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Tag: Governor Jared Polis

Hunt: Governor signs laws advancing trans agenda, sparking constitutional challenge
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Approved, Commentary, State, TownHall.com

Hunt: Governor signs laws advancing trans agenda, sparking constitutional challenge

By Nicole Hunt | Commentary, Townhall Just as a refreshing wave of reality-based, commonsense policy seems to be sweeping the nation, Colorado lawmakers are doubling down on “trans” policies that can only be described as absurd, unconscionable and unconstitutional. For those of us in Colorado who still believe in parental rights and free speech, the speed at which our state is descending into a dystopian nightmare is terrifying. Here in Colorado, transactivists control the State House, the Senate, and the governor’s seat. Whatever they want to do, however far they want to push the envelope, they can, and they did this legislative cycle. Some of the bills are so radical that even California’s governor refused to sign similar legislation. This session we saw two radical trans bil...
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Governor rejects rideshare reform bill amid corporate exit warnings
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Governor rejects rideshare reform bill amid corporate exit warnings

By Marianne Goodland | Denver Gazette Gov. Jared Polis on Friday vetoed House Bill 1291, a bill that would have put more teeth in regulating rideshare companies. Sponsors heavily criticized the veto, saying his claims that he cares about victims fell short and that he didn't engage with the sponsors on the bill until three days before the end of the session.  House Bill 1291 was intended to beef up consumer protections for those who use ride share companies, such as Lyft and Uber. The bill would have required rideshare companies to conduct criminal background checks on drivers at least once every six months and review drivers who have had complaints filed against them by riders. If the company determined that the allegation is "more than likely to have occurred," it...
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Polis backs federal halt after his own AI law faces fierce blowback
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Polis backs federal halt after his own AI law faces fierce blowback

By Bente Birkeland | Colorado Sun Business and industry groups have been begging for a delay. They say the law as it stands is unworkable — they’re urging Colorado’s lawmakers to give all sides more time to try to find a compromise. Nine months: that’s all the time left before companies have to start complying with Colorado’s first-in-the-nation anti-discrimination law for AI systems, unless policymakers act. Business and industry groups have been begging for a delay. They say the law as it stands is unworkable — they’re urging Colorado’s lawmakers to give all sides more time to try to find a compromise. But consumer rights advocates say AI’s rapid spread into more and more areas of life makes it critical to put guardrails on how the technology is working. Many advocates for th...
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Gaines: Polis’ picks for land board proves Colorado’s gone to the wolves
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Approved, Commentary, State, Substack

Gaines: Polis’ picks for land board proves Colorado’s gone to the wolves

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project I wrote about Polis advisor Nicole Rosmarino being the sole finalist for the directorship of the State Land Board recently. That newsletter is linked first below if you want or need context.On the heels of that newsletter, I got a message from a reader alerting me to the other two appointments that Governor Polis made to the State Land Board--this is the same board mind you that makes decisions on grazing leases, mineral-extraction (oil/gas) leases, and provides revenue to schools--Mark Harvey from Pitkin County and James Pribyl from Louisville. Harvey was appointed to fill the agriculture seat on the board and Pribyl the citizen-at-large seat.If the name Pribyl sounds familiar, you're not alone. He was a former member of the ...
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“Aptitude test for your rights?” Mesa County pushes back on SB3 in letter to the DOJ
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Approved, Local, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

“Aptitude test for your rights?” Mesa County pushes back on SB3 in letter to the DOJ

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Would you need a perfect GPA to speak your mind or worship freely? Mesa County officials say Colorado’s new gun law is treating the Second Amendment that way – and they’ve asked the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene. In a three-page letter sent this month, the Mesa County Board of Commissioners urged federal authorities to investigate Senate Bill 25-003, calling it a “grotesque misuse of government power” that effectively imposes a discriminatory test on anyone wishing to lawfully own or carry a firearm. The law, which takes effect in August 2026, requires residents to complete state-approved firearms training, score 90% on a written exam and obtain conditional approval from their sheriff’s office every five years in order to receive or...
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10-year gun ban for car thieves: Polis signs HB 1174 into law
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Approved, Colorado Politics, State

10-year gun ban for car thieves: Polis signs HB 1174 into law

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Gov. Jared Polis on Monday signed a bill prohibiting anyone convicted of car theft in the first degree from owning a gun during a visit to the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. In Colorado, motor vehicle theft in the first degree is a Class 3 felony, carrying a prison sentence of up to 12 years and fines ranging from $3,000 to $750,000. Under House Bill 1171, individuals who have maintained a clean record can petition for a court order, allowing them to own a gun 10 years after their case has been resolved. "Today, we are taking important steps to make Colorado one of the top 10 safest states in the nation," Polis said. "From now on, anyone convicted of first-degree motor vehicle theft ineligible to possess a firearm, keeping guns out of the w...
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Cities sue Polis over housing mandate, cite threat to local control
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Approved, Local, State, The Colorado Sun

Cities sue Polis over housing mandate, cite threat to local control

By Bente Birkeland | Colorado Sun A lawsuit filed Monday argues the state is violating the right of local governments to shape how they grow and develop Six “home rule” cities in Colorado are suing the state, alleging it has unconstitutionally usurped their local authority over land use and zoning as it pushes communities to allow denser housing development.  The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of an executive order Gov. Jared Polis signed last week to withhold some state grants from local communities if they fail to implement a slate of recent housing laws. The cities say the order encroaches on the powers of both the General Assembly and the judiciary to say what the law is and is “beyond the governor’s authority.” The cities are also asking the courts to f...
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Governor’s executive order threatening loss of funding draws fire for overriding local housing control
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local, State

Governor’s executive order threatening loss of funding draws fire for overriding local housing control

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is putting local governments on notice: Either they comply with state housing laws, or they risk losing at least $100 million a year in state funding. The governor signed an executive order that takes the battle over local control to a new level. Over the last two years, he's signed bills regarding residential occupancy limits and accessory dwelling units, transit-oriented communities and manufactured homes, and even limits on staircases and parking spots. But not everyone is on board with the new laws. Some local governments have flat out refused to comply. So the governor is upping the ante. "What we are doing now is making sure we are putting our money where our mouth is," Gov. Polis told CBS Colorado.  Polis signed an ex...
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The COvid Chronicles May 8–15, 2020: C&C made headlines. Polis made an example. Colorado made up its mind.
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

The COvid Chronicles May 8–15, 2020: C&C made headlines. Polis made an example. Colorado made up its mind.

By Rocky Mountain Voice Editorial Board This fourth installment of RMV’s COvid Chronicles picks up where the last left off – but this time, the spark became a blaze. We split this chapter into two parts to capture the rapid escalation. Part one chronicled the mounting tensions. Part two reveals the eruption. The governor’s enforcers tried to make an example of C&C. Instead, they created a rallying cry. In just seven days, Colorado witnessed threats, shutdowns, viral videos and a surge of defiance that no press conference could contain. Counties revolted, small towns reopened and sheriffs made it clear: the edicts had lost their teeth. These are the COvid Chronicles for May 8-15, 2020… COvid Chronicles catch-up• Introducing The COvid Chronicles: How fear and force reshape...
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Silent signature, rising resistance: HB1312 becomes law, but parents vow to fight on
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Silent signature, rising resistance: HB1312 becomes law, but parents vow to fight on

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 25-1312 into law on Friday, May 16, without a press conference, social media announcement or public ceremony. While the bill, known as the "Kelly Loving Act," was hailed by progressive lawmakers as a milestone for transgender rights, many Coloradans who opposed the bill say the governor's quiet signature is a telling indication of just how controversial the legislation had become. Parental rights groups and faith-based organizations who protested HB25-1312 throughout the session say the final version still undermines their fundamental freedoms. They argue the amendments stripped from the bill prove public pressure worked – but insist what remains is a direct threat to families, schools and the Constitution. ...
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