Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Consumer Choice

Colorado Voters Will Decide Right To Natural Gas in November
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Voters Will Decide Right To Natural Gas in November

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A citizen initiative that seeks to enshrine the right to natural gas has qualified for the November ballot, Colorado’s election office confirmed on Thursday. Petitions containing signatures for Initiative No. 177 were turned in to the Secretary of State’s Office for review in late June. On Thursday, the Secretary of State’s Office said 146,165 of the 189,508 signatures collected were valid, surpassing the threshold. The initiative from Advance Colorado establishes consumers’ right to purchase natural gas for cooking and heating their homes and businesses, as well as the right of distributors and utilities to sell natural gas to homes and businesses. “Natural gas is a clean, reliable and affordable form of energy...
Denver’s flavored tobacco ban raises questions of freedom vs control
Westword, Approved, Commentary, Local

Denver’s flavored tobacco ban raises questions of freedom vs control

By Westword Readers | Commentary, Westword Reader: Banning Flavored Tobacco Won't Make It Disappear Late last year, Denver City Council voted to ban flavored tobacco products. Now voters will get the chance to overturn that. Late last year, Denver became the latest Colorado city to pass a ban on flavored tobacco products; it's slated to take effect on January 1, 2026. But before then, the electorate will get its say on this issue. Even before Mayor Mike Johnston signed the Denver City Council-approved proposal, a coalition of smoke and vape shop owners was putting together a campaign to overturn the ban, gathering more than 17,000 signatures to successfully put a repeal in front of voters this November. Will it pass? Readers aren't blowing smoke in their comme...
Colorado’s unelected energy board moves to give Xcel control over your appliances
Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado’s unelected energy board moves to give Xcel control over your appliances

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project, Substack Low energy, low carbon, and higher upfront cost energy codes are now complete I have written in the past about our state's model energy code.** Per the quote (with link left intact) coming from the link at bottom:"The Model Low Energy and Carbon Code, which is required by state law HB22-1362, becomes Colorado’s new minimum energy code on July 1, 2026. Any municipality or county that updates any of its building codes after that date must adopt the model code, or a code that will achieve greater energy efficiency and pollution reductions."That second sentence there is the operant one. Get ready to have this code forced upon your locality as soon as they update their building codes post 7/1/2026.I'll leave it to ...
Appliance Group Challenges Colorado Gas Stove Warning Labels In Court
State, Approved, The Gazette

Appliance Group Challenges Colorado Gas Stove Warning Labels In Court

By Scott Weiser | The Gazette A trade organization representing gas stove manufacturers filed a request for a temporary restraining order against the state over a requirement that gas stoves sold at retail have a yellow sticker warning buyers of the purported health risks of using natural gas for cooking. The complaint, filed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, asserted a First Amendment violation over government-compelled speech and sought an injunction against the law. The trade association alleged HB25-1161’s labeling requirement unconstitutionally compels its members to convey a message they disagree with. The law went into effect Aug. 1. It requires the yellow label read: "Understand the air quality implications of having an indoor gas stove" and include ...