sanctuary” laws, notably its prohibition against cooperating with federal authorities on illegal immigration matters, are having a “chilling effect” on law enforcement’s ability to pursue drug cartels operating in the state. “There’s always a matter of making sure local line officers are educated in our laws and that they know that they’re able to work with our federal partners on criminal matters,” Polis told The Denver Gazette. “So, it doesn’t shock me that there are some line officers somewhere ...

State Prison Investigates Incident Involving Tina Peters at La Vista Facility

20Jan

By External OutletNo Comments

DENVER7, Approved, State

State Prison Investigates Incident Involving Tina Peters at La Vista Facility

By Stephanie Butzer | Denver7 Colorado Department of Corrections spokesperson Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia confirmed to Denver7 that the incident happened on Sunday and nobody was injured. Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk who was sentenced to nine years behind bars for her role in an election security breach in 2021, was involved in an incident with another inmate at La Vista Correctional Facility over the weekend. Colorado Department of Corrections spokesperson Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia confirmed to Denver7 that the incident happened on Sunday and nobody was injured. "The Department can confirm that inmate Tina Peters was involved in an incident with another inmate at the La Vista Correctional Facility on January 18, 2026, in which no one was injure...

Colorado Air Regulators Seek Steep Fee Increases to Fund Rising Regulatory Demands

20Jan

By External OutletNo Comments

The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Colorado Air Regulators Seek Steep Fee Increases to Fund Rising Regulatory Demands

By Scott Weiser | The Denver Gazette Colorado’s air quality agency plans to raise charges for air pollution permits and emissions reports for businesses that release even modest amounts of contaminants, potentially increasing fees by 65-70% over two years to generate $13.5-$14 million, according to state budget documents. The Air Pollution Control Division has proposed updates to two existing regulations. The changes would increase fees for annual pollution reports that detail a facility’s emissions output, permit processing and yearly emissions fees, while cutting some duplicate paperwork. The proposals aim to help fund the division’s work reviewing submissions and enforcing clean air standards, according to the agency. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE DENVER GAZET...

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How Colorado’s caucus system works—and why the 2026 midterm elections start now

Colorado prison beds could run out by 2026 and lawmakers face hard choices

Merit Academy: Undeniable Change, A Model For Our Next Victory

Federal judge recommends dismissing school districts’ lawsuit over transgender sports rules

A new session, same defiance: How Colorado’s immigration policy put ideology over enforcement

Homelessness Isn’t Just About Rent: Denver’s Spending Tells a Bigger Story

Feds Unveil Colorado River Options as States Miss Agreement Deadline

Polis Says Colorado Police Can Work With DEA Despite Sanctuary Law

State Prison Investigates Incident Involving Tina Peters at La Vista Facility

Colorado Air Regulators Seek Steep Fee Increases to Fund Rising Regulatory Demands

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