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Colorado Senate Advances New Gun Store Oversight Bill Toward Final Approval
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The Center Square, Approved, State

Colorado Senate Advances New Gun Store Oversight Bill Toward Final Approval

By Derek Draplin | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The Colorado Senate on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill adding more regulations to gun stores operating in the state. House Bill 26-1126, titled “Requirements for Firearms Dealers,” was approved on its third reading in a 20 to 15 vote, sending it to Gov. Jared Polis' desk to be signed into law. The bill directs the Department of Revenue to adopt new security rules for gun dealers, which must adopt the measures and submit a plan to the state by Oct. 1 next year. It would also require gun dealers to keep an electronic record of firearm transfers and would allow the state to fine gun dealers up to $75,000 for some violations. Republicans and gun rights groups argue the legislation is part of a larger e...
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Section 8 Pays Colorado Rents Near $4,000 Per Month as Critics Call for Reform
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State, Approved, The Center Square

Section 8 Pays Colorado Rents Near $4,000 Per Month as Critics Call for Reform

By Kenneth Schrupp | The Center Square (The Center Square) - Taxpayers are covering rents of up to $3,879 per month in Colorado, leading taxpayer advocates to question the growing duration of federal Section 8 housing choice voucher (HCV) usage. "Section 8 needs to focus on lifting people out of the trap of poverty, not putting them into the lap of luxury," said National Taxpayers Union president Pete Sepp in an interview with The Center Square. "It's unfair to ask taxpayers who can't afford mortgages or rents of nearly $4,000 per month to foot the bill for subsidies amounting to that much." HCV recipients remain in the program for an average of 15.1 years – that’s up from an average of 12.4 years in 2000, according to a 2024 federal report. When asked about a 2026 budget propo...
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Colorado governor pressures local leaders to ease rules and build more homes
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The Center Square, Approved, State

Colorado governor pressures local leaders to ease rules and build more homes

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square (The Center Square) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis updated an executive action to push more affordable housing for Colorado. This comes just months after he first issued the initial executive order. “We are building more housing now and breaking down government barriers to new homes. It is more important than ever to lower the cost of living,” Polis, a Democrat, said. “This action will lead to more housing that people can afford.” The amended executive order directed state agencies to prioritize grant funding to local communities that are “leading on the effort to create more housing that Coloradans can afford.”(The Center Square) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis updated an executive action to push more affordable housing for Colora...
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New data shows Denver’s inflation rising above national average
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Approved, Local, The Center Square

New data shows Denver’s inflation rising above national average

By Derek Draplin | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Inflation in the Denver metro area has outpaced the national average in recent months, according to new data. In February and March, prices in the area were up 0.22%, compared to 0.17% nationally, recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows. “This has inverted the annual trend of national price growth outpacing Colorado,” the Common Sense Institute, a free-enterprise think tank, said in an analysis of the data. Over the last 12 months, prices went up 1.9% in Denver while nationally prices increased 2.4%. In February and March, costs went up for education and communications (5.34%), medical care (0.94%) and  housing (0.53%). Costs went down for recreation (-1.3%), transportation (-.1%) and food (-.1%).  ...
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Democrat-only backed bill addressing ‘junk fees’ heads to governor’s desk
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Approved, State, The Center Square

Democrat-only backed bill addressing ‘junk fees’ heads to governor’s desk

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A bill addressing so-called “junk fees” is headed to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk for his signature after successfully passing both the state House and Senate. No Republicans voted to support the legislation, which received unanimous approval from Democrats. House Bill 1090, titled “Protections Against Deceptive Pricing Practices,” requires sellers to clearly disclose the total price of goods and services, and restricts which fees landlords may charge. It is part of a broader package of bills from Democrats, all looking to address the state’s housing prices. Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, sponsored the bill in the House. She argued that it is an important step to end “deceptive junk fees” that add hidden costs. “...
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Colorado housing ‘crisis’ grows, advocates push for more money
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Approved, State, The Center Square

Colorado housing ‘crisis’ grows, advocates push for more money

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square Housing costs make Colorado one of the nation's most expensive states. This is according to a recent report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which listed Colorado as the sixth least affordable state in the country. The report focused on low-income housing and affordable homes, finding that 79% of extremely low-income renters in Colorado have a “severe cost burden” when it comes to finding housing. Extremely low-income renter households are defined as those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of their area median income, whichever is greater. In Denver, that is approximately $27,400 per year. “While Coloradans of nearly all income levels are experiencing difficulties with access to affordable housing, the cir...
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Attorneys general announce final plan to end Google’s search engine monopoly
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Approved, State, The Center Square

Attorneys general announce final plan to end Google’s search engine monopoly

By Elyse Apel  | The Center Square Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a coalition of 38 attorneys general and the Department of Justice have proposed a final package of remedies to end Google’s monopoly over internet search engines. The remedies would include requiring Google to divest Chrome, as well as potentially other assets like Android if the initial remedies fail “to address the marketplace harms or if Google undermined the effectiveness of the decree.” “For years, the Google browser has been the dominant gateway for users to search the internet,” said Weiser, who led the coalition that included states such as Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington as well as the District of Columbia and one territory, Puerto Rico. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE ...
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Colorado Democrats lead federal bill to revitalize Colorado public lands
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Approved, State, The Center Square, Top Stories

Colorado Democrats lead federal bill to revitalize Colorado public lands

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square Three U.S. congressmen from Colorado have reintroduced the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, which combines four previously introduced Colorado public land bills into one piece of legislation. Over a decade in the making, supporters of the CORE Act say it will protect public lands, safeguard outdoor recreation and boost the state’s economy. “The CORE Act is a model for how legislation should be done,” said U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado. “Ranchers, hunters, hikers and local officials all came together to protect our most sacred lands and invest in our outdoor recreation.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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Report: 20% surcharge on Denver restaurant bills could cost economy $718 million
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The Center Square, Approved, Local

Report: 20% surcharge on Denver restaurant bills could cost economy $718 million

By Derek Draplin | The Center Square An idea to implement a 20% service charge on Denver restaurant bills, floated last week by Mayor Mike Johnston, could cost the city’s economy $718 million over the next five years, according to a policy think tank. Johnston made the suggestion during an interview on the "City Cast Denver" podcast Wednesday while discussing struggling restaurants in the city. “One idea we’ve been floating to restaurants is the idea of a service charge,” he said. “If you do a service charge of 20%, you can gather that, and you can spread it equally across all the employees. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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Gun advocates call proposed legislation a ‘massive infringement’
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Approved, State, The Center Square

Gun advocates call proposed legislation a ‘massive infringement’

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square As the Colorado General Assembly moves forward with multiple bills further restricting firearm access in the state, gun advocates are pushing back. The Colorado State Shooting Association, the official state association of the National Rifle Association, spoke with The Center Square in an exclusive interview, highlighting some of its key concerns with the trends in Colorado. “A lot of this legislation just comes after the very lowest crime segments of the population and the people who handle firearms and ammunition the most responsibly,” said Huey Laugesen, executive director of the Colorado State Shooting Association. “I think that a lot of responsible and law-abiding gun owners in Colorado are really starting to feel like this legislature j...
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